Christmas Tradition

Christmas Tradition.  It always starts on Christmas Eve afternoon.  We load up in the car and take the drive out to Heath and Jennifer's.  Heath and Jennifer always have a Christmas open house where we are able to eat lots of good food, have a few drinks, and enjoy each other.  Of course, we never want to leave as early as we need to and we usually have to drag Bryan to the car but, those kids have presents to unwrap...they can't wait one minute longer!

 By the time we get to Grandma and Pop's those kids are so excited!  So, we start handing out presents....

And, then the excitement starts and the kids start opening presents.  This year was no different.  Each kid got more then they needed but, it is a testament of our love for each other.  It's just the time of year to be spoiled and to spoil each other.

Trying to get the kids to bed after all the excitement is always a challenge.  Santa came to Grandma and Pop's this year.  He brought lots of goodies.  A guitar for Owen, a ice fishing camera for Gabe, and a bike for Eli.  Just what everyone wanted.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Cousins

Cousins who are the same age.  Cousins who share everything when they are together because they love to do the same things.  Cousins who love each other very much and when they are apart they ask for each other.  Nothing can explain the special bond that happens when you love someone else this much!

Words can't express the bond or the love but, pictures can express a thousand words.  This one bubble bath says it all!

Nobody else in the world enjoys a bath together like these two.

And, I will cherish this memory and all the memories we shared over the Christmas holiday.  It will be enough until we get to see each other again!

Cowboys in the Big City

Bryan called me on Thursday morning to tell me that he had bought rodeo tickets for Saturday afternoon at the Western Stock Show.  I was so excited!

I love going to the rodeo.  It's one of the sports that I really like to watch and will even watch it on TV, when it is on.  I was also excited for the boys.  It's been a couple of months since they had put on their boots and I was so excited to take them to a rodeo.

The rodeo was so good.  It was fast paced and very entertaining.  The boys loved it!

If you ask Owen what his favorite part of the Rodeo is, he might tell you the cotton candy.  My favorite part, on the other hand, was sitting next to Bryan watching the cowboys ride those bulls.  Looking at their magnificence and strength and trying to imagine riding one of them.  And, thankful that they had the courage to do such a thing so I could sit with my family and be entertained by it all.

I just loved sharing the excitement of the rodeo with the boys in the middle of the winter.   Just waiting until this spring when I can watch my boys ride Pop's horses on their own.  Being outside, learning how to ride and being together as a family.

 

Some of my most special moments as a child are on the back of my horse, Poncho.  Riding next to my dad, sharing time together as we trailed cows.  Spending every afternoon feeding, brushing, and riding our horses made me who I am today.  And, I am feeling very privileged because my boys have the opportunity to experience these things as well.

Yes, my three little cowboys live in the big city but, it doesn't stop us from taking every advantage of the cowboy way of life.

5th Birthday

 A Star Wars Birthday to Remember.....

My Owen turned 5 on November 1st.  Owen will always be captured in my mind as 2 years old.  For me to remember that he is 5 is hard somedays.  He is growing up into quite a young man and I am so proud to be his mother.

Before the sun came up.  Just as Gabe was getting out of bed, I woke up my birthday boy and brought him downstairs.  I had laid all his gifts out so that we could spend some special time together before school started.  He was so excited to see his new bike.  We also opened gifts from Grammy and Gramps, Grandma and Pop, and Auntie Megan.

After school was over, it was time to get ready for Owen's big party.   But, before everyone started arriving there was some singing and dancing to do.  The boys put on some music, dressed up, and had a blast standing on "their stage" and singing some tunes.

We made tacos for dinner and had everyone come over at 6:00. 

Jake, Owen's best friend, and Owen playing with his new toys

Lauren and Lily spending a little girl time in the kitchen

Opening gifts

Happy 5th birthday, Sweet Owen.  I love you and still can't believe that you are 5 years old.

A two year old

This is Gabe.  I'm going to tell you about Eli.  He loves to sleep on the floor a lot.  He is so cute when he sleeps!  He is my brother.  He was just playing on his little computer and he just went to sleep.

Eli likes to sit on the potty in his clothes.  And, he also likes to stand up and look at the potty.  He is just waiting to be a big boy.

Eli likes to play on his little computer.  He learns all of his letters.  He can say all of them.   He really likes to learn all his letters.

Eli got a little train for Christmas.  There is little treasures that he likes to find in the train.  He pushes the train cars up and down the hills.

I love my little brother, Eli.      

those deer horns

Owen has a new passion.  One of those things that I thought would wear off after a few days but, has only intensified with time.  Here we are into mid January and Owen doesn't talk about anything else besides hunting.

You see, when we were in Wyoming over Christmas, Owen and Bryan started looking at deer horns.  Bryan went out to Gramps's garage and brought in all the deer horns he shot over the years.  Owen was so excited!   So excited, in fact, that it led to us packing them in a box and bringing them home.  Owen was in heaven.  He held his favorite pair in his lap the entire 6 hour drive home.

And, ever since arriving home, this is Owen's passion.  Arranging and rearranging his horns.  Telling "big buck stories" with each one and using them to fight each other.  

There have been days when I can't take it anymore.  All I want to do is pack them into their box and store them on the top shelf in the garage.  At least twice a day, I have to take a deep breath and remember how important this is to Owen.  He lives for these horns.

Even bedtime revolves around hunting because that means that it's time for a "buck story".  After Owen is tucked into bed his dad grabs a set of the horns and tells the hunting story behind them.  As the story unfolds you can just see the sparkle in Owen's eyes.  He listens intently to each word trying to memorize it so that he can retell it the next day.  This is his absolute favorite part of the day and it melts my heart.  It helps me tolerate all those horns around my house and remember how important it is to embrace the heart of a child even if you don't understand it.

 

So,  I will leave you with a picture from today.  Today is Owen's favorite day because it's the day he has a playdate with his best friend, Jake.  Owen was so excited to show Jake his horns.  Jake on the other hand liked playing with the train instead.  It worked out perfect for both of them!

Ordinary Time

We are into Ordinary time around here.   In ordinary time we get to hang out at the house with each other, just doing the things that we want to do.

Today, Eli wants to wear a hat.  He has had this hat on his head all day.  He takes it off and puts in on.  He runs around yelling "hat, mom hat, mom".  Today is a hat day.

After his bath, he didn't want clothes on.  "No shirt", he screamed.  OK, I said but, you have to wear a diaper.  He gave me a scowly face but, cheered up when he remembered his hat.   So, this is the outfit of choice today.

Owen is hunting.  He has all his dad's deer horns layed out on the floor.  Counting them.  Comparing them.  Telling "buck stories".  And, he has his bow.  He has been practicing all morning.  Perfecting his shot.

Ordinary time.  A time to practice for "the big hunt", a time to explore your fashion options.    Just time to spend with each other doing things that we love.   Even though I love the holidays and being able to spend time with family.  I love this time as well.  This is the time when I really get to spend time with the boys without any outside pressures.  Just ordinary time.