Boys' Bedroom Makeover

I'm trying to embrace the fact that my boys are growing up... there are days I sit satisfied knowing that I am eating up and enjoying every square inch and every sweet moment of motherhood, but then there are other times when I can feel myself wish for days gone by when they were just lil-little guys, toddling around here in diapers. Yes, I know.... they are only 10 and 4 1/2 but still I find myself in reminiscent mode from time to time and wanting to hold onto these sweet times with my loves. But, I would not be a good mother if I didn't savor the memories and yet rejoice in the new chapters that each progressing year brings each of my boys... and just plain savor the beauty of watching these two grow up into amazing boys.

In the vain of letting them grow up... it was recently time to re-do the "nursery". It was becoming quite evident that the time had definitely arrived when we would hear Luke give his friends a disclaimer before entering his room whenever they came over... "Don't mind all the baby stuff on the walls...it's my brother's!" When in reality it was not exactly just his brothers but they both were living in the nursery I had originally set up for Luke. And truth be told, Luke LOVED that room.... he cried big tears one night when we were about to begin the process of the re-do and verbally walked me around the room of all the things he would stare at when he was trying to go to sleep at night. I love that I have such a rough and tumble sporty kinda guy...who is really just a mush ball of sweetness and tenderness inside!

But, it was time for the transformation to a big boy room and I gave Luke the honor of making all the decisions of the room. This control was really hard for me to let go of... but I wanted to know in the end the new room would truly be a reflection of his personality and not my influence. I have to say I think this little guy of mine has some good taste and put together a pretty cool room for he and his little brother! The only near hiccup was during the "makeover" we went to go see Toy Story 3 (best movie ever!) and as the movie began and they scanned Andy's room who was about to head off to college, Luke grabbed my arm and whispered, "Mom..... look at Andy's room, it is still the same as it was from the first movie when he was little". I could tell Luke was swallowing a frog and knew what he was getting at and asked him if he wanted me to keep his room the way it was (we already had the wallpaper border off of 2 walls at this point). He took a deep breath and hesitantly said, "No, (sigh) let's keep going". And so we did.....
Before Pictures:

I had already taken the border down before I thought to snap this picture. I had originally bought this cabinet thinking we were having a girl before Luke was born and I was planning to go with a Shabby Chic look and thought I would hang little dresses behind the glass doors. But, I loved it so much I found a way to make it work in the boys' room...

After Pictures:

I framed this piece of artwork Luke made back in the 2nd grade of he and his brother... it is the first thing you see as you walk in the room. :)

Toby's contribution to the room was this red shelf up top... we were planning to put white shelving up around 2 of the walls but he thought it would be fun to add a red one in the mix... I like it, I think it is "kicky". ....I must also confess I took control of the paint color for a brief moment. Luke wanted dark brown and I was afraid of it so made him make a lighter choice, but once we put it on a couple walls it was more like a paint can of "oooh ick!" so we went back to the store and got the paint color that was Luke's original choice.... once again I had to remind myself.... I was letting Luke run the show ;) . The pictures don't show the true color, but it is dark, think hershey chocolate bar.

Our good friend Keith put these baseball card collections together for our boys. It started when Luke was born, he dug out his old Nolan Ryan cards he had as a kid, placed them in the black frame, and surprised us with it soon after Luke was born, knowing that we chose his middle name after Nolan Ryan. ....When he heard that we were re-doing the boys' room and I was going to start searching for Greg Maddux cards so Reid had one too..... a fun box soon arrived on our doorstep from Keith... and he surprised us again, this time for our youngest. The fact that he did this for our boys still just touches my heart!

For Luke's 9th birthday we got him this signed picture of Nolan Ryan. Luke asked that we leave a note for Nolan, who would be coming to Angel's Stadium to sign the 30 paintings in this series, to be sure to have him sign his name as "Luke Ryan"... so it reads To Luke Ryan, Best wishes, Nolan Ryan. He also chose #9/30 because he was turning 9.... lucky for us I think that was one of the only ones left, whew! ;)

I think this jar of balls is probably one of my favorite things in his room... I especially like the beat up one in front with the seams busted!

