You have to love Melinda for putting up with mine and Jase's hobbies. You heard right, you should see the madness that ensues when Jason tries to drive this thing in the house. Melinda didn't actually allow me to buy this new toy but I was able to barter another toy on craigslist to get it. There's a park by our house with an old dirt bike track that we're going to have to hit up. Jason and I spent yesterday spraypainting and putting vinyl stickers on the body of the truck. Jason got a cool sticker that matches the one on the hood on his tricycle seat.

Here are some of the fun things we have been doing this month. Memorial weekend Grandma and Grandpa Murdock came to stay at Skamania Lodge. Jason and I got to go spend the day with them at the lodge. Jason especially loved getting to golf with Grandpa!

Yesterday we decided since the weather was so beautiful we would go to the beach. We went to Cannon beach and enjoyed a wonderful day playing in the water and relaxing. Today we are however feeling the effects of such sunny weather and despite the sun screen and our new beach umbrella we are all burned. It was worth it!

Thought I would post a picture of some of the vinyl I'm doing. I'm hoping to get a job to do some guys racecar decals. I'm waiting to hear back from him. This train is hand drawn, I'm trying to get a little better at working with vector graphics.

You're amazing. Thanks for all you do and for being the best mother around.

After a long day of playing 7:00 rolled around and this is how Jason fell asleep tonight. He laid down on Dad and about 30 seconds later he was out. Phew! Being 2 is hard work.

I have a public announcement! I have not changed a poopy diaper in two week! Sorry to discuss matters such as this, but to all diaper changing folk this is a BIG deal. After Easter I decided that I was going to bite the bullet and officially potty train Jason. I realized this would be a great way to portion control the sweets and provide a reward for him "keeping his big boy underwear dry." He has been doing fantastic and I could not be happier with the progress he has made. One unforeseen side effect of spending a lot more time sitting on the toilet and the fascination of flushing the "things" down the hole is that Jason decided last weekend that the toilet was a good place to thrown away other things. It started with an apple core which made it down fine. Next was another apple, this time with only one bite taken out of it; fished out of the toilet by daddy. On Sunday it was his pull up. Unfortunately this was not fishable and no.... it did not make it down fine. Poor Benj. After lots and lots, and I mean lots of plunging it would not budge. This is where my research begun. I am going to share a secret to all you moms out there who may be potty training and who may have a toddler with the disposition to flush objects down the toilet....

• empty the water out of the bowl ( yuck, I know right.... but it has to be done)
• Add 1 large pot full of boiling water
• 1 cup of dish soap ( still debatable if this did anything or not)
  
• Let sit for an hour or so and then try with all your might to plunge it again

If there is no change ( like in our adventure)

• Empty it out again
• Add another large pot of boiling water
• 1 cup of bleach
• Let sit for a really long time
  
• Plunge again!
• Sigh in relief that you do not have to call a plumber
  
• Have a really really long talk with your toddler about what exactly goes down that hole :-)
  

We got to meet the cousins a couple of weeks ago at a gymnastics place for their open play time. Jason LOVES it because he gets to run around on the squishy mats, jump from crazy heights into a huge foam pit, bounce on the trampolines, swing in big swings, and scare mom with his fearlessness!
Cousin Reece-Yes, he has a mustache:-)
Cousin Micah-Yes, he has a mustache too and he is wearing all white to be camouflaged in milk which is very important just in case you need it :-)

Climbing up...
Waiting his turn...Jumping!Stuck!

After looking through my old videos to find the Easter one I rediscovered some movies I had forgotten about. Humor this proud loving mommy :-)! The first one Jason is about 13 months showing off his signing skills and the second he is about 18 months being his wild self.

ok.... so I might have missed 1 talk yesterday afternoon, but it was only 1 I swear!

Haircut time again. Traumatic times this morning but, we survived another haircut. This time we buzzed it all short. As a reward for being brave mommy made a cake. He insisted we get a candle for him so we sang "Happy haircut to you...."