Attention St. Nick!

Dear Santa,

We've been very good this year, and we have prepared for the holiday season with all due diligence.
We boys have been doing a million headstands each to make our little brother laugh.

We have been trying to hold Cutie's hand in the car when he is sad.

 We have been spinning around and around and around and around in our office chair for no good reason.

 Wyatt has been the Christmas Music D.J., spinning everyone's favorites many times a day.  (To Note: Cyrus likes 'Angels We Have Heard On High', Calvin likes 'Jingle Bell Rock', Wyatt likes 'Little Drummer Boy' and only the Jackson 5 version, Daddy likes 'Winter Wonderland' by Phantom Planet, and Mommy must agree with Calvin that 'Jingle Bell Rock' is the cat's meow.)

 We've been dancing all over the place to our music, including on the new couch.

 Mommy has been running so much that her toenail turned black and the podiatrist pulled it off.  

 AND, last but not least, we have all been enthusiastically shopping at Target for Christmas goodies.  

Okay, not totally last but not least.  Daddy has been seeing patients and even getting punched in the arm by a nervous one.  But sadly, we don't have a picture of that.  

So, you see, dear Santy Clause, we deserve some good stuff.  Please don't forget our house this year.  We even have a chimney and fireplace for you to come down.  

Much Love, 

The Shafers

Katie, Where Have You Been?

Do you remember that post right after Cyrus was born when I said that it wasn't so bad.  What's another one?  Well, the blog will bear witness that having three kids has changed by speed.  We are still getting the hang of all of us, and Cyrus is a year old, too!!! Wowzu.  I've got to get on my game again.  It may take a bit longer because I feel like I spend all day following Cyrus around cleaning up his 1 year old messes.  Do you know those kinds of messes?  They usually involve any item that is in a cabinet and about eye level with a 2 foot tall kid.  Pots and pans strewn all over the kitchen floor.  Hair brushes and hair spray lingering in the hallway.  And don't forget the mile long length of toilet paper that snakes around the house.  If he weren't so cute, I might get frustrated.  I'm lying.  He is cute, and I still get frustrated.  

So, we have been doing what we do.  School, park, clean, shop, Christmas.  You know, the usual.  Here are some pics of recent events.

We've been taking super close up pics of my strangely angular face and extra-wide nostrils. Yes, my nostrils.  They are big.  It's a fact of life.  

 When Cyrus was in the hospital they had this awesome kids play area.  We found our good buddies Alvin (don't confuse with Calvin), Simon, and Theodore.  Calvin (not Alvin) and Wyatt were so thrilled, and they had a hard time being able to tell if they were real or not.  

 I've recently developed a passion for thrift store shopping.  Wyatt and Cyrus are my thrifty sidekicks, and they frequently benefit from our outings.  For example, Wyatt found not one, but two blue wiener dogs for $1 at Savers.  

 And lastly, the park.  I really thought when we moved away from NYC that we would quit going to the park because we would have a yard.  However, I've found that a tiny strip of dirt and gravel in the back of your house does not a backyard make.  So, we often go to the park.  It is fun, but we all miss Calvin because we usually go while he is at school.  

 Oh, and have you seen my nostrils?  Here they are again in case you missed them.  

It's Good To Be A Brother

I can hardly stand that adorable look they are giving each other. It's so sweet it gives me a toothache.

Halloween - - - A Little Bit Late

We had a blast this year. Calvin was Luigi. Wyatt was Mario. Cyrus was a lion. Noah wore a mullet wig, and I was the BP Oil Spill. We took the boys to the Trunk or Treat at the church, and they scored with two plastic pumpkins filled to the brim with good candy. We almost hung around for the chili and hot dogs, but when we saw how long the line was we bolted for A & W. I think we couldn't have been happier about our fast food choice. I just love how they give you that frozen mug for your root beer. Anyhoo, just look at these cute boys eating their hot dogs in full Nintendo get up.

