Stuff only the parents care about

Brainiac Daxisms- Dax has always had an incredible vocabulary. One of my friends calls him the little professor. We call him the absent-minded professor. 

When it comes to learning and retaining things he amazes us. When it comes to everyday things like watching where you are walking or getting dressed, he doesn't have a lick of sense. Sometimes he will come out wearing clothes that are waayyy too small and it doesn't even connect with him that he is wearing Derek's clothes, he does crazy stuff all the time that makes you wonder if his brain works. Now his vocabulary has surpassed mine and he is using words that I don't even know what they mean -like juggernaught, rogue, and frigate. I had to look them up. 

The other day Dax wanted me to help him with something in all seriousness he said "Mom would you delight in helping me find some legos" He always uses the words in perfect context just sometimes he needs help with the pronunciation, but only once and then he gets it every time. He is doing the AIMS testing in school this week. We asked what he was tested on the first day and he said he had to write about something he learned to do. We asked what he wrote about and he said he wrote about how he learned to snap. Which he recently figured out and now he walks around snapping all the time like he's Pinky Tuscadero. 

 The other day we were riding in the car and there were some silk flowers in a bag that I need to return. I bought them for a project, didn't end up using them and they were extra. Dax and Derek were asking me why I had them, I told him I needed to return them to the store yada yada. Dax said when you return them you get your money back. I said yes, you give the stuff back to the store and they give you your money back. Derek said, " I'm going to look all over the house and car and find money and then give it all to you, so you can keep your flowers." I thought that was sweet. 

There is a little girl in Derek's class at school who we also know from church. She joined the class after the school year started and soon after she started school, she started saying she wanted to Marry Derek because he is so funny. I didn't think much of it because they are five. Then the other mother told me they were kissing, I think on the cheek- but still, that does not need to happen. Then it got to the point when we would see people who know both Derek and the little girl would say "look there is Annalena's future husband" Then I was starting to get bugged about this. I think everyone thinks this is funny and cute but me. A few weeks ago Annalena's Mom told me that Annalena was crying because Derek said he didn't want to marry her anymore. This is way too much drama for me that a 5 yr old girl is crying all afternoon about another 5 yr old boy saying he didn't want to marry her. This makes me even happier I don't have girls. Derek never says anything about any of the marrying stuff to me, I only hear it from the other moms. I asked Derek why he said that to her, and he said it was because she didn't play with him that day or something stupid. I told him he didn't even need to worry about getting married to anyone for 20 years. I think they are friends again, which I'm fine with I just don't want to hear about the marriage talk anymore.

Trey J

Trey's first time in the hot tub. I think he liked it.

Trey always falls asleep in this contraption. He will be playing one minute and then the next minute dead silence and he is asleep, no fuss or fight to sleep like he does in his bed.

My Blue-eyes baby.

 

Curtis and Trey got the blue eyes in the family, and everyone else has hazel eyes.

This last weekend Trey figured out how to roll over from back to front. He is pretty proud of himself. Now I wish now he would sleep through the night. Flipping over and sleeping on the belly was the magic it took for Derek to sleep all night. Dax was another story. I hope we don't follow his pattern, I think he was 2 before he consistently slept through the night.

A few weeks ago Trey discovered his hands. He looks at them in total fascination, moving his hands around and wiggling his fingers. I want to get a picture or video of this, but every time I grab the camera he quits.

He also likes to grab his toes and suck on them.

Pumpkins 'N Pillars

This title is actually Dax's idea. Dax took both of these pictures. I think I deleted the wrong caterpillar picture. This one is a bit blurry.

For Cub Scouts Dax Planted a pumpkin seed and surprisingly it sprouted. Between Dax and Derek drowning it in water almost daily, I didn't think the plant would have a chance. Once it sprouted it started to grow really fast. We had to re-pot it in just a few days. It got Derek excited so he planted some sunflower seeds in the backyard. I had the seeds laying around so he didn't have a choice. We checked them the other day and one had sprouted. 

They are pretty excited about these plants so I plan to start a container garden in the next few days. It will give them something to do this summer. I'm starting to think taking care of plants is better than taking care of a pet. :)

On the last day of spring break, I sent them outside to entertain themselves and they found these caterpillars. They kept collecting more and more and played with them most of the day. For some mysterious reason, they sleep constantly now. That is what the boys are telling me. I think they are actually dead :(.

Gooey Gunk & More Gooey Gunk

Over Spring Break I checked out a book from the Library on making concoctions for kids. This green goo is called "gooey gunk" It's pretty much like slime that you can buy in the store. It's made from Elmer's glue, and borax soap. It was good entertainment for the day. 

 Then Dax ended up getting sick for most of the spring break. On and off fever, throwing up, 2 trips to the Dr. and finally finished out the week with an ear infection. I was glad, we could finally get some antibiotics and end it. I'm glad we didn't have any big trips planned. Just one quick trip to Flagstaff at the end of the break.

