Coach Aidan

Aidan's has been teaching his little cousin Caeleb how to throw and catch a football. 

Looks like he's been teaching him how to celebrate a touchdown too...in slow motion.

Avenue Barbershop

Today I took the boys to Avenue Barbershop on South Congress Avenue to get their hair cut. Think ol' school vintage barbershop where they only take walk-ins and cash. They even use shaving cream and a straight razor on the neck to closely shave the nape of your neck and finish it off with a warm towel. These guys are perfectionists and I think it's well worth the 1.5 hour wait on a Saturday.

Big Boy Lego

Working hard trying to build a computer.

Cousins

Happy to see these cousins having fun together despite the 7 year age difference.

Itching to Jump In

It may be 75+ degrees F out but the water is still too cold to swim in. Maybe it's time to turn the pool heater on just a smidgen.

RIP Buddy

Today is a sad day, especially for Aidan, as his pet gecko Buddy passed away this morning. Sheldon discovered him not moving and barely breathing yesterday and tried all night to nurse him back to health but Buddy just didn't have the strength this morning to keep going. He was a wonderful pet for Aidan and Aidan gave him the best 4 years a gecko could ask for. 

Angry Birds: Live

Feasting upon the word

Aidan is my boy who hates to read. Hates it. He was the one who didn't want to go to seminary but reluctantly said he would give it a try. I was worried he would quit after the first day. I walk into the kitchen tonight and see this! I had to take a picture to capture the moment. My heart is filled with joy. I'm so grateful for his seminary teacher who not only keeps it interesting enough for my boy that he now chooses to go to seminary but inspires him enough to feast upon the word.

Fulfilling a Mother's Dream on Father's Day

The second you realize you are going to be a parent, you start imagining the different milestones that you're going to experience. Visions of first steps, teaching them how to ride a bike, and wonderful family vacations where everyone gets along dance through your head. As a Mormon mother, my list also includes other milestones for my sons like their first day in nursery (a day that many young parents look forward to), baptisms, and serving missions. 

Connor recently turned 16 which allows a worthy young man to be ordained as a Priest in the Aaronic Priesthood. One of the Priest's duties is to bless the sacrament before the Deacons, (12-13 year old young men who have been ordained as such), pass the sacrament to the members in the congregation. 

This past Sunday, Connor blessed the sacrament for the first time with his father by his side and his younger brother standing in front of them waiting to pass it. It was a wonderful sight for a mother to see. My heart was full of joy and still is whenever I think about it. 

I thank my Heavenly Father for blessing me with three worthy Priesthood holders in my home. 

War Horse

We are watching the movie War Horse. We recognize some of the actors from other movies. Aidan says,"A werewolf, a god, and Sherlock...the new Avengers!"

(werewolf is Lupen from Harry Potter
god is Loki from The Avengers
Sherlock Holmes from the British series Sherlock)

What Joseph Could Have Been Thinking

In one scene of The Nativity Story movie, Mary has just returned from her visit with her cousin Elizabeth and you see everyone's shocked expressions when they realize she's pregnant. When they show Joseph's expression, Aidan promptly exclaims, "Damn, girl!"

I suppose Joseph could have been thinking these exact words if this happened in our time and he lived in the projects.

13 years ago, a tiny 6lb baby boy joined our family. Over these years, he has grown into a creative, musical, generous, caring, hard-working, smart, inquisitive, independent young man who loves to be silly. Happy 13th birthday, Aidan. You have brought so much joy to my life (even though you didn't take the soother until you were 5 months old) and I can't wait to see what the future brings you. I am truly blessed to have you as my son.

Aidan spent his 13th birthday at his first Ottawa Senators game.

Champions!

Aidan was on the junior football team this year and their team went undefeated all the way to the championship. Because it was his first year and he's one of the smallest guys on the team, he didn't get a lot of game time but he'll be ready next year. Great season, Colts!

Remembering 9/11

Yesterday was the 10 year anniversary of 9/11 and while we were driving to church, the boys and I had a discussion about what happened and how it changed the world. Aidan was not quite 2 years old so a lot of the details we were talking about were new to him.

He asked if the terrorists had guns or other weapons on the plane. He asked how they were even able to get them on the plane. He chastised airport security. That was when I realized that my children have always grown up with high airport security; that the only world they've known is one where the word terrorist is a part of their normal vocabulary and the possibility of being attacked in their own city is real.

I realize this and I hold my children a little closer to me.

Aidan's first music video

Aidan's First YouTube Video

Where do babies come from?

Questions like this seem easy now compared to the philosophical ones I got from Aidan yesterday.

1. Where did God come from?

2. What's the whole point of Heaven?

Warning! This may not be true.

The increased testosterone flowing through Connor's body due to puberty has spawned many arguments lately that included threats to beat his brother up. This card that Aidan created for Connor's 14th birthday contains evidence of this but there's also a slight glimmer of hope that deep down inside they may love each other.

But then again, it may not be true.

Saturdays of late

This is what my house sounds like these past few Saturdays.

Time to save our pennies

Aidan just got into Ashbury. Connor's hanging in there with the heavy workload and I'm glad that hasn't scared Aidan off. I'm proud of both my boys. We'll be scrimping, saving, and sacrificing for the next 7 years now that both boys are there.