Mellowing out

Well, now that craziness is over from the holiday, things are settling in.  One of my boys favorite gifts, especially Max's, was the basketball hoop and ball that Chuck purchased for them sorta' last minute.  Of course, his shopping is usually last minute and almost always something "big".  Next year we need to coordinate gift buying better.  I'll find out his "big gift" plan ahead of time before buying stuff while I'm out.  I want to scale way down next year on gift purchases within my family.  Anyway, after many talks with my boys about safety and stranger danger, they are now allowed to play in the front yard without me being out there with them.  Believe me, I'm at the window almost constantly and if we didn't live on a side street that didn't have through access to main streets, I'd never agree to it but usually, the only cars on our street are from neighbors who live here on the street.  Anyway, my boys think they died and went to heaven.  Now, Chuck and I park our cars on the curb and the boys have the entire driveway and carport so they have been riding bikes, scooters, skateboards, a go cart, and playing basketball almost non-stop.  They don't want to come in at all!  Once the basketball hoop went up, Max literally stayed out playing basketball almost ALL day for a couple days straight.. just shooting and dribbling.  This is a 6 year old people!  And OMG, he's really good!  I was stunned!  I had no idea he knew how to play! He's trying to teach his older brother how to properly dribble and how to aim for the "square" on the backboard to make the baskets!  It's so fun to watch him.  He's a natural at sports while Sam is not... Sam is the brain who wants to grow up and have his home look like a book store!  :)  He talked about owning a bookstore and naming it Bookmania.  The name is probably already taken but I loved that he was thinking like this.  He's so fun to take book shopping.  He never tires of it.

Well, I was going to post a few pictures but am having some difficulty.  See, Chuck bought me, one who has sludge on the non-artist side of my brain, a new 24 in. screen MAC for Christmas.  It hasn't been an easy few days.  While I'm very grateful for a new computer, having to learn new stuff and figure things out, not being able to find things, etc... well, let's just say I don't adjust to change easily, especially when it's sudden and requires the other side of my brain.  I'll try loading pictures again but who knows... you may not see them!  

My boys were so excited to give me the gifts they purchased for me.  Max got me a necklace and Sam chose a pair of earrings.  I'll try to upload the photos of me with each of my sons but keep in mind, this is taking bravery to a new level.  These pictures are of me just crawling out of bed... pajamas, no make-up and I hadn't even thought of looking in a mirror so just know I clean up ok.

Here's me and my Sam, whom I've nicknamed Sam the Yam... he could totally be a couch potato either in front of the t.v. or computer for the entire day if I let him.  

OK, I FINALLY got that photo loaded so I'll try the one with me and Max.  I'm having trouble because when I try to upload more than one photo at a time and then cut/paste them in the body of the text, for some reason, the second photo over-rides the first and just deletes out the first.  Now I'm going to try again and see if it will work now that the photos won't be "next" to each other in the post.  Here goes the try with me and Max.  Life with this child will never be dull... that's a guarantee.  Well, now blogger is sorta' "locking up" and the photo just never loads.  I'll have to try again later.  I've now sat here for over an hour trying to get this far!  This is ridiculous!  I'm throughly frustrated now.