Luke saw this chalkboard paint in a magazine and asked if we could use it on the closet panels. I love how it turned out! He and Reid love writing on it. Look at that little person Reid drew... ;)

Classic Boy Movies: Part of Camp Intentional

My Luke is turning 10 next week.... "Double digits" as he proudly announces. Time is moving WAY too fast and from time to time he will throw out a timeline comment about how he will only be with us for 8 more years... When he says things like this I literally stop in my tracks and grab my heart feeling as though it could instantaneously combust...
So, what does a mom do when her son continues to grow at lightning speed? She throws watching "classic boy movies" into the "Camp Intentional" plan...before he is too old to appreciate these or identify with them. He is at the perfect age for these movies...and they are a refreshing break from all the technological gadgets our kids are fixated with these days.
So, through the summer we will be watching "Oldie but Goody" movies. So far we have seen the 1968 version of Tom Sawyer, Swiss Family Robinson, and Old Yeller is on the list for tonight. But, I need your help..... what are some classics that you loved watching as a kid? If you would please leave me your ideas in the comment section to add to our movie viewing repertoire, I would love it, love it!!
One of the nice things about watching the "oldies" is they are easily found on Netflix and we as a family can watch as many movies as we want for our monthly subscription of $7.99... Don't have access to Netflix on your TV?.... Below is a video showing you how you can access it, by using Boxee Box by D-Link (yes this is yours truly in this video.... my friends Steve and Mason were working on this for D-Link and asked if I would help them) Do you remember Lucy from the I Love Lucy series doing the Vitameatavegamin commercial? Ummm yeah, kinda felt like that, with LOTS of bloopers in the taking!) ;) ....if you look close you can see that "Raising Reid" comes up on one of the TV shots... (because you can also access the internet on your TV through Boxee Box) If you watch the video be sure to pause my music down below first...

What the Tooth Fairy Does....in a Pinch!

Sooooo.... I must confess never been this desperate before but this is what the tooth fairy does around here in a pinch, if she has no cash on hand and one of her "littles" in her home has lost a tooth. The note below...a staple from a tooth fairy visit...she always leaves a personal note and it must always be cut into the shape of a tooth and securely placed under the pillow. Now, my 9 year old I am sure no longer believes in the tooth fairy but he let it be known when he did not receive a "tooth note" on one occasion when that poor tooth fairy was much too tired in the middle of the night to bang one of these babies out. .... but here goes tonight's version and we'll see in the morning how he reacts to the "gift card" LOL. My Luke is a very particular "tooth looser".... once that tooth fairy thought it would be really cool to have him wake up to $5 in quarters under his pillow, you know.... what kid would not like to wake up to a mound of change?? Well.... that particular endeavor backfired because he woke up the morning and marched right into our room and announced, "That's it, from now on I only accept bills....the tooth fairy ripped me off!!!" He insisted that she took the quarters from his dresser where he had left a stash of change he had been collecting.... but honestly she did not borrow any of his quarters, honest!! I.... I mean, she, had money that night! ;)

4/27/2011

Dear Luke,

Wow, how exciting that

you lost your first molar all on

your own! I think your mouth

looks kinda cool with all those

gaps in them. For a 1^st lost molar

I like to do something different

than the usual $5 under your pillow,

I like to buy the child breakfast….

so here is a Starbucks gift card,

I have been told that you like their

breakfast sausage sandwiches and

orange juice there, so go enjoy it

this morning on me. Be sure to

keep brushing and flossing your

teeth! I’m sure I’ll be back again

soon. Say hi to your brother for me.

Love,

The Tooth Fairy

We are still alive... I promise ;)

OH MY GOODNESS!!! Where does the time go? We are still alive...posting pictures to prove it! ;)
So many things to post about but not enough energy at the end of the day...
but quick highlights from our home:
Reