Briam's Family Blog

Most of us remember growing up with rules.

• You have to brush your teeth. 
• No playing at the table. 
• You have to eat your food before you can have dessert.
• You are not allowed to eat in that room because you will make a mess.

Anyone else remember any rules like this?  Year after year... these types of rules guided our lives... as we slowly grew up ... and learned to embrace them.

I now show you exhibit A:

The kids are with my parents for just a few hours... and all the rules fly out the window.  This picture shows you an obviously happy child, indulging in dessert.... Did she finish her meal? ... I don't think so.  What room is she in?  That does not look like the kitchen or dining room...

.... I guess I should have read the fine print:  "...once you become a grandparent, all rules are null and void...."

The secret growth hormones that we have been feeding Sophia are starting to work.  She is getting taller.  Taller every day.  Normally we would not have resorted to such drastic measures....

...but its for her own good.  How else will she be able to defend herself against her older brother and sister?  Next step... Ninja fighting techniques!!

Ah a cowgirl's work is never done.  Special today ... it was 'farm' day at the kids school.  They all got a chance to see the farm animals and learn a little bit about farm life. 

 Right away Sophia was put in charge of the animals because of her skills.  Well ok, it was because she had the cute hat. 

Once Sophia was in charge, it was all down hill for Matthew.  All those times Matthew had not let Sophia play with a toy were about to be paid back in full.  Matthew was put to work brushing the animals.

 Megan was a little luckier.  When ever Sohpia was not watching, Megan would slack.  Just stand there and look pretty... and enjoy the beautiful day. 

In the end it was not the kids that learned the most.... it was Paola, since she had to go to see these animals three times.... One for each of our kids class. 

Another master piece from Paola.  The second cake for the party was Matthew's cake.  It was a spiderman... very nice.  She made a bunch of cup cakes, and turned them into the brick wall.

Click, Click, Click on the cake to see more pictures from the party

Oh man that was a long day... Too long... and tiring.  Almost a week has passed and I am still tired. 

An interesting thing happens when kids get presents.... all form and reason goes out the window.  The day of the party was too fun packed to have any time to open presents... so the next morning (very early) the kids started their attack!

Have you ever noticed how different boys and girls are.... not just what they want, but the way they react.  ...And I guess it also changes the older they get.  Matthew was a wild man... a storm of shredding paper and tissue!  His dreams are filled with Spiderman, Superman, Power Rangers...etc...  While the parents appreciate the presents that were clothing related... Matthew seems less than enthusiastic about those.

On the other hand take Sophia's reaction.  She was a little more cool headed about it.  She examined her gifts... and played with her toys.  She even checked out her new outfits with a smile.  But then.... it was all about calling her girlfriend to chit chat about her big plans now that she was the big UNO!  Her celly was all blowing up! Ring Ring...

I am now starting to see that for ever year that my kids gain.... I gain four or five years.  At first it was subtle with only one kid.  But now with three kids, it is very apparent that at this rate, I will be dead before they hit their teens.  At  least it has been a good life...

....or basket.... Gently down the stream? ...theres sharks in them there waters... row for your lives!!  Can you see the fear in their eyes?  I hope that boat makes it to shore... supplies are running low...

Its not all shark chases and canabalism.... ok maybe not canabalism...  Well anyways, there comes a time when you have to stop ... and look cool for the camera.

Here we have making sporting her Nike ware.....
and her cool new Dora The Explorer shades....

Here we have Matthew sporting his Incredibles glasses
and his "Birthday Boy" hat made in class.

So this weekend is Matthew and Sophias birthday.  Matthew turns four and Sophia turns one.... and where there is a birthday ... there is cake.  But not just any cake... A couple of Paola's hand crafter master pieces...

This was one of the two cakes... there are a bunch of cool pictures... but we are still a bit wiped out.... maybe tomorrow will be a little more restful.

"Run Run ... As fast as you can... You can't catch me... I'm the Watermelon Girl!"

They are always happiest right before they fall.  And sometimes I think when they fall and cry... the parents hurt more than the kids.  Well I guess it really depends on who it is... 

Ah,... the season is upon us.  Wedding season that is.  Paola and I got invited to Brian and Jen's wedding.  It was all beautiful... and a lot of fun.

Click on the picture to check out the rest of the pictures.

 Once upon a time there was a great contest.... one with the ultimate prize!  The challenge was to build the perfect mess.  A mess that would have lasting effects for days to come...  The winner would wear the title "Mess Master"

And then came the challengers.  First was Matthew.  For over a year Matthew reined supreme in the world of messes that went unchallenged.  Such great messes like the toy room bombing of 2004 and the paint wars of 2005...

 Matthew starts of strong with with his tools and the sculpting.... Still, it is to early to tell who the judges will choose.

Next we have Megan the Destroyer.  Famous for breaking up Matthew's Lego creations... and ripping pages out of books.  Megan is a strong contender for the title.  Here she is making the perfect blends of mess and potions.  Obviously trying to to find the perfect explosive balance of ingredients.

 And last but not least we have Sophia.  She is new to the game and does not yet have a title.  Although she seems a bit inexperienced with the materials, she is a natural at making a mess.  Unfortunately she does not seem to be enjoying the taste of the mess...

So who will be named "Mess Master"?  ...still too early to tell....  and so many messes left to make.  I just hope we survive the tests! 

Well Mommy is back!  Paola had to go to New York on Saturday to get her passport renewed so she would have it for the immigration appointment on next Monday.  Any other Ecuadorian embassy would have FedExed it there ... so why not fly?

While Paola was out... I had some 'Quality' time with the kids....   ...It really is amazing how Paola does it.  She makes it look so simple.  I did have to work hard to keep my sanity.  The three kids are a handful.  On a couple of occasions, the kids were acting bad... and one or two of the got a spanking... and it was all ".... I wish Mommy was home!!" ... All I could think was "...me too"

Well Paola was able to get her renewal done without issue and was back on Monday night.  The weather is turning nice again, so that means more outside play time.

.....ah yes.... the old outdoor games.  Wait a minute... I never learned to play hopscotch when I was a kid... and I am pretty sure Sophia does not know how either??!?!?!  Oh well, if I did that I would get yelled at... but all Sophia has to do is smile.... I will have to ask the kids to teach me how to play sometime.