Christmas Feels...

Oh My Goodness -

I can't believe the holidays are already here!  EEEK!

I took the boys to have a quick shoot with Santa.  I LOVED the results. But mostly I love these little fellers something fierce.  And it's worth noting every little man's first Christmas.  Having Boone be a little bit older for his first holiday celebration means he kind of "gets it" and it is SO MUCH FUN.  Well, except for the undressing of the Christmas tree every single day.  :)

I told RyGar that our days of having all the Christmas magic are numbered, so while they're here in the sweet spot we are gonna live it up Christmas style.

Looking forward to the mot wonderful time of the year with all my fellas.

Wishing you and yours the best of the best.

About Boys...

Most times when I go out with the boys I get at least one stop from some sweet onlooker who says,
"All boys, huh?"

I don't know what they're implying with this comment because taking it at face value kind of makes me want to say in my most sarcastic & snarky tone, 

"Um...1, 2, 3, 4.... what?!  Holy... where did that extra one come from!"

So instead I usually smile at them with my little flock of wild things running laps around the vicinity and say proudly, "Yep!  All boys!"

I think people assume my life is constant crazy and filled with longing for a little pink bundle.  In truth - it's quite the opposite.  I'm so very content and aware of the blessing these little men are.  They ooze the stuff of life.  They're happy and healthy and growing and curious and full of the most delicious kind of trouble.  I love being their Mom.  I actually pleaded to the Heavens for little "Dennis the Menace" boys of my very own.  And I'm sure our years of yearning for any babies helps me keep perspective most days, but truly, you have never been loved unless you're a mama who has been loved by her sons.

I'm lumping mine all together here - but since 3/4s of them came basically all at once - it seems acceptable to do so.  These little men are fearless, limitless, high energy and full of a hunger for life and adventure that is completely admirable.  Spending my days with them is equal parts exhausting and exhilarating.  Raising boys is something you experience full on and not kind of dabble in.  I love it and I love each of their beautifully wild faces and tireless souls.  They inspire me with their reckless abandon and their belief that nothing is "too hard" or "too dangerous" or "too embarrassing".  Everything in their life can be conquered - they firmly believe and practice that idea every day and they get to do it with their best friends in the form of brothers.

Sometimes that imagination and exuberance requires some redirection and that is also a mandatory part of our daily life around here.  But man, for the most part, as they're living full speed ahead outside, we try to give a lot of freedom to churn through all that "fuel" that seems to be created with their every move.  And let me tell you this... having sons helps me understand why there are so many professional sports.  Do it!  Climb that!  Exert yourself!  Burn that energy!  SCORE!  WIN!

It's also made me a firm believer of group think.  You know, what one of them says "happened" the others immediately jump onboard and confirm that yes, that is indeed how it all went down to the very last detail.  This is particularly common when I ask questions like, "Who made this mess in the bathroom?" and one of them replies with a confident, "Oh it must have been Boone."  It's amazing the speed with which the other two confirm this as the truth and only the truth so help them God.

We had our first knock down- drag out - punches thrown - tackles made - wrestling moves exerted - fight last week on the front lawn.  You guys, it was epic.  I was shocked there was no blood.  I yelled at them to stop as I pulled them off of one another, then I told them they weren't welcome in the house until the yard was cleaned up and everyone was friends again.  Half hour later they came in asking what was for dinner as if nothing even happened.  And truly they probably don't remember it happening at all.  It was just another one of life's squabbles that once over was part of history and let's be real - they were starving.

And oh, the stories we are collecting on this band of brothers to tell at family holiday gatherings, graduation parties, and wedding dinners some day.  Stories like the time they found a can of yellow spray paint, stripped to their undies and made one another Minions - along with the walls of the shed (yeah - that happened).  Stories about late night parties in Grandma & Grandpa's bunk room when someone learned he could puncture soda cans with his teeth and he generously did so for everyone and they were all in there partying "champagne victory style" alerting us only after the giggles became too loud and too prevalent at almost midnight (there are still random soda spray stickies to be found on light fixtures, etc.)  Stories of pulled fire alarms in the church, or broken toothpicks in the ignition of the truck, or flooded sandboxes x a million and twelve, or permanent marker tiger stripes painted on little faces.  We'll shake our heads and grin and remember when they were all just a little gang of rough and tumbles that ran on HIGH.

And I'll stare at my tall, grown up boys with wild hearts and wish they were little fellers full of spit and vinegar again - if just for a day - to hear them giggle together like wild hyenas.

Shoot, Score, Pin...

We are currently enjoying all things sports this fine fall season -- including a few "new to us" sports.

Both Kael & Dax signed up for Jr. Jazz this year.  It's pretty cute to watch them work hard and "attempt" to dribble and run at the same time.  They both have good coaches and cute little teams and seem to really be enjoying themselves.  

