We just like them

We're as guilty as anyone at running full speed and never stopping to realize just how good it is to have each other. This post has no purpose other than to pause and acknowledge that we've got a good thing going. We don't need more stuff, more things to do, or more opportunities. We just need to love on each other and be glad that we've got today.

Basketball Season

Aidan was able to play on a basketball team this winter with his good buddy, Joey. They had all sorts of fun on and off the court and would not have minded had their season gone a few weeks longer.

Aidan had a good little team that had a great time together and made the season a lot of fun.

And then there was Noah...

Coach Cashman worked the boys hard and had them learning all sorts of great skills and techniques.

And he even bribed them with medals if they smiled for the picture. Well done Coach C, well done.

Valentines Day

Now that Valentines Parties are part of our lives, Valentines Day is now a big deal. This year Aidan needed an upgraded box. He was pretty happy with this thing that vaguely resembles Darth Vader.

This year, mom even did a Valentine's Day themed Bible class.

And Grandma went all out and won the best Valentine's Day gift award with her presentation of a Valentine's ice cream cake. We all loved each other more because of it.

Noah's 4th Birthday

Our little Noah monster recently celebrated his 4th birthday. We're pretty excited to be out of the baby stage, but it's very strange to see how this little guy continues to grow and change. The one constant with this guy is that he never does what we expect. 

Birthday celebrations began by going to Mt. Playmore with his buddy Owen. These two pretty much follow each other around- except on this particular day. Noah said he wanted to go to Mt. Playmore with Owen, but what he meant was that he wanted to go to Mt. Playmore at the same time as Owen and remain mostly on opposite sides of the building.

Once we got to the arcade section, Noah had much more fun. Air hockey was for sure his favorite.

Dad says that Noah asked to play the racing game, but it doesn't really look like Noah cares too much about it. But dad would never use his little Noah for an excuse to play.

And after an adventure to Mt. Playmore, it was time for Noah to pick out a movie for us all to watch together. It needs to be noted that all the movies are clearly displayed in the cabinet and there is no need to pull them out. This is just how Noah does things, though.

For nearly 2 months leading up to his birthday, Noah constantly asked us when the Easter Bunny was going to come. We eventually decided to just let his presents be from the Easter Bunny in hopes that he would drop and we could talk about something else besides how many days it was until Easter.

Noah is, hands down, the king of crafts in our house. He can nearly always be found with scissors, glue, tape, or markers. This make him immensely easy to shop for.

When we asked Noah what kind of cake he wanted he said he didn't want a cake- he wanted ice cream sandwiches. Like I said, he is unpredictable.

The Little Things

Time for a moment of honesty. Most nights around our house are not exceptionally fun. We do all the usual stuff: have dinner, talk about the day, clean up, take baths, read books, go to bed. But from time to time, there are those special days where the stars align and everything just seems right with the world. When those special nights find us, we tend to make the most of them. Here's a sampling of what one of our recent family nights looked like. Now, for the first pic, you need to look real close to find Noah's tiny feet sticking out of the pile. The rest of him is buried under 70 pounds of brother and sister.

I won't lie, it's possible that one of the things that made this night possible was the chance for Aidan and mom to go with one of Aidan's best friends to see Star Wars...again. At the Moviehouse & Eatry...again. 

Awkward Family Photos

Ryla and Noah are often thought to be twins. it makes sense. They're pretty much the exact same size, and at only 14 months apart they have some really similar developmental traits. We were concerned that being so close in age could lead to some friction and fighting. We were wrong. 

These two are so obnoxiously close to one another that they border on inseparable. Ryla has learned to use this closeness to her advantage. Her latest trick was to con Noah into wearing her leotard. That's not weird, right? They both appear to be very proud of themselves. But in the years to come it's very certain that Noah will not be proud of these incriminating images. 

Pre-Team

Ryla does nothing but gymnastics. That's really not an exaggeration. You ask her to walk across the house and she will cartwheel the entire way. You ask her to play in her room, she'll do handstands on the wall. She watches a show, she'll practice her back walk overs off the couch. What's the result of this? Oh, just that she gets moved up to pre-team and is officially a level 1 gymnast. Nice work, Ryla. Now, please try to act excited...

Aidans 7th Birthday

We're not really sure how we ended up with a 7 year old. The kid is just so big now! This boy 100% hates to wear anything besides basketball shorts and t-shirts, but isn't he a suave looking little guy when we can bribe him to dress up a bit?

Aidan's a pretty happy kid in general, so this picture doesn't seem too out of the ordinary. But this is the moment he found out what his birthday present was. Wait for it...a trip to go see Star Wars: The Force Awakens. He was over the top excited.

We didn't just go see Star Wars, we went to see Star Wars at the Moviehouse & Eatery. The kid just knows how to rock a recliner.

Aidan has an intellectual bent, so when Papa sent him his own chess board, he was really excited. He hasn't beat dad yet, but the day will come- probably sooner rather than later.

Oh yeah, that's a light saber from Aunt Kelli...no big deal.

And now for the party. This year Aidan wanted an American Ninja Warrior party. And since we live in a cool city, there happens to be a parkour gym that offers exactly what he wanted. Aidan and 15 of his friends were able to run wild in a real (mostly) kid friendly Ninja Warrior course. Complete with a real warped wall.

Thanks to all the family and friends who reminded Aidan that he's a special little dude.