Mann Family

San Diego Vacation

2011-07-01T16:58:00.001-07:00

The boys and I spent a week in San Diego. We had a great time visiting with friends, going to the zoo, Legoland, and the New Children's Museum! Chris wasn't able to join because he was still recuperating at home.

Since Christmas . . .

2011-04-23T05:32:00.001-07:00

Well, since Christmas, we have had some major events. The exciting events were that Luke turned 5 in March and is ready to march off to kindergarten in the fall and my sister Amy got married in early April. The whole family was at the wedding and we all had a job (I was the matron of honor, Chris was a groomsmen, and Luke was the ringbearer). We all enjoyed both events and it is a joy to be able to watch Amy and Luke move into new phases in life!

We had a scary event in mid-February. Chris had to fly back to NY because his mother became VERY ill and was admitted to the hospital with an infection and what ended up being a stroke. We are VERY happy to share that she has made an almost 100% recovery to date and was able to fly out for her scheduled visit this month. This is the power of prayer people!

I wonder if the boys could be any more different . . .

2011-02-05T07:45:00.000-08:00

Well, I guess one could have black hair and darker skin . . . As far as personalities go, they are different ends of the spectrum. Our big obstacle right now is getting Noah to really start talking! He is 19 months old and doesn't say much, but he can DEFINITELY get his point across! At 19 months, Luke was talking up a storm. He would say anything and everything! Noah on the other hand, decides he doesn't want to say please so he will try to get what ever he might want on his own. He tries to open doors (bedroom and locked cupboards), he tries to open packaging for food, or climb things instead of simply saying please. Of course, while he is trying to do these things (which he DID manage to open a package of Skittles in the grocery store) he is yelling at me because I am not helping him properly. At that age, Luke would rather say please and just get us to do what he wanted or give him what he was after. I think Noah's middle name should have been stubborn! This is all new territory and should be interesting!

Christmas Pics (Only a few) FINALLY

2011-01-29T05:12:00.000-08:00

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We have a picture of Luke using "the force", both boys eating the cookies that Santa left because he had to get back to work, and Noah just enjoying himself in general Christmas morning!

Christmas

2010-12-27T06:26:00.000-08:00

Well, we survived all of the Christmas festivities!!! We had a busy week. Luke finished his last few days of preschool before the break. Thursday we had some friends over to celebrate Jesus's birthday (since that truly is the reason for Christmas). The kids decorated cookies and colored pictures, we sang Happy Birthday to Jesus, and the kids generally ran around like crazies but they had a great time!
On Christmas Eve, we went to church (a zoo with all the kids there) to listen to the Christmas story, sing some songs, and take Communion. Then as we traditionally do, we headed over to my parents for Christmas Eve dinner and presents. We have quickly learned over the years that we let the kids get their presents out of the way so they can play while the adults open theirs (it avoids whining and tears about "when can I open mine"). My mom and Chris came up with rhymes describing everyone. Then the rhymes were given to others and they had to figure out who they had and then that is who the present belonged too. It was a lot of fun! We actually got home before 10 pm this year.
On Christmas morning, Luke was relieved to find that he had NOT been placed on the Naughty List this year! He got all things Star Wars and his requested dolphin pillow pet. That and his light sabers are with in reach at all times. Noah had a grand time with presents although he is still too young to truly understand what is going on. He has enjoyed his new toys (because of course they are noisy). Chris and I went low-key this year for each other and got basically necessities. We have more fun at this point watching the kids open and enjoy their presents. We hope that each of you enjoyed your holiday with friends and family. Those that we weren't able to see this Christmas were truly missed (Bama Gigi). Hope that everyone rings in the New Year safely next weekend!!! Pictures to follow!

Lights at CALM

2010-12-11T19:19:00.001-08:00

We had another fabulous time at the lights this year! Noah was loving it and, of course, Luke did too! We missed Daddy. He wasn't able to make the trip this year due to his injury. Tonight we took some time after dinner to drive around and look at the lights on the houses in our neighborhood and the kids were equally excited to look at those!

What's the Latest?

2010-11-07T13:08:00.001-08:00

Since my last post, soccer has ended, Noah has learned how to ride his fire truck, and we went trick or treating for Halloween! Luke was Iron Man and Noah was a lion. My nieces and nephew were the Scooby Doo gang along with their parents. And if you can't tell, that is the Yankees emblem on the pumpkin:) Chris has also learned that he is in his last cast and in about a week and a half will be going into his walking boot! Praise Jesus!!

Soccer Star

2010-09-26T14:44:00.000-07:00

Luke started playing soccer last week. It is quite interesting to watch. Luke has already figured out how to block the goal and how to get outside the pack to "wait" for a "pass". He is getting closer to learning how to stop another player that is driving to the goal. Since soccer is not a sport that we watch at home or that Chris or I really played it is hard for us to describe to Luke what he needs to do to get the ball away from the other team. He is still a little too polite. Not a description I thought I would be giving MY son when it comes to sports. It is good to know that no pushing, shoving, and kicking has sunk in though!
Last week's game was quite an eye-opener. The other team seemed to have quite a few 5 year olds and that makes a big difference when it comes to soccer! As some of my FB friends saw I made the comparison of a high school team playing the L.A. Galaxy! This week the teams seemed to be a little more evenly matched. We are having a great time watching him play and make new friends!

Goings On in the Mann House

2010-09-04T06:01:00.000-07:00

Since the last post, I have started school, Luke has moved to the four year old class at preschool, Noah is officially walking, Chris is still in a cast and on crutches, and Foxy (our dog) got a haircut! Things are pretty hectic in the beginning of the week with me getting to work and taking the boys to preschool and daycare. I think we have the kinks worked out and it should be smooth sailing from here on out.
Luke is getting really good at warming my heart or trying my patience. Some days it seems there is NO in-between. I picked him up from school the other day and he told me that during rest time Jesus told him that green is a boy color (just happens to be one of my favorite colors) so I need to choose a new color! We had not been talking about colors recently so who knows where this came from (but it was good for a giggle). Yesterday morning we found out that one of his friends has to have an unexpected extra surgery right away. Luke immediately says, "Mommy let's say a prayer for Colton." He said his prayer right there in the middle of the park. Other times it is like he has spent his entire night thinking up new ways to tick me off! He trys to carry his brother around, or acts like I am not talking to him, or tries to torment his brother any number of ways! Those days I think he must have put Jesus on mute (unfortunately we adults have a tendency to do that too). But I wouldn't trade him!
Noah now walks all around! He sometimes just walks laps around the house because he can and it is pretty cute to watch. He loves staying with my mom on the Wednesdays that I work. The first week I got there and he looked at me as if to say,"What are YOU doing here?" Then when we were leaving he started bawling! It wasn't as bad the second week! He continues to be a total lovebug, which is awesome because I practically have to tackle Luke for a hug! Noah is a VERY different personality from his brother and it should be interesting to see how that plays out over the next few years!