Wyatt is 4 Years Old!

(Don't forget to pause the music at the bottom of the page so as not hear conflicting songs while viewing Wyatt's birthday movie)

Today Wyatt did as he pleased, including:

• Wearing his Mario costume all day long
• Opening his presents BEFORE his cake ( a good 6 hours before his cake)
• Eating candy for every meal
• Crying in Primary because he didn't want to color
• Jumping on the bed with Calvin for most of the day
• Letting Calvin open, but not keep one of his presents
• Living in a Costco box as a puppy
• Taking his fork to the whole cake rather than just a piece

Wyatt, you are a darling gem. You are happy and sweet (about 99% of the time). We love that you are always willing to laugh and that you like to just steady chill. Thank you so much for the life that you bring to our family. You still love Hulk and puppies, especially Rico. Thank you for handing out the challenge for a three-layer-birthday-cake-in-blue-brown-and-green-with-a-wiener-dog-on-top-and-Hulk -riding-on-top-of-him. And though I failed miserably, thank you for not caring even a little and saying, "mmm....yea.....this tastes pretty good." You are a tough cookie and almost never cry when you get hurt. You have inherited your Daddy's strength. You are sweet to Cyrus and can make him laugh so well. I am glad that you have decided to just hang with me this year instead of going to Mother's Day Out. I love having you to hang with all day long. We will continue to do our thing: watch cartoons, read books, visit Goodwill, and make "special lunches." You are the best.

Love,

Your Mutha and Your Fawthu

P.S. I'm thinking this movie will probably get a couple of awards this year. I'm waiting for: Best Actor in a Short Film, Best Director of a Short Film, and Best Film (all Acadamy Awards, you know)

Public Apology to My Family Concerning Dinner

Family, loved ones:

I apologize for "The Pot Pie Debacle" on Tuesday night. Never again will I deviate from this recipe due to missing ingredients and general laziness. I will always remember that we like more crust and less filling. Calvin, I want to specifically apologize for the "yucky smell" emitted from the pot pie. I now realize that adults have a more accurately honed nose than children. I will certainly commit this to memory and never subject you to it again. Wyatt, you must forgive me that I did not cut out a puppy shape from the crust to release the steam - - - my most sincere regret. Cyrus, you are lucky that you couldn't choke this down. It might have ruined your perceptions of table food. And last, but not least, Noah, thanks for being the Pot Pie Hero. You took it like a man. I hope, dear family, that the Krispy Kreme donuts made up for Tuesday's indiscretion. It certainly made me feel better.

{This Picture of Cutie Should Aleviate Any Hard Feelings}

More of The Haps

Calvin - He has been really enjoying school lately. He has found his comfort level and made some friends, namely Joseph and Ty. I actually heard him say to me, "I really like school," which is music to my ears. He is a diligent worker and eager to do his homework. Calvin has also been loving Super Smash Brothers lately. His favorite characters are: Toon Link, Sonic, and, as always, Yoshi. It has been Balloon Fiesta week, and we went early one morning to see a hot air balloon at his school. It was a lot of fun, but let's be honest, here: had there not been breakfast burritos and Krispy Kreme doughnuts, we might not have made it. There have been hundreds of balloons in the sky for weeks. One almost landed on our house!! How lucky is that.

Wyatt - He is my little buddy right now. We cross paths nearly every minute daily. He is quite the daydreamy helper. He is super great at squirting any kind of cleaning product for me. He is also the best cartoon watcher that I know. He loves Tom and Jerry, and so do I! If it weren't for that silly cat and mouse I might never make it to the treadmill. He has made a new friend named Sadie. They are great little buddies in primary. I overheard her consoling him last Sunday when i could not deliver with a pack of fruit snacks.
Cyrus - Poor Cutie had a rough last week, and we are happy that he is much better. He had 2 trips to the emergency room, one ambulance ride, and a two night stay at the hospital. All because of a nasty case of croup. I have learned that if you want to get in to be seen immediately at the ER just say, "Someone please help me, my baby is turning blue." The above picture is during one of our nights there. What an exhausting week! Aside from the croup, he has been much the same - - - wandering around the house doing adorable little things with his pudgy hands. He loved his birthday and his cake, which he smeared from one end of the table to the other. I was lucky because he requested my favorite cake - - yellow cake with chocolate frosting. What a guy.

