8 reasons to love you both

How could 8 years have possibly gone by?  It's crazy to think back on those first years: feeding two at a time, changing twice as many diapers, and countless, sleepless nights - and yet I can't imagine my life without either one of you.  You are my night and my day; my sunshine and my rain - without both of you our family wouldn't be complete.

There are so many reasons to love you guys - here are eight:

#1) You are sweet, gentle gifts from God - from the first time I saw you both I knew that my life would be blessed (crazy but blessed)

#2) The joy and happiness you show reminds everyone around you that life is worth celebrating!

#3) You show us what life is all about - it's not always about being in the fast lane, sometimes it's nice to take a leisurely stroll on a carousel.  

#4) Whenever I have a bad day I know the second I see your beautiful smiles my worries will be washed away.  You are always there to make me laugh and best of all - to smile!

#5) You are always there to remind me that we don't HAVE to get everything done - right now - sometimes we can just take a little rest - and have a "do-over".  (even mom's need "do-overs")

#6) You show me what it's like to give your all, to play hard, and to dream - something I had forgotten how to do until you guys came along.  

#7) You have shown me that it is possible to make anything fun - whether it involves being drug around Grandpa's yard by a dog or having a dance party while doing dishes - fun is everywhere if you just look.

#8) You remind me that it's okay to get your hands dirty - that camping doesn't have to be in a camper (although it's nicer!) and that it's important to learn how to fish and crab and hunt (provided I just get to take pictures!)

This could be the longest blog ever, if I were to list all the reasons why your dad and I love you two.  Mostly I want you two to know how important you are to us and how proud we are of your first eight years.

Happy Birthday Kyle and Kaleb

Love, Mom

The "Awesomest" dad in the world!

As my luck would have it, my birthday falls on Father's Day this year.  In a very joking tone (which is joking, yet kinda serious) Jason said that I have had 34 birthday's and he's only had 10 Father's Days - so... he thinks we should skip my birthday.  
Well I couldn't agree more (besides then I stay 34, right?)  But really there are a lot of reasons why I think Father's Day out ranks my birthday.  For starters Jason is the most amazing father, everything he does, he does it for me and the boys.  I often times have to stop and think AND APPRECIATE all that he does.  A good dad is more than a financial provider - they are the ones that teach you how to fish, how to build things, how to tear them down, how to have fun, how to be daring, and even how to love!  I know that our boys have a major advantage over many boys their age, and it's all because of their dad!
I suppose it wouldn't be an awesome blog without words from the boys!  So I asked them a couple of quick questions about their dad and here is their answers!

Why do you love dad so much?
Kaleb: Because he hunts and fishes with us, and he bought us a trampoline and pool!
Kole: Because he's funny and nice.

What's the first word you think of when you think of dad?
Kyle: Lovable

What's your favorite memory with dad?
Kyle: Dirt biking!
Kole: Going to the Arizona Cardinal Game

I don't know many dads who take their kids hunting/ fishing/ dirt biking/ camping, coach their football/ soccer teams.....the list goes on and on - so THANK YOU JASON - for being such an "AWESOMER" dad!

Love, Kole, Kyle, Kaleb and Boots!

10 fingers, 10 toes, 10 years.....

I waited as long as I could to write this post, mostly for fear of breaking down, and yet I have to do it before the kids get home and see me crying and ask something like, "Mom, what happened? Did you stub your toe?"  No, no, nothing like that; just complete and utter sadness that my oldest is growing up.  Birthday's are like scrapbooks, they remind me of time lost with the cute, chubby little guys that used to drive me crazy.  And yet this year I find myself soaring through a vortex of pride and sadness.
I could not be more proud of Kole (and all my boys) as the years pass.  He is finding his way through life, in a world that isn't always fair, isn't always good, and is often times down right scary - and yet he is teaching me, everyday, every week, every year that life is amazing.  He is teaching me to believe in myself, to love with no regret, and to thank God for every day he has given me.
So thank you Kole, for being such an amazing son :)

Happy Birthday
Love, Mom

My little Kole :) 

Happy Birthday Big Guy!

This message will self de$!ruct in....

Covert Operation 10 will commence in 15 days, all secret agents should report for duty, promptly at 16:30 to the Special Agent in Charge.
Okay, okay....so in reality Kole's birthday is coming up and this year he wanted to do a secret agent/spy/Harry Potter/Pokemon/Scavenger Hunt Birthday Party.  I think I may have managed to get him to narrow down his choices, well at least I hope I have managed it, otherwise I may have to just tell him to deal with having a single themed party!
Since we all know I am a torturous mother I made Kole help make his invitations this year.  He was in charge of the envelopes and the secret note that had each kids code name on it!!

Kole used my scrapbooking stamps to make the envelopes look "official" 

 The outside of the card is supposed to look like an envelope, the flap actually opens but we wanted to make sure the kids saw their code names so we stuck the black piece of paper half way into the envelope.  

