Brock

Brock turned 7 in November. This is rather hard to accept! He is getting so big and acts like a big kid too. Brock at 7, here we go...
- So athletic, riding his BMX bike, gymnastics, awesome swimmer,
and we just signed up for a local Jr. ski program.
- A smart cookie! He is excelling in and, most importantly, enjoying first grade. His strengths are math and science. He whooped Cory and I at Animal-opoly last night which is quite a complicated game. He can make change, add, and wheel-and-deal properties like an adult :)
- He loves to fish with his Dad and enjoys anything outdoors. It snowed a few weeks ago and he spent a couple mornings snowshoeing around the house before school. Doesn't mind the cold one bit!
- My favorite recent Brockism:
It was zero degrees on our thermometer one morning, we then walked over to my mom's house (next door, but up the hill). Her thermometer said it was 1 degree, Brock quickly explained, 'well its probably warmer at your house because heat rises and your house is higher than ours'. He is just always thinking!
- He is not much of a performer. Since starting school he has had two concerts where his class sings. We just love watching him - he says that he likes it and he love his music teacher, but he basically just stands there and his lips move occasionally. This is just SO not in Brock's personality, he has always been a more serious guy and just can't let loose in situations like that...can't say that I blame him one bit :) Though he is quite the dancer and singer at home!
We love every bit of you Brock! You amaze us!

Grinding the elk that Cory got with uncle Chad!

Theo

I won't remember my passwords, what I needed from the store or where I parked my car, but damn it, I will remember all the fun times because of this blog (this is the only reason I keep doing it:)). I let the birthdays come and go without an update so here we go...so I can remember.

Theo is my easy going, social, and smart little guy! He turned 4 in July and we celebrated with a party at our house and ice creams at the cabin. I'm not sure how my sweet baby boy is 4, but here he is.
- He loves to draw and do homework like his brother
- He loves to play legos with his brother which usually turns into wrestling at some point
- He will pretend to be the most unusual things. Not your typical cat or dog, we're talking 'naked mole rat' or other random animals
- He loves to just chat, chat, chat. His teacher always asks me about things that he has told her during the day. I do not want to know what else he tells her about me!
- He is not a big fan of the cold weather - he gets this from me.
- He has a MAJOR sweet tooth. We all just get sick watching him.
- He is relentless... he can ask for the same thing one hundred times! He won't throw a fit for it, or scream, he will just ask and ask and ask. Even post timeouts and other punishment...he will ask again. It's quite painful!
- He is sweet and funny, here are some Theoisms:
When we were going ice skating he asked, 'do they have ice skates for 4 year olds?' or he will ask if 4 year olds are allowed to do things.
He always tells me how happy he is to be doing something, 'I'm so excited vat(that) we are ice skating'.
He calls litter, glitter. Such a nice word for trash :)
He told me the other day, 'I'm going to be a firefighter when I grow up, then I'm going to retire and be Brock's co-pilot in the airforce, and then I'm going to retire again and be a train driver'
He was going to the library with Mama and he told my mom the exact location that I got pulled over at least two years ago, 'My mommy got stopped here'. He and Brock remember this so well. I think they thought I was going to jail or something. I was just going a little fast in a school zone, no ticket even :)
Right now he is singing all the Christmas carols so sweetly!
He is quite the sailor - no real bad words (yet) but he can take the potty talk to a whole new level. He spits out 'your a stupid guy' to his brother now an again. We consider this to be better than some other words, but it doesn't go unpunished as hilarious and deserved as it might be. There is something about how he says it in such frustration that makes it funny, but we try to keep a straight face.
And on that note... we are so blessed to have this sweet boy! We love you Theo!

It must be a boy thing to be compelled to pick up a dead gopher at the park. I just looked the other way for a minute and the next thing I know he is proudly sharing his find with me.