Barn Down Memory Lane

When I was growing up there was a beautiful red barn behind our house.  We raised pigs and lambs for 4H and played in the barn for hours during the summer.  I have so many wonderful memories from that barn, recenlty it began to lean so my cousin who now lives in my childhood home.  She decided to tear it down before it became a safetly hazard.

This is a beautiful picture taken of my favorite barn before they pushed it down.

Cheers,
Heidi

Rehab

Manik commented the other day about how much I was yelling.  I hadn't realized how much I was doing it until he brought it to my attention.  Now I have noticed how much Laila is yelling at Jai, it is a very clear tell that she is mimicking me.  It makes me feel terrible and totally ashamed.  I have decided to do a better job managing my frustration and so starting last Friday I stopped yelling.  I began my own rehab, this rehab entails a great deal of deep breathing and keeping things in perspective.  But I can proudly say that I have not yelled or raised my voice in four days!  I have noticed that the kids are yelling less and I feel better about myself.  So far rehab has been very positive!  It is a happier home all around!!

On a happy note Arjun arrives early tomorrow morning and I can't wait to see how much he has grown and catch up on all that has gone on for him in STL!

Cheers!

Heidi

Little boys and their cars

I found Jai playing in the living room the other day.  He was so intent on his trucks and I couldn't help but laugh.  He rolls his trucks around the house for hours, making the appropriate car noises.  He is so boy through and through.  

Cheers,
Heidi

Back to school...just a little late.

Laila started preschool at W.H.E.E.  Her teachers are amazing and I love how much she is learning.  Currently she is on letter "I" and they made stone soup today.  She reported back to me that it was delicious, her favorite part was the pasta and the carrots.  Jai started "kindergarten" also know as mom's day out at St. Thomas More.  He is also learning so much, their minds are like sponges.  The funniest think about Laila going to W.H.E.E. is that every time someone asks where she goes to school and she says "WHEE"  Jai follows up with, "I have a wee too!"  This lovely little line has been told to many a stranger and every time Jai thinks he is soooo funny!  We are so proud!

Cheers,
Heidi

Poor Laila

Poor Laila, this afternoon Jai was terrorizing her.  She is no saint herself but I feel for her when he starts in, he is like a bull!  So this afternoon I broke up a fight and found her upstairs looking for her blankie.  I sat down and held her and she just kept saying," I don't like brothers!", "I want him to go away!"!  It was like deja vu!  Years ago I would beg my mother to give my brother Scott up for adoption!  He was probably in his early teens and there was really no chance this was going to happen but I bet you at least once a week I was literally begging to her to get rid of him!!  To my relief years later she did not give him up for adoption and I am so thankful!  I told Laila I used to do the same thing and it made her feel better. It cracks me up how history is repeating itself!!

Cheers,

Heidi

Late Summer Update

Our summer has been whipping along so quickly!  Being in Denver for our first full summer has been great!  One simple reason is the lack of ridiculous heat!  I am happy to say that today is a high of 80, while OKC is enjoying a nice cool temp of 110!

One of the other great things about summer is here is our neighborhood!  The kids have been taking swim lessons together at the neighborhood pool.  They have a class of about 7 kids and a lifeguard is matched with each child.  The lifeguards are so incredibly patient, kind but aren't' pushovers!  They put of with Laila and Jai crying through more than one lesson and managed not to drown them, like I would have been tempted to do!
But at the end of the day L and J both learned so much!  Jai can monkey crawl (crawling along the side of the wall) around half of the pool, but still needs a little help getting the courage to jump off the diving board.  Laila was a pro!  She is a super fast monkey crawler and got very brave and will go off the board without assistance!
I love that they are in the same class, each time they would take the kids back to the steps Laila and Jai would always make sure they were sitting next to each other.  It is the small comforts.  It would just melt my heart! Despite how they can fight at home when they are out in the big bad world they stick together!  That is everything I have ever wanted for them!

Shark Boy!  He loves this hat with all of his heart!

Missy May!

Looking brave but...

 chickened out!  Had to have some help!

Jai has also found a new hobby!  Booming.  This hobby requires the use of a real hammer and real nails!  I can happily say that he has not yet smashed any fingers or any of his sisters digits, although I am pretty sure the day will come soon!

These pics were taken by Laila, not bad for a three year old!

He will hammer anything and asks for new nails on an hourly basis.  I have found nails in my nailed into my carpet, back yard deck and our fence has so many nails in it it will take decades for it to fall down!  Jai is going to be my fix it man!  Oh and while he is using his boomer he requires that we call him "Bob", as in Bob the Builder!

Here are a few random pics for ya..

My garden has had gangbusters!  Fresh strawberries and tomatoes galore!  

 Home grown tomatoes, they taste amazing! 

 Dadima and her Missy!

and me and my Hubby Boy!  

We will be celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary this month!  Love you Babe!

Cheers!
Heidi

Our Trip to Breck

This past Thursday we made a treck to Breck.  We had a wonderful time, the mountains were beautiful!  We took the Gondola up to the mountain and the kids had a fun time seeing all there was to see!

The kids loved their first experience of putt putt, although getting Jai to not swing his club like a grand slam baseball player took some convincing!

 Laila turned out to be pretty good and had a pretty good swing!  I think a set of clubs are in her near future!

 

We were most impressed by Laila's adventurous spirit!  There was a bungee trampoline jumping activity and Laila was determined to do it!  She waited in line for thirty minutes and almost chickened out but she put on her brave face!  She liked doing it so much she did it a second time!  The second time we saw a lot more smiles from her. We asked Jai if he wanted to do it but he was not so keen on the idea!  When we were watching Laila do her thing Jai had a very serious look on his face, we asked him what he was thinking and he said he was worried about Laila!  It was so cute!!

A good time was had by all and I am so glad we made the trip!

Cheers,

Heidi