There's NO WAY you can beat that team!

That's what EVERYONE told these boys when they played the "best" team in the league. They were undefeated....that was until the Rebels came along......................................................that's right..........................Nate's team took em' down.

It was the best game I'd ever seen. A true nail biter till the bitter end. Parents were on the edge of their seats OR completely off them that last quarter. In the last few seconds of the game we made the shot that won the game. It was awesome. Parents jumped up and screamed and cheered, the boys were freakin' out....It was SO fun. The other team and parents were completely dejected and stunned.

What i really love about it is these boys were told by everyone that they could never win. Their coaches told them it would be tough to beat them. But they took all that negativism and put it to work and worked hard as a team to pull it off.

And....since I haven't posted any layouts in a long time, here's a few in honor of Nathan.

First day of 5th grade

"big man on campus...and the year of the glamour girls"

there's definitely a story behind this title, so i typed it all out on a paper that I'll keep behind the layout in the album

First day of 6th grade...middle school.

I did some journaling on this page after the picture was taken.

The Making of a 3 Year Old

A little someone in our house turned 3 on Friday.

SO glad the camera was nearby when I walked into

the playroom that morning to this:


No lie...he came up with this one all on his own.

He has been walking around the house playing with

these rails for the bunk beds that are being moved into his room.

As i walked in he was putting his buzz slippers on the ends

and began "pumping iron"

Way to start the day right, buddy boy.

Next up was a little luncheon at the Olive Garden (our kids love that place)

He was a little shy at the singing. But secretly loved it, I know.

And no, he cannot show 3 fingers, have a toy in his mouth AND

pick his nose at the same time!

Ok...lets try this again,

"How old are you Jack?"



A music pirate card...I think he digs it!


The opening of presents was VERY serious business.

In his new pajamas...thanks Grammy!

Its a bird,

It's a plane,

It's Super...spiderman!
Again the posing...all his.

The party goers.

We had a really fun day as a family. It was all about Jack.

He had been waiting a long time for this day. He was super excited

and loved all the candles, the cake, the ice cream, the cards, and the presents they were just a nice little bonus.

Whenever someone asked him about his birthday and what he wanted, all he ever answered was "i get candles... i have cake"

And can I just say...we LOVE this kid!

He is hilarious.

I can't get over the stuff that comes out of his mouth.

He is a bullet in the house

Always on the go, running every.where.

Doug and I are always looking at each other and laughing.

He is a super sweet heart and a big stinker all wrapped up in one.

We never forget how lucky we are to even have him.

3 years later, and we still talk about how close we came.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

BABY JACK JACK!

Ready to Go

I have been working HARD on this little dudes room.
Don't let the pictures fool you...he is way excited for his new room.

He even got to help paint...a bit (a very tiny bit)

Sometimes he likes to wake up from his pm nap

and have a melt down. It must be therapeutic for him,

for he does it quite often. It's very enjoyable.

I love the paint color. I didn't obsess too much over choosing it.

I knew what kind of green I wanted, and just bought it!

I love it.

I did not, however, love the 3 coats it required.

And now, especially, am not looking forward to the paint job

for Nathans room. Which is why we painted this one in the first place!

I already had these curtains in this spare bedroom. They were from our

old house in Nathans room. So they go lovely with everything that is coming in.

A peek at my little artwork idea that will go up on the wall.

Framed old t-shirts of the boys.

We will finish it all up this weekend.

I'll post final results later on.

I'm A Barbie Girl Living in a Barbie World...

In celebration of Barbies 50th anniversary

They have released reproductions of old Barbies.

This little beauty right here...

She's MY Barbie.

The 1977 Superstar Doll.

I actually still have the pink dress and boa,

although it doesn't fit the new "better endowed" Barbie.

Isn't she grand.........

I want her.

Which one do YOU want???????

The 1959 original teenage fashion model:

The 1970 Malibu doll with a delightful bell bottomed ensemble lemon kick:

The 1961 bubble-cut brunette barbie doll with her super short and "sassy do" as they say:

If you want to see more you can go here to really check it all out!

And last but not least............I also found these little cuties available for sale at "W"

They're pretty cute...you know you want one............


While I'm strolling down memory lane,

tell me...how many of YOU dreamed of being one of these when you grew up???????

hu hu hu????? tell me...

I know I wanted to be a

"SOLID GOLD"

dancer...........

................

.................

..................

....................

........................

baaaadd.

Hello Baby...

Here's my quick little photo shoot of Jack on the Sunday before Christmas.

All I wanted from him was a cute little smile.

Apparently a nearly 3 year old don't do cute.

He does all of the above instead.

Now looking back at the photos...

They are priceless.

I love them.

They are SO Jack.

Silly...crazy...cheesy...full of spunk........................................................................and gum.

And So it Begins...

A few months ago Doug and I decided it was time.
Time to split up the boys and give Nathan his own room.
They are 8 1/2 years apart.
This was inevitable.

