E is for Ethics

I thought I would share this awesome book

I discovered at the bookfair which is at my school this week. 

 I.LOVE.THE.BOOKFAIR.

It's called E is for Ethics: How to Talk to Your Kids About Morals, Values, and What Matters by Ian James Corlett.

One of the reviews I read describes the book's contents and purpose:

"This slim (just over 100 page) book contains 26 stories on a variety of moral issues, including honesty, tact, loyalty, integrity and responsibility. Each story runs less than 2 pages, and presents the main character in a situation where s/he is in a moral quandary -- followed by a "what should the main character do now?" Then there are three or four follow-up questions, and two relevant quotations. It also includes one colorful, cartoonish illustration per story, which are appealing to the young reader."

It's a great way to discuss important issues with your kids such as honesty, perseverance, loyalty, kindness, trust, empathy, charity, responsibility and more.  Good stuff for children to learn about in this crazy, materialistic world full of hate, betrayal, instability and all that other.....crap.  It can be a scary place out there for our little ones, so I'm all about equipping them with ways to make good choices! 

As the review said, there are 26 stories, so my plan is for Ryan and I to read one short chapter with the boys, probably on Thursday nights when we're all together, and give them a chance to share their thoughts or ask any questions they may have.  

Click on the title above to check it out!

Happy Wednesday!

Boys Equal Fun

Behold the greatness of Carter and Trysten's jam session.  I love the fact that Trysten continues to get down on his guitar, rockstar style, the entire time Carter is dancing around and running from the camera!  I'm not exactly sure what Trysten was staring at on the tv, since it was on satellite radio, but he was definitely rockin'!

Weekend Recap!

Weekend, oh glorious weekend...

Where did you go?

How quickly you're gone.

How you do it, I'll never know!

There was a school dance and a car show

and a Wheel of Fortune attempt

lots of fun and laughter

while the boys made a GINORMOUS tent!

We had lunch on the patio

at one of our favorite eating spots

celebrated a little family birthday

with presents, cake and ice cream...of which we had a lot!

Pop and Grandma were in town

and came over for a bit,

Ryan grilled out delicious steaks

and around the family table we did sit.

It was all about our family

from beginning to the end

Always looking forward to the next time

when we can do it all over again!

Father and son heading to the school dance.  Be still my heart...handsome boys...Ryan said he saw Trysten about every 10 minutes as he would zooooom past him running around with his friends!

I opened up the freezer on Saturday morning, and this is what I found:

and this:

and this:

Not sure what the fascination was with freezing their toys, but it went on all.weekend.long.

Oh, I forgot this one...What?!!

We decided to go to the Dallas Auto Show, before the Wheel of Fortune auditions, located in the same building, and the boys...including Ryan...were in their element among all the engines, tires and testosterone:

Preston and Trysten picked out their favorites:

So did Ryan:

One day, baby! I promise! I must say, my man looked pretty hot sitting in his dream car!=)

The boys learned about all the available types of energy sources...fossil fuels, renewable resources and nuclear resources...

so they could:

Having a blast!

So....the story on the Wheel...After wandering around steel and tires for a few hours, we walked down to the auditions...along with EVERYONE else in America.  Once in line, we discovered the wait was going to be 2 hours...so Ryan and I debated whether to subject the little guys to 2 hours of this....

and this...

We put our excitement aside, took one for the team, and decided not to torture their anxious, active, hyper little souls.  One of the crew assured us a return next year, so Ryan and I felt better about leaving and decided next time would be sans children...for their sake and ours!  We left and drove straight to Gloria's for cerviche, a margarita...only for the adults...enchiladas and chicken fingers out on the patio! Heaven!

Sunday was another busy day beginning with a belated birthday celebration for my neice, Addyson!  Here she is with her daddy, my brother!

 My newest neice, Alexis...sweet baby girl!

 My mother and the teenager!

 My sis-in-law and friend, Jennifer...love her!

The lovebirds =)

Later that evening, Pop and Grandma, who were in town from New York, came over for dinner.  We miss them so much and cannot wait for them to move back!  One tradition we have with them is eating artichoke with melted butter...Yum! The boys devoured it!

Silly boys!

What a fun filled family weekend!
Happy Monday!!!

Friday Randomness

1.

It's Friday!

It's a family weekend!!

We have lots of fun things planned!

I.am.so.psyched because we have decided to attend the Wheel of Fortune auditions tomorrow!!!

It's going to be a blast regardless if we get picked or not.

2.

On the way to school this morning, Preston said, "Mom, did you know that the Indian Ocean did not have a tsunami warning system in 2004?"

Then Carter chimed in..."Ya, and did you know, Mom, that Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president, and he liked to kill turkeys?"

Greatness.

3.

"The Teenager" came into my bathroom this morning while I was getting ready and asked me to sign his class selection page for next year...8th grade...My first born will be in 8th grade. That's one more year until high school, 2.5 years until a driver's license, 5 years until he's out of the house and in college.  All of that flashed through my mind as I signed the blue piece of cardstock. 

