Pockets the Lost boy

 I don't remember a sassy Kangaroo named pockets in Peter Pan but it was the perfect part for Syd in her school play.

 I thought it was cute that all the lost boys had hats for their animal

She did great on her lines but my favorite part was her acting like she was going to beat up other lost boys.

My sassy Pockets 

Stripper

If you were to walk in my house at 12:30 everyday, this is what you would see.  Brody comes home from school and takes off all of his clothes except underwear (thankful for that).  I make him lunch and let him play on the Xbox to unwind after school.  He says he is just so hot when he gets home.  My other favorite explanation was the sensor on the Xbox can sense his body heat better with no clothes on.

  

I have a feeling this will continue for a long time.  I had a brother who would do the same thing all through high school...walk around in boxers and flex.  None of my girls every did this stripping thing after school.  Love having a boy.

Long Days

Every night before I go to bed I have a headache.  I have tried to drink more water to help but most of the time I take a couple of Tylenol and go to bed.  The Tylenol has become so routine I almost think of them as vitamins--just part of  my nightly routine.  I had a moment of clarity last night as to why I have a headache.  As I was making dinner I took a moment to look around my surroundings.  1. Taylor was listening to music on the computer and trying to get my attention...Mom wouldn't this make a great "our song" with a boyfriend?  I was trying to explain to her that you can't just pick an "our song"...there has to be a reason behind it.  She disagreed.  2. Carly and her friend were running around the house chasing each other trying to get each others' phone.  3. Sydney was practicing piano and recording herself practice.  Then she'd play it back at the same time she plays the song again.  4. Brody was going up to everyone and putting his Despicable Me fart gun in their face...it got so bad...one of the girls threw it in the backyard.  He then began to cry because he did not want to go get it because of the deadly spiders in our backyard that come out at night.  All of this was happening at the same time.  Now I am a seasoned Mom and most of the time I can ignore the chaos...but I guess it all comes back to bite me at the end of the day with my headaches.  My new favorite quote of the week...THE DAYS ARE LONG BUT THE YEARS ARE SHORT!!!...I am adding...JUST MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SOME VITAMINS (TYLENOL)!!!

Here are some funny moments of my week!!!

Not quite sure why Carly likes to make herself in a little cave every night!!  She is 12.

Carly and Sydney love to scare each other with this life-size Louis cut out.  They put it all over the house in the dark so when you open a door he is standing right in front of you.  It is actually scary.

Love swimming in January...the pool is cold but they still jump in for a couple seconds.

My favorite story from one of my long days.  I made Brody some waffles for breakfast.  He did not want to eat them and said he would like something else.  I gave him the whole speech about starving children being in the world; he should be grateful for his waffle and just eat it.  "I don't want it.  Let's put the waffle in the mail  and send it to the starving kids."  My days are LONG, but it is so true that the years are SHORT.

SNOW!!

I can handle snow for about a week and then I need to go back to flip flop weather.

Someone left a plastic pool at the sledding hill...

Sydney decided to take it for a ride...it was hilarious.

After a couple hours we got lazy and would ride the snowmobile to the top of the sled hill.

Snow football

Had to play with a kickball...could not find a football.

The whole group!!

Luxury Cabin

 We went to Bear Lake in Northern Utah and stayed at an awesome house...highly recommend it.  It can sleep 40 people plus.   We had our Rowe Family Reunion. 

 Slides would take the kids from one floor to the next.

Outside view

 No family reunion would be complete without 30 matching shirts!!

 Gym for the kids to play in

Of course, a theater... 

Christmas

 Our Christmas Eve was really weird this year.  We normally have a huge family night...but no family this year.  It was quiet and just us.  We made the kids watch "It's a Wonderful Life'...I think this was their first black and white film...they kept making jokes that their eyes could not adjust.

We did get my mom and dad all to ourselves on Christmas morning.  

I love the mornings...Never!!!

My favorite part this year were the kids spending their own money on each other and shopping for each other.  They were so thoughtful.

Santa is in big trouble for getting Brody a motorcycle.  He is actually much better that I thought.

December Birthdays

Sydney is 10!!!

Brody is 6!!!  Notice his pink candles....the life of a boy with three sisters.  That is all I had.