RENT

Last night we went to see RENT. One of the magazines that Curtis' advertises in, (one of the few that are still in business) gave him tickets to see the Broadway show RENT playing at Gammage. We didn't know much about it so we read about it online and it had rave reviews. We read the storyline and we were not sure if it was our type of entertainment., The story is about AIDS and everything that goes along with that. All the reviews from ordinary people of all ages, not critics, loved it and loved the music. We kept reading it was a "rock opera" but didn't quite get what that meant. We decided to check it out because everyone loved it so much, and we would go with an open mind. 

On the way there we decided that if we didn't like it we would not stay and sit through it and punish ourselves. Curtis always watches the end of a movie even if he hates it. I have no problem not finishing a movie. I had no problem walking out of this if I didn't like it. We had a little mishap with the babysitter. She got sick at the last minute, but we were able to find someone else and got there just as it was starting. Three songs into it we looked at each other and realized we didn't have a clue what was going on, felt like we were in a bad dream. Figured out that a "rock opera" meant there was NO dialogue and only singing.

 As soon as we got to intermission there was no question we walked out. Then we went to sonic and had a fun time anyway. I think Broadway Plays have left a bad taste in Curtis' mouth. We have seen 4 together and he has hated 3 of them. I have seen some good ones, so I know they can be amazing.

Skiing

Do you see these cheeks? This is why I don't live in Artic Flagstaff anymore

The first time in snow pants, hat, gloves, and coat.

I hardly recognize this kid in all this snow gear. I think it's Derek.

Last weekend we headed up to Flagstaff to ski and visit Papa and his broken leg. Dax and Derek had a half day Thursday for Student Led Conference. I have to say I was proud of Dax. His handwriting and writing have really improved. He did a great PowerPoint presentation about his favorite things (I still don't know how to use PowerPoint). Friday was the last day before Intersession (fancy word for 2 week Spring Break) so he wasn't doing much in school anyway. We left Thursday after his conference and met Curtis in Flagstaff who had been in Las Vegas all week for some meetings.

I'm such a CA (my mom's term for Cheap A**) I was hoping to rent all these ski clothes instead of buy, but they only rent adult ski clothes. It worked out ok because it was so late in the season everything was 50-75% off and I have 3 boys that can pass it down and use this stuff for years. Dax and Derek were pretty excited to be getting all this stuff and to actually be able to play in the snow without getting soaking wet and freezing cold. Derek wasn't convinced he even wanted to ski until he got these cool mittens with Spiderman on them and Dax got a glow-in-the-dark Spiderman hat.

Curtis (the experienced skier) took the boys skiing for the first time on Friday. He put them in ski school and they both did a great job. Derek took off like a rocket and left Dax and Curtis on the mountain. By the time they found him in the lodge he had already taken his skis off and gone to the bathroom. They all had a great time and look forward to doing it next year. My Dad thought they would be home within a few hours. They got there when it opened and stayed until it closed and came home exhausted. Derek just found out his buddy Sean across the street is in Colorado skiing this week. He thought that was cool.

D List Celebrity sitings

In the last few weeks, sometime between President Obama and now Curtis has had a few Celebrity run-ins

First, he met Dan Patrick at KFYI where Curtis does his radio show. Dan Patrick used to host Sportscenter on ESPN. When we were first married our TV was constantly on ESPN, so I feel like he is an old friend. Dan Patrick & Keith Olberman were a standard fixture in our living room for quite some time. Dan Patrick now does his own sports radio show. Curtis had heard around the station that he was quite arrogant, He didn't disappoint and seemed very ungrateful to ESPN who first put him on the map. I think DANICA Patrick is a bigger name in sports right now. He needs to cool it.

The following Saturday he went to an all-day Seminar put on by Robert Kiyosaki. Curtis was able to talk to him one and one and snap this picture. He said he rambled on and seemed a bit senile. Very odd from what you see on TV.  Curtis said his wife is definitely the brains of the operation. I don't know if you can see in the picture but Robert Kiyosaki's suit is electric blue with a yellow plaid print, along with the tie and his yellow hankie in his pocket maybe to some he is a sharp dresser.  I think he looks like a clown. Curtis said that was kind of how he seemed throughout the day. I was shocked, I have seen him on Oprah and Larry King being interviewed. It must have been a few years ago because Curtis said he couldn't do an interview like that now. Maybe he was on medication that made him seem that way.  Very sad.

Curtis also did the Richard Petty NASCAR experience at Phoenix International Raceway a few weeks ago. This is his second time to go compliments of KFYI again. Thankfully I didn't get to go with him either time. I didn't think I would enjoy the noise or the smell, so he took someone who would. They take him feed him and let him tour the place. Then the great thing is they get in a race car with Ricky Bobby and he drives them around the track at 150 MPH (the part I know I really wouldn't enjoy) and they wear all the NASCAR gear while in the car. Curtis said it is terrifying and it is still not as fast as they go in a real race. He is not normally a NASCAR fan but after this, he can at least appreciate the sport.