Thunder Rolled

YMCA Thunder, that is.

G's basketball team had their first game yesterday.  This year is full-court, normal games with 8 minute quarters.

(it's so fun!)

His team from last year stayed together with the same coach, who happens to be a good friend of ours, and she played bball at OBU, so she knows her stuff.  In addition to 8 of the 9 from last year, 6 more kids wanted to play... so there is one practice team and 2 game teams (7 on game teams).

Six of the 7 showed for the first game.... Grant was able to play all 32 minutes of the game.

After the first quarter, the score was 12-4, and Grant had all 12 points!  We ended the game 28-10, and he had 18 of those points.  It was fun for this Mommy and Daddy to watch not only his offense but how quick and aggressive he was on defense trying to steal the ball away from others.

Kyle's 6th party

Kyle celebrated his 6th birthday yesterday.  After school, Jason and I each drove a car of boys to go bowling and then to go eat pizza, per K's request.  He had a great few hours celebrating with his good buddies.

Bowler Pose

It's not too often I am in pictures, and when I am, I usually am critical of myself!  Jason snapped this one of the birthday boy having a snuggly moment with his Mommy.  love it!

Darth Vader for a cake.  He had an accident in transit.

I have been growing my hair out since summer 2008... nearly 5 years and this is as long as it is but at least I can now say "long hair!"  (probably the longest I have ever had it, except for maybe 4th grade when side ponytails were in hot fashion!)

Christmas cards

Every December, I anxiously await the mail each day to see whose smiling faces will greet me in a Christmas card!  This year, we were lucky enough to receive, it seemed, a lot more than in years past. For those of you who read this AND send me photo cards, rest assured, your treasures aren't trashed. Each January, I go through the cards and cut out a photo from each card and put on our bulletin board in the utility room.  This is the one I am getting ready to undo from 2011 cards.... Blessed by great friends and family!  I have cut out the pictures from 2012 cards, but it was trendy this year to have a whole lot of little pictures, so we have a ton of 1" by 2" photos getting ready to replace these.  

When going through them, this one made me sad.  It's from a friend who has since passed away to heaven.  This is the Sutton family and is the last card Patsy would prepare.  I love her color selection, the trifold design, and how she was proud to show off her three boys and their families in it.  

Keep them coming!  We add to the board throughout the year, too, for little babies and other fun snail mail surprises!

miss it...

I am going to miss the boldness my boys have after their showers each night as they run through the downstairs, just laughing and talking loudly, as happy as can be... with their cute little naked bums showing because they really don't notice a need to be modest in their household.  It'll be over before we know it, but while it's here, they sure are cute!

First Three Weeks

Our family has been busy having fun these past few weeks to start off 2013 on a fun note!

We have been to basketball games!

We have played for hours and hours and hours outside in our unusually warm January weather.  On Sunday, we spent about 2 hours running laps around our home playing nerf gun fights - kids verses adults - and shared many laughs.  Reid has developed a new "camera smile" grin as you can see below.

One of those days spent outside was this special time between Kyle and Reid.  Kyle loves this little guy SO much and it's so evident in these pictures.

Both of the big boys think it is so special and important for one of their parents to spend the night with them sometimes.  I got the joy of going so with Grant on Sunday night.  Look how sweet and angelic his face is!  I just adore those red, plush lips of his.  His smile is starting to enter the "awkward" age with big teeth and a face that hasn't caught up yet!  I think it's sweet he is still sleeping with his tiny teddy bear - Muncle Ike - this this shot.

Also, Grant has become an avid reader just in the past 2 weeks.  He has always enjoyed reading books at bed, but lately, he will be late for school, or randomly disappeared on an afternoon, or caught reading at 10 p.m. instead of sleeping.  His favorites right now are the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series (5th-6th reading level) - and he finished one of them in a 24 hour period.

We're wondering, with his advanced reading level, if book content will soon become an issue as we want him to remain a naive 7 year old as long as possible.

Kyle was able to have his first friend sleep over.  This is our old neighbor, and their family needed a place for him to spend a night a few weekends ago and we got the honor!  You can also spot Reid snuggling with his Daddy in our bed at 9:30 one night when he was still talking (so we thought "what the heck - let's play with him!") and then Reid at my parents' house just hanging out during nap time.

 The four of us who don't get the honor to go to work on MLK day (!!) were able to visit the local children's museum with some friends.  I could not pull Reid away from the water station - he was drenched!

We have also been to our first OSU wrestling match!  Or is it a dual?!?  We don't know, and we still don't understand how all of the points are scored, but I will say, I was pleasantly surprised by both the attendance and by how much fun our family had at the event.  I do think we will be going to a few each year!  The boys were able to play in the "practice gym" before wrestling for their Pistol Pete Partners event - Reid loved the bounce house!

Outdoor Inspiration

This photo is my inspiration for our back yard... we already have the tiered rock walls but it hasn't been lovingly taken care of in a while!  So, maybe in a year or two we'll have this appearance!

2012 leftovers

Santa 2012

Baby Jesus is in our centerpiece with our elf, Sammy

Bus Light Tour

Reid finally did it - he actually said my name while purposely talking to me!  He usually will only say my name when I am not around, and will not do it while I ask.  PLUS, he even said it in a full sentence, too.  Want to know what he said?!?

"No, no, Mama"

Yup.

All because silly 'ol me wanted to put clothes on him instead of letting him walk around on the chilly January day in his diaper.  He - apparently - had other thoughts.  He lost, though.