I can't resist

I know we are way past Christmas, but here are a couple more.

 

We made it to visit Santa in Boulder with my parents one evening (after we had planned to do it another evening only to realize he wouldn't be there that day...).  It was really fast, there was no one else there!  Zach asked for Zoobs, and Austin asked for a block crane (Trio blocks).

 

The entire time we had our tree up I intended to take pictures like these, but we were always busy in the evenings and it never happened.  So the night before we took our tree down, I kept the boys up a little later than usual and had them look at the tree.  Notice the ornaments made by the boys.  Many are made of pipe cleaners and beads, and one made by Zach is a skull and cross bones he drew and cut out (to the right of his hand in the next picture), just to name a few.  Not my idea of Christmas decor, but I left it up.  :)

Our tree.  Short and fluffy!

 

 

Basketball!

Zach had been wanting to play basketball for months, so I got him signed up on the YMCA team this winter/spring.  He has only had 2 games, but he loves it!  We decided to put him on the 4-5 year old team instead of the K-2nd grade team.  He is about the youngest of his kindergarten class and we wanted him to feel big and confident for basketball.  He is definately the best on the team (the only one to score a basket so far, and maybe the only one who can get the ball high enough to!).  Maybe he should actually be with the older kids, but at least he is having fun!  And it's a good place to start learning some basics...

 

I attempted to take some pictures yesterday at his game, but apparently I'm terrible at taking pictures inside in a darkish gym where everything is moving fast...  :)  Here are a few anyway.

 

He actually has a pretty good shot.  (At least for an inexperienced 5 year old!)

 

He has scored 6 baskets in the 2 games so far.

There is very little dribbling in these games.  I compare it to a running back who holds the ball tight and RUNS!  It is hilarious!

This little blond boy seemed to know what he was doing, and was pretty good.

A happy waving boy.

This is Zach's idea of playing defense.  They know to put their hands up.  The details are a bit fuzzy.  :)

He would run down for defense, then stand directly under the basket and put his hands way up.  It's a work in progress.

Here was the final shot of the game.  He made it!  Even with the whole other team "guarding" him.  Atta boy.

 

I have a couple of videos on my phone, so I'll get one up soon.

 

Nothing in Particular

These are just some random photos from recently...

 

Zach almost ready for church in one of Cal's old ties.  When he got himself dressed he REALLY wanted to wear a tie, like Dad.

 

Austin always has really fluffy hair in the morning.  I love it!  Although I did cut his hair a day or two after this.

Double the lions, double the love. 

Brotherly love. 

I won't bother to post any pictures of them not getting along  :)

 

Zach really loves a toy called Zoobs.  They are so fun and he is so creative with them.

 

(this is a helicopter)

(a person and some kind of vehicle) 

Glasses!

Oz likes to rest his head on his hands, and it is adorable.

Christmas

We had a fantastic Christmas!  The boys are at a perfect age for the magic of the holiday and it was so fun.  As always, December went way too fast and it was suddenly Christmas, but we packed in as much fun as we could.  We stayed a few nights at my parents' house and enjoyed relaxed time together and late night game playing.  We had our usual Christmas Eve Crepes at our house, and Christmas morning at home.  Then we headed to my parents for more!  It snowed on Christmas Eve so we had a perfect white Christmas.

 

This blurry picture is when Zach first came down and saw the tree...  So excited!!

Santa was good to us.

We got our little workermen toolboxes and a few tools.  They were so excited and have loved to help with anything and everything with their tools.

Zach chose to give Austin a new lion like his most loved stuffed animal.  Austin was so thrilled. 



 

At Nana and Papa's house.

Zach got a ski helmet and goggles.  Now if only we could get some snow in the mountains!!

 

Reading a digger book with Papa and an art book with Nana.

 

Getting some energy out and playing in the beautiful snow.  Building a snow fort!

We feel so blessed!

Washing

Austin loves to "wash" anything and everything at the sink.  I'm guessing a lot of kids his age love this, but he is particularly fond of it with his love of water.  He often begs to do it and I try to avoid it because the result is one (or two!) wet boys, a wet floor and chair and counter, and many objects that started out clean and end up needing to be really washed.  It gets really exciting when he finds the sprayer (yikes!).  But he loves it, so sometimes he gets to play, and usually Zach will join him.  I really love our slow mornings when we don't have anything going on (Zach has afternoon kindergarten).  Some days I feel like we are just wasting time and I should be out somewhere exciting with them (why does there seem to be so much pressure to be so busy?), or doing something really productive.  But then these slow times are often my favorite, when we get to just BE.  So I am trying to enjoy our slow mornings while we still can.

And in the end it is worth the mess.

 My precious Zach.

Notice the missing front tooth!  He has now lost 5 teeth!!  Crazy.