Musashi's Thursday

Last night the family decided we should go out to dinner. It's been another crazy busy week at our house. Aidan's science fair project is DONE (OMG with the jelly beans), Stephen spent the day cleaning out the garage (which had 7 years of accumulated odds and ends), Grant finished 2 days of school work (the boys both had a case of I don't feel well and need to stay home from school and have a terrible cough that somehow managed to completely disappear by the time I got home). We all needed a night off. So, off we went.

My first attempt at capturing the boys

My second attempt at capturing the boys....

I won! Finally.

Our chef.

Stephen showing Grant how to use the kid chopsticks

Grant, trying rather unsuccessfully, to eat rice
with them

Love our family

My boys. How could you not just love them?

Sunday Brunch

We all overslept on Sunday. Let me re-phrase. I fell back asleep after hearing the boys up at 7:20. The boys, who I might mention were up past twelve the night before, woke up extremely early.  I woke up a bit later and realized we had over slept and missed church so I decided we should go to brunch.

Brunch has quickly become one of our favorite Sunday activities. Everyone is relaxed and enjoying each other's company. Pearl's is our favorite. We spent the rest of the day at the pool.


Aidan was hanging out with us on the porch on Sunday and snapped a few photos of Grant and me. He's really very good at taking photos. I'm very proud of him and love the black and white he chose. (Sorry about the tacky truck in the background. Our neighbor has a clean problem. He isn't. It's like a junk yard meets a home on his front porch).

Cheese

I'm pretty sure Grant is totally over my picture taking
for this blog.

A little rock climbing post brunch on the patio.

Stephen, getting some air. The boys were on his sweet
nerves a bit on Sunday.

The three loves of my life. (I'm grocery shopping in peace
while this was taken.  No more family grocery day).

The New Wednesday Night Tradition

The boys decided Wednesday nights were forever to become kids night to cook dinner and desert. So last night the boys cooked turkey tacos. I ran to Chelino's for some chips and queso and when I returned Beckett was over helping, too. So now our neighbor boys will be joining us. We went around the table and did our usual best./worst part of the day (which is always entertaining) and Grant made desert.

Sort of. He's just like his Mommy. He elected for sugar cookies. Raw. So, I handed each boy two squares of Pillsbury pre-made sugar cookie dough balls and off they went.

I captured a few pictures of the evening, however I failed to capture dinner. I'll try for next week. No telling what they'll come up with.

Grant taking a rare bath. He's converted into shower taking
mostly but last night he felt a bubble bath was "relaxing"

Jack shaking paws

Stephen and Ash. He's not happy about this picture.
I decided I am so I made a blog executive decision
and posted it. I think it's lovely. The end.

Auntie Lauren and Sam came over before her for real
venture to college on Friday night. Rush wasn't her thing (THANK GOODNESS)
and she came home for a bit. We all enjoyed some time on the XBox Connect.
Auntie Lauren has a hidden talent for the XBox.

Grant loves Sam. Sam usually loves Grant. This picture cracked us up
because he looks mad. Sam is never mad. In fact, he's usually
very calm and happy. Grant laid on him for quite some time
while everyone played video games.
Thanks Sam!

Tooth Fairy Investment Options and Grocery Lessons

Grant lost another tooth. This is the second one in less than a week. He came up to me before I left for work on Monday and said, "Mom, will you please pull this tooth out?"

If you know me at all, you know loose teeth totally freak me out. I can't stand to feel them wiggle and I get goose bumps at the thought of pulling a tooth out.

But....it's Grant and I do anything for Grant. I paused, got a paper towel, gripped the heck out of the tooth, pulled quickly and it came out. And it bleed. I was horrified, internally. Grant wasn't phased a bit. He was excited and took it to school.

So the tooth fairy made yet another appearance at our house. And Grant's sweet smile has taken on a new form. He's growing up so fast. Most days I have to pull out of him how his day was and what he did at school. He does, however, still crawl up in my lap before bed time and put his arms around me and tell me how much he loves his Mommy. How I cherish those moments and love that growing little boy more as each day passes.

