Backyard Sleepover

Grandma Joycee came to visit today, and she brought her own lodgings... and the boys thought it would be awesome to have a sleep over with her... in the backyard!

 

They helped her set up the tent, found their sleeping bags, a few flashlights, and hit the hay early.

 

 

Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans and decided to rattle the night a bit.

 

Evan came in before midnight, but Ryan made it until 5am. 

 

It was still an adventure, and they both enjoyed themselves... even with the wind howling!



 

It's all fun and games...

Until the ambulance shows up!

And yes, that is the lesson my boys learned on the 4th this year!!

I should probably mention that the ambulance didn't come for us...

But before I explain... here are some fun pictures from the pyrotechnics.... First, the boys had a few to light at the house.

Ryan LOVES the "pooping dogs"... it's all he talks about.  He insisted his uncles purchase them...

 Here, Evan is using his new track skills as he lights a firework and prepares for a very quick getaway!

They also found this chicken that lays an "egg'.... which was actually just a balloon, but was probably the funniest firework I have ever seen!!

And THEN, went to the main event... the Parking Lot.

Yes, the main event in Great Falls is in a parking lot.  Most of the city gathers in this one area to watch the city show AND light off all the personal fireworks.

There is so much going on, it's hard to keep track... and the sulfur smoke is thicker than pea soup.... but it's a blast!

And it lasts for hours!!   A few hours in though, some people a few rows away used a launch tube that was too hot, and the firework exploded VERY close to the ground... some of the shrapnel must have hit someone, because not long after the ambulance pulled up.  Ryan, at that point, finally understood all the warnings the adults had been providing, and got a little freaked out.

The two of us went home, but Evan got to stay with the Uncles for a few more hours of fun.

Why Aunt Robyn is cooler than Me.

 

 

She lets the boys play with Moon Sand at her kitchen counter.

 

And make HUGE messes.

 



Umples

My brothers (Shane, James and Wade) live in Montana.

 

No offence to my parents and sister, Mary, who also live in Montana, but my boys loving going to Montana to see their Umples. 

 

And it's no wonder they adore them...

 

That would be James throwing Evan through the air at the hotel pool.

 

And this is James and Wade passing the boys back and forth in a water wrestling version of keep-a-way... I think. 

 

And it's not just that they go swimming with them...  There's the fact that they let Evan order a hamburger called "The OMG Burger" which is 12 oz of beef topped with 4 slices of bacon and 4 slices of cheese. 

 

They take them to movies, to watch games, out to eat... they play video games, wrestle, harass and play and talk to them on THEIR level.

 

 

 

Oh, and they encourage all the irreverent behavior that parents frown upon... like shooting things out of straws...

 

 

 

And as the Mom, I feel it my duty to sit back and let my brothers spoil my sons... because it's through these activities that they will grow to be amazing men... just like my brothers.  



My Hook-er.

Remember, Ryan is a master conjugator (unlike his mother who obviously makes up words).

So, it wasn't really shocking that the phrase, "Uncle Wade, You're my Hook-er." was heard many many times over the last weekend.

And, just for clarification...

THIS is hook-er-ing.  See how Wade is "hooking" on to Ryan's hands??

 

And what do you do once you are "hooked" into position?

 

 

Boys+Dirt

Mark had some early morning yard work planned... before it got too hot.

 

Just filling in the holes in the bottom of the new fence... evening out a few settled spots in the yard. 

 

Simple. 

 

Dirt, Shovel, Rake.

 

And then Trevor and Ryan looked out the window.

 

And breakfast is over.

 

Getting dressed forgotten.

Stranger to Favorite

My dear childhood friend came to visit this weekend... Okay, actually, she came to work... but stayed at our house to increase the amount of visiting we could do!

 

She brought each of the boys a special prize... their favorites... BOOKS.

 

Evan received a new Gary Paulsen... Ryan Ferdinand the Bull and The Little House. 

 

Soon after opening them, Ryan was asking for someone to read them to him...

 

 

And it didn't take long for him to warm up to one of the most beautiful women that has ever graced my life! 

 





Evening Out

Last weekend, we got together with our good friends Rick and Robyn, and their little boy (who is growing too fast) Trevor. 

Dinner out, music on the plaza and ice cream from Cold Stone.  (Ryan's favorite is anything with gummy bears mixed in!)

It was a blast... and much needed distraction from the hustle and bustle!


My favorite part was watching the boys run around the plaza.  As the grown up sat and talked and listened to the band, we let the boys work off some energy.  They kept glancing at us... afraid to question what had come over us.  We never let them run uninhibited in public!!  In fact, we were encouraging them!

Privileged

Until yesterday, I was the very proud Aunt of two little girls. 

And now, this itty bitty adorable one is part of our lives.

Brian and Casey, thanks for letting me be a part of this amazing few days!  I've enjoyed every moment of being with her big sister and listening to her tell me all about her ideas for names, what she plans on doing with her little sister when she gets big, and all the other things a 5 year old thinks about!  And, of course, the stolen moments snuggling Presley! 

Do It Yourself: Water Slide

When it's 95 out, you do what you can to accomplish TWO very important things:

1. Stay cool.

2. HAVE FUN!

Reason 2,124 My Boys Love Aunt Robyn

Because instead of just making sandwiches and putting them on plates, she packed them a picnic lunch that included girlscout cookies.

Piggy Chop

When James came to visit a few weeks ago, he brought a little big shaped piggy bank full of coins for Evan to go through for his collection. 

