Nuggets Basketball Game

 We went to a Denver Nugget's game last night.  It was the first NBA game for all 4 of us - and I must say, it is way more cushy than a Bronco's game.  I really don't care much about basketball, but it was enjoyable and the boys had a good time.  Our school district had a fundraiser where a portion of the tickets go back to the school's foundation.  The boys; school sold enough tickets to allow some of the kids to give the Nugget players high-fives before the pre-game warm up.  Ryan and Luke thought this was pretty cool.

 Luke is hiding behind one kid - but you can see Ryan  - 2nd from the bottom left.  Luke told Greg he thought that the basketball players were 5 feet taller than him (Greg) - Greg thought that was a pretty fair estimate.

And of course the real highlight of the evening were the dipping dots. 

They also thought the picture as a player was pretty cool, too.

Overall, it was a fun evening.  A lot more comfortable (and affordable) than the Bronco playoff game that Greg and I went to a few weeks ago (where the temperature was around 15 degrees).

The Driving Range

 

 We had a beautiful weather this weekend.  All of the snow finally melted and we enjoyed the warm weather by going to the driving range.  Just in time, too, since it snowed a few inches 2 days later.  The boys had a great time hitting golf balls onto the frozen pond.  Quite a few didn't make it past the rocks next to the tee - but both of them got several good shots off. 

 

 

 

Fortunately, there are no pictures of me attempting to swing.  I whiffed more than I actually hit,

End of Christmas Break

 Today is our last day of Christmas Break (or Winter Break as it has be referred to at school).  The boys and I had a good day.  We started by going to Target to pick out a couple of t-shirts (Pac-Man for Luke, Star Wars Angry Birds for Ryan), lunch at Chik-fil-a, riding new scooters at the park, and then a few hours at the pool.  The boys were thoroughly exhausted by bedtime, and a tad bit too grumpy.  But overall, an excellent day.     
We've had a good break overall - it even included the boys' first sleep-over at our house with their friend Henry.  All 3 boys got along and played lots of Beyblades, Legos, Star Wars Angry Birds Jenga Death Star, Creationary, and other games with their stuffed animals.  The best part was that they fell asleep within minutes of going to bed.  Greg and I thought for sure that we would have to go into their bedroom every couple of minutes for at least an hour to get them to be quiet.  The sleepover ended the next morning with breakfast at IHOP.  I can't believe that my babies are now old enough to have sleepovers.

Ryan and Luke each got a new Razor scooter for Christmas.  It has been too cold and snowy for them to try them out - but today ended up being a beautiful day and we took advantage of the melting snow and warming temperatures to scooter around the lake.  I think they had a great time.  Ryan thanked me again for getting him a scooter on our way home.

 There were lots of prairie dogs in one area of the lake.  I love prairie dogs - I know they are rodents- but I think they are so cute, especially when they stand up.  We had a good time watching them watch a dog that was desperately trying to get off its leash to run after them.

After a quick trip home to change clothes, we headed to the pool.  Luke loved going down the giant slide.  Ryan wouldn't try it because he didn't want to take off his goggles, but both boys had a great time in the lazy river.  They also practiced their free-style stroke with the hope that they'll be ready for the swim team this summer.  They both swam the full length of the pool (25M) at least twice (Ryan 3 times) without stopping.  Luke even was somewhat successful with swimming the breaststroke.  We finally got home around dinner time and headed out to Macaroni Grill for dinner.  They had worked up quite an appetite, but ended up being too tired to eat much. 

Our weekend plans include Greg working the boys on their Pinewood Derby cars (complete with the new Dremel Greg bought for that purpose).  I am hoping to sneak out long enough to see Les Mis. 

Ranching Heritage Center

 While we were in Lubbock during Thanksgiving week, my mom and I took the 4 kids to the Ranching Heritage Museum.  It is a really neat center with farm/ranch buildings from mid 1800s to the early 1900s that had once been on various ranches and farms throughout West Texas.  It is a great way to learn about life on the Plains and what it took for early settlers to make it on their own in pretty desolate country.  The kids had a great time and it was a beautiful day.  They had fun running from house to house and they obliged me for many pictures.

 My sweet boys.

 Luke, Jacob and Ryan - these 3 boys will grow up together and even graduate from high school and head to college at the same time - I hope they will always be great friends.

 The Ranching Center includes a train station from a nearby farm town complete with a train and cattle cars.  The kids had a great time playing on the caboose and climbing on the engine.  We also went into the train station's ticket office.  It is the same station that my Uncle Charlie played in when he was a little boy growing up on a nearby cotton farm.

 Texas Tech's campus is home to hundreds (at least) of Jackrabbits.  They have always been one of my favorite things to see around Lubbock growing up.  The Ranching Heritage Center had quite a few running around that day.  If you've never seen a Jackrabbit - they are huge and I love their big kangaroo-like ears.

 My beautiful niece, Olivia.  I can't believe she that she will be 10 in March.

