Snow days...

 Greatest snow year in soooo very long. Devon was on crutches (notice its in the snow in front of him) but it was just to great to not be a part of it!

 Bryce does have long pants, but refuses to wear them. I have to pick and choose my battles. Let him freeze his pieces off-see if I care. Notice Keaton is properly dressed.

UUUGGGHHHH...

 Long story short....My Devon hurt his leg late last fall during football.  After many evaluations by many doctors it was determined that at some point his leg had gotten a stress fracture, then become infected.  He was admitted to the hospital to have a PICC line placed for I.V. antibiotics.

 

After he was released in time to go home and enjoy Christmas, he then developed a rare pain disorder. Regional Complex Pain Syndrome is usually brought on by injury, infection and/or a surgical procedure. Well lucky Devon...he had all three! He endured more pain than you can imagine while being optimistic and stoic and so very brave.  It is now April and it seems so long ago, but it still so fresh in my mind. He was on crutches for weeks, unable to touch it or bare weight. He has pushed himself through physical therapy 4 x's a week through excruciating pain.  He is almost back to 100% but that is only because he has pushed himself so hard to recover. The only treatment is intense physical therapy.  There were so many times he was in tears and wouldn't think of giving up as he knew the harder he worked the faster he gets better. He will never understand the admiration I, we all have, for his bravery.  He is truly my hero...he is driven by FOOTBALL, surprise! surprise! and we can't wait to see how all his hardwork plays out for him.

Swimming With The Fishies..

 Keaton went to the aquarium with school and loved it soooo we all packed up and took him so we could see for ourselves what he was so excited about.

 That there is a baby tiger shark.  The big boys loved it as much as Keaton.

7!! And he is straight from heaven...

 He was not going to smile-NO WAY NO HOW!

It only took 6 tries to get the picture BEFORE he blew out the candle!!  He does love to blow out candles.

Oh how those brothers love him!



Halloween...again? I can't believe it.

Oh Keaton...this smile got him lots of chocolate. He was Stitch the alien, but we had to say he was a ZOMBIE alien or he just wasn't happy.

 I really don't need to explain...this is really quite appropriate for this one.

 6:00 as Keaton is ready to head out and Bryce has a thousand friends showing up to the door he says, "Hey mom, can you paint my face like a fox?"  I said ,"uhhhhhhh-NO!" There is no way I could paint his face like a fox in 5 minutes. That would take weeks of stewing and googling HOW to do that.  3 and a half hours later, Bryce and his friends walk in and he looks like this! I was blown away, it looked so good. His friend Kaylees mom apparantly does face painting etc for fun-thank god for her!

They didn't trick or treat per say, they just ran around the neighborhood.  We went through our plethera of costumes and suited up 3 or 4 of his buddies.  Logan on the far left- is a very handsome hockey jock, put a dress and a bra on him and he was gorgeous!  Gus did not like Bryces face painted. He would not leave him alone.

OOOOHHH he is just so cute!

This is the face I see whenever I picture my Devon. 

 He has the most infectious giggle and smile. Don't you want to just eat him?

And Another First...

 First Homecoming Dance...Bryce got to take his lifelong best friend Maddy.  These two have had so many firsts together...first day of preschool, kindergarten, then first and second grade.  The list goes on and on.  I hope they treasure how lucky they are to have their friendship and all of these experiences, I know their parents do.

 Tyson(this is the same gentle giant who accidentally landed knee first on Bryces foot last week and broke it), Meghan, Joel, Tiffanie, Ryan, Ayden, Bryce, Maddy, Parker, and Kenzie.

I do believe it was a great success and they had a great time! I am sure they were the best dressed best friends there!

Making Friends

 On this first fallish day...Keaton, Devon, and I drug Granny Sandy out to the zoo.

Keaton was like a little dart shooting here and there but he has gotten so much better about not taking off.  He made it out without being fed to any large meat-eating animals.

I don't blame Devon for looking scared that Keaton is behind the wheel.

Fall Ball

 This is kind of a Where's Waldo search and find.  Devon is on the far left looking very serious and his dad, the defense coach is shorter than the kids hidden in the back...

 #30...he is a maniac.  There is nothing better in  his world than when he is hitting kids on the field.

Freshman QB In Action

 Oh the pressure!  Starting high school, starting QB for Meridian High-I would say life is good.

So far 3 and 1, this is the most games Meridian freshman have won in 4 seasons and there are still 5 to go! Wish them luck!