It's Turkey Day!

 We had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  The day before the boys and I went to a little walking area near the Rio Grande and picked up some pretty leaves and big sticks for table decorations.  They weren't really into finding the decor, but they really loved climbing the trees and kicking the dirt.  Cyrus especially thought he was free and ran around everywhere just enjoying himself.

 On the morning of, my good friend Melissa and I ran a little 5K called the Hobbler Gobbler.  It was fun, and I was sure that a 5K was no biggie, but it turns out that an uphill course is hard!  I ran it, but it made my legs super sore.  As always, the best part of the race is seeing my guys at the end. It always make me feel like I want to cry.  I think because everything all at once is great - - - it makes me feel so grateful for my able body that I can ran and be strong.  It makes me feel happy to see that I have a sweet husband and healthy children.  And that they love me and cheer for me.  It was a nice way to start the day.  As for dinner, I had prepared most of it the night before, and I finished up the day of.  I killed the yeast for the rolls the first time around and had to make a second batch. It was nice to be able to do that and not stress about being ready at a certain time.  It was ready when it was ready and we ate when we wanted.  The second batch of rolls turned out just fine, except I made them super huge.  Everyone pretty much had a submarine sandwich roll.  Still, bread is so yummy, who cares???

The dollar store supplied our fancy glasses and table decor.  I think we all felt very ritzy with our stemware.

At Family Home Evening on Monday, we all told what we were thankful for:

Cyrus: Fun brothers, puppies, diapers, Elmo,and a carseat
Wyatt: Onix (pokemon) & Geo dude (also pokemon)
Calvin:  Our God
Mom:  Warm House, Electricity, Food, Handsome Hubby, and Healthy Kids
Dad:  The Banditos, and His Wifey (He wrote me a sweet little Thankful note, but that stays personal, so quit bugging me about it)

Thursday night I went black-fridaying and scored a couple of good things.  You'll have to wait until Christmas like everyone else to see what it is.  Friday and Saturday were really lame though because Noah had to work.  We missed him a lot and got pretty bored without him.

Here is one pre-race pic.  Can you spot me?  Just look for the sassy, cute, black skirt and leggings-wearing doll with the short hair.  Then look to the right and you will be able to see me in the pink shirt, black pants and stringy ponytail.  If you could see me from the front, you would say, "Wow!  You look so different without your make-up!"  To switch I would say, "Even an old barn looks better with a fresh coat of paint."  boo. yah.  Joke of the day.

And Another Birthday!! And It's Late Too!!

 Wyatt turned 5 on Halloween!  He's quite the five year old, and he entertains us everyday.  Here you can see him at his birthday party.  He wanted an Onix (pokemon character) birthday cake.  Onix is a creature made out of 17 boulders.  Yeah, it was a weird cake, but I felt good that I could deliver on his important day.  While looking strange, it actually tasted pretty good.

 So, anyway, our Wyatt.  He's five, and it feels like he has been for a long time.  He is his own person, and he knows how he feels about most everything.  He is happy and funny and easy to be around.  He usually just wants to snuggle under the "feel better blanket."  Yes, that's an actual item that exists at our house.  Any it works!  (on adults too).  He loves to dress up like different characters, unless it involves a mask because, as he says, "it freaks him out."  So, no spidey masks around here.  From 9-4, Wyatt owns this place, until Calvin gets home from school.  He plays with Cyrus and chases him while they both laugh. He is a joy to have in our family.  What would we do without Wyatt?

It must be mentioned that Wyatt uses his middle finger (which he calls either "tall man" or his "shooter blaster") for many things.  He uses it to point out an object, as a gun to shoot imaginary villains, or to scratch his cheek.  Just today, while we were sitting in the front row at church, he used it to point to a light on the ceiling.  He pointed out this light for a good 20 seconds, while those in pews behind us were left to wonder just what sort of things we are teaching our children.  Well, the secret is out:  we teach them to flip the bird at church.  But seriously, it was a little awkward, but not so awkward that Noah and I couldn't help but laugh.  I even caught a pic of Wyatt using his "shooter blaster" for you.  He was upset that we were getting on the plane to come back to New Mexico from Tennessee.  He was pointing to any airplane. Or flipping off the pilot.  I'm not exactly sure.  