My Little Chef

2010-08-07T10:52:00.000-07:00

Since Chris hurt his leg Luke decided to come up with and make dinner last night! He requested mini pizzas. They sounded good since we have them about once a year.

My Preschooler

2010-07-21T20:27:00.000-07:00

Luke has successfully completed his second week of preschool. I was worried about the transition from being home all the time to going to school. No worry necessary! He LOVES it! I picked him up after lunch the first day and he was upset that he didn't get to stay for rest! After that I have picked him up later and later each day. He is basically staying for his full day that he will be experiencing when I actually start working. It is a load off my mind! He is counting to 20 successfully (even though we were practicing at home). Everyday is a new adventure and he is loving it!

2010-07-13T06:15:00.000-07:00

We survived the first birthday and the party that went with it! Thanks to all who came to celebrate and braved the 100 degree weather!!

Noah is Turning One!

2010-07-08T06:16:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the big day we have been waiting for. Noah will be 1 years old! He is getting big (although next to other kids his age he is sometimes quite small). He has two teeth, he crawls all over, and is getting ready to climb AND walk. He loves to splash in water (especially the dog's water dish). He desperately wants to swim in the pool like Luke. He is always trying to put his face in. His favorite thing right now is to play Peek a Boo, except he doesn't hide behind anything. He just turns his head away, turns back, and says his version of boo:) Luke is getting more patient everyday when it comes to playing with Noah, he shares his toys, sometimes grudgingly, and teaches Noah how to use most of them. Our other favorite competition is to see who eats more at a meal, Luke or Noah! Noah is loving solid foods (as in the same things we are eating) baby food will soon be a thing of the past! Happy Birthday Noah!! We love you!!

Pics Update

2010-06-18T09:48:00.000-07:00

Sorry bloggers I have been spending lots of time on Facebook! Here are some pics of the boys.

I LOVE MY SON!!:)

2010-05-04T20:14:00.000-07:00

Tonight we were watching tv and a commercial for flowers came on. Luke said, "I am getting roses for Mommy for Mother's Day." I said, "That is nice. You are a good son." His response, "Well you are a good Mommy! I love you!" Heartmelting!!! He is such a good thoughtful boy. He knows how to make his mommy smile. I hope he always tells me things like that.:)

Luke's First T-ball Game

2010-04-18T20:08:00.000-07:00

Here is a look at Luke at t-ball practice and his first game. The team decided they would be called the Pteranodons and Luke wanted to be called Derek Jeter. His coach humored him and called him Derek Jeter throughout the game!

New Workout Partner?

2010-04-13T13:44:00.000-07:00

Today I was doing an ab workout on video. Luke decided to exercise with me. He did a pretty good job of following the directions and doing the exercises. I doubt he was actually working his abs with the exercises but he kept me going!:) It was super cute and he said he would do it with me tomorrow too:)

My Boys

2010-04-11T15:01:00.001-07:00

Just some fun shots of the boys! Enjoy!

Easter

2010-04-03T19:01:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to wish everyone a happy Easter. Luke is learning the reason we celebrate Easter is because, "Jesus rosed from the dead for our sins." He has risen!!!

2010-03-31T16:37:00.001-07:00

2010-03-30T17:00:00.001-07:00

Luke's Costume Party

2010-03-30T15:10:00.000-07:00

Luke with his friends

Luke ready for cake
Syracuse star and Tiger
Spidergirl and Spiderman

Busy Week

2010-03-28T06:44:00.000-07:00

A quick update with pictures to follow. We took the boys to Disneyland and CA Adventure for the first time this week. Luke HAD A BLAST! He was soo excited he could hardly stand it:) Yesterday we celebrated (a few days early) his 4th birthday with friends and family. Luke asked for a costume party! Everyone had fun in their costumes. The pictures will speak for themselves!

Look Who Went Swimming Today

2010-03-20T12:01:00.001-07:00

Luke has been begging since it got sunny to go swimming. We let him today. I thought he would dip his feet in and call it a day. Apparently he is all boy and jumped in! I am sure he will think he needs to swim on all the sunny days now!

Thoughts by Luke . . .

2010-03-17T13:17:00.000-07:00

Today Luke was eating lunch when he turned to me and said, "Mommy I am sorry that I am bad sometimes. I will try to be good. But I do love you." I, of course responded with, "Thank you Luke, we all make mistakes. I love you too!" Little ones are too cute with some of the things that come flying out of their mouths. This was one of the sweet ones. About a week ago we heard, "In a minute Mom, I am picking my toes." And he really was!
He is definitely turning into more of a boy everyday! But he will still give hugs and smooches when Mommy asks!

Cute Pics

2010-03-05T16:33:00.001-08:00

Daddy and Noah.

The boys (not looking their happiest, but they really were having fun)!

Daddy, Luke, and Uncle Matthew in San Diego.

Luke at bat at the kiddie field at Petco Park in San Diego.

Noah is Growing

2010-02-20T14:42:00.001-08:00

I haven't forgotten about Noah. He is growing everyday. He sits on his own. He loves eating regular (baby) food. He rolls around on the floor still. Hasn't shown much interest in trying to get up on hands and knees to crawl. I fear we may have another that bypasses crawling and goes straight to walking! At least we know how to deal with it. No teeth yet and we don't really expect any until he is closer to a year. Noah is entertaining and loves it when big brother makes him laugh!

Our Little FisherMann

2010-02-20T14:35:00.001-08:00

Last weekend we went to an RV and Boat Show (I know, you don't have to say it, redneck). They had an above ground pool that people could fish from. Luke wanted to try it. He caught a fish immediately!! He was thrilled yet not sure what to do. Luckily there were people there to help. We asked if he wanted to throw it back or take it home. Ofcourse, he choose to take it home. We told him the rules of fishing were if you catch it then you have to eat it. He was game. Unfortunately, when Chris was trying to get it ready to cook he found that there were far too many bones. So Luke did not get to eat the first fish he caught, but we took many pics.

Luke Likes to Eat Out

2010-02-18T18:27:00.000-08:00

Soooo . . . I think we might let Luke eat restaurant food a little too much. Tonight he said he wanted dinner from RJ's. He wanted chicken nuggets, french fries, 2 pairs of grapes, and ranch. We ordered on Sunday night for Valentine's and that is what Luke got. Tonight I said we were having lasagna and he asked for Rj's "please, please, please". Since we usually get pizza on Fridays we swapped and ordered out tonight. (We have Restaurant Runner deliver). Anytime there is a knock on the door around dinner Luke asks if it is the pizza man.
Apparently our child has an opinion on what he eats and where it comes from! We crack up!

Look What Was in the Pool

2010-02-13T09:50:00.001-08:00

Looked out my back window this morning and I saw 2 ducks swimming in our pool! Luke was so excited after we went out to look at them he walked backwards into the house so he could keep watching them. Once we came inside he watched them until they flew away!

First Biking Accident

2010-02-13T06:54:00.001-08:00

Luke went on his first "big" bike ride yesterday. We went on a walk and he rode. I could see it coming the way he would turn around while riding. We were close to home when he went in a driveway and wasn't paying close enough attention and swerved off the curb. I was pushing Noah and couldn't catch him. Yahoo for the helmet! I thought he was going to come up with a bloody lip. The only injury he got was a scraped elbow. He cried for a minute and then I told him had to get back on the bike and ride it home because I had to push the stroller. He was a trooper. He got back on his bike and rode it home. We all survived the first spill!!

Noah Can Sit Up

2010-01-25T16:13:00.000-08:00

Just using the boppy to prevent a head injury in case he started to fall while I was taking a picture! He is getting better at it everyday!

Two Peas in a Pod

2010-01-25T16:08:00.001-08:00

Noah has become quite the thumb-sucker recently (just like his older brother). Luke started at about 3 months. It took Noah a little longer to catch on. We are okay with it because neither was interested in a pacifier, and this helps to calm them! Although, now we are trying to limit Luke's thumb sucking to bedtime or if he gets hurt (not pretend 3 year old hurt, but actually hurt).

Tiger Shoes

2009-12-28T15:21:00.001-08:00

If you have children you know that when things get too quiet, it isn't good. The other day Luke was playing in the backyard. He was a doing a great job of entertaining himself. I would look out every 5 or 10 minutes to make sure there weren't any holes to China. Well, it had been maybe 10 minutes since I had last checked on the artist decorating the patio with sidewalk chalk. I looked out the window and I see my child coloring all over his shoes with chalk. Ofcourse, I burst out the door demanding to know what is going on. He pops up, looks at me, and says I was going to surprise you, I am making tiger shoes. Well, then I had to chuckle to myself, while reminding Luke that he isn't supposed to draw on his shoes. I went in to get the camera because, come on, this story needed some pictures.

Christmas Cards

2009-12-28T15:16:00.000-08:00

There are many things about the Christmas season that I enjoy. One of my favorites, though, is the Christmas cards. I love to get the mail and find out who I get to see pictures of, who was creative enough that year to write a family update, and see how much (or little) people have changed. Every year I think about writing a letter to go with my card and I haven't done it yet. Maybe 2010 will be the year I keep track of all of Luke's funny comments and any funny stories from our adventures as a family to liven up someone else's holiday season next year. Let's keep our fingers crossed, no promises though because, let's face it, I do have a new baby and a 3 year old. But to those of you who take the time for cards and updates, thanks, I love it and keep it coming!

2009-12-27T12:03:00.001-08:00

2009-12-14T18:09:00.001-08:00

Noah is 5 months and starting solids!

2009-12-14T17:23:00.001-08:00

Noah turned 5 months old on the 9th. He is becoming more animated everyday! He laughs at everything Luke does (especially when he hams it up, as he loves to do). He has started rolling over, but insists on only doing it in his crib in the middle of the night! What fun for me when I have to roll him back over at 3 am so he will go back to sleep! According to my "accurate" scale Noah is weighing close to 15 pounds now.
We started him on rice cereal last night and he took to it like a fish to water. He seemed to immediately understand that the spoon had food and belonged in his mouth (although he thinks everything belongs in his mouth). We are hoping the cereal will help stem the spit up too. Just wanted to give everyone a quick Noah up-date.

Noah is 4 months old

2009-11-08T13:31:00.001-08:00

Noah is growing everyday! We will get the particulars tomorrow at his check up. He smiles and laughs all the time and is generally happy. He loves his brother (who loves to make him laugh). He has found his thumb, but hasn't realized that it can replace the pacifier so he still cries out in the middle of the night for help. Mommy is finally putting him on schedule so he can have some consistancy. He is taking to it pretty well. He likes having people around so he can watch them and be entertained. He loves taking his clothes off to be changed or for a bath (he seems to think it is pretty funny and giggles nonstop). Life is pretty busy (as many of you who have or have had your own babies know) but we love it.

2009-11-02T12:06:00.001-08:00

A Few Corrections from the Pumpkin Patch Blog

2009-10-04T16:00:00.001-07:00

Obviously I did NOT proof read my previous blog. As I was proudly showing it to my husband, he kindly pointed out some of my blunders.
1. They had a petting zoo (as opposed to a petty one where the animals are mean to eachother).
2. The play area was made up of things that you would find on a farm (tractor tires, irrigation system parts), not farm parts (Chris wanted me to show him that term in the dictionary, alas, I could not).
3. Of course there were plants there (on the farm). I meant there were different types of plants for the kids to run around in the play area.
Luckily, we had a good laugh. We decided I better hurry back to teaching or they might not let me back if I continue down this path!

