The need for speed

After a very long week-Todd in Ohio and California, me holding down the fort-the boys had a chance to blow off a little steam on the lake. Why is it that boys are so different than girls? The intensity, the ego, the all around barbaric nature of these boys is almost laughable. My pediatrician once asked if I understood my husband better since the birth of my two boys. The smirk on his face said it all-no matter the age, at the core boys are all about four years old. Go ahead and try to argue it-it's impossible! I have pages of proof. But here are a few of my most favorite facts concerning the maturity of my boys and husband(love you Toddy!)

- It is always my husband who starts the basket wheelies at the grocery store
- Todd's place at the table is as dirty as Asher's
- the rev of any engine(even from a mini van) gets cheers and chants for more
- "poopie" is their favorite descriptive word
- the toy section at Target is destroyed after Holden and Asher walk the isles, but even worse when Todd is with them
- there is no such thing as watering the grass, it is just a ploy to start a water fight
- Their need to win, travel at top speed(on a big wheel, car, motorcycle, truck, office chair with wheels-what have you)make you laugh, and gross you out is how they gage whether or not it was a great day.

so my pediatrician was right, I do understand my husband better now that I have boys. It is all basic, primal stuff I wake up to every morning. Four boys(including my bossy dog) are all looking at me as I climb out of bed to face my day. Sometimes I'm not certain I will survive this(day, year, boys in general),it's guaranteed I will be exhausted, but undoubtedly entertained. As the toys whizz by my head, I am tackled to the floor and karate chopped at the knees, I am so glad that they are amazing boys(big and little) and forever grateful that I am a girl!

I'll play along

My friend Kristi challenged everyone to play this little game on her blog. Sometimes I'm not a very good sport....but I think I can do this one.
20 years ago:1988
I was getting ready to start my freshman year of high school. I remember being very nervous. what to wear, how was I going to find my way around such a huge school. That summer I had met a whole new bunch girls that had gone to the junior high across town. To say the least, they had led a less sheltered life. We were hanging out at Hardees at night(the place to meet the who's who of school), going to movies(Kyrie and I vowed to leave each other our children when we had them after watching Bette Midler in Beaches) and hanging out at the pool every stinkin' day(what a life). Freshman year ended up being a complete and udder struggle for me. I was much more interested in my social life than my school work. I had a serious boyfriend which only distracted me and there was always lots of drama. Let me just say this. In no way shape or form would I want to go back to those days. I was having fun no doubt about it, but most of the time I was struggling to keep it all together.

10 years: 1998
I had moved to Seattle on a total whim, feeling very independent and fancy free. the city was amazing and I was loving everything it had to offer. I was working for an Endodontist down town and living in a big house with several other roommates on Queen Ann Hill. I rode the bus to work, walked through Pike's Place Market over my lunch hour, and probably worked out every night. I spent countless hours walking. To the coffee shop, to the most amazing grocery stores, to the bar for a beer. My Saturday morning ritual was so completely self serving(I seem to only remember Saturday mornings with kids) I woke up(10:00?) I went for a coffee, picked up some fresh flowers, a little pastry. By noon I was ready to hit my favorite dress shop, to browse the sale rack of course, and then it was whatever else came along that day. My sister and her husband lived only three hours away and I remember feeling very happy to have family so close. My niece was one or two years old at the time and it was time with her that I truly cherished.

5 years ago:2003
Todd and I had been married for three years and we had recently bought our first house in West Des Moines. I hadn't really intended on moving back to DM but had fallen head over heals in love with Todd(we met the first time when we were 13)I was eight months pregnant and we were anxiously awaiting the arrival of Holden Matthew. Todd was in sales for Housby and unfortunately starting to feel very unhappy with his job. I was working in a great dental office with my very best friend Becca, and looking forward to going part time when Holden was born.

3 years ago: 2005
Living in Cincinnati for about a year. Todd had taken a job with WorldWide as their Sales Manager and he was loving it. He was working a lot(which he secretly loves) and I was still adjusting to a new city, a new job-full time stay at home mom, and I was weeks away from having Asher Joseph. I had met some awesome moms and they were truly my saving grace. I was busy finding balance as a mom and wife, while trying to maintain some Sarah time. I was religious about the gym and playgroup! In just weeks I would experience the most overwhelming yet exhilarating experience of my life-being a mom to two little boys.

this Year:2008
Back in Des Moines. Todd working for Housby again, but this time as Sales Director for Vocon(heavy equipment auction house). Just moved into our new house after living in a rental for over 8 months. Holden is getting ready to turn 5 in the fall and will have another yer of preschool. Asher will be 3 shortly and I am looking forward to snuggling with him all winter long while we are at home together. I will surely be unpacking for another 6 months(ugg) and for the moment I am just enjoying our new neighborhood and new friends that we all have made.

Yesterday:Monday
Went to the gym in the morning. the boys played outside with their friends. Wrote out bills, balanced checkbook, scheduled appointments, finished book, ran a few errands without killing my children in the store :) Watched E! news and the opening monologue of Chelsey Lately(my favorite show)and finally went to bed before 11:00pm-didn't sleep very well, need to see the Chiropractor.

Tomorrow:Wednesday
Have appointment with upholstery guy, put debating on removing skirt from our new chair. Working out at some point is a must. Boys are going over to Grammy's house at 3 so I can run to the mall without them! Hopefully finding a pair of jeans that doesn't make me look like I just came out of the junior department(could they get any lower?).

Next year
Todd will most likely be traveling and loving his job even more. Holden will be getting ready to start kindergarten-can I get an amen! Asher will be starting preschool. We hopefully will have spent another summer doing what we do best-playing. I will hopefully be on my way to learning something new-knitting, quilting etc..and will have done some scrapbooking(maybe this will be the year?) I honestly have to say that I hope we are well on our way to having #3, although my husband isn't fully on board, lets hope he hops on the baby train :) Regardless, I know that next year and every year to follow we will love each other even more than the day before, and praise God for all he has entrusted to us.

6 great things that happened this past week

1. Holden is riding his bike without training wheels. He has turned into a total dare devil which is scary to watch, but I am so pleased to see his new found confidence.
2. Asher and I started to plan his third birthday party. The park shelter has been reserved and his favorite part so far is the van cake tin we just received from ebay. Wish me luck on the decorating.
3. I finally found a chair for my living room. We went to a furniture store in Boone(a small town about 30 minutes away) and the chair was like on clearance and then some. I was giddy. I think the original price tag said 999.00(ridiculous) and the sale price was 179.00-hip hip hooray! it needs a little tweaking-the tailored skirt MUST be removed-but for that price I can do tweaking.
4. Todd finished the main floor bathroom for me. He hung the new light fixture, put the cabinet back together(I painted them white)and put the nobs on. I just have to paint the molding to go around the mirror.
5. We had a chance to have dinner with Grammy and PaPa on Wednesday. We celebrated Grandpa Frank's birthday at the Tavern on Thursday. And on Friday we visited Becca and the boys in Stuart.
6. We made it to church on time. This never happens. We are the worst at getting out the door. My usual idea of "on time" is pulling out of the drive way at the time I am supposed to be arriving. It has been an impossible habit to break. But this morning we were actually early and we didn't have to kill each other doing it.