Sometimes We're Mean to the Boys

We were watching Jimmy Kimmel last night and they came up with a funny idea to mess with your kids (which is something I thoroughly enjoy doing). Basically you wrap up something that no kid would ever actually want as a Christmas present, but then you tell them that you have an awesome present to give them and they get to open it up early since it's so cool. Then, you take a video of the cruel trick, post it on You Tube and the Jimmy Kimmel show goes through and finds the funny reactions that the kids have and replay it on their show.

For Charley, we wrapped up a partially consumed bottle of vegetable juice, since we know he is repulsed by vegetable juice, and for Miles, we wrapped up a roll of paper towels. As we suspected, Miles actually kinda liked the paper towels...anyway here's the link. It is kind of long, but also kind of cute!

Christmas Card

We somehow got a picture of all five of us in the same place, at the same time, with no one crying, and we're kind of all looking at the camera. This is an amazing feat. So I'm trying to be organized and get some Christmas cards done. Here's a little preview. Anyone know what the quote on the card is from?? It's a movie I was obsessed with and watched over and over and over when I was little :) I'm trying to force the boys to also be into it, but so far no luck.

Heart To Heart Christmas Card

Creating Christmas cards has never been this easy.

View the entire collection of cards.

Convos with the Kiddos

On our walk on Main St. yesterday:

Charley: What's a girl with no head called?
me: (very disturbed) Ummmmm, I don't know...

5 minutes later...
Charley: Mom!  What's a girl with no head called?
me: ...(thinking I'm raising a serial killer and maybe if I don't answer him he will stop being a weirdo)

1 minute after that...
Charley: (very frustratedly points to a shop window) MOM!  WHAT ARE THOSE GIRLS WITH CLOTHES AND NO HEADS CALLED !?!?
me: OH! Oh, those are called mannequins.  (phew!)

Doing watercolors with the boys while it was raining today:
Miles is trying to paint his hands and arms.
me: No, you paint on the paper Miles.  And when you want a new color you rinse your brush off in the  water like this...
Miles picks up the cup of dirty brown paint water
Miles: I drink this.
me: NO! No Miles, that is dirty water.  Gross!
Miles: I drink this.
me: NO! NO! Disgusting!  I'll get you a glass of clean water to drink okay?
( I turn around to get a sippy cup out of the cupboard and when i turn back around I see Miles trying to sneak a sip of the nasty paint water...)

My boys

We escaped to Cayucos for a bit.  Here's all the boys on our morning walk :)

Happy Halloween Hooligans!

Happy Halloween!

Tucker checked out Halloween, realized he was too young for candy, got bored and snuggled down in his banana suit for a little nap.

Happy (a little belated) Birthday Miles!

Yesterday Miles officially turned 2, and he had a great day that started with donuts and ended with ice cream.  Nennie, Jonit, John, and Hunkle Matt all came out to celebrate Miles and were nice enough to repeatedly sing happy birthday and re-light his birthday candle until the other restaurant patrons started giving weird looks. Now he's trying to make his birthday last as long as possible and he's kinda having a birthday week.  Today when the mail came, he opened all of the junk mail and credit card offers as if they were special birthday cards just for him.   

Miles looooved his Lightning McQueen balloon from his Dad.  While the boys were re-enacting a Cars race with the balloon this morning, Charley ran into a doorway, split his lip, and got an exciting trip to the ER :-/

Birthday sundae #2!!!  Miles is so stoked

Charley is never one to pass up an ice cream sundae even while sporting a butterfly bandage moustache.  Don't worry, it looks way worse than it is in this picture.

The Gallery of Charley James

 

"Hey Mom!  I made a walking O!"

medium: marker on post-it note

October 2011

Cutie Cousins

The boys got a visit from their cousins today, and they loved it. The big boys and Braden bonded over monster trucks and dinosaurs and ended the visit with an awesome dance party. Tucker and Journee had a big morning of eating, sleeping, relaxing, and a few good cries.

Braden(5), Charley(3), Miles(almost 2), Journee(5 mos.), and Tucker(3 mos.)

Just two buddies hanging out and talking about how good hands taste :)

My Weekend With The Big Boys

I got to spend most of the weekend with just me and the other 2 men of the house, Charley& Miles, while Kristen went on a mini vacation with Tucker, Jennie, and Betsy up in Cayucos.

Just to prove that I can handle the 2 boys by myself without everything getting crazy and out of control, I took a little video footage to show just how calm and well behaved they were with me this weekend. Here is a little clip of Miles just quietly enjoying one of his favorite videos of Elmo from Sesame Street:

See, I know how to handle my boys better than anyone and keep them well behaved and entertained the entire weekend without any help.

Ok fine, who am I fooling, the majority of the weekend actually looked and sounded a lot more like this:

The 3 Nelson Boys...

Can you guess who's who??

The Newest, Newest, Newest Nelson Has Arrived

Tucker Savant Nelson has finally arrived and he is doing great. He is 7lbs 3oz and Kristen is exhausted, but also doing great. Here is his fist debut:

The Big 3

We had Charley's 3rd birthday party at Marina Park a couple weekends ago. Per the b-day boy's request we had a bounce house, a Lightning McQueen pinata, and cake pops made by Aunt Nennie.  He had an awesome time celebrating and bouncing with his friends and cousins.

