First Day 2011...

August 3rd was our first day back to school! This year we have made some big changes and Dillon is no longer home with Grandma. He is my great big PRE-SCHOOL boy!

He goes to Busy Bee's pre-school and loves his teacher Miss Chiemi. My boy has learned so much! He even writes his ABC's... all up and down his arms. Each day the kids at school can make a happy plate by finishing everything on their plate. Dillon has made a happy plate every single day!

Jordan is back at Freedom as a 1st grader this year. He loves his teacher Mrs. Wooden and his new friends in class. He is such a smart boy! Freedom is now a STEM school (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) and he has done many exciting projects. I love when he comes home and tells us his "hypothesis" (which in his words is a really smart guess).

I love my big school boys!

Behavior...

The midgets are spending the next two weeks in Grandma K.'s care until school starts back up for them. My boys are never 100% angelic but they were pretty darn good for Mom these past few weeks of vacation. I know from personal experience that it is hard having a Dad who works nights and needs some peace and quiet to sleep in. (he didn't get named Grandpa Grumps for nothing! Love ya Dad!) The boys were able to keep it shushed and Daddy was able to sleep. Mom was even able to get a few chores done.

I was upset to hear that my boys had a no good rotten day for Grandma yesterday.  She took them to a movie and bought them snacks. She took them to Chik-Fil-A for lunch and playing. All she asked for was a few shopping stops with them behaving..... I guess they weren't behaving.

Last night we had a little family meeting and the boys signed a behavior contract. The need to earn a star from Grandma for 6 days to earn the reward of all rewards... A Disneyland trip the weekend before school starts.

Think they can do it?

Stay tuned!

Little Sluggers...

"Muckdogs, Muckdogs, Muckdogs"!

That is the chant we will be hearing for the next couple of months. The midgets have started their first season of tee-ball and they are on the same team: The Muckdogs.

So far they have really enjoyed their practices. The both got new cleats and they share a batting helmet & bat. This will be the last year for awhile they are able to play on the same team so it is really nice for me!

One of their teammates was on Jord's soccer team this fall so they had an instant friend. Not that they needed one, the cling together the whole practice. We have the kid who doesn't touch the bases (Dillon), spins circles in the outfield (Jordan), takes his glove off and tosses it in the air (Dillon), and chases the runner all over the field to tag them out (Jordan).

At the end of the practice each player gets a chance to bat while the others field. It's hilarious!

An Act of Dill...

Last Thursday night The Midgets and I arrived home after 2 hours of soccer practice & errand running. As soon as I opened the door I heard Toots making a horrible worried/scared bark/growl /howling noise. Upon further inspection I saw the kitchen floor around her kennel was wet with an inch of water. It would not be the first time I walked through an inch of water on the kitchen floor, but that time it was accompanied by 3 inches of bubbles and I knew the culprit instantly.

This time I noticed the dripping sound coming from above and made a mad dash to the upstairs bathroom where I found the faucet handle broken off and the water running full blast. Awesome. Well awesome if definitely not the word I used at that given moment. I made a frantic call to the Hubs to get home ASAP and spent the next 1 1/2 hours frantically mopping up the floor.. er I mean floors.

It was really not my finest hour... Er hours.

I held it together until Blair walked in the door and then I blubbered on him like a schoolgirl. And then my baby (Jordy) blubbered on me like a schoolboy. Poor baby was so worried we were going to have to move away and that our house was ruined. I hate scaring my kids like that.

Now that a few days have passed it seems like not that big of a deal. All except the holes in the dining room ceiling I guess...

A Midget Update...

Jordy is now a month into school and is loving it! He comes home excited everyday and can't wait to show us the papers in his red folder. Yesterday was especially exciting because he brought home the Scholastic book order papers. Such a rite of passage... longing to order from those newsprint pages. We attended our first parent-teacher conference last week and Jordy's teacher did not have anything but nice words to say about him. In her words he is "well ahead" of the rest of his peers and my heart almost burst with pride.

Never one to be outdone this little Pickle has become the apple of his Grandma's eye. His behavior now that brother is in school all day is wonderful and he gets a glowing review when Mom gets home from work. We love our little Dilly but he definitely takes after his Hunt side with his stubborn, pigheadedness. These last few weeks have been heaven sent.

