What Do Hamsters and Boys Have in Common?

Have you ever had a hamster as a pet?  We have had two.  Our last one conveniently died right before we moved from our house on the Ranch.  That is not the point though.  The point is, they stink.  As long as you keep the cage cleaned every week hamsters are not too bad of a pet.  So I thought I was rid of the stinky thing until yesterday.  I went into my kids bathroom and the smell was overwhelming.  It smelled just like a hamster cage that hadn't been cleaned in a couple of weeks.  The sad thing?  I had just cleaned in there a few days before.  The problem?  Little boys who are potty-trained.  

"Potty-trained" is an interesting phrase.  It really doesn't mean much to me except that the child does not wear a diaper anymore.  Hayden has been "potty-trained" for almost three years yet he still has accidents almost daily, wears a pull-up at night, and can't aim into the toilet.  Now I can't be too upset because he does have a "condition" in which he pees straight right.  Weird, I know, but true.  However, I feel that he doesn't know any different so he should know to aim left and then it will go straight.  Maybe I am expecting too much from an almost five year old.  

Back to the hamster-cage-bathroom problem.  Anyone with a boy, or a husband for that matter, knows that they just don't aim very well.  Come to think of it, if I were a boy, I would make it my life-long goal to always pee into the toilet.  I would take pride in knowing that I was a clean urinater.  However I do not know how to instill this knowledge into my boys.  I have actually purchased a steam cleaner for the sole purpose of cleaning toilets.  It is amazing!  It shoots steam into the tiny cracks and crevices that a toilet has so many of, and steams all the stinky urine out and you simply wipe it clean.  The toilet now looks brand new!  I love it, and it makes me feel so good!  This may seem compulsive, which it probably is, but if it takes away that smell, then it is worth it!

Maybe I should just install a urinal.  I wonder if they make those for hamster cages?!

Who Goes There?

Jase now thinks he can dress himself.  He actually doesn't do too bad either.  I told him it was time to go pick up Addie from school and next thing I knew, he was READY!  Pretty cute I think.  I love when kids start getting independent!

Disney On Ice

So this past week I was able to spend some much needed quality time with Addie.  Grandma Eileen was gracious enough to take us, Brooke and her girls, and Blake's family to "100 Years of Disney" Disney on Ice.  It was MAGICAL to say the least.  

Nicole made all the girls dresses with their choice of a princess on the front for them to wear to the show.  Unbelievable!

Cadence was Tinkerbell

Tyese was Arial 

Addie was Sleeping Beauty

And sweet little Kahlea was Giselle 

They really did feel and look like princesses. 

If you know Brooke, then you know this is what she looks like all of the time.

Nicole even made them matching bracelets.  She is nothing less than amazing!

Brooke has the best photos of eating dinner before the show so I will try to get copies, but it was so cute watching the girls wait for their food.  They were putting their hands all together and cheering, "Disney on Ice forever!"  I hope they remember all these great times from their childhoods.  

It was interesting to do all this girl stuff with Addie.  I realized how much of my time is spent taking care of the boys and doing boy stuff.  I loved the time spent with Addie-my precious little girl-and I am so thankful to Eileen for taking us!  We love you Grandma!

Happy Birthday Karate Kid!

Kurt I love you and I hope you have a wonderful day!  I thought this might bring a smile to your face.  Your gift is in the mail and will obviously be late-sorry.

Jase is a Terrible Two... and I just love him!

Dad whittled a cake for Jase Sunday morning, then mom decorated it!  All this before church started-I would advise against doing this

Jase loved his cake to say the very least and he showed it to all who entered the house



Of course we blew out candles about 30 times-standard
Jase got the front window and wheel

After all the hard work we enjoyed the cake

The party was a success.  We had the Burton and Hunter grandparents over as well as the Louderback's.  His birthday was actually Monday but we celebrated the day before.



Yeah, I think Hayden had the biggest piece and half an hour later he still wasn't even close to being done.

Bryce makes funny faces in most pictures but this one I caught of him laughing at himself.  
Cadence and Ben
Ashland trying to eat grandmas icecream and cake, and grandpa acting silly
Brooke and Cadence
Grandma Connie just watching all the action
Still working on the cake
Too cute!
Jase thinking he might be done
...Yep, he's done!  It doesn't look like he ate too much but he worked on it for quite a long while
Presents time!

Is that spiderman in there?

It is!
Now the boys are just waiting for Grandpa to open it.
They try to hurry along the process but it is taking forever!

Everyone is always drawn to Ashland.  She has a special spirit about her
Yep, that's the Spiderman toy, and he loves it!
Here is one two year old that is wiped out!

The End