Always behind, but it's only because we are busy enjoying life!

Boys are back to school as of Tuesday.  Mason has been very quiet, but I'm sure he will pop out of it once he gets used to being away from home for the day.  His teacher has a great head on her shoulders and I'm so happy that Mason got her. I miss my little man, but he is going to learn so much this summer and he loves that he gets to eat lunch at school now with his new skeleton lego lunchbag.

Jamison is off to a great beginning.  He decided to run for class president, gave an amazing speech, lost by 1 vote, and won vice president.  His future as a 5th grader is looking bright and he is so excited.  He got these amazing socks from his Aunt Shannon, who fulfills his love of socks any chance she can.  These are the newest addition to his collection and he LOVES them. 

Trae ran out the door on the 1st day of school and so we missed his 1st day photo, but I'll supply one taken from a few days earlier when he got his haircut.  I bought him an expandable portfolio file and he says it is the best thing ever.  I hope this little contraption will be the answer to his organizing prayers and he can keep it together this year.  He worked so hard all summer; 7:30AM football conditioning 3x's a week, 2 week long football camps, and then the past 2 days he was put through his paces at a grueling football tryout in 100* weather.  This morning he was told that he had made the jr high football team.  Tonight was spent searching for size 11.5 football cleats... Um, wow!  My kid is growing too quickly!

Bekham is growing so much and doing new things everyday.  I miss my newborn so much.  I miss him laying on my chest cuddling, but I can't keep him to myself forever because there is much too much to explore.  He scoots everywhere and has quickly figured out how to remove the safety cover from the electrical outlet.  He is so close to crawling, but just can't figure out how to get those limbs moving the right way and is just too lazy to lift his tummy off the ground when it slides so well across the floor.

Standing tall

Bekham is growing in leaps and bounds. He pulled himself up by the laundry basket. The girl inside the basket was not impressed by this because as soon as he stood up he grabbed ahold of her hair. Stinker!

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So far behind, but I will catch up.... eventually....

Summer went way too fast and I have so much to talk about, but not now.  Now, it is time to flip the laundry over, wipe down my kitchen from the lunch mess, and maybe, just maybe we can make it to the store. 

But here are some pictures from our camping trip the weekend before last.  We had so much fun and the boys behaved themselves which was even better!  We swam and swam and swam.

The happy baby!

Mason and his fort.  This kept him busy for 3 days!

Trae and Mason hanging out.  They were covered in mosquito bites and allergies were going wild, but we were still having fun.

This is where you find the boys when we tell them we are cleaning up and heading out...

Mud Fight!

what happens when a mud fight breaks out and you are not wearing sunscreen?

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What happens at an all boys sleepover stays at the sleepover...

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Bekham talking with some attitude to his Daddy and saying dada

Mary, stop here and don't continue reading....

We said goodbye to my puppy girl on Thursday, Bekham's 5 month birthday.  She was the most amazing dog that anyone could ask for.  She was the first dog that I have ever owned (ok, Jamie had a dog Jersey that he got when Jamison was born, I hated that dog.  He is quite a champ now, but that's because he was adopted by the RIGHT owner, the boys' Papa.).  She was very well behaved, she was a lover, she was my shadow, she was my friend, and a comfort to me; especially when Jamie was out of town or out all night for work.
We got her when she was barely 5 weeks old, from a guy whom kept her in a kennel in a dark garage by herself after all her brothers and sisters were sold.  She stole my heart from the very beginning.  She bonded with all of us instantly, especially Jamie, to my dismay, I wanted her to love me the best.
When Ellie died, she fell into a depression that we were unable to help her out of.  She became fearful of so many things.  She hid in my closet on top of dirty clothes most of the day and all of the night.  We would sometimes see our Aspen come out of her shell, but those moments because farther and farther between. She became destructive when we weren't with her. Ripping apart a metal dog crate, baby gate, metal doggy door, and chain link fence all within us being gone for 2 hours.  The ripping off the doggy door and chewing apart the chain link fence became a weekly ordeal.
We had listened to a puppy cry for 2 days and it was just too much for her.  She became hysterical even with the kids and I being home. After several visits with the vet, trying the DAP collar (which did not help), we came to the decision to let her go.  I want to regret my decision because I miss her so, so, so much, but her quality of life was gone.  I just have to keep repeating to myself that she is with Ellie again, chasing bees, and being fed kitty shaped biscuits from God.  Then I will shake my head over the fact that I am now left with the doggy I never wanted... Poor Mo!  Baha!

