I Can Wait

When on earth did it happen?

When did my first baby boy turn into a young man?

It seems like every time I look at Anderson he is growing and changing into the man he will someday be.

I remember my mom saying that she never understood mom's who "couldn't wait." They "couldn't wait" until their kids were walking. Then they "couldn't wait" for their kids to start school. And they "couldn't wait" for their kids to get out of the teen years. My mom said often that she enjoyed each year and every stage that her children went through. She told me that if I spend my motherhood "waiting" for the next stage all the good times will come and go without me ever experiencing the joy that comes with each of them.

I have enjoyed my kids. Now I will admit that there are times when I want to put them in a box and ship them to Timbuktu, but I love being a mother and I realize that motherhood comes with a price (the price being our patience, our sanity, our sleep, our time and our love.) We give it all and I think 18 years is just too dang short. I feel cheated already...that is not enough time.

Anderson played the role of a good son and let me take a bunch of photos of him while we were watching for trains with Branson. Did I mention that we will be purchasing him a razor on Monday...I am not ready for this.He doesn't like the smiling shots...not cool enough I guess.The next picture is Anderson's choice look. There were several other black and white shots that he liked and he seems to prefer the "overexposed look" I love that he cares.

Walkin' On Sunshine--With Both Feet!

Yesterday Branson got his cast off for good!

He remembered the "scary" saw from the last cast removal and began to cry and say "Bye Bye" as soon as we walked into the lobby of the Doctor's office. But despite being scared out of his mind he was so good. Ignoring the NO FOOD ALLOWED signs I snuck in a large Jack in The Box French Fry to help with the experience. The nurses and doctor thought the fries were a great idea (but then they are the ones who had to pin him down to the table.) All trauma aside, the second we got home he was walking stiffly around the house as if nothing had ever happened. Now that the cast is gone he is on to bigger and taller things...climbing.

What is on My Mind (in no particular order)...

Day Camp

Contact Lenses

School Book Fair

Homeschooling

Meetings

Doctors Appointments

Parenting

Weight Loss

Spirituality

Kids Sports

Scrapbooking

ADD

Photography

Potty Training

Hawaii

Now I know where the term "puzzling" came from.

Out Cold

With a little coaxing from Dad, Anderson joined his school's wrestling team. They started practice after the winter break and the workouts have been kickin'.....his.....booty!

Two Heads...No, Three Heads Are Better Than One!

Two years ago I got my Christmas "Thank You" cards out in June...I am not joking...JUNE!!!!

Last year I think they went out sometime towards the end of January, but this year....

less than one week after Christmas Baby!
I have mentioned before that my own kids DO NOT cooperate for a photo sitting. I took about eight different shots of them on Christmas day and all I can say is...Only ONE of my kids head is actually from this original photo! I had to photoshop three of them in! Good Grief!

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY...of Christmas 2009

THE GOOD

We spent an evening decorating a gingerbread house together.

And it turned out really cute.


THE BAD
About 1/2 an hour after we finished, the kids noticed that our beautiful house had a roofing problem.


THE UGLY
This is the house that the Cazier's built.
This is the house that collapsed under the strain of the Holidays less than an hour after the Cazier's built it.


THE GOOD
All the kids loved their gifts.
Anderson and his skateboard.
Cayden and all his basketball gear.Sydney and her roller skates.
Believe me...she really was excited.
And Branson loves his SUPER BRANSON cape from Aunt Danyelle.
THE BAD
Branson abused those super powers and decorated both living room couch cushions, the chair cushion and the ottoman with permanent Sharpie marker.

THE UGLY
The couch cushions I simply flipped over but the footstool wasn't so lucky. Tried Magic Erasure, tried my favorite carpet cleaner, tried hairspray and salt...you can't flip a foot stool.

THE GOOD

We got some snow over the holidays!
THE BAD
You can't fit a boot over a cast.THE UGLY
So I put one of John's wool hunting socks over the cast and sent Branson outside.

"Uh Mom...are you kidding me?"

Apparently, to a two year old, getting snow on your sock is not cool. He came inside saying "More more boot. More more boot" and would have nothing to do with Dad's old, ugly sock.


THE GOOD

Anderson loves to shoot guns and he is a very good shot.

THE BAD

He doesn't get to go to the shooting range very often. And is always asking for his dad to take him.

THE UGLY

After a trip to the range over the break I expected Anderson to show me another big Bulls Eye poster with all his dead eye shots marked on the paper. Nope!

Instead he chose to shoot at a Osama Bin Laden poster!!!

Which he immediately hung up on his door so I see it every single time I walk down the hall.
Now Branson already ripped half the poster off but here is a close up of Anderson's target practice. The head, the heart...and of course for all you mothers with boys...there were quite a few shots a touch lower as well.

So that's a rundown of our holidays...and not to worry, we really aren't as dysfunctional as we seem.

What have I been Up To?

Not blogging that's for sure! But I miss it...and I am going to repent. But besides playing games with my kids and spending time with family I have been getting to do a lot of scrapbooking. Now some of the results I LOVE and others...well lets just say it was a bit too late at night to be doing anything!For those of you who digi scrapbook you can get a free Quick Page of the above layout at my scrapbooking blog. Just click on the "Goats on the Roof" layout to take you there.

I have to be honest...I am glad that as far as scrapbooking goes, I am not caught up! It is so much fun to go back and capture those memories from years past.