Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Christmas!

I didn't take many pictures this year here they are.
We may be insane, but it has been so exciting! And honestly, he is beginning to get some rhythm!


And this is the gift from my lovely husband. I must admit that I saw him come home one day with a Morgan Jewlers bag. I told him, "Honey, I am sorry but I saw the bag and one of two things is happening here. Either you have a girlfriend and bought her an expensive gift that you should just take back now, or you bought me something from a jewelry store that is too expensive and you should just take it back." He told me to mind my own business and that I didn't know if it was or not. I just kept imagining some beautiful sparkly, girly thing that I couldn't possibly appreciate for how much it cost. I was incredibly surprised when I opened it on Christmas. He had only gotten the chain there. There in that box was this perfect silver heart. The type that I actually want to wear. I love that he loves me enough to understand what I love and that he is willing to find me the perfect present, no matter how odd or unconventional it may be. It is beautiful.

The Grinch

We did not get video of Josh performing the Grinch but we did get some pretty good pictures of him doing it for my family.

Here we are before the performance.



All the Whos down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot, but the Grinch who lived just north of Whoville did not!


I must stop this Christmas from coming...but how?

Then he got an idea...

With this hat and this coat, I'll look just like St. Nick!

This is stop number one, the old Grinchy Claus hissed

He got stuck only once for a moment or two...

The Grinch grabbed the tree and he started to shove when he heard a small sound like the coo of a dove.

And his fib fooled the child, then he patted her head, and he got her a drink, and he sent her to bed.

And when Cindy Lou Who went to bed with her cup, he went to the chimney and stuffed the tree up!

Their mouths will hang open a minute or two then all the Whos down in Whoville will all cry, "boo-hoo"


What he saw was a shocking surprise.

The Grinch's small heart grew three sizes that day.

After the show high fives!




Friday, December 21, 2012

Josh's first real performance!

So you know how I posted about teaching Josh to enhance his talents using Mr. Bean? Well phase two is complete. And sadly, no, it does not have to do with Mr. Bean.

It all began with Josh's love for the Dr. Seuss classic, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". Last year he made me read it just about every day between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This year we began a little before Thanksgiving but did not read it EVERY day...just a lot. Now you are thinking, "So what? Sounds pretty normal to me". Well it doesn't end there. While at the Zoo Lights the first week of December we saw the Grinch. They had the best Grinch I have seen in real life. He talked like the Jim Carrey version, looked spectacular, and had the attitude down pat. Josh loved it. He wouldn't get closer than 5 feet from the guy, but he loved it. After someone wished him a Merry Christmas and the Grinch was yelling some not so nice things back, I turned to Josh and said, "The Grinch doesn't like Christmas. Why was that?" not thinking that I would get an answer. Josh pointed to his feet. Holy crap. That is right. His shoes were too tight. Then he circled his head. And his head wasn't screwed on just right! I was shocked. I mean, yes, we have read this book a lot but still...he remembered.

I began tossing around the idea of performing the Grinch with Josh. I asked him if he would want to and he said yes. It began with me reading the book with a lot of expression while he copied me. In a day or two I had it fully memorized (not hard because it rhymes and we all know the story pretty well) and so we began adding some movement and props. Within a week we had most of it down. The next week we watched the Jim Carrey version movie. We also looked up pictures on the internet. I would show him the picture and recite the part of the book that coincides with it and then he would try to replicate the face being made. I recited the book in front of the bathroom mirror with him standing on the sink both of us making the proper faces at the proper times so he could see what it looked like. We talked about whether the Grinch was happy or sad at certain parts. If he was good or bad. And mostly, we practiced. At least once a day. Josh even had us take the props to his OT appointment and we did it in the waiting room.

I knew I had to get us a venue. He was taking it so seriously! We had to perform it for a real audience. I made a few calls and next thing I knew we are going to perform it for a church party the next day. I told him and he was so excited. I was a little worried though. Would he do it? We bought green hair spray and figured out his costume and last minute props (like his small and big heart). We were only able to practice with these last minute props one time that night.

