when the fruit come out to play

our children are our fruit.  i would describe alyssa as a strawberry,  isaac would be a plum and gunnar hands down a blueberry.  but, not just any blueberry.  it would have to be frozen.  and he would be an entire bag thankyouverymuch.  on any given day, multiple times might i add, my children can be seen or heard for that matter, eating fruit.  it's a good thing, i won't deny that.  but, it can be a problem when you end up with an entire bag of peaches, nectarines, plums or grapes [because those seem to be  the most popular fruits in our house] gone in a matter of a few days.  it's better than a bag of candy i suppose, but i would have enjoyed at least a bite....eh, i probably snuck one in here or there.
as much as i do not want this blog to be all about mothering.  i can't deny that my first priority after being a wife is well, being a mom. so, for you to get to know me, you have to understand the "kooky" side of me. oh, you know what side i'm talking about.  the side you have too.  the one when no one is looking at you [or so you think] while you are driving down the road and you are bobbing your head and tapping your fingers on the steering wheel [and at times even doing the snake...don't hate, i have rhythm] and singing at the top of your lungs, off-key, [on purpose] to whatever song happens to be on the radio or in your cd player while your kids are safely buckled in their 5 point harness' [even though they are probably at the age that are old enough for a booster but you aren't quite ready to loosen the reigns, it's ok...that's one of those...follow your gut decisions that you MUST follow] and they are lovingly watching you and singing [well, actually screaming because they really don't know the difference between the two] along having the times of their lives. this.is.what.life.is.about.

our  kids are hilarious.  they really are.  i laugh all the time because of them.  i think if you are a too serious parent then you need to go to clown school and learn to loosen up.  having kids is like god allowing you to relive the fun parts of your childhood because you are in charge.  so, eating ice cream for breakfast is allowed because guess what? mom is you!  you are in charge!  yes!  so, take the time to get to know my absolutely fabulous kids.  you won't regret it.  i think they are rock stars!

alyssa is 8, in 2nd grade,  and a girl by the book.  like i mentioned before, she was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor at the age of 16 months old.  it's called a hypothalamic glioma [jpa] and she has had 2 brain surgeries.  one in 2004 for a biopsy and the second in 2010 for a 90% resection.  although it left her blind in her left eye, she's a firecracker and it doesn't stop her.  we embrace what cards we have been dealt and live our lives as if there is nothing wrong.  she has gone through chemotherapy off and on for 5 years, so it's all she's ever known, to her this is life.  being off of chemo for the past year and a half has been a nice break. she loves school, and gets awesome grades.  as a 2nd grader, she is passionate about reading, writing, singing, cheerleading, justin bieber, taylor swift and anything pink and sparkly.  alyssa is the sweetest girl, and has the purest heart.  she is always smiling and can be found laughing with her friends making up dances , making up cheerleading routines or playing on the swings.  she writes plays, draws and reads in her spare time .

isaac is my 6 year old.  he is in 1st grade, is a tiger cub scout and is so excited about it!  he is an adorable blue eyed, blonde haired, athletic sweetheart and i already know i will have to keep the girls away.  in kindergarten he had his first crush and i have to say he chose quite well.  she was a beautiful little [well, she was actually very tall for her age] dark brown haired girl will piercing blue eyes.  she.is. beautiful.  when he talks about her he still giggles.  i think it's absolutely the sweetest thing on this earth.  it's so innocent and new.  he's a boy 110%.  has a pet frog named sammy, aka sampson,  that he caught himself in our yard.  he  is not afraid to get dirty. at all.  never has been.  likes to dig holes, pulls his own teeth out [then comes to bring them to me -- gross], loves chocolate, [doesn't like cheese except on pizza] and likes to play golf in our yard...he taught himself how to ride a bike in one afternoon because he simply wouldn't give up.  he still loves to cuddle and i will take every hug and kiss he dishes out because it seems he is growing right before my eyes!

and here is gunnar.  he is 4.  ok, i admit, he was not 4 here, but this is one of my favorite pictures of him.  he had such chubby cheeks.  he looks the same though.  he is my brown hair & brown eye'd cutie.  the only baby with brown eyes.  tony was happy about that.  yes, tony has brown eyes.  gunnar was a lot like isaac as a baby.  very calm.  but he smiled all of the time.  isaac scowled haha.  gunnar laughed at the abc's.  gunnar just laughed.  he was such a happy baby.  now, he's super shy.  i have no idea where he gets it.  must be from tony because i am by no means shy.  not even a little bit.  if you meet me, i guarantee you [if i like you] you will know enough about me to stalk me and possibly steal my identity.   gunnar was the kind of little guy who did not like to get dirty.  it used to make me laugh because he would come to me if he got anything on his hands and open and close them which meant clean them.  so i'd get a baby wipe.  now, oh that is not the case.  today, he and his brother dug a hole big enough that gunnar got in it...up to his head.  they called it "their dug out" yes, they do things like this.  i mean, hey, they are boys and they know we are wanting to do things to the backyard.  so, they didn't get into trouble.  this time.  we had to laugh.  gunnar is a pro on my iPhone.  i need to get him an iPod touch so he can play angry birds on it instead of my phone.  he loves ben 10, transformers [all of this applies to his brother too], pirates,  lego's, cars, ben 10,  oh did i mention he digs ben 10? yes, for his 4th birthday all he wanted was a ben 10 watch.  his brother had gotten one for his 4th bday and back then they weren't made very well.  but, i couldn't just not get him one.  we finally found one and he has been happy ever since.  and don't let me tell you how happy they are that mcdonald's has ben 10 toys right now.  we just won't go there.