Noah - One word: DROID. If you don't know what a Droid is, then you are not fit to read this blog. It has become his constant companion and quite the diversion. Above you can see him toying with the Droid. Besides the phone, he has been busy bringing home the bacon. He brings it, and I cook it. That's the deal we've made. He is still waiting for his practice to open, so he has been working temporarily at another location. He has also been busy tying knots. Literally, tying knots as he is now the assistant scout master at church. And I don't know what it is about the Boy Scout uniform, but I think he is the cat's meow in it. It must be the patches. Maybe it's the promise of being loyal, trustworthy, honest, etc. I don't know.
Katie - See if you can spot me in this picture. Yes, you were right. I am the girl in the pink shorts. I have been busy running around. Literally. I tried to smoke some housewife with a gimpy run in this 5K, but it turns out she was a sleeper champion. Yep, she beat me. Then there was that old lady that looked like I could have taken her out in .5 seconds, but she smoked me too. Oh, well. Maybe I'll enter a Kid's Fun Run next and see if there is some unassuming 3rd grader I can take on. You know, you gotta feel good about yourself. Aside from trying to beat anybody, I have been busy doing just what Mom's in the fall do: baking pumpkin bread, muffins, wheat bread and trying to find a way to decorate the outside of my house creepily without getting in trouble with the HOA.

How Can I Take Them Seriously?

"Go to time out. You will stay in time out until you guys can learn to stop fighting," says Mom.

Or until you can learn some su-weet headstand tricks. Then I will let you guys out. If you can somehow do some awesome headspinny/breakdancy moves then I won't even make you go at all.

Sweet Cyrus Turns 1!

Could it be??? Has it really only been one year since this little darling became a part of our lives??? Just a mere 365 days is all we have known him, but we like him enough to keep him.

Here are a few things you should know about the birthday boy:

• He has been nicknamed, "Cutie" by his older brothers. There is even talk that he is "the cutest Bandito," which is quite the honor.


• He loves to explore and man is he curious, curious, curious. He wants to get into everything, and if he is somewhere that he has never been before all he wants to do is get down and look around.


• His favorite toys include: a toothbrush, a wet washcloth fresh from the bath, a calculator, the curtains, and ink pens that you must click. I know you might be thinking that we should buy him toys, but why when he is so happy with junk from around the house?


• Cyrus will immediately start to shake his head back and forth if you sing Popcorn Popping because he can't wait for the "It wasn't really so . . . " line.


• His best friend in the morning is Calvin, and his best friend when Calvin is at school is Wyatt.


• He likes to have his back scratched and will sit very still if you do.


• Cyrus started walking at 9 1/2 months and is sure to fly any moment

Dear Cyrus,

You have brought such sweet happiness into our lives. We have all enjoyed watching you reach each milestone. I will never forget the day you arrived. I will never forget when I started to have labor pains in the middle of the night that your Dad said (while still mostly asleep), "Take a few Tylenol and go back to sleep." Too bad those don't work with contractions.

It's so funny how you don't realize you were missing someone until they arrive. It was that way with you. You made us feel more completed that we had felt before. You made our hearts grow even bigger than they had been. And now I think of you just as I do your brothers: don't grow at all. Not even a little bit. Just stay right where you are.

I love the aggressive manner in which you took down your birthday cupcake. May all one year olds aspire to your hungry determination. I love your little chipmunk teeth and open mouth kisses. I love your fine, poky red hair and bow-legged walk. I love crawling into your room after your nap to surprise you and find you sitting up and smiling from ear to ear. I love that your started to hum such happy tunes so quietly in the car the other day. I love that you screech when Wyatt tries to take your toy because, you know, you gotta stick up for yourself.

