star wars nerds, ur, i mean, fans.

ok so, obviously, i'm struggling a little bit with keeping this blog current. i can't believe we're into the last week of october already. the idea of trying to catch up makes me want to dive into a vat of ice cream, so today, i'm just jumping in with some randomness. jumping into my blog that is, not ice cream.

the other day, i looked out the window to this scene in the back yard. proving, once again, that big boys are really just little boys on the inside. they never really grow up no matter how much hair is on their legs.

the best part, besides the fact that they are still in their pajamas, is that they mean it. light saber battles are not for the faint of heart at our house. they have had the bruises to prove it, and it's not a coincidence they're fighting outside instead of in. there's less chance of any dry wall damage if the battle stays outdoors. light sabers, and the desire to use them like a jedi, are a big deal around here because my boys, all of them, are such big star wars fans.

this summer when we went to orlando there was some kind of nerd, i mean, star wars convention going on at the disney studios park. there were tons of extra star wars characters walking around the park, and my boys were in heaven. and i'm not kidding, when jango phett walked by, the look on taylor's face told me it was maybe his best day ever.
who the heck is jango phett you ask?
exactly.
they're nerds.
nerds who want to use the force so dang bad.
and i love it.

seventeen years

the first week of the school year always brings one very important event,

taylor-bing's birthday!

this year is extra special since he is also celebrating his last year of high school.

we celebrated with taco salad and lemon cupcakes, his requests.
i found these super cute candles that i thought were so great.

that is, until we lighted them and they were pretty much melted before taylor could make a wish!

so funny!

i had a ton of fun shopping for t this year because there wasn't a main gift that he wanted and so i was able to accumulate a few smaller things which were totally taylor. i love giving gifts that fit the receiver perfectly.

the biggest hit was a spock bauble-head. its sort of an inside joke about the SBO's theme for the high school his year, "live long and conquer" (instead of spock's traditional phrase "live long and prosper"). his reaction was perfection.

but he also loved the captain america shirt we purchased sneakily during our trip to orlando. it was especially sweet because he went crazy over it in orlando when he saw it, but didn't have enough of his own money to purchase it. :) i love surprises.

and a giant orange watch

(seriously, you could deflect bullets "wonder woman style" with this thing)

and my favorite thing that he actually asked for, a good old fashioned pair of ray-bans.

taylor has excellent taste. later on, i taught him how to "pop" his polo collar so he looked like a true 80's boy, but i missed a photo of it, bummer. i must have been too busy laughing.

so...SEVENTEEN is a big deal.

at least HIS seventeenth year will be.
a lot is going to happen before he turns eighteen next year - including graduating from high school and starting college. it's also going to be a year of a lot of learning and growth with all of his student government responsibilities. two days after his birthday, he was introduced and sworn in as an officer at the back to school assembly.

it was such a proud mom moment for me to see his name come up on the screen and see his little video clip and then later, standing on stage with the other officers getting sworn in. i'll admit to being a tiny bit misty-eyed, i'm such a softy. he was proud too, i could tell. and he should be. he's such a good kid. i mean, man.

on sunday, he received his patriarchal blessing, it was a very spiritual experience, one i am sure he'll never forget. no surprise to me, heavenly father has a lot in store for this sweet boy. it made me remember that a loooong time ago, my own patriarchal blessing promised me a righteous posterity that would bring great joy to my life. check.

(with brother ostler the stake patriarch)

love you t-bill.

you are awesome-spice.

live long and conquer man.

i already know you will.

blink

this happens every year.

one day we are celebrating the last weeks of school with a million spring-time activities...

choir concerts

spencer sang a solo

 (no pic of allie singing?)

dance recital - beautiful dance, terrible pic

pre-school field trip

and graduation

jr.high graduation

 and lots of great lacrosse

 (this next one is of of him shooting an actual goal even though it's hard to tell)

not to mention, the musicals, which i already documented, final projects, AP and other end of year tests, and even, a new job. 

spring is busy, and by the last day of school, we are all jumping for joy.

literally.

because by then, we most definitely need the break.

and then,

(this is the part that happens every year...)

i blink too quickly.

and the next thing i know,

i'm making breakfast,

packing lunches

and taking first day of school photos.

and even though, it's going to be a BIG, awesome, exciting year for each one of the kids, 

i just can't believe that

 summer is over.

 wow.

five for friday, again

five for friday seems to be a good fit for me right now since everything during the summer feels so miscellaneous and random. and it helps me document the little things, which is really what i want to get down on "paper" any way.  here goes....

1. allie and james (her cousin) have always had a great friendship, they seem to be a perfect balance for each other. maybe because they seem to bring out the super silly in each other - i love watching them interact at family gatherings, they make me giggle and wonder what they will be like as adults. i was surprised by these funny photos that appeared on my camera this week.

2. we have a few extra littles at our house this weekend while their mom and dad are out of town. i love it when ethan has other people in the house that aren't adults or teenagers to hang out with. they always have so much fun. what is better than coloring books, sprinklers, trampoline time, legos, polly pockets and pancakes for dinner? 

3. this little family snapshot (thanks lisa), makes me smile because i love seeing my kids so grown up. 

this little family snapshot makes me feel surprised because i can't believe my kids are so grown up. 

this little family snapshot makes my heart hurt a little because my kids are so grown up! 

this little family snapshot makes me feel...SHORT. good grief. it doesn't help that i'm the only one who took her shoes off. i'm telling you, hold onto your little ones ladies, it happens way too fast.

4. real men wear aprons. i LOVE seeing these boys in aprons. especially TIES and aprons. 

i don't know why but it makes my heart swell with pride. :) maybe because there's something so handsome about a man who's not afraid to be a little domestic. 

5. i planted a small garden this year. i wasn't sure what i could grow so i only put in a few things, but i've learned a ton. like, don't buy cheap tomato cages because they fall down and/or fall apart, plant tomatoes far away from each other so they don't start looking like one giant plant, label everything (at least one plant is going to be a surprise when it finally produces something) and....one squash plant is pleeeenty. 

it's been super fun "harvesting" squash because every day there's a new basket of it, but really, we can only eat it so many ways. i am super super excited to have a handful of ripe tomatoes! squash anyone?