Now for a Mom update...

Friday will be my last day working for USA Today. I stopped just short of ten years and leaving is bittersweet. The ladies I work with have seen me through the last of my rebellious teen years, becoming a wife, a mother etc. It's almost like I am leaving home.

I have taken a job working for the local school district as a PC Tech. My ultimate goal is to get on at Jordy's school and follow the school calendar but this transition will at least get my foot in the door.

I am excited, nervous & sad. But it will be for the best. I just know it!

Bed Head...

The midgets love a sleep over on the "couch bed". I love it because they will help clean up the TV room so that we can pull the bed out. I also love that in theory it will get Pickles out of my bed... for a few hours at least.

Daddy was first to fall asleep ( the pranks will start in a few years ) and when I went out around 11:30 to make sure the sleep timer on the TV had worked I found two boys bright eyed and bushy tailed watching Arthur episodes on Netflix. Ha ha...

I guess those naps at 6:00 PM are to blame...I thought the fakers were just trying to get out of cleaning their room.

Here's the aftermath. Figgurs and Bed Head. Love em.

July in review...

I sort of took the month of July off from blogging... and I didn't even mean too. Life has a way of running off on me like that.

We celebrating our Nations Birthday with a swim & BBQ at G&G Hunt's house. I also spent my monthly grocery budget on school clothes with my Mom and Sister. Happy 4th of July indeed! These little beauties were bought there as well...

< insert cat calls> The kids all loved them. I thought they were quite a fashion statement.

Towards the middle of the month we got a new niece Zoey. She showed up 6 weeks early... impatient little thing! This meant Grandma K. was gone for a few weeks... and that meant the boys coming to work with Mom (one day only, and that was more than plenty.)

It also meant that my very sweet sister Gillian has been babysitting for a few weeks. She's very brave and very wonderful. Blair and I can't thank her enough.

We spent the 24th of July up in Snowflake enjoying the cool weather and Pioneer Day activities. The midgets LOVE Snowflake. They have so much fun up there!

We are back in Buckeye with Daddy (and Aunt Gill) and we have had a laid back weekend before school starts... that's right my baby starts school in 3 days.

And that was July 2010.

When you're strange...

It has been a sad, strange little week (past week) round these parts. We returned home from vacation after taking an extra day to lounge in the pool and take the kids to Toy Story 3. We pretty much got thrown right back into "real life" with no buffer.

Sunday was our second day in our new ward, in our new building, with new classes to teach (sub) and new teachers for the boys. The bribe of a garbage truck kept Dillon in his chair. It also helped that he passed out on his sweet sub halfway through sharing time (thanks again Darice).

You would think that with seeing the movie he has been waiting months for, along with new toys would keep the Pickle happy. Wrong! He became increasingly grumpier as the week went on. Poor buddy was having some severe sinus issue and couldn't sleep, wouldn't eat, and grouched the whole day through. He's since been diagnosed with strep throat and after a couple days of meds he is on the mend and back to his normal self (still pretty grumpy, but with a dimply smile). I often ask him if he is a sweet pickle or sour pickle. We have very different answers...

Usually JoJo takes the brunt of Dillon's anger but this week I think it has fallen on Mom & Grandma K. Remember way back when I called Jordan MOUTH... its's times like these that I am glad that I blog. Because I can see that almost 4 year old boys are like this. And it does get better.

It's just really hard when you go to a baby shower and a lady from your ward tells you how she and her husband were laughing at Dillon growling at me and saying that he was going to kill me in the middle of Sacrament Meeting. At least someone is laughing...

While he might take the brunt of the abuse JoJo gets his punches in too. Literally. For weeks he is scratched, choked, bit etc then he waits until Mom & Dad are out of the room and he clocks his brother with a right jab to the face. Aren't brothers wonderful?

It's especially wonderful when your husband lets you take a leisurely hot bath on a Sunday afternoon only to have your baby trotted in with blood gushing from his nose.

No worries... Dillon said "What's this red stuff? It's awesome!"

Indeed...

Be Consistent...

