Keep your head in the game, Son

Spencer coached O and E's soccer team this fall.

It was exactly how you'd imagine a bunch of 4-7yr boys chasing a ball back and forth on an open field would be.
Owen had a lot of fun, Spencer loved it (he really did) and wants to be Coach Spencer again,
and Elliot was strictly there for the postgame treats.

The last picture was taken right before the opposing team made the game winning goal.
Rolled right between the post and his butt without him even noticing it. - This scenario sums up his personality perfectly. He lives in his own little world where I'm guessing ninjas, pirates, and superheros reside as well.
I love this about him.

(All pics were taken by the Guinns [Thank you so much!])

Beep Bow Boop 

huh?

Way to hustle #11 

Coach Spencer & Coach Kyle & a Sonic Drink giving the boys a riveting pep talk 

Game Treat Huddle. Lookin' alive, boys!  

Postgame Parent Tunnel - 2nd time through I gave a spank. Owen loved going through twice. 

Yeah, this seems about right

Christmas story

Several times this month I've found our nativity's characters all bunched together under the roof of the manger. I then take the time to spread them all back out again in their appropriate spots according to story, and mere physics.
I finally asked Jo why she keeps piling them on top of each other and she responded,
"That's where the party is."
"Where?"
"There.", under the roof of the manger.
I think she gets it.

  

Elliot knows karate

A full minute of ninja tricks. Put your helmets on.

one of these things is not like the other

Spencer was working out of town during Owen's 6th birthday last month.
I was simultaneously consumed with nursing clininicals and ended up being both physically and mentally absent most days.

I performed a solo of happy birthday for him, double time, en route to our regular morning drop-off. And that was it. (I'm not proud of it)
I tried making up for it days later by barely pulling off a surprise party at the first chance I had to breathe (who needs sleep). He was surprised, and grateful for several days following. - That's really all I ask.





Happy late birthday, brother. Thanks for hanging in there with me.

halloween 2011

this is fun.

this is even more fun.

"That's why I'm a ninja."

In conversation with Elliot:

"You, Owen and Dad look the same because you're all...."
"Boys!"
"So Mom and Jonah look the same because we're both..."
"Superheroes!" 

well, sort of.

you'll be a lady soon

but until then,
happy (2nd) birthday, little pig.

  

free at last

first day favorites:
o "second breakfast."
e "playing on the park."


the boys are out of the house(!!!).
we've plunged them both headfirst into the wonderful world of the public educational system.
fingers crossed they'll make it out on the other side unscathed.

as for now it's currently just us girls holding down the homefront (can i get a what-what).
and in the spirit of our newfound freedom,
we're kicking our feet up and lettin' our hair down, so to speak:

  

this place is a desert

 

would it be cliché if i said this summer flew by?
it would?
oh,
well,
never mind then.

hey you summertime

in stripes and 110 degree heat.


i don't need to explain to any mother how long summer days are.
they just are.
and it was by the end of this one that our house wasn't near big enough for myself and all three of them at once so the unruly little chicks were politely booted out back.
i later glanced up through the kitchen window to find them standing there together, huddled around the wooden swing that hangs from our pecan tree while all three busily chased the pink ice cream running over the tops of their cones to their fingers and hands.
small graces.

the sun only held them a few moments more before our summer ended and i called them back in.

pizzas off the grill with guilt-free drinks and spinning hooray for earth - true loves

  

speedos and sunscreen

as a family we attended owen's very first swim meet last week.
bad idea.
the amount of people and time spent sitting in the sun was insane.
apparently part of being a swim team mom means sitting through a ridiculous amount of warmup and races while you wait to watch your own child's 5 second trip across the pool.
when it finally came time for his small moment in the sun,
he finished second to last,
jumped out of the pool and ran to the bleachers handing his 7th place ribbon over to us,
smiling from ear to ear saying, "i think i won."

i think you did too, son.
and next summer we'll be putting you in gymnastics instead.

  

lelly turns 4

 

brought to you by debbie and the dollar store. 

birthdays at our house are easy.
extremely low key with last minute party invites.
i like to maintain a low level of expectation from the people around me,
which means i rarely do big or fancy.
but this year i gave it that extra effort,
wrapping his gift in actual "happy birthday" paper instead of a leftover christmas one.
no one seemed to notice any difference.

   

underarmor

we're into the first week of summer.
during the last week of classes owen's school held a water day,
where he later returned home from with out any underwear on.

o: mom, you didn't send me any underwear with my clothes!
m: yes i did.
o: ... what color were they?
m: white. are you not wearing any underwear?
o: i didn't know they were mine! the teacher asked!
m: the teacher asked the class whose they were? where are they now?
o: in the lost & found.
m: listen to me... you just leave them there.

i then took the opportunity to explain to him that lying by omission is not always that bad. and if it means you go commando instead of having to claim your skivvies in front of your entire class, then you keep your hand down.
lesson learned.

all in all, i'd say it ended a pretty successful first year.

   

moonwalk

spring break and '80s wind breakers.
holler.

i'm still, i'm still an animal

months ago my cousin likened her to a kewpie doll.
i was offended until this picture. and now, well...okay.

and the sickness spreads

day 53

i blame elliot.

picking oranges

day 52

ho ho ho

falling leaves

day 47

i let him pick out anything he wanted,
and he chose an umbrella.
then he sat under our tree for close to half an hour waiting for it to rain leaves.
i love him so much.

life is

day 46