the year of a million dreams...

we're all suffering disney/california-withdrawals because we had just the most perfect time in california, it was easily the best vacation we have ever had!

since there is so much to share, this is all coming in installments with the pictures. okay? so first, nana and i went to disneyland with the grand idea that we would all get a new pair of classic mickey ears and have our picture taken while wearing the said ears... oh the best laid plans!

the unraveling of plans began with papa (shocker!) first refusing to get a new set, then the boys didn't want what i wanted them to get (another big shocker!) and you'll all be so proud of me: i let it go and let them get exactly what they wanted. this is a big step for me, being a control freak and all.. and after looking back, the ears they chose fit their personalities right now! ryan, of course, chose the beach themed "relax in paradise" ears.

and captain jacks went for the pirate inspired ears. he loved the pirates of the caribbean ride... he was a bit apprehensive at the onset, and then he really got into the whole thing. he was even singing the "yo ho hos" by the end. and that's how he was on everything-- a bit cautious, but willing to try anything! but then again, that's how he lives his life.

and i, of course, loved that there were several johnny depp/jack sparrow pirates added to the ride!

here we are--the whole family all wet from the big grizzly water ride at california adventure... see the grizzly-shaped rock behind us--it's kind of in the trees? hence the name, or so ryan explained--he's so smart.

but he loved everything about this park... he loved that there was mountainous places and beach/boardwalk parts. and there were a lot less people than at disney... not that i'm complaining because there weren't really too many people. the lines were either fast-pass or less than 20 minutes. i mean, it's disneyland, of course you're going to have to wait! people need to understand that and then they can really enjoy the happiest place on earth. we were able to ride every ride we wanted! sorry, i got up on a soapbox there, didn't i?!



and then here's our nana and papa, we wore them out i'm afraid! we were often at the park before breakfast and then way past dark. much spoiling happened, and that's why they are the nana and papa, right?! and we all learned a little something about them this trip... papa can't say "no" to the boys, and went on some rides he wasn't too crazy about. and speaking of rides that he wasn't crazy about... nana loves roller coasters! she went with david on as many as they could go on. i'm not sure if she was still talking about splash mountain, or why her mouth is open here, but's the only picture i have of them. we're so glad they were able to come with us. disneyland just wouldn't have been the same without them for me. thanks, guys!!

better than i could have imagined!

just to let you know...
i'm now a disney-ophile...
i don't want to ever come home...

we are having so much fun! the guys are (goof) trooping along, going all day with minimal fuss, doing every ride from the tea cups to thunder mountain railroad!

ryan has further committed his love for all things california with his preference to california adventure... and jackson is FEARLESS!

more to come... with the pictures!

can you believe i've existed for almost a week without internet access? shocking!

oh, yeah, the american library association is great too :)...

2 more wake-ups!

almost everyday this last week, my dad has texted me the amount of days we have until our big fam-damily vacation to disneyland! and now we--us in idaho--only have 2 more wake-ups until we leave, and poor nana and papa have to wait until thursday!

and i know for a fact that nana and papa are more excited than we are! they keep telling me that they are too excited to sleep... just like the kids (and parents) in the commercial! i have had to tell them that they need to rest up and be ready for keeping up with the boys... but i can see the kid return to my daddy's face as he says, "but i'm too excited!!" none of us are going to be able to keep up with these guys, because they GO until they STOP (wow, i sound as profound as yogi berra!), and i have a feeling this trip isn't going to be as relaxing as my trip to D.C. last year when i went senza familia; but, its going to be infinitely more fun!

and as time gets nearer, i start to get a little giddy myself! it's consuming my thoughts; for example, i should be taking a quiz over chapters 1-4 in introduction to modern information retrieval by chowdhury... and here i sit thinking if they have good chowder somewhere in anaheim. hmmm... have i mentioned how much i'm loathing grad school?

so if you have any good tips for the park, send them my way. it's been awhile since i've been there. actually, i was last there when i was 16... go ahead, do the math : ) so it's going to be a new experience for all of us... oh, now i won't be able to sleep either... i'm too excited!

big daddy...

of course, this is late... would you expect anything less from me?

as i think about how truly blessed we are, it occured to me that i probably don't tell you these things as often as i ought...

i love you because you are so patient with me when i have a complete melt-down about snow in june...

i love you because every saturday we're only a block from jimmy's, and you have enough self-control not to go in every week...

i love you for the joy you find in parenting, coaching and just hanging out with jackson and ryan...

i love you because of the kindess you show toward people on a daily basis...

i love you because you are an amazing example of goodness for the boys in a world that isn't so good...

i love you for the gentleness in your parenting--it's a nice contrast to my less-than-gentle approach...

i love the sense of peace you bring to our family...

i love you for your faith, you are truly man of God...

i love you because you love me!

little mama...

f-word...

guess what we heard this angel-face say this afternoon ...

a baseball game...

... is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings. Earl Wilson

who would have guessed that i would love baseball? i loved going to baseball games, even when the wind was blowing at gale force! who would have known that i might be one of those moms yelling encouragement? who would have know that i'd be one of those moms who was willing push another mom off the bleachers for talking smack about my team?!?


how did it happen that i would get so passionate about a sport? much to dave's disappointment, i don't feel the same way about soccer--although, it's very touching to see the guys all shin-padded and adidias-up'd just like their dad when i first met him.



but it turns out that i really like baseball. i like that it's organized into nice tidy innings with three understandable outs. it's simple enough for my sports-simple mind to grasp... "You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball..." or so said Ebby Calvin LaLoosh in 1988.


but just like Nuke, my guys will need to work on their "control" when pitching! jacks has a nice arm, but walked quite a few players and came close to the other dugout... and i think that ryan's talent really may lie in shot-putting. we need to get several more pounds on him. maybe more trips to wasabi for intense sushi inhaling!


and the guys had a fun win or lose this year and had amazing coaches, so it was a great season!

the sushi was intense!

or at least that's what ryan said after he stuffed himself with sushi last night at his birthday party!

he wanted to have a roll for every year of his life... 9 rolls?!

being the buzz kill that i tend to be as his mom, i said: dude, you can have 3 rolls...

he said: i'm nine now, and so half of nine is... um... (he rolls his eyes to right, and contemplates this mathimatical calculation)... almost 5, so i should have five, right?!

i said: three

he said: ... (well, he didn't say anything and just puffed out a big sigh)

i said: sushi is about being with friends and enjoying the taste of your food. not inhaling it as fast as you can

he said: fine, i'll have four

i said: we'll order three and we'll see

well, this is the result of him getting his way and eating a california roll, a caterpillar roll, a humachi and avocado roll, and an italian roll... he was so full he didn't even eat his free cake!

happy birthday, ryan!!