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-04T15:11:00.001-07:00

Saturday we went to Murray Family Farms (for the first time) to go pumpkin picking! We went with our friends, the Kaisers. We had a lot of fun. Luke and Chris picked a couple pumpkins.

We went for a hay ride. We went through a corn husk maze. Colton and Luke went through a potato sack maze and the boys and dads went through an asparagus maze. They had a great time. There was face painting (which Luke wanted no part of, there was a sandbox full of corn (pretty cool), there was a petty zoo, and a play area made of farm parts and plants.

Luke Helps Noah to Have "Big Smiles"

2009-10-01T15:49:00.001-07:00

One of Luke's favorite new pasttimes is getting Noah to have big smiles. He is enjoying his baby brother even more now that he is a little more interactive.

Noah is 2 months!

2009-09-13T14:50:00.001-07:00

Noah is now 2 months old. We went to the doctor for his check up and first round of vaccinations. He did great. He is 11 lbs. and 22 inches long. I thought he might have an egg allergy but, after talking with his doctor and describing his symptoms, she thinks it might by acid reflux. When we got home I looked it up and he pretty much has all symptoms that go along with that diagnosis. She is going to consult with a GI specialist and we will go from there. He will probably just grow out of it.
Noah is starting to smile a lot more (so hopefully we will be able to get more pictures of that). He is right on the verge of laughing. We get some happy cooing when he smiles. He is crying a little less these days and has kind of fallen into his own schedule (which just happens to coincide with mine and Luke's).
Luke is ready for Noah to be able to play with him. He is a very good big brother. He has taken his role of protector to heart. We were at the doctor about a month ago and Luke was sitting quietly in a chair (like I had asked) while I checked us in. A little girl (around 1) started to try and grab at the toy hanging on Noah's car seat. The next thing I know Luke is standing in front of his brother and telling the little girl that she can't touch that, it is Noah's! It was very cute! Now if Luke would just bring that philosophy home and stop trying to grab at his brother when he is sleeping! I guess, in time, he will figure it out (by then Noah WILL be old enough to play with him).

Birthday Pictures

2009-08-19T14:35:00.001-07:00

Luke made Chris wear his party hat all night. It was making Chris hot and any time he took it off Luke said, "Daddy you need to wear your party hat, its your birthday!"

Luke has already sacrificed the baseball balloon to the highest ceiling in our house. The other two gave me quite a scare in the middle of the night. I had to go into the kitchen and at first glance I thought it was a man standing in my house!! Luckily I recovered and was able to go back to sleep.

The Big 3-5!!

2009-08-18T18:14:00.000-07:00

Today is Chris's 35th birthday! He and I feel like the older you get birthdays are just another day, especially when you have to work on your b-day. However, with a 3 year old in the house we revert a little. We got Chris some balloons (sports themed ofcourse) and then Luke insisted we had to have party hats. So Chris got balloons and party hats for his 35th. We also went out today to get all the makings for his favorite dinner. He loves NY strips and the vegetable pilaf from Tahoe Joe's. Unfortunately for Chris, I don't bbq, so he gets to cook dinner tonight (luckily, he DOES like to bbq). I will post pictures tomorrow of the hats and balloons.
We went down to San Diego this weekend so we got to spend some time with Chris's brother and just get out of the heat for awhile. We had fun (the traffic was nightmarish). Luke got to see Shamu again and he got to play baseball on the mini field at Petco Park (he had a blast). Noah did exceptionally well on the trip down and while we were there. He didn't get off his schedule and slept like a dream!! Lucky us!:)

Super Swimmer

2009-08-08T14:56:00.000-07:00

Luke has become quite the swimmer this summer. He took some lessons at the beginning of the summer and made quite a bit of progress. He loves going to lessons so we signed him up for another session. This week he swam under water by himself for the first time!! We are so proud of him. He is becoming quite the daredevil when he is swimming with Daddy too! When he jumps in to Dad, he tells him to back up a little more each time. So now he is jumping in and swimming to his dad! He has turned into quite the fish, which is big step forward over last summer when he started avoiding the pool at all costs. We had to learn to loosen up a little and let him do what he felt comfortable with a little at a time. Hopefully by the end of next summer he will be able to swim around the pool on his own (and we will start the process all over with Noah).

2009-08-06T15:55:00.000-07:00

Luke at about 4 weeks.

Noah at 4 weeks.

Some people wanted to compare . . .

2009-08-03T16:48:00.001-07:00

This is Luke shortly after he was born.

This is Noah shortly after he was born.
Chris and I think they look pretty similar!

For those who are curious . . .

2009-07-29T14:01:00.000-07:00

Noah had his circumcision last week. He had gained 12 oz. in one week! We were ecstatic b/c Luke never seemed to gain that much weight at one time! Yesterday, I took Noah in for a follow up and he had gained another 12 oz. He now weighs in @ 8lbs. 8 oz. We are amazed b/c he spits up constantly!! He is definitely getting everything he needs to be healthy. He is starting to smile (when he is awake). He has smiled almost since day one while he is sleeping. I am going to try to get a picture of it so everyone can see how cute he is (does that sound biased?). Well I am off to nap since both boys are down at the same time!

Week One Down

2009-07-20T17:57:00.000-07:00

How quickly we forget what it is like to have a new baby in the house!! We have been blessed with a sleeper!! Noah is giving mommy plenty of time to sit around restfully and heal from the c-section (recovery is much quicker this time around). Luke continues to love on his baby Noah, however, he did inform my sister that, "babies cry A LOT". Which is especially funny because compared to some Noah doesn't cry much. Here are some more pics from our first week together!

Noah Christopher Has Arrived!!

2009-07-18T07:10:00.001-07:00

Noah Christopher Mann
Born: 7/9/09
7lbs. 9oz. 20 inches
Noah was born via c-section at Memorial Hospital at 2:39 pm. We are doing well with the new adjustments at home. Luke loves his "baby Noah". He thinks he can soothe him anytime he cries with a smooch! If it were only that easy!!

6 Days To Go

2009-07-03T10:56:00.001-07:00

I only have a few days left as a pregnant momma! The doctor set my c-section for Thursday the 9th. Hopefully we will be able to do it first thing in the morning (still waiting to hear about the time). Some days it feels like I am carrying a 3 year old around in my belly!! We will keep everyone updated as the info comes in. Have a great 4th!

