Getting ready....

So excited we can hardly stand it!  Its December 23 and we are all filled with so much of anticipation!  I wish that we would bottle up these next few days.  The excitement, the happiness, the thrill of surprise, the hugs and the gratitude are all feelings I would love to hold onto all year long.

We have so much to be thankful for this year and I hope that I can learn to convey that to our children even more.  We have been able to hang in there despite the rough economy and our job situations.  We always have food on our table and more than enough clothes to keep us warm.  We have wonderful family and friends who love us and take care of us.  And we have a great home with wonderful neighbors and the kids attend a school with a caring and loving staff.

Though there are times that we wish we could do more and have more money and be able to pay off bills - but if we stop and think about it....we have all we need and are so very fortunate.

Bring on the Christmas Joy!  We are more than ready for it!  I just hope it goes by slowly!

Holiday fun....

I could not have had a better day....shopping with mom, baked cookies with JoJo while watching Polar Express and Santa Paws, Christmas pasta for dinner and Frosty the Snowman on TV for dessert!  It was a day to just do stuff with my family....and I realize how little I do this.  I spend my days doing laundry, cleaning up, doing work, answering phone calls and emails and running errands.  I don't take nearly enough time to hang out with my kids and husband.  I don't take enough time to just BE with them.  BE myself and not the mom or business owner or PTA vice pres or cheer coach.  I wear so many hats that I rarely go WITHOUT a hat!  I would like to be able to take off my other hats and just be a mom and friend and family member.  This will be my new years resolution this year.  I may not be able to do these things often but I hope to be able to do it on the weekends.  I will work hard during the week but I want to focus on family at night and during the weekends.  Life is passing me by and I'm not able to enjoy it fully because I'm too busy.

So, after today's Holiday events....I learned a lesson and had a wonderful time with my kiddos.

Pictures from Monica

Click here to view these pictures larger

LEGO BEDROOM

We did it!  We finally redid the boys room!  I had this idea months ago and did quite a bit of research on the internet to find what kind of ideas I could pull together for a cool Lego room!  My mom, of course, got excited about it too so that just put me into motion!  We bought paint, some brushes and wen to town!  For some reason, my mom enjoys painting....so more power to her!

We painted and then I shopped!  New bedding for the boys and a new rug and then we made the "accessories" for the walls too.  My mom made curtains because I couldn't find exactly what I wanted.  

I had so much fun!  My creative brain really went to work!  I would LOVE to redo my bedroom and the front game room too but maybe next summer.....

JoJo and Tatum Staying Cool

JoJo has a good friend Tatum.  She is Carolyn's granddaughter and when she comes to visit- she heads straight to our house to play with the boys.  In fact, if we leave the door unlocked, she'll just walk right in!  She is a sweet girl and LOVES JoJo!  They could play for hours!  This one summer day, it was too hot to do much but they wanted to jump on the trampoline!  After doing that for a few minutes and realizing how hot it was- they moved their play time to a little pool under the trampoline so they could cool off!  

TP Brothers strike again

For weeks, the boys have been bugging me to go tp-ing.  They keep asking and I keep putting them off.  This is totally my fault because I allowed it to happen the first time a few months ago and now I will never live it down.

So I gave in....Jonathan was at the point of begging so I finally asked him WHO we would TP.  He immediately come up with the idea to TP Greg and Lisa.  How could I say no....it was a safe place, we could clean it up afterwards and we could go early and still get to bed on time!

So we did it!  They had a great time!  Jojo had no idea what to do but was just excited to be a part of it!

Suns Camp

As we do every year, the boys went to the Phoenix Suns basketball camp!  Jacob complains about going, but in reality, I think he enjoys playing with friends and eating candy and snacks at the snackbar!  

Both boys had a great time and JoJo can't wait until he can go!  However, as long as he is still scared of the "Monkey", he won't be doing this camp!  :-)

Yellow belts

Well today was another "testing" day at ATA.  It is all very interesting to learn about this new sport and what it takes to advance and move up.  And while sometimes it seems a little different or strange to me, I also think it is such an incredible learning experience for the kids.  They are really learning a lot and have developed a great respect for the sport and those that teach them.  Today, after a bit of struggle for Jacob, they moved up again to the Yellow Belt recommended.  The testing is great experience as well because it teaches them to get in front of a crowd and in front of judges and have to do their best on certain combinations and moves. It is all very exciting to be learning this new sport and I'm proud of my two boys who continue to move up!!!  Congrats Yellow Belts!

Fun at the FARM

I woke up this Saturday morning and turned on the news only to see that there was a "Family Fun Day" at Tolmechof's farm.  The weather is getting warmer each day and the kids are going stir crazy so I thought, "let's go to the farm"!  The boys grew up going to Young's Farm but Jojo has never been to the farm so I thought it was time to take him to see the animals and where veggies were grown.