This is the inside of the invitation.  And here's the fun part, I scrambled a word by highlighting specific letters red, and if the kids realize they are supposed to unscramble it, AND if they figure out what the word is, they will get a special little treat!!  

I would tell you what the secret word is.....but then I'd have to kill you! 

:) 

Breaking the Tooth Fairy

It was Saturday evening, the boys went off to bed while I watched a chick-flick.  Jason was gone (hence why I was able to watch a chick-flick), and all SEEMED normal.  In fact the entire day seemed normal.  Kyle and Kaleb had an awesome flag football game, we cleaned the house, we even got to treat ourselves to Mango Tango for getting all our chores done so fast!  What SHOULD have been an indicator for me was Kaleb laughing and joking about a loose tooth.
In our household everyone knows not to show their loose teeth to me because it makes me want to gag.  (Blood gushing from a split open head and I am fine, but a loose tooth totally gets me!) So the boys were joking about his tooth, so much so that Kaleb finally had everyone stop and he got quiet about his tooth and I forgot all about it.
That was until later that evening.  This is literally a play-by-play of the night.

9:01pm Kaleb walks out holding a bloodied tooth in his hand smiling from ear to ear.
"Mom, I lost a tooth!"
I act all excited and tell him what a good job he did and do my best not to look at it or the big hole in his mouth.  I tell him to put it in the Tooth Fairy box and go to bed!

9:05pm Kaleb comes back out, another bloodied tooth and an even BIGGER smile.
"Mom, I lost another tooth!"
I actually thought he was kidding until he showed me both teeth.  I didn't know he had 2 teeth that were loose so this was a very big surprise.  I told him how cool it was to loose 2 teeth in one night and we all had a good laugh remembering when Kyle and Kaleb lost a tooth on the same night and how this was kind of similar.   Then, again, I told him to put them in the box and go to bed!

9:07pm  Kaleb comes BACK out (by now I am getting freaked out about how much this is going to cost me and the fact that I can't watch a chick-flick in peace and Jason isn't even here!)
"Mom I lost ANOTHER tooth!"
I actually asked him what on earth he was doing in his room to his poor teeth!  He was laughing and joking and all excited about what the Tooth Fairy was going to bring him!!

By this point the scrapbooker/blogger in me couldn't take it anymore and went to get the camera!

 Kaleb's holy smile!

Kaleb showing off his 3 missing teeth.  (Note the look on Kyle's face!  Someone was a LITTLE jealous of Kaleb's loot!)

Kaleb's 3 teeth!

SO thanks to Kaleb Moxley the Tooth Fairy is officially BROKE!!  

The things he does for us

Most would say that they have the most wonderful husband in the world, or at least they should say that.  Well I know I do!  There are many reasons why I love my husband so much, most of which I am sure would bore everyone to death, or make them gag.  But my husband is amazing, oh sorry he is AWESOME (his favorite word).  Not only has he continually fought for me, even when I didn't feel like fighting for myself, but he thinks of his family in everything he does.  

One of my favorite things I hear (from other wifes), is "Why can't my husband do that?"  and most of those comments revolve around all the projects Jason does to our house.  Like building 3 sets of loft beds for the boys, or installing French doors in the back, and most recently installing new energy-efficient windows.  I thought I would take a minute to share the wonderful work that he does.

Jason taking out our kitchen window (pay close attention to the grids in the window, and the lack of grids in the new one!)

Kyle and Kole enjoying the gaping hole in our wall!

Jason putting in some window, leveling thing (or something I am sure was important)

 And this is our beautiful new kitchen window.  We are still able to send dinner plates out the window when we eat outside in the summer.


I know I don't say it enough, but thanks honey - for all that you do!

What we learn from our kids

No wonder we stop going to school in our twenties (well most of us).  It's so we can have a momentary break from learning to have kids, and then we get to do it all over again via our kids.  I am always amazed at the things the boys are learning.

For instance, did you know:

Rhode Island was our 13th state?
Rhode Island's state moto is hope?
The Rhode Island state bird is the Rhode Island Red?

All of these (and A LOT) more are interesting facts Kole told me about while he was making his "State Float".  Obviously the state he chose was Rhode Island.  Each kid has to cover a shoe box with industries important to the state, tourist attractions, state seal and flag, and more information I have already forgotten about.  Then they can decorate the inside with even more information.

So here is Kole's Rhode Island State Float - on display at Errol Hassell Elementary this Friday :)

It's hard to tell but the over-sized outline of Rhode Island is on a straw, popping up off the box.

My supermodel posing in an unnatural pose!!  (had to put it on here just for the pose)

A close up of the inside.  There are trees (red maple is the state tree), sod (an important product of RI), granite (a natural resource), and you can't see it but past the sand is the ocean and a bunch of quahogs (clams).

Good Job Kole!