Luke's First 3-D Movie

2009-06-14T06:54:00.000-07:00

Last night Chris (who despises the movie theater for various reasons) asked if we would like to go see a movie. I, of course, jumped at the opportunity! We took Luke to see "Up" in 3-D. I had taken him to a free movie a few weeks ago and all had gone well. He learned that he is not heavy enough to keep the seat down so he prefers to sit on the floor. The movie was very cute and Luke was enthralled throughout. We were curious if he would keep the glasses on, but once he got passed the beginning and was busy with his popcorn and the movie he didn't seem to notice them.
This morning when he came in to wake us up he had his glasses on again!! We had a great time!

Cute Pictures

2009-06-10T09:22:00.000-07:00

Here are some cute pics of Luke and his cousin Talia!! They have a fabulous time together when they play. Hope you enjoy!

The Big 3-0

2009-06-07T16:07:00.000-07:00

So far everybody's favorite question today seems to be "Do you feel any different?" No. They get the same answer they did last year, the year before, and the year before that, "I feel the same." I will feel different when my baby is born. I tend to feel older when I have an anniversary or my child grows another year older. They say, "30 is the new 20" now I don't know if I can actually get on board with that. If I felt 20 I would have more energy, be about 40 pounds lighter (mostly due to pregnancy), and probably have a more naive outlook on life. I am happy to be where I am in life. I have been blessed with a family that loves me, a beautiful son (with another on the way), no real hardships have passed our way, the love of Jesus in my life, and I know that if I want to change something about my life or the way I live it, it is up to me (and Jesus) to get it done.
Most people (me included) tend to take stock on their birthdays. When I look over my life all I can say is "Praise Jesus, I made it this far and thank you for all of the wonderful blessings!"
By the way, nagging occasionally works, Chris finally wrote me another poem and he went to church!!!:)
Sorry you can't see my face! I will get some better pics to post later.

Life in the Mann House

2009-05-08T18:11:00.000-07:00

Well, I continue to grow daily with Noah Christopher. I look at the calendar and think "How many more weeks?" Not that I don't mind being pregnant, but I have done pregnancy and am ready for the baby (not that I want the baby early by any means). Chris got the crib put together and the heavy things that were "stored" in the nursery moved out, so Noah has a room. I am rounding out my first year in first grade. I will be taking next year off to stay home with Luke and Noah. I am looking forward to it very much.
A few weeks ago Luke began his first foray into organized sports. He is playing in the Itty Bitty League through the YMCA. Being a teacher and witnessing some of Luke's antics at home and in public I could see where he was headed if things didn't change. Well, Chris got his first real intro to what Luke's behavior could become if not curbed. So Luke is learning to listen and follow directions the first time. He is now enjoying his activity much more (as are we). So far he has had 2 weeks of soccer and 2 weeks of basketball. He will be starting t-ball next week. It is a good activity for him and he can't wait to go each week and will probably be sad when it is over. Luke also talks about Noah and wants to know when he will sleep in his new bed. He is still excited in theory over his new brother, we will see what happens when reality sets in. I know he will love his brother because any time he is around babies he is enthralled. Having one living here might be another story altogether. Keep your fingers crossed.
Chris is doing well. He took a short (48 hour) trip back to NY about 2 weeks ago to check on some family stuff (everyone is fine). His brother will hopefully be joining us for the Memorial Day weekend (he is stationed in San Diego). We get to see quite a bit of him and I know Chris enjoys the special time. That is just a short update about our fabulous lives. Hope everyone else is doing well! Have a Happy Mother's Day too!!

Luke and the Paints

2009-04-08T09:23:00.001-07:00

Luke got some paints and other art materials from his friend Colton. Yesterday we got out the paints so he could paint a picture. Being a teacher, you would think I would remember to tell him to paint only on the paper. As you can see, I didn't remember to give that instruction. Luckily, they were water colors and washed right off. He only decided to paint on himself and the paper. Hope you enjoy this pic as much as we did!

Luke's Birthday

2009-04-08T09:17:00.000-07:00

Luke turned 3 on March 30th. He was happy to tell anyone that would listen that he was turning 3 and that he wanted race car cookies for his birthday. He also wanted anything Cars or Spiderman related! He was accomodated on all accounts. He got some super neat things from everyone and loves everything he got. He also asked his Bama Gigi in NY for some homemade cookies which he is still enjoying daily. I finally downloaded some pics for everybody to see. Please excuse Luke's crazy hair. We are getting it cut soon!

SpiderMann

2009-03-07T07:56:00.000-08:00

Luke's newest craze is being Spiderman. We have the movie and he likes to watch it (well the parts where Spiderman flies through the sky at least). He will then run around the living room pshpshing and shooting his web around like Spiderman. It is pretty entertaining to watch. He has already decided that he wants to be Spiderman for Halloween.
Since we don't have a Spiderman costume yet he will ask to dress in his Buzz Lightyear costume and runs around saying, "To infinity and beyond!" He is already trying to wear his costume when we run errands (not happening). But Luke is determined to get the bad guys one way or another. So the world will be a safer place for all with our own personal SpiderMann.

We are having a . . .

2009-02-24T17:36:00.000-08:00

It's a boy!!! Yes, that's right another little boy. We are excited. Although we would have loved a girl, at least we know what to do with a boy. If you have any name suggestions we are listening. Just wanted to give everyone an update.

Am I the Worst Blogger?

