Friday, August 26, 2011

No, no, don't get up.

Here are the boys waiting patiently while I cook them breakfast. They have their "phones" to call Miss Hope to let her know that mommy is making their breakfast of:
-hand grated hashbrowns soaked in salt water with a splash of white vinegar seasoned to their liking with finely minced onion, microplaned garlic, salt, pepper and parsley for color.
-"toad in the hole" with scrambled egg seasoned with salt, pepper, tabasco and a sprinkling of cheddar cheese
-perfectly crisped bacon
and 
-sippy cups filled with orange juice diluted to the perfect acidity with ice.
Anything else, sweet monkeys?
No? Oh, good because next I have to burn some hamburgers for your father. 


Saturday, August 20, 2011

Because he can't say No.....

Hey, you uber stylish boys, whatcha lookin' at? Is the redneck circus in town? Logan James, where are your pants? What a hot mess....

Bert, what are you looking at?

OH! Well, looky looky. A cat in a tree. That's ironic....being as two firefighters live in the house in the yard where this tree lives. Why are we not laughing at the irony? Because that is OUR cat. Yeah, we got an indoor cat. We cat-sat these 2 cats for a buddy of Andy's and they decided to give us one....as a thank-you. (Next time I'll take the fruit basket.) No, one ran away and they didn't want just one so they asked if we wanted to have the other one. Sure.....sure. 
Thanks, Captain Obvious, we had no idea where it was. It was named Thunder (Lightning ran away...insert dumb, overused joke here.) and now it's named Tucker. 

Here, kitty, kitty. My brave firefighter husband decided to throw up a ladder and see if Tucker would like an escort down. Nope, higher and higher he went. *sigh*....

I decided to give it a whirl....

I know you prolly can't see Tucker but he's there at around the "11 o'clock" position...

Welcome back, Tucker....

We are super thrilled you are here. Next time, there will be no ladder. 

Don't try to be all cute and cuddle up to my sleeping, pantless children. (that sounds weird....)

Here's an update on the new baby chicks. They survived! They are growing and chirping and eating their own 50lb bag of special chick food. Super happy about that. 


Anyone want to buy a camper? 

We are gonna put it on the lot at General RV, they have a used section. We loved it but just don't have the time to invest in it right now. 

The boys love to use their tools to make random things. Andy and I are talking about redoing the deck and making it a wrap around and expanding it. Logan went and got his saw and started getting to work. Thanks, little monkey.

He's even got the saggy shorts thing going. At least he's wearing shorts!

Here's a quick pictoral update of the tummy tuck....I am in horizontal stripes! I went from a size 16 to a 10. Couldn't be happier with the results. 

Reese is obsessed with her jumperoo. She jumps and laughs for 30-45 minutes at a time. 

As some of you know, I am starting a new business. The CarSeat Cozee. I am in 3 stores here in town and so very excited about that. A very creative guy from church named Craig is making my website. He is doing a fabulous job. I can't wait to launch it in the next couple weeks. Here are a sampling of the Cozees that are in the stores. If you know someone who is pregnant keep this in mind! "It's not on any registry but it will be their favorite gift!" Sorry, couldn't help myself! 




The boys love to help with chores around the house, that's no secret. They love doing laundry. Here is Cole climbing up to pull the clothes out, wondering what Logan is doing. 

Yeah.....Logan is "talking" on the phone. That's Reese's baby monitor. He's "talking" to Miss Hope- our wonderful friend who is a very successful realtor. If you are looking to sell or buy Hope Kolker is the realtor you want! (Facebook her!) 
Notice they are back in their favorite outfits...just undies. We are potty training them and I have to say, I was so not looking forward to it but they really have far exceeded my expectations. I can count on one hand between the two of them how many accidents we have had. I am so proud of you boys!
Things are good here and nice and busy. I am hoping to start work this coming week doing what I have been doing for the past 11 years-Paramedic/911 dispatcher. I am so blessed to love going to work everyday. I know Andy is super looking forward to being home with the kids more as I get back into the workforce. Maybe this will be the pet form of birth control......it's either that or get used to climbing up ladders to get cats out of trees, Mr Fireman.




Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Albright Acres Barber Shop is now open

What happens when you get planted on the floor and are not able to escape whatever comes your way?
Your brother decides you're a hot mess and he knows what to do to fix it.

My sweet daughter was born with a weave. That girl has more hair than both her brothers. I had so much heartburn while she was baking I popped Tums (didn't work) and Zantac (did work, all Zantac workers deserve a raise.) like candy...or hot, fresh, salty McDonald's Fries. She has a curl that comes down on her forehead. Her Great Grandma is in love with that curl. It seems, however, her brothers are not.

 Why you ask are my children in long sleeve, long pants onsies when they are obsessed with being naked or wearing only panties undies? Well the female is in one because her legs get cold at night with the fan on and then she wakes up with popsicle legs. I put her in it and she sleeps and we all know when baby sleeps well, mama sleeps well. The boys are in one because......they saw it and decided "Hey, let's wear fleece in 80 degree weather." My boys are so smart. My boys take after their dad.
I can see 17 years from now the boys helping Reese get ready for prom. Thanks, baby girl for letting the boys comb your weave. Those 2 monkies love you, bean butt. When we get a case of head lice from Susie in 2nd grade we know who to call.....

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Umm...son, I'm not sure it goes like that.

Logan loves to wear his dad's motorcycle helmet. Nice job, honey.
I didn't want to say anything but yeah....it'a little heavy. Looking good though.
Whenever the boys get hurt they yell "I need a wet facecloth!" We all know that a wet facecloth is like a bandaid...it heals. Well, this is a Boo Boo Bunny made for us by a girl at church. Cole fell while running on the deck and came in wanting a wet facecloth for his agony. Being the lazy mom that I am and knowing that the facecloths were in the laundry basket in the other room I went for the much closer and more bloggable boo boo bunny in the undies solution. Works. Like. A. Charm.
I know, I know the deck is a hot mess. Daddy and I are in a hot debate about whether or not to do a double deck type extention or go straight out from where it is. Sharpen those skills boy because mama ain't payin' full price for labor.
I took the boys to Toddler time at the Library. Yeah....it lasts for a half hour and the boys didn't participate until like minute 24. I'm sure next time they will be tapping their toes and swinging their arms...
I


Minute 23......
Minute 24!!! We have some participation! I will definitely bring them back to let them "move and groove" as requested on the flyer. "Show them the signature Albright moves, babys!!"..........

.........*sigh*.................
Ever since the boys were born I have always said to them "do we wear them on our.....knees?, arm?, head?...etc? It always makes them laugh and Reese is no exception.
Love you, pumpkin butt. Don't worry, the embarrassing pictures won't stop anytime soon.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Another addition of "I really am that cheap".



 So, my boys love to vacuum. Like, 18 times a day. Everything is a vacuum to them. When I just can't take anymore vacuuming they move on to Swiffering. I love it when they swiffer....swiffering is silent. However, swiffering somehow uses all the facecloths in the house, 5 real Swiffer cloths and about 16 baby wipes. Mama needed to smarten up.



I took a dishtowel, a piece of fabric from the scrap bin and some buttons and sewed up a re-useable cloth that I can just throw in the washer. I have a feeling I will be making a bunch of these.

 If you want it a little more substantial you could use 2 dishtowels but I wanted something to match the buttons I was going to use. Could you think of anything more horrid than a cleaning rag not matching it's buttons? Hey, if you're gonna do something why not make it cute?!!
                                            Hey, boys!!! Mama made you something!!!

Friday, August 5, 2011

a day late, apparently......*sigh*....

Ummmm.....yeah, this was a big surprise. Apparently we waited a little too long to bring the roosters to "help" out the alligators at Boulder Ridge. Farmer A is super excited and is building a nursery in the Cluk Mahal. I heard saws and hammers and lullabys out the back door. Listen up you two: Welcome to Crazyville, we are happy to have you. 

