Overheard in a public restroom near you.

So many funny things have been happening around here lately. I'm just a little behind...HA, HA, HA...I didn't mean that pun, but keep reading.

So the boys have discovered that they can take off their clothes. Most of my friends have already been through this phase, or are currently still in it. I, in all my arrogance, believed that I would not have to go through it, that MY BOYS would not choose to disrobe CONSTANTLY.

WRONG.

In the last few days, I have caught glimpses of stark n@ked boys frolicking everywhere in the house. I'll catch one, re-diaper, and turn around and he's n@ked again! I just wish we were farther along in the potty training.

I honestly cannot get angry with them. They are having so much fun. They are giggling and jumping and dancing and cuddling. Honestly you have not lived until you have watched two little n@ked boys jumping up and down laughing hysterically at their own n@kedness.

On the upside. During one of their commando moments, they were pretending to go pee pee on the potty. I took that moment to tell Ryan, my reluctant potty trainer, that if he is going to pretend, he should also try sitting on the real potty. And alas, potty training has begun with him. And for me, my biggest nightmare has also begun.

We were out today at the Natural History Museum, and it was time to take the boys to the potty. Two options: Walk back to the car and use the portable potties, where I know I can contain both boys at once, or take them to the dirty nasty public restroom where I know someone will be touching something disgusting during our brief moments in the stall. I fully understand that I WILL have to get over this phobia. I WILL have to take the boys to the public restroom. I know that I WILL still be grossed out by it. *I* don't even like going to public restrooms!

Picture this: Ryan, Evan and Me in the bathroom stall. I have one child diaper off, (holding it in my teeth because this is less offensive to me than putting in on the bathroom floor) shorts off one leg holding him over the toilet backwards. The conversation went something like this.

Ryan, go pee pee please
Evan, don't touch that it's dirty
Ryan, don't touch that it's dirty, please go pee pee now.
Evan, do not play with the toilet paper
Ryan, ew, yuck never, never touch the toilet. it is dirty.
Boys, please do not touch anything.
Great job Ryan I am so proud of you!

Evan, please do not touch that.
Ryan please stand up properly so I can get your pants back on.
Ryan please do not put your hands on my face they are dirty.
Ryan please do NOT put your hands on my face, ewwwww.

Okay, Evan, your turn.
Evan please go pee pee.
Ryan don't touch
Evan, Great Job, I'm proud of you.
Ryan don't put your hands on the floor it's dirty.
Evan, why are you so wiggly. Please stand still.

Okay, let's wash our hands!!!!

Went through this TWICE.

The second time, I also had to use the facilities, where I was treated to the OTHER humiliation. While I relieved myself. Ryan said at the top of his lungs.

"Mommy, you don't have a penis there!!!!"

Yes, Ryan, thank you so much for discovering this fact right here in the PUBLIC restroom.

Ah, the joys of parenthood.

Take me out to the ballgame...

We took the boys to their first baseball game a couple of years ago, or was it only last year, I cannot remember...of course they were just little ones and really had no appreciation for where they were or what was going on at the time. But the Padres ballpark has this great area for kids to run and play it's called the Park at the Park in it's just $5 to get in so totally worth it if you just want to see how your little one will do, or if you just want to catch a few innings. We had fun last time, but I don't recall seeing any of the game.

We enrolled the boys in the Summer Reading program at our local library, and within hours had our first 30 or 40 books on our list to turn in. In our great prize package included tickets to the Padre game! As a coincidence, our friend Tobin was planning on going to this game, AND our friends Dylan and Tyler also earned tickets to the SAME GAME!!!

On Sunday we took them to the ballpark. Our seats were less than ideal. Right under the scoreboard. Where they had about 15 big speakers, and I mean big, like 3x5 feet giant speakers, blaring music and what not. We got to our seats and immediately retreated to the snack bar area to finish our lunches and devise a plan. (hey Padres, super generous of you to give away all of those tickets to all of those kids, who did all of that reading, but, um, next time you might not want to subject their fragile eardrums to hearing impairment decibel levels, just a suggestion)

Anyway. We finished our sandwiches...and hot dogs...and Ryan devised, and I swear I have no idea where he got this idea, this alteration to his pb&j.

Yeah, that's caramel corn. He ate the whole thing. Grinning like the cat that ate the canary the entire time.

