Meyer Ranch Mini Makeover (Part 1)

This weekend we gave the Ranch a mini makeover.  I promised the boys a while ago I'd paint their room camouflage.  The original color was a mauve purplish color, not very fitting for a little boys room.  And Baby Sis' room was baby blue.  The two rooms were the opposite color schemes for the appropriate children, so this weekend Sherri and I rectified that...or at least took steps to rectify it.  We did manage to get the boys room completely painted and put back together.  There are a few finishing touches that I want to add, but I'm so excited with how it turned out I had to post pictures to.  I hope to finish up the 'finishing touches' later this month.  Baby Sis' room on the other hand is not put back together.  We painted the base colors, but didn't fully finish the details yet, so you'll have to wait for pictures of her room.  


Has anyone tried to paint an entire bedroom with a 2 year old and a 4 year old that are so eager to 'help' paint they've been talking about it for literally weeks?  Oh not to mention they didn't nap that day?  No...well let me tell you it's a real exercise in patience and understanding.  But I am proud to announce we've got NO paint on the carpet and only a few places where there's paint on the floor boards.  Go us!  And to be honest Logan actually did help.  I figured both the boys would lose interest after about 15 mins of painting, which of course Cody did, but Logan was there almost the whole time.  I had gotten him a little 3 inch roller and he LOVED it!  The only thing we told him he couldn't do was get his roller wet with paint again, and I think he only tried once to do it himself.  He was listening like a champ and was so proud of himself.  I was so proud of him and kept telling him how much of a big boy he was.  On Sunday he even helped Brian put together their new book shelf and toy bins.  He was using the hammer and the drill gun all by himself (with Brian watching closely of course).    It was both a heart warming and bittersweet weekend to be honest.  I'm so proud of him for listening so well and the pure joy and excitement on his face the whole weekend was contagious; yet at the same time it makes me incredibly sad.  My little man is growing up so fast.  It seems every day he needs his Mom less and less.  And while I know he'll always need his Mom, sometimes his independence is both incredibly rewarding and at the same time incredibly sad.  He told me on Sunday, when he was helping his Dad, that he was a 'Dad in training'.  I had to laugh and tell him not for a very long time yet. :-) 

Sherri and I Friday night at "the wall".  It took us 12 hours total to do just this one wall.  Our knees had carpet burn on them from kneeling so much and our necks, shoulders and backs were incredibly sore, but the look on my boys faces when they saw 'the wall' was priceless and so worth it!  They were so excited!

Sunday morning finishing up the second coat on 'the wall'.  We did unfortunately have to do 2 and even 3 coats on most of the sections.  I do realize I'm going to have to use an entire bucket of primer to paint over this wall some day...but again totally worth it for my two little hunters!

Logan up on the ladder painting in Baby Sis' room.  He was so excited to be on the ladder and like I said before did a fantastic job!  He had to wear this shirt too; you can't tell from this picture, but it says, "Mom's Handy Man" on it with pictures of paint buckets and brushes, etc.  It was his painting shirt.  


Here are some before and after pictures.  The 'before' pictures look even worse since the boys room was a total disaster (I didn't clean up just to take the before pictures since I was taking everything out of the room anyway).  Also I got a new camera so the 'after' pictures are better quality as well, which just help make the room look even better!  I also got a new bookshelf for their room.  We had an old TV stand that we were using as a bookshelf, but every time you'd take one book out about 10 books would fall out.  You couldn't read the titles or find anything if you were looking for it.  So hopefully this new bookshelf will help keep the books at least on the shelf.

My boys enjoying their new made-over room.

Special thanks to Sherri for all your help this weekend!  It was super fun and I can't wait to finish Baby Sis' room!!  

Here's to 2012

Here's to 2012!  


2011 was not very kind to Meyer Ranch, but we survived and are ready for 2012!  There are already good things in the works for 2012 and I know it's going to be a great year!


I forgot my camera today so I won't have any pictures to share, but I've got a funny story and some good news!  


