Take me out to the soccer game...

When Brad and I were dating and after that, married without kids, I would catch glimpses from time to time seeing what a good dad Brad would be one day.  He was just so good with kids.  But I could never have dreamed what a truly amazing dad he would actually become.  I am truly blessed to have such an equal, and often times more than equal partner with raising our boys.  I am truly blessed that even after working all day he can't wait to come home to see his family and spend time playing with his boys for the few precious hours he gets with them in the evenings during the week before bed time.  And on the weekends he truly soaks up our time together as a family.  He doesn't just "phone it in".  He spends quality time, doing what the boys want to do.  He plays with them like he's a kid himself.  He has them laughing all.day.long.  Of course Brad enjoys time to himself or with friends or with just me too.  That's only normal!  But when Brad won two tickets to the FC Dallas game for Saturday night's game, he was left with two choices.  Take a friend or take Blake.  Sure, a night without responsibility and beer drinking sounded fabulous, but what sounded better to him was making a life lasting memory with his son.  Cue my inner, "awwww".  Blake spent all day Saturday asking if it was time to go to the big game yet.  I had to nicely remind him that Brady wasn't able to go so to try and refrain from all the game talk.  Yeah, that didn't happen!  Thankfully Brady was a rock star in understanding he couldn't go with daddy and Blake, and we had our own little special time together.  

As I've stated a time or two Blake is a soccer fan to the max.  And to get to go to a professional team's game in person?  Well, let's just say Brad reported the mile long smile Blake sported once they got there never vanished the entire game.  From the few pictures Brad took and listening to him recount their evening it seems like a truly magical evening for Blake and my heart was bursting for him getting to have that experience and for Brad getting to share in the experience with him.  Blake on his own, started chanting, "GO FC DALLAS, GO FC DALLAS!"  And Brad said pretty much yelled that the majority of the game.  But Brad thought it was awesome that he was so into the game and wanted to cheer on his home team, he didn't once think about reeling him in.  Brad's attitude was go for it!  And I love that.  They got to witness an FC Dallas victory with some awesome goals and saves from Dallas and a few penalties which was such the perfect game for Blake to witness.  It was also Brad's first professional soccer game to attend and Brad's on a pretty big high getting to have both of them experience their first soccer game together.  My sweet heart-ed husband also let Blake go to the souvenir shop and pick out a keep sake for him AND his brother.  Love that.  Brady was on cloud nine getting his FC Dallas mini soccer ball and thanked his brother enthusiastically for his gift.  At the end of the game, about 9:30, Blake informed Brad they should probably go because it was past his bed time.  Ha!  Every so often though it's okay staying up way past your bed time.  Especially when you're busy creating a memory you will never forget.  

Beginning of the game

End of the game.  Extremely blurry but you can still make out that huge smile!

Yes Mom

We're nearing the end of our Spring Break and we've had so.much.fun.  Thank goodness for beautiful weather!!  On Sunday I said this was going to be a looong week with Blake out of school.  It's just... well, we've been butting heads a little bit lately.  He pushes my buttons.  He's ridiculously smart and stubborn and did I say he likes to push my buttons?  I also forget he's only four years old....like all the time I forget.  Because of that smart thing he possesses.  (I mean he was explaining the different states of matter to me at dinner the other night smart.  Wha?!)  I get aggravated with him because he's acting like a four year old!  Oh.  He is four.  But I had a little talk with myself and decided I was going to remember Blake is still a little kid.  To give him a break.  I find myself telling him no throughout the day which causes us to butt heads throughout the day.  I had read an article awhile back about a mom having a day of yes with her son.  Instead of saying no to everything she would say yes to everything (of course within some sort of reason).  So this week, being our vacation, I decided I would be more of a "yes" mom than a "no" mom.  
So, when Blake asked for cookies for breakfast I begrudgingly said yes.  When they wanted to go to stop at McDonalds on the way to Piano and play on the outdoor playground I said yes.  When they didn't want to leave the park when I said it was time to leave, I let them stay.  I let them play playdough when I was not wanting the mess.  We have had lots of park time.  We baked cookies.  I've been letting them be kids.  And I have to say while I know they've really enjoyed this week so far, I'm the one that has gotten way more out of it.  Being on my phone less and playing with my kids more.  Saying no less and yes more has made me fall even more in love with my kids if that's even possible.  Of course we can't have cookies for breakfast every day (and I made sure they knew that) but I'll be using that three letter word a little more in my vocabulary from now on.