Last week I purchased the boys their own copy of The Book of Mormon. I was inspired by staying at my Mom's house and watching her get up early every morning to read scriptures before sending my baby brother off to school. (I like to call him my baby brother because he is already a good 3 inches taller than me and I'm sure it bugs him)


In another abnormal (for me) moment of clarity I decided to have their names engraved on the cover. They were so excited to see their names and now there is no fighting over who's book is who's. Even Dillon can read the names and pass them out properly. And is it just me or is there anything cuter than the the hardback Book of Mormon's with your babies names on them? Best $7 spent ever!

So now each night we have our family prayer, read a chapter, the boys say their prayers and then it is off to dreamland. Evenings work best as 3/4 of our family are not "morning people" and we are all usually home!

Now don't get me wrong... there is no high horse in this scenario. We have had squabbles over who reads first. Refusal's to read anymore (usually mid verse) or to sound words out. There are fights over who prays first and about kneeling down. And it's only been 5 days...

My problem with scripture study has always been consistency. I do good for a few days then I skip a few, then a month passes and I am not reading at all again. So I have read 1st & 2nd Nephi more times than I could possibly count. But this time has to be different. Now I have to be the MOM and make sure that we do it!

A thing I love about this technological age we live in is that I can fire up the internet and find inspiration about just about any subject from our wonderful church leaders. So I googled "be consistent lds talk" to see what I could find. Oh the most marvelous talk came up! You must read it. "More Diligent and Concerned at Home" by: Elder David A. Bednar. The entire talk spoke to my soul but the following stood out for obvious reasons:

As our sons were growing up, our family did what you have done and what you now do. We had regular family prayer, scripture study, and family home evening. Now, I am sure what I am about to describe has never occurred in your home, but it did in ours.

Sometimes Sister Bednar and I wondered if our efforts to do these spiritually essential things were worthwhile. Now and then verses of scripture were read amid outbursts such as “He’s touching me!” “Make him stop looking at me!” “Mom, he’s breathing my air!” Sincere prayers occasionally were interrupted with giggling and poking. And with active, rambunctious boys, family home evening lessons did not always produce high levels of edification. At times Sister Bednar and I were exasperated because the righteous habits we worked so hard to foster did not seem to yield immediately the spiritual results we wanted and expected.

Today if you could ask our adult sons what they remember about family prayer, scripture study, and family home evening, I believe I know how they would answer. They likely would not identify a particular prayer or a specific instance of scripture study or an especially meaningful family home evening lesson as the defining moment in their spiritual development. What they would say they remember is that as a family we were consistent.

Inspiration indeed. With two VERY active and rambunctious boys of my own this was directed towards me...this very week.  Here's to being consistent!

Working Hard...

A few weeks ago the hubs told me that they had some "old school desks" at his work and if I wanted I could have a couple. My mind immediately  went to the old fashioned wooden desks of my parents school years. Then I thought it might be the lift-top type I used at Joseph City Elementary...

He knows how much I love old stuff. Especially really old stuff!

The desks that arrived home were pretty much nothing like I imagined. But that's okay, after they were cleaned up and placed near a sunny window this happened:

And suddenly the charm of purple plastic chairs and a pressboard desktop were evident. This little man was pleased as punch to sit and color portraits of his mother (eyebrows and all).

Green with envy...

Last week the boys were spoiled playing in Grandpa Hunt's silky green grass. Our yard maintenance at home has been less than stellar and our grass is brown or non-existent. We got the "secret recipe" from Grandpa and next year our's will hopefully be just as nice!

We took the boys to see a Spring Training game for FHE and all the cared about was dinner, the grass, snacks and the grass. 

(The little man in the background is Pickles. He was probably giggling like a hyena.)

We didn't make it to our annual Cubs game this year, but it's nice to have a stadium that is only 10 minutes away. We also lucked into getting 3rd row seats and kids were free!

The weather and sunset were also pretty stellar!

Hopefully next year  the boys will be a little more into the game and Daddy won't have to leave early.

White-Out...

Driving to and from Snowflake this past weekend was a treat for my midgets. Who could have guessed the wonderment that could be attained by simply moving their car-seats to the back row to make way for Grandma H. and Uncle Noah. If only it could be so easy every day.