We've discussed what we're going to do.
We did a furniture scope at Ikea at Thanksgiving.
Found some great ideas for him.

And now...all because Nathan gets his own room
I have to.....

1. Re-organize and clean up my room a bit.
Go through my scrapbook mountain and re-organize,
downsize and move all of it into my room. eeeeek!
Desk and all. Doug can't wait for all this.

2. Clean out the spare bedroom of said scrapbook nightmare,
Clean out closet in spare bedroom of storage stuff (half of it anyway)
Move futon out of spare bedroom into playroom and get rid of sicko couch.

3. Paint spare bedroom for Jack.
Move everything out of boys room to spare bedroom to give Jack a new room.
Move part of closet organizer out of boys closet into spare bedroom for Jack.

4. Paint boys room for Nathan
Buy furniture from Ikea and put it together (which obviously will involve a trip).
Finish up Nathans room.

Everyone happy...except the girls who wonder why they can't have their own room!

Cause we don't live in a freakin' mansion!
That's WHY!

On the bright side of this nightmare list of things to do is this...
I have already moved my scrap stuff into the bedroom.
It has taken me all week to go through, clean out and move.
But it's done.

I have decided what color to paint Jacks room (which is next on my list of things to do)
Well, actually the spare bedroom looks like a bomb hit it about now.
But colors have been chosen and that is big!
Jack will be keeping all the bedding and such the boys have had
I"m just going to actually finish it up with decor.
Which I have also figured out and am excited about.

Nathan finally found the bedding he wants.
So we have a color scheme to go with that now too.

It's going to feel so good to have all of this done.
Our goal is within 2 months to be done.
Hopefully the boys will be able to keep their rooms cleaner
with the rearranging that we are doing.

AND....future guests....listen up!
You won't have to sleep on the futon anymore!
Nates gettin' a queen bed he'll gladly offer up when you come!

I think I'm exhausted!

Christmas 2008 and the Toilet Paper Mummy

We had a GREAT Christmas!
Just the six of us (as usual)...
We always try to take the kids somewhere on Christmas Eve
and have some activities to fill the day.
This year we went out to the Ballagio to the Gardens.
They were really pretty, but somehow, I was expecting more of it.
And it was SUPER crowded. But we had fun and someone took
a lovely family photo for us.
We followed it up by Gingerbread making.
The kids each got there own house this year.
That was a hit and we will continue on with that.
No more sharing houses for these guys!

Jack amazingly managed to pick out his own pkg. and

proceed to help himself

to the opening of presents on Christmas Eve.

Nathan reported the crime in fits of laughter

(I'm sure he had nothing to do with it!)

we just put it back together under the tree.


A few years ago we started an old family tradition

with our kids and play the 7-11 game.

It involves dice and gifts.

Obviously a hit!

They receive a variety of crazy, silly, and tasty gifts.

The annual Christmas pajama photo.

Ahem......morning did not come as early as usual. It really was a blessed day! We told the kids we didn't want to hear from them before 6am (hey, that's the most we could ask of them) and for the first time EVER! they actually obeyed. In fact, we even had to wake the boys.

Santa brought a group gift this year...the ever famous Wii

Here's Samantha...in shock...who just the night before said she wished she had asked Santa for a Wii. I told her that was too bad because she had already written her letter long before.

tee hee hee.

Then there's Kristen telling Nathan "i told you it was a Wii!" she had made her guess earlier when she saw the wrapped pkg...but we all insisted it was too big to be a Wii.

Then the morning moved on from Santa to the rest.


Here's Jack on his new tricycle.

He knew this was coming.

He'd spyed it long before and has been asking

"i get my bike for Christmas?"

"Santa bring my bike?"

"I can have my bike for Christmas?"

Honestly...I can't get ANYTHING past this kid!

Kristen the "school teacher"

in front of her favorite gift...

a dry.erase.board...

seriously, look at that face!

You'd think she won the lottery!

Samantha had only 3 things on her big list...

(although she was resigned to knowing she wouldn't be getting ANY of them)

an Ipod

a cell phone

a laptop

(really, she IS only 6!)

Here she is opening a gift she's not really sure what it is...

then I explain to her that it is an MP3 player...

Just like an Ipod.

She was cool with that.

Nathan's little present...

it started ringing...

do you think he got what he wanted???

He probably nearly wet himself

over a cell phone.

I didn't get a phone till my mid 20's, and even that brick was short lived.

I was really in my 30's before it was a constant.

My how times have changed.

Jack getting a good look at some weaponry from his Buzz Light Year toys.

Really, can you say youngest child...

Already knows how to work the lazy system,

hitchin a ride from his sister!

He's too cool in his upside down Diego shades.

And now....

I introduce the mummy.

Samantha won a roll of toilet paper (with a treat stuffed inside)

from the 7-11 game the night before.

I didn't think she'd actually want the TP,

but obviously she had something in mind.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Oh and...

as for me.....

check

check

a n d ....checkkkkkk

i must have been good this year

;)