Everyday Life

I don't feel like we lead a very exciting life, but anything with 3 little boys is much more of an adventure than it should be, including what should be easy! Everyday tasks take much more time, patience, and effort than it should. However, it amazes me that simple everyday things I often overlook amaze them. For example, the other day it actually rained (quite an anomaly around here in the last few years), so the boys were excited! Kyler looked at Kenney and said, "I heard thunder in my two ears!" It was really cute, and I often forget how fun things like a thunderstorm can be, even to me! On the flip side, we went to a park today (which took at least 20 minutes to get to since we had to load the bikes in the car, buckle everyone up and drive there) and we stayed no longer than 5 minutes! Seriously less than 5 minutes after being there Kyler and Damon had both gotten hurt and were screaming uncontrollably. Why do I still try to do these things?!? I tell myself it is worth it, but I often wonder if it really is worth it!!

It wouldn't be a picture of Damon without at least one large knot on the top of his head!  He also hit his nose twice somehow and ended up with a bloody nose by the end of the day!

I cannot tell you how hard it is to get a picture of this kid with his eyes open!  The picture above is nothing short of a miracle!

This little guy is getting SO SO big!

Kyler and Damon thought he looked like a dinosaur!

Well, he sure can roar like a dinosaur!!

I just absolutely LOVE that cute face!!

So Radley has decided this week that he needs to start walking!

Today he took 5 steps because he was so excited to see Daddy!

Damon trying really hard to keep his eyes open.  Notice he is not looking at the camera.  Apparently that is the trick to keeping them open!

Kyler said, "Look Mom! I can keep my eyes open!"  Yep they are definitely open!!

Earlier on the same day we left the park after they boys getting hurt, I also made the effort to walk the boys to a different park to let them throw rocks in the water.  (I am trying to keep us all entertained and busy by doing things other than watching movies and playing on the iPad.)  They threw rocks for about 8 minutes and then decided it was time to go home.  What??  I even pushed them in the stroller to get there, and I only got 8 minutes of entertainment???  How is that fair?!?

I literally took a short video of them throwing the rocks and a few pictures, and they were ready to go.  I was shocked.  I usually have to drag them home.  The one time I was ready and excited to be there, they have no interest!  Go figure!

This is how we ride these days!  That is over 80lbs of weight.  I am grateful my kids aren't heavy!!

This is Damon screaming at the park about his leg.  I was getting the camera out to take a picture of Kyler doing the monkey bars, because he can do it all by himself now, and I turned around to see Damon hurt and Kyler running up right behind him with a huge blister on his palm from doing the monkey bars!!  I said to Kenney, "Why did we come?"  He looked at me in the car on the way home and said, "I bet you have this feeling a lot don't you?"  I responded, "At LEAST once a day!"

Fire Station

This week our playgroup went to the fire station. My boys were quite nervous/interested in everything that was going on. The firefighters were great! The let the kids do all kinds of things. They got all dressed in their gear and scared the boys to death. They brought out the truck and put the ladder really high. Overall, they had a great time!!

I never realized how big firetruck tires were until now.

They both listened pretty well while the firefighters talked to everyone.

Damon and his friend Emily.  This little girl loves our boys!!  She is always standing by them and trying to hold their hands, but my boys are so not into it.  They walk away and refuse to let her touch them.

When they brought the truck out to raise the ladder, they had to put out the stabilizers and caused the tires to come off the ground.

That ladder gets really high!!

Kyler was really focusing when the firefighter was putting on all the gear.

I was trying to convince the boys to give him a high-five, but they didn't want anything to do with him once helmet and mask were on his head.

Damon pouting because Emily tried to touch him.  I wonder how long they will avoid girls like this?!?

We've never had a playgroup like this!!!  I guess you say fire station and everyone comes out!!

The boys and some of there friends.

Radley and I were there too!

Big Boys!

They really loved being able to sit on the truck.

They let Emily squeeze in for a picture!

