Engineers and Artisans We Are Not

I guess it's no secret my boys have a hate relationship with art and music, but I do not foresee either boy exploring the field of engineering either. Today we put "easy to assemble" and "fail proof" gingerbread houses together and both houses collapsed within minutes. 

I would doubt the product and its promises except the neighbor kids' houses stood straight and resembled the pictures on the box.

The next time one of my boys scores on the soccer field, I will take extreme pleasure in their talent. 

Even with structurally unstable houses and a designated last place finish in the design competition, Evan was all smiles. The sugar high from licking fingers full of icing may have had something to do with it, though. 

Keagan didn't care what his looked like, as long as he wasn't in last place. He just wanted to eat it! Until he remembered he doesn't like gingerbread. 

Next on the agenda is decorating Christmas cookies. 

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas

Nothing says holiday spirit like a Christmas light display. Tonight our neighbors went with us to the river to see the Christmas lights. I don't think anyone really noticed the lights, though; the boys were rolling down hills and running races alongside the water. The adults were mesmerized by a tugboat pushing a barge filled with dirt. Proof positive we don't get out enough. Or maybe we are just getting old. Perhaps we didn't spend a lot of time with lights, but we are grateful for the Christmas season and the people we have grown to call friends in the last year. 

Powerful Toes

After I finished all of the Christmas shopping last week for the boys, I realized I hadn't bought any shoes. I thought it was pretty amazing that no one needed shoes this year - especially since we seem to need new shoes at least every three months. Tennis shoes, cleats, bball shoes, church shoes... We always need new shoes. 

Today at church I happen to look down, and I see the seam on Evan's shoe has ripped leaving a gaping hole and a bunch of unraveled thread.  I ask E what happened and he said, "I swear all I did was flex my toe and it ripped! I must have some really powerful big toes."

This might have been unbelievable a few years ago, but I totally believe this today. With all of the advice I have received about rearing boys, no one ever prepared me for how fast boys can grow. As I write, I realize that Evan has been napping for two hours. I fear he will wake up another half inch taller and all of those new clothes beautifully wrapped under the tree, will no longer fit!

I see long lines under the return signs in my future!

Two Kids in the Woods

The boys had an entire afternoon to themselves. This is a rarity! When the calendar is free of soccer games, birthday parties, or basketball practices, the boys usually play sports in the yard with the neighborhood boys. Today Keagan had something else in mind.

Keagan decided he wanted to test his ability to survive in the wilderness. He decided to try his hand at building his own shelter. Evan was intrigued and agreed to help him. Imagine my surprise when I looked up from my cleaning today to find the boys on the far side of the pond with a machete and a small fire going! They used hay bales that we have been using as the back drop for air rifle target shooting as the walls. Then they collected reeds and tall grasses to make a roof.

This is today's end product with a promise that more's to come!

Battalion Christmas Party

Tonight the boys and I attended the unit's office holiday party. I knew one person in attendance; this was not my idea of Friday night fun. I was imaging PJs and sleep. Evan was peeved that he had to walk in front of an entire room of people to receive a present from Santa, and Keagan was upset that he had to spend his Friday night on post when he'd rather have been playing with the neighbors. We were one happy bunch.

Then Santa made his appearance! He greeted us with the customary HoHoHo.

And without missing a beat, Evan and I both said, "Santa got some tats!" Then we were laughing; laughing so hard we were crying. 

Christmas with the Army! It doesn't get better than this!

Basketball Season is Here

Keagan is playing basketball this winter. Evan is not and for reasons that we are not even certain. How can my 5'8" sixth grader not want to play basketball? It makes me sick - literally - to go to these games and have my older son sit in the bleacers as a spectator. But we are very excited to watch Keagan, or as the African American play-by-play announcer refers to as Key'on, play his heart out.

He is playing in a middle school league and played Evan's middle school's JV team today. He was playing against a kid today that is the center for the varsity middle school football team. Keagan didn't even bat an eye. Sol lost that game, but only by four points. Game two was just a couple of hours later.

Keagan's wearing number one, but perhaps, it would be easier to look for the white boy.

What Keagan lacks in height, he totally makes up for in heart. He is one heck of a defensive player.

He's the youngest and smallest kid on the team, and yet, he is one of the starters. So proud of our little Key'on!

St. Nicholas Day

St. Nicholas found his way to our house! The combat boots are stuffed with a few German treats, but

I am sure very few German kids are waking up to a flag football kit. Keagan came home last weekend from playing football with the neighborhood boys with a black eye. I'm certain big E was responsible for the elbow that caused the black and blue, but this is the second time this school year that he has gone to school with a black eye. To prevent any future markings (or questioning looks from the teachers), St. Nicholas thought it wise to invest in a flag set.