A LITTLE BLAH, BLAH

As I was helping Kyler with his homework the other day, I noticed he wrote "blaw blaw" in place of the everyday assignment.  Of course I had to correct the "blaw" to a "blah", he laughed.  I totally get this kid....enough with the homework and school year....END IT ALREADY!!!!  Life at the House of Steve is still crazy, busy with all the "blah, Blah, BLAH!!!"  After this whirlwind weekend, I hope to have life calm down a bit.  In a couple of weeks, we can all sleep in (just not you, Tony, SHOW ME THE $$$) and relax a bit. Until then, our weekend calls for temps around 100 degrees, out-of-town relatives, an Avengers birthday party, a baptism, an Eagle Court of Honor complete with a large meal!

I still need to get some photos of my Eagle Scout tonight, but Kyler and I enjoyed a quick photo session at the temple the other week.  I loved having a little time with him alone.  Kyler loved the Oreo Brownie Earthquake at DQ.

(this is the pose he wanted....how could you not LOVE him!)

 Yesterday, this little man and I went to order the sub sandwiches for our party Saturday.  I loved trying to explain to him what it meant to order 2 "different" sandwiches  (while ham & provolone and ham & swiss are different...that's not what I had in mind!) Kyler loved the rootbeer soft serve cone. (I have to admit, I loved that too!)

Here's to a great weekend and blah, blah, blah!

TWO YEARS!!!

Oh the difference two years make!

Two years ago we had a visitor come stay with us for Easter.

(the real photo of the Stock boys)

 It was Uncle Austin!!!!!

We decided we needed some time with him before he left to serve in the Roseville, CA Spanish-Speaking Mission.  It also happened to be General Conference weekend.  Saturday night the men went to the priesthood session.  Asher wasn't quite 12, but we felt he should be included.

(aren't they all handsome, can't wait to get a recent picture!)

 We kept talking about the next time we'd see each other.  We were hoping it would at Kyler's baptism.  We talked about how old the kids would be when Austin was back. Colton would be 16 - driving & dating!  Asher would be a teenager and in Jr. High!!!!  Kyler would be almost 8 and getting baptized!!!!!!!  It seemed so far away then. 

(Austin hanging with his peeps!)

Now it's here!  Austin flies home to Minnesota tonight!!!!  I'm frantically running around and finalizing plans for Colton's Eagle Scout Court of Honor and Kyler's Baptism.  These little boys are growing up fast.  I don't know if Austin will even recognize them! 

Fast forward to Easter 2012 (DISCLOSURE:  we always have the worst Easter pictures....ok, I don't mean the worst, just not "Easter-y"  In years past, the kids are in their underwear or in a towel (after just bathing) when I snap the Easter basket photos.) This year they are fully dressed, in pajamas, and have just woken up.

Asher

 Kyler

 Colton

The kids objected to my matching tie choice, so I chose coordinating Easter colors.  They loved these!

 No Easter bonnets or frilly dresses in my house, so I had to put a bow on the dog!

 I love that Roscoe cooperated!

 The boys LOVE their dog!

 We don't have too many years left where they can hold Kyler like this!

 Kyler pretending to sleep!

 Be careful with my baby!!!

 Love these boys!!!

 Again, having no frilly dresses going on over at our home, I was looking forward to seeing them at nursery.  Problem....we only had two boys there that day!

(why am I always surrounded by boys?!?)

(Brandt)

 Aren't they adorable!  I love all my nursery friends. 

(Beck)

 We even had fun with our Easter craft.

I can't believe how fast the last two years have flown by! 

Austin will be home tonight.  He speaks in his home ward this Sunday, Mother's Day.  He'll fly out to Arizona next week and celebrate Colton's Eagle

(can't figure out how to make this photo smaller....oops)

 and Kyler's baptism.

Travel safe, Elder Mulleneaux!

(and give us a call ASAP...you have 5 people waiting to hear your voice!!!!)

FRIDAY RANDOMNESS

I'm still trying to catch up from last month, but today is all about this last week.  Last Friday I followed the signs to a garage sale.  It happened to be at a friend's home.  She happened to be selling lots of craft items.  There also happened to be a couple more friends that were "helping".  After coming home with way too many purchases, I decided to break out the new stamps and make Thank You cards to my enabling friends.

Cute, huh

 Here's my favorite part:

the inside

 I thought I'd put more stamps to use.

"So sweet of you"....to enable me

 I couldn't have lost my 2 year chip from Crafter's Anonymous without "U"

 I signed it:

Friends "always" 

(even in rehab)

I can't afford to run into another friend's garage sale for awhile!

(but it was FUN!)

((come over and craft with me....anytime!))

 Why does this boy avoid the camera so much?!?

Love him anyways!!!

 Yes....this is an actual product.  Where would one find this item.......WalMart.  (does that surprise anyone?)  I don't even know what to say about this one.  Really?  I'm just glad that I didn't have my kids with me.  I could just imagine what they would say....."hey mom.....this feels just like your belly!"  Moving on....

 My beautiful Palo Verdes!

I love that we had a few clouds in the sky.  I think the blue, white, green and yellow coordinated really well.  (card idea!)  Have a great weekend, and remember.......

 May the 4th be with you!!!

COLTON'S 16 - THE PARTY

Looking back I now realize that Colton turning 13 was a piece of cake!  

He's now 16!

16, people!!!!!

SIX!TEEN!!!!

All he wanted was a party, so a party he had.

His friend, Jeremy was the DJ....with real equipment and everything.  I'm so sad I don't have a photo of that, but I wasn't technically invited to the party.  I sneaked a couple of shots in passing.  I'm glad I caught this shot, the real reason for the party....GIRLS!

Happy Birthday to Colton!

Group shot!

I thought I had everyone in this one...not quite.

Here's the rest of the boys.

Yes, Kyler managed to be in the middle of the photos...

and again!

He didn't really want a cake, but I thought he needed one.

Chips, Dip, Soda, Cinnamon Bun Popcorn, Vanilla Crunch Popcorn

Kyler...again!

Heaven help us when Ky's a teenager!

I'm so happy he had the party he wanted! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, COLTON!!!!!

ONLY A DAD!

I wish I had better pictures of this.  Do you see that man with the yellow hand truck?  Well, he's not a delivery man, he's a dad.  A dad who has a daughter.  A daughter who broke her leg.  This dad walks to the school to pick up the daughter with the broken leg and wheels her home so she doesn't have to use her crutches.  All I can say is "ONLY A DAD would think of this!"

How can I say "no" to this boy!  Well, most of the time I don't have a problem saying "no", but this day I said "YES!"  1 shaved ice + 1 cute boy = 1 happy & spoiled rotten baby!

2ND GRADE PROGRAM

Behold!  The 2nd grade program.

This is one time it would be nice to have a great camera. Can you spot my boy? 

He was the top, center of the above photo.  Doesn't he look happy?!?  He is the most social and open kid I know, but he doesn't like performing on demand.

That's his show face....except when he yawns....which he did repeatedly!

After the program was over, he was much happier to show us some moves!

He was also very happy to celebrate with a treat!  Mamita treated the boys to sundaes at McDonald's.  See, Kyler, it was all worth it!