Happy Anniversary Maltbys!!!

8 years ago (6/1/2002), Shawn and I became Husband and Wife! This year marks our 10th year together!!

I love you honey and wouldn't want to spend my life with anyone else! Mostly, because no one else would put up with me!!! ;) To all those who doubted us and our crazy beginning, let's keep making them jealous!!!

To another 100 years!!

Resolutions, Smesolutions...

I would like to begin by saying...I suck at Resolutions and you all should've known better than to expect weekly blogs from me. You all should know by now, I take on way too many projects and though I generally finish all of them, timelines are not my forte.

Now onto the good stuff.....

Summer is in full swing!! School is officially out and we couldn't be happier (insert sacrastic eye roll here.) The brightside, weather has been abnormally warm for May and that truly DOES make me happy!

Let's see...

Shawn and I went to Florida the first weekend in May to celebrate the wedding of our dear friend/sister, Leslie! What an amazing weekend we had. Mom and Scott watched the boys and we were able to enjoy the wedding festivities! It is so refreshing to get back around such good family and friends. We had a blast and Shawn has a new found love/hate relationship with Beefeaters. I have video but will save that for a later date when he is on punishment. All I will say is it involved dancing, throwing hands in the air and a possible "woohoo!" Let your imagination take you away. Thank you so much to the Jones Family for including us in this special time and Congratulations to Aunt Sassy and "Uncle" Ben!! We love you guys!!

Dylan had an extremely busy Spring. Field Trips, testing, programs and t-ball. The day we left for Florida, I spent the day at the Anchorage Zoo with Dylan's class. What a great day! The weather was nice and all the kids did amazing on their projects. Dylan did his report on the Wolverine and was so well spoken when he had to read it...makes Mommy proud. Dylan did amazingly well in his standardized testing this year either scoring right at or above where he should be so we are extremely proud of the student he is becoming. We are pleased to announce that he will be in the same class as this year as his teacher was asked to teach the 2nd grade. She only agreed with the stipulation that her 1st graders made the transition with her.

Next Year's Assignment: 2nd Grade!!

Carson!!! Oh, Carson!! This child continues to crack me up while testing my last nerve! He is peculiar and extremely animated. Still trying to figure out where he gets that?!?! ;) He played Indoor Soccer this season and really enjoyed himself. His BFF Cavan (they actually share the same birthday just a year apart) was on his team and I think they had more fun chasing each other around and announcing, "Let's kick some booty butts!" More than they actually enjoyed playing Soccer itself.

Carson was also accepted into the pre-school program at Mountain View so that means, we will have both boys at the same school next year. Shawn and I feel that this transition will be much easier for him in Kindergarten. He will go all 5 days for 3 hours a day!! I have to say, I was super impressed with his intelligence...he is one sharp little guy, now to get him to focus! Um, what is that???

Next Year's Assignment: Preschool

(Carson and Cavan had their very first sleep-over! They are super funny and seriously could be brothers...so cute!)

As I mentioned earlier we are in T-ball Season and this year 4-year-olds were allowed to play so

Dylan and Carson are on the same team this year!

This provides much comic relief as well as a little sibling rivalry. I think Dylan might be getting too big for his britches and kind of shows off. He clearly should be in "Coach Pitch" this year but his birthday was 2 months shy of the cut-off. This second year in T-ball will be good for him and maybe, just maybe teach him a little humility. One can only hope, right?? Carson follows in his brother's footsteps but as a left-hander! It will be extremely interesting to see how different they play the game. I will attest to the fact that their slides into home plate (completely unnecessary are all runners score) are AMAZING!!!

The Bits are getting ever so close to turning 2 and boy are they showing signs of the "terrible toddler" behavior!! They have a serious case of the "NO's," and I'm pretty sure they are trying to decide how to make the Grand escape from Casa de Maltby! We have moved them into big boy beds and like every transition this too has proven a bit challenging but we are surviving and they LOVE their new beds! We had some neighbors moving so the time was right to score some new beds pretty cheap!!! I figured now was as good a time as any though my 4:45 wake up calls may disagree.

They are just growing up so fast and we now have to lock every door to keep them in. They have been found wandering the streets on more than one occasion. I generally have them captured by the time they are next door but still, kind of scary. They have been plotting their escape since conception; first from the womb and now from their home. What next, sheet ladders from their windows? I mean, seriously...we are in for it with these two!!

Next Year's Assignment: Potty Training, Prison Jumpsuits and Bars on the Windows

I will make an effort to update this a little more often this Summer but no promises. Not like I'm too busy for you all but really, I am! Sorry, gotta be honest!!

xoxo

Would you like some potatoes with that gravy???

This week has by far been the most odd and utterly entertaining all wrapped into one. The 5 "dudes" in my life have all managed to try my nerves and make me laugh hysterically. Sometimes at the same time, in general I would blame this on hormones but considering I am almost 2 years post-partum I blame sleep deprivation and South Beach.

I decided to start South Beach last week. This is a wonderful jump-start to diets and would have worked had I not been running to train for a half-marathon. I found myself more aggitated than usual and am pretty sure I was going into shock. Headaches and double vision led to dreams of doughnuts and cake. Needless to say, I went back to the land of carbs and am loving it!!!! God bless you flour...you are my friend!

