Continued

I got a new tablet for my birthday.  I am not sure how but all of my blog pictures have downloaded themselves onto my tablet.  My kids and I have had a lot of fun looking through all these pictures that go back 8 years.  They were so little, and life was so different.  It got me thinking about these memories.  I am so glad that I captured them.  I am so glad I am able to share these memories with my kids.  This blog has petered out.  I usually upload pictures to Facebook and Instragram now.  The downside of this is that you put a short caption on the picture.  There is very little description or emotion included.  Also my kids have informed me that it is LAME to post more than one picture a day.  Double postings is dorky.  So Facebook and Instagram have teeny tiny snapshots of my life.  I want more than that.  I want to journal again.  I want to post pictures, thoughts, and feelings and make them into memory books.  I am pretty sure no one reads this blog any more, so this will just be for me.  Everyone else can like my posts on social media. 

 (My Instagram post today)

Changes

My life is changing hard and fast this year.  I am not good with change.  I am very sentimental.  I like to hold on to memories.  I look backwards way more than I look forwards.

Change 1:  My kids are big.  My two oldest look like adults.  Gavin is starting High School, like real High School as a Sophomore.  He is also starting to drive a car and have girls follow him around.  Brynn is going to be a Freshman.  She is still in Jr. High, but is technically a Freshman.  Alec just finished Elementary School.  I have no more kids in Elementary school.  Kids grow so fast in middle school.  My baby is on the edge of becoming a big kid.  Soon I will be a mom of all big kids.  The other day I drove past a park, and I remembered the days when I knew and frequented all of the parks in our area.  I don't remember the last time I took my kids to a park to entertain them.  That part of my life is over.

Change 2:  We have recently sold our home of 15 years and we are going to build a new house.  We are excited to build a house exactly how we want it.  It is still hard to leave the place you have lived for 15 years.  All of my babies grew up here.  This house holds a lot of memories.

Change 3:  My job keeps changing on a dime.  I hoping to be teaching soon, but everything is up in the air.  I also quit my on-line WGU job I had for 11 years.  I have more free time this summer, and it is very different.

Change is good, even if I dig in my heels kicking and screaming the whole way.

Some things in December

Ornaments:

Ninja Turtle and Captain Olimar

Flying Monkey from the Wizard of Oz

Basketball

Snowman treats

Gavin's Christmas outfit

Brynn's Christmas orchestra concert

Lego Christmas village

George helping with the wrapping

 My mode of transportation for 6 weeks

  

Even good choices can have bad consequences

I hurt my foot while training for a triathlon this summer. I was exercising, trying to do something good for my body, and it back fired on me.

After being in a brace for 4 months my doctor ordered and MRI. I had torn a tendon and a ligament. They were torn in a way that they wouldn't heal on their own. So that meant surgery. I had surgery on Nov. 20th.

I can't walk on that foot for 2 weeks, and then I have to stay off it as much as possible for 4 weeks after that. My rented knee scooter and I are becoming good friends.

My cute little 1st graders made me get well cards.  They are the cutest things ever.

I have been spending a lot of time in bed watching AFV with Alec, and Once upon a Time with Brynn.  (Alec made me a heart out of the Wii remote strap).

My big fat sausage toes.

Halloween 2014

We bought Annie a sombrero on our cruise and that was the idea for her costume.

Brynn was a creepy doll.  (We are now officially beyond cute girl costumes, sigh)

Alec was Captain Olimar.  Captain Olimar is a video game character from the game Pikman (see below).

I may or may not have shed a couple of tears this Halloween.  My Gavin didn't dress up, he was way too cool for that, and he went to a Halloween party all night with his friends.  Brynn dressed up, but then promptly went trick or treating with friends in another part of town.  Brett went to an Aggie Basketball game.  That left me and Alec all alone on Halloween. 

I took Alec and a friend trick or treating and I felt sad that these days are almost over.  I probably only have one more year of trick or treating with my last kid.

I used to love making my kids Halloween costumes and taking all 3 of them trick or treating.  Checking out all the candy laid out on the floor afterward, and then tucking them into bed after a long, fun day.  Now I stay up late waiting for my teenagers to come home and wondering where the time has gone.

I am so thankful I got to experience my little kids at Halloween for many years.  Now that era is coming to an end.  I think I need to change my tactic now.  Create our own teen Halloween party every year so I can still enjoy Halloween with my kids.  I am not sure, but I will think of something.

I guess the good news is that I work in an Elementary school.  I get to dress up and see lots of cute little kids dressed up.  They aren't my kids, but I still get to enjoy this holiday with them.

Oh and I have my dog.  I can always dress up my dog :)

The Wizard of Oz

In May Brynn tried out for and got into a local theater companies production of the Wizard of Oz. She was cast as a winged monkey. She practiced through out the summer and the play started at the end of August.

The monkey costumes were awesome.