Cyrus looks a little shocked that his brother would give him the finger, no?

Wyatt,

You are the best!  I am trying to savor every minute we have together this year before you have to start school next year.  You have always been so easy and so sweet.  Will you always be that way, please?  Thanks to you.  I love watching you get excited about things you love.  I love to see how easily you get along with your friends and that you try your hardest to be a good friend.  I think that is a great quality to have.  

xoxo,

Mom

To Remember about Wy Guy:

• He goes to sleep so easily.  Sometimes as he is going to bed, he will say, "Can you guys keep it down out there?  I'm trying to sleep.
• He always tries to skip me in Uno.  Always.  Even if it's just the two of us.
• He can read pretty well.
• One night at dinner, he addressed us as "citizens."  And when it made us laugh, he also called us, "fellows."  He's always up for a good laugh.
• Wyatt is a natural leader, and he is not afraid to just be himself.
• He still hates dinner.  Even if I served him chocolate cake and called it "dinner" he would hate it based solely on principle.
• He loves a good ham and cheese sandwich, which is something you know I like.
• Wyatt has a high pain tolerance.  Things that I would think would really hurt, he just shakes off.  
• He and Calvin love to turn flips on our bed.  Yeah, we need a trampoline.
• He can do really great impressions of people/cartoon characters/etc.  You should see his Wario or hear his Pidove (pokemon character).

Happy Be-lated Be-Birthday Be-Awesome Be-Dude

 Well, you could say that I'm a little late with this birthday wish.  That is an understatement.  But, it still must be posted!  October 6th came and went with the perfect amount of celebration for our newly minted 2 year old.  The boys and I were visiting the peeps in Tennessee, and so we had a nice little party for all three of them at Memaw and Pepaw's house. (I still don't know how to spell those words).  Cyrus also scored some birthday morning doughnuts, two candles, and the birthday song on his actually day.  Doughnuts are always yummy.  Always.

Cyrus,
You are an awesome little guy.  We've only been friends for two years!  I can hardly believe that there are people that I have known longer than you because you have been in my heart forever.  You are the sweetest and cutest bandito, as voted by your peers.  I have to agree.  I'm pretty sure that you have no idea that you are two.  I think that you think you are at least 10, maybe 12.  You hang around with your brothers like you have always been here. It's adorable.

Much, much love,
Your Mom

A few facts about our resident two year old:

• He is already trying out our patience with his terrible twos, complete with tantrums and tears.  Lucky for him, I've seen this before, and I have an idea or two what to do.
• Just the other day, he saw a picture of MacCulley Culkin with his hands on his cheeks (from Home Alone), and he came to get me and show me the picture.  When I looked at it and then looked at him, he had his hands on both sides of his cheeks.  Too cute.
• He loves puppies, and probably more that his big brother Wyatt.
• He likes to pretend that he knows how to read.  He sits beside the stack of library books and opens them one at a time, turning the pages on his lap, and softly mumbling made up stories. 
• Elmo, Pablo (from Backyardigans), and the Wonder Pets have been popular cartoons.
• When he sees anything that he thinks has a mean/serious face (jack-o-lanterns, spider-man, me, bums on the street, old people, etc.) he grits his teeth, shakes his head back and forth, and makes a growling noise.
• He starts almost everything he says with, "Mom, mom, mom." (Said quickly and did I mention before EVERYTHING?)
• He likes to eat croutons, just like his father. :)
• He is saying more and more each day, including: taco, pablo, elmo, uh-oh, uh-huh, hi, love, bye, puppy, da-da, ma-ma, ball, ballon (said none), light.
• He got a tricycle for his birthday.  We have a slight decline in our driveway, and he goes down so fast, lifting his feet up so he goes very fast, and scares his mom to death while he giggles.