End of the Season, Beginning of Another

Monday wrapped up baseball season for us.  Talmage and Bryant's team beat a team that had beat them twice during regular season to take third place.

I told them that it was a pretty special thing to be able to play on the same team together, and that they should enjoy it because they may never get the chance again.

Rex and Lyle got their birthday presents from Lizza --- a big hit.

Once baseball season was over, we got down to the real fun :)...getting the rest of our pumpkin starts planted.  Everybody had their job.

 Yesterday, James had surgery on his hand.  It's hard to tell by this x-ray, but he now has three pins going perpendicular to his finger bone and some rubberbands that are providing some traction so the joint will heal.  He's uncomfortable, but a trooper.

Cousins here for the weekend.

This morning was a beautiful day for the cemetary clean-up for Memorial Day.

                                                           

Quite the Crew!!

Timing is Everything

...or, the end of everything.

For the last few years we have been planning on this being the summer that James would build our house.  The vacation days have been saved, the Master's Degree is done, the plans are complete, and James goes to mutual one night and everything changes in an instant.  Makes you realize how life can change so fast and so unexpectedly.

                                              

Two fingers broken, one being a crushed knuckle; and the hand broken in two spots.  The Doctor told James he didn't expect that he would be able to use his hand for three months and that at that point it would still be a long road to strength and mobility.  When my visiting teacher asked me at church today what she could do to help, I told her I need somebody to build our house.

Friday, Rex and Lyle turned 2 years old!  As I look back at how they came into this world and the strong, bright little boys they are today, I can't help but think of the word "miracle."  I would have never thought a "miracle" could have been so absolutely excruciating, trying, exhausting, challenging...but I guess miracles come in all different ways.  They still consume my days, and yet it is so much less grueling than much of the last two years.  They are happy, busy, and mischievous at times.  All that 2-year-old boys should be.  I'm so grateful.

                                      

Birthday money from Grandpa and Grandma Hales.

                                      

Rex devoured his, Lyle just kind of poked at his.  Both LOVED blowing out candles.  A few times.

Thursday, I took Talmage to the Junior High Open House.  He seemed to take everything in stride and not be too ruffled by it all.  We visited with my 8th Grade math teacher for a minute.  I don't think I ever thought much about the chance of my kids attending the same schools I did.  Of course, just about everything has changed but it's still somewhat nostalgic.

Caught this the other day, made me happy.

Three Up Three Down

This is what we were doing by 8:30 am this morning!

They were in and out of their trunks 3 times today.

My two favorite moments of the day:

1. Scurrying around gathering snacks and water for the baseball game, I looked out the kitchen window and paused to watch Hyrum.  There he was in his baseball cap sitting on the top step looking out over the farm yard---just sitting, wrapped up in the thoughts of his four year old mind on a blistering afternoon.  Just sitting.

2. Talmage hit a ground ball to the infield and stumbled over 1st base as he was thrown out.  As he headed back to right field he turned to me and through the backstop gave me a grin and a thumbs up.  I love that boy for his "awesome attitude" ---just like his Student of the Month Award stated.

One of Those Mornings

Because we had somewhere to be by 10am, it was one of those mornings.

I was trying to add patches and repair scout shirts but the boys wanted to be outside.

Lyle BEFORE:

(The amazing thing is, wherever he lost his shoe in the mud,

he bothered to pick it up and bring it to the house.)

Lyle AFTER:

We had these to get to teachers for Teacher Appreciation week (Thanks to Lizza). 

I so appreciate all the hours and hours that good teachers put into the lives of our children.

Then is was a nice lazy afternoon.  Go Captain America!

90 Degrees

This week we have our first forecast of 90 degrees.

Winter coats washed up for storage (note the clothesline),

and kiddie pool out for splashing---legal splashing.

And more baseball....

Almost Two

When Rex and Lyle were given these outfits as brand new 4 pound babies, it seemed like eons before they would ever grow into them.  Some days have felt like eons, but the time has finally come. 

Don't they look snazzy?

(The nursery leaders appreciate when there is some way to tell them apart---hence the black shoes.  As if the black eye wouldn't do it :))

This is where Talmage spent his Friday afternoon.  Can you find him and his book?

This is where he spent his Saturday with James.  

I think James probably had more fun, except that Talmage got pizza for lunch.

All of the local brothers and sisters and spouses met up in Moses Lake for dinner and a movie to celebrate Dad's birthday.  We got a babysitter but gave each of the kids an assignment.  Bryant was to make the Mac and Cheese, Sariah was to feed it to the babies with peas and strawberries, Talmage was to get them ready for bed and put them to sleep.  I bathes Hyrum and the babies but the big kids were to do that on their own. I think things went according to plans.  This is what we found when we got home.

When we showed Hyrum the picture today, he said, "Talmage used me for a Teddy Bear!"  

It was pretty precious.

Boots, Bicycles, and Black Eyes

It was a perfect afternoon so we decided to go for a walk down the road to see the neighbor's horses.  I couldn't help but smile as Sariah and Hyrum rode their bikes in their irrigation boots.

We've actually been walking down the last few days.  This is what it looks like from my view, (sideways).

Lyle met up with Grandpa and Grandma's mantle the other day.  

So in the last two weeks we've had three black eyes around here.

Today we met up with Jhett at Mesa Park for his birthday.  Couldn't have been nicer.