Father's Day Layout

Well, I posted a Father's Day card, so now it's time for a layout! This layout is up today over at the GCD Studios Blog. It is made using GCD Studios Debonair Collection patterned papers. I think that the Debonair Collection just screams for a masculine layout. I love this picture of Maddux and Brad. I love their relationship. There is definitely something special about a dad and his daughters, but there is also something special about a man and his son. So sweet.

We are cleaning up after a play date and I am getting ready for a girls night out! We are going to see The Proposal tonight and I am super excited! What are you up to this weekend?

A Conversation at my House

- I walk in the front door after visiting my grandmother for a few hours-

Brad: You will never believe what your son did.
Estee: Try me.
B: He started screaming in his bedroom, so I ran in there to see what was wrong. He was pointing to his nose and screaming like crazy.
E: I can see where this is going.
B: He had something stuck up his nose. I seriously thought I was going to have to take him to the ER. I could not get it out.
E: Ok, how did you get it out? Tweezers?
B: Hey, I didn't think about tweezers. No, I just pinched his nose and squeezed down.
E: Um, like when you want to get the toothpaste that is at the end of the tube? You toothpaste-d our son?

- pause -

B: Was that bad?
E: Well, no, obviously you got it out, right? What was it?
B: That's the worst part!! It was a purple bead from Breuklyn's princess tiara!
E: Why is that the worst part?
B: Well, it isn't very manly.
E: I'm sorry, but what? I think that sticking something up your nose is very manly, as in only a man, generally speaking, would stick something up his nose. I never stuck anything up my nose. It isn't really a girl thing to do.

- thinks for something clever to say, and fails -

B: Well, it could have at least been a marble, or a lima bean or something.
E: I'm sure he won't let down next time, dear.

Cheesy Grins are Heriditary?

Hi, Maddux.
Hi, Maddux.
Oh geeze. Hi, Brad.

I {Heart} Girl Scout Cookies

I really, really, really want some peanut butter girl scout cookies. Really. I don't know any girl scouts and for the first time in the history of the universe no one is selling them in Brad's office. In the past week he bought 24 20-ounce A&W Rootbeers (What kind of a fundraiser is that??), a t-shirt from some daycare and a Home Interiors candle and yet... no cookies!! It is widely known that Brad will buy anything from anyone. He has supported all local baseball teams, football teams, schools, churches and random individuals that took it upon themselves to sell something for no apparent reason. Note to self: hide the checkbook from Brad before he comes home with any more of that creepy peanut brittle.

Proof

Proof that we were crazy long before we had three kids. Proof that Breuklyn might possibly need counseling one day. Proof that I am not photogenic. At all. Ever. Even back in 2003.

Bradley the Great

For any of you that have any scrappy notions, my latest column is up at Scrapbook.com. There will be a drawing at the end of the week for a $50.00 gift certificate to the Scrapbook.com Superstore. All you have to do is leave a comment at Estee's Take about who you love the bestest. Easy peasy! In case you were wondering, I love Bradley the bestest. Awww... isn't he cute??

Hello? Santa?

Brad and I have some very different ideas when it comes to parenting. We try to look at this in a positive way. For example, this week when Maddux snagged a pink marker from my scrapbooking stuff and colored in his new (formerly) khaki corduroys, Brad and I had different reactions. My initial reaction was to hang him upside down from the ceiling and never, ever buy him new clothing. Ever. Never ever. Brad's reaction was to laugh and explain to Maddux that markers are for paper, not clothing. However, if Breuklyn and Maddux are teasing each other for the millionth time in 5 minutes and both are screaming at the top of their lungs, it is Brad who is about to lose his mind. He will be plotting how we can auction them off on Ebay, so then it is my turn to go into Breuklyn's room and explain to her, calmly, that if they can't play nicely together that we are going to have a yard sale with all of their toys. We do whatever it takes to keep our blood pressure within relatively normal limits. It's a process.

Yesterday Brad came up with an absolutely ingenious parenting strategy that worked wonders with our children. He said that if they didn't stop running around the house like maniacs that he would call Santa Claus and tell him that he shouldn't come to our house. The kids stopped running... for about 10 minutes. When the kids came racing back into the living room, Brad jumped up and grabbed the phone. As the kids froze mid-sprint, my eyes widened in anticipation as to where this was going to go. He dialed about 15 numbers (I guess the North Pole is long distance, right?) and the conversation went like this,

Brad: Hello?? Mrs. Claus? Hi! How are you?

-listens and nods his head-

B: How is Santa? Has he been feeling well? Yes, I am sure that you are very busy this time of year.

-he continues talking to himself-

B: No, that's ok! If he is busy, then I won't bother him. I was just hoping to speak to him for a moment.

-did I mention that my children are whispering, "please daddy!! don't tell him that we were being mean... we'll be good... we promise!!!!" in the background?-

B: Well, if he gets a chance, he can call me back. You have caller ID, right? Yes? Great, then you have my number.

The kids are thrilled that Brad didn't rat them out to Santa and I swear that they behaved themselves for the rest of the evening. Every 15 minutes they would swing through the living room to check and see if Santa had called back, but they were quiet and extremely polite. Brad was very proud of himself. I don't know what we will do when Christmas is over, do you think the Easter Bunny has this much pull?

You can't argue with truth.

