Fun with the SUNS

Paul was given some tickets to the Suns game. But these weren't the regular "nose bleed" tickets I'm used to. These were front and center tickets! We had a set of 4 tickets on row 14 located between mid court and the Suns players bench. Then he scored another set of 2 down on row 7 center court. We told Andrew and Barik that they were going to be out late with us, but hadn't told them what we would be doing. Paul stopped off at Wal*Mart to pick up a couple SUNS t-shirts to surprise them with. At the great reveal of the t-shirts, Andrew was visibly disappointed. "SUNS game?! I thought we were going to Golden Corral." Paul was a little ticked at his response (what a spoiled brat, right?). Then I realized that he had no idea what he was in for. The only basketball games he had been to were Barik's. Not quite on the same level...



With the game starting at 7 (the boys normal bed time), Barik was already tired. So when Paul took Andrew down to the close seats first, Barik was in tears! I felt so bad for him!

With a little helpful suggestion from Adrienne, cotton candy came right up. Oh the joy!


The cotton candy stayed with me in the less than desirable seats (can you imagine?) in attempt at making things fair. So Andrew came along and it became his goal to shove as much cotton candy in his mouth as possible.



What's a basketball game without lots of junk food. We didn't stop at cotton candy, oh no. We added pizza, soda AND red vines to the loot. Oh yeah!


Ending the evening with two exhausted boys can only mean one thing: Fun with the SUNS!
Thank you, Ed for sharing these amazing tickets! Great memories were made!!!

Swing, batta', batta'!

I will be surprised if this boy doesn't turn into a phenomenal ball player. At 20 months, he is putting the ball on the T and hitting it. He has a wicked arm (face masks should be required when playing with this little guy).



And while this next shot has nothing to do with balls, I just love it and had to put it in.

There is Beauty all around...

when there's no one home. Yeah right! Like that ever happens! Instead, I'll settle for nap time. The little bit of sanity I have left is surviving because of this one "beautiful" time each day. You see, the rest of the awake time Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday is not "beautiful". What about Monday and Wednesday, you might wonder. Oh, those are the days Cooper is at preschool. But you see, the main problem doesn't lie with Cooper. No. It's his little brother. That's right. The baby of the family wreaks the most havoc in our home. He seeks Cooper out to torment him. He hits unprovoked, steals his toys, blankets and anything else to get a rise out of Cooper. Cooper isn't completely innocent in this scenario. If he would do as I advise, and walk away, rather than sitting there screaming while his little brother is beating him, there would be more "beauty" right?

A big part of me wonders if this is justice. You see, Cooper did the exact same thing to Barik when they were the same age. The only thing that kept me sane was having Barik in preschool Tuesday-Friday during the morning (when they would otherwise both be awake and fighting).

I admit, I've gotten lazy in my old age. I don't want to put Drake in a time out every time he hits his brother. I know I should discipline him, but just the thought of all that discipline wears me out. So instead, I just yell right along with them. That helps a whole lot, let me tell ya.

Hopefully starting in August, Cooper will be able to go to the same 4-day/week preschool in the morning and more "beauty" will be around the Boley boys.

Dear Mr. Sickness

Our home has tolerated your visit for 2 VERY long weeks. And now I request that you leave and take your friends puke, cough, pink eye and allergy with you! (please) You are REALLY kinking our style!

This is not the type of decor I would choose to have in my kitchen. But alas, it's what we all needed to get better.

Hard Decisions

Do you ever have a hard time deciding between TWO really great things?

Why not take both?!

THE Valentine's Box

There are few things I look forward to as much as I do THE Valentines Box. We all do. It's the one big package we have been getting from my wonderful mother-in-law on the holiday of love for the past 5 years. And it has become tradition to enjoy every last bit of it!

So here's how it all plays out. For days, I'm checking the porch several time per day. I know it seems a bit juvenile, but that's how excited I get! I know it's coming and the waiting is almost too much! FINALLY after much patience, (ok, not really, but you know) the BOX arrives! Now, this isn't just a small box--one that would fit in our mailbox. No. This is one that must wait on our front porch.

With a quick glance at the boxes contents, the fun begins! If we have any more kids, grandma will need to send a bigger box.

Next: The "bubble bath".




And then it's on to the "snow" fight.







After it snows, what do you do? Make a snow angel, of course.

And after all the fun is had with the box (at least all the fun mom can handle), we all move on to the yummy candies, hand dipped chocolates, and the best sugar cookies made (in my humble opinion, that is).

Thanks, Grandma Carol, for making our Valentine's Day EXTRA special! We all sure appreciate the time, talent and money that goes into this wonderful tradition!

9 Boys, 2 girls and a dog

The Wilsons and the Boleys spent a pleasant President's Day at Lake Pleasant. Oh what fun we had!
We were able to pull the trucks right down to the water.

Isaac loved the back of Jared's new truck. Gives a new meaning to "port-a-crib". If only Drake loved hangin' in the back of the truck like Isaac.

At one point all the boys loaded up in the bed of Jared's truck.

Rocks were thrown, clothes were soiled (and soaked), and of course the obligatory pee in the bushes was done by most.
(One day, he will dis-own me for all these naked pictures of him, but for now, he doesn't know any different).


Thanks for making more memories with us, Wilsons!

Valentine's Day

WARNING: This post contains much cheese! If you can't handle a little cheese, go on to the next post.

I know it sounds cheesy, but it's the truth. As the holiday of Love approached this year, I realized that I didn't care if Paul got me flowers, or chocolates, or something "more comfortable". In fact, all of a sudden, "Valentine gifts" seemed forced. If my husband needs a holiday to let me know that he loves and treasures me, it's not sincere. Now, don't get me wrong. I love flowers and chocolates (and even something a little more comfortable)! But I don't need a holiday to know that Paul loves and adores me. Why? He lets me know all year long. When he randomly brings home flowers and tells me that I'm beautiful, I know he loves me. When he puts the grumpy kids to bed because he knows I've had it, I know he loves me. When he lets me go out with my best girl friends, I know he loves me. When he shares his innermost thoughts and desires with me, I know he adores me. And so, I don't need a holiday to confirm the love my husband feels for me, he does a fantastic job of that every day. There. I said it. It's out in the open. He loves me! (and I sure love him too!)

P.S. He did buy flowers, and an ice cream cake. AND after a date to the temple and dinner, he even went into the store to pick up a slice of my favorite chocolate cake while I sat exhausted in the car .

Pudding, anyone?

We have had a very difficult time getting our baby to eat lately. After discovering a love of feeding himself and re-discovering his love of chocolate pudding, this is the result.



At least he's eating something.

SO tired

After a fun filled day, my dad often asked us if our fun-meter had been broken (meaning the needle had gone off the scale). Do you think Cooper's fun-meter had been broken?

After a long day of playing with one of his best buddies, Cooper-kazi was all tuckered out!