We love you, Cutie.

A Second Birthday Cake

One of the best things about our visit with the Seares was the little party that we had for Calvin's birthday. Being as it was not yet his birthday and that he didn't have any friends yet in Albuquerque, we were happy to celebrate with his best friend, Ian.

I, too, was happy to have Susie's help in putting together a swanky cake. If you don't know Susie, you might want to know that she is many things (funny, loyal, cute dresser, generally awesome). But she excels in cakes and particularly fondant. So, the night that we ditched our kids on them, she not only babysat, but also made me fondant as well. The next day she colored the stuff for me, and we hammered out what I think was a pretty su-weet Mario cake.

The boys loved it, and I even think they are in the middle of yelling, "Mario."

For the actually day of Calvin's birthday he requested another cake, but this time he wanted DONKEY KONG STANDING ON TOP OF HIS OWN FACE. Yes, that is exactly what he wanted. And not wanting to disappoint my own son and drunk with arrogance from my successful Mario cake, I set out to make DONKEY KONG STANDING ON TOP OF HIS OWN FACE. You can see from this first smug picture that I knew this cake was going to be a home run. In fact, just one minute earlier, I told Noah to get the camera and take a picture of me frosting the cake because I knew it looked good and I wanted to brag in a future blog post.

See the smug spreading????

Well, to level with you, I should have had Susie help me with this cake, too because it is now in the runnings for it's own spot on Cake Wrecks.

Here you can see where the fondant hit the fan and I just decided to slap it on any ole' way I could. Then it looked so ugly I threw some stripe things on to cover the gaping holes.

Poor DK. He doesn't even know that in just a moment he will be standing on his own face.

At least Calvin didn't mind. That is what really matters. And it did taste pretty good.

Now I just have to start prepping for Wyatt's birthday cake. He has requested Hulk riding on a wiener dog.

One. Fun. Trip.

A few weeks ago we went to see our good friends, the Seares and The Ortons. We had such a great time reuniting and picking up where we left off. We arrived at the Seares very late at night and put our kids down in the same room as their kids. They woke and instantly began to strategize about Mario and Super Smash Brothers all while their parents begged them to go back to sleep and be quite.

Ha. Ha. No luck.

I need to report a few changes in the Seare household: Lucia is now as big as Susie and very sweet, Taylor has an iphone and likes to go hunting waaayyyyy early in the morning, Susie buys large carrots in bulk from Costco and peels them and leaves them in the fridge for her family to eat as they please (I decided to try this one at my house and it's going over quite well), Ian has a new pair of velcro tennis shoes, and Colton is very much the same.

Other than that we found them just as we left them in New York. Thanks for letting us crash at your place. It was awesome to see you guys again. I think my kids felt like their dreams came true.

During our visit we caught up with the Ortons, Kelly and Dave. We go back so far. Back to the days of Ricks College. That's pre-BYU Idaho, folks. We ditched our kids on the kind Seares and met them for dinner. AND HAD THE BEST TIME.

I think that I must have laughed the entire time. In fact, the next day my stomach was sore from laughing so hard.

I need to report a few changes with the Ortons in case you are not up on their blog: Kelly is now jump roping. And competitively. She is on a team that criss-crosses the globe doing hours of shows. She's pretty much the Shaquille O'Neal of jump rope. Just sayin'. Dave is a NASCAR racer and darn good too. He is going to retire soon, and Kelly is throwing him a retirement party at Mandalay Bay. Good luck getting into that party - - - it's E-X-C-L-U-S-I-V-E. Not even Big Bird could get in.

Anyhoo. We must see you again soon, Ortons and Seares. Thanks for the great trip!

Calvin IS The Birthday Boy

Today is Calvin's birthday, and we have celebrated from the moment he woke up until he went to sleep. It has become a birthday tradition that you can do whatever you want (within reason)on your big day.