First the good news!  Cody's wearing underwear!  We've been half-heartily potty training Cody for a few months now, but haven't really been pushing it or trying.  But over the Holiday break he requested to wear underwear so I figured since we were home and had the time why not give it a shot again. A real shot, with timers and treats and everything.  He's been doing great!  He's had two accidents in the last week and even made it through a nap with his underwear on!  He's very excited to go back to Busy Bee's today and tell his friends he has on Big Boy underwear.  I'm so proud of him!  One of the struggles we have been having is every time Cody goes and gets a treat, Logan thinks he deserves a treat as well.  It's been hard for Logan to understand that it's Cody's accomplishment and not his.  He's totally supportive of his brother, but thinks 
his payment for cheerleading should be a treat as well.  

The other funny story I have is a Logan story.  He's such a lover and constantly telling me that he's going to make me a heart at Busy Bee's or that he's going to buy me a pretty dress or jewelry.  The other night when I was tucking him into bed this was our conversation:


Me: Goodnight Logie Bear.  I love you.


Logan: Mom don't call me Logie Bear or Logan any more.  I want you to call me Sweetheart Honey from now until forever.  


Me [Chuckling]: Sweetheart Honey huh?  Alright, Good night Sweetheart Honey.  I love you.


There's been a few times where I've called him 'Logie Bear' and he's reminded me to call him 'Sweetheart Honey' instead.  I cannot wait until the day he's 13 and walking into the school with all his friends and I can yell from the car, "Good bye Sweetheart Honey!  I Love you!"  He's going to be so embarrassed and I can pull up this post and remind him how he requested I call him that from now until forever! :-) 

Wrestling Drills

Logan really likes to wrestle and one night no one wanted to wrestle with him, so I told him to ask Daddy to show him some wrestling drills that he could do by himself if he wanted to wrestle. While this got Dads attention and got him right off the chair and into 'coach' mode! :-) It's pretty funny watching him teach Logan some moves and Logan just LOVES it! Oh and if you're wondering what Cody was doing during all this you'll have to watch until the end to find out...trouble maker...


NOTE: I apologize for the video being so dark


 

My Little Mouse

My little mouse where do I begin? You turned 2 a couple weeks ago and I still find myself wondering where the time has gone? Even though you're 18 months younger than Logan people always stop me and ask if you two are twins. You're only 3 inches shorter than Logan and can wear his shirts now. You're definitely not a little mouse any more. You're strong and brave and want to do everything yourself. "Do it myself Mommy." is often heard around the house. The funny thing is that at 2 years of age you're doing way more than I ever thought 2 year old's could/should do. You're talking in complete sentences and ask questions constantly. It still amazes me how much you catch onto and so quickly.

The other two favorite boys in my life are definitely you're favorite people too. I don't think the work 'hero' can truly describe how you feel about your Dad. He is your whole world and so much more. Everything Daddy does you want to do. You're favorite toy is a skid loader because Daddy has one and gives you rides in it. I'll ask if you're ready to come in the house for dinner or bath and you usually answer, "No not et Mommy. Me workin' with Daddy." I see so much of your father in you, from the smallest shy smile to the quiet look of peace on your face when you're sleeping. I can't wait to watch you grow up and emulate your father and all that he encapsulates in life.

You're other favorite person is of course Logan. The two of you are always together and most times hard to separate. You recently started at a new daycare in town; the first day they put Logan downstairs with the big kids and you were upstairs with the younger kids. You did not like being separated from your brother like that at all! After that they decided it was better to just keep you together (plus you were moving downstairs in a few days anyway when you turned 2), but you still thought they would separate the two of you and decided after that that you didn't like daycare. You're doing much better now and actually told me the other day you did like it. Usually ANY thing Logan does or has you want. The two of you are just starting to literally physically fight with each other, but it usually is short lived and the next moment you're laughing and playing together. I know this is only the beginning of the fights I'll have to break up between you two. ;-)

