Blue and Gold Banquet

This week started with a day off for the boys, but a teacher work day for me.  Since everyone was off of school I asked Jo if she could take everyone and she could.  It was so nice to have ONE drop-off and ONE pick-up Monday!  The boys were so excited to go to Jo's house again!

 

Zane and Mason at Jo's!

There were some very nice days this week in which the kids were able to get some fresh air...finally!  I was thankful for my kids at school AND home!

Enjoying the fresh air outside!

Bryce with his baby

Bryce and Jo's selfie!

Feeding his baby...directly from a pan!

Bryce's friend Ethan at Jo's was sick on the day they were going to celebrate his birthday, so they took this picture for him.  Isn't that so cute!?!

One morning this week we woke up at 5:00 a.m. to hail!  It was so loud!  It woke up Mason, Matt and I, but Bryce and Zane slept right through it!  Check out the size of some of the hail!!!

 

No wonder it woke us up!!!

Saturday was Zane's Blue and Gold Banquet for Scouts.  We made it a family affair!

Zane saluting as the flags approached.  Warms my heart!

Silly boy playing with the table decorations

The program was a guy doing some neat science experiments

Mason and Bryce kept themselves busy during the program...

Meeting some new friends...doubt they even know each others' names!

What do you see Bryce?

Our little monkey!

Peek a boo!

Mason got ahold of the camera.  He took this picture of me.  Wanted you all to know I really do exist even though I'm never in the pictures...prefer to be on the other side of the lens!

Another one taken by Mason

Photographer Mason.  Couldn't get Bryce to look...he's too busy stuffing his mouth!

Intently listening...

Celine was in town this weekend for a leadership conference and we were lucky enough to get to see her Saturday night and Sunday!  She stayed overnight at our house and went to church with us.  What a great young lady - we are so proud of her and honored to be part of her life! 

Celine reading to Bryce and Mason

Have a very blessed week!

Valentine's Day and Baptisms!



Some photos from Jo's:

 



Puzzle time!

Doesn't look like Bryce wants to share!

Sneaky boy!

CHEESE!

This week we got Mason's PreK pictures back!  They turned out GREAT!

 



 

Thursday morning Mason got sick so Matt stayed home with him.  He was so sad to have to miss his Valentine party at school.  I brought his stuff home and he was able to read his cards, which at least brought a smile to his face!  After that he wanted me to sit with him and he was burning up.  After a little while with him, I thought he probably had strep throat.  Matt and I decided in the morning he'd go to the doctor just to be sure, especially since we had Mason and Bryce's baptisms scheduled for Saturday!  I had a breakfast with some co-workers so Matt was dropping off Bryce and Zane.  About 10 minutes after Matt dropped Bryce off I got a call from Jo saying Bryce was shivering and burning up.  So I called Matt and he went back to get him.  He was in the middle of buying me flowers for Valentine's Day - so sweet - but then went to get him and took them both to the doctor.  Mason tested positive for strep and they decided to go ahead and give us medicine for Bryce as well since he had a red throat as well.  So thankfully they had something treatable and not just a "virus that you have to wait out!"  Poor buddies - they both had to miss their Valentine parties. 

 

Valentine's night we had a heart shaped meatloaf and the boys opened their gifts.

 



Three of my four valentines!

Checking out his loot

Look at this!

What else is in here?

Saturday was Mason and Bryce's baptism.  We were so thankful the boys felt much better and that our parents and grandparents, along with the Ottis family, could come and celebrate with us!  Mason was very nervous about this and had lots of questions about it all week.  I'm not sure what he was expecting, but he and Matt spent some time discussing it Saturday morning to make him more comfortable. 

 



On the altar, ready to be baptized

Don't they look thrilled?!?

Bryce was up first - Mark tried to take him from me and he turned away from him.  So I held him.  And the whole time he was gripping onto me screaming "No, No, No!"  At one point he was doing the "no breath crying."  I'm sure it was good entertainment for everyone there!

Mason getting baptized

Zane has already been baptized but we wanted him to be involved, so they did a "remembrance" for him.

This weekend Mason was interested in learning how to tie his shoes.  He was pretty quick to figure it out!  When he tied the first shoe all alone, it was so cute because he got up and said "Yes!  Now I can go to kindergarten!"

The boys with Pastor Mark!

The boys with their grandparents!  So much love surrounding these boys!  Thank you to all of you for loving and supporting all of us!  We are so glad you were here with us!!!

After the baptisms, we headed back to our house for some soup and cupcakes.  All of the grandparents and the Ottis' came over.  While the adults chatted, the kids spent a lot of time creating songs with their "band."

 



The Ottis/Baker Band.  They didn't come up with a name and Zane is involved, just hiding behind the cabinets.  Don't you think they'll get a record deal soon?!?

 

Here's to a healthy, normal week for us!

Snowpocalypse 2014 and District Pinewood Derby

What...a...week!  Monday we started like normal and had school.  

 

Bryce feeding his baby!

Bryce and Nicholas farming!

Avery and Bryce hanging out!

Monday night they called school off for Tuesday because of the forecasted snow on Tuesday.  It began snowing on Tuesday about 8 and snowed for around 13 hours.  We got a lot of snow!  Probably over a foot!  We ended up being home Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  Zane also had Friday off, but the rest of us had school/work, so Zane went to work with Matt.  They worked until noon then left for the afternoon.

