Spring Break - Filled With Typical DeGracie Drama!

Okay - so Spring Break didn't go as we planned this year and unfortunately we didn't make it Arizona. The saddest part of this is that the boys missed their Uncle Donny's Easter egg hunt. That is all we heard about on Easter morning. Anyway - the following is a list of reasons why we didn't go and what we ended up doing during the week instead.

Reasons We Stayed Home:
1 - Darren had so many aerating jobs to do because the weather didn't cooperate the week before. It snowed 4 of the 7 days.
2 - Darren needed to finish (still not done though) painting my Dad's "flip-it" house in order for carpet, etc to be installed.
3 - My sister-in-law April and brother Josh was supposed to have their baby girl on the 8th and we didn't want to miss it.
4 - My sister Ranie dropped the greatest news on Friday before Easter that she would be adopting a new baby boy and would be getting him on Wednesday the 7th of April - one day before her birthday! What a present!
5 - Easter was Sunday and if we didn't leave by Friday evening, the boys would have missed the Easter bunny.
6 - Canon's birthday was Monday the 5th. He wanted so badly to spend it in Arizona - just to see what that would have been like!.
7 - Our dog Tinkerbell is in heat - AGAIN! She locked up with two suitors and we don't know what will happen. Please pray she does not get pregnant.

Reasons Why It Was A Good Thing We Didn't Go:
1 - Blaze got pink eye on Wednesday, Pierson got it on Friday and Canon got it on Saturday. Darren got it just yesterday. NICE!
2 - Canon had the stomach flu on Friday and was sick at both ends. Lasted all day but he was better the next day!
3 - Blaze got sick with the stomach flu on Saturday night while we were spending the night in a hotel. He threw up from 2 in the morning until noon the next day. Also NICE! He threw up in his shoe the first time so that helped a little! :)
4 - We would have missed Colin and Ranie surprising my family with the arrival of McKay into their family. The greatest surprise ever!
5 - Our new van has been giving us the flat tire signal for a month and each time we take it in - they say they can't find it. We took it to another dealership and they "fixed" 2 of the wrong tires for $250 bucks - still not helping the tire that has the leak. $250 for a patch job? We are now finding out that the tires will cost us $2,000 to replace! Are you kidding me?
6 - My Grandma had surgery which we only found out about a day before the surgery and we had to wish her well!
7 - We would have missed Acting Academy, Baseball practice and piano practice.

What We Did During The Week To Escape All The Drama:
Sunday - Had an incredible Easter Sunday with just us. Went to Mom and Dad's for dinner, Easter egg hunt (I lost) and dessert.
Monday - Canon spent his birthday at home, I was off work, we went to the Arcade, went to dinner and then he opened his presents from us. Pierson gave him DVD's of his favorite show iCarly, Blaze gave him New Moon and Space Buddies DVD's and Darren and I gave him a laptop! That night we pulled all the mattresses out onto the floor in the basement and stayed up late watching movies - it was one gigantic slumber party that followed to the next night. Might as well right?
Tuesday - Went as a family to see How To Train Your Dragon
Wednesday - Played at home, set up our "mandatory family meeting" where Colin and Ranie announced their new arrival. Decorated for Canon/Ranie's combined birthday parties. We opened presents, had cake and played Limbo. You should check out the pictures. Joni won with an amazing "limbo" measuring 33 inches off the ground. Shorter than Pierson. It was incredible. Garrett gave her a run for her money though - he came in so close and he towers over us all.
Thursday - Can't remember what we did here so I will have to fill it in when I find Canon. He always knows. I think that day was errand day - bank, Costco, post office, etc. I am sure I did something fun for them but maybe not. Oh ya - we took the neighborhood to the park and let them run around for a very long time hoping they would sleep for many hours that night.
Friday - Went to the Aquarium to see the new penguins but Canon got sick as soon as we got there so we rushed through and ran home. He was sick in bed the rest of the day. So sad....
Saturday - We went to Thanksgiving Point farm to introduce Pierson to farm animals. Canon and Blaze went to J.T.'s birthday party and then we all headed downtown to spend the night in a hotel suite, go to dinner, swim and then wake up and go to the zoo. This is the night Blaze got sick and threw up all night. We didn't get any sleep and let a nasty pink stain on the hotel room floor carpet. Woops!
Sunday - Instead of ending our Spring Break week by going to the zoo, we went home so Blaze could recover and we lounged around the house for the rest of the day.

All in all - we had a great time being together and welcomed all the crazy things that happened to us. After all - it wouldn't be normal if things worked out for us.

Enjoy the pictures!

Just Because I Love Him....

Okay! I can't wait anymore!

So I have such exciting news. I am sure you may all know that Ranie and Colin were able to adopt at record pace but I just want to show off how cute he is! If you haven't heard the story - you will have to check out Ranie's blog! It's amazing!

Anyway - I haven't been able to take pictures of him since last Wednesday but I am sure he is even cuter today. Here are a few photos of my little family with beautiful McKay.












