All tuckered out!

So I mentioned this in the previous post but it was so funny I just had to put up some more pictures. So Garran and I were plotting our route for our vacation that we will be leaving on and we were trying to figure out the best ways to go. Cullan was trying very hard to get Garran to stop working on the map with me and to go and play with him. I guess we did not even notice that it had gotten really quiet. But when we finished working on the map a few minutes later all of a sudden Garran looked down and said "Meg, grab your camera" I looked down and this is what I saw. My little Blondie curly headed boy sound asleep on the floor leaning against the picnic basket. He is so cute and funny.

Cute and Funny Pics of my BOYS

Ok so left to Right. Cullan just being cute. Cullan Dancing. Last but not least Cullan being so tired that while Garran and I were mapping our route on the table Cullan sat down underneath the table and decided to take a little snooze.

Ok the first one I snapped while he was playing with Garran. Number two. Look at those eyes. Who wouldn't think happiness when they saw that. And the third I was just playing with my camera. I love taking pics of the boys.

Welcome Areia to the Gillespie Family

Well I know how many of you were holding your breath hoping that we would splurge on the pig mobile as our families next means of transportation but we decided to go a different route. We had to really think about it because how fun would it be to drive around in a hugh pink pig with two little ones in tow. But we did say goodbye to old Ruby Red our station wagon the other day. She was a family favorite and we will miss her greatly. She served us well for the time that we needed her. (If you can not tell we have close personal relationships with our cars. We name them and they take on their own personalities. This is also why people may think we are a little strange. Actually I have no doubt that people around here think our family is really strange.) So back to the story we decided to add a new family member to our Gang of Gillespies. Her name is Areia because the color reminds us of sand. The word in Portuguese for sand is Areia. Because Garran spent so much time in Brazil and speaks Portuguese we thought it only appropriate. Anyways here is a picture of the newest addition. We are super excited!

I guess I should say a little about our purchase. We got a 2004 Chrysler Town and Country. We love it. It rides great and is in great condition. We are super excited (even Garran who always said we would never own a mini van) But we are a van family and I will agree with Rebecca I am a total van mom, even after only 3 days. Yaaa Vans!

Give me your honest OPINION!!

OK so Garran and I have been looking into vehicles that might be more accommodating for our family now and in the future. We have a little wagon that is great and that we love but we think we are ready to move up in size and get something a little bit more roomy. So as we were

driving around looking this is one that we saw. Let me know what you think - Should we make an offer? I think there is plenty of room. Cullan and Kael can gave their own little Gilles-piglet mobiles. I think our family would look great rolling down the street in this beauty!

"Great He Found a Terd and Plucked it out"

Ok well from this heading I am sure you can tell how our day is going. This weekend has been kind of hectic. I have had to have a couple different test done because my stupid leg pain is still not gone. ARGG and yes for those of you loyal readers that is right I was back in the blasted CT scan machine with its stupid death ray that to this day I have no idea where it is coming from but am convinced I have more than likely starred directly into it.

Again there was a little tiny sign that said do not stare directly into the beam. Again I saw no beam but fervently avoided looking directly into the small glass panel in fear that I might have to go to another part of the hospital for spontaneous blindness.

So I have been trying to take it easy because I am not supposed to lift anything heavy and and oh yes the best part I have to sleep sitting up because of the wonderful dye they injected into my back. I am sure if you turn off the lights I will probably glow from everything that has been put into me this month. So this has been my life. Regular hospital visits and trying to take care of my two very active little boys. Which is where the heading comes in. Garran was getting ready for work today. He was in the bathroom and Cullan had used the potty before taking a bath. Anyways Cullan was getting out of the tub and Garran was standing in the hallway talking to me about something. Well you guessed it all of a sudden Garran grabs a towel to dry Cullan off and looks down and Cullan has scooped a nice little brown present out of the toilet for Daddy to see. Cullan was very pleased with himself. So that is our crazy life for now.. Hope this brings some laughter to your day.

PS: Wish me luck - My appointment with the back surgeon is on Wednesday!

That's it.. Things are really getting WEIRD!

