Who dat!

I pledge allegiance to da Saints and da great city of New Orleans, and to da Super Bowl, for which we'll win, one city, below sea level, under God, with Mardi Gras and king cakes for all.

Happy Birthday....

....to me,

Happy Birthday to me,

Happy Birthday to me-eeee,

Happy Birthday to me!

Yes, I'm getting all grown up. After 28 years I have a husband of 7 1/2 years, a six year old, a three year old, wish I could say I had a college degree (does an Associates count???), a house, and a minivan (wahoo!) to show for it. I feel very lucky and blessed indeed.

Caiden told me I didn't look any bigger. I guess I should take that as a compliment. I've been trying not to pack on the pounds! Not an easy thing with all the Christmas candy lying around the house. I did run/walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes today and thought I was going to DIE! I'm not sure I'll ever be a fan of that machine. Although, I would sure welcome a few inches in height, but let's get real, I haven't grown in 16 years. My dream of being 5'8 is one I let go of a long time ago.... Anyway, I think I got off track. My sweet husband is going to take me to dinner and movie. It's been a long time since we've done BOTH a dinner and a movie in one night. I hope we're up for it, ha!

A recent conversation with Paige....

....went like this:

Paige: (thoughtful) "Mom?"

Me: "Yes?"

Paige: "Um....I'm....I'm just....I'm....I'm just real happy.....and I just....really like you."

Me: (heart melts)

For the record, I'm real happy too and I really, really, really, really LOVE my little Paigey.

Leah's baptism....and a Happy New Year!

A few days after Christmas, me and the kids drove over to Montana to be at their cousin, Leah's, baptism. I am glad they invited us to this special event....

I love how Paige has moved on from the silly-face pose to the pinching-her-own-cheek pose now in every picture....

We drove home on New Years Eve and had planned to hang out with friends that night, but Caiden decided to throw up all the way home. (That was real fun). I'm not sure if it was car sickness (which he has gotten on occasion) or what Paige had. Either way, no one really wanted to hang out with us with a possibly sick child. Understandably so. However, they were adament that they wanted to stay up till midnight to scream "Happy New Year" but after a long drive (with the wonderful aroma of throw up) and 2 fighting children, I was D.O.N.E. So at 8 pm I convinced the kids that it was midnight and they stood on the front porch and screamed "Happy New Year" to the neighborhood and then I put them to bed and enjoyed a quiet evening with my husband. Yes, that may have been cruel, but it may be the last time I can take advantage of them not knowing how to tell time AND it is better that we ring in the new year without me strangling my 2 children, right? I think so too.

Christmas 2009

Another Merry Christmas for the Gubler family....We spent this year at home with Casey's family and had a merry ole' time. Christmas Eve was spent with Grandma and Grandpa Gubler at their home where we read several Christmas stories. I always let the kids open one present on Christmas Eve and so it is the only time I think I've ever heard them ask to leave. Once home, they opened their one present and what a tease that was. "Just one more, can't we open just one more? Pleeeeease??????" Then off to bed as we read the Christmas story from the bible. Caiden could not contain his excitement! I told him he couldn't wake us up till it was light outside, but the next morning it was so cloudy that it never appeared to be light. Casey and I woke up at 7 am and wondered where in the heck they were. Poor kids were just laying in bed awake waiting and waiting for the sun to rise! Caiden knew instantly from the shape of the box the double sided Star Wars light saber and ripped it open. "This is just what I wanted!!!!" Then Paige opens her first present, holds up the box and says "this is just what I wanted!!!!" I had to explain to her that the present was inside the box, not the box itself. Too cute...
One of her favorites was the princess costumes....

....and for Caiden his Millenium Falcon....

I totally thought I got a picture with the kids by the Christmas tree, but I was getting annoyed with Jasper constantly wanting to climb the tree that I took it down in a hurry before I realized I had forgot. Argh!

Ok, I know the standard treat for Rudolph is carrots, but I blew it and forgot to buy some, so we figured maybe they'd like some celery sticks. It's kinda the same thing, right?

And this is how we spent the day after Christmas....Paige repeatedly throwing up all morning long. I'm not sure if it was the flu or the amount pure junk she ate on Christmas day. All in all, I am grateful for how blessed we are in our lives and for the wonderful Christmas we had with each other!

