SnOw DaY!!!!

Are there any sweeter words that "Snow Day"?? I remember sitting by the radio, waiting to hear those words when I was in school....and I will admit, I was sitting there again on Monday night....keeping my fingers crossed! But, in the age of technology you no longer have to sit and listen to the radio...the superintendent just gives you a ring or KSN sends you a text and an email....but none the less the excitement and anticipation was still there! Well with a snow day, the boys got bundled up and ran around outside like a couple of crazy monkeys! I stayed out long enough to snap some pics....but I'll tell ya, I can't do this cold! I sat inside, sipping my coffee, roaming from one window to the next...watching my little fellas flop around in all of that fluffy wonderful snow! They lasted a little over an hour...which was about 50 minutes longer than I had expected! Happy Snow Day!

Grady making snow angels....isn't he sweet?!

Gabe making tracks through the undisturbed snow!

Our Little Grapplers!

We spent all day Sunday in Valley Center at a wrestling meet! Oh My GOODNESS....I'm not ready for this! I had never been so sore and exhausted as when we walked out of that gym on Sunday afternoon....I really don't know if I have another 13 years of this in me! First of all, both of the boys wrestled in different gyms, so I was running back and forth the entire day.....I hardly had time to use the restroom...let alone eat! The way our boys were bracketed it was pretty much back and forth...one would wrestle and then the next one would be up about 10 matches later...and because there were a few forfeits and such the 10 could go pretty fast...so we were running back and forth! Plus the place was packed...there were around 500 wrestlers...so just add on a couple of spectators per and you get the idea....CRAZINESS! I'm sure the gymnasiums were in violation of every fire code under the sun...thank goodness no alarms went off...it would have been worse than the running of the bulls in Spain! Last, I do not usually see my boys live wrestle during practice.....I am just the pick and drop off person...Shawn is there coaching during practice, so I don't usually hang around for the entire time. I was a nervous wreck....both of the boys ended up with 3rd place.....we were very proud of both of them! This meet was very difficult, Gabe saw some very good competition....it has given him some moves he needs to work on...and Grady, well Grady is Grady! He did perfect for a 5 year old...I mean how critical can I be? He won 2 and lost 2, but gave a fight to the 2 he lost. He has vowed to work on the half nelson.....he got caught once in that, and was amazed how well it worked! Anywho, we have it all on video if you are itching to see it.....well, most of it is on video, after all I was the video tech and if I got excited you may only have a good view of the ceiling and floor with me yelling in the back ground.....maybe the tripod would have been a better way to go! WAY TO GO GABE AND GRADY! We are so proud of you!

Showing off for the camera....love those two little hams!

Happy 2011!!!

Well, our family was finally on the mend by New Year's Eve! We celebrated our kicking the bug that infested our family for 2 straight weeks by having lunch at Sumo and taking in Gulliver's Travels in 3-D!! We had a fantastic time.....there is just not a better time than a hibachi grill! I love the show aspect of dinner and well the food....it just doesn't get much better! Afterwards we headed next door to the Warren and watched Gulliver's Travels. I tell ya, anytime we go to the movie as a family it is always a struggle....Grady still likes the animated flicks, while Gabe has definitely outgrown most of those....Gulliver's Travels made everyone happy! Bonus! After the movie we headed out to spend some gift cards and got home before all the crazy people hit the road! I can't think of a more perfect way to ring in a new year than with my three fellas! Happy 2011!!

Merry Christmas!

The busiest time of year has come and gone....it is crazy how we work and rush through the last 4 weeks...and then it is just over! So, I finally have time to catch up! We started off our Christmas with our Fox Family on the Sunday before Christmas...presents, pictures, food and lots of laughs....the best way to start off the week of celebrating! Our next Christmas came the Tuesday before Christmas with my Dad and Sister! We had beef and noodles and black forest cake...yummy! On Christmas Eve we spent the first half of the day at my Grandma Seiler's and then the evening at the Koop Christmas! It was a wonderful day catching up with family and eating, eating, eating! On Christmas Day...the stomach bug found it's way to me...BUMMER! So, I spent Christmas on the couch, while Shawn and the boys reluctantly headed to Fredonia to have Christmas with my side without me! It was the first Christmas since our little family got it's start over 12 years ago that we have not been together! Fortunately, I slept through most of it...so I wasn't aware I was alone! They came back that evening and we had our little Christmas! I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas and were able to steer clear of the stomach bug!

