Not feeling well.

Zane wasn't feeling well one night at Grandma's.
He wanted to sleep with a bowl in case he got sick.
He was serious about keeping it close.

They're mine, thank you!

During our visit to Molalla this week, Grandma Marsha took us out for Mexican food.
Cade REALLY didn't want to share the beans.

Oregon Zoo

Zane & Luke are not very big compared to a Polar Bear.

Being like monkeys.

Brothers.

Oregon Zoo

Luke and Aunt Melissa.

Zane looking at the Mama & baby Elephant.

Cade crawling through the tree tunnel.

Oregon Zoo

The fish like Zane.

Cade is looking for the otter.

Luke is trying out the saddle.

Oregon Zoo Polar Bear

While we were at Oregon Zoo we saw this Polar Bear swimming laps in his pool.
It was AMAZING! I think I could have watched him for hours.
Luke said, "That Polar Bear must have went to swimming lessons!" Everyone who heard, laughed.

HAPPY DAY

Today is my 35th birthday and my family SPOILED me!

My husband brought me breakfast in bed.

My sister-in-law, Melissa, called to wish me a happy day.

My father and mother-in-law, Terry and Loretta, sent me an oh-so-nice birthday card!

My son, Zane, said out-of-the-blue that he thinks I'm the best mom in the world and Luke and Cade both piped in their agreement.

My mom, sister and niece came to Eugene to celebrate with me. Joy & Lolly gave me a cute new shirt, a balloon, and chocolate. Mom gave me a picture frame and some spending money. She also provided lunch: ham and cheese croissant sandwiches. Yum.

After lunch we went to a pumpkin patch and had apple pie and ice cream. The kids each got to pick out a pumpkin. My mom bought apples for me to make carmel apples. Yummy!

Later in the day, Mom offered to watch the kids so that Cory and I could go to dinner. We went to Marie Callender's and it was scrumdiddlyumptious.

When we arrived back home, I was surprised to find my Dad watching the kids. (Dad wasn't able to make it earlier in the day because he was working.) Dad brought me roses and a cheesecake from Market of Choice! A cheesecake from Market of Choice was the one thing that I really wanted...and he didn't even know that!

The day left me feeling very, very spoiled.

Thanks SO MUCH, family, for making my day special.

Pumpkin Party

We had a nice pumpkin party yesterday.
We learned about bats. We listened to a story about bats, made bat Shinky Dinks,
played with play dough, and played a "bat game" similar to Marco Polo.

Clockwise from bottom left: Hannah Shelley, Zane, Sarah Shelley, Lolly Frost, Cade, & Luke.

It's my story...

Tonight Cade was bonking himself into my leg. I asked him to stop and he said, "Me can't. It's part of my story. Cade bonks into Mom, brothers and Dad." He got this from a PBS cartoon called Super Why. The "super-readers" go "inside" of story books (like Humpty Dumpty, Little Red Riding Hood, etc.) to learn how to solve their own problems. In the story, the characters will say they have to do this or that because that is what their story says. Then, the super-readers change the word in the story to "save the day." I "zapped" the word "bonks" in Cade's story and changed it to "hugs."
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Last night we went bowling with some friends. This was the first time that our boys have bowled. I have never excelled at this sport (or any other one, really). But, last night, my six year old son bowled a higher score than I did! I scored 97 and he bowled 98! Cade even got a strike! They definitely want to go again. Zane wants to have his 7th birthday party there (or, as he just informed me, all of his birthdays there).

Our boys are funny...

Today during school I told Zane that I was cold. He said, "Tell you what, after this, I will go get some wood and you can build a fire."

This week while driving, Cade has asked me several times, "Mom, are we on Beltline?" Beltline is a major bypass/expressway in Eugene. It took me awhile to even understand what he was saying. Being that I have no internal compass, it is always nice to learn that the boys are not inheriting that gene from me. I am counting on them to be my navigators as they get older and it appears that they may be able to help me sooner than I thought.

I have been blogging now for several years and the boys are starting to realize that I like writing down the funny things they say. This week Luke asked me if I was going to write what he said in my blog. It reminded me of when I was little. My mom always kept a diary of the funny things we said and I once asked her, "Mom, are you going to write that in your diarrhea." My mom really did inspire and encourage me to keep this online journal. I am so glad that I have.

Breaking news...

Curtis and Melissa are having a baby boy! I can hardly wait to watch him toddling around after his older cousins.

The boys were trying to help name the baby:

Zane Cole suggested (1) Leroy, and then (2) Hunter. He later added (3) Cole Gant.
__________

Luke Dion suggested (1) Dion, and then agreed with Zane on (2) Hunter. (They don't care the
name has already been used by a cousin.) Luke also likes (3) I Love You Gant.
__________

Cade Roy likes (1) Cole. (He said, "Cole. Like me." I guess he isn't sure of his middle name.)

Then he changed it to (2) Jumper (the only catch with this name is Cade said it is for
the dog that Melissa has in her tummy.)

His last pick was (3) Goal. (When I read this back to the boys, Cade changed it to
"Goal Tink Gant". He doesn't even know we have a Tink(er) in the family.)

Cade changes quickly, now he says, "Goat Gant." And also recommended,
"Coat Boat Gant". (I think the kid likes to rhyme.)

Luke is 5!

Yesterday was Luke's 5th birthday. Grandpa Bruce & Grandma Marsha, Papa & Boom-Boom, Aunt Joy and Lolly came to help us celebrate. The kids made their own little pizza's, made Shrinky-Dinks, played with play dough and watched Kermit the frog. Luke received many nice gifts: frog pajamas, a remote-controlled King car (from the movie Cars), the game Operation, a Nerf gun, and a Transformer. (Zane gave the Transformer to Luke. He asked to go shopping for a gift and was so excited to give it to him. Very sweet!)

Baby Gant

I showed the calender to Luke today and told him when his birthday was. I also told him that Aunt Melissa will find out if the baby is a girl or boy the day after his birthday. I asked him what he thought the baby would be and he said he thought it was a girl. I asked what her name should be and he said, "I Love You Cutie Pie." I said, " I Love You Cutie Pie Gant" and he said, "yes." It is a long name, but at least she would know she is loved.