We've made this trip many times over the past few years but the few feet further back made a world of difference in how the scenery was viewed. Jordan wanted to know exactly when we had left the desert and whether we were actually driving atop the mountain. During the stretch of road between Payson and Heber many a "Whoa" and "Wow" could be heard from the back in regards to the white stuff on the ground.

Wanting to make it to the Beast's house in good time we didn't dare stop to look around but on the way home a certain happy fellow beckoned us to the side of the road.

The boys were thrilled to make the acquaintance of a real live snowman (their very first, poor desert kids). Although he wasn't made by us they didn't seem to mind.

Daddy even braved the cold in his "Oh so NOT appropriate" snow attire... I think that snowball was aimed at yours truly.

On most days I imagine my life living in a farmhouse in some rural town in the deep south, surrounded by green. Or maybe a brownstone in Brooklyn. Basically anywhere but Arizona. But days like this one make me happy to have the opportunity to take my kids to play in the snow and be home  1 1/2 hours later in toasty 75 degree weather. I just need to do better at getting us away from the valley and out appreciating our state a little more.

And can I just say that I am digging seeing my little stinker in the vintage Pea Coat that belonged to his Daddy some 25 years ago... I can just picture a chubby cute little Blair in a Michigan winter sporting this beauty. That or some little Russian kid. Ha ha ha!

Paisanos...

Lately we have a new obsession in the Karafa house. And by we I mean Jordan. Remember his carefully written letter to Santa requesting "Super Mario for the Wii"? Well Santa gladly obliged this boys request and he has been hooked ever since.

He wants to play at home. He wants to play with Grandpa. It's Mario first thing in the morning, all day long and night. He will give you unsolicited "tips" on how to beat Bowser. He asks the children at the playground if they want to play Mario. He wants to wear a Mario shirt everyday. The kid is OBSESSED. His cheeks flush and he runs a temperature while playing. I swear I am not kidding...

After several nights of tears told it was time to pack it up we made a rule that the Wii and especially Mario is a weekend affair. Tears or tantrums lead to losing Mario playing privileges. It's been a pretty good bribing tactic.

Poor Dilly could care less. Jordan tried giving him a crash course in how to play and Dill just keeps saying I died. I died" ! Poor Dilly. At least he is reading up on how to play better.

Oh Bingo! ...

Today the midgets and I headed East to lunch will my pal Katie and her kiddos. Rainforest Cafe is the perfect setting for boys with lungs like mine. They feel right at home amongst the other wild animals.

Besides a lovely lunch we also did a little shopping. My not so little brother is getting married in a few weeks and I wanted some cute ties for the boys and maybe even a dress for me. Unfortunately we didn't find anything to tickle our fancies... but the shopping trip was not a total bust, there's a Disney Store at AZ Mills you know.

A few stuffed animals and figurines later and we were headed back home to the mountain of dishes and laundry that was calling my name.

When Daddy came home it was time for an impromptu FHE. Jordan chose Weinerschnitzel for dinner & dessert. (He was so bummed that Katie didn't want a birthday dessert at lunch) Then it was home to have a bubble bath, nice warm fleecy jammies and into Mom & Dad's bed for Funniest Home Videos. It was Jordy's ideal evening.

Just in the last few months the boys have discovered FHV and can't get enough. Every time there is a particularly bad fall or groin shot Dillon hollers out "Oh Bingo!". Indeed!

Two weeks away...

This is Jordan being a statue in a neighbors yard.

"On the 11th day of Christmas my true loves and me, took a walk around the block and looked at lights"

When it comes to Christmas time my  boys are pretty easy to please. All I have to do is take them around the neighborhood to ooh and aww at all the decorations and they are happy as clams. The walk also helps us get a little energy out so we can come home and crash. Mom tricks are great.

Unfortunately my tricks don't always work. Dillon refused to walk so we had to take him in the stroller.

Last year the boys became obsessed....OBSESSED with blow-ups in people's yards. I blame my Dad for making it a big to-do when he plugged his in. The hubs is such a pushover for his boys and bought them one of their very own this year.

We really are Disney through & through.

Only 14 days to go...

Fifteen and counting...

