Merry Christmas!

I had intended on writing prior to Christmas, but it didn't get done. I hope everyone had a great Christmas! We've been spending it with my mom, sister, and niece from Missouri. This is the first time they have traveled here to Arizona for Christmas and I love it! I'll leave you with a photo of our tree on Christmas Eve taken from the stairs, after all the kids are in bed. I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year's!

A River Adventure

One of Kent and Kurt's favorite things to do is go to a nearby creek. They call it a "river" but it is indeed a creek. There are a few fish in it and some ducks, but what they really like to see is crayfish. Or "crawdads" is what I always called them. This time of year though, you don't really see many of them. At least not alive. But that doesn't stop the boys. They gather up all the parts and pieces they can find and put them in ziploc bags to take home. Oh joy. They usually take them to school the next day to show their classmates.

We always see some interesting things at the river. This time we saw a big bird. Now, I'm not a bird expert, so I don't know what it was, but Kent and Kurt insisted it was a pelican, so I had to agree. Even though we are a state away from the ocean. And it didn't have a big beak. And there is no point to it being at a creek...errrr, river, because the fish are like 3 inches long. In any case, we were able to creep up enough for me to zoom in on it right before it flew away.

However, the most thrilling thing for me was the siting of the very rare Kent-outside-without-sunglasses-guy and I was able to snap a photo right before he put the glasses back on. No one has been able to capture a photo like this for at least 5 years.

This past Sunday was the last time we will travel to the river for a while, as it's finally turned "cold" here (and I use that loosely...just means I must wear socks). When it warms back up (oh, say like in February), I'm sure we will be back over there looking for those live crawdads. Eww.

Happy Thanksgiving!

November is flying by...things we've been doing:

Grant's football banquet - while he didn't get a special football award, he did get an academic award for his 4.0 GPA. We'll take that any day over a football award.

Flag Football: Wyatt continues to play.

Soccer: Fall season is over, but winter season starts today. There is no end to the sports in this family! A few moms and I put together soccer books for all the players:

Stingray Exhibit: New at the zoo. We were there the first day it opened standing in line to get in.

As far as Thanksgiving...it's just us this year so we are going OUT to eat! Woohoo!

Hope everyone has a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving.

And on to November...

...I actually have jeans on! OK, I admit, I had shorts and flip-flops on most of the day. But at least now when we go to a night game, it's cold enough for jeans and close-toed shoes. Sometimes I even wear socks.

Halloween was a blast, as usual. This year I really didn't have the energy to do the 3-hour-trick-or-treating-with-adult-beverage-in-hand deal. All day I was telling myself "ONE hour and we are coming home!" However, when I picked up K&K from school and a friend called out to me "My house. 5:30. Margaritas." I quickly responded "we'll BE THERE!" Oy. I am so weak.

So this year it was 3 1/2 hours out. Perfect weather...I even wore capris. As the kids trick-or-treated for candy, the adults were handed "drinks" at friends' houses along the way. Don't we have such a neighborly neighborhood?

Since DH was off riding in a helicopter that day and didn't get home until late, Grant was designated as the candy-giver-outer. He and a friend manned the door until DH got home and then they headed out to meet up with some friends. He didn't actually trick-or-treat, since he wasn't dressed up. No need though since his brothers brought home gobs of candy.

Wyatt's costume was put together about 10 minutes before we left. It went like this:

Me: Wyatt, what costume are you wearing?

Wyatt: I don't know.

Me: Here, put on Grant's football pads, pants, and helmet and your jersey and cleats.

Wyatt. OK.

Heh.

Kent and Kurt, however are another story. We start deciding on costumes about 2 months in advance. Kurt wanted to be Jango Fett, but I could not find a costume anywhere, even online. So I had to head to eBay and pay way more than I usually do. Kent was easy, when he saw the Bionicle costume, that was it.

Every year I have to tell the boys of when I was a student and going to Catholic school and we always got the day after Halloween off because it was a Holy Day. So my siblings and I got to stay up as late as we wanted. The boys always then ask if they can go to Catholic School. Heh.

I'm loving this time of year...my absolute favorite. Can't wait for all the rest of the holidays.

And it's over!

Last game of the football season last night...

We all have mixed emotions about it:

• sad...that it's over because it was so much fun!
• grateful...that Grant got to play every game
• happy...that Grant has more free time
• relieved...that Grant never got hurt
• hopeful...that next year will be even better for him.

Number 9 for the final time...

October...

How cute are these? Kent and Kurt made these tiny ghosts with Dum-Dums and tissues.

So, October has been busy for us so far. Quick rundown...

• Baseball, baseball, baseball
• Soccer, soccer, soccer
• Football, football, football
• Flag football got started
• Wyatt's 12th birthday
• Fall Break: Zoo, Movies, Board games (my 4 boys and I played a 5 hour Monopoly game one day), sleepovers, and friends, friends, and more friends. The boys went back to school today.