Evan, ate almost his whole sandwich, and a hot dog, and raisins, and wanted milk on our way out so badly that we had to stop at 7/11 and get him some for the car ride home. We turned on this hungry switch, and now, I'm afraid he is going to eat us out of house and home... Yay. (glad to give all of it up, buddy.)

We watched an inning or two, and then went down to play in the park a little more.

This is about the thirtieth time they rolled down the hill. Talk about awesome fun.


I had two very exhausted boys. This is Evan trying not to fall asleep on the way home.


This is Ryan crashed out from the Caramel Corn, peanut butter and jelly sandwich sugar rush crash.

Ah....good times.

Adventures with Tobin

Last week we spent some time with our buddy Tobin. On Thursday we went to Sea World. We had fun going on all of the rides, seeing the polar bears, and the penguins, and the walrus, and the beluga whales, and the dolphins, and the xylophone. (Which was a special request from Evan)

Tobin is really attached to Ryan these days, just moments before this photo was snapped, the three boys (four if you count Philip) were holding hands walking through the park as merry as could be. However, once he spotted the camera, Ryan got all shy and pulled his hand away. Really it was the ultimate in cute.


On Friday we were Tobin's guests at the USS Midway. Otherwise known as a little boys heaven.








Really, do I need say anything more?

Just one more thing from our Staycation.

Grammie and Poppa got some great one on one time with the boys at the very end of our Staycation. Much of it was spent reading, because, well, we are happiest when we have a book in our hands.

If you know Evan, you know that he has a 'thing' for speakers. If you've ever been anywhere with us where a speaker might be, you know Evan will point it out to you. We can trace the origins of his infatuation back to the Tour of California and a BMX bike show put on in the parking lot before the race started. There was a guy, with a microphone, and a black speaker, talking about the kids performing tricks. Evan, was in awe of the "Big Black Speaker", and ever since if there's a speaker, ANYWHERE int the room, Evan WILL point it out.

In the last day or so, Evan looked at George and said to him...

"You are a big black speaker"

Take a close look at George...Well, the kid is nothing if not accurate. I'm actually still laughing. (and working on our political correctness)

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Ryan created this masterpiece seriously all on his own. He was shouting at me while I was finishing up with Evan and his breakfast.

"LOOK MOMMY!!!!! I made a train. LOOK!!!!"




I think this kid is going to be an engineer, or at the very least a train conductor.

Staycation days 6, 7, 8 and 9

Okay, so this is where things get a bit fuzzy. I failed to keep up, so...here's a bunch of pictures!












Thursday we went to the pool and swam, really low key.

Friday we went to the beach and Pizza Port. In the car on the way to the beach, I asked the boys what we were going to have for lunch, and they exclaimed, Pizza Port and Buddies!!!!

Saturday The Boys, Scott and I went up to LA for my Aunt and Uncle's 50th Anniversary party.
The boys were good as gold. They got a chance to see their other cousins,

and their Grandma...


While we were in LA, Poppa George, Grammie Carol, and Auntie Shelley made an amazing dinner of smoked brisket, grilled chicken skewers, grilled scallops, and shrimp, collard greens, deviled eggs, and did I miss anything? Yum.



I have a few more pictures on another card. I promise to post them in the next couple of days, along with some of the really funny things said, but I really wanted to get SOMEthing of the last few days up before I forget it all.

Staycation Days 4 and 5

...Or, "Can anything else go wrong on this vacation????" (I say that while furiously knocking on wood)


Wednesday we ventured to the wild side, the Wild Animal Park. One of our favorite places, ever. We've gone to the WAP as many as twice or three times in a week, we learned to be outside the stroller at the WAP.

Our first stop was the lions, but they were playing in a very difficult to see area of their enclosure. So we decided to try and get on the tram that was about to leave. The kids really enjoyed the ride, and moving from lap to lap, either to get a better vantage point, or a better water bottle.

Sometimes we sat alone...

Sometimes we sat on Auntie Shelley's lap...


Sometimes we shared Auntie Shelley's lap with Cousin Madison...


Sometimes we sat with Grammie and got the coveted water bottle...



Sometimes we turned to look at Mommy with the camera...

We also did a lot of snacking along the way...


We put three kids in a wagon...


We fed the lorikeets...


We grinned silly grins at them...



We were very brave...


We discussed the current state of health care in the US...


We tried to ensure that no lorikeet in this enclosure should ever go hungry...


And of course, no trip to the WAP this summer would be complete without a trip to DINO MOUNTAIN!!!!!


