Year End

On our way to Oklahoma City on New Year's Eve, our family started recapping the year and talking about possible things to accomplish in 2016.  They included "get smiley faces at school" and "exercise four days a week consistently" and "be more patient and slow to temper" and "be intentional" and "be the best I can be at everything" and "be a good friend."

It was a year of a big first for us - the loss of a parent and grandparent.  We've learned how that chunk can be taken out of your life. We were fortunately able to get to tell him goodbye but at the expense of an ugly illness. So on that note, realization of how life is so sweet, so precious, and so fragile became more clear.  Always give hugs and don't waste your energy on grudges.  Forgive. Truly forgive, even if you cannot forget.  Your heart will appreciate it. Smile. Laugh at the little things.

The year fulfilled many of our hopes and contained countless happy memories.  Our year started with the selling of our lot in January which resulted in fulfilling our wish of updating this kitchen from black and white checkerboard to a cleaner style, complete with three barstools for brotherly conversations!  Four of us spent a long weekend skiing with the Ramseys. Being involved in youth sports, a lot (a lot!!!) of our time, especially in the spring and summer, was spent at the baseball field. We have basketball and soccer memories, and some ukulele playing this fall. A semester was complete with all three together as Westwood students! The year closed down with a wonderful family trip to California to visit Disney, and we were able to share those memories with grandparents. We paid off a dental loan this summer, lifting a weight and burden off our shoulders. We have two dependable cars. We are healthy and aside from hurt feelings here and there, we are happy.

I'm thankful each day for my four guys.  Jason's truly the best man I could have chosen as a life partner!  He provides physical comfort, laughter, marital security, moral values, creative "handyman" help, and (some) emotional support. I'm so glad he loves his career, and I'm thankful for a staff who honors him as a boss, but also creates a fun work environment for him.  He's still coaching kid sports, usually with enthusiasm. Other than not quite giving as many foot and shoulder rubs as I would like (!!), I love him and think he's just a special guy.  la la la, Babe!

Grant ended fourth grade with his favorite teacher, Mr. Sallaska, filled with confidence as a respected kid with talents in many areas. He's done amazingly well on standardized tests, loves to read challenging books, and we hope he continues to have a love for learning as he gets older and develops interest in other stuff.  He dabbled in a golf league and still really enjoys it. Grant loves to cuddle at night with us, and asks us nightly to lay with him for a while. We usually stay for a few minutes but I wish we would slow down enough to do it nightly.  Grant fulfills many first-born characteristics, and is also a great brother, although sometimes a bit "parenty" in his requests.  He built a 1,000 piece lego set in two days all by himself.  Grant can melt my heart with a look from his big brown eyes.  He's developed what I call "guy humor" and often times tries to crack a joke, although I don't always laugh. My oldest is so much fun to be around and is great at being a helper.  He cannot stand to disappoint us and doesn't like to get in trouble - at all.  We're hopeful the next year will bring a best friend to fill his heart! He currently is interested in engineering and thinks that would be a fun field of work.

Kyle. I just typed his name and started to laugh.  He is like an emotional roller coaster with his personality - he is either the funniest, happiest, most lovable kid in the world, or he is grumpy, moody and not very desirable to be with depending on the situation.  Usually the grumps follow my saying he is unable to have a play date, a request to pick up him room, or being told to get to bed before Grant. Otherwise, Kyle lights up a room with his personality!  He thrives off of being in social environments, and is one loyal friend.  The girls have crushes on him and their moms tell me about them.  Third grade started off with a bit of a struggle.  He said math is harder this year as are his spelling words.  Little does he know that we've seen his test scores, and he, too, is gifted academically.  Kyle thinks he is much older than his meager 8 years, and is shown in his style wants, demeanor, and desire to watch, listen and read teen stuff.  Not happening, kid!  :)  Kyle appears to be a "gifts" and "words of affirmation" love language kid.  He loves to sweet talk his mommy (so does she!).  He and Reid usually argue the most between any of the brothers right now, and I attribute it to their similarities. He has a loud, commanding voice and presence and I am excited to see where he takes his talents in life. Kyle currently wants to be an NBA player, followed by becoming a dentist.

