Please, and Little Prayers.

For the past two nights Clark has been saying his OWN bedtime prayers.  

It is so sweet to hear him mumbling along, praying for his family and safety.  My heart just swells with pride and joy thinking of it.  

Of-corse, it is the typical little kid prayer, repeating everything I say (mostly just the last couple words).  BUT he is doing it, all without prompting, and he wants to, he LOVES to. 

As most of you know, I have struggled with Clark's talking, or lack thereof.  To have him try and say words he is not familiar with and mimic me, well that is huge in the Clark world, HUGE.  Point in case, I FINALLY got him to say please for the first time ever.  Since he was a baby whenever he asked for something I would try and make him say please before I gave it to him.  That is about 2 1/2 years of me saying "say please" over and over and over again.  Even when he finally did start talking, please would never come, he didn't care to be told what to say, or didn't get it (who knows?).  

I don't know if it is school, or nursery, or him just finally getting it...BUT he is doing it.  He is saying please (when I ask him to) and saying his own little prayers.  

Sweet little prayers.

And right now, nothing makes me happier.  

I feel like it has taken forever, but we are finally making progress in the Clark talking area.  Everyday he says something new, I still have a hard time understanding him (sometimes), but he is at least trying now.

I am so proud of him!

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane  by Katherine Howe

★★★

While cleaning out her Grandmother's old abandoned house Connie stumbles across an old Bible, with a key and a slip of paper reading 'Deliverance Dane' hidden inside.  As a student of early American history she is intrigued, and sets out to find more about Deliverance, and in turn herself.
I liked this story a lot.  The idea of it, and the execution, I thought it was beautifully written.  I probably would have given it four stars if I didn't have so many issue with Connie (the main character) as a scholar and a graduate student I found her character to be a little dense and slow.  Parts of the story, while good, were a bit predictable and that wears on me as a reader (I like suspense, and not knowing what is going to happen).  All that said, I thought it was a fun and great read.

Flashback Friday

Happy Flashback Friday.

Just an afternoon at the park, with my chunky little nugget,  May 2009.

He was not happy that I took him out of his comfy car seat and set him on the pokey grass.

But once I found him some sticks, he was happy.

Looks likes his obsession with sticks started earlier than I remember :)

At the park, again.

I hate that the kids can never play in our back/front yard (too much dog and pig poop, oh and also a mean rooster has up taken up residence), it is one thing I hope we can change when we move to California. 

 Until then we just go to the park, as often as we can.

Even though it was raining off and on we stayed as long as we could.

Clark ran and ran and ran.

Isn't he getting so tall!

He also did a lot of climbing, he is such a little monkey.

Harry was content to stake out his spot on the jungle gym, and make funny places at me.

He likes to climb up the jungle gyms, but he will never climb down

(I think he is afraid of heights) 

most times we have to force him down the slide.

He is such a cute little nugget.

It has been very rainy, so the park was WET and MUDDY.

Which of corse means the boys were as messy as ever.

I am still cleaning the mud and grass out of the bathtub :)

Oh the shenanigans...

Just another week in the life of my two crazy boys,

always making messes, 

always getting into things.

Here, I guess they just wanted some pretzels.

Harry is normally very good about asking for what he wants,

so I am convinced this mess was all Clark's idea.

Harry looked so darn cute I couldn't even stay mad.

Harry makes the funniest and cutest faces, I love it.

Clark! 

Clark, why couldn't you just ask me for a piece of cheese?!?!

I know you know how to say cheese, you have asked me a hundred times.

I guess Clark now has his very own 2 pounds of cheese.

Why, oh why, are they so messy???

Zoo Day

In an attempt to shirk all the million of things we had to do this past weekend, 

we decided to go to the zoo. 

Typical Clark and Harry.

Clark's oh-so cute, slightly mischievous smile.

And Harry pretending like we don't exsit.
Also, Harry wearing SHOES!
We can never get shoes on his chubby square feet.  We decided to try Clark's on and they fit him perfectly.
Now, we just have to convince him to leave them on.

They were beyond excited to go to the zoo.
Clark was all a twitter, talking a mile a minute.
I would've given anything to understand what he was saying.

Clark thought these little guys were dragons, and nothing I said could convince him otherwise.

Jason pretending to be Tarzan, succeeding in being a dork.  

He is one funny Daddy!

Aren't the trees here in Hawaii amazingly unbelievable!

(I am gonna miss them.)

Clark's favorite part of the day, the Martys and Melmans!

He was looking for them the entire time we were at the zoo.

Yes, sad I know, Clark only knows the names of amimals from movies (Madagascar),

what would the boys do with out our tv.

(I guess we will find out in a couple months when the movers pack up all our things.)
I am sure Clark was wondering what was wrong with the zoo animals that don't talk or dance,
like then do in his favorite movies.
I just KNOW he was waiting for Marty the zebra to trot up to him and say
'what's crack-a-lackin'?!

Clark LOVED seeing the chimps up close, they were eating sun flower seeds which he thought was hilarious.
We had to drag him away from the window.

He kept jumping up and down and saying "excited".

Another kids movie reference from Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs.

I am starting to think he watches too much tv.

Finally! A smile!

The Honolulu Zoo has a great little childrens park, that the boys force us to spend hours at.

Harry was so happy to get out of the stroller, and excersise those chubby little legs.

Six hours and $40 dollars latter, we decided to head home.

Nothing like putting off your chores to have a little family fun time!

ps. A bird pooped on my head.  Not awesome.

Dragons

Clark is so into dragons lately.