Ok well as you know for things to be strange around our house is really nothing new. As we speak my husband is pulling my two kids around in their wagon in the rain.( This was Cullan all wet when they got back. He is so cute!) I use to love doing that growing up. My mom and I would go outside and dance around in the rain and sing "We're singing the rain, just singing in the rain", I do not remember the whole song but I am pretty sure it talks about dancing in the rain too. Anyways back to the weirdness. So Thursday my friend and I decided to have a cookout because she is being induced on Friday and we thought it would be fun to have one last hooraah before the baby came. So anyways I was busy making plans Thursday night and trying to straighten up our house. My husband who is very helpful decided to help. The boys were asleep and we had pretty much finished up cleaning the house. I was laying on our bed when Garran walked in the room brushing his teeth and bumped into our son's Elmo doll that when pressed says different things. It is the doctor Elmo so it says things like my tummy hurts, or can you fix my boo boo. So anyways Garran practically drop kicks it into the living room because he seriously hates the Elmo doll. I say honey now was that very nice to do that to Elmo. Garran responded by grumbling under his breath and we eventually just went to bed.

So the next day went pretty smoothly, I was getting ready for the party, people were starting to arrive and all of a sudden I hear this creepy Elmo voice coming from some hidden corner. Now need I remind you that this Elmo has to be pressed to say something, it is not one of those toys that just spouts out sayings randomly. So at first I chalk it up to whatever Garran drop kicked it somewhere last night I will find it later. But then I notice that Elmo is only saying things while I am inside. If I come into to get something from the kitchen, Yep you guessed it, "My Tummy hurts". I come in to use the bathroom, "Can you check my band-aid". I ask has anyone else heard the Elmo say something when they go inside to which everyone looked at me like I had completely lost it. Oh well I thought, but to my surprise when looking this morning I can not find the Elmo doll. I think we have one angry Elmo wondering around this house! All I can say is if I can find it Garran is answering to Elmo not ME!

PS: I think if Garran had his way, this would be our Elmo Doll!

Sidenote: I said that I would record of funny things that I heard children say, so here it goes!

We were watching some friends of ours children. This is how the conversation went.

child: We are going to have a baby for Thanksgiving.

Garran: Really I think you might want to have turkey because I heard baby is not really that good.

child: No Garran, Our baby is going to taste really good!

I had to laugh I thought it was too cute!

Art Time Gone Wild

Ok so I decided to try and limit the amount of time that Cullan watches TV. So I have started trying to do things each day that are fun and try to promote creativity. Recently we have done a lot of shaving cream and painting. Cullan really loves it. Today was the first time Daddy was home to do it with us. As you all know my husband is the artist of the family. Well this is definitely ART GONE WILD. We were painting very nicely on this hugh sheet of Garrans art paper. All of a sudden I look over and there is Garran painting on Cullans arm. Cullan is standing perfectly still. Not moving a muscle just looking at himself in the big mirror that is right in front of our table. He had this look on his face like, what in the world are you doing to me. But then he began to really think it was great as you can tell from the big smile on his face in the picture to the right. He was laughing and having all kinds of fun. He thought this was great. He really thought it was fun when Daddy decided that he would take his shirt off too and let Cullan paint on Daddy's tummy. The first thing he went for was Daddy's belly button. He thought it was so funny. He was spreading paint all over Dad with his paint brush. He had the best time. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow. I could not help but smile at how cute Cullan and Garran were painting all over each other. I have to admit I helped with both. First with Cullan and then with Garran. I guess it turned into a big family art project. And I am sure you are wondering where Kael was during all of this, well for the

first half he was napping but oh we would never leave him out of good ol' family fun. When he woke up we made sure he got some war paint too. At first he was not to sure about all of it but after he got his own little fingers in it, oh we was definitely ready for the fun. Now that all the fun is over I am dreading walking into my bathroom. I think my tub is probably a wonderful rainbow of hand prints and soapy paint. Oh well, hope you enjoyed our pictures of our art time. Just another look into our crazy lives =)

FUN IN THE SUN

We decided to post a slide show of us and some of our good little friends outside playing. We did everything from sidewalk chalk to water balloons and bubbles. We had so much fun I just thought that I would post some pics of it. So scroll down and check them out!

Kids say and do the darndest things!

