Declan is nearly 16!

 Declan has grown quite a bit since last I blogged about him.  He will turn 16 in a week! Dec is so excited to drive and date!  He has been eagerly awaiting his sixteenth birthday so he can finally go out on dates.  I fully expect him to date every weekend for the first three months-except he has no money so he will have to be clever about it.

Declan is my healthy eater and takes his working out very seriously

Declan is an adventurous type and on this day decided to try doing his hair a different way-parted down the middle.  He got so teased at school about he won't be doing it like that any time soon.

He has always loved taking photos and selfies of himself!  These photos above are taken with the Alexa Echo Show which I got myself for Christmas and I love it! In these photos, I can still see 3 year old Declan who wore a cape 24/7 and thought he was Batman.

More Declan photos with parted hair!

Yes that boy can jump, especially for a photo.

Declan's real love is football though! He is a lineman and also enjoys being center and snapping the ball.  He played on the THS JV team as center and also on the Varsity team if they were winning by a wide margin.

Declan #60 with McCoy

Declan is naturally very helpful and is a whiz with electronics and cords just like his dad.  He enjoys telling stories and sharing interesting things he learns.  He is a delightful person and such a fun guy to be around.  Everyone should have a Declan in there life!

Quinton the missionary!

Quinton who is now 19 years old has spent the last sixth months serving as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  He will serve for two years in the Mexico Hermosillo Mission. While he serves Quinton will be known as Elder Carlton.  Elder Carlton spent 6 weeks in the Mexico Missionary Training Center in Mexico City. He made great friends there and learned a lot!  We get to speak with him once a week on his preparation day which is Monday.  Elder Carlton has definitely has had some challenges and trials but through it all he has had a great attitude.

Elder Carlton's main mode of transportation is by foot but he also can bike or ride the bus. His first area is in Navajoa, Mexico with his trainer Elder Pace who he spent three months with while being trained.  Their Landlady Mama Luly keeps an eye on them and doesn't like when they drink Coke.

Elder Carlton in his apartment

Drenched with sweat after a bike ride

Elder Carlton and his comp enjoying eggs with jalapenos and a Coke by lantern light

Elder Carlton at a baptism

Out to lunch with the Hermanas (sister missionaries)

Elder Carlton and his district at the Mexico City temple

Elder Carlton isn't much of one for writing letters but we are very glad he will call and chat with us for a bit while he checks his emails.  We are so glad he has chosen to serve at this time and we pray often for him! 

McCoy's pet rock

I was raised to be completely self-sufficient as far as entertaining myself goes.  My mom loved to read and was not about to spend her valued free time entertaining me.   I am very good at entertaining myself and I have too many hobbies and interest vying for my time so I am not about to entertain my children with my highly valued free time.  It's safe to say my kids are also good self entertainers.

McCoy found this rock on a school field trip and brought it home.  He realized he could make it a pet that his mom would let him keep.  So he drew a cheery face on it and can now say if asked, yes he has a pet (rock)! Plus I'm sure he had a great time creating him, I wouldn't really know as I wasn't involved with it as I'm sure I was doing a equally fulfilling craft of my own.

McCoy with his pet rock

Warm Fuzzies

My sister, Ashlee, came to my town to visit me for the day.  When she comes we like to run errands together and shop.  Our favorite thing is getting a good bargain whether it be a regular store or a thrift store.  We always love to go thrifting! This day Ashlee found a craft kit that she thought my kids would like to do.  It seemed simple enough so I agreed and I purchased it for a quarter.  When we got home the kids (Zaynzley and McCoy) were very excited to do it. They began on it right away.

McCoy helping Zaynzley with her tiger 

Before long McCoy's turtle was completed as so was Zany's tiger

After our thrift stores visit, Ashlee and I went to a store I love to go to  but I sadly never have a reason to go there--Tractor Supply Store.  I once bought my much longed for wood stove there. Luckily, Ashlee had to buy some dog food so I got to go with her.   What did we discover while we where browsing? A picture of Ashlee, herself, for all to see

Ashlee points out her own photo!

I was with an nearly, famous person shopping in my favorite store--it kinda gives you the warm fuzzies!

Religious Artist Graffitis

What can an artist do when he can't find his preferred medium. He can get creative and find an usual canvas-his little brother's belly.  Quinton loves to tease and quickly struck with a marker to Archer's wee belly.  Now Archer is walking art, at least until it fades away!

Graffitied Archer

No Use Crying Over Spilled Salsa

We tend to eat a bit later around here due to the various sports practices.  I really like to eat as a family so I will move dinner times to accommodate schedules to try to have everyone present.  Sometimes we might eat at 4:00 p.m. or 7:30 p.m., right now it is 7:30 p.m.  After the three boys get home from football practice, we eat dinner, dishing up as they walk in the door.

This night we were have carnitas, refried beans and red rice (Spanish Rice).  Eddy began making what we call, red rice, when Quinton was three or so.  Everyone loves Eddy's red rice especially Declan and Zany!  The one person who refuses to eat this famous rice is McCoy.

We are big salsa fans at this house and we had several salsas to chose from to put on the tacos.  McCoy selected the full jar of Pace salsa and quickly turned it upside down.  We all sat in shock as nearly the entire bottle dumped onto McCoy's plate and the tablecloth.  Everyone began talking at once asking McCoy what was he thinking? McCoy said, "I was trying to get it out slowly."  Why turn it completely upside down then we all wondered.  Eddy to the rescue; he grabbed the dough scrapper to squeegee the salsa off the tablecloth.  McCoy was very upset about it all but he learned another life lesson and now we have a new mantra:

Poor McCoy

Eddy displays the table salsa!

Trying to cheer him up only brings smiles to Zany and Archer.  Once we had cleaned off the table and removed the excess salsa from his tacos, McCoy was able to settle down and eat.  

Mantra #2 No Use Crying Over Spilled Salsa!

Religous Artist

Attending church for three hours every Sunday is our usual tradition.  Three hours can sometimes seem a bit long on some days but there are ways to help the time move along.  Church is a good time for personal reflection and thinking of ways to improve for those who are older but the younger crowd likes have toys or snacks.  Zaynzley's likes to move time along with coloring or drawing.  When I was a younger mom I would pack a bag for church with toys, books, snacks, and drinks.  Now that I'm a more experienced mom I don't pack anything.  If a kid wants something at church they had better pack it themselves.  Zany is really good at packing her own stuff sometimes too good as she will bring a lot of stuff.  This Sunday she brought her new write-eraser board. 

Much time was spent on this drawing. 

Zaynzley and new board

 But was Zany the artist? No she was not.

"Knights Fight Against the Dragon Named Temptation" by Quinton Carlton

I think he may have a future in illustrating or at least staying awake through church!