That night I set up the props and showed him where everything was. This chair is the sleigh, this chair is the rooftop, here is the fireplace, etc. I was still nervous. Would he do it? Then it was our turn. He walked up to the stage with me like it was nothing. He did the facial expressions, he used the props, he remembered his actions and where everything was. And his one line (And his fib fooled the child and he patted her head, and he got her a drink, and he sent her to bed. "Go!") although whispered was heard by the audience who laughed with delight. He was amazing. Stupendous! A natural. I was (and am) ridiculously proud.

No, I didn't get a video of it. I should have. He will perform it for my family at our party and on Christmas for Tyler's family so I may get it then. But you will have to trust me, he makes a great Grinch.

Friday, December 14, 2012

I mustache you a question....

What do you get when you have $2 in Old Navy? Six mustaches and hours of fun!











And yes, in one set of pictures I am not wearing make up and I am in a robe, and in the other set of pictures he looks drugged (his new meds are messing with his sleep). But when Josh says it is time to put on mustaches and take pictures, that is what you do. Even when one of you looks terrible. He is so cute though. He kind of looks like Mario...or my dad. He insisted on wearing one to Thanksgiving dinner. It was a big hit.

No peeking Grandmas!

I have been waiting to post this because I know Amber, Richard, and Abby look at my posts and I didn't want them to see what Josh was sending them. However, if you are my mother or mother-in-law you should stop reading so you don't see what Josh made for you for Christmas.

So to begin with, Josh made "hugs" to send to my siblings he would not be seeing this year for Christmas. First, he laid down on a large piece of paper and I traced him with his arms out. Then he was allowed to color them. One of them seriously resembles a crime scene (he used mostly red on that one), however, I still think they are awfully cute.




Then Josh and I made our family into elves. I have to admit, I did a lot of this one. I realized that I wanted them to look good enough to keep for a few years and since Josh still has some trouble cutting in a straight line, he did the gluing, helped with creative vision (who has hats, colors of clothes, curly hat or straight, etc.) and handed me the brads. It was still a fun craft to do together.


Lastly, we made grandma gifts. Again I was torn. I wanted him to make something but have it look really good. I found this on pintrest (and lets be honest, I found all of these ideas on pintrest)and I thought, "Perfect! It is mostly gluing and there is some painting but it is just painting cardboard all white. Easy! Pretty!" and it was! They are candlestick "snow globes". The bird set is for Sharon and the arctic animals are for my mother. I love them. Josh learned he loved using a glue gun although he did burn both of us at least once.






So, thanks to pintrest, we have had a good time doing some Christmas crafts in the last couple of weeks.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

First snowman of the year

It snowed last night...a LOT. I have not truly enjoyed the snow for years now. Sure it can be beautiful but it is also cold and I normally have to do snow removal. But it was one of those weird snows. It didn't stick much and then it melted off roads/driveways/sidewalks by noon. I was surprised when I stepped into it just how deep it was (almost to my knee). But the sun was out, it was relatively warm, and it was perfect packing snow. So I bundled Josh up to build our first snowman. We have built a snowman or two in the past but he has never really been into it. It is exceptionally difficult for Josh to walk in the snow. But this year was perfect. He still spent most of the time throwing snowballs at me while I rolled out the pieces or ringing the doorbell and pelting Sharon with snowballs when she answered, but that just made it more perfect. We tried sledding too but the snow was so deep and had not been packed down so we went under the snow rather than sledding on top of the snow. It was so much fun. We laughed our heads off. I don't think I have had this much fun in the snow since our first year in Utah.






And this is "Josh" the snowman. Unfortunately, since our options are limited, Josh names everything either "Mom" or "Josh" and Josh won out this time. He is giving the snowman a hug in the first picture.




Check out my tats man!

So Josh goes through tattoo waves. When he is on one, he wants to put them on all the time. I don't feel like there is any harm so I let him have as much fun with them as he can. Right now he is on one. For a week he has been putting on at least 5 a day. Luckily, many of them are mostly gone the next day. This was only a few days into the week. I told him he could put them where ever he wanted, he pointed to his eye lid. Okay, anywhere but there. And this is what he came up with:






He has been flashing everyone (even the bus ladies) so he can show them off. And yes, he is flexing his muscles in the mirror pictures.