Ok well as promised I would publish funny things I heard about that kids I know have done. The other day my mother in law called to check on me. While we were chatting she told me that she had talked to one of her daughters who had told her that while she was in the shower that day her kids had decided to call 911. When she got out of the shower there was a police officer pounding on the door. Michaela had no idea who it was and was yelling at her kids not to open the door, because she did not know who it was.
A little later that day my mother in law was relaying that story to another one of her daughters. This daughter said well we will not have to worry about that problem and then told the following story. They were at the park and I don't know if someone got hurt or what but her 2nd oldest said "For a minute there I was going to have to call 991" to which her 3rd oldest said "No its 119.".. I thought that was cute. Jerusha said they will never have to worry about a police man showing up at there door.
Another cute little thing related to kids- This time it is about my own. Last night we were watching a movie but as it started to get dark Cullan could see that there were lighting bugs outside. He was very excited and so we took a jar out to try and catch some to show him. Anyways as they were flying around him, he would point and squeal with excitement at these great fire flies that were lighting up all around him. His ohhs and awws are so very cute that I wish I could record them and save them, I am sure they will not last forever. But right now they are so sincere and full of excitement that I love it!

How many licks does it take?

Ok well today I needed to run to Wal Mart. Cullan had just woke up from his nap and I thought what the heck, he loves to go places, so he came along. We did our shopping and we made our way up to the front to pay for our things. Well of course we went to the self check out line. (I think I have blogged about this already, but I always go to self checkouts. I don't think I am anti-social or anything, I just don't like someone knowing every little thing I get. Is that weird. Its not like I am buying top secret stuff at Wal-Mart. Usually diapers and a few groceries. Who knows, chalk it up to my weirdness!) So we are checking out and Cullan is in the cart being very quiet as I ring our items. As it dawns on me that he is being very quiet, I look and he has pulled one of each of the candy bars off the shelf and are all piled in his lap. (note to self - next time move cart one to two inches to the left) So I begin putting candy bars back in place when I realize that he has opened one of the Snickers! I thought Oh well, he has been really good, and a little treat here and there won't hurt. So as we are walking out to the car, I look at Cullan who is really enjoying his candy bar but I realize he is licking it like a Popsicle or I guess I should say sucking on it like a chocolate Popsicle. I thought well that is funny but who am I to criticize about how he wants to eat his candy bar. When I eat a snickers I eat the chocolate off first and then eat the insides. OH well. I thought at least this way there will not be a big mess. Maybe a little chocolate on his face and no big deal. Well this was the end product by the time we got home and I went to get him out of his car seat.

I need advice..

Ok so maybe some of you moms out there can give me some help on this one. Right now we live in married student housing while my husband is in school. So we share a very nice backyard with about 15 other families. Which at first I thought was great. Ok so here is my problem. Cullan is the youngest by far of the kids that we share the backyard with. But he loves being around other kids. He gets so excited that he can barely stand it when he sees the other kids in the backyard. But the kids avoid him like crazy, I think because he is so much younger than they are. But yesterday we were out side and they were being openly mean to him. One little boy came up behind Cullan on this little sidewalk thing that we have and ran him over with his bike. Litterally ran him over. I was so mad, I said something to the kid. But unfortunaltely this is not the first time they have been violent with him and he is only 19 months. I do not want to be so over protective, I mean I know there are going to be mean kids out there but come on. Any advice. Right now we only play outside during the day because most of them are in school or go to some kind of day care service. But I hate feeling like Cullan can't be outside if those other kids are.. ARGHHH I need help!

Strange Things Are Happening To Me.........

Ok so this is one of those blogs that will not make a whole lot of sense but are more the ramblings of what have been going through my head as I have been pretty much stuck in my house for the past week. The friendly little frog that you see to the left has four little friends. My mother in law bought them for my kids. When you touch a little sensor underneath them they light up with four different colors. The kids love them. We put them in the tub and turn the lights off. Cullan and Kael laugh and splash around thinking that it is great. However, since they are bath toys I try my darndest to keep them in the bathroom. Ok so I have a theroy that they are ganging up on me. I have noticed in the last 2-3 days that everytime I turn around there are these little frogs in unusal places. But they seem to be pointed right at me. Now just so you don't think I am going crazy, I am sure it is Cullan getting them out of the bathroom to play with and it just so happens that I notice them when he leaves them out. However it does feel as if I am being followed by a band of psychedelic frogs.