 



Snow day!  We had three jammie days in a row!

Snow day 1 - snow ice cream!  Doesn't Bryce look excited?!?

Survey says...YUM!

Not only was there a lot of snow, but it was also very very cold!  The boys of course wanted to play in the snow.  So we bundled up, which took us about 20 minutes.  It wasn't five minutes later that they were whining and wanting to go inside!  I'm not a huge fan of snow days for this reason!  We become TRAPPED inside and it's not always a lot of fun!

Brycers all bundled up!

Matt snowblowing while the boys thought it was fun to let the snow blow all over them!

At the close of day 2, knowing we were heading into day 3 of snow days, we went to JoAnn's to buy a craft for the day!  I was glad that we did so, it was a lifesaver!

Craft time!

Mason chose a treasure chest

Zane decorated super hero bobble heads

Bryce colored and painted

At first I tried to be really good and limit "screen time" for them...and eventually they got the best of me and I caved.  I let them have electronics.  It was life-changing as it was QUIET and they were NOT fighting or hurting each other!  Life continues to move on...

 

Bryce watching "tractors" on youtube!

A moment of weakness...they were enjoying watching a movie together...no fighting!

Thankfully we had something good to end our week with!  Saturday morning was the District Pinewood Derby!  We went into it really not knowing what to expect.  We had been talking to Zane since his big win at the pack race about what may or may not happen at this race.  Matt and Zane went there before the rest of us.  It was sure a packed house!

Zane waiting for the competition to begin

Matt, Bryce, and Mason waiting

My three sons!

Bryce kept going over and sitting with Zane!

 One of the races. 

 

There were 70 heat races for the wolves.  We thought we'd be there forever, but it went rather quickly.  Matt was really worried because the track there was wooden.  The track we raced on previously was aluminum.  He said "This car isn't set up for a wooden track."  I kept telling him not to worry and that there was nothing more that could be done.  Turned out he didn't need to worry at all.  Zane's car really blew everyone else's away!  He won every heat race he was in (8 of the 70)!  He even had one of the fastest times of the day!  It was so fun and exciting to watch!  Turned out that Zane WON the wolf races!!!  He made it to the finals later in the day!!

 



Everyone getting their certificates and their cars back

First place - Zane Baker!

I didn't really capture this in time, but this one makes me smile.  As soon as Zane won, Matt was swarmed by dads (okay, like 3) that wanted to know his secrets, what he did, etc.  They were very kind and congratulated him, but it was neat to see!

The top 4 winners of the wolf races

Results

Matt's parents were already scheduled to come down so all of the boys could go to the monster trucks.  Little did we know we'd be back at the FINALS later that night!  It worked out though because Grandma and Papa could watch Zane's car!  So we went there, watched him race to 2nd PLACE OVERALL, then the boys headed to the monster trucks while Keeta and I shopped and ate at Oklahoma Joe's!  Yum!

 

Scouts waiting for the finals to begin.  Funny that Zane doesn't know one of these boys!  None of them care!

Bryce and those fingers - he had a sucker AND his fingers in there at the same time!  Silly boy!  (And the scratch on his head was self-inflicted...getting up too quickly from under the kitchen table)!

Little ones entertaining themselves in the back of the room!

Zane with his medal - before the announcement that he won 2nd place!

During the final races, there were many fast cars.  Zane's car experienced a few losses during the finals - the first ones ever - but that was okay.  This is what we had worked to prepare him for!  When they began announcing the winners - I expected him to get 4th or maybe even 3rd - going by the times he had compared to the other boys.  When they announced 4th and 3rd places and neither one was him, I thought "oh no - I didn't figure this right."  But then we were very surprised to hear "2nd place - Zane Baker!"  He had the hugest grin!  When they handed him the trophy he kept saying "this is heavy!"  Oh man, I was happy and excited for both Zane AND Matt!

 

2nd place!!!

Top 4 finishers at the finals

My two Pinewood Derby winners!  So proud of them!  And love that they are able to share this time together!

Results from the finals.  Look how close the times are!!!

 

The boys all left straight from there to the monster trucks.  Bryce had been looking forward to this for weeks!  Anytime we'd say "Who's going to the monster trucks" he'd raise his hand and say "Me!"  If anyone else said they were going he'd point to them with a gruff voice and say "NO!"  Ha!  I guess only Bryce could go.  Matt said Bryce didn't have much of a reaction while there, but when he came home he told us all about them by telling us the sound they make and showing us how they moved around.  Matt said Mason was pretty into it - dancing around and cheering.  The boys have so much fun with their dad and Papa at the monster trucks!

Zane cheering

Mason cheering

Bryce enjoying the show!

Somehow they talked their dad into these $15 snow cones!!!

Always the favorite - Grave Digger!

Matt's parents spent the night.  Today we went to church together, then out to lunch.  We love having them here and hate seeing them go!  Bryce is now at the age where he cries when they leave.  He kept yelling "NO" at them when they were saying good-bye!  I hate seeing that, but it warms my heart to see how much they love their grandparents and vice versa!!!

After a long day's work in the Pinewood Derby...Matt put Zane's neckerchief on and took a little snooze!

We have another exciting weekend ahead of us as we prepare for Mason and Bryce's baptisms next Saturday!  Have a great week!