Breuklyn is four going on fourteen. I am convinced. This child has more attitude in her little finger than poor Brad has in his whole body. Proof? Are you asking for proof? Oh yeah, I've got proof...

Let me set the scene... We are sitting at dinner and Brad is, once again, teasing Breuklyn for some unknown reason. Also, imagine Maddux yelling YEAH after everything Breuklyn says.

Brad: You are such a drama queen.

Breuklyn: No way! You are the drama queen!

Brad: Oh yeah? Well, you are a silly little girl

Breuklyn: No way! You are a big weird man!

- I swear that was Maddux giggling, not me. No, not me at all. It is not nice to call Brad a weird man, so I certainly did not giggle. -

Brad: (Looking somewhat perplexed) Well... you... um... you watch too much TV... yeah!

Breuklyn: And you have a stinky mommy!

- bwahahahahahahahahahahah... -

Brad: (Shocked, has nothing to say)

Me: (Trying not to laugh. Unsuccessfully trying not to laugh) Breuklyn. That isn't very nice. You tell daddy that you are sorry. (Turning to Brad...) That's what happens when you tease your daughter.

It's true... I can count

Breuklyn: (talking to Brad) There are only 2 more days until I have school again!!

Brad: (thinking he is funny) Are you sure? I don't think so. I think there are 45 more days.

Breuklyn: NO! There are only two more days. Mommy said so!

Brad: Maybe mommy is wrong.

Breuklyn: NO WAY!

Brad: Oh yeah? Why not?

Breuklyn: (sounding shocked at his obvious lack of insight) Because mommy can count!!!

Maddux: (Not to be left out) YEAH!

Have you seen my forks??

While finishing dinner last night, I realized that we are missing some forks. 2 of them. This number corresponds to the number of sneaky sneaky children that I have (Paizlee is too young to be sneaky... yet) and I am thinking that my forks have been stolen. I also think that this picture proves just how sneaky my children are. You can see the sneakiness.

Brad, of course, thinks that I have misplaced them. I am shocked. Shocked and hurt that he would think that I could have lost our silverware.

I give him my most incredulous look and say, "Why would you assume that it was me?"

He asks, "Where are the steak knives?"

Me: "Ummm.... "

Brad: "Exactly. You have somehow managed to lose 4 steak knives. And what about that spoon that you found buried in the bag of flour the other day? That has been missing for months!"

M: "I think it is a conspiracy. Someone is systematically stealing our silverware one piece at a time."

B: "Why only one piece at a time?"

M: Rolling my eyes. "Obviously they think I won't notice if they steal them one at a time."

B: "Clearly someone is out to get you."

M: "That's what I'm saying."

2 things that baffle me

I finally got a project done today, which was amazing. I had to make the tough decision between getting this done or finishing laundry. Clearly, the more important task of the two won out.

Today, when I came around the corner from the living room into the kitchen I was greeted by the sight of Maddux digging through the trash. This wasn't his usual foraging for lost trucks that he dropped in there, this was him standing on his Boots the monkey chair acting like a homeless person. I have no earthly idea what he was looking for, but he was chewing quite happily. I swear that there is a clear difference between little boys and little girls. Breuklyn has never, to my knowledge, searched for snacks in the garbage. Last week, when we were trying to herd everyone into the car, Maddux stopped on the steps and picked up a pretzel that he dropped last week... and ate it. What would possess him to do that? This would be the first thing that baffles me.

The second thing that baffles me would be the lunch choices made by my darling husband. He happens to be a huge big fan of leftovers and loves to eat them for lunch, however, he never remembers to take them to work for lunch. They are still sitting in the refrigerator staring back at me after he leaves for work in the morning. So, what does he eat instead? He eats a bologna sandwich that he buys at the gas station next to his work. Yuck! For some reason, I think it is really gross and he does not. "It isn't like the guy who made the sandwich is pumping my gas at the same time," is his argument. "How do you know that?" I throw back at him. Again, boys are so weird.

Date Night!!

Brad is on vacation for the week, so he took the kids to his mother's house (the dreaded MIL) and we went on a date!! It was so much fun. We went out to eat and then went to see... seriously, don't judge me... Harry Potter. I know, I know. It actually gets worse. I watched the previous four Harry Potter movies on DVD before we went so I would be "all caught up." Sigh. I personally blame my old roommate in college. Her endless enthusium regarding all things Harry Potter was contagious and I distinctly remember going with her to see the firt Harry Potter movie. Such a fun memory.

The best part about going to the movies at 3:50pm on a Monday is that we were the only ones in the whole theater. It was kind of like being at home because we talked through the entire movie, which is something I would never do in a theater full of people. Brad asked about a million questions and could not remember anyone's name, which was **so** typically Brad.

Brad: Why is Doozlefour being so mean?

Me: Um, excuse me? Who??

Brad: You know, Fuddledoor!

Me: Seriously, who are you talking about?

Brad: That guy! The one with the beard!

Me: Wow. Dumbledore?

Brad: Yeah, Fumblezore.

Me: Again, wow.

This is coming from the man who is capable of repeating football stats until his head falls off, or I tune him out, whichever comes first. And, he watched the first four movies with me over the weekend, so it isn't like he has never heard of Harry Potter. Oh well. He also threatened to fullfill a life long goal of sitting in every single seat in the theater while watching the movie. Since we were the only ones in there, it would have been possible, but I refused to move so he could start with my seat. Plan foiled. Bwah ha ha!! Such a wonderful day.