Baking time

At the playground there was a map of the country.  Blake would throw a rock and where it would land is where he was going to pretend live.  He'd throw it and say where am I living momma?  Ugh, ugh, I really need to brush up on my geography.  I told him he was in Maine and when I got home I had to look up a map to make sure I wasn't being a dummy.  Yea for knowing one state!  

Blake's intimidation soccer stance.

Brady had asked for a box of powdered donuts at Sams, so I had to say yes.  They wanted to take some to the park for a snack so I said yes.  Happy Boys, Happy Momma.

And funny story I had to document.  Brad asked the boys the other night what they wanted to be when they grow up.  
Blake:  Doctor
Brady:  A Blueberry Waffle

Its good to have dreams!

Valentines - Brady Edition

*(Blake's edition was posted earlier today)*

This picture was taken this past weekend on a family outing to the Dallas Children's Theater to see a play of 'Goodnight Moon'.  During intermission Brady put on a show of his own.  Here he is with a pig puppet making *oink oink* noises.  One of the things I love most about Brady is his zest for life and I love how this picture captures it.  All the other kids bee lined to the snack bar, but not my Brady.  I enjoyed the show well enough, but nothing can top how I felt watching the boys reactions to the show, especially Brady's.  He had a smile on his face so wide.  The entire time.  And at any remotely humorous part he cracked up.  I mean, full on belly laugh.  And not one of those forced kids laughs, I mean the real deal.  It was so infectious that the adults sitting around us went, "awww" and started laughing themselves.  Brady spreads joy because of the zest he has for life.  How can you not love that??  

Brady makes me want to squeeze him and attack him with kisses alllll day long.  He's just so ADORABLE.  And I can't get enough of him.  He also has no problem at all dishing out the I love you's.  In fact, he loves telling his loved ones he loves them probably every 60 seconds.  Not even an exaggeration.  He has all the soccer parents cracking up because while we sit watching Blake's game its a constant, "I love you momma."  Can never get sick of hearing that.  

I love that Brady is so full of joy he usually doesn't just walk or run, but he gallops.  He can't help it.  I can't tell you how peeved the stinkin lifeguard got at Brady this past summer because Brady would gallop any time he was going somewhere at the pool.  Lifeguard would blow his whistle and yell, NO RUNNING.  And Brady would stop but then would immediately start galloping again.  Wash, rinse, repeat.  I mean he literally can not help it.  People say they love watching the world through the eyes of their child and I mean I LOVE watching the world through Brady's eyes.  He makes me want to be a more joyful person and live life to its fullest.  I love that about my Brady.  

Valentines - Blake Edition

*There are endless reasons why I love my kiddos, but I thought it would be fun, in the spirit of Valentines to write just a few about each boy.  Happy Valentine's Day everyone!*

Oh my goodness I love this kid.  Yes, he tries my patience on the daily, but he also is just so.incredibly.awesome.  I love watching him grow and learn and become more and more of the person he's destined to be in life.  What a gift being his mom is.  One of my favorite things about Blake is his heart.  He's got the biggest one I know.  I witnessed an example of this after school one day the other week.  His teacher was passing out two skittles to each kid as they walked out the door to find their parents.  One of Blake's classmates got some for her little brother too and then he proceeded to drop them on the floor.  Blake having witnessed this exchange, went to his teacher and politely explained the situation and asked if he could have more to give him.  Such a little thing, but such a sweet thing that he did on his own with no prompting from anyone.  He does things like this all the time.  He just is so caring of others and I just absolutely adore this about him.  
Another thing I adore about my Blakers is his passion.  He is passionate about life and in particular he is passionate about soccer.  Seriously its kinda of an obsession maybe?  He knows all the European team names and even the players names and loves watching them on TV.  Its kind of funny hearing him talk about Van Persie or Messie scoring goals or how Chelsea or Arsenal won their games.  Names I NEVER would know if it were not for Blake.  He loves to play FIFA13 on the XBOX and he LOVES playing soccer himself, either at the park or on his team the Strikers.  He said to Brad in the car the other day on our way to a family fun day, "What if I played soccer on TV?" and Brad said, "You mean like professional soccer?" And Blake said yes.  Brad said, "Well, that would be awesome, but those players spend years practicing and playing and putting a lot of time and energy into playing soccer so they can be the best and be good enough to be a professional. It takes lots of practice."  Blake thought about it for a minute and then he asks, "When we get home can I practice soccer so I can become a professional?"  And he's been asking every day since. Passion.  Gotta love it.
And last night as I was tucking Blake into bed he asked me for extra hugs and kisses (a rarity from him) and then asked me to sing him a song...the one I sang to him as a baby.  As I sang "You are My Sunshine", while he closed his eyes to fall asleep, my heart has never felt so full.

