My Sweet Boys

So this morning I was being lazy, and well the boys really weren't making their usual noise, aka I'm hungry. J is gone on a trip so I stayed in bed and watched some DVR'd shows thinking I would get maybe 5 minutes before "noise" would begin. Well lets say I didn't get up until 9:30! Can you believe that, and it wasn't because from any "noise" made by the boys but my own rumbling tummy. I ventured downstairs expecting for my appearance to start the morning onslaught of complaints of hunger, and was surprised to find three boys that had already eaten. The older two helped N and all three enjoyed some toaster struddle together and left mommy alone, they even said when I came down that they wanted mommy to sleep in! They even took care of their dishes (at least put them on the counter) and washed up, helping N wash his face and hands as well. I think my little boys are growing up....no I KNOW my little boys aren't so little anymore.

It leaves me with one question....So when are they old enough to bring me breakfast in bed? **wink wink**

M, can't believe he is almost 8!

The boys are loving the chair N got for Christmas from Gma and Gpa!

Yes N is in a headlock, the only way to have him this close to J's face without him tearing the glasses off! But hey, he is smiling :)

LOVE! A true non-cheese smile! Look at all those teeth! He is working on some more, hence the pink cheeks, icky diapers and all the EARLY morning snuggling we have been having.



On a different note I have been really trying to jump back on the Elliptical and managed to log 4 days in this week and increased my time today without any trouble and really looking forward to getting back on tomorrow, having some shows to watch really makes the time fly by...love to multi-task!

Reading is so Addictive!

So yesterday I had the privilege to watch the older two receive awards for all the reading and testing that they have done at school the past three months. While waiting for the program to begin N had fun driving his trains ALL over the multi-purpose room (aka gym, lunch room, stage). We had several "conversations" about staying closer to mommy and to not disturb other kids/adults with all his cho-cho trains.

Playing is some serious work to this lil' man!

J with his level 1, his first certificate of the year....he is SO proud! I.am.so.proud! It just makes me so happy that he is progressing and has come to the conclusion that he CAN read and he CAN sound out words...we had issues last year..confidence does wonders!

M with his certificates...a total of 5 for the day...he has received 9 in total for the year. At the parent teacher conference in November we were informed that M has read the most books in his class...like double the amount of books then anyone else...and those are just the ones he has been reading and testing on at school! He also has a passion for reading at home and has been flying through all the books we have, good thing he got a new series to read from Gma and Gpa for Christmas!

Ringing in the New Year!

So for the New Year we had some friends over to help celebrate. The boys had a blast playing with their friends and we had a blast eating, talking, laughing and playing some RockBand.

 The plan was to have an xbox upstairs for the kids to play on, and a WII and xbox for the adults to play...but N and all his terrible twos had other plans, sticking a penny in the DVD drive on the one upstairs. So the kids and adults rocked out together instead, which was still a good time. J got warmed up to the idea later on in the evening.

 J helped M's good buddy play some drums.

 J took the mic once too....love the hat right!

 Ready for the countdown!

J getting in the groove playing guitar.

A New Year!

Well I have been trying to post some awesome new pictures I took with my AWESOME new camera, but I think I have to format the pictures differently, like smaller, so they can upload.
If you haven't heard I got totally spoiled by the hubby this year. I really wasn't expecting to get anything big since we had some investments in November, like a new washer and dryer and a spare refrigerator. Those who have been reading the blog from the start know that we purchased a new washer only a couple of years back, a washer I named Vader. Well Vader was moved a total of 4 times without its proper packaging and somewhere along the way it sustained some damage and started to leak, J tried to fix it, but to no avail. So I got the go ahead to purchase a new set, and I spent the day on the internet and at stores trying to get the best price possible on the set we agreed on. I was super nervous spending that much on my own, since J stayed home with the boys...cause you know the boys would LOVE to come along and go to boring stores and shop for mommy and daddy things and would behave wonderfully....**wink wink** so I managed to buy our new top loading HE LG washer and dryer and it was delivered 5 days later...and we kept the washer insert this time so hopefully the next time we move there won't be as much stress put on the drum.
Well at the same time we were having some compressor problems with our cheap fridge we bought from Sears, again probably because of all that moving we have done, and things just weren't staying cold...it was kinda sketchy and I don't like the idea of food poisoning hitting the house, so I started searching on CraigsList to see what people had locally. Low and behold someone was selling a side by side with water and ice stainless steeled front fridge for the low price of $300...SOLD! It is maybe 5 years old and looks wonderful and could be a primary fridge the next time we move if needed. In my head I said Christmas was done...but J had a trick up his sleeve I guess ;)
Christmas Morning the boys were so excited to give me my gift, I thought how cute, but then they started piling more and more in front of me...the first one had me at hello...my Cannon Rebel T1i...NO WAY! Then came a long range lens, and a couple of books to help me figure it all out. This camera has some many features and just magically takes awesome pictures even on auto, that I have turned into a total paparazzi with the boys :P
Again once I figure out how to turn the images into suitable sizes for blogger be prepared for an onslaught of photos of just about anything and everything.