What's even better about today is that my little niece was born this morning - 6 days past her due date. You will have to get the full details from Josh and April since it's their story but I have to brag about how adorable she is. My kids were so excited to rush to the hospital to meet Baby Kaylee. She is such a cutie with tons of hair and chubby cheeks. I love it! I am so happy to have newborns in our family.

Here are a few photos of Kaylee with my kids and of course, with her mommy and daddy!

One of those "You Had To Be There" Moments - By Blaze

I know I don't keep up with the crazy things Blaze says but here are just a few over the last couple of days that I just can't pass up sharing. Please know that I cannot possibly write it as real and as funny as it comes across but just think of Blaze as you read this.

Scenario #1: Blaze is wrestling for the first time this season, he loves it and pretty much makes every kid cry. He calls me the other day after his latest win and says....

"Mom, I was just wrestlin' and then the kid started crying and I was like...what? why is he crying?....Why do I make every kid cry? I'm just wrestling..." Note that he says it with this total tuff kid attitude like he doesn't get what everybody's problem is.

He then says to me.... "I wish I could like, punch and kick and smash 'em to the ground and stuff" Please tell me this kid does not want to become an Ultimate Fighter.

Scenario #2: Blaze always invades my space while changing in the closet and I pretty much have given up all my privacy in this house of boys. They will obviously learn young. Anyway... Blaze loves to tell me how big my butt is and how jiggly my cheeks are and how my stomach sticks out farther than my chest does.... It's the best. Not only does he tell me - he has to poke me and jiggle me and shake what shakes so that it is self explanatory. He is very critical of how I look, how I dress and more specifically how I walk. He critiques how I walk and will show me what it is I am doing wrong while walking down the hall. Not sure this is a good thing. He tells me when my underwear is showing or when I bend over and he can see down my shirt. What do I do? I hope it ends with me and he doesn't even get started with girls he will end up dating. I must warn him now......!!!

Scenario #3: This is my ultimate favorite....
So the boys are getting ready for bed and Blaze asks his Dad in the most serious of voices. "Dad, what level of clippers do you use to get your hair like that?".... Canon and I totally bust up laughing. In all seriousness he asks again, "I mean, like, what makes you want to cut your hair like that, why can't you just cut it like mine and Canon's?".... Again, laughing hysterically. Darren tries to explain that he doesn't choose that for himself but it turns into - he uses a razor to shave in the reseeding look. Blazes questions why on earth he would think that looks good but lets it go. I cannot breath at this point. Blaze declares that he will never do his hair like that when he is a dad and maybe only when he chooses to do the mohawk again.

Scenario #4: Boys and farting..... I don't get it. I don't like it. I don't let them do it in my presence = if I can help it. Anyway - we are getting ready for bed and the boys start making farting noises with their mouths. Darren and Pierson included. He now is among those that finds it funny to make farting noises - UGH!!! So Darren asks to hear mine and so classically - I bust out a hand/armpit fart noise. Darren had no idea I was capable and the boys were stunned. "TEACH ME MOM, TEACH ME HOW TO DO THAT"... Oh no - what have I done. I don't think I really ever wanted them to know that I could do that. Oh well. Anyway - by the end of the night I was laughing so bad I was crying. It took us an hour to calm down. I truly love having boys - it is the greatest!

2 and 0

Blaze is a wrestler. Against my will. Well - I think it is awesome that he is trying it but I am hoping he doesn't want to do it in high school and such. Not really wanting my son to have mangled ears.

Anyway - he had his first tournament and walked away a champion. He won both his matches, pinning the kid in his second match. I had never seen him wrestle for real before and he is awesome. Still a little timid but at least he gets the job done. He brought the first kid to tears because he was more aggressive than the kid anticipated. We are so proud of him.

Check out a minute of his magnificence....



Here are a few pictures of him in action pinning the second kid.

A Huge Thank You!

I just wanted to thank my sister Ranie and my brother-in-law Colin for generously taking my kids over the weekend so that I could spend some time with my husband and my cousins. Our plan was to take them with us which isn't much fun do to when you are traveling by vehicle for 5 hours. Instead - Ranie and Colin stepped up and took my kids for the weekend. They even stayed at our house so the kids were more comfortable.

THANKS SO MUCH Ranie and Colin. You know how hard it is for me to leave my kids but you made me go without them and I appreciate it. We really need a few days alone. I can never tell you enough how grateful I am for you two!

So - the reason for the weekend?
1. My husband was running in the St. George half marathon with my cousin.
2. I was taking one of my puppies to Jaime and her family so they could take her home to California.

It was supposed to rain and snow the whole time but we made it there and back without any inclement weather. It didn't even rain during the race - although it was incredibly cold. Sunni, her kids, Michael, Jaime's grandma and me met Darren and Jaime at the finish line so that we could congratulate them and take pictures. And of course - my battery died just after Darren ran through so I missed the opportunity to take pictures of Jaime and Darren together. They both did really well and I am so proud of them - and jealous let's be honest.
Here are a few of the pictures from the race.