One word

SPOILED.

We had a Christmas filled with much--food, family and pressies.

We spent it in Reno with my Dad and Sue, my brother Chad and Marcy too.

Don't worry Tu tu, we didn't forget the Marshmallow launcher. :)

The month of December carried many Nobisms daily:

Everywhere we went if the boys saw something they wanted Oshyn would say, "Can you write this on my list?" and Cruz (to this day) says, "Mom!! Can you write this on my NOTE?"

The song of the month was 'Angels we have Heard on High' We have heard "GLORIA" sang at the top of each boys lungs--starting with O ALL day long and trickling down to Cruzer as he rocked in bed at night.

"Frosting" the Snowman--movie of choice by Cruz (least amount of scary guys)

Much candy, sugar, and more sweets made me realize for the millionth time that Cruz is the sugar-swindler-candy-man and it continues to make him NUTTY. He was even excited to take Benadryl.

Brotherly Duties

Cruzer has been multitasking. Eating his "BLACK nola bar" and helping Tyce with one of his favorite pastimes. Good work little buddy.

Flying solo Three deep

(I couldn't resist this story because it is oh-so-funny to me now and I'm sure in years to come)
We said farewell to my Mom and Pete the Sunday before Christmas. They more than took care of us and it was time for me to do it alone. Monday morning I was "baptized by fire" and I'm not talking about the Holy Ghost--more like a soldier's first experience under fire in battle (in a good way of course). No worries, Beau would be there in the morning to get the day started while I sustained a newborn's life :)

Well, it didn't quite start out as planned. Everyone slept in until 8am. Beau was long gone when the dynamic duo woke up. Luckily Oshyn was off on school break so we didn't have to worry about getting him to kindergarden. Tyce was a hungry boy and ate for what seemed like forever, especially to two boys who wanted breakfast (and whose Daddy promised them Swedish Pancakes--cereal they can do by themselves). After I finished supersoaking our little munchkin with milk, he decided to get me back. As I was burping him he barfed ALL over me and even some on Cruz. A shower was not optional, so Thank you PBS kids. After getting all cleaned up and putting Tyce down, Swedish pancakes were made (at about 10am)--I just had to cook them the mix was in the fridge from the weekend--sounds easy enough, right? It was for a while until Tyce decided to wake up. After crying much longer than he ever would have with Grammie here, I got him and put him in the sling. He fell asleep again and I kept making the pancakes until I suddenly HAD to GO. Not in a minute but NOW. So Swedish pancakes moved to the back burner half cooked and WE went to the bathroom--sling and all. Could have been worse I'm sure.

Beau called at 11 to see how things were going. I told him my morning and then assured him that everyone was still alive, but we've only been up 3 hours.

Welcome to THREE :)

Since then I have managed quite nicely with only a few mishaps:

We've

*gone to the park (three times)

*delivered VT goods

*gone to church

*made a trip to Reno (with a lot of help from Dad and Sue, Chad and Marcy)

*taken the crew to Target--without succumbing to the Icees

*made dinners

*made O lunch only to realize that it was "nacho" day

*picked up O in the car and on foot

*forgotten to make O lunch only to be so lucky for Beau to remember--YAY Daddy!

****decided once again that M-F cereal is the breakfast of choice.

What-Shall-We-Give?

I love and hope to remember this throughout the season and beyond.

What-Shall-We-Give?

Ggma's cocoon & the fastest week ever

Today Tyce is already a week old. I can hardly believe it. I think every kid that I have makes time speed up. Next week he'll be in kindergarten and by the end of the month he'll probably be married himself. Slow down already little man.

For now he is still a sweet sweet baby. Ggma made this little cocoon for him and we love it--especially the great package it holds within. Thanks Gma.

My Mom and Pete have been taking excellent care of us. I'm sure I am in for a rude awakening next week when all my duties come back to me, but as for now I am the child being loved and cared for by her own mother. Oshyn and I were talking about how much Grammie was doing for our family and he whispered in my ear, "She's really really nice, huh?" and then, "I don't even think she really minds either." We more than appreciate them and their love for us.