Uncle Spencer, Aunt Kim, Brynlee, Jace, and Marlee came for the last performance.

Brynn's voice teacher was the wicked witch, and her daughter played Dorothy.  They did a fantastic job.

Brynn kept telling us that we wouldn't be able to tell which monkey she was.  But I told her that a mom can always find their child.  I was right.  She is The standing up bent over one on the second row back.

It was a really well done play and she had a super fun time and made lots of new friends.  I love that she loves drama and hope she continues in it. 

Examples

I married an amazing man.  Seriously his goal every day is to make me and his kids happy.  He has been out of town this week.  This week has been a horrible week for him to be gone.  School started.  Not only did my kids start, I started back too. I will spare you the crazy details, but lets just say I really missed Brett's help this week.

Brett usually takes care of the kitchen and without him here, and it being a busy week, it got neglected.  I tried my best, but by this morning it was horrible.  I have a presentation I have to give tomorrow, so I don't have time to tackle it.

I went out to make dinner and my sweet 14 year old son had completely cleaned the kitchen, mopped, and started a load of laundry (mind you it was a clean load that I hadn't taken out of the laundry room yet, but at least he tried).  He could tell I was stressed and wanted to help me.

It brought tears to my eyes because I am so proud of the man he is becoming, and because I have an amazing husband who is such an amazing example to my kids, especially my boys.  He is teaching them with his actions how you take care of each other, and to be aware of others needs.  I hope my boys grow up and love their families, especially their wives, as much as their dad does.

First day of School 2014

Gavin and Brynn are in the same Junior High together this year. Gavin is technically a Freshman. A Freshman in High School! Blows my mind. This is Alec's last year of Elementary School. Blows my mind again! Every year I wonder where the time goes.

Zelda Party

(My brother Spencer called Alec on the night of his birthday to wish him a Happy Birthday.  I fully expected Alec to tell Spencer all about his Zelda party.  Spencer would have really appreciated this party.  Not many people are up to snuff on Zelda, but a couple of my brothers are.  Alec forgot to tell Spencer about his party.  So this post is partly for Spencer's benefit).

I tried with all my might to talk Alec into having a party at the Jump Zone.  An hour and a half of boys jumping around while I sat there watching sounded like fun to me.  He wanted nothing to do with it.  He was adement that he have a Zelda party.  Of course I obliged.  I actually love doing theme birthday parties for my kids.  I may or may not go a little overboard. 

I have to admit though, I think I am getting partied out.  I have roughly done 20 parties for all 3 of my kids from 4 years old to 11 years old.  Alec is my last child and I am feeling a little bit of party burn out.  Honestly I am glad I am feeling this, because a couple of years ago I was feeling sad that birthday parties were coming to an end.  I am not sad anymore.  I think I am ready to be done for awhile.

So we went all out on this party (our probably last party).  Oh who am I kidding.  We (mostly I) always go all out.  And I have to give Brett most of the credit on this one.  He put together all of the bows, whittled all of the arrows, cut out all of the shields, and created an awesome target.

We decided to do this party at the park.  More room for boys to run around, and more room for bow and arrow practice.

 The refreshments:

 We had 4 stations set up. (I forgot to take pictures of the quiver and arrow stations)

1.  Build and decorate your bow

 2.  Create a shield

 

3.  Make a quiver (out of a Pringles can and felt and a leather strap)

 

4.  Decorate your arrows (Brett pre-glued the feathers on dowels, and we used pencil erasers for the tips)

 Brett then gave a quick shooting and safety lesson and the boys tried to hit the Zelda enemy target.

 

  

 Even big brother got in on the action.

  

 Presents (I love the happy look on his face here)

    Noah, Garrett, Kyron, Alec, Rome, Jackson, J.D., Tucker, and Jaxon

Alec is DOUBLE DIGITS!

Did you realize that most of your life is spent in double digits? You only get 9 years of single digits, and if you are lucky you will see triple digits. But for the most part we are always double digits.

My "baby" turned double digits today.  TEN!!!  That is so crazy to me.  After 10 they become big kids really fast.

He wanted a Zelda theme

Triforce cake!

(he informed me a couple days before his birthday that he doesn't like cake.  He does however like cupcakes.  So I made his cake out of cupcakes this year).

Alec it has been fun to watch you this year.  You aren't scared of much anymore.  You are much more bold and willing to try new things.  I have often sat back in awe as I watch you come out of your shell and try things you would never have tried before.  You are much more confident and happy.  You have a very smart sense of humor and make us laugh a lot.  You are a deep thinker, very smart, and take everything literally.  You love video games:  Pikmin and Zelda are your favorites.  You love Legos and helped mom with Lego club this year.  You are so sweet to little kids and babies.  You still love to snuggle with your mom and still fit on her lap.  You finished 4th grade and are about to start 5th grade, your last year in Elementary School.  You are growing up so fast and are a joy to have in our family.