A quick morning shot of G after the tooth fairy came.
He wasn't quite his normal
energetic self.

My little ham. That's his tooth in the necklace
that his teacher gave him at school.

G being silly last night before his shower. He was
dancing all over the place and singing.



Saturday I got the great idea we should ALL go grocery shopping as a family. It was rainy and nothing exciting was happening, so we all packed in and headed to Walmart.

I learned a valuable lesson on Saturday. It is NOT a good idea to take a nine year old and a six year old to the grocery store. We walked in and all the boys, Stephen included, went different directions at different speeds. The boys were running, Stephen was lost in produce and I was trying to quickly get what I knew we needed. Needless to say, it was one of the fastest shopping experiences I've ever had. Amazing how energy filled boys will speed up your usual grocery store speed.

The boys before the Walmart family grocery day.



Aidan being silly

Hair Care and Kitty Puppy

So, last night was a new one at the Ehret-Thornhill household. Aidan needed a haircut and apparently, Stephen is Aidan's personal barber. I thought, great, as Grant needed a haircut, too. So Grant I watched as Aidan had his hair cut SHAVED.

Quiet gasps escaped me.

Everyone knows how particular I am about Grant's hair. I'm not a fan of a shaved head on Grant, however it looks great on Aidan. I couldn't back out and Grant was excited to have his hair "cut" (I use that term  loosely). I specifically wanted the back cleaned up and the ears shaped up. Simple. Easy. Grant always does well at the salon, so this should have been a breeze. Especially after watching Aidan do so well.

Long story short, Stephen sent me inside. I was not allowed to "watch" anymore. Grant indeed got his sides and back trimmed up. And a little more. In the end, we all decided it was best to take Grant to the salon next time.

Waiting in anticipation for the hair experience



See. No problem for Aidan.





Easy breezy. Nothing phases Aidan.





Enough said. Stephen has unending patience.

After the eventful hair experience, we were enjoying the evening outside and along came a kitten. Of course Jack wasn't very welcoming, but Grant, Aidan and I were very excited. We gave her some milk and Grant decided to name her Puppy. I had already been calling her Kitty (I know, brilliant idea, right) so we agreed to call her KittyPuppy. We're hoping she sticks around and will be a new addition to our little household (an outside addition. I can't do cats inside, and neither could Jack). 

Jack. Relaxed. Before KittyPuppy came into our lives.

This is the best shot I could get of KittyPuppy.
Quite the busy little Kitty she is.

Grant holding KittyPuppy. You can kind of see his
new hair "style".....



Aidan with Kitty and milk



Cannon Ball Boy

Get ready

Get Set

CANNON BALL

Reviewing his performance

Go Pokes. Just because.

And, another lost tooth. This time in the car.
Popped right out. Tooth Fairy zipped by and left him some cash.

"OU Sister"

Last night we had our family dinner before Lauren leaves for college. Time has flown and now she's off to start her life. I'm so proud of her and how she shines in even the toughest moments. It's a honor to have such a sweet and loving sissy.

And now, I'm forced to do the unthinkable.

I'll have to go to Norman and step foot on  my nemesis in order to see my sweet sissy.

She got me this, the funny little thing:

Wow. OU has made it on my blog.


              

There, that's better. Go Pokes.

The Monroe Girls.



The newest "House Divided"
I'll claim Grant on my side, so it's two against one
on OU/OSU game day.



Sleep Over Mania

Okay. So we got through the first week of school and things went great. Saturday the boys decided they wanted to have a sleep over.

5 boys.

Yes. 5. Grant and Aidan, Aidan's friend Jackson and the neighbor boys Beckett and Matt.

They played XBox, Mine Craft, built forts, played on the computer, watched movies and stayed up late. They ate tacos and brownies and 1000 Capri Suns. Boys are exhausting! We took them all to the pool on Sunday and wore them out.

Now it's back to the hustle and bustle of school and homework.

Part of the pack playing XBox. Aidan ran off and Matt ducked.

The boys playing Marco Polo and football

Grant and Stephen

Stephen and Grant, right before Grant catapulted into
the water in a cannonball formation.