Saturday, February 28, 2009
Yet Another Wild Story
Friday, February 27, 2009
Just In Time
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Wideload Wednesday
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Thelma and Louise
Monday, February 23, 2009
Hair Club
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Baby Talk: Swimming Sensation
Reed: All we babies hear about is how JR was already "swimming" by the time he was our age. The way these people around here talk I'm surprised JR hasn't swum in his first Olympics. If we've heard it once, we've heard it a million times: "We used to just throw JR in the water and he'd swim right up." or "JR would just take off and jump in the pool when he was this age." Well, if I can't swim yet, I'm blaming my brother. How am I supposed to learn to swim when I've got a brother that's just now not crying in the bathtub. I did my best to show Daddy that I really want to learn. When we went to the pool yesterday Daddy did "advanced lessons" with me, while Mommy did "baby lessons" with Kyle. And yeah, yeah, JR was great of course...he spent most of the time jumping off the diving board....I guess now they'll be calling him Greg Louganis. But enough about JR, let's focus on me. Check me out in the pool!
R: Daddy let me try out one of the bigger slides too. Kyle was too scared to do the slide, but not me! I loved it...as you will see by the smile on my face at the end.
Kyle: Dude! Would you quit talking about me! I did NOT have to go to "baby lessons" and I DID go down a slide.
R: You did so go to "baby lessons"! You'd hardly let go of Mommy. I don't think she ever dunked you under. How could she? You had a pacifier in your mouth the whole time! Did you see anybody else at the pool with a pacifier?
K: Um No, that's because nobody is as cool as me and ABLE to swim with a pacifier...I'm just that awesome in my awesomeness.
R: Well, if you're that awesome let's just show everybody you going down the slide, if you can call it a slide.
K: Oh, it's a slide! And you'll see that I'm able to slide, splash into water, and look cute for the ladies....all while sucking on my pacifier. Awesomeness? Oh yeah it is!
Friday, February 20, 2009
Sugar Rush
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
This IS....American Idol!
Can you see me? Go get me another box to stand on! It's in my contract that I'm not going to be shorter than the girls this season. What? We're on....
This IS.... American Idol-Part 2
Well, I don't mean to be rude, but let's come back to reality here, shall we? I mean, it was atroshish . What was that whole middle part where you jumped around on the couch like a mad man. I think America is going to agree with me on this one. It was quite like a child putting on a show at home.
Monday, February 16, 2009
#2 and #3
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Deep, Dark Depression
Friday, February 13, 2009
Boarding Basics
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Spoken Like A True Ingersoll
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Mountain Men
I tried really hard to get a good picture of the boys with the Sandia Mountains in the background (didn't happen). Taking a picture of the mountains was as close as I wanted to get to them. My mom told me, "Oh! I've ridden the Sandia Peak Tram! You should go do that!" I quickly told her that the last thing in the world I'd ever want to do is go ride the Sandia Peak Tram. I hate gondolas, almost as much as flying. And the Sandia Peak Tram isn't just any old gondola, it's the longest tramway in the world! 2.7 miles of dangling over the side of a mountain. Hummm...no thanks. I'll keep my feet planted firmly on the ground...and here's the pictures to prove it.
Stories and S'Mores
Saturday night we went out to listen to a Native American storyteller and make s'mores. Our storyteller was from the Tamayame tribe, whose land the Tamaya resort is built. (You might be wondering why everyone is bundled up in coats except Tank-Top Guy in the back...I think he had just come from the hot tub.)
JR and his burnt marshmellow. Ayi literally squealed out when she saw JR eat the marshmellow. Now thinking about it, I can see where it might seem odd to stick a marshmellow on a stick and roast it on an open flame. But, I've been at plenty of Chinese dinners where I've watched them devour an entire fish, face and all. So really, if you've seen fish eyes eaten, I wouldn't think a roasted marshmellow would give you reason to fret.
Kyle enjoying a s'more.
The only picture we got of all of us. JR couldn't stop eating long enough to pose, and of course he also picked out the longest roasting stick he could find...Look, it's as tall as Jason! You'll also notice how unhappy Reed is. He quickly spotted that Kyle had a fresh s'more and is doing his best to take it away from him. Ahhh, family photo ops.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Destruction Derby
Me (In complete mom panic mode): Oh my gosh! Are you okay? What happened?
JR: Ummm...a car ran into the bus.
At this point I grab his backpack and start searching for the note from his school. The note which will certainly give me every teeny detail of the event. But, there's no note. Nothing, nada, zip, zero, zilch. I was literally holding the backpack upside down and shaking it hoping an invisible note would miraculously fall out.
Appalled at his school, I continue my questioning with JR.