Ryan thought it was the best. 

He kept asking to dump all the coins out so he could put them all back in... one at a time.

James, being the good sport of an Uncle that he is, sat on the kitchen floor and helped!

No wonder my boys love when Uncle James visits!

A Long Time Coming

 Evan has been collecting the State Quarters for years. 

And he gathered them all, with the help of family and friends, through general circulation.

All of them, that is, except for Puerto Rico.

A few years ago, his Aunt Sara bought him the display board, and he has proundly displayed it on his wall... but it's been missing that one last quarter.

Until the most recent visit from Uncle James! 

He was SOOOOO excited to finish his collection!!

Well, James not only brought him the last coin for his State Quarter set, he also brought him the Puerto Rico National Park quarter. 

SO I guess we better get going on THAT group now!

Snuggles

Sometimes, the best part of having Grandma and Grandpa visit is the snuggles.

Faster, Stronger...

Ryan loves trains.

My parents got him two new trains while they were visiting, and so one morning, my Dad got down on the floor with Ryan to test them out.

Obviously, a simple oval track didn't hold their attention for all that long... so then they decided to see which train was FASTER.  And what would happen in the fast train ran into the back of the slower train.

And what if you hooked all the cars up to the fast train... would that slow him down?

Could he still catch up with the slower trains?

And can he climb a slight incline (see my dad hold up the track just a touch?) and still pull all the cars?

AND THEN they wanted to see if he could climb TWO hills and pull all the cars. 

 So Thomas and James became track supports while Dennis pulled every one's heavy loads around the track.

Hey, the show is always talking about being a "Useful Engine" no matter what your role! 

From Grandparents to Uncles...

It's been a BUSY week! 

Pictures are coming soon... but it started out last Thursday when Grandma and Grandpa Lealos came to visit... then Grandma Joycee... and we're finishing up the week with Uncle James!!

There has been games, stories, movies, a pig named Pig Chop, snowballs, sword fights, yarn balls, trains, Mario Cart races... endless fun I tell you!

Tomorrow, James heads back home, and I'll unload my camera and share some of the fun!

Blog Neglect: Reason # (Uhh, I lost count, but he's cute)

My boys have a "cousin" named Trevor.

My boys BEG to spend time with Trevor.

My boys are very persuasive.

So we spent the last two days playing with Trevor.

This morning, we woke up to Ryan begging to spend MORE time with Trevor.

If only the laundry would magically catch itself up!

Evan's Ornament

I love the song Silver Bells.  It's not my favorite Christmas song at all.

But it is a song loaded with memories. 

It was my Grandma's favorite song. 

Last year I found these little wooden bells in the clearance sales, and bought up every one that they had.

This year, as I started to prep for Christmas, I pulled out my stash of wooden ornaments and of course, I had to start with the bells.


I'll admit it, I got a little teary eyed... My grandmother had lived with us (well, she had a trailer on our property) for many many years.   We spent a lot of time with her.  She died when I was a teenager.

Evan asked what was wrong... and I started telling him about Grandma.   We stopped painting and pulled out scrapbooks and talked about her family (it's the Irish side) and where they came from, and it was a huge trip down memory lane. 

After it was all said and done, Evan asked if he could please have a silver bell as his ornament this year so he could remember Grandma Alice too.

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope your day was filled with the people you love...

Mine was!

My Parenting Soap Box: Kids, Play and Risk

I remember when Evan was a baby, we were at my MIL's house...My brother-in-law, Brian, was within ear shot when Evan fell while trying to pull himself up to a standing position using a tipsy stool.   I laughingly said something about, "Well, he'll only do that once!" as I comforted him.

Brian likes to repeat that to me OVER and OVER and OVER again. (He also asks me if I'm sleeping every time he calls... I'm not sure if he thinks I nap continuously, and only wake up to take his phone calls or what... )

I don't mind though, it's part of my parenting philosophy (not the sleeping part).

I am a FIRM believer in allowing kids to fall, fail, and find their own way.  How's that for alliteration?? 

Is it sometimes hard to let them fall?  Is it sometimes hard not to give them the answer?  YOU BET'CHA! 

Just last night, I was helping Evan with his math homework.  He was really struggling, and he was tired.  It would have been much easier (and quicker) to just walk him through the problem, step by step.  But I needed him to understand the process... and the best way to understand that is to figure out the details with a little guidance rather than step by step instructions!

And the dangerous play part??? 

Well, it's right there in the same category.  No, I do NOT allow them to run wild in the streets.  But climbing, running, jumping??  Taking calculated risks??  YES!  Sign my kids up!

Remember this:

Cute adorable Ryan, just over a year old... bruised and scarred? 

They all healed within a week or so.  But the lessons he learned on pushing his physical boundaries, on what he was able to accomplish if he pushes those boundaries, and how taking a risk might result in small pains but big gains?  Those will stay with him for the rest of his life.

My friend Megan shared this: Kids, Play and Risk

And I feel like shouting it from the roof tops!!!  So please share... I think it's important!!

Oh, and just to go back to my brother in law for a moment.  As rough and tumble as my boys are, he has the WILDEST Child!  And by wild, I mean that her awesome parents buy into the same philosophy and allow my niece the freedom to learn and grow by taking calculated risks.  Does she do some crazy stuff?  Yes... but she's still playing hard, and she will be one successful adult because they taught her to how to fall and pick herself back up!