Life Lately

We've really been enjoying the month of January.  Its kind of nice to have all the craziness (although it was certainly fun) of the holidays behind us.  To recap, we started the new year off low key.  I had a bad cold and so we decided to just stay in.  The boys went to bed and Brad and I snuggled up by the fire and caught up on our DVR and drank champagne.  Oh so thrilling on new years eve, but it was perfect, for us.

Then we got to enjoy snuggling up by the fire again, but this time in a huge villa suite at the Four Seasons, celebrating our nine years of marriage.  Thanks of course to my parents.  It was an amazing "get away".  

We relaxed by the fire, dined out on a fancy dinner and even worked out?  Yeah, we're trying to stay true to our resolutions!  

 While we enjoyed our time alone, the boys got to have lots of fun with their grands.  They went bowling again and had a blast.  The bowling shoes on Brady just kill me.

We've been enjoying the nice weather in spurts as it comes in between 40 or 50 degree days.  We make sure to take full advantage.

Its hard to see but the next pictures are of the boys doing the "airplane" after they scored against me in soccer.  Every time they scored they ran around the field doing their victory dance.  It was priceless.

As much as we had hoped and prayed the surgery was the solution to my pain, it was not.  So more tests and appointments for me.  Here I am laying on an x-ray table waiting for the barium to get to the right spot.  I dig the new running shoes I got from my MIL as one of my x-mas presents.

Here are the boys enjoying a lollipop after one of my blood tests.  Their reward for me getting stuck! :)

Like I mentioned in my post yesterday Blake is becoming more and more of a big kid.  Its become a Friday tradition to head to McD's by Blake's school (half day on Fridays) with a group of his friends from class.  I snapped this picture because it was the first time Blake has ever sat at a table "eating out" alone with his friends.  It just seemed like such a grown up thing to do!  The girl in the pink jumpsuit sitting next to him, is the girl who told her mom she was going to marry Blake.  

We spent some time one day at Barnes & Nobles thanks to some gift cards we got from Aunt Rhonda and Nana!  The boys were in heaven.  Who knew it was so  much fun there?!

We enjoyed an afternoon with Grandma eating lunch and then browsing at the Gap.  The boys had fun playing on the elephant (?) outside.

Blake finished up another season, this time indoor, of soccer.  Its his absolute PASSION.

Blake also started piano lessons!  (no picture).  It will be interesting to see how long he will stick with it, but so far so good.  He is not only athletic but very musical.  His teacher has done a few "tests" with him, because he had a suspicion, and he is pretty certain Blake has perfect pitch.  He says if Blake commits to practicing he will be incredible at the piano.  Brad's dad could play the piano by ear, so its kind of cool to see the possibility of that "talent" being passed down.  And it means a lot to Brad as well since his dad is no longer with us.  So, we'll see.  He's only four (almost five!) and I hate to push something like that on him.  So letting him kind of dictate if we keep going or not.  Proud of him either way!

Monday the two bigger B's had off work and school so we headed as a family to the new Perot Museum to check it out.  It was a really fun day.  

These next few pictures crack.me.up.  And show what an awesomely amazing daddy the boys have.  In the children's museum part there are different sections, one is set up like a camp ground.  There is a log you can crawl through and has a hole on top.  There was also a raccoon puppet laying on the floor.  Brad crawled in the log, put on the raccoon puppet and put it through the hole and started talking to the boys.  Their reactions were priceless.  Love it.

And Brady has finally reached THIRTY pounds.  Its kind of a big deal.  His little legs look chunkier to me too and I could just eat this boy up.