Artistically Inspired Once Again

After a period of no creativity I got inspired to work with the boys with

art again. We are creating a Superhero Wall Mural with canvas's.

Shaggy is tackling Green Lantern.

Drama King is working on Batman, but of course!

And Rocker has Flash because he says he is like the Flash.

We were given a whole pile of comic books, some of them not really appropriate. So instead of just throwing them all away we are going to rip them up to make a comic book page mosaic. The boys worked on the blocking in of their pictures yesterday and filling in the backgrounds. This weekend we will start the mosaic. It was fun to see them get excited about it. I will be working on Superman since this is project going in their bedroom. They didn't want me to work on Wonder Woman! :-)

My Helping Hands

Rocker Edging

Shaggy Mowing

DK Mowing Too

Our next door neighbor had a heart attack 2 weeks ago so I got the boys to help
take care of their lawn until he is feeling better. Our neighbor who had the heart
attack takes care of our other neighbor who is 89 years old so we ended up mowing
and edging 3 lawns. It was a great outdoor experience and the boys are doing a great
job learning yard work.

I just had to throw this one in as a bonus. I guess hard work makes you bad to the bone!

Don't Lick Toilet Bowl Cleaning Tablets

For our birthday Rocker and I decided to go out to eat. Yay!! No cooking is a great gift for mom on her birthday. In the midst of a delicious steak dinner this disgusting and odd conversation came up. Let me set the stage...

Rocker & Shaggy quickly enter stage right after exiting the men's room. They rush to our table full of excitement chomping at the bit to tell us something profound. I am quietly enjoying my amazingly scrumptious steak.

Rocker: Mom, mom!!! Don't lick the blue toilet bowl cleaners in the toilets, they burn your tongue.

Me: Gasp!!!!!!! My mouth drops to floor with a crash and I am trying to fully understand what was just said.

Shaggy jumping on the toilet bowl licking bandwagon: Yeah, if you do it burns the top layer of your tongues skin off.

Now maybe other moms would just shrug it off as silly boy talk but this mama knows my sons all to well. My heart and stomach dropped as I thought "The only way they would know that is if they tried it!"

Me really loudly: YOU LICKED THE TOILET SANITIZING THINGY!

Rocker smiles and laughs: No our Nurse at school said some kid did and went to the ER. It burned the top his tongue off.

They both proceeded to tell me all the gory details until they realized I almost hurled my steak dinner back onto my plate.

Oh, my, goodness I almost had a heart attack. I honestly thought my two sons licked the toilet.


Uhhhgggg!!! I need therapy now. What possesses a young man to think and ponder such things? Yes I really thought they licked the toilet thingy.

DK's Turn With Legos

Each of the boys wanted a chance to develop and film their own Lego Stop Motion Animation. This is DK's video. I just assisted with the Computer end and some of the pictures. He came up with the story line and told me how to edit. It was fun. More to come....

What To Do On A Rainy Sunday...

You make a Lego Stop Animation Film!!!! It's our first time so I hope you enjoy. I now have a small Lego Stop Animation Studio in my dinning room. I love creativity!!

Gingerbread Men Cupcakes

We had company over so I thought the boys would enjoy making their snack today. The boys friend celebrates his 10th birthday today but unfortunately since his family is in the midst of packing and moving they couldn't have his annual Birthday Party with friends. So I thought we would have him over for some guy time and make a special treat in his honor.

The cupcakes themselves are simple and great to make. Head over to Hello Cupcake for more amazingly fun ideas!! We ended up not using 7 individual cupcakes like the original recipe called for but had 6 each. I didn't realize we did not have enough for everyone to make one if they used 7 per Gingerbread Man. It worked out all the same.

Life After Sledding

We had some tired boys and we still have one sore mama. My arms don't want to work right now. I tired putting on my shirt this morning and could barely lift them up over my head. Why do we have to get older???

Shaggy Is 11 Today!!!!

Today is Shaggy's 11th birthday. I am amazed! Say it ain't so...I just gave birth to this bouncing, beautiful little baby only weeks ago. He can't truly be 11. He has turned into such a handsome amazing young man that makes this mama proud. He also makes his papa proud too. I love hanging out with him and laughing with him. He is a wonderful young man.

Happy Birthday Shaggy!! We all love you so much. Do you realize at 11 you are almost as tall as your dad? I am starting to get you and your dad's jeans mixed up. I wonder how tall you will be at 14?! Yikes!! :)

Family Fun Fall Weekend

Our family tradition of fall Apple picking. We do it every year now!

We usually go out twice in the fall for apples and then
make applesauce and freeze it for winter. The boys love
going each year.

