a week at the walters

we arrived in tulsa :: at the walters on friday the 16th.
the boys enjoyed running. playing inside. and outside. on the new slide.
basically just being out.of.the.tahoe.
they spent the next couple of mornings sleeping WAY past the normal time.
as in :: past 9:00am.
unheard of.

catching up on sleep was much needed.
we hit the floor running on saturday.
and didn't stop until thursday.
and we only slowed down due to colds. and a trip to the minor ER.

 

 

cousin carson and aunt jennifer came in town on tuesday.
uncle alan came the following day.
it sure was fun watching the 3 boys interact and play.
ledger became carson's little shadow.
it was the cutest thing to watch him. follow him. and try to be him.
the weather was great for december, so we embraced it.
with a trip to the park one afternoon.

 

 

 

we spent a lot of time just hanging out enjoying each other.
i say, enjoy, but for several of the days my boys {especially holden}spent crying.
it's really hard to enjoy life with a crying child.
his defense :: he and his brother had ear infections.
guess i would be a crying mess too?!
and to top it off, i came down with the nastiest cough i think i have ever had.
so it was a wonderful. noisy mixture. of crying/whiniing babies. and a coughing seal.

twas wonderful.

if that doesn't make for an enjoyable week :: i'm not sure what does.
needless to say. i *think* aunt jennifer was skipping with delight to have to go to work and unfortunately leave the madness.
but, despite all the whining. and coughing. it was great to be together. sharing our colds. running off everyone. and making the grand parents never want to see us again. just kidding. i know you want to see us again.....next year! {i kid. i kid}

 

 

 

 

we celebrated christmas on friday morning.
before jen escaped had to leave to get ready for work.
the boys got some new toys. money added to their college funds. and the all.time.best gift :: hand made by grandpa.
all three little boys got there very own work bench.
just like the ones grandpa made for their daddy's a few years back.
grandpa outdid himself. again.
thank you. thank you. thank you.

 

it's always great to go to grandma and grandpa's.
i mean, we get catered too.
we wake up. immediatly we get asked what we want for breakfast.
it's not on the menu?!
no problem.
she'll make it anyhow.
the same goes for lunch AND dinner.
she is so hands on with the boys :: it's not even funny.
grandpa is always on the floor playing with one of his little buddies.
they are present. they thoroughly  enjoy their grand kids.
and it shows in every way.shape.and form.
i'm thankful for them. for the way they love us. for the way they bend over backwards {without asking} for us. for their dedication to our kids. for their help. for their food. for the amazing sugar cookies {with SUPER thick} frosting she makes for me us. and the peppermint bark.

i'm also for ever indebted to them for raising their son to be the best husband and daddy this girl could ask for. my prayer is that adam and i raise our boys to be the kind of men you raised your son to be.

thank you for teaching him how to be a man. and a great husband. and a wonderful daddy. thank you for teaching him how to cook. how to clean. how to do his own laundry. all things that yes, i take care of now. but he knows how too :: and will at any given notice. and that's saying a lot these days. thank you for guiding him as a child. yet, still letting him explore his dreams. thank you for encouraging him. thank you for holding him responsible for things. and making him work for stuff as a kid. the drive inside him for never wanting to settle. always wanting more. always wanting to better himself. his family. has been in him since birth. thank you for not squashing this part of him. he is one of a kind. and for that, i thank you. you two raised him right. and well. and barbara, thank you for sharing him. i know it wasn't easy. and you let go kicking and screaming. and to that i can now say :: i SO get it. one day, i too, will have to let my babies go. which brings tears to my eyes just thinking about. but, it will be the greatest honor to know we are letting them go into the arms of another girl who hopefully will thank us for raising him right.

that is my prayer. and apparently these christmas posts are all becoming thank you posts as well.
guess i'm just grateful these days!