West Texas lacks classical landscape beauty.  It is hard to beat seeing the snow-capped mountains and rolling foothills on my way to work every day.  But West Texas has its own unique beauty, as well.  I have always loved flying into the area - the cotton fields have always reminded me of a patchwork quilt.  The sky is huge and the view goes on forever.  I truly can't imagine living on the Plains during the Dust Bowl or even before air conditioning and running water - but I do love the area and what it has provided for my own family's history.

Rock Climbing

 I took the boys rock climbing on New Year's Eve.  They had been pretty good all day, but they were ready to get out of the house and Greg and I were ready for them burn off some energy.  Ryan and I took a class in November, so I now have my belay certification.  It was Luke's first to go at it  in a couple of years.  They both had a good time - as you can see, Ryan was excited.

Both boys can make it about half way up the wall - then they realize that they are at the same level as the second floor above us, and don't want to go any higher.

 Luke attacked the wall like he does many things - no hesitation and tried to go up like Spiderman as fast as he could go.

Ryan climbs more slowly and deliberately.  Check out his new shoes-he picked them out himself and has woken up early the last 2 mornings to get dressed so he can wear his shoes all day.

We will need to go every few weeks in order for me to remember the correct knots to tie - Ryan was upset that Luke climbed about a foot higher, so we'll need to go back soon so he can try again.

Merry Christmas!

 We had a really nice Christmas.  Our Christmas Break is a little different this year - we had school until right before Christmas, and we have the week off after New Years.  Usually, we are off the week before Christmas and go back to school right after New Years.  Not sure which I like better.  I'm looking forward to this week with no plans or events - and it was nice to have Christmas parties and preparation over with early, but it made for a very difficult last week of school and weekend to get ready for 2 parties and Christmas morning.  We had my Book Club Christmas Party on the Saturday before Christmas - 13 kids under the age of 6 running around the house - but they were mostly in the basement being contained by the dads.  Then on Monday, we had Greg's family over for Christmas Eve.  We had Christmas morning with the 4 of us and then Nana and Grandad joined us a little later in the day.  Overall, it was all very nice.  The boys received some great gifts that they've been busy playing with and Greg and I love enjoying Christmas with them and through their eyes.

 Christmas Eve morning, I set the boys up with decorating their own gingerbread trains.  They had a great time with this and it kept them busy for about an hour.  They were very anxious and excited for Christmas Eve night to come.

 No real pictures from Christmas Eve - too much going on - but I did get this sweet picture of the boys' cousin, Tommy.

I had asked the boys to come and get us when they woke up Christmas morning.  They are not late sleepers, especially Ryan - so we knew it would be early.  At about 6:30, I woke up to the hall light being turned on - and found Ryan coming back upstairs.  He told us what Santa had brought him and he had already unpacked his stocking.  We kept him occupied for a short bit with Curious George and gave Luke a chance to sleep a little longer.  Once both boys were up - we headed downstairs.

 I love this reaction of Luke seeing what Santa had brought him.

 Luke requested a R2D2 costume - he told us that he had something different pictured in his head, but this was even better.  Santa felt really good to hear that!

 R2D2 has already gone through a few repairs, but I think he is finally ready to go.

 Santa also left a letter for the boys.  He wanted to let Luke know that this was his first request ever for a R2D2 costume and his elves worked really hard on it.  Santa also told Ryan that he loves playing Space Angry Birds, too.

Gift excitement:

 A remote control helicopter!

 Legos from Ryan!

 Star Wars Angry Birds PJs!!

 Ryan asked Santa for the Space Angry Birds stuffed animals.  He was super excited to get them and has added them to his large collection of animals that he sleeps with each night.

 Ryan and Daddy playing with his new helicopter.  The box states that it is for ages 14+ but Ryan has done a great job figuring out how to fly it.

Ryan, Luke and Grandad with Grandad's present.  I made the plate this summer with the boys' hand and footprints - they loved being able to help create it

We had a great Christmas.  Greg and I got each other new furniture - so that was super exciting for us, as well.  Now we have another week to play with toys - too bad it is too cold for the snow to melt for the boys to try out their new scooters.

Santa 2012

Sorry for the long delay between posts.  I sat down a few weeks ago to do a Thanksgiving post of our week in Lubbock - but when I started trying to upload pictures, I got a message that I had run out of memory space.  I thought Blogger was free, and it has been for the last 5 years - so not sure what is going on.  I was planning on paying for the memory space today to keep my journal of my kids going-but now it seems to be working fine.  We'll see how long this lasts.  Anyways - here is our annual Santa picture.  This year we opted to skip the mall Santa and take the picture with the Santa who joins our neighborhood's annual hayride.  Much easier.  Ryan has asked for all of the Space Angry Birds stuffies (his phrase) - not sure where he'll put them in his bed, he already sleeps with at least 15 other friends.  Luke asked Santa for a R2D2 costume.  Santa had not heard of that request before and I imagine that he (or she) has been very busy over the last couple of weeks creating a custom made R2D2 costume.

 Santa - 2011, age 5

 Santa 2010 - age 4

 Santa 2009 - age 3

 Santa 2008 - age 2

Santa 2007 - age 1 (the only crying year)

Santa 2006 - age 6 months