Me: So tell me what happened.
JR: We were on the bus and a car hit us.
Me: And you were late?
JR: Yes! We were all late!
Me: Are you hurt?
JR: No, I'm fine.
Me (making sure my baby is really okay): Did you fall on the floor or anything?
JR: No...Can I have a snack?
Obviously JR was as fazed about this wreck as his school. So I call Jason, "JR says another car hit the school bus! They were late to school...and the school didn't even send a note! If we were at home this would have been on the news!"
Jason: Is he okay?
Me: Says he is.
Jason: Okay. I'll see you tonight.
Now that's two people who seem to be as concerned about this wreck as the school. But, luckily, I knew just the person to call. The one person who would certainly give this "incident" the dramatics that was entitled to it.
Me: Mom! JR's bus was in a wreck this morning and the school didn't even send home a note!
My mom: Oh! Is he okay?! Is he hurt?! Not even a note?! That would have been on the front page of the paper here!
Monday, February 9, 2009
My Least Favorite Ingersoll
But, alas, my love affair with the snow took a turn for the worse last night. About 3:30 A.M. Hunter (our dog) jumped off the bed and started whining. Since Jason had to get up for work this morning, I decided to be the good wife and go let Hunter out. Being that is was 3:30 A.M. and Hunter seems to like to sleep as much as I do, I figured I could just open the front door and let him run out to do his business. I could see it was snowing and obviously it was cold, so I stood at the front door peering out the window waiting on him. So what did Hunter do? Not what he was supposed to! Hunter decided to prance through the middle of the front yard and go down to the neighbors house. Now let me stop my story there and show you a picture of our front yard.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Bathing Suit Bodies
Being at the pool in our bathing suits also gave Ayi the chance to figure out how "skinny" we are. Never ones to mince words, the Chinese will always let you know just what they think of you. There were plenty of times I was shopping in Beijing when I was told, "You can't try that on!You're too fat!" I know it sounds rude, but to them they're just stating a fact: "You are a big American, and you will not fit in these little- bitty Chinese clothes. You will be wasting my time if I let you try them on." Pretty much anything we find "rude" to ask or say they find perfectly acceptable. They'll ask you how much money you make, how much you paid for something, or how old you are in a second. They will also point out any imperfection you might have and ask you about it immediately. So Jason and I weren't surprised a bit when Ayi said to us, (I've taken the liberty of translating it into English for you) "You, Jan, and JR were all fat the whole time you lived in China, but now all of you are skinny!" I'm just going to take that as a compliment and run...A Chinese person finally thinks I'm "skinny"!
New Mex vs Tex Mex
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Bright Lights/Big City
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Baby Talk: Splash Town
Reed (on left): Dude! Finally we can take a bath without you bellerin' and bawlin'!
Kyle: Man, I have no idea what you're talking about.
R: Oh come on! Mommy's been trying to get us to take a bath together since we moved in, and you've burst out into hysterics everytime. Look at ya! You've got a pacifier in your mouth right now! Who does that? I mean really, who needs a pacifier to take a bath?
K: Stop it, man. You're being mean. Mommy says I'm "sensitive". This big bath tub scares me, and my pacifier comforts me. I'm still a little nervous.
R: Nervous about taking a bath? Dude! We sit in warm water and get to play with toys. Yeah we have to get washed off, but that only takes a second. The rest of the time it's fun.
K: Well, Mommy lets me do whatever I want, and if I want to take a bath with a pacifier then I can!
R: Whatever, I'm going to get busy doing my tongue trick...that always gets a big laugh. You just sit there and suck that pacifier. When you're ready to play, you let me know!
K: Play? I do like to play....Reed! Look! I can do it. I can take a bath without crying and without a pacifier!
R: Way to go Big Bro! Now pass me that Power Ranger.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Can't Take the Texas Out of the Boys
The babies have now learned to get on their rocking horse and rock themselves. True to form, Reed is really great at this. He'll climb on without incident and rock and rock. Also true to form, Kyle will climb on (after falling off a few times) and is usually facing the wrong way. He jumps up and down a few times, and though not riding it "properly" has a fine time of his own. Of course we have a room full of toys, but usually they prefer to play with the exact same toy at the exact same time. (Having 2 of the same thing doesn't always fix this situation either.) When it comes to the rocking horse there's just enough room for them both to fit. But when they're both trying to get on at the same time it's quite a show. It's eerily similar to a WWE wrestling match. There's certain to be lots of squeals, hollers, and cries. It's unbelievable the elbows these guys can throw at one-years old! But once on, Kyle quite enjoys the ride with brother Reed at the "wheel". Giddy-Up!