I asked you a while ago what kind of birthday cake you wanted, at first you said a 'Santa' cake, but then you quickly changed your mind and asked for a 'Tractor' cake. Auntie Kim and I looked and looked for an 'easy' tractor cake to make and finally decided to do a cake with some tractors on it. I don't think it mattered that it was a cake with tractors on it verses a cake shaped like a tractor, you loved it anyway. You're standard answer to any one that asks you about your birthday is, "Me have a tractor birthday." In prep for your cake your Dad brought home all his old toy barns and tractors and fences from when he was a kid. You and Logan have been in Heaven the last few weeks playing with them. You're totally a farm kid right now! Cody Mouse how can I find the words to tell you how much you mean to me? How can I describe the feelings of pride and joy and awe I feel watching you grow and mature? You are one of the sweetest little boys I know, always quick with a kiss or hug when someone is feeling sad or crying. You NEVER like to see people upset. You are so incredibly cute and can melt my heart with just one look. And when you're sitting on your father's lap and the two of you look at me and give me the exact same shy smile I swear my world tilts and I know what pure happiness feels like.

 




















Uncle Dan letting Cody play with his new toys in the cake....

Cody Turns 2

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep....

Ever since we've moved Cody into the big boy bed in Logan's room, bed time has gotten a whole lot more exciting...and frustrating. Those two will sit up there an talk/play for HOURS, yes literally HOURS before falling asleep. Logan will talk or sing or make funny noises and Cody will copy him. Logan's forever the suck-up and tattles on Cody as soon as he's gets out of his bed, "Mom Cody's out of he's bed." "Mom, Cody's making noises". I actually heard Logan the other night say to Cody, "Cody, I've had just about enough of you." Jee...wonder where he's heard that before? :-)

It's super adorable and cute and I know some day I'll be longing for these nights, which is why I took the below video. You can't really see anything, if you look really hard you can see Cody playing in his bed. When he saw me standing outside their door trying to get some audio footage of them talking/playing he got a huge smile on his face. I'm guessing he thought I was there to yell at them to stop talking and close their eyes and go to bed. Oh, that's another of Logan's favorites, "Mom I don't know how to close my eyes." or a variation of that is, "Mom I don't know how to go to sleep." :-) That kid is one of a kind I tell you!

The video is of Logan praying. April Sherman sent him this doll before he was even born. I just love it and now Logan does too!

Easter

I know Easter was a few weeks ago, but my Mom got such great pictures of the boys that I have to share them...even three weeks after the fact... :-)

Easter Egg Hunt at Zion Lutheran Church












Yes my Mom forgot his glasses... :-)


Coloring Easter Eggs!! Logan really got a kick out of this and asked me for like a week after if he could color Easter Eggs again. My Mom said they kept trying to dig the eggs out with their fingers and their hands were just covered in dye. Hey I guess that's what little boys are suppose to do right?







Easter Morning!














Thanks again Mom and Dad for watching the boys for us. Logan asked me the other day, "Mom you going on 'cation again?" I said, "Why Logan? Do you want me to?" Logan: "Yes, then I can go stay with Grandma and Grandpa again." :-) If only I had enough cash to go on 'cation again!

heheheheh...Dance!

Logan's favorite song right now is Ke$ha's Blow. He calls it the "Dance" song and has learned how to start my iPod and push the center button until it plays. It's so funny watching him and Cody dance around the kitchen to this song...which we've heard about 48 times in the last few days...





This one is the BEST. I was just being a dork and dancing around with my hands and Cody started trying to copy me. It's so funny!!! And for those of you out there that get this next line, "Heeeeyy, We 'da same" Cody does his own version of it in this video as well... :-)

Super Heros

My Sister sent me this cute video of the boys at Logan's birthday party. Logan's in full super hero mode! :-)


I do have to admit I can't get any good pictures of the boys in their super hero gear...but Becky sure did!!! I just LOVE these pictures!!! You can really see Logan's cross eye in some of these. The mask irritates his glasses so he takes them off while wearing his mask..."Super Heros don't wear glasses Mom." -Logan

This picture is my favorite picture of the boys so far...