"On the 10th day of Christmas my true loves and me, played a game as a family".

Tonight's countdown activity was "Jordan's Choice". He wanted to play Wii Fit but changed his mind pretty quickly once I told him he would have to clean up the tv room first. Nothing like a little housework to change one's mind. He decided on ZINGO instead.

He won both rounds.

I guess that's good since it was Jordan's Choice after all.

Dillon got the hang of the game in the second round and was one tile away from winning. He shouted ZINGO with just as much enthusiasm as his brother. I guess that is a good thing too.

There's nothing like a good old game for family fun.

Only 15 days to go...

8 days down, 17 to go...

"On the 8th day of Christmas my true loves and me hung a garland and watched Prep and Landing".

We also finished painting our ornaments. I made the boys take their clothes off and Dillon went one further and took his diaper off. So we painted in undies and birthday suits. I took pictures (you bet I did) but Daddy thinks it better to not post them (wise Daddy).

I would tell you which ones were mine and which were Jordan's but it would be too embarrassing. If you could see the pictures of a naked Dill with paint all over his teeth and lips you could probably guess his by the colors.

We followed up our painting by hanging my cedar garland. I made some little Boy Scout pretty happy by buying his garland. It's worth it though. Almost makes up for my guilt of mot liking Boy Scouts. Well not the boys just the organization. I guess I have only 3 years to get over it...YIKES!

We took a rainbow bath (from the paint) and the boys hopped into my bed to watch the movie. Pretty cute but I wish these movies were a little longer. Daddy arrived home from Scouts (seeing a theme here) with a Sonic surprise and sugared the boys up. Dillon is sitting here (at 10:20 pm) bright eyed and bushy tailed as I type. And Jordy has been sent back to bed twice. Awesome. So when they are tired and grumpy and I have to drag them to Grandmas in the morning Daddy will already be gone. I am seeing another pattern here.

Only 17 days to go...

One-Eight...*Updated with Recipe*

"On the 7th day of Christmas my true loves and me, made ornaments for our tree".

Today the boys and I made some non-edible cinnamon ornaments. Man oh man, my house smelled delicious today. Since it was such a blustery day outside this was the perfect time killer.

Cinnamon Ornaments


1 C Cinnamon
1 TB Cloves
1 TB Nutmeg
1 C Applesauce
2 TB Elmer's Glue


Mix ingredients together. Dough should be moist but not sticky. Sprinkle cinnamon on counter & roll to 1/3 inch thickness and cut into shapes. Use a straw for the holes. Bake for 2 hours at 200 degrees, flipping halfway through. Now you can paint them, tie on a ribbon and hang them up! If you don't want to bake them it will take a few days to dry.

Dillon manned the cinnamon-

Jordan had the applesauce under control-

I handled the Elmer's glue. My children are great, but they cannot be trusted with glue. I have to admit that I was tempted to put the glue all over my hands and peel my "skin" off to show them. Maybe I can't be trusted either...

Good thing we found a great set of cookie cutters on our trip to Dollar Tree the other night. They came in very handy today!

(do not mind the horrendously disgusting pantry in the background. WOW!)

The rain outside was too hard to resist for my little yahoo's. They are such boys! I was freezing just standing next to the open door. (maybe I will take the Snuggie Blair has been threatening to put under the tree.)

Only 18 more days...

Missed a few...19 days...

Well the 4th, 5th & 6th days of Christmas have come and passed. My lovies and I have continued our countdown, I just haven't been the greatest at taking a camera along.

On the 4th day the midgets and I headed to Dollar Tree for some shopping. They were allowed to pick any presents they wanted to gift to their brother. Jordan got the idea and had a ball. Dillon was too busy shopping for himself.

The 5th day we spent with Daddy (our favorite days) and he took us to Cracker Barrel for dinner. Cracker Barrel is Jordan's all-time favorite place to go. It's peach pancakes every time!

Now for the 6th Day...

"On the 6th day of Christmas my true loves and me, made a village out of gingerbread".

Last year was our first foray into gingerbread making. It's definitly going to be a tradition we continue.

Our favorite part is eating the candy. Like you couldn't guess that!

Only 19 days to go...