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.