SOOOO . . . . .

Calvin started his day with french toast cut out in the shape of six sixes. He followed up with deciding on NOT doing his morning chores and play a game on my phone before he had to go to school.

He decided after school that he would like to dine at the ever sophisticated Chuck E. Cheeses and end the night with a game of Super Smash Brothers on the Wii. We had a great time obliging his request. He also wanted to fall asleep in mine and Noah's bed with all of his new gifts piled around him on the bed. I just barely peeked in on him, and he was sacked out cold from all of the partying.

I will post pics of our party as soon as I figure out how to transfer pics from my phone.

A few STATS about the New Six Year Old at our House:

• Calvin still loves most anything that has to do with the Wii, particularly Mario and his brother Luigi
• He will try pretty much any food that we ask him to, though he doesn't always like everything
• He was very generous and let Wyatt help him open his presents
• He is a great big brother and has taken to being Cyrus' new pal. He can lift him out of his bed and does so every morning
• Calvin is a very good student and enjoys reading.
• He loves brownies and doughnuts (but who doesn't?)
• His best friend is still Ian, and his favorite color is green
• He LOVES milk and always wants it to drink at every meal and every snack
• Calvin likes to have his back scratched and sleep in his underwear
• Calvin is a very hard worker and I rarely have to ask and/or remind him to do his chores, which he does very well
• Calvin is Noah's buddy and wants to be a dentist one day

I realize that people get tired of my waxing sentimental on my kid's birthdays, but you don't have to read this blog. So if you hate the mush, just scroll down to the weird shark pics. Anyway, as with every year I found myself looking back to the day he was born and misting up as I remembered the details of his birthday and newborn days. Calvin was a sweet, sweet newborn. Noah and I really lucked out and had such an easy baby to pour our love into. He would snuggle almost all day long in our arms.

As he has grown I have had to tackle the challenge of finding new ways to show him how much I love him. I long for the tiny baby days, but also love the new facets of his growing up. Just watching him walk out of school today I thought, "STOP GETTING OLDER! Stop it! Just stay home with me and be little. Please don't try and make friends and be cool one day. Please don't stop liking my lunches with sandwiches cut with cookie cutters. Please just be as innocent and sweet forever and ever. And please don't end up on that show Intervention. No, just always be our little boy.

I imagined in my mind today what he would look like as an adult, and it was beautiful. He looked tall and handsome. He still had his endearing dimples and easy smile. And I thought, okay, I guess you can still get bigger.

I guess it is good that the growth is so slow that sometimes you don't realize how big they are getting. It gives you time to accept it.

Calvin, we love you so much. Happy Birthday!!!

Cyrus and The Marshmallow Cream

When introducing new table foods into your baby's diet always remember to add a variety of items. You don't want them to miss any of the food groups. Make sure that he is getting plenty of grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, and marshmallow cream. A diet rich in marshmallow cream will create a baby that is happy. And healthy. Errrr, at least he will be happy.

Note: Don't even try to wipe them down, just head straight for the shower.

Pictures That Give Me The Heebie Jebbies & Surprisingly Great Songs to Run To

Noah found these creepy pictures of a megaladon (a prehistoric fish, ancestor to the great white shark, thought to be much bigger, thus much creepier). They have been hanging around in our "My Pictures" folder for a few months, and they always give me the heebie jebbies, so I try to scroll past them as quickly as I can. Don't worry. The pics aren't real (duh, prehistoric fish), but they are digitally created. YIKES!! I guess I should just delete them. Now scroll really fast to the next part of my post, past the pictures. Hurry! Before he bites you!! Heh heh, fooled you.

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Alright, you are safe. Now to end on a lighter note: Here are some songs on my ipod that are surprisingly great to run to. The titles are not linked to the songs because my computer is much smarter than I am and has not told me how to do that.