Merry Christmas!

From Our Family to Yours......Wishing you a Very Merry Christmas!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Happy Birthday To You,

Happy Birthday To You,

Happy Birthday Dear Jesus,

Happy Birthday To You!

2nd Place...Not A Bad Beginning!

Last weekend, Gabe won second place at his first wrestling meet!! We are very proud of his accomplishment.....this is definitely going to be an exciting sport in the years to come....if he decides to stay with it! Way to go Gabe...We are so proud of you!

You Know...I LOVE MY KIDS!

My S.I.L. Erin put on her blog the other day about being a Mom...something little that each of the kids did that summed up why we put up with the everyday...well this inspired me....just this morning Gabe did something that helped me to realize...I'm probably not doing a half bad job at this Mom thing!

Okay I can't for the life of me sum anything up quick....so,bear with me! This past week the 3 of us...Gabe, Shawn and myself, all worked on his States of Matter science project. Gabe did all of the leg work, but Shawn was the fact checker and I was the poster helper girl. His poster looked fantastic...he did get A LOT of experience making posters last year for 3rd grade...so he is sort of a pro, but nonetheless...it was awesome! Okay, so on the way to school this morning...it was due this morning...I asked him if everything was still holding on okay...he said it was and that he was really happy with the way it turned out, especially after seeing some of his fellow classmates. He said he couldn't figure out why some of the kids just did it in pencil or used a shoe box, so I told him that not all parents have the time to help their kids. And I proceeded to tell him that God gave us them to take care of here on Earth...that we only have a short time to get all of the important life lessons crammed in and we are doing our best...in hopes that someday, they can look back and see that we weren't half bad and maybe even like us a little. And do you know what Gabe said....I already know how lucky I am to have you as parents...and I think you are doing a great job and I already do like you! I just looked straight ahead...tears rolling down my cheeks and told him I Loved Him....how did I get so lucky? For me, this morning was a fantastic reminder of why I do 20 loads of laundry a week, clean their bathroom, play taxi to the umpteen events each of them have, and volunteer like a crazy lady.....I only have these precious boys for a short time.....and, it seems like , at least today, I may know what I'm doing!

Watch Out Wrestling World!

This weekend will be Gabe's first wrestling tournament!! We are all getting very excited around the Fox household! His tournament is in Wellington....it is a novice tournament...so supposedly everyone is on the same playing field...a month's worth of knowledge! He is doing very well in practice, so we are anxious to see him do some live wrestling! We have no clue how he will do...we do have him wrestling up a weight...he has been consistently weighing in about 4 ounces heavier than the lower weight, but this Mama is standing for no weight loss....so, he is wrestling heavy. Gabe is skinny enough....he needs every ounce he can get! Anywho, I am blogging this early for me mainly...I am super nervous about this weekend...not if he will win, but I am nervous about seeing my baby out there on the mat, and there is nothing I can do to help....he is getting big and I have to stand back so much now....I can't go fight every battle and it is killing me...so please pray Gabe stays safe and has a fun time...win or lose! And pray for my sanity.....and my ability to stay in the stands....Shawn won't be there to keep me planted...he has to coach....maybe say a little prayer for him too! We'll let you know how this weekend goes!! GO GABE!

Grady's Christmas Program!

Last night we had the pure pleasure of attending Grady's Christmas Program! He looked so stinkin' cute all dressed up! The Kindergarteners sang 2 songs by themselves and then combined with the 1st graders to sing 2 more songs! They all did a fantastic job! I love it when all of the kiddos get up on stage and you can see them straining to see past all of the lights...and then they finally see their parents and all of a sudden there are 70 arms all waving around crazy....priceless! I just LOVE these programs....I wish they would have them once a month! Thank you for the awesome program, Grady....you did a fabulous job!