We also added pumpkin pie baking this year. A dear friend
of our gave us three large crock-necked or long-necked
pumpkins from his garden. My Knight did not want them to
go to waste so Sat when we got back from apple picking he
started chopping up my gorgeous pumpkins. They are great
pumpkin pie pumpkins.

Everyone dove in. Shaggy and my Knight took care of the
pumpkins and DK, Rocker and I took care of the apples.

When I went to make pumpkin pie I tired whipping everything
up by hand. My mixer went out about 3 months ago and I have
been dragging me feet about getting a new one.
After my Knight saw me struggling to whip the egg whites
into fluffy peeks he proceeded to get his drill and show me how
a real man whips egg whites.

The boys loved it. I on the other hand am determined to get a new mixer now.:)
Poor Elise J...she would be mortified if she saw this.

We had such a great weekend. No agenda, no obligations just family fun. The weekend ended with 4 pumpkin pies, oodles of apple sauce, apple fritters and just an overall sense of peace. The boys told us it was the best weekend ever. That makes it all worth it!

I Still Get A Kiss & A Wave Goodbye

Now that I have a 5th grader, 4th grader & 1st grader I truly wondered how long I could hang on to my precious treasure every morning of a kiss and a wave from the boys. It's one of those things we have been doing at the bus stop since kindergarten with Shaggy and is a wonderful part of my morning. I thought perhaps Shaggy would soon be trying to sneak away without giving me the said affection so not to be embarrassed in front of the kids at school, but to my delight I still get a kiss & a wave.

It is now given more frequently at the car or when we walk he asks for a kiss before we turn the corner but he still asks. Rocker & DK still run up to me as the bus approaches for their kiss. All three of them will actually jump out of the bus line and grab a kiss if they forgot too earlier. Then as they scurry into their seats I see them peer through the windows waving. We have made a tradition of doing the "I Love You" hand sign. You know the one you do with one hand that looks similar to a surfers gnarly wave. I guess it still looks some what cool to give your mom a sort of "I Love You"/surfer wave goodbye.

Still I treasure each moment they do. It makes my heart leap and seems to wash away the events from the prior day setting us up for a hopeful, blessed day. I wonder how long I will be able to keep this up. I pray Shaggy and the other two will still love to kiss their mom even as they grow more and more. Maybe in Middle School we can say our goodbyes at home so as to not embarrass anyone but it still needs to be done. I am big about showing affection to my kids and helping them to realize the importance of that. So for now I enjoy our morning bus routine. I love, love, love that I still get a kiss and a wave goodbye!

Start Of A New School Year!

We woke to a crisp cold morning. Its the one time during the School year that I don't have to drag anyone's booty out of bed. They were up dressed and ready for their breakfast by 6:15 this morning. DK is off to 1st grade, Rocker 4th & Shaggy 5th. My morning is now silent and a bit peaceful. I must go pray for my guys that the Lord would truly bless them this year. Happy Back-2-School everyone!

We Had Company This Past Weekend

Meet George. He showed up this weekend in our neighbors yard
and they sent him over to ours since we had boys. They thought
the kids would get a kick out of him and they were right.

He looks almost like he's smiling. I think he likes us. We sure
fed him enough fruit.

Our other distinguished guest was our dear friends son
Winston Churchill. He is just the greatest friend for our
boys. They played with George and then went back to
playing hours of Axis & Allies. Great game if you are into
World domination. I was Mother Russia. I got my booty kicked
by Winston who was Germany. Next time though Mother Russia
won't be so merciful!!!

Both George and Winston went home Monday afternoon. Winston went
back to his beautiful family and we are not sure where George headed
off too. I think he probably had a wife and kids some where and headed
back home. The boys were trying desperately to let us keep him
but my Knight won. It was a great weekend!!

My Karate Kids the Movie

Just a snipet of the boys at Karate class. Makes a mama proud!! I love them!

My Karate Kids

The boys take part in The Carpenters Hands Karate Class at our
church. They meet once a week for class. This past Monday was
their belt test. Rocker & Shaggy tested for their yellow belt.
It is a great experience and it is all Christ centered beginning
and ending in prayer. You can see the boys praying there
before the test started.

DK is also in the class but we did not have him test for his
belt yet. I don't think he has the patience yet.

Receiving the belts!

I am so proud of my boys even DK who puts his whole heart into this. Yes, these aren't ballet pictures but with all boys I get to show off Karate shots. They are teaching me the moves also. I know how to do an inside crescent kick and front knuckle punches!!! Look out world Drama Mama is learning Karate!!! Hi-ya!