Christmas Pictures 2010

It has been a tradition to get the boys some new Christmas pjs each year and take some cute picks of the them next to the tree. This went relatively smoothly this year until the very end when N started his meltdown and J also refused to smile. I think I did get some blog worthy photos though ;)
Who wants some tickles? My cutie-pa-toot-ties.

J with his jail-deer pjs...at least that is what daddy called them.

M next to the tree. Actually got one without the glare, which is something new to work with.

This guy was the most difficult to work with, he is constantly on the move...oh he sat down where I wanted him to...but does not understand the concept of staying, smiling and looking at the camera at the same time so much. Can you tell what he is saying in the pic.....CHEESE!

Chirstmas Photos

Everyone finally is looking my direction, but ignore all the junk in the back right corner, J has taken over my desk to work on some projects and yet be close to the family.
The traditional photo of boys on the steps, which they are all too familiar with...not so much for pictures, but for timeouts, ;)

Probably the best one with the boys and Diesel, again ignore the lamp that has been misplaced on the floor.

I like M and N in this photo, some brotherly love goin' on!

J had to show some love too. At this point N was D.O.N.E at this point and headed to bed!

J's Holiday Party

Uploaded backwards today ;) Oh well, so if you didn't notice J now wears some glasses. This was his very first day wearing them, and the novelty has worn off...he came home upset asking why he had to wear them all day and M didn't...yes M now wears glasses too...blame it on me I guess!

So J's class held a Holiday Lunch, looks pretty good doesn't it ;)
The kiddos also sang some songs that had some choreography to do too.

J is a very low key guy, he was very calm and collective the whole time up front waiting for the next song to start.

Today I get to go to M's class for their Holiday Lunch, hopefully I remember to take some pics today too.

Kids Christmas Party

J had a few things to ask Santa for too!
Eating some yummy treats. Our Sq does balloons every year which are a big hit with the boys!

All three with our skinny Santa, a good friend of ours.

N with Santa.

N loved all the blow up yard decorations.

KID ROCK Concert Travis AFB

J and I were able to score some free tickets to the concert that Kid Rock put on for us on the 10th. He put on an awesome show that included some of his earlier stuff that had us having flashbacks to some of the great parties (ie DTS Beach Party, Toga Party, Cup/Spittoon parties, etc.) and also included some great songs that I can listen to with the boys in the room ;).
We were relatively close, way closer then any other concert we actually paid to see!
Watch the video, we were surprised by what he was allowed to do inside the hanger.

Day trip to San Fran--again!

These uploaded backwards--but it really doesn't matter does it ;)

The boys at Coit Tower. Unfortunately the elevator to the top of the memorial was closed, but we did go inside to see the murals and parking wasn't bad--maybe other people got the memo ;)
We actually started the day at the Japanese Tea Garden. It is a small garden that has been cared for since 1894 (minus WWII, the family was sent away to a camp) but is a great little stop and is free if to go in if you get there before 10am.

Loved all the neat structures and how vivid the colors were at the garden.

The family in front of the large tower pagodas--I think that is what you would call it ;)

N riding around and looking at the manicured landscapes .

Birthday Pics of J turning 6!

J turned 6 over the holiday break and he is excited about all the new adventures a 6 year old can have. He woke up all excited and I think we got to sleep in til 6 that morning ;)
We surprised him in the garage with a Razor Quad I managed to snag off of Craig's list for a steal! The boys managed to get a good hour taking turns riding it up and down the hills in our back yard before the battery started running low. We have a ton more space on base and practically have a field in our backyard just beyond our private fenced in area.

Blowing out his cinnamon roll candle.

Riding the carousal at the Nut Tree Plaza.

N just turned 2, and thought that he needed to blow out a candle again...and threw a huge tantrum over it, and we gave in ;)

Birthday Pics of N Turning 2!

So as usual Gma and Gpa were able to come out and help celebrate the fall birthdays in the house. The big blob of cake and frosting is a Thomas Wilton cake mold, though I did not feel like icing it in a true Thomas fashion. N didn't care, and just enjoyed eating the cake I didn't spend half of my day in the kitchen doing it ;)
Blowing out his 2 candles, where did my baby go?!

Loving the frosting and cake!

Big boy with his presents that were on hand for the day.

Bows in hair. Check!

Box torn open. Check!

Happy little boy. Check!

I think N also has a handle on what the "Terrible Two's" is all about as well. He has been a crabby little boy who doesn't want to sit in a chair to eat, take naps and determined to do things his way. I do believe he is also getting some molars, so hopefully once those are are in he will be a little easier to reason with...one can wish ;)