Miles refers to himself as "Charley" so he thought it was his birthday too....

brothers, bouncing, and balloons

sisters

JP practicing holding a little one again with baby Brooklynn

The youngest party guest was Charley & Miles' new cousin Journee.   Even though she couldn't bounce with him, Charley was still very happy to meet her.  She is so cute and tiny!!

Pinata!

Bouncing with Riley

Taking a break with Grammie

Braden giving the pinata a beating

Rose and Brooklynn :)

Miles lucked out and got a few presents too.  His faves were these cowboy boots :)

Playing with his new garbage truck and Mater's Spy Garage

Woo Hoo!!!

This weekend we are just sticking close to home and patiently awaiting the arrival of the newest new Nelson, but meanwhile we got some very exciting news today....drumroll please.......Jennie and Jonathan are engaged!!!!  We are all so happy and excited and wish we could be there to celebrate the good news with them.  Congratulations you two, we love you!!!

 

Beach Angels

The other day as we were walking to the beach park Charley suddenly exclaimed to me, "You look like a beach angel Mom!"  I laughed and said "Thanks Char I think you look like a beach angel too," to which he replied, "No, I'm Charley James."  I was a little shocked and wondered where he got that from, but hey, I'll take the compliments when I can :)  Later in the evening, I put on one of his favorite shows for him that we have recorded, and this commercial was on it:



Soooo thats where he got it from!  I guess someone's been watching a little too much TV.  .  .

Visit to the fire station!

Our morning started out a little rough with Charley starting the dishwasher that had already clean dishes in it and then Miles drawing on the couch and restarting the washing machine 3 times while it was already going.  But our day got so much better with a surprise trip to the fire station!  The boys' friend Emerson's grandpa is a fireman at the Seal Beach station, and she was nice enough to let us tag along on a visit.  Charley and Miles were in Heaven!  Not only did they get to sit inside the fire truck and check out all the cool fire equipment, but the firemen also shared their licorice and cookies :)  As we were walking home Charley said, "Mom the fire station has really good snacks!"  

Captain Charley  

 Driving the old fire truck

 Good thing Charley is driving because I'm pretty sure Miles can't see... :)

We escaped up to Cayucos for Memorial Day weekend, and we're loving it so far.  I wouldn't say it's a relaxing vacation :) but the boys are having a great time getting all their energy out.  I feel like I should start getting scared since every other person we come across tells me how brave I am or that I'm going to really have my hands full when number 3 comes along... :) But we made it through a morning at the beach with only minor injuries and no one getting swept out to sea, so I'll consider that a success!

Miles man and his "cheeeeese!" pose

 Charley scored a cool pirate sword at the Peddler's Fair this morning.

 The boys checking out the tide pools.  The water was freezing, but Charley insisted on stripping down as soon as he put his toes in the water.  I had to force him to keep his shorts on at least.

 Charley and Dad digging a huge sand tunnel

Super Miles

Rough Life

All this because I made them wait until after lunch to have a mini ice cream cone from Grandpa John.  They both collapsed next to the freezer like their lives were over and this was the most devastating thing they'd ever experienced.  I know, I know, I am a horrible and cruel person.

Spring Break

The boys and I escaped up to Cayucos for a little spring break trip with Grammie and Auntie Robyn.   We're all loving relaxing and enjoying the great weather.

The Seal Beach 5k Run!

Even though Jennie is no longer a resident of Seal Beach with us, she was nice enough to come down and take Charley on the 5k with her this morning. Charley was talking about it all last night and since the moment he woke up, so here's a couple video clips so you can see just how much he was loving it. Enjoy!

Jess & Drew tie the knot! 12-18-2010

In December, one of our favorite people in the world, Jessica, got married, and Charley had the important job of being the ring bearer.  We were taking bets as to whether or not he would make it down the aisle, and with the help of the two cute flower girls he did!  He took his duties very seriously, but then he let loose at the reception and became a dancing machine.  He literally danced for hours.  We all had a great time at the wedding and are so happy for Jess and Drew.

awwwww :)

letting loose after all that hard ring bearer work

Dancin it up with Pops

silly photo booth pic

Thanks for letting me be your ring bearer Jess!!

November 2010 catch up

Okay, still getting caught up...So in November we had a lovely Thanksgiving dinner at Uncle Dino and Aunt Renee's house.  The boys loved playing with all the cousins and were annoyed that they had to come in for dinner.  One funny part was when Charley, who is a seriously picky eater, took a giant bite of mashed potatoes thinking they were ice cream.  The look on his face afterward was hilarious.  

Miles with John on Thanksgiving.  Miles always wants John to hold him :)

 Then, right after Thanksgiving dinner we hit the road with the boys and headed up to Grammie and Pop's house in Cayucos.  I can't say that that I was thankful for the drive up with two crying and tired boys, but once we got there we had a great time :)  Grammie and Pops have done so much work on the house and it really looks awesome.

Having some relaxing time with Pops

"Hunkle Matt" being a human chair 

Charley putting on a little puppet show for Miles.