Or a ride on the Carousel!!!!


While at the Wild Animal Park, in the middle of us having a great day, Madison got her FIRST BEE STING!!! While traumatic at first, she was very BRAVE. (We are working on earning bravery stars!) We got the stinger out and rushed to first aid. They gave her some topical bee sting relief and she was back to normal almost immediately.

So... Williams Family Injury count 2

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We took Scott's car in for service because it failed its smog test. The result came back, nearly terminal. Needs a new catalytic converter, and a new air conditioning...about $3000. ARGH. We are now at the point of is it worth it to fix? Or should we buy a new car? with this puppy. I'm all for buying a new car, if it wasn't for well, you know paying for it! Scott on the other hand is really waiting for a hybrid plug in. He believes that in the next two years one should be available, and he wants to wait if we can...cool. I love dumping $3000 into a car we just hope will last us until something we really want is on the market, and there's no guarantee that it will ever make the US market.

And in case THAT wasn't enough...

Our refrigerator up and decided to die...or nearly die. We've kept it closed as much as possible and added ice packs, frozen water bottles, milk bottles, and pretty much anything we could find, to keep it cold in there, you know, since we've got food for 6 adults and 3 kids for a week in that fridge.

Scott ran out at nap time and bought a new one, which was delivered today, Day five. Isn't she a beauty?

Ostrem family: down $5000 for the week.

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Grammie made some awesome oatmeal and cranberry cookies that Evan has taken a liking to...and since I'm giving him anything to eat that he asks for, he's had quite a few of these in the last few days.

In the car he said to me: "May I please have another oatmeal cookie, please"
Ryan's response: "No, Evan, You've had enough"

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Today, we had a leisurely day we just went over to our preschools playground, (I had to pay tuition!) and then we went swimming, and to the "big" slide by our house. I had a moment at the slide. I would take the boys over to the slide when they were younger and it was always really scary for me. I'd have to walk behind them up the slide get them seated, and then run around to the front so they didn't fall on the ground. All the while telling the other kid not to climb the slide without Mommy there behind him. The slide was SO big. Guess what...it's not really that big, and today, the boys were perfectly capable of climbing up the slide, sliding down it all on their own... they grow up so quickly.

Staycation days 2 and 3

Day 2: Monday.

The boys and I had swim lessons and feeding group so the rest of the crew headed off to the Scripps Aquarium. I wasn't there, so I have no pictures to post, but I hear that everyone had fun!!!!

Madison got to hold a sea star, and pet a sea cucumber.

In the afternoon we all went swimming. A friend of mine invited us to their swim and tennis club where they have a great kid pool and two other big pools to frolic in. The kids had a blast, and Todd got in an loosened up his back a bit.


I think these pictures are from day one, but whatever...Ryan told me, "look Mommy we are having a adorable lunch party!" Really it was elevensies...or ninesies.

Day 3: Tuesday or the day we went, or almost didn't make it to, or finally did end up at Legoland.

On our way to Legoland Shelley, Todd, Grammie and Madison had to make a bit of a pit stop. I wasn't in the car, but I hear that there was a lot of painful screams coming from one Miss Madison. So loud that there was talk of an ER. So the decision was made to drop off Grammie, and she, the boys Scott and I would continue on our day. If Maddie felt better, she, Shelley and Todd would join us later.

HOWEVER...by the time they all arrived at Legoland, all was well!!! Yay!!!

Legoland was crazy busy. Lots of people. 30 minute waits for rides just a few minutes after opening. This was our first time at Legoland and we had no idea what to expect.

We still managed to go on a few rides.

Two highlights were the Volvo driving school where 3-5 year old "drivers" were able to drive there own cars. I have video on the video camera that I will try to upload later. Talk about funny. EVERYONE had fun with this ride. The kids on the ride and the grownups watching.

The other big hit was this helicopter ride.


Evan went on twice, once with Mommy and once with Daddy, Ryan had to be convinced but when he did decide to go on the ride, he wanted to ride with Auntie Shwelley.

The boys, specifically Evan had a bit of a meltdown at lunchtime so we headed for the exits. (Madison, got to stay and check out the rest of the park, and the new Sea Life Aquarium!!!)

After some good long naps, the boys were back to their chipper selves, and are here enjoying a adorable after dinner snack.

Tomorrow...the Wild Animal Park, and Dino Mountain!!!!!!!!