2009-02-07T09:34:00.000-08:00

I might just be the worst blogger in the world. I still haven't downloaded pics from Christmas, I haven't given much of an update on . . . well anything! Since my last blog I have continued working daily in first grade. I am coming to like it more and more each day (all though every day has its own challenges). I am going to job share next year (so maybe I will do a better job on the blog). I am not sure what grade I will be teaching yet since the entire state of California is in financial turmoil and we aren't sure about quite a few things in our district. I will have a job and that in itself is a blessing.
Chris continues to plug away each day at Varner Bros. He has been faithfully watching the Syracuse basketball team play whenever they are on t.v. His brother is still serving overseas and will be home around Marchish (hopefully).
Luke is dare I say it . . . potty trained!!! The definition is different in many households. In ours, it means that we have not been changing any sort of dirty diapers for over a month. He is in undies and we have had only 2 accidents. He isn't the best about telling us when he needs to go but we are working on it. Luke is growing every day (taller). We still haven't hit the 30 pound mark (we are hoping to make it before he turns 3, but are not holding our breath). He is starting to ask more about the "baby in Mommy's tummy". He won't fully grasp the change to his life until the baby comes home with us and it is here all day everyday. But he is excited when he remembers that we are going to have our own baby Tristan.
I should know in about 3 weeks (if the baby cooperates) what we will be having and I will be sure to post a blog when we find out. I hope everyone enjoys their upcoming Valentine's Day!!

Christmas, New Year's, Etc.

2009-01-06T16:23:00.000-08:00

It is only January 6th and I am already falling behind on the blogging for 2009! So here we go . . . We are not having twins and I am still due around July 4th. I was just measuring big that day! Heart beat and everything else is normal at this point.

CHRISTMAS: Nancy (Chris's mom) came to visit us for our first Christmas together in about 3 years. She came out for about 7 days for her first snow free Christmas. We had a good time. Luke enjoyed getting to spend time with his Bama Gigi. Chris enjoyed having his mom here for the holiday (I did too). We didn't do much (other than thinking twins might be on the horizon). We spent our traditional Christmas Eve at my parents with my family. Then we spent Christmas day together at home (pretty low-key since Nancy flew out at 6:30 in the morning on the 26th). Pictures will be added later (I was totally unprepared for this blog).

NEW YEAR: We had a low-key New Year's as well. Chris even tried to stay up to watch the ball drop and missed it by about 30 minutes (I have seen it enough to know what it looks like). Ah, life with children and pregnancy. We knew that Luke would show up in our room early (by 6:30) so we decided sleep was more important. Happy New Year!!! I hope I keep up with the blog a little better this year. Good luck to everyone in 2009!

How about twins??

2008-12-23T20:06:00.000-08:00

I wanted to let everyone know that the Mann family will be expecting a bundle of joy at some point during the summer!! An exact date?? We thought we had one (July 4th), but when I went to the doctor today to hear the heartbeat (which is strong) the doctor took my measurements. He said that I am measuring at about 15 weeks (we were thinking 12 weeks). So he sent me for an ultrasound to check to see if my dates are wrong or . . . wait for it . . . TWINS!!! Crazy, huh? Well, Nancy (my mother-in-law) and I went to the ultrasound appointment (Chris was busy working hard in case it was twins). It was interesting considering how different life would become with the addition of 2 new babies (at the same time). The news is no twins. We got to see the baby kicking and stretching which was pretty exciting!! We got some alien looking pictures (only parents can love).
I showed the pictures to Luke and told him that was the baby in my tummy. His first comment was, "That's not Luke Mann." His next comment was, "It's a bird Mommy." So he might not totally understand what is happening yet. Every time we ask if he wants a baby sister or brother the answer changes and sometimes the answers is, "I want baby Tristan (his cousin)." Please pray that the baby is healthy. I should hear from my doctor early next week to get the official news. I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!!!

The True Meaning of Christmas

2008-12-17T16:07:00.001-08:00

Christmas is one of my favorite holidays. This year it is even more exciting to see it through Luke's eyes. Every time he sees anything Christmas related he says, "It's Christmas Mommy!" He loves the lights and Chris got them up earlier than usual this year (we had some early bird neighbors and he figured he better get them up before Luke started asking). He wants to look at everything Christmas. My mom made a count down chain with him a few weeks ago. He was very excited. We hung it outside his bedroom door so that he could tear a day off at bedtime each night. He told me the start at the top was when Jesus was born. Well after about a week of tearing days off, he got a little tired of waiting around so he tore about 5 days off. So we left it alone until it was time to tear another day off and he took the whole thing down in one swoop. He is ready for Christmas.
Another day my mom was over and she was looking at some of our decorations and she touched a few things Luke made sure she knew the rules right away, "Those are for looking NOT touching Bama!" He had fun picking out a Christmas tree with us this year (in honor of Chris's mom coming out). He is already trying to figure out which presents belong to him under the tree. He even enjoyed sitting on Santa's lap this year. Hope you all have a Merry Christmas and the Lord blesses your families in the upcoming year!

Growing Up

2008-11-30T14:00:00.001-08:00

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving holiday. I sure did. I stayed home with Luke and that is always a treat. As Luke is getting older we work on using the correct words in the correct tenses and we are moving from everyone is a mommy and daddy to who they actually are (or at the very least their gender). At home Luke is learning that HIS daddy and MY daddy are not the same person. He now tells us, "I am so glad your home Mommy (or Daddy)." Well, I have had to explain to him that his daddy is my husband. He used to ask me, "Aren't you happy your daddy is home?" when Chris would come home. I would explain that his daddy is NOT my daddy, he is my husband. So now he asks, "Aren't you happy your husband is home?" I always tell him "I sure am!" For those of you have children that don't talk yet, it is quite a treat when they are so excited that you are home everyday and can express it verbally. We can have been home for 5 minutes or two hours and he will look over and say, "I am so glad your home Mommy." or "I love my house." or any other numerous expressions of happiness to be home.
Yesterday, we were sitting watching t.v. (not a great use of time, I know) and he turned to me and just gave me a hug. Then about 3 minutes later he did it again. He did it three or four more times (without being prompted). After he was done he told me he didn't need a smooch (our word for kisses). He is growing into quite the little boy. He is more expressive each day (in good and bad ways). He will tell you that he learns about God and Jesus at church and that Jesus lives in his heart. It is heartwarming to see his love for the Lord as it grows. Well, now that the Christmas season is here we are getting ready to sing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus. I hope this didn't ramble too much and that everyone has a great rest of the holiday season.