The boys are looking forward to Halloween...and so am I. All the moms walk the neighborhood with the kids (with adult beverages in hand) and we stay out for hours. Last year we had about 50 people traveling together. Not an easy feat!

We only have 2 football games left...Grant is already counting down the number of days of practice remaining. And baseball is winding down. Within a month, we'll be done with everything except flag football (which goes into December). Just in time for me to get started on the school yearbook. :/

If anyone has been hanging with me by continuing to read this blog, I thank you.

Like father, like son

Last night Grant's high school played their rival. And that rival just happens to be the high school that DH attended. DH played one year of football, his freshman year. Even though it wasn't a big deal to him that Grant was playing on the very field that he played on oh-so-many years ago...I, of course, was all sentimental about it and plan to scrap it. Again, not the greatest photo, but at least I got something.

Oh, and WE WON! It was a GREAT game!

A good night...or my boys ROCK!

See that...that bat in motion? It's in motion for a home run! Yes! Wyatt's first game last night...first time at bat and he hit a home run! I was SO excited and so was he. Wyatt had a really great game last night all the way around - several hits, RBI's and perfect fielding. He got game ball from the coach after the game. Wonderful start to the season and a real confidence boost for him.

Last night DH and I had to split up - I went to Wyatt's game and he went to Grant's football game. DH missed out on a great game, but I did too. Grant played most of the 4th quarter and had a great tackle on the opposing player who had the ball. Grant hit him and he dropped the ball. It was so great that when he came back in from the play, all the players were congratulating him. After the game everyone was talking about it. The defensive coach told Grant it was the best hit of the night. :) I'm so sorry I missed it! But also very happy for him and that his dad was there to see it.

On a side note...today is the 20th anniversary of DH and I going on our first date. Anyone else celebrate that? We went to TGIFriday's (now we frequent a different one with our boys) and then bar-hopping. I think he liked me because I could hold my liquor so well. Can't do that nowadays, but back then...ahh, those were the days. ;)

It's Soccer Time!

Time for fall soccer again. Kent and Kurt have been playing soccer with the same little group (there are 3 boys and 3 girls) for 4 years now. Each year it gets more fun to watch as they improve their skills.

During practice last week, one of the trainers told Kent he couldn't wear his sunglasses while playing. The thought being that if a ball hit them, they might shatter/break and injure his eye. Um...ya know...I'm doubting those $5.99 plastic Power Ranger sunglasses are going to "shatter" dude. Anyway, I had to speak to the league director and tell her that he probably won't play if he can't wear sunglasses. He simply has very sensitive eyes and will not step outside without them. He's been wearing them since he was about 2 years old. I finally convinced her that we would get him some "sport" sunglasses and take full responsibility if they "shatter."

Well, Saturday morning arrives and we forgot to get them! So DH pulls out these adult sunglasses and says "wear these" so Kent did. They only popped apart once during the game. :/ Since then I bought him another pair that look pretty sport-like (all black), with a strap that goes around his head. In reality, they are just $5.99 plastic Target ones, with a $1.99 strap. Hee.

While I'm still having lots of trouble getting good football photos, the soccer ones are turning out pretty well and I'm happy.

Tonight we begin baseball with Wyatt, with his first game. In fact, tonight we also have a football game for Grant, plus soccer practice for Kent and Kurt. They all start at 6pm. I need a clone. Or two.

I crashed CE

Creative Escape, Heidi Swapp's event of course! Today I went over to The Pointe at Squaw Peak to pick up my pal Alannah who is attending the Creative Escape and go to lunch and just hang out a bit. First of all, the resort is just exquisite. It's been a few years since I had been there so that was a treat just being there. The event, though...just the tiny, tiny bit I got to see, was magnificent! Heidi truly thought of everything! Even the room keys were custom-made for Creative Escape! I went with Alannah to the store that Scrapbooks, Etc. had set up there and then we went over to get her registered. And that's where I felt like a part of the party! So many old friends I hadn't seen in a while! I just stood around and pretended like I was supposed to be there. Alannah even gave me some of her stuff to hold so that it looked like I was registered. Hee.

Everything was pink and green, of course! Lots of flowers around. There were 13 collectible buttons for sale - $1 each. (You can sort of see them on Heidi's lanyard in the photo below.) By the time we got up to buy them, 3 had sold out. Alannah was sweet enough to buy me one that read "It's a DRY heat Escape" and all the others were just as cute and clever! Before I left, someone with one of the sold-out 3 sold it for $20! LOL

As always, loved catching up with Heidi a bit...she says I "need" to hold her baby soon. (No Capri was not in attendance - Heidi might be insane hosting an huge event a month after she gave birth, but she's not THAT crazy! LOL) So much fun that they probably would have had to kick me out if it hadn't been for Grant calling to say he was sick. That cut my time short and I had to go home. Maybe next time (if there is one), I'll attend it for real.