Oh sooo SICK (sarcasm intended)

Oshyn has had a hacking cough for a few days, but he doesn't seem like he's dying so we've been sending him off to school much to his dismay. Every morning he tells us he's probably too sick to go to school. This morning, after coming home yesterday losing his voice and coughing through the night, I found a little mercy in my heart and told him he could go back to sleep and stay home from school. The condition was he needed to stay in bed and rest so he could get better. Being the "oh-so-sick" boy that he was, he asked with a little glee in his voice, "Can I have breakfast in bed?!?" and that was the beginning of the Oshynism comments that continued all morning.

At about 8 am we saw a little bald head peeking through the stair rails. When asked what he needed, he informed us that he was just about starving up there. Opps--guess I needed to hurry up on the pampering.

After a GREAT breakfast in bed he was wanting to play with Cruz and told Grammie "I'm going to feel better in the afternoon, when school is over." (He actually told Beau this at about 7:30 when he was contemplating the no school deal too).

Its pretty hard to stay in your room in bed when you are five, so this was quite an effort for someone so terribly terribly sick. Curious as to what everyone was doing he asked if he could come out. I told him I really wanted him to rest so his body could recover. Oshyn said, "You know why I really wanted to stay home?" This was going to be good...."because I didn't want to get the other kids sick." What a thoughtful guy.

By about 10 am he tells me, "I'm really not sick sick," and by 11 am he was down stairs eating lunch probably very thankful to be out of bed.

I wonder if tomorrow he will be TOO sick to go to school :)

The Excitement Runneth Over

Right now (because of H1N1) our hospital isn't allowing any kids 14 and under in to visit, so yesterday coming home was a BIG deal for our boys. Let's just say they thought their brother was the best thing since sliced bread...and that is an UNDERstatement. We are ALL in love already.

The Newest Nobmann

Tyce Hanway Nobmann

Born December 10, 2009 at 9:18pm

7 lbs. 15 oz. 21 inches long

All is well and we REALLY like him.

Hairy Christmas--love the Nobmann's

This is what happens when Baby #3 stays in past his due date. The boys get bored. Oshyn has been wanting to cut his hair for quite a while. He finally got his wish. He was just a LITTLE excited.

BEFORE

Business in the front, Party in the back

AFTER

A WHOLE LOTTA HAIR--Wig anyone?

(Oshyn kept saying that Beau looked like Uncle Sean. Neither of our kids have ever seen Beau with short hair--its been 5+ years and I haven't since we were dating. He looks 7 years younger.)

Newest invention

O likes to bring the rope to the park. I am always amazed at what he comes up with, along with the fact that his made up knots hold his body weight. Here is the latest--a swing. Tricky boy and yes, STILL Robin on many occasions.

The Polar Express

On Monday afternoon we started gearing up for our "train ride" on the Polar Express up in Sacramento. I had some neighborhood rugrats over for the movie, some popcorn, and hot hot hot--hot chocolate.Funniest part of that experience (that turned into wrestle mania by the end) was before the movie even started. Oshyn was trying to get all of his little buddies to take their shoes off to sit on the blanket. He was adamant about it and was saying "PLEEEEAASE! Take your shoes off" to one of the little guys that just didn't seem to hear him. Once he finally got him to take his shoes off the pleading turned the other way from ALL of us. "PLEEEAASE!Put your shoes back on!!!!!" He had the stinkiest dirtiest feet and it was enveloping our living room at rapid speeds. The other friend that came over counseled him that he should REALLY wear socks with his shoes.

The boys were pretty excited to be riding the Polar Express to Santa's village.

One of the favorites was when the 'Hot Chocolate' song came on and two dancers came by with plates on their hands and warm drinks and cookies were passed out for all.

The parents were pretty excited until they realized how far it was from what they expected, but faked the happiness the best they could because of how content their wee ones were.

A Bunch of Turkeys

The Turkeys before the Trot (this year in Redding, CA)

Millie and Cruzer running so very fast I almost missed them.

My Candy Man's favorite part of the kid's race--nothing like chocolate at 8am

The 2-miler by two strong turkeys and two lazy turkeys (suck it up while you can--lucky for you Cruzer, Pop Pop was there...I have little mercy)

The Gobblers very daintily eating their Thanksgiving dinner

Auntie with the patience of Job making a gingerbread house with all the cousins

The Clan (minus our Texas Nobmann's boys and Virgina Clawson lady)

The biggest Turkey of all and his attempt at what he called "Getting handsome and clean"

All done while he was supposedly going to bed. Gel, at least the glue kind Beau has, need only be used in small amounts. I believe Cruz used more than a dime size. I'm thinking he used a handful of dimes size. 3 washes later and he was VERY clean and VERY handsome and his hair still could have stayed nicely combed for about a week without moving.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING.