Halloween (Buzz Lightyear Style)

2008-11-03T19:14:00.001-08:00

Our first actual trick-or-treating experience with Luke was pretty fun. He wore his costume all day (the costume was his choice this year). When I picked him up after work he was already asking about trick-or-treating. I tried to explain that he had to wait until it was dark, but for some reason, he didn't quite understand that concept. We got him fed and geared up to head out. We went to a few houses in our neighborhood. Luke was one of the most polite trick-or-treaters I have ever seen. His opening line when the door was answered was, "Trick-or-treat, please?" as he proceeded to walk right in the house that we were at. Then he would politely thank the people for his treat and we would leave. The final house we visited capped the evening. There were other little boys there (older than Luke) and one was dressed as Freddy Kruger. Luke took one look at that mask and decided he didn't even need a treat from that house. He told me with a terror stricken look on his face, "That scares me mommy. Up please." He was a trooper, he carried his candy bag the whole time and walked the whole neighborhood. We had fun and he is already asking when he gets to go again!

6 Years of Wedded Bliss

2008-10-26T11:03:00.000-07:00

Today, Chris and I celebrate our 6th anniversary. We went to a wedding last night and it was a nice reminder of all the things we promised when we got married. We have been blessed with a lot of healthy times, but we have had some sickness (when Chris tore his Achilles, or when I had to have an emergency C-section). We have had richer times (not monetarily) when we found out we were having Luke and just about all of the time we get to spend with him, the ability to be able to hire a babysitter and go have some time to ourselves, any time we get to spend with our extended families, Chris's brother being stationed in San Diego so we are able to see him frequently and him being deployed to Japan instead of the middle East, Chris's mom being able to visit us this Christmas and see the joy on Luke's face when he wakes up Christmas morning, my family living in the same town and Luke being able to grow up playing with his cousins, and all the joys we get to share with our friends near and far as their families grow and change. We had poorer times too, when we first got married and lived with a roommate (we love you Ben), hey we didn't know the difference at the time, then when Chris got out of the Navy and we were not sure where we were going to live and what he was going to do for work. When I look at just this short list of things that I came up with at my computer, I see how God has truly blessed our family. The good far outweigh the bad. God brought Chris into my life and he is a very special man and I love him with all my heart. Every day we grow closer (though some days it is more of a challenge:)) and with God's blessing our family will continue to grow and we will be together until God calls us home.

Potty Training Update

2008-09-18T18:00:00.000-07:00

Well we started moving forward with the potty training. Luke stayed with my mom on Monday. They were out and about and she convinced him to use the potty in Target (his favorite store). He did and then we went to dinner that night and he told us twice when he had to go and then he went. Although Chris and I were still working out the logistics of having him go without a pee-pee protector (it ended up on the floor when I took him and shooting at Chris when he took him) but it was a successful day. On Tuesday and Wednesday he was telling us when he had to go and actually going!
However, by Wednesday, we had had no #2 since Sunday morning. I knew he had to go b/c he was dancing around and every 5 minutes telling me had to go pee-pee but then I would put him on the toilet (knowing what he actually had to do) and he would try to get down. I sang to him, read to him, and counted with him. Nothing worked. In the mean time, I had given him some prune/apple juice. By dinner time he REALLY had to go. After dinner we decided to put a Pull Up on him for his health (and hopefully to get things moving along). Well it did, I was on the phone and I looked up and he had his hands braced against the couch going! About 15 minutes later we were getting ready for his bath and I had put him on the potty. He told me he wanted to run around naked first so I let him (this is typical). The next thing I know he rounded the corner and had a surprise hanging!! I picked him up to rush him to the potty and noticed another "surprise" on the hall floor. Chris and I were laughing (luckily it wasn't messy). We were also happy that he had taken care of business so he wouldn't get a tummy ache. These are the days of our lives. . .

The Drama of Potty Training

2008-09-14T15:36:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have potty trained your children, you are my heroes!! It is HARD! Luke wants all the treats we have to offer, but does not want to tell us when it is time to go potty. We have endlessly discussed where the poo-poo and pee-pee belong (he always has the correct answer, so as a teacher I know that he has learned something). However, getting him to actually make the jump to connecting his answer to real life events is not so easy. He is pretty good about pee-peeing on the potty (although we have to just take him) going number 2 is a whole separate monster. He enjoys his privacy during these crucial moments, I try to catch him yet he evades me constantly. When I think he might be sneaking off, I ask him what he is doing and more often than not the answer is " I'm pooping". Unfortunately, it is too late at that point.
I have been told that boys are much more difficult to potty train than girls (I agree and I don't even have a daughter!). We just keep plugging away and pray daily that God will intervene and give Luke the gift of actually telling us BEFORE there is an accident. Although, we have been lucky, most accidents have occurred at home. We did have one hilarious accident at Bama and Papa's house last week. If you know my dad you will die laughing, if not it will still be humorous. My dad was changing Luke back into his undies after nap time. He told my mom and I how it smelled like Luke had pooped, yet his Pull Up was clean. My mom took the Pull Up to the trash and Luke continued getting his undies and shorts on. About 5 minutes later my dad is still telling us it smelled by him. About a minute after that my dad practically took flight from his seat b/c he realized Luke had pooped and it had plopped on the floor at his feet. My mom and I were dying laughing b/c my dad avoids diaper changes b/c he fears something like this happening. He has since recovered although I am sure we will hear about the traumatic tale for years to come. Have a great week!

"Dinoco Blue"

2008-09-01T17:50:00.001-07:00

Luke and Chris had popsicles for dessert after lunch today. Since Luke is currently a "Cars" fanatic, Chris called the blue tongues "Dinoco Blue" and Luke loved it!! Enjoy!

Could I Watch the Mobie?

2008-08-30T09:34:00.000-07:00

Here is an update for you Luke lovers! A few weeks back I brought home my copy of the movie "Cars". Luke has fun playing with his cars and trucks so I thought he might enjoy it. The first time I put it on (a 2 hour movie, by the way) he enjoyed the opening race scene and then sort of lost interest. I thought that was fine because he didn't need to sit and watch t.v. that long anyway. Well, this was around the time he broke his leg, so he developed the ability to sit and watch the entire movie!! I wasn't overly pleased but since he had an injury, I didn't fret too much about it. Well, he is fully recovered but now when I pick him up from daycare he has 2 questions "Could I watch the mobie (translation: Cars) please?" (he knows if he doesn't throw please in there the movie is unlikely to happen) and "Could I have some Boogles, please?" (translation: Bugles, the snack food, thanks Dad for that introduction). Being the loving mother that I am, he must go potty first, then I will turn on either the first or last race sequence for him (about 15-20 minutes) and then that is it (don't worry, he does NOT get to watch a 2 hour movie daily). Some days we have tears, so Mommy or Daddy might give in and let him watch it one more time, but usually we try to redirect him to something else. So then he will re-enact the crashing portion of the race with any of his various cars or trucks. Right now he will currently do it with his big fire truck and big garbage truck, it is pretty funny to watch (especially since neither is a race car and they are big and bulky).

