give thanks...

we hope all of our family & friends had a very happy thanksgiving!

myself, neil and the boys hosted thanksgiving at our house this year for nunna, grampy, auntie stace & auntie steph.  hosting holidays is always fun for this mumma!  i enjoyed making a give thanks banner and turkey place cards for our family and had fun setting up the table :)

daddy & the boys made their annual trip to the football game while i was a cookin...

the timing game is always a challenge for thanksgiving and this year was a little tricky with some new dishes i prepared that all were fighting for the oven as soon as that turkey was done.  it was all worth waiting for and i was very happy that everyone truly enjoyed our dinner.  tasty turkey, butternut squash lasagna, sweet potato casserole, vegetable tian, honey glazed carrots, stuffing and daddy's yummy mashed potatoes.

and it was time to dig in end enoy!

you always have to make room for dessert on thanksgiving especially when we celebrate nunna's birthday!

we had a great afternoon of backyard football, laughs over wine, a delicious meal and then enjoyed some more dessert at grammy & grampy's.  a day we are thankful for.  so very thankful for our family.  a day that reminds us to give thanks...

We are the Champions...

There's no better way to end a season than winning a Championship Game and that's just what Ryley and his flag football team did this afternoon.  What a great afternoon for some football!

I decided to prep a few things for this big game that I thought just may get these boys a little more "pumped" up for this special game!

The boys and I made a trip to Dick's (a store we visit oh so often with these boys) for some wrist bands and eyeblack for the team.  I do believe they were pretty excited when I painted them up before the game. These cupcakes I made turned into being victory cupcakes, which made them that much sweeter!

Ryley had a great game.  Running the team at Quarterback, scoring points, kicking field goals, and a job well done at defense!

Both teams gave us fans a great game to watch keeping us on our toes.  Our boys came to win and they did just that! 

A great season with a team that accomplished a lot.  Successful efforts with Dad coaching, Ryley taking charge on the field and hardworking friends and players on the grid iron.

Thank you to all of the friends and family that came to cheer on the team!

Great job Daddy & Ryman!  You made us proud!

a geek, frankenstein and chicken oh my!

just a little halloween re-cap...

a happy halloween it was...

we started off the early evening with some treats and pictures with nunna & grampy, grammy & grampy, auntie kelly & ava, auntie steph & auntie stace and ry-man's sidekick nolan...

here is our lineup...what a crew

this is the 2nd year that i've put together costumes for ryley and his friend nolan.  i sure do enjoy it!  i usually have to throw out a few ideas before they give me the green light to go with it.  this year they were a geek squad.  they dressed the part, spoke the part, and acted the part!

cousin ava was our first trick-or-treater in her monkey suit

our 2nd halloween in our new neighborhood.  a little less chaotic this year as we were in the middle of moving in halloween weekend last year!



meet my boys (well you know them, but meet them from mumma's eyes)

Ryley (RY-MAN)

the eldest brother, quite a task i know, speaking from experience (your aunties tortured me too ry, as i often remind you of).  those 2 boys couldn't ask for a better big bro!  ryley is smart, dedicated and very competitive.  we all know he is quite a gifted athlete.  if there is a team to play on, he will be a member!  his athletic skills make a mom so very proud.  he won his 1st cross country meet this year and as he was running the course in 1st place looking back here and there to see his lead while i was holding in the tears. i can't believe how fast he's grown.  a handsome boy in his skinny jeans and long hair at the middle school, where does the time go?  at 12 years old i have so many proud moments of him already and look forward to all to come.

Talen (T-DOG)

talen, our middle child :) if talen could trade himself in and be ryley he would.  this boy is so infatuated with his older brother and with that said, the lil guy is quite advanced for his age.  talen could ride a two wheel bike just as he was turning 3 and can ride a scooter like the best of 'em! he's following in his brother's footsteps quite nicely.  talen got his nickname t-dog from ry's friends and a group of high school baseball players, yes high school.  t-dog is well known at the fields growing up there i mean.  the t-dog chants start as he enters through the gates and free slushies for him at the concession stand.  the joke in town with talen growing up on the athletic fields was that this year FINALLY, "The BEAST WAS UNLEASHED!"  talen was finally old enough to join his own team and play soccer! he will be quick to tell you his game stats. so proud of him this year as he shined on that field, finally! :)  talen is a great brother.  he does a great job looking up to ryley and absorbing everything he can squeeze out of him.  he does a great job being one of blake's older brothers too.  no one will take a toy away from his lil bro blake, he is quick to let you know that.  he loves to color, write and loves my projects :)you make me proud talen and can't believe you are off to kindergarten next year!

Blake (Blakie-Blake)

blakie, my baby.  this little boy always puts a smile on my face.  his crazy blonde hair cuteness is the best!  being the youngest he has his hands full keeping up with the other two but he does quite well for himself.  lately he is mr. personality.  he means business.  he knows what he wants.  he perks up his lips, pumps those arms and shuffles right along.  did I mention he LOVES to dance??  my other 2 boys never danced like this one, actually i'm not quite sure there are many kids his age who would dance like him.  it is hysterical!  give him some music and he's a movin and a groovin!  he knows the ropes, game time, practice time, school time, just blakie time! blake is the first child i've been fortunate enough to be home with full time.  this has been very special, so special.  like the others, he's growing up so quickly but he's still my baby, still loves to cuddle.  love you blakie-blake!

and how could i forget my other boy, my husband...

Neil (The ROZ, Daddy)

neil my husband, daddy of the boys, man of the house.  (well he does have an awful lot of competition as man of the house)  neil is a great husband, a wonderful dad and a very hardworker.  a very hardworker he is which allows me to stay home and that he reminds me often of when i call him at 5:05pm wondering if he will be home soon?! :)  he loves to fish, loves to fish, enjoys packing up the trailer with an assortment of 4-wheelers and dirtbikes to go riding with the boys, he's a great coach (he's got a lot of years ahead of him with 3 boys).  some may call him the mayor of millville (right russ?)  he's done a fantastic job with his business in the "little town of millville".  the logo is soaring through town on the backs of all the middle school kids who love rocking the t-shirts!  work schedule, life with 3 boys, practices, games, etc doesn't always allow us too much time for the two of us but we enjoy your crazy life.  he too makes me proud just like the other 3 boys.  proud of where he's brought us today, beautiful home, beautiful family, wonderful times!

me and my boys, that's my story and i'm sticking to it!