We took him to see the How To Train Your Dragon movie, and even though we had to leave a little early, he LOVED it.  He makes Jason show him the movie preview (on his phone) a hundred times a day.  How he can find so much enjoyment in a 2 minute clip I will never know.  Jason (being the awesome Dad he is) has also been slowly collecting all the dragon toys, from the McDonalds happy meals.  I think we have eight of them so far.  And Clark loves each and every one of them.

It is nice to take a little break from trains.  I am enjoying this new dragon phase, 

although my throat does get sore with all the growling I have to do now :)

I don't want to miss a thing.

Initially I started this blog as a way for my family to see pictures of the boys, and the funny things they do.    I love taking picutres of them, and of corse I wanted to share our happiness with my family and friends.  

It is hard being so far from my family, I always feel like I am missing out on everything.  Keeping this blog helps me feel like I am keeping everyone in the loop, our awesome Bosko Family Fun Loop.  

I never know what exactly to share, and what to keep out.  

Of-corse I want to share all our big milestones, firsts, and the adorable things that make you want to go awe.  But, do I write about the morning Clark broke my glasses, smeared pooh all over his wall (for the 100th time), and flooded the bathroom, all before 10:00 am??  Or, when Harry had explosive diarrhea at the mall, and I ran out of wipes and had to use the hard crusty paper towels on his chubby little bum, THEN hurry through the mall with a cold naked baby to buy him so new clothes.

The more I keep the blog, the more my mission in blogging has changed (or has it, maybe I am just finally getting the hang of it).  Everyday they grow up and change so fast, I don't want to miss a thing.  I want to remember all the good AND the bad.  Twelve years from now, when Clark is a teenager and he hates me cause I won't let him die his hair blue (I probably would by the way), I want to be able to look back and remember all the sweet little things he did despite his constant, daily, hourly even, shenanigans (ahem...as I type this he is crumbling bread all over the floor).  

I want to look at this blog as more of a family journal (I am even going to get my blog printed off as a book).  I am going to try to include more stories about all of us.  Jason and his accomplishment and struggles with school and work.  And yes, more things about me...not just the boring books I read.  

Our family journal...and I know I kind of do this already now, but I am going to take it to the next level (or atleast try to).  Because I don't want to miss a thing!
BTW,
The boys had check ups and shots last week. We are still getting caught up on immunizations (I take forever to get them done, cause I only let them get one shot at a time...Harry has such bad reactions from them).  Both boys are looking as healthy as ever, and the doctor even got Harry a referral to see a Behavioral Therapist.  The highlight of the visit for me was the weigh-in and measurements.
Clark is 37 inches tall, and he weighs 36 pounds.  I could've sworn he is taller than that, he seems to be growing like a weed.  Harry is 35 inches tall, and weighs 35 pounds...I really thought he was more plumy than that.  I think it is so funny how close they are together.  Harry is slowing catching up to his big brother.

Clark's First Trip to the Dentist

Clark had his first trip to the dentist!

He wasn't very nervous, but he also wasn't very cooperative.

I can't say it was thorough exam, if I can call it one at all, 

because Clark wouldn't even OPEN his mouth!

He kinda just smiled and showed the dentist is top teeth, hahaha.

It's a start, I guess.  A milestone none of the less.

He was very very excited about getting a new toothbrush.
In a year or so we will take him back to get him a real check up.

ps. Mommy went to the dentist too, for the first time in 4 years (I know, I know I need to go more often).  I got a very nice teeth cleaning, and GOOD NEWS only one cavity.  Woo-hoo!  There is nothing I hate more than going to the dentist.  In fact, I think I would rather have a pap smear than go.  But I figure if I have to tell Clark that he needs to be brave and go, then I should as well.

School School School!

My happy little Clark.  He is so full of JOY!

Clark has been in school for about three weeks now.  And WE all have adjusted quiet nicely, if I must say so myself, amazingly.  He gets up every morning so happy to go to school, and get on the BUS. 

He LOVES the bus, loves it.  His teacher says that every time they leave the classroom, to go to recess or lunch, he tries to go to the bus stop.  He has so much enthusiasm.  I have already noticed a lot of improvement in his talking, and communication!!  

It is weird to think that just three weeks ago I was panicking, thinking that I had to send him to school all day.  Now, I find myself panicking when he has an unexpected day off...or the dreaded early out day.

My very favorite thing is waiting for the bus with him every morning.  We always go down about ten minutes early, because Clark is SO excited to get on the bus, and we sit together on the curb together.  It is still a little cool in the morning so he sits on my lap, cuddled under the blanket.  We "talk" about the cars going by, and the chickens and birds we see, sometimes he even sings a song with me.  It is such a nice peaceful time for us to spend together, a great way to start the day before Clark has to go off to school and I have to go off and be the Mom.  I love it.

Clark has been dancing around the living room for the last 45 minutes singing 'skool skool skool', he has a day off tomorrow, and he is going to be so sad.  I hope he always has this much enthusiasm for school and learning.

And Only To Deceive

And Only To Deceive  by Tasha Alexandra

★★★★

Lovely reading, and a great story.
Lady Ashton, Emily, has just lost her husband after only being married for six months.  Deciding only to get married to escape her controlling mother, she fights mixed emotions of her husbands shocking death.  During her strict required time of mourning, she comes to realize how much she didn't know about him and that she just might even love him.  Romantic and funny at times, I found the characters delightful to read.  There is also a mystery here, who can Emily trust with a secret that could sully her late husbands memory and honor.  Part suspense, part history, I loved that you couldn't pin the book down to a particular theme.
I was happy to find out that there are several sequels to this books. I liked Emily's character so much, and that of her friends, that I can't wait to read them.

All About The Trains

I think it is so cute how much my boys, Clark especially, LOVE trains. 

Playing with trains, watching trains, pretending to be trains, singing about trains.  

It's all we do somedays.