It begins!

Yesterday, our lot was empty.  Today, they are plotting out the house location, grading and I don't know what else.  This blog could very easily become a step-by-step chronology of the house building process but I will try to spare you.  The exciting thing right now is that it Has BEGUN!!

Reassurance

Over lunch today, the boys were discussing their favorite football teams and players.  Zach asked me why I didn't like Tom Brady.  Trying to be diplomatic, but also establish a few character development points, I tactfully explained that I didn't like how he treated women.  Zach would not let me get away with that vague of an answer and he pressed me to explain further.  So, I added that Brady only dates a lot of really, really beautiful women and that he doesn't plan on marrying any of them.

While Zach tried to process this, Eli chimes in, "Don't worry mom.  You're not very pretty and you kind of look like a boy!"

Awesome.

Something about Spaghetti

It seems that all of our blog-worthy-dinner-
moments happen over spaghetti.  Perhaps I should serve it more often because these were two of tonight's gems:

Eli (praying): "Dear Heavenly Father.  Daddy is going to the shelter tonight.  We have spaghetti tonight and spoons and forks.  Amen!"

A little later during the meal, Steve made a rude noise at the table and immediately said, "Excuse me."

I gave him 'the look' to which he responded, "Why are you looking at me all disappointed?"

Zach answered him, "She does that when you do stuff that she's already told you not to do." 

Broncos birthday

We have maintained the unorthodox tradition of celebrating Zach's birth on his half birthday, and yesterday he turned 6 1/2!  He has grown up so much this past spring.  He is reading extremely well and independently spends time each day reading books that I would have said were too difficult for him.  He also had a great baseball season this spring.  He is hitting the ball well and also beginning to field the ball.  In fact during one game he got 5 outs during the 3 inning game!

But the biggest, most alarming, sign of his advancing age was the day that he looked in the mirror after a shower and told me that he wanted his hair "cool".  When I asked what he meant by "cool" he replied, "You know....sticking up".  So this week at the barber he was shown how to make the front bit of hair spike.

Zach asked for a kid's cookbook for his birthday
and then insisted on making lunch for us!

Eli also prepared his sandwich today!

Free at last!

Last week we enjoyed a vacation at the beach.  While the weather was not ideal for swimming, or some days even sitting on the beach, we all managed to have a wonderful time.  Steve was more free from responsibilities than he has been in a long time.  His Mississippi trips (yes, that is plural) are behind him and his workload has lightened considerably, in fact while we were away he only spent a couple of hours during the whole week working.  The rest of the time was spent with the mere responsibility of being a 'dad'.  Towards that end he played a great deal of baseball with Zach and Eli.  I can see that in a few more years all three boys will ignore me for the greater fun of playing with daddy!  I cannot begin to compete.  (Plus, that will leave me on the beach. Alone. Reading.)

Really, for our whole family, the week marked the end of a crazy, stressful year.  While mainly it was Steve who has needed the relaxation for the first time in 14 months,  it was also significant for me with the 'return' of Steve and with my sister's wedding being behind us.  But, I feel certain (In fact, I think it's guaranteed) that the next few months will produce a different kind of stress as we prepare to build our new house this summer/fall.  I am looking forward to the process but I am also taking the time to enjoy the decreased tension and more relaxed pace of right now.

Another year...

In the midst of wedding prep, my sweet baby turned one year old!  We all paused and 

took a moment to celebrate his birth!!

Happy Birthday, Marcus!

 

Wedding Bliss

This past Saturday we hosted my sister's wedding in our yard.  After months of preparation we spent the final week in a frenzy, cleaning up and decorating for the big event.  The end results were incredible.  Not only were Julie and Aaron pleased with how everything turned out but I believe it was the most fun I have ever had at a wedding! (It was also the most work I have ever done for a wedding too...)

Julie wanted a small, meadow wedding and we all imagined it as a scene out of Tuscany with outdoor dining at long tables filled with platters of fresh food!  I appreciated how much Julie let me take part in the planning and if I were to be having my wedding now I would do the same style.

The boys (especially Zach) were so excited about the whole event.  They soaked up each aspect from the day: seeing Julie for the first time as a bride, the ceremony and cutting the cake.  Plus it didn't hurt that after the sun went down there were glow sticks and sparklers!

There are so many pictures that I love from the day and the events leading up to it, that I am going to post quite a few, enjoy!!

Sidelined

This handsome soccer and baseball player has been on the DL for the past few weeks while he recovered from some minor surgery.  It is so rare to get a nice, cooperative picture of him that I'm almost glad he couldn't play since it enabled me to grab this!!

His greatness

'Marconius Magnus'

This is a job for...

I wasn't planning on posting this story because I don't think it will make the transition from verbal format to blog, but after retelling it so many times I feel like it needs to be recorded for my memory.  If this flops just know that it is MUCH funnier in person! 

The boys have recently started pretending to be superheroes.  It's interesting to watch boy play develop because they started being superheroes before they had ever heard or seen pictures of the characters so prevalent in our culture right now.  They still don't really know Superman or Spiderman or the like, but every once in a while they will switch from dinosaur play to don the identity of 'Fireboy' or 'Strongman'.

The other day, while they were playing superheroes I had this conversation with Eli:

M: What's your superhero name?

E:  SUPERBANE!

M: Oh!  What is your super power, Superbane?

E:  (with very serious and intense expression and gestures) I lift up chairs.... and look for lizards!!



You never know when that skill might come in handy!

A cold opening day

I suppose it's another sign of spring that Little League has started.  It sure hasn't felt much like spring, especially for opening day which I had to navigate without Steve due to a work event.  Somehow the boys and I made it on time for the start of the parade and we survived the cold by collecting plenty of candy!

I obviously wasn't the only one worn out from the day's festivities, because during Zach's game I looked down at the stroller and found Eli fast asleep!