How did we get here so fast?

4.

I saw this idea for family conversation time during dinner, and thought I'd pass it on.

We tried it out last night, and it was fun to hear about what's going on in those little minds. Ryan and I are realizing more and more the importance of sitting down at the dinner table together as a family every night and talking with the boys about their day...so important.

Have a fantastic weekend!!

I love These Pictures!

My brother has been sending me some pictures of my boys from that the past that he has come across recently, and I love these little bundles of babiness...I just made that word up....that I had to include them in a post.  He sent these 2 yesterday:

This is my brother with Austin...Austin is now a teenager who says things like "That's gay", "Mom, I have to go! Everyone is going to be there.", "You're so over protective! You never let me do anything!"  It helps seeing pictures like this to remind me that he was once a sweet, endearing little boy and one day he shall return. He will. The Bible says so: "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." --Proverbs 22:6

And this little punkin...

This precious baby boy loved corn on the cob and ate it like a rockstar! I could just sqeeze those little cheeks 'til they popped!  Preston was hands down my easiest baby...calm, patient, quiet, sweet and smart.as.a.whip! For the most part, he's still that way, but lately, he's been pushing my buttons more than usual trying to figure out his spot in the chain of command.  Such is life in a big family. =)

Such great kids...why do they have to grow up so fast?

Decisions, Decisions

Do you know what is coming to Dallas this weekend?

THE Wheelmobile!!

What does that mean, you ask?

Auditions to be on Wheel of Fortune!

I am not a big television watcher, and I consciously try to limit the amount of TV I allow our boys to watch for obvious reasons, however, we watch the

Wheel of Fortune

as a family every.single.night.  Dorky...nerdy...yes, we know.  We never miss it, and if Ryan happens to get home past 6:30 PM, the boys pause it until his arrival, and then...the competition begins!  All in good fun, people...all in good fun!

So...here in lies the problem.  The teacher in me has been feeling the urge for some educational fun with the shorter versions of us in our home.  Did you realize "educational" and "fun" could coexist in the same vernacular?  It is the bane of my existence to make certain my children realize they do.  My parents did, so shall I continue the vicious cycle...with enjoyment.  Therefore, a trip to The Science Place and the Planetarium...since Preston is currently studying our Solar System at school...was set in place last weekend for this coming weekend.  BUT...since I am a member of the "Wheel Watcher's" club...how nerdy is that...I received an email on Tuesday informing me the Wheelmobile would be in Dallas this coming weekend holding auditions to be on THE Wheel of Fortune. WHAT??!!  If I were techno-savvy enough, I would have a picture here of a scale, and on one side would be a pic of The Science Place and the Wheel of Fortune logo on the other symbolizing the question of which situation outweighs the other...but I'm NOT, so just imagine it's there.

The boys are begging Ryan and I to try out for the classic game show, but that would mean no educational fun for the fam.

Decisions, Decisions...

Your thoughts?

I just need someone to help me justify my decision to nix the opportunity for numerous teachable moments for some....

GOOD OL' FASHION FUN, BABY!!!!

The Little Things...

This morning when I stepped out of the shower, Ryan was sitting on the edge of the tub putting on his shoes.  I remarked how cold it was in the bathroom, so without any word or hesitation, he stood up and put my robe around my shoulders.

It's the simple things that make life and love so good...

Happy Wednesday!

Gettin' in Love

My sweet little Carter...

Weekend Recap!

Weekend, oh glorious weekend...
Where did you go?
How quickly you're gone.
How you do it, I'll never know!

It was Blue Fish on Friday
after "tying off loose ends" =)
Then shopping on Saturday
followed by drinks with a few friends

We made plans for next weekend

with our family all together

The Science Place and Planetarium

and hopefully some great weather!

We spent some time reminiscing

how far our little family has come

the blessings we've been given

and the good times have just begun!

Hope your weekend was just as fun!!

Happy, Happy Friday!!!

This stud.of.a.man. is back! 

I know you were all on pins and needles in anticipation.  He was not supposed to be in until VERY late last night, but he surprised us by catching an earlier flight!  Total excitement when the man of the hour walked in the door earlier than expected.  You'd have thought he was a celebrity, the way the boys reacted!

See this dog with a poor, innocent rabbit in its mouth:

No, this is not our dog, but this is an accurate depiction of what our dog, Shelby, looked like this morning.  The boys had been chasing a very similar poor, innocent rabbit outside around the house yesterday afternoon with baseball bats while screaming like little girls, and this morning, it finally surrendered its life.  I know this because Trysten barged into my bathroom this morning saying...and I quote..."Alli! Shelby caught the rabbit and bit its butt off!"  Gross.

I am so incredibly excited that it is Friday! I am working a half day today, and when I exit this building at 11:30 AM, I am going to go get a little mani/pedi combo, get the vehicle washed inside and out, and picking up my hubby from his office for a doctor's appointment.  We don't have any major plans this weekend except for catching up on some much needed alone time!

Happy, Happy Friday!

Have a great weekend!!!