They dutifully report back to one another after their games as to how many baskets they made in their match ups.  To say they're competitive would be an understatement - hence the separate teams/grades/etc.  We like to think it's a healthy competition... they both push one another to do better.

Ace Face has been enjoying wrestling.  He is a natural (from what I'm told) and really loved competing in his first tournament and "beating all the guys".  He got a gold medal and another superfluous boost to his ego.  :)

He has surprised us with how much he has learned and absorbed in such a short amount of time.  He knows a few moves, & the names of the moves and basic skills.  I am going to have to study up.  Here I come Internet.

Boone goes from here to there to everywhere... he naps on the go, smiles at new friends he meets along the way, and waddles onto courts, wrestling mats, up bleachers and down hallways.  He is pretty happy unless he has to hold completely still so mama packs lots of snacks and distractions.

This is actually him at church, but seriously, you have no idea how badly I wanted to be Ryno during that snuggly little moment of Sacrament.  He NEVER sits still for too long and Ryan hogged it all!

Also, is he literally a perfect 50/50 blend of Ryno and Kael or is that just me??

Speaking of sports, the Cubbies WON THE SERIES and I'm pretty sure Boone in his b-ball diapers is one of the main reasons why.  That and the crazy rubbing of a lucky rabbits' foot by his older & more superstitious brothers.  True story.  

Those boys went to spring training in Arizona to kick off the Cubs' season and they all sat - a bundle of nerves - watching the final game in the series together.  They're basically members of the team.  Just ask them.  :)

Halloweeners...

I gotta say, I have never pulled off a fully themed family costume.  Never.

We have coordinated the boys - mostly because they are into similar things (we had them as a litter).

But the family costume was a figment of my imagination until JUST THIS YEAR!

I present to you...

The Sons of Anarchy.

Hells Angels.

Biker Bros & Moto Mama.

Take your pick.  It worked and we loved it!

Halloween 2016 - you might just be my favorite yet.

It will probably go down as one of our family's miracles that RyGar actually participated AND pulled out his motorcycle for the occasion.  But to my credit (ha ha) I thought of the very least involved costume for big man and went from there.  Why yes, yes I will accept your cyber high fives.

I can't tell you how much Ace adored his costume, but maybe the above photo will help.

Nor can I tell you how paranoid I am that I introduced them to the concept of tattoo sleeves & skull caps at such a young age.  :)

Dax wore that itchy "Duck Dynasty" hair all day long.  He totally loved it.

Hey Boone - Not a soul is believing such a sweet face could do anything to deserve prison time.

Oh my rowdy crew... I just adore you in every way.

Thanks Ryno for playing along.  I kiss yo rugged face!  :)

And many thanks to Ryan's sweet Mom & Dad who came to man our door so the neighborhood wouldn't revolt against us and we could trick or treat as a gang.

We'll keep those crazies as well!  

Off to raid the candy stash...

See Ya, Witches!!

Fall Soccer...

Fall soccer ended this past weekend.  We had the most beautiful game days 90% of the time, for which I'm grateful, because that one night when the rain was blowing horizontally and ripping my umbrella to shreds as I held a snowsuit clad, Boone?  Yeah, that was not my favorite.

Anyway, the boys had such cute teams this season and all of them had great coaches.  I might be biased since RyGar was Dax's team coach, but what's a doting wifey for?

I present to you, Ace and the "GOLD MEDALS".  So named by Ace, who was completely enraptured with all things Olympics at the beginning of the season soooo long ago.  Ace kind of gets into soccer.  He scored several goals this year but he REALLY dominated at defense.  When he wasn't in it physically pained him to watch the other team score and he would turn to us and say things like,

"They NEED me out there!   Oh man, they need me!"  #humble

This was Ace at the last game telling his little huddle of teammates that today was the "World 'Serious'" of soccer and they REALLY needed to win like the Cubs.  :)

Next up, Dax and the "HOT LAVA MONSTERS/RED HOT LAVA" there is still an ongoing debate about their team's full name.  Ryno did so good with all the little neighbor kiddos and, no joke, they started to "get it" these last few games.  They even spread out and passed to one another.  Know what that's called at this age of the game?  NOVEL.  Dax scored several goals and worked until his little face matched his jersey.

Last, but not least, Kael's team was the "GREEN RAPTORS".  This year they played with refs and goalies which made things more official.  Soccer isn't Kael's favorite but he did score a goal and he played goalie a couple of times.  Kael's team dominated like they did last year.  He has a great coach who reminded everyone of their positions incessantly with the patience of Job.  Kael got to play with his good friend Ashton and his cousin Zane.

Whatever will I do with my Saturday mornings and afternoons all winter long?  Seriously, who wants to do something amazing?  My schedule just got a LOT easier -- until spring.  :)