The "Magic" is Here!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around our house, because this weekend we put up our tree & decorations.  There's something magical about this time of year and I'm reminded of that with every decoration taken out of the box.  Our tree, is pretty special to us with every ornament having a meaning from previous years.  Last night, we remembered each of those years before we'd place the ornament on its selected branch.  Before kids, I always had a "themed" tree, in hopes, that one year we'd be able to have a full tree with nothing but our special ornaments.  Brenton and I started the tradition back in 1999 when we were engaged and last year (2013) was the first year that our 7 1/2' tree was filled with all of our "family" ornaments (as we call them).  Ethan, is at the age, he loves to hear the stories behind each and every ornament; which makes the tree trimming, that much more fun.  Brenton and I have loved buying ornaments for each other, but now that we have the boys, it's so much more meaningful.  Anyway, we had the best time decorating our house for Christmas and getting prepared for Santa.  Oh, and speaking of Santa...he finally sent our scout elf to us for the season.  Chippey, arrived and this morning he made our house filled with even more seasonal magic.  Man, I love this time of year!

the magic is coming alive

Ho Ho Ho

selecting the proper branch

Colin loved the tree

but, loved dancing with Santa even more

love them

Chippey arrived

our scout elf coming in for a landing

Ethan reading the note Chippey left

our Advent calendar is ready

love my family

Let Him Go!

This weekend, has to have been, the best one we've had in a little while.  Our annual tradition, since deciding to take our family vacation in the summer about 3 years ago, is to go to CoCo Key Water Resort in Newark.  Well, we've been going there, since Colin was 3 months old, but 3 years ago we decided to add another visit and we have loved going this time of year ever since.  Our boys, love that water park & staying at the hotel helps to extend the fun.  This year though, was the 1st year that all of us enjoyed the bigger slides at Parrots Perch.  For all the years we've been going, Colin and I would enjoy the kiddie area while Ethan & Brenton would go to Parrots Perch together.  This time, however, I took Ethan over to go down a few slides with him.  Well, a little while later here comes Brenton and Colin, which I figured he'd enjoy the 2 little slides that were there, so I continued to go down the slide.  When I got to the bottom, I saw Brenton was looking for Colin and I instantly panicked for a minute, until we looked up and there he was climbing the robe bridge to the biggest slide at Parrots Perch.  I started running up after him, but then I hear my husband say, "let him go" and so I did.  Oh my goodness, I could hear the giggles all the way down the slide.  He LOVED it!!!  After that, he went down it over and over again.  This trip was the most fun we had as a family with all of us enjoying the slides together.  What memories we made and already looking forward to our next trip!

our version of "Black Friday"

Parrots Perch

view from the lazy river

We had so much fun on those slides..Colin loved the blue one

mama's boy

We Gobbled 'til we Wobbled

We had a really great Thanksgiving this year!  Of course it was filled with lots of food, but you know, it was worth every calorie I did eat.  I love Thanksgiving and the whole meaning behind this holiday, which I'm trying to teach my boys all about being thankful & the month of November is perfect for that.  I got up early Thursday morning, made a pot of coffee, and waited for my guys to wake up.  I knew the Macy's parade would be a part of our morning, so I was so excited to get the day started.   I've always loved that parade, but these past few years I haven't been able to watch it much.  We've been so busy getting ready and heading off to see family that watching the parade was just getting to see little bits of it.  Well, this year, we weren't eating until 3:30 at mom & dad's, so that meant we had the opportunity to watch the parade in its entirety and I was so excited about it.  Brenton made a great breakfast and then it was time for all the balloons, bands, and celebrities to fill our tv screen.  Slowing down that morning, really was a treat!  This is the beginning of the most wonderful time of year and I loved being able to have such a great day.  Being with my family is always a fun time that is filled with laughter, chaos, crafts, eating, and lots of catching up.  By the time it was over, we all were waddling to our cars stuffed to the brim.  LOL!

our completed "Thankful" tree

he wanted to try the turkey leg

so he did....it was "really big" though

kids table is filling up

what Mom? LOL!

craft fun w/ the kiddos = Handprint Rock Turkeys

Take a Bow!