Week 2: I am Lucky

2008-08-30T09:23:00.000-07:00

I have found in talking to my fellow first grade teachers that I am lucky. I don't have any students that run away or crawl under/over furniture, no criers, no bathroom accidents (so far, except at home with my 2 year old), and my class is pretty well behaved. I am thankful, although there were a few moments when I again wondered what I was doing with 6 year olds instead of 10 year olds. We are still working on the idea that "Shhhh" actually means stop talking or making noises (it is not just a funny sound I like to make periodically). I am having to learn how to walk slower (which if any of you know me or my mom, it is a difficult feat b/c I am just a fast walker, even with my son). First graders like to "smell the roses" quite literally when we go anywhere. They do walk in fairly straight lines and are quiet for the most part, but they definitely don't let ANY scenery pass them by unnoticed. There have been several episodes when I stop to let the stragglers catch up and find students walking backwards in case they missed something as they walked by. I try to gently remind them that if they walk that way they will run into something or someone which has happened. First graders also like to share interesting observations with you, yesterday I had a student come up to me and tell me that she has a gap in her front teeth. My answer was that it was an interesting observation and could she please continue with her work. This is just a small snapshot of week 2 hope you are having a great year too!!

School: Week One Done!

2008-08-22T18:53:00.000-07:00

Well, this was my first week as an official first grade teacher. I think I had it pretty lucky. In talking to some of my team, I didn't have any chronic criers, no sudden outbursts of temper, or any other such scary behavior. I am used to operating with students that can sit and work continuously, independently for more than 10 minutes at a time though. By the end of the week we were starting to get our routine down, although the kids did ask as soon as school started "When is recess?" "When is lunch?" "When do we get to go home?" although to be fair, they left after lunch or didn't arrive until lunch time last year. Today when I had heard "When is time to go home?" for the umpteenth time I asked a question of my own. "Have I forgotten to let you go home this week? Have we missed the buses or parents picking you up?" The response was, of course, NO so they understood that I would not keep them any longer than they were supposed to stay. I seem to have a pretty good group. I also know that they have learned this week (with the help of M&M rewards). We learned the class rules, some number words, practiced counting and color words, and of course how to survive an entire day of school. Stay tuned for next week.

San Diego Vacation

2008-08-12T20:47:00.001-07:00

2008-08-12T17:58:00.000-07:00

Sorry, it has been so long since the last post. I have been busy getting ready for my new school year. I have been back working for a little over 2 weeks now. My room is almost ready. I just wanted to let everyone know that we are still here and doing well. We spent just spent 5 days in San Diego.
We got to see Uncle Matthew (before he deploys) and our friend Jill and her baby Ellery. Our friends, the Kaisers, also came down to SD to stay with us and have some fun in the sun. Luke and Colton (their son) had a blast playing together. Nick and Chris got enjoy each other's company at the Charger/Cowboy football game and Megan and I had fun shopping. We had fun at the zoo and spending time together in general. I will put some pictures/slide show up sometime this week. Hope everyone is enjoying the end of their summer!

Luke Having Fun

2008-08-01T18:33:00.001-07:00

2008-07-27T15:15:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pics of Luke's new look! I had to remind him how to crawl around b/c he is still leary of standing on his leg, although the doctor assured us that he will be able to walk on it before the cast is off. Luke was "excited" about his cast b/c he got to choose the color. We definitely won't lose him!

2008-07-26T08:39:00.000-07:00

For those of you that haven't heard Luke broke his leg Wednesday evening. It was another calm evening at the Mann house, Luke was on his way to bed when . . . Daddy decided to play for one more minute, it turns out that one minute is all it takes to break two bones in Luke's leg. Chris was holding Luke and decided to jump on the bed (he had done before with no ill results). When Luke landed on top of Chris he must have caught his leg or toes on the blankets or under Chris's arm. Anyway, we made our first urgent care visit with Luke. He did a great job of being tough (even though it was well past his bedtime). They took x-rays (another first) and the doctor said he didn't see anything but would put a rush on it for the radiologist to check. By Friday Luke still wasn't willing to put weight on his right leg so we decided to visit his pediatrician. She got the radiologists report and we found out that he had a break in his right tibia and fibula. We visited an orthopedist yesterday afternoon and he decided to cast Luke for the next 3 weeks. Luke can walk on the cast when he is ready and we are encouraging him to do so. Otherwise, we all survived the last few days. Luke was actually loving life b/c he got to be carried everywhere and watch A LOT more tv than he is usually allowed.

2008-07-14T11:31:00.000-07:00

I thought I would post a few funny pictures of Luke playing and having fun. For those of you "Go, Diego, Go" fans Luke has discovered his own orange "Rescue Pack". The pictures with Luke blowing bubbles ended up producing more when he breathed than when he blew through the wand! The last picture is when I discovered that Luke had decided to hijack some kleenex in his shirt!

4th of July Fun!!!

2008-07-09T21:02:00.000-07:00

We had some friends and family over for a good ole' "American" barbecue on the 4th. Chris bbq'd burgers and brats (not our kids), Nicole (our sister-in-law) made some tasty dips, and Megan (our friend) made some delicious macaroni salad and heavenly (per Chris) potato skins. We swam and played all afternoon. Unfortunately, the little ones can't stay up for fireworks yet, so it was an early evening. All in all in was a good celebration of our freedom.

Welcome to Our Site

2008-07-09T15:48:00.000-07:00

We thought since I had some time this summer we would set this up (and seeing some of our friends tackle it first is not so scary) so those that live near and far can keep up with Luke and all his changing (since Chris and I look the same).