Caiden's creations...and more

Oh, how Caiden loves his legos and oh, how I love his creations. Meet Crabby, the crab, Octo, the octopus, and Turd, the turtle. (For the record, I helped build the crab and octopus, but the turtle was all Caiden, and the naming too, of course).

"Mom, check out my turtle. He has a "A-B pattern" on his shell...gray,brown,gray,brown,gray,brown,gray,brown. His name is Turd."

Then later, I overhear this conversation between him and Paige that just about kills me with laughter:

P: "Caiden come here!"

C: "No."

P: "Caiden come HERE!"

C: "No."

P: "CAIDEN come HERE!"

C: "NO! I don't want to play with you! I just want to play with my little Turd!"

(Thankfully, I had already met these creations and knew just what he was talking about. Otherwise, I think I might have been really frightened and worried about his mental state.) Moving on....

Gingerbread wars....girls vs. boys....Personally, I think the girls won, but I might be a little bias.

....and one last thing....JASPER'S BACK! YAY! We (me, Caiden and Paige) are excited to have Jasper over the holidays. I'm sure he will love all the wrapping paper Christmas morning. He already loves the tree. I found him nearly sleeping inside the tree, just relaxing about 3 ft up on the branches. Let's just pray he doesn't knock the tree over....

Ode to my husband

Today is Casey's 31st birthday and therefore deserves a post dedicated to just him. I'm sure this is not at the top of his list, but being married to a blogging girl, he gets it anyway. Today we planned to go skiing but instead he had to go into work and so that has been delayed a few days. So I had the bright idea to wake up before him and make him breakfast, something he rarely gets from me....actually never gets from me. (I know, I'm a terrible wife. But let's face it, he didn't exactly marry me for my gourmet cooking skills or my cheery morning attitude.) However, I feared I would not wake up in time, and so I had to let him know last night "I love you so much that I'm going to get up and make you breakfast before work, but please, if you could, wake me." And to my complete astonishment, I woke up all by myself! Yay for me! So here's to wishing my awesome, hardworking, tolerant, and very patient husband a very happy birthday!

Maybe I should stay in bed....

So today I was feeling really proud of myself because I was up and showered and ready for the day before I even took Caiden to school. Now that might be a normal thing for most moms, but NOT ME. This is a huge accomplishment. No, not huge, more like colossal. I had to volunteer in his class and run a ton of errands which I knew I wouldn't get done after school because I was busy all afternoon, so I made the goal to get it all done before I was due in his class at 10 am. And guess what? I did it. And I was on time too. So after a pleasant visit to Caiden's kindergarten class and feeling like I was Supermom, we head to a friend's who was watching Paige and this is what I find out. "Um...Paige didn't have underwear on today, just her pants." Whoops....maybe I shouldn't get up so early.

NEVERTHELESS, I have redeemed myself (if you can do such a thing after forgetting to put underwear on your child) and caught up on my blogging. Wahoo! The next FIVE, count them...FIVE, posts are new. And now, I'm going to bed....

Are we ready for this?

Well, this has been the first snowfall to stick to the ground and at first I was excited. It feels a lot more like Christmas when the ground is covered in snow. But then the kids went out and played in it and came inside and trampled snow all over the house with their big annoying snow boots and snow clothes, and then I was totally over it and would like for it to leave thank you. And by the looks of it Caiden might be over it too. He went out to jump on the snow covered trampoline and then decided he was freezing, so freezing, in fact, that he couldn't jump off of it (which I know he can because he launches himself off it everyday). And being the mean mom that I am, I would not go get him, (because it was freezing) and so he cried until finally he jumped off and we haven't been outside since. Happy winter.

Caiden's Christmas Program

Caiden's kindergarten class had their Christmas program this past week. I was there early and got a front row seat, but of course he was on the opposite side of the room and the music teacher and camera lady were right in my line view. But I did get a few shots... Caiden (sitting on the floor, white and brown striped sweater)....

All the teachers...Caiden's is on the far right, Mrs. Nash, who I love, love, love....


Afterwards we went to his classroom for cookies and juice and Paige made herself right at home with 2 helpings of cookies and juice too....

Caiden and his best bud Hunter, who is moving this weekend. We are sad to see this little guy go. Caiden and him have become such great friends! The video below is of them singing. I loved this song because they do this cute little dance move with their shoulders. Caiden had been showing me this move all week. It was too cute!