Monday, November 29, 2010

Our Non-Traditional Thanksgiving

We went to Austin this Thanksgiving so Sam could play in a football tournament.  The tournament was so poorly run, it drove me crazy! But we did have a great time.  We have so much to be Thankful for and it was nice to spend time together. 
We ate a traditional turkey dinner with family Wednesday night.   Thursday morning we decided to get on the road and get breakfast along the way.  By the time we stopped, the McDonald's the boys picked wasn't serving breakfast. So, we all had cheeseburgers for breakfast.  Once we arrived in Austin, we went to IHOP for lunch.  And ended up eating breakfast. 
We spent most of Thursday in the hotel room watching football.  Somehow, little Brennan was the best behaved. He just hung out playing with his toys and sticker books.  "It's stuck!" is his favorite thing to say right now.  Of course it's stuck, it's a sticker!
Friday Sam didn't have a game until the afternoon so we took the boys to the Austin Children's Museum.  They had a great time.

  
Saturday was a long day at the fields but the boys were great!  At one point they all feel asleep.

Sam's team finished playing late Saturday afternoon and we ate breakfast for dinner at IHOP (again).  We tried to crash at the hotel but someone pulled the fire alarm twice. I had just gotten Brennan to sleep and, thankfully, he sleep right through both alarms. As did Sam. 

Sam's 10th birthday was Sunday so we took our time packing up and heading out.  We went to Round Rock Donut (as seen on Man vs. Food) for breakfast.  Sam got a giant donut to celebrate his double digits.
When we finally got home, my next door neighbor/sister in law, was running to the grocery store. She graciously agreed to get Sam a little cake so he could have something to blow out his candles. I hadn't planned for a cake because I wasn't sure when we'd be home.  I still can't believe my first born is 10!

Monday, November 1, 2010

Halloween and "Normal"

Welcome one and all to November!  Last night was one of my favorite family nights of the year.  I love to make a big Halloween themed dinner and have family over.  Last night was no exception.  Here's a collage of our Halloween-y eats.  I tried two new cookie recipes this year and both turned out great. Zac helped me make the mummy cookies and both boys decorated the other cookies (which are without a fun Halloween-y name but are awesomely delicious)

My mom, Ryan's parents, Ryan's brother and his wife and 2 girls and Ryan's sister and her husband and their 3 kids all came over for dinner.  Then we hit the neighborhood to trick or treat. 

Last year, Brennan had just turned a year old at Halloween.  I bought him a bee costume and he could have cared less.  He was not fully over whatever it was that ravaged him from 6 months to 18 months old.  So, he stayed at home with Nene (my momma) while the rest of us trick or treated.

Not so this year!

Brennan is not 'normal'. I don't know what Brennan is but he's definitely not normal.  He's speech delayed.  He's tremendously OCD.  He's hyper-smart.  He's lovable and he's frustrating.  Last Thursday I had a breakdown about Brennan's future.  Last Friday, God sent me a mom to ease those fears and frustrations.  Then last night, God presented me with a 'normal' Halloween.

Brennan loved Trick or Treating. He didn't say Trick or Treat (that would have been a miracle).  But he said "Wow!" about a million times.  He carried his own bucket. He walked up to the door to accept candy (although he wouldn't let people put the candy in his bucket. He took it and put it in himself.  OCD, anyone?).  He screamed at scary costumes.  He didn't keep screaming.  He was awesome.  I cried. 

My other boys were awesome too, of course.  They ran around like crazy people. Then calmed down when we asked them to calm down. They helped their brother and cousins. 

But, it was Brennan acting "normal" that made me cry.  And even this morning, I'm tearing up. Thankful for a night of "normal".  What a blessing!