Despite much resistance from the older two, I rallied the troops and we headed to the farm!  It cost a little more than I thought it would but it was great fun!  There were slides and games, a tomato cannon, train rides, chickens, baby pigs, donkeys, corn shucking contests, hay mazes and more!  After we tried it all, we went out to the field and picked our own veggies.  The boys had a great time but not sure they will eat the veggies we picked!  Might get 'em to eat the watermelon that Jacob won while shooting the tomato cannon but that is about it.

It was a great day!  Glad we made the outing!

You hurt my "feelings"

Ah JoJo!  I'm sad to say that I missed this moment today but while playing outside with Dad and Jonathan, Jordan was hit in the chest with a ball and said, "You hurt my......feelings!"  Ha Ha!  I just love that kid!

Summertime!

The summer begins......

So here we are again....a summer to entertain 3 boys of different ages all day and everyday for the next two months.  I feel a little overwhelmed with the thought but am trying to be positive and creative!  I entrust teachers to educate and entertain my children 9 months out of the year so the least I can do is offer my kids the same creative educational activities for just 2 months.  I CAN DO IT!

But how?  Perhaps bowling, mini golf, swimming, bookstore, rock climbing, zoo, Sea Life aquarium, the mall, ice skating and the movies.  Not sure those are all educational but its a start.  And maybe workbooks and flashcards?  This year I am having Jonathan and Jacob start their own blogs.  This will work their writing and typing skills and hopefully they will read my blog as well as others to fulfill their summer reading.  But how will we practice math skills?

But besides the education I would like them to get and the exercise I want them to do each day...I also want them to have time to play and be together and laugh and be silly.  I want to take the time to be silly with them.  Its hard and when I have so much work to do this month....I know its important and as soon as I blink- the summer will be over!

Wish me luck!

Sleep over summer

With the Rattlers, Randy travels about every other weekend during the summer.  To me, it means that I'm lonely and I miss having him around.  To the boys, however, it means SLEEPOVER!  They love to sleep out on the couch, watch a movie and stay up as late as they can.  Sometimes with popcorn and soda and sometimes just the thrill of sleeping someplace new is all they need!  

Pictures from Monica

Click here to view these pictures larger

Free Free....set them free...

I'm trying to sing that song over and over in my head...."if you love someone, set them free".  Jonathan left today for his 2 day trip to Sea World....without me.  Its bittersweet....I'm happy for him and all the fun he'll have and the memories he'll always have from this trip.  But I'm sad that he's old enough to go without me!  That can only mean one thing...he's growing up.

I think he is actually older than I give him credit for.  As Randy said tonight, "I coddle him".  And I do....he's my first born and I know I do it but I can't help it.  I want the best for him.  I want to protect him.  I don't want him to get hurt.  I want him to be safe.  All things that we wish for our children but somehow I can't figure out how to do that without "coddling" him.

While I believe that he is an "old soul", I also think sometimes he wants to stay "young" in my eyes.  Maybe he does it because he's scared of what lies ahead.  Or maybe he does it just so that I feel like I'm still needed.    He is so smart and listens to what everyone says around him.  He notices everything and takes everything to heart.

I guess I just miss him a lot and want him to come home!  Though we fight and don't seem to get along all the time, he means the world to me and I can't imagine life without him and tonight I am reminded of this more than ever!

 

Best Mother's day Dinner EVER!

On this Moather's day, Randy was on his way home from a road trip and I didn't want to make dinner....but low and behold- I have 3 amazing children who wanted to take care of that for me!  They made me go in my room for hours!  So I  did as I was told and enjoyed my time alone!

When I came out they had done it all!  They made a sign for their restaurant, 3J's, made menus, dressed up to be the waiters and chef, and were ready to make a delicious dinner!  Though my options were limited (see menu) they worked hard to make it themselves!  Love my boys JJJR!

Easter picture....impossible

This is the ONE picture that turned out on Easter!  Getting these monsters to sit still is quite a chore!

Easter with Baby Hayden

Happy Easter to all!  After our morning withEaster baskets and breakfast with Papa Gil, we headed over to Grandma Kings!  We had a great lunch with the boys, and a great time with "Baby Hayden" (who is not so much of a baby anymore) 

Jojo LOVES his cousin and friend!  He wants to show him everything and is just so excited to be the "big" boy. They were so cute together!!!

Coloring eggs

I don't know when coloring eggs will get old.  The boys LOVE coloring eggs every year!  Perhaps because they are all so creative (and a little competitive) so they like to see who can create the 'coolest' eggs!  I just love that they enjoy being together for this family tradition!

Dbacks

Diamondbacks game!

We had a great time going to the Diamondback game with Jon's team!

JoJo had a blast with his Daddy!

And he had fun participating in the games and cheering them on!

And of course, the best part of the game was that he got to sit next to Chloe, his best girl friend!