My other thought.. Now I might really lose some of you on this, that is you thinking I have really lost it. But today I had to go to the hospital to have a CT scan done to try and find out why my leg is killing me. Anyways as I am laying on this machine with my arms raised above my head, trying very hard not to move, only to breath. So as I am laying there, I see this tiny little sign right by my head that says "DO NOT STARE DIRECTLY INTO THE BEAM". Hmm I thought, I do not see any bright beams coming anywhere out of this machine. Then I wonder Hmm am I looking into the beam right now and not even realizing it. Will I be blind by the time I get to my car? I just thought it was curious. It seemed to be a serious warning on such a small little sign. And you would think they would put an arrow to where this deadly beam comes out of so that you would know where not to look!

Really.. Could my Day get any worse!!

Ok so I took this picture just to capture how bad I was annoyed today. As you can tell I look rough. I am not happy. This blog is purley to vent, so here it goes. Ok, so I had an MRI scheduled this morning because I have been having alot of pain in my leg. Anyways I was in the ER in the middle of the night about a week ago exactly. When I was there, one of the ER doctors that happened to be a friend of ours said that I need to have an MRI done. However it never got done. Instead they waited about 6 hours and then wheeled me up to surgery. So anyways, today I go to the hospital to have my MRI, very excited at the prospect of figuring out what is going on. So I am sitting in the office, the lady comes and gets me, we are walking down the hallway and the nurse says, "Wait you had surgery on Tuesday?" to which I answered yes. She said oh well then we can not do this MRI. HMMM i say. She says we can not perform an MRI on anyone for 6-8 weeks after they have had major surgery. I ask why is that. She then replies, it is because you have metal inside of you from where the fixed whatever was wrong. OH I think, well this is great. Granted I am truely grateful that she did not stick me in a giant magnet that would have sucked the staples out of whatever they are stapled to, but I have to say I was a little upset at the run around and the prospect of being in pain for the next 6-8 weeks. So after about a million and one phone calls some nurse calls me from my family doctor and says they have scheduled a CT scan for tomorrow. Who knows-- Somedays I just think I give up!

It's all about tounges today!

Ok so recently Kael our youngest, has been sticking his tounge out for no reason at all. Now I know that babies hang their tounges out but Kael's is out all the time. And he has a really long tounge. It is very funny. He will not keep it in his mouth for anything. So anyways today the boys and I were sitting in the living room. Kael of course had his tounge hanging out and Cullan and I thought that was very funny. So then I rolled my tounge which the boys found amuzing. Then Cullan rolled his tounge which Kael thought was very funny. Anything Cullan does Kael thinks is great, unless it is knocking him over. Anyways this blog just lets you see one of our more silly moments of the day. ENJOY!

How Time Flies!!

I was just looking at the boys today and I was thinking how quickly time flies by. I can not believe that Cullan is going to be two soon. What happened. I just brought him home the other day. This picture was taken last weekend

of Cullan. I love when he is acting silly. This other picture was taken last Christmas. It is funny to see how much he has changed. Kael is growing like a weed also. He is starting to crawl. I can not believe it. It makes me sad in a way that they are no longer these little tiny babies. But in a way it is fun to see them grow and change. Cullan is starting to talk and say words. He can say eyes, nose, mom, dad, outside. It is great. Plus he is just funny. He is such a dancer. Anytime he hears music, even in the car he is movin and groovin. Kael likes to dance also but he is kind of a shaker. When we have family dance parties in the living room he just gets so excited that he shakes like crazy. It is so funny. Oh well I guess time is going to go by, so I just try and enjoy every minute of it. They are so cute that I do not want to miss a thing. So if you have little ones, give them lots of hugs and kisses and enjoy them everyday. Even when they are naughty.

Ahh Recovery!

Ahh is this a lovely photo. Garran wanted me to show the recovery process after my surgery. These are his photography skills at work! Well I am glad to say that each day I fell a little better. My stinking leg still hurts like crazy but everything dealing with my surgery is healing very well. I am very excited because this means that hopefully we will be leaving on schedule for our vacation. I can not wait. This is going to be a short entry but I just had to make mention that our family did say goodbye to an old friend tonight. We sold Garrans trusty red truck for a more suitable car for a guy with kids. We just could not fit car seats in his truck if there were ever an emergency. Anyways so here is a tribute picture to his beloved truck. He will miss her more than I will ever know! Don't get me wrong big red came in handy with oh all our many many many moves, however I have to admit that I am not as sad as Garran. But we have to pay our respects to Big Red. You will be missed!

