Sliding In The Sun (Remember Sun??)

Sue just sent me some pictures from the Fall when we were playing at the park with the boys. It makes me long for the cold to break...I'm itching to get back outside!!

The Newest Campaign Signs

Thanks to Mel for the hot tip!

Blast Off

Fans of Little Einsteins will appreciate this...

Shaye Amanda Is 9

Wha-wha-what?!?!?!?

How did this happen? Our niece (Phil's god daughter) had her 9th birthday party on Saturday night. I seriously remember being at the hospital the night she was born, such a peanut. Now she's a sassy little 9 year old lady. Sigh!

We got her 2 fish - Christina and Aguilera.

Happy Birthday Shaye!!!

Next Stop...Great Wolf Lodge

Okay if you haven't been there already you must immediately pack the car and go to Great Wolf Lodge. And if you've already taken a trip up there you're pickin' up what I'm layin' down. It's the bomb!

GWL is this huge resort in the Poconos. The biggest attraction is their waterpark - it's absolutely gigantic and even I got into the water (it's 85 degrees, ahhh). There are huge slides for bigger kids (after Phil went down the first time he was giddy) and smaller slides for Cole's age. They have a wave pool, a lazy river, and even a super soaker bucket that fills up with 1,0o0 gallons of water and dumps onto the people underneath it.

The room was a big hit with the boys. We got the Wolf Den suite - they had their own little area that was cave-themed with bunk beds and their own TV. Ry just couldn't get over the fact that he could watch Spongebob from the top bunk.

At 8 pm they have storytime for this kids in the lobby. Before they headed over Phil took Ry to the arcade. The little guy may not be accurate, but at least he's persistent...

Ry showed no fear and went down the biggest slides with Phil...maybe next year he'll be able to tackle them by himself. Our next trip will be with 3 little ones, oy!

As Cole says...peace out. Word to your mother.

Ain't No Mountain High Enough

We had a fabulous 5 days off. After traveling back and forth from here to there and back again, it's nice to be home. As Phil said, it's also nice to be eating vegetables again. Almost 5 days of over-indulging on pizza and fries has taken a toll!!

The adventures began Wednesday in Allentown - Phil took Ry snow tubing at Blue Mountain. Despite the layering, after the first trip down the hill Ry proclaimed through chattering teeth that he was freezing and wanted to go inside. Having already paid (and having too much fun himself), Phil dragged the kid back up the mountain and they had 3 or 4 more rides back down.

I think it was an overall success - maybe next time we need to be better prepared. We really had no snowsuit for Ry and squeezed him into Cole's 18 month size. Oops!

Caught

Pack The Car...They're Off To College

Sigh. How do I freeze time? In the past week the boys have both had these teeny tiny milestones that make me feel like they're completely grown up.

Cole...

Started in the 2-year classroom on Monday. They drink out of real cups (not the kind with lids - it's quite a mess) and use the bathroom instead of having diaper changes

Ry...

Now officially takes a shower instead of a bath. He doesn't even play with his water toys...unless you count his fake razor but he takes the shaving portion of his shower very seriously.

Cole...

Is talking up a storm and can sort of hold a conversation with you. His newfound joy is talking on the phone...which doesn't EVER end so if you see our number on Caller ID you may want to think twice before picking up.

Ry...

Taught himself how to read and will sit quietly with his books. It's really the only time he's ever quiet for an extended period of time (unless you count sleeping...although according to Phil he was talking in his sleep last night...a story for another post). Thank goodness he still lets me read to him...when that's over I'll truly be depressed!!!

I know all of this development is good...I just can't believe these kids aren't babies anymore. When I saw Cole sitting at the table with all of those 2 year olds drinking out of regular cups, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. If I squinted my eyes just right I could see a little graduation cap on his head as he waved goodbye to me on his way to college...

E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!

Pizza on game day...

Hamming it up with their jerseys...


Testing me...oh he has that look in his eyes...

Unfortunate Series Of Events

Like I've always said, it wouldn't be an evening in the Kerper household without someone crying or peeing on the floor. How ironic - that's just what happened tonight!!!

I brought the boys upstairs for Cole's bath and here is the path of destrucion we ended up on. Unfortunately I can't disagree with Phil's assesment of the situation - I brought this all on myself!

1. Cole runs into the bathroom and points to his little potty. He says "pee on the potty." I believe him. He pulls his pants down so I willingly oblige and remove the diaper.

2. Somewhere between getting into the bathroom and pulling down the pants, Ry freaks out (when he fell asleep on the 2 mile car ride home from school I should have known I was in for it). For some reason he decides to throw his toothbrush at me, and for this he gets a time out.

3. I take Ry to the step for said time out, leaving Cole in the bathroom with his pants around his ankles.

4. I get back from putting Ry on the step to find Cole standing next to his potty in a puddle of his own pee (you had to have seen that one coming)

5. I take Cole into his room to get off his wet clothes. While I'm bringing him back to the bathroom to put him in the tub I hear Ry saying I'm "stupid." This is breaking a cardinal Kerper law so I have to go give him more time on the step

6. As I leave Cole alone in the bathroom again (yes I did it again and this time he was naked) I turn just in time to watch him slip and fall in the puddle of his own urine. Nice.

7. I'm torn between helping pee-boy and giving Ry more punishment. My cold heart wins and Ry gets an extra 3 minutes.

8. I finally get Cole in the bath. Ry gets out of time out and tells me he's sorry. I clean up the pee. All is right in the world again.

My life is so glam!