Boys Will Be Boys

"Boys are found everywhere - on top of, underneath, inside of, climbing on, swinging from, running around or jumping to. Mothers love them, little girls hate them, older sisters and brothers tolerate them, adults ignore them and Heaven protects them. A boy is Truth with dirt on its face, Beauty with a cut on its finger, Wisdom with bubble gum in its hair and the Hope of the future with a frog in its pocket." 

                                                                                 ~Alan  Beck

Happy 11th Birthday Graham!

So this Birthday post is just a tad bit late. My beloved oldest son's birthday was back on March 8th. Alas, that's how I'm rollin' these days. But, better late than never right? :)

Back on his birthday night (which thankfully fell on a Friday) we decided to go out to eat for Graham's birthday. If you ask my son what his favorite food is 9 times out of 10 he'll tell you PIZZA. That child could literally eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack... you get the idea. So for his super special 11th birthday we decided to go

BIG.

We ended up at the coolest place called Big Lou's. Maybe you've heard of it? :) It was on that tv show Man vs. Food!

Seriously, you have to watch this YouTube clip!

We decided to get Graham their GIANT pizza. We told him that we were getting the big one but I don't think he quite realized. :)

These guys here are some of Graham's most favorite friends. He is so blessed to have them as cousins also! :)

This was our cray cray pizza! People at other tables had to stand up and move out of the way just so the pizza could be delivered to our table!! It was HUGE!!

More of our favorite people :). We had 15 of us there and it still wasn't enough to clear all the pizza! We were blessed to have Aunt Melanie, Uncle Cody, Colton, Cooper, and Carter there. We also had Uncle Jason and Aunt Stacy as well as Bobby's Nana and Bobby's parents, Omi and Opi.

The first picture on the left in the collage is actual pie dish they use to make the pizza. That shows you just how big it was!

After the pizza was done we (and the whole restaurant) sang Happy Birthday to Graham. He loved it! It was soo loud! The waiter even had his megaphone out. :)

We all had such a good night celebrating the greatest 11 year old!

Love you Graham! 

Cub Scout Crossover!

Last month my son Graham officially became a Boy Scout!! The hubs and I could not be more proud!!

Graham joined Cub Scouts waaay back in first grade (the soonest that you are able).

Sweet Grady as a baby!

I just cry looking at how small my boys were :/. My how much they have grown!!

These were pictures that we took in front of our church back in 2008 when Graham went to his very first meeting.

Almost 5 years later and a ton of hard work Graham is a Boy Scout!

He completed the Cub Scout crossover and was accepted into the Boy Scouts of America.

Our proud Scouting family! (please ignore the stink on Grady's face...) 

This is Graham and some of his Webelos 2 friends from his den.

Bobby was even honored and asked to stand for all his years of hard work with the Cub Scout organization.

This is Graham "crossing over".

This is Graham as a Boy Scout after the ceremony!

Several weeks ago Graham and I started working on this project. It's just some of his patches and awards. He has many more that I need to pull off his old shirts and attach here. We will hang this on his bedroom wall to showcase all his many accomplishments!

We hope with all our hearts that Graham can continue this amazing momentum and become an Eagle Scout one day! We are as proud as peacocks that he's put forth so much effort and hard work. Go Graham!!

Spring Soccer

Graham and Grady have been playing spring soccer! (yet another reason for my blogging absence...) We are all about keeping our boys physically active in something and trying new things! Graham hasn't played soccer since Kindergarten and Grady has never played. It has been fun for both of them learning all these new skills!

Both boys have practice twice a week and games on Saturday. To say we are involved with soccer most of the week is an understatement! (only Fridays and Sundays are soccer-free)

The boys had their first soccer games two weeks ago.

 Graham has been playing goalie a lot and seems to really like it!

Graham also had a chance to play a more "offensive" position too! (oh and Grady spent quite a bit of time picking grass at Graham's game while he waited for his to start). :)

Grady has been playing in the 4 year old soccer league. Those little kids are hilarious!! Most are running the wrong way, getting into mini-fights, chasing the ball into other teams playing fields...

This of course, includes my child...

Above is Grady who thought that it would be fun, MID-GAME, to go play between the goals. He of course managed to get tangled up in the ropes and had to have his coach come save him. He was literally yanking him by his arm pits out. I was dying of laughter. Only Grady...

I can't wait to see what the rest of the season brings!!

Little Big Mess

It never ceases to amaze me that the smaller my boys are the bigger their messes are!

My heart just burst with joy when ever I see this sweet (messy) smile!

It's Spring!

Which means that it's time to start mowing again.

Our family's favorite past time. Not. :)

While it is fun to be outside hanging out together it's not so much fun to be stuck doing chores.

Thank goodness we finally have a new helper!

Bobby got him started (by doing just a tad bit of the harder corners) and then Graham took off and did the rest all by himself! I could not have been more proud! I know it had to be soo hard for him. I mean, come on! It's a riding lawn mower for goodness sakes! I know he really had to reign himself in and not go as fast as he wanted too :). He did a great job following his previously made lines and getting up as many leaves as possible. Who know? Maybe by next year we'll be able to just say "Time to mow the lawn!" and he'll be able to head outside and just take care of it for us!

When Graham got done I tried to get some St. Patty's Day pictures of the boys in their green but both pretty much refused to stop having fun :).

Happy Hump Day everyone!

I Am A Christian

When I say that "I am a Christian," I am not shouting that "I am clean living" I am whispering that "I was lost, and now I'm found and forgiven".

When I say "I am a Christian," I don't speak of this with pride. I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say "I am a Christian," I'm not trying to be strong. I'm professing that I'm weak and need his strength to carry on. 

When I say "I am a Christian," I'm not bragging of success. I am admitting that I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say "I am a Christian," I'm not claiming to be perfect. My flaws are far too visible, but God believes I'm worth it.

When I say "I am a Christian," I still feel the sting of pain. I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon his name. 

When I say "I am a Christian," I am not holier than thou. I'm just a simple sinner who received God's good grace, somehow!