Shawn has decided that he wants to run the Iditarod. This revelation came out of left field and I would've been surprised but he does these things sometimes and they usually pass. He then proceeded to explain to me how he would run it and win and beat all the records. It was at this point I explained to him that, a) we don't own a dog let alone multiple dogs to actually race the Iditarod, b) he grew up in Florida and doesn't fair well in the cold and c) we don't own a dog let alone multiple dogs...I then suggested a unicycle. We still need to work out the logistics but stay tuned...this could be AMAZING!!!

Dylan has been pretty low-key. He is leader of the pack so to speak so he puffs his chest and tries to control the masses. He has currently become "gangster" and throws "gangster" signage and says phrases such as "Ah, Snap" and "What up!" You should see him dance...ghetto superstar meets extremely preppy 6-year-old Irish boy. CLASSIC!!! He is completely baseball obsessed and if I hear the tennis ball bounce off my wall one more time this week...I might scream!!!

Carson has entered a phase of pure awesomeness...NOT!!! He has become more challenging and stubborn than I ever could imagine. He refuses breakfast, lunch and dinner after he puts in the request for specific entrees choices. He will then stomp his feet and tell me how "awful" I am and how "bisgusting" his food is. After about 20 minutes he is in full on laughter and chowing down??? I don't get it??? I thought girls were supposed to be emotional??? I'm not sure I like him...I mean, I love him but there are days I would like to have him raised by a group of English Nannies and returned when he is properly versed in the art of table manners. His new phrase is OMG, as in, Oh my Gravy! Not sure where we came up with this phrase but I find myself using it often. He will break it out when his utterly "bisgusted" with me or his brothers.

The bits are now into, wait for it....poop! They are obsessed with their poo! it is the most disgusting thing I have ever experienced with all my boys!!! This happens during nap time and in the worst case results in diapers being thrown around the room. What would possess a perfectly normal 21 month old child to throw his diaper across the room??? They are like little primates that you watch at the zoo. You know the ones that throw poop at the protective glass where you gaulk and giggle as they play with their feces. Not funny people!!!! Not funny at all!!!
I think the shower might have been a provided the solution but now they are afraid of their bath...maybe I should duct tape their diapers???
Aside from their primal indiscretions they are pretty much the funniest children I have ever met in my life. I'm not sure if it is the fact that there are two of them but they are just like Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum!!! They play off each other and I'm fairly certain they talk about us in their alien like language. This usually results in hysterical laughter...twins are a strange phenomenon that I'm not sure we will ever understand them. And sometimes I think that might be a good thing...

Whoever said that raising boys is WAY easier than raising girls, has either had no children at all or sedated their sons until the age of 16. Either way they are filthy liars and should be punished! I recommend a day in my house with no lunch or bathroom breaks...

The Maltby's Lately...

The Maltbys Lately.... Oh, where to begin???We had an amazing holiday season....Aunt Kelsey and Uncle Boyle came to visit and kept the boys busy. They spent Christmas morning, building a snowman with the boys and I think it may have been a first for several of the children (and adults.) Grandma has bought them a "snowman" kit! Comes with all you need to make a cute snowman...super fun!!!

The New Year came on quickly and we have been busy as usual. We have been tackling an upcoming Oilers event and are hoping it is a HUGE success!! Alicia started a new business and is working hard to build her client list and so far things have taken off. Thanks to her sister Kamela, we are hoping to keep the business going for years to come. You can check out their website at: http://www.boldbodybronzing.com/. Amazing products are used and Alicia is having a fun time meeting new people and making the Kenai Peninsula beautiful one tan at a time. (OK, a little cheesy, but hey...Marketing, right??)

Dylan is busy with school and is growing so fast. He is such a good student and is getting exceptional marks in all areas of first grade. He is gearing up for baseball clinics (yes, already!!) He is continuing to lose all his teeth....at this rate the tooth fairy might be broke by Summer. Teeth have gone up in market value. What happened to 50 cents a tooth???

Carson is still as funny and crazy as always. This child never ceases to amaze us...so witty and extremely stubborn. He just had his teeth fixed on Friday in surgery. So he now has a mouth full of metal until his "gwown up teef" come in. The nurses at the hospital just loved him and think he is very charming. The doctor had asked him if he wanted to hear them sing Neil Diamond or Barry Manilow and he responded, "Neil Diamond sounds good!" Pretty sure he doesn't know who that is but it cracked them up and they are now smitten with our little charmer. He is eagerly awaiting pre-school in August and is fairly certain he will be the "Best student ebber!"

He was given this hat from his Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa Curry...he was so excited that he gave us a Ho-Ho-Ho!!! Like we said before....Funny Kid!!

Oh and finally, the bits! TNT are growing like weeds and are well, turning 2 soon! What else to say??? They are full of attitude and independence these days. We are fairly certain the other boys were just as much "trouble" but there is something to be said about the twin bond and how much more trouble they can get into, together! They are each other's best friend and biggest enemy all wrapped into one. Needless to say, we count our blessings daily that Alicia was able to give birth to two healthy baby boys with no health challenges. That in itself, is our miracle! (Trevor is growling and Trey is putting on his "cheese" face!)

Well, I was going to load some videos but for some reason...I can't! Anyway...I will keep trying and post them soon!!! Love you all...

New Year, New Resolutions

Oh My!!! So since starting this blog I have sucked at keeping it updated....This year I am hoping to make posts a bit more often in an effort to keep everyone up to date on our life and our beautiful boys!!! They do keep me very busy so no promises. That being said, a new blog name was in order!

Stay tuned to a year of wonderful memories from our family.

Happy New Year!!!