Stuck

Places that used to be easy to get out of change when you keep growing. O wasn't too happy about this picture. Although he was crying of frustration, we couldn't stop laughing.

Cruz had some different body parts stuck later this same night. I went in to check on the boys before going to bed and realized he had put his rain boots on. Have you ever tried to get rain boots off a sleeping kid? Good thing Daddy came to the rescue because this Mommy had no luck.

Leave it to the kiddos

We all headed back East--the two littlies and I on Tuesday and Beau on Friday. My Grandpa's memorial service on Saturday was just lovely. I don't think I have ever been to a Quaker memorial, but if they are all like his was--what a terrific celebration of life. It was so great to hear all the wonderful attributes of his that he had impacted on so many others--characteristic and features that I already knew were true of J.R., but neat to hear from others experiences and from various facets of his life.

The days leading up to his memorial were filled with tons of quality family time. Almost everyone was at my Grandma's house for about 10 hours each day. It was a nice relaxing bonding time for all, but the great grandkids definitely stole the show. It took about 45 seconds for them to warm up to each other. Our boys adored their second cousin Kobe and vice versa. I don't remember much (if any) entertainment necessary from the adults.

Their happiness was contagious. Oshyn and Kobe were always off exploring, while Cruz went back and forth either with them or entertaining the adults.

As they were getting their pjs on one night, the comment was made, "We're like brothers, but we're cousins!" A week that could have been spent with many tears and sadness was spent with smiles and laughter. I am thankful for my family and all they are. We couldn't have planned this any better.

The First Man I wanted to Marry

Well, I had to have been too young to know that it wasn't kosher to marry your own grandfather, yet old enough to realize he was quite a catch...but my desire was real--I truly thought I would be in pure bliss if I could marry my Grandpa.

To say I have admired and looked up to this man is an understatement. I have forever been proud and thankful to call J.R. Miller "Grandpa". He was the perfect example of humility, tenderness, honesty, morality and love. He was wise because of his thirst for knowledge and willingness to listen. He loved nature and captured it wonderfully with his camera (before that was easy). He was a fabulous writer and lover of family history. He could whistle two tunes at once and sang with a special sweetness. His own personal light of Christ shined from within even when the going got tough. He had a sense of humor that carried him to the end. He had a love for his sweetheart that was unreal and unwavering.

His desire in life was to be a "good man". Sorry Grandpa, but you far surpassed that desire. You were and will always be in my eyes and so many more a "great and marvelous man".

I love you and will miss you until we meet again.

To Oshyn and Cruz

I love when you wake up on your own for school and are happy for the day to begin.

I love how without being told you go downstairs while I'm in the shower and get your little brother a drink (not just any

drink but chocolate milk).

I love to hear "thank you" and "your welcome" with pure gratitude between the two of you (and without any prompting).

I love when you get excited to be the big brother and get your new little brother a drink, just like your big brother got you.

I love to hear "I love you Mommy so much...all the way up to heaven in a circle" when I'm wiping your tiny booty on the potty.

I love to ride scooters with you and laugh at all the stares we get...first, when they see someone so little riding a scooter so well and second, when they see the lady, so large with child, riding behind you.

I love the excitement when you come out of the cafeteria to meet us.

I love my hugs and kisses.

I love to see 2 boys riding scooters home together waiting so patiently for their slow mommy.

I love that because the policeman told you to always walk home with a friend or parent that as bad as you have to go to the bathroom you want to do what is right and not speed ahead (but that I can convince you that I'm right behind you--and I'll watch you go).

I love that you have attitude, but as you give it to me you usually still do what I ask.

I love that you have been Robin everyday since Halloween.

I love that you say, "Look at my eyes", love anything "black", and want to be a fire engine when you grow up.

I love you and I love that I'm your Mommy.

I wouldn't want life any other way.

Let the baller begin

Last Saturday was O's first bball game for the year. He had fun, but was bummed they lost. I told him no worries, he'll have next week and the next week and the next week and the next week and the next week and the next week to get 'em. And that wasn't an exaggeration. There are only 2 teams. Seriously?! Luckily he continues to entertain us because Saturdays are about to become a bit Groundhog day-ish.