Mason is 6

Mason celebrated his 6th birthday on the 2nd.  He could not decide what to do.  We had it planned to go to the zoo again, but then he decided Sunday that he wanted to go to the Aquarium, oh, but then he wanted to go to Tracy Aviary, and then Wednesday night (the day before his birthday) he decided to have a party, with a pinata.  He wanted it on his actual birthday, but after a lot of tears and pouting, he agreed to have it on Saturday.  We headed over to the party store, picked out his pinata, and went crazy from there.  I'm glad he did the party because as quickly planned as it was, we still had a blast.  Here are some pictures:

The kids in their newly made pirate hats and eye patches

Mason taking the first swing at the pinata

Candy!

Mason's ice cream cake

Mouth full of their takings

Blowing out his 6 candle

Mason's actual birthday!  We had brownies that Mason chose.  Jamison was dying to lite the candle he made at school and what better excuse than his brother's birthday.  We are all laughing about Trae's expression.  Total zone out to the flame.  His face doesn't change in any of the pictures I took while that flame was burning!

Once again, I am finding myself with a million things to blog about with not enough time and way too many pictures!  First lacrosse playoffs.  The boys won their first game, lost the 2nd, and lost the 3rd, thus eliminating them from the competition.  They were pretty upset about their loss, but there is always next year.  The 2nd game we were pretty disappointed in because the refs wouldn't give the boys a break between games.  They sent the boys over to play the 2nd game right after their first, with a team that had been resting for the past 2 hours.  They tried to hang in there, but ultimately were just too pooped.  The games were so rough and the other teams were getting mean, but our boys were willing to step up to the plate.  The 3rd game was an amazing game and they only lost by 1! 

Face Off.  Trae said this guy talked crap to him the entire game. Who's king now?  Oh dang, did I just say that out loud?

 
I think I should be upset with the knee, but it's the same kid as above!

 

 

Team Spirit even with disappointment

• Doors slamming

• Hole in wall

• Mason's hands tied behind his back with string

• Jamison hit in forehead with nerf bullet

• Jamison and friend tied up with rope

• Trae tied up with rope

• Couches moved

• Roman noodles spread through kitchen

• Hot fudge and strawberries found being eaten on my couch with fingers

• Mason falling off curb on bike and smashing the family jewels

• Jamison wearing lacrosse gear as war gear

• Lacrosse stick stolen from Trae and passed around like a ball in a strange game of keep away

• Slip and slides, wind, and cold hose water

• Towels strewn around the yard

• Clothes dropped and forgotten throughout entire house

• Nerf Gun war and when you run out of bullets you just toss the gun at you opponent 

• Dirty boys' bathroom... let's just say the word poop...

• Fighting

• Wrestling

• Arguing

• Whining

• Crying

• Laughing

• Playing

...... Must be a fun filled day of summer vacation in which Mommy and boys alike survived.

A little bit of Uncle Brandon's thumb sucking with a little bit of Uncle Brett's hair petting. Sweet baby bringing back sweet childhood memories. Wonder if we'll have to get Great Uncle Chris to offer him $5 to stop sucking his thumb, just like Uncle Brandon...

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Isaac's 1st Birthday

Isaac is 1!  I can't believe it.  I love that boy like one of my own.  Brett and Cynthia did good!  He was the happiest little guy at his party.  He had zero interest in ripping open his presents, but he sure wanted to play with them when his Mama opened them up. Cynthia made him the most adorable monkey cake. The Judys (wish they could be here because we miss them like crazy!) and my family got him a little dino rider and I'm proud to say he loved it!  Cynthia says he loves biting the little dino buttons to make them go off.

Isaac and the boys romped outside chasing Grandpa's chicks most of the afternoon. Cracks me up that Grandpa got them  I hear he hid them in the garage for over a week from Grandma before Brett found them in there while getting out the lawnmower!

Sorry, tons of pictures, but this isn't even half!

Isaac didn't like the feel of the grass on his toes











 

Isaac figured out that he could tap the chicks on the bum and they would jump and run. He giggled and giggled about it.

The chicks loved Jamison.  They all climbed up there on their own.  This is the BEFORE picture...

 This is the AFTER picture!!

 Bekham wasn't too sure about all these little creatures, but he loved watching them run around.


















Too Old For Everything Trae couldn't help, but get in on the action.













 Caught sneezing! 

 Grandpa enjoying his family













Yeah, He THINKS....