Well I made it!

Well just in case anyone is reading this I made it through the surgery. All though there were some moments I had a few scares. Not with me so much but well lets just say things did not go as smoothly as possible. I ended up spending the whole night before my surgery in the ER. I had some crazy unrelated leg pain that is yet to be figured out. And then while I was in recovery just as I was coming out of my anesthia, the woman next to me almost passed away. Apparently she was having problems coming out of hers. I could here them working on here and scrambling to take care of her. I guess in my confussion started calling out for my husband, while trying to get out of bed and pull the nose oxygen thing out. The nurse came over and told me to calm down. She explained that I could see my husband shortly and that everything was ok. She promptly pulled the curtain closed to the woman next to me thought so that I could not see anymore of what was going on. Good thing! It was making me very nervous. Anyways I am recovering at home with a bunch of help from Garran. He has been wonderful through all of this. One thing that caught me by surprise was how many comments we got at the hospital. One nurse that I had right after surgery commented to us right before her shift was over " Are you guys married?" to which we responded yes. She then said "Wow we don't see a lot of couples who are still so sweet to each other like you are." Then a second nurse came in while we were sleeping. Garran of course stayed the night with me. But while she had me up checking my vitals she said, is that your husband. I said yes. She then said wow, you must be lucky, we don't see alot of that. Usually the husbands never stay. Just when I was thinking are these people serious, my surgeon came in to check his handy work and say Garran asleep on the cot. He pointed to him and said "Your husband right" and I said yep. He goes wow that tells me alot about you that your husband would stay with you in the hospital. Who knows what that meant. I did not know if he meant because i was such a great wife he would stay or because I was so needy he stayed. Anyways what are relationships like out there? I guess I just assumed the majority of people out there were like Garran and I. I am not saying there not. But what happened to couples being supportive and sweet to each other? Anybody have any ideas?

Funny Things - Said and Done

So I was thinking today about all of the funny things that happen to me on a daily basis and how I should start making some sort of record of it because I dont't want to forget them. So anyways I thought I would share a couple of them. We have some good friends that live just across the way from us. The oldest daughter, I am pretty sure she is 4 said two things just recently that were very funny. So the first time, we were over at their house playing outside and my son began to get upset about who knows what. A toy or something I am sure. Anyways the daughter says as my son is throwing his fit "Somebody has issues"! I about fell over laughing. Then another time I was watching the girls for some reason and Curls, my oldest had dumped a can of formula on the table while eating something. Doodler my husband jumps over the baby gate from the kitchen and says " Umm Pearly we have an issue", this same little girl turns to me and says, " Oh Pearly, Don't worry, We have issues at our house all the time."

The other day I had Curls and Rewind outside playing. I had been cleaning all day and I had just finished giving them dinner. With any of you who have small children, especially one at nine months who is very grabby, you tend to get a little dirty. Anyways I decided the boys have been good, we should go outside and burn some energy off. Well we get outside and our neighbors little boy is out and some other kids who share our back yard. Our neighbor boy came over (by the way i think he might be 3 or 3 1/2) to where I was sitting in the grass with my youngest Rewind. Anyways he said "Why do you have that shirt on" and I replied "Well because I have been cleaning and feeding my kids- I guess it got a little dirty huh?" he then replied "Yeah you need to go change that nasty shirt, you don't look very good". Ahh the honestly of children.

Speaking of honest children... this will be my last little story.. I was sitting in Primary yesterday listening to Sharing Time. A brother and Sister were sitting next to each other. The sister (younger) was really trying hard to antagonize her older brother. I was watching them thinking if things start to get out of control, I would step in and say something. Anyways so she is poking at him and saying something over and over that I can not hear, but I can tell he is about to lose it. As I inch closer to them ready to step in I hear him say" OHHHH I can not wait till we get home, revenge is so sweet!" I had to kind of laugh. Coming from such a young child, it was somewhat amusing.

Going under the knife =(

Well I found out today that I am going to have to have surgery on Tuesday. I am a little nervous about it but they say it is not a super serious one. I have to ahve my gallbladder out. Oh the things having kids and dieting will do to your body. At least that is what my doctor blaims mine on. Oh well my two little cuties are totally worth it. I love them more than my gallbladder so I will say goodbye to it on Tuesday. Say a little prayer for me that all goes well!