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Our trip to Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park.

 We went to opening day on July 30th with 2 other families and had a great time. The weather was great-hot but a nice breeze. It was new so the overwhelming hot poo smell was barely noticeable. Not like at home where poo filled diaps get wedged under the computer and proceed to bake and fill the house with smell. Who knew visiting a pasture of Bison would smell better than my house? I do, now!
 My sweet Reese wearing her brother's hat because Mama's too cheap to lay down a couple bucks for a new one when this neutral one works just fine. It looked so cute all floppy around her head.

 She sat in the stroller for hours enjoying the views (and the fresh air...). It was nice to see her sitting there in something other than her carseat. My peanut is growing up.

 So, we walk into the park and are met with a kid handing out cotton candy. Like, first thing, like I haven't taken 5 pictures of you yet and now you'll be covered in smurf. But, not wanting to go all Kate Gosselin on them and freak out if they get dirty I plucked two from the kid and handed them to my boys.
 Funny thing-when your kids are slightly OCD and can't stand being dirty (like walk on their heels when they get sand from the softball field in their sandals until they get to grass and can finally relieve the agony of grit) they stay surprisingly pristine. They see smurf on each others face and proceed to get out a wipe and wipe their faces and hands and anything around them. Yeah for OCD!
 Girl, don't give me that look. Reese clearly isn't pleased in being slathered in sun screen. Her friend Anni came ready to party.
African Crown Cranes
A really big tortoise.  We want to get one. I want one that walks around both inside and outside. Our friend "Reptile Rick" who is a huge part of the park had one at his house we looked at and he said it had been neglected. It had a soft shell from lack of nutrition and he gave it Tums to strengthen it's shell. I found that so interesting. They couldn't take away my heartburn when I was prego but by golly they do a  fantastic job hardening the shell of a turtle. 

We went into the aviary and oh the fun we had! There were somewhere in the area of 487,00 parakeets that would eat seed off of sticks that you bought for a buck and held.
They were every color of the rainbow. Not being a parakeet aficionado I didn't know they were so beautiful. Probably what people think about our chickens.....or not.
Logan took a minute to adjust to them and the fact he couldn't just walk over and pick one up like at home with the chickens. Yeah, my boys a chicken chaser!
Our friend Alison and her sweet daughter Anni enjoyed the aviary too!
Fellow Cascade FF Todd and his beautiful daughter Leah were pros at the feedings.
I love Reese's eyes. They are big and beautiful and when she smiles her whole face lights up.
Great job, Logan.


Nice work, Cole.
My DH, Andy, getting in on the action. Will we ever get a bird? I don't know. I imagine that we won't. An indoor/outdoor turtle that is a maybe, though.


Well, lookey here! It's our goats!! Macey in black and Marge up front sporting white. Hello, ladies! I know it's a little different here, what with no slide, swingset, big honkin' wooden spools littering the yard that you chewed and chewed, nope. Looks like a standard animal pen with straw and hay works just fine! Huh, who knew!?

This here is a gator. This gator gets the chickens that quit laying and the chickens that turn out to be roosters at our house.  Yeah, your welcome.
This is our friend, Reptile Rick. He is so smart and generous with his time and knowledge. He asked the boys to pick anything they wanted to touch and he would get it for them.
Yep, they choose an alligator. Look at my babies flushed cheeks. They are so cute.
                                             I love that Reese can hold her own bottle.

Birds, large birds.
The glorious tractor ride. We saved it for last. Our guide, Terry was funny and informative. I tend to like factoidy type things. The tractor ride took us through the animals of Africa.

A majority of the zebras are prego. I will never be prego again. We will have to go back and see the babies. The park was a fantastic time. Not so big that your miserable trying to see everything to get your monies worth. Great layout, friendly staff. If your looking for a way to spend 3 hours, take a drive to Alto and check them out. 
Thanks Rick and Sara!