Sleepover Time!

I love love love a good sleepover so we have lots of them!  I think Ben started having sleepovers when he was three years old.  On this night we planned a huge sleepover with kids from four different families.  The moms are my besties and everyday we collect in the cul de sac so the kids can play, dinners with each other, parties with each other.  All the good stuff besties bring.  In fact I love that saying "friends are family you choose" because these ladies and their children have really become more like family than anything else.

Anyhoo, on this night we had eight kids for a sleepover.  The boys and I prepared carefully.  the right snacks, entertainment and a craft of course.  I would say that we hit a home run with edible play dough. 

By the looks of it I would say we had just as much fun making it.  We made it the night before so it could harden in the fridge over night.

It looks kinda gross here but it was quite tasty.  Peanut butter, flour, corn syrup, and margarine made this dough both playable and eatable!

As the sleepover got underway there were of course kiddies running around everywhere but the play dough quickly became the center of attention.

There were oohs and ahhs as everyone realized that eating it was not only ok but encouraged.  These became even louder as they realized that it actually tasted good!

As the night wore on I put some movies on up in my room.  Due to the basement finishing underway there are two futons up in my room along with our king size bed so it only made sense to let all the kiddies take over my room.  They watched some Smokey and the Bandit and with minimal threats were all off to sleep by 11:30.  They had an awesome time.

And in the morning this was the sight on my couch.  Tired kids snuggling with me on the couch.  Successful mission and a wonderful memory for my boys!

How we Spent Saturday Night

When Don works nights on a week end I usually plan sleepovers.  This week end was no different we had some neighborhood friends for a sleepover Friday and then a school friend over on Saturday.  On Saturday evening this was the sight from my kitchen.  Three little guys enjoying some hard core gaming--age appropriate of course!

The Bed That Jack Made

I took Ben to his karate class the other night and Don stayed home with Jack.  It is so nice when this can happen because an hour is a long time for Jack to sit on the sidelines while Ben has his karate class.  Leaving Don alone with any child usually guarantees some sort of project from Daddy but on this night it was Jack who unleashed his creativity and the result was sweet.

Don came down to the living room from upstairs to find a bed made by Jack.  Six chairs, some couch pillows and two blankets later it was prepared.  Jack wanted Don to lay down with him in the 'bed'.  So they did and as entertainment took in a documentary about rivers which Jack thoroughly enjoyed. 

By the time Benny and I arrived home Jack was sleeping soundly in his new bed and Ben promptly joined him with the dog following closely behind.  Note the fake sleep pose Ben is attempting so we won't notice him awake and put him to bed.

These are the moments I must tuck in my pocket and save.  They are the ones which get me through the days when two boys hardly take a break for lunch to stop picking at each other.

Brothers Being Friends

The best way to melt this mother's heart? To see two brothers being two friends. Love to watch these quiet moments where all is in sync. There is no fighting, bickering, bothering, bugging or teasing. Only quiet camaraderie can be found in this photo. Ahhh...

Show me Your Wisdom Oh Great One

Our new washer and dryer were delivered today.  Lucky us, they broke again and this time we decided it was time to send them away and get new ones.  Ben was at school but Jack was lucky enough to be home for the big reveal.

I love how kids get so excited about new things coming into the home even though they may not be as exciting for the adults.  I remember one Christmas Santa brought new bathmats, curtains, and towels for our bathrooms and I am pretty sure my brother and I were just as excited about the bathrooms as we were about our toys.  It was nice to see Jack so excited about the new appliances especially because we were not so excited to buy them!

Jack worked tirelessly alongside Don to get them set up and they came with an unexpected bonus.  A long strip of white fabric.  Yes, this ended up being the star of the show.

Jack and I picked Ben up at the bus and Jack excitedly told Ben of the delivery so we all rushed in the house to see the new beauties which have come to be called the silver bullets.  Ben did wish that they were gold in color so I made a promise that the next ones would be gold, a little white lie.  I am a little excited to give them their first work out but perhaps not as excited as Ben was to see the white strip of fabric.  Not too sure what the fabric had to do with the washer and dryer but somehow it ended up here during the delivery.

Ben immediately saw that the white strip was a karate belt and suited Jack up for his first lesson.  Ben has been in karate for a year and a half now and he has come so far.  We think he may even be trading up to his yellow belt soon-fingers crossed!

So the lesson began with my wise old 7 year old running his little brother through the stretching and the karate moves.  My heart swelled to see how much wisdom Ben had to give and how eager his little brother was to receive it.  Don and I both wish for them to be the best of friends when they get older and I think a good foundation for that wish has been laid at this point.  This afternoon's lesson proved it to me, sweet boys.

The Power of Little Girls

A lady I worked with who is now a very close friend had two little girls around the same time I had two little boys.  From day one jokes were made about how they would end up marrying one another.  Strangely enough the first time Ben and Georgia met they were dressed in the same outfit except one pink and one blue.

One day when they were maybe three years old we even had a play wedding with food and cake and dancing.  The thing you must understand is that my boys sort of crumble when it comes to these girls and pretty much fall all over themselves when they know they will be hanging out.

In September at Jack's birthday party an about face occurred and I thought it had all come to an end.  The boys were all of the sudden anti girl and the girls were hurt.  Well tonight my girlfriend asked if the girls could come over while Mom and Dad were at a Christmas party and I have been assured that the girls still have their hold over the boys.  As proven by the following conversation between Ben and Jack:

"Come on Jack, let's go brush our teeth and fix our hair to get ready for the girls..."
"OK, but I am NOT brushing my teeth"

So off they went and got all spruced up in anticipation of the girls arrival.  Ben must have checked the window five times during dinner alone to see if they had arrived.

I also got to experience a glimpse into the future myself as Ben and Georgia took off into the basement which right now is under construction so all of the toys are upstairs.  After they had been down there for about 5 minutes I looked at Don and said:

"Don, what do you think they are doing down there?  There aren't any toys for them to play with"

Don laughed and said one day I would be asking the same question and telling Don to go get food from the freezer as an excuse to check on the activities going on in the basement.  A bit too soon for that!

Not sure if they will end up married but they sure are sweet to watch!  I shall spend the evening watching my little boys offer cookies to the girls, offering to dance with them, opening their juice boxes and being little tiny gentlemen.

Brothers AND Best Friends

Of course there are days when brothers get on each others last nerve and there will be more of those days to come but these are the days I like to remember best. The days where big and little are best friends. Maybe it is an early morning snuggle or a backyard adventure but they are totally in sync with one another...best friends.