Sitting here by myself today and reminiscing on the past few days.  What a weekend filled with fun, memories, family, sickness, snow, and cold.  Seems that the winter season wants to come a little early this year and for me, it's too early!  I'm not ready for all this, but thankfully I planned ahead and picked up new gloves, boots, and coats a little at a time this year, b/c they came in handy.  Yesterday, the boys had their 1st snow day and outside is where they wanted to go.  I felt prepared and was able to fulfill the fun.  Ethan, of course, had to be Batman and fight crime for a little while (with 6 layers of clothes underneath the costume) in the snow.  Colin, he just wanted to be bundled up and get out in the snow, so I got them out the door and they played for a little while.  It was cold, but they lasted for a little over an hour I think.  It was nice that they got the snow day, b/c I planned on keeping Ethan home from school anyway.  That poor little guy was down for the count on Sunday and only ate 1 bowl of soup all day.  He didn't move from the floor, where I made a bed for him, unless it was to the bathroom.  Man, he had something and that something had to take its course.  I was so glad when he woke up yesterday and he was back to being his normal self. He even asked for hot chocolate to celebrate their 1st snow day.

view out my window

1st Snow Day Fun

Batman

he's back amongst the living

how did I ever survive w/o one of these

couldn't keep them away from each other...Ethan was so sick, too!

Something else that got accomplished this weekend...Ethan's very 1st sports banquet.  We had a covered dish meal over at the middle school for all the little guys who played flag football this year.  It was nice to see the turnout, too.  Here I was expecting a small gathering, but heck they had to bring in more chairs and tables to accommodate everyone.  Brenton was a bit nervous, b/c he had to speak about his team and present each of his players with their medal.  My husband is not a huge talker in front of crowds, but let me just tell you he nailed it.  I was so proud of him!  He loves to coach and be a part of these kid's lives, so seeing him up there and talking about each one did my heart good.  My son, was so proud up there, as well.  He was all smiles when Daddy presented him w/ his medal and certificate that when the crowd clapped for him, he took a bow....not once, not twice, not even 3 times, but 4 times. LOL! Yes, he did and was so stinkin proud to be up there, but only my son. ;)  I told Brenton that heck if he doesn't make it in football, he sure loves an audience! LOL!!  It turned out to be a great evening celebrating the teams and we are really looking forward to next year.

Team Shroyer

so proud =)

take a bow, Ethan...LOL!

Team Shroyer

You know, before having kids, Brenton would always say "I can't wait to coach...whatever they are in, I want to be a coach." Well, at that time, we had no idea if we'd have little girls or little boys, but regardless he knew in his heart that he wanted to help with their extracurricular activities.  Well, by now, you know we were blessed with 2 little boys and when Ethan turned 4, Brenton took those words he said to me all those years before and turned them into reality.  He has been Ethan's coach for baseball and flag football every year since and he has loved every minute of it.  He loves being a part of these kid's lives and it's nice to hear from the parents how much they love him as the coach of their kids, because Brenton truly does enjoy it.  It's so cute when we were at Ethan's school last week, you'd hear "hey coach" and that brought a smile to my husband's face.  I love seeing him so excited and intense about each season! 

This past weekend, his team made it into the Super Bowl.  We didn't think it was going to be possible and we figured the season would be over a few weeks ago; however, those boys played their hearts out and made it.  Unfortunately, they didn't come out victorious, but they tried their best and what more can you ask for?!  The final score was 3-5 with the white team from Tusky taking home the bragging rights.  Team Shroyer had a great season!  It was fun to watch these boys learn the fundamentals and improve with each and every game!

Pep Talk

Team Shroyer

here they.....

come...Go RED!

Ethan ready to play

playing his little heart out

Ethan & Dyl after the game

All Hallows Eve!

What a fun Halloween season we had!  October, has got to be one of our favorite months of the year.  It is just so fun with all sorts of festivities happening.  Last week, we had school parties, movie nights, trick-or-treat in town and my boys were pretty excited about it all.  Colin, had 3 days of fun at school and thank goodness that he did, because that poor kid broke out in hives & was vomiting about 1/2 hour before it was time to leave for trick-or-treat.  To this day, I have no idea why, but he still made out like a bandit with the stash of "his" candy I had put back...I filled up his bucket and we had fun at home while my other guys hit the town.  One day when we look back on this post, my husband will remember this Halloween as being his scariest, thanks to his sister! LOL!!!  Overall, we had a great Halloween and lots of memories were made.

Day 1 of school fun = Brave Man
His theme was superhero based off a character trait

Day 2 = Hulk
Hulk Smash

waiting patiently 

Superhero Fun

my favorite Superhero

fun w/ Mommy

Day 3 = Thomas
yes, Thomas is a superhero in Colin's eyes

Fun with Batman

Halloween fun 2nd grade style

the boys of 2nd grade

calling all Autobots.....

It's time to get some candy from the humans

the place that Brenton got scared shitless, LOL