Reid, our baby, finished up his time in preschool and has moved on to official elementary this year. It was a big step for him (and his mommy!).  Reid wakes up happy, or he wakes up grumpy. I can tell within minutes how the morning will go with him.  He has made a good transition to school and to the daily grind of getting up and out quickly. He receives more happy faces from school now than sad faces and has learned a lot about interacting with others.  Reid is the most independent of our kids, and by that I mean in terms of play.  He could disappear upstairs for long lengths of time to play by himself if I'd allow it.  He has a great imagination.  It shines through on his play with playdough, and dress up, and playing cars and trains in the playroom. He loves to play. Did I say the word play enough in those few sentences?!  We send him half day to pre-k and it has been a perfect blend for us.  Reid's done a great job being potty-trained.  I can count on one hand (or less) the number of accidents he has ever had since not wearing a diaper. Reid is exposed to more things at an earlier age than his brothers, and that's mostly due to his brothers.  He is "the kid" who we steered cleared of in pre-k with Grant who says "die" or "hush up" and sings songs from the radio!  It's kind of funny for Jason and I to experience this, as we both totally know some of the stuff he says and does was completely taboo only six years ago, and now it simply "is what it is" as he's the youngest of three boys.  Reid does not like to cuddle.  Rarely will he sit still for twenty seconds in our lap.  I miss that part of having a little kid, but he's never been that way.  He has many friends and looks forward to seeing them!

As for me, I feel blessed and fulfilled as I write this.  Health is something I do not ever want to take for granted.  Other than being with my family, I really enjoy yard work. I enjoy spending time with my volleyball teammates on the court, and off, and anywhere that I can just be myself, laid back and natural. I have been going to a boot camp for several months and enjoy doing that for myself.  I still love Dr. Pepper and chocolate!  Reading on my tablet has become a near-nightly occurrence. My part-time work has been a blessing for now, but I do occasionally get the itch to find something "more" to do... we'll see as Reid goes to school full-time how that will turn out.  I'm thankful for my parents, who live nearby and are also my friends. They're pretty cool!  I'm gearing up for seven months of baseball season, which starts next week, full of tournaments away (thus less yard work, which is a sad thing to me), and a lot of family time in the car!

love and hugs to all - especially my boys!
Happy 2016!
Mommy/Hot Wifey/Stacy

End of 2015! Go Thunder!

This sweet 'lil munchkin rarely gets to take a bath, much less by himself, and when we did it last week, he had so much fun!  Since then, I've tried to make more effort to spend this time intentionally with him! Bubble are the best!  :)

He is exactly the length of the tub right now when laying down - I took this picture, but it's not quite internet appropriate, if you get my drift!

On the 31st, we loaded up and headed to OKC, under the disguise of going to Opening Night to watch the ball drop in downtown/Bricktown.  We were really going to the Thunder basketball game!

It was a surprise for Kyle and was his birthday present!

WHAT!!!

OH MY GOSH!

YEA!

This was actually January 1, but it's going on 2015's blog!

We celebrated the New Year by hosting several families for the OSU football bowl game.  It was fun until the game started, and then it was miserable!
The Aicheles, Morgans, Streeters, and Rubys joined us.

 These are also old, from Grant's class party, but also just shared today!

Mrs. G's class

Grant's most favorite parents in the whole wide world!  :)

Christmas Eve and Day!

 

Every Christmas Eve, the boys start out going to sleep upstairs. When we're ready for bed, we bring them down for a sleepover in our room. They were having a fun slumber party in Reid's room this year!

 Santa actually came this year!

 

We had our "Happy Birthday, Jesus" party after looking at presents.

 

Mom and Dad swung by quickly to see what Santa brought!
My hair had just gotten out of curlers, so pardon the Texas hair!  :)

 

Walker Family Christmas

The young boys at their table!

 

I had to snag a few pictures while we were all together!

 

Nana and her boys

 

This is our first Christmas without Papa. 

It was different and sad without his presence there!

 

Uncle Wayne and Edith

Dec 18th through Christmas Eve

Game night at the Streeters!

 

Annual trip to see Santa when he's at Northpark Mall! 

Reid intentionally brought his Rudolph art from school to show Santa!

Santa loved it!

 

great pic

 

 Visit at the Merricks 

 

Tripp and Reiders 

 

They've already got the recliner thing down!

 

 

 

 

 

some of the children sang Away in a Manger at church.
Our three are on the right side.

We may have been playing a lot of games during the day...

Twister is a favorite (for the boys!)

 

Sugar cookie afternoon at GG's house

 

 

 Hall Family Christmas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Eve

Jason surprised Grant and Kyle by taking them to see Star Wars VII.

 

We then went to my parents to play some games and exchange gifts with Chase, and then headed to our church for the service.

 

how perfect is this for me?  From Chase and Madison!

 

Chase got the boys gift bags, including jerseys and tickets, for a Dallas Stars game (which is actually happening as I type this - he picked them up this morning to go but wisely chose to turn around and miss it due to the severe winter weather outside!)

 

They matched - even their boots!

 

 Just because her tree belongs in a magazine!

 Grant got this from my parents. He built the entire thing in two days. He was so proud and happy.