1. 2 Legit 2 Quit by M.C. Hammer - All you have to do is insert the word, "I'm" in before he sings the chorus of 2 Legit 2 Quit, and you will be able to gain the momentum needed to finish a run.

2. America by Neil Diamond - I don't have a reason for this. I guess immigration just really makes me want to exercise.

3. Eureka by The Backyardigans - Yes. I know this is a children's song from a popular cartoon. I realize that it is kinda slow. But for some reason, just trying to figure out why you like it so much just makes the time go by quickly. (*Also try Rad Moves by The Backyardigans)

4. Forever Young by Rod Stewart - I feel just like a teenager when I hear this song. And teenagers run, right?

5. Waking Up in Vegas by Katy Perry - It's just a fun and spunky song.

**There you go. Now you know one of my secrets: I listen to dorky music. Not sorry, though.

The Haps

Inspired by my friend Kelly's family updates, I thought it might be nice to give you the 4-1-1 on everybody in the house.

Calvin

Proud owner of a new smile. He calls it his "Fancy Smile," and as you can tell from the picture it is indeed FANCY! He really likes school and has found a few friends - - - Raphael and Dylan. His teacher is Mrs. Browning, a nice grandmotherly type who always says, "Good morning, Calvin!" in a singsong voice when we see her on our walk to school. He is still loving the Wii and anything that has to do with Super Mario Bros. He has also recently developed a love of corndogs and requests them for Breakfast. What the hey!

Wyatt

He is a little bored since Calvin has been going to school. Now he wants to play Thomas and make Super Heros on the computer. He is still head over paws in love with puppies, particularly Rico. He is also into saying things like, "Hey, can you keep it down over here. I'm trying to play!" Wyatt has also decided that he is afraid of mummies, no matter how often we tell him they aren't real (that's gonna get sticky when he finds out that they are real!) He has become my little shadow since Calvin went to school, and I use that time to work him like a dog! He is great at cleaning windows and making beds.

Cyrus

Dude loves to just walk around the house. He rambles along all day until he finds some object to carry around. Favored objects include: a whisk, a wet washcloth, and an empty bottle. We ONLY buy expensive toys around here. heh, heh, heh. He just yesterday learned to shake his head side to side as if he were saying, "No." His mother takes full advantage of his head shaking and asks him such things as, "Do you want a million dollars and all the toys in the world? Do you want brownies for dinner? Are you adorable? Do you believe that the moon is made of cheese?" He is delightful. Plain and simple.

Noah

He is working hard at an Emergency Clinic until his office opens up in mid-October. He is the man! He comes home and hangs with the Banditos. I won't tell you that they wrestle in their underwear. I will only tell you that he likes to wrestle. He has been working diligently on his man pit. I am relieved! I was hoping that it would make an appearance in this house, and luckily it has. He strives to contribute to the pit daily. Noah and Katie have an agreement in their marriage that he will kill the bugs, and she will clean up the barf. Consequently, he has been busy purging the home of vermin, especially that little nasty. Yes, a Black Widow. Go ahead, shake from the hebbie jebbies. I did.

Katie

She also has attempted a new fancy smile, but recently decided that hers is not as fancy as Calvin's. Maybe she will work on a different smile, perhaps a sophisticated, or an intense, or maybe even a pensive smile. Who knows? The sky is the limit with smiles. She is much the same. Now she has a house to relax in. She wakes up and fixes Calvin's lunch and walks him to school with the other boys in tow. She is waiting on her clearance badge to volunteer in Calvin's class. She recently made up a chore list for herself and is trying to do a little housework everyday. Someday she will post the secret to laundry success as she has found it! She has also found a piece of furniture that she is refinishing, hoping to expose a diamond in the rough. Don't forget that she is always looking for a good book to read and tries to squeeze in some reading here and there. She just finished "The Friday Night Knitting Club," and she thought it was just okay. She hopes to make some friends soon because you know, friends are fun to have.

And now you know . . . . the rest of the story.