Muscles & Testing New Camera Skills

These boys love flexing their muscles. I tell them they have to eat lots good food to get those muscles (it's one way I get them to somewhat eat dinner). Even Radley knows how to flex. They also love to make messes! They are very good at that too! Playing outside any chance they get is also something they love to do. One of my goals right now is to learn how to use my camera better. I tried out some new settings while they played with Kenney outside one day. I have a LONG way to go, but hopefully I will be able to get out of the auto setting soon!

This all happened in about 30 mins.  I was getting ready for church (the only day I do anything with my hair besides a ponytail for these reasons) and Kenney was preparing a lesson.  There are at least 30 Hotwheels cars, 4 decks of cards, 1600 of the small Legos, puzzles and more!  Lets just say I look like a wreck  most days for a reason!

They all sat down one day to drink their chocolate milk, and I tried to catch some smiles.

Flexing their muscles.

A little more flexing.

And another good cheesy shot of chessey smiles.

Nice follow through on that kick!

Kyler trying to kick a goal.

I love his cute little run!

Kyler vs Daddy.  Poor Kyler's got some stiff competition.

Radley's not much help in the goalie department.

Trying to run back fast enough before Daddy kicks the ball.

My best photo of the day: Kyler blocking the kick! 

All Damon wanted to do was play with his cars!

Finding Things To Do

The boys and I have been cooped up for too long! The windy wintery days are getting old for all of us. Since there hasn't been much to do, we have been making fun and getting creative (as much as possible for me. I'm not too creative). We will take any suggestions at this point. If we do leave the house the boys cry and complain when I tell them we are going home. They are desperate to stay away from our house, and honestly so am I. I used to be much more of a home body, but these boys are making me grow in a lot of areas!!

I don't think he remembers having bubbles in the bath.  He LOVED it.  He was laughing and playing so hard.  He usually likes to get out before the other two because they get a little wild for his taste, but he didn't want to get out!

He ate the bubbles and didn't care!

Kyler loved them too!

These two liked putting the bubbles on their face; Damon not so much, but he still had fun!

We really needed to get out of the house one day last week, so we went to Cabela's.  We don't have a big one here, but there were plenty of animals in there.  So we made one trip around the store looking at all of them, and then the boys found the pop guns.  We then made another trip around the store shooting all the animals.  All the older men in the store would laugh and put their hands in the air saying, "Don't shoot me."  It was pretty funny and entertained them for an hour!  I say it was time well spent.  Papa Dude also bought them the guns.  I'm not too sure how I feel about that, now that the guns have been in my house for a week!

Radley loves the camera these days!

The first deer they spotted they started shooting!

These boys have been such a pain to put to bed lately.  This particular night Damon came into our room for the 100th time, and we just ignored him.  About 5 mins later I heard deep breathing and found him like this.  He was using my sweatshirt as a sleeping bag!

Damon was trying to turn the light on in the kitchen one evening.  He thought the best way to do that was to climb up the door jam.  He got close several times, but the best part was him trying to get a tiny cardboard box (I think it was an empty oatmeal box) that was broken to use as a step!  It was really funny watching him!

Kyler has been telling us he has magic eyes.  Basically he has learned how to cross his eyes (not very successfully) and can see two of the same thing.  He thinks he's magic now!

These are just some silly pictures of Kyler and his cousin Avery that her mom sent me the other day. They were having a lot of fun taking pictures of themselves. I think I remember them taking a lot of videos too!

The Dreaded Family Pictures

Our family hates, and that is putting it nicely, family pictures. Kenney has despised them since he was young, and it hasn't really gotten any better.  I don't know many kids that enjoy formal pictures.  Sure Radley lets me catch him being cute in his pj's and holding a cup of milk, but trying to get a good picture of all of us together, dressed nicely is just impossible!  I now hate family pictures because I know how much the rest of the family hates family pictures.  I get stressed trying to make sure everything is ready to go and easy for everyone else and that we spend no more than 30 mins taking the pictures.  I didn't even get these done in time to do Christmas cards this year, so all I wanted was a decent picture of the 5 of us looking and (if I'm lucky) smiling at the camera to put on our wall.  Well, the picture taking wasn't miserable (in my mind), but hopefully the results get better in the future! Thanks to Tia, Gina, and Papa Dude for making them the best possible!