Spring Break Part 2

After visiting for a few days in Childress, we headed down to Brownwood to visit my Nanny. All 3 of the boys got spoiled and loved being at Nanny's house. Kyler especially loves Nanny's because he gets to watch cartoons all day (she has cable and we don't),  play on the iPad, he get's ice cream and she took the boys to McDonald's and "Chick-a-lay". Damon had fun too but doesn't watch TV quite as much as Kyler.  He really liked the food Nanny has at her house! 

This is my Great-Granddaddy Pierce's house that he built.  The city is about to tear it down so we wanted to go see it one more time.

My Granddaddy made this for his dad's house.  I'm glad we were able to grab it before the city knocked it down.

Kenney took one look in the garage and said, "Yep, this is a mechanics garage."  There were quite a few tools and other things still there.  He was able to get an oil can out of there and cleaned it up.  It's pretty neat.

My Nanny, the boys and I on the front porch.

I found these in the garage too.  They are my granddaddy's business cards. If you can read the card it's pretty funny!

Reminds me of my Granddaddy sitting there with his legs crossed watching TV.  Kyler took good notes from when he was younger and Granddaddy was sitting there.

Poor Damon got an eye infection while we were there.  He woke up one morning with his eye matted shut.  He had a black eye on the other side with scratches on his face too.  He looked pretty beat up!

The best time for cuddles is when he is drinking a bottle and falling asleep.  Nanny rocked him to sleep every night!

These boys loved exploring the backyard.

Follow the Leader

We went to the cemetery to see my granddaddy's grave.  I haven't been back since the funeral, and the headstone wasn't there yet.

They found some cars and thought the ramp was pretty cool!

Nanny and 3 great-grandsons.

This little one got spoiled!!

Sittin' on the porch just like the rest of the family!

Silly faces!

Spring Break Part 1

Our Spring Break was pretty busy this year. Radley and I started off getting his kidney checked out at the hospital. He had to do the Mag3 nuclear test again where they put radioactive particles in him and watch the fluid go through his kidneys. He did it once when he was 2 1/2 months, and it was much better that time. The IV and catheter were much easier then, as was strapping him down to the table. However, he did good considering, and the test came back showing his kidney looking pretty good. It is working about 70-75%. That same day we had a LOT of family in our tiny apartment. Kenney's cousin Celesta and her family were being sealed in the temple, so we had a lot of Kenney's immediate family around. (I rushed out of the temple to rescue the babysitter so I didn't get a picture of the family at the temple, bummer). We didn't have room for everyone to stay with us, but Kenney's sister Shayla and her family stayed here so the kids could play. It was a lot of fun. We went to the park, went swimming, out to eat, and the kids' favorite Chuck E. Cheese!! The adults were exhausted by the end, but the kids had a blast!! At one point while we were at the temple there were 10 kids in our 900 sq ft. apt. Let's just say that wasn't planned!!!

After Chuck E. Cheese we came home and packed for Childress and Brownwood. We headed to Childress first where the boys were able to play a little longer with their cousins. On Monday, St. Patrick's Day, we had our first ever green dinner. The boys have an aunt who goes ALL out for EVERY holiday!! My kids definitely got the short end of the stick there; I consider it a success to celebrate birthdays and Christmas,!! We had dinner with them that night and all of us got in the green St. Patty's Day spirit! We had green everything! My boys seemed somewhat confused, but they ate. Damon especially liked the dessert which was also green!

The poor guy finally had to get the IV in his ankle.

After a lot of trouble getting the IV and catheter in, Radley finally gave up and feel asleep for about 10 mins before they came to wake him up again.

He was not happy about being strapped down and immobile!

He had to be like this for 40 mins, and he finally gave up about 30 mins into the process.

Damon was not so sure about the pool this time.  It was extremely crowded and loud.  I had a hard time getting pictures, but Kyler had a blast and is much more comfortable in the water now!!

Two kids are missing but we told Kenney's brother and sister to put a movie on for the kids, and it seemed to work pretty well.

Kyler and Tyce love each other so much.  Papa made their day by taking all of them to Chuck E. Cheese

Radley eating his green dinner.  We even had green bread!

Proof that my boys really do eat.  They even eat green food!

Conner and Jace really enjoyed it too!

Now that is one green dinner!!

I told you he liked the dessert!