And this is as good as it gets folks!

Definitely captured some personality with this shot!

My sweet little guy.

I can't believe how big/old he is getting!!

Story of my life, little boys hanging all over me!

We had all kinds of issues trying to get these pictures done.

Taking flight!

We kept throwing a rock or something ahead of us that the boys were chasing after each shot.  So much for getting any smiles out of that!

So far the shoulder pose has worked the best for us, but they are getting too big now.  We've got to figure something else out for next year!

Bedtime Routine

As I have mentioned several times, there is never a dull moment in our house if any of the boys are awake. Bedtime is no different, especially lately! If you follow me on Instagram, you have seen a little bit of our new bedtime routine. One night Kenney was throwing balls with the boys and they needed to start getting ready for bed. Of course they didn't want to so he said, "If I hit you with the ball you have to go get pajamas on." A new bedtime ritual ensued.

Here is the breakdown: 1st hit, you get pj's on; 2nd hit, you brush your teeth; 3rd hit we say prayers; 4th hit, you go use the bathroom; 5th hit you are supposed to go to bed, but the game usually lasts much longer than that! Damon never thinks he gets hit, so it takes about 3-4 hits before he will brush his teeth or do whatever he is supposed to do. We also have to announce the real and final hit that sends them to bed. So far the boys have loved this game and want to start playing around 6:30. We put it off because that would be way too many hits before they would be ready for bed, but it's nice to see that they are wanting to go to bed (even though I really know that it is the game they want to play rather than going to bed, I like to think they want to go to bed!)  We've tried to read a book and set the mood for being quiet and settling down, but that has never made a difference and helped the boys calm down.  So rather than hearing them scream and deny bedtime, we peg them with balls and all get to enjoy bedtime!
 

Let the chaos begin!!

As soon as I got out the camera, Radley stands still and says, "Cheese."

The scene from the kitchen: Kyler crouched behind the big chair, Damon getting hit, and Radley ignoring everything that is going on, and Daddy sitting relaxed on the couch waiting for another target!

Still cheesin' away!

It gets pretty cramped in our little apartment with the three of them running around. Well, Radley is just getting a towel to clean up his spilled milk, but the other two run into each other and/or knock Radley down quite often.

Kyler's getting hit with a ball and Radley just wants to smile for the camera!

Damon getting pegged!

Kyler being cocky!

Radley decided the best and safest place to be is with Daddy hitting his brothers.

I think Daddy enjoys this game as much or more than the boys!!

Damon just flat-out denies getting hit, and Kyler just loves running back and forth sincerely trying not to get hit.

Playing in the Snow

Kyler was so excited to get to play in the snow. He was even more excited that Uncle Logan went out to play with him. Daddy made it fun by trying to use some plastic to give the boys a ride. Grandma came out too!

Things started off a little rough when some ice was accidentally thrown at Kyler, but he was having so much fun he got over it pretty quick.

Logan throwing a snowball right towards me!

Damon took a little while to warm up to the cold and the snow, but he had fun eventually.  However he didn't last very long.

It's always fun throwing snow at Logan!

Kyler kept launching himself into the big pile of snow.

He really did have a lot of fun!

Grandma finding icicles for Damon to try and use as swords.  He didn't understand how fragile they were.

Our improvised sled.  Grammie didn't have any sleds at her house, but she found some plastic!

Kyler had a blast being pulled around!

Grandma found him a big icicle.

A neighbor kid came out and let the boys drive his new remote controlled truck.  Damon loved it!!

Snowball fun!

 Here is the 'sledding' in action.  Damon apparently took a ride too, but I was inside at the time.  He wouldn't get back on once I was out there.

Grandpa and Grandma with the boys!

Grandma and Radley

The best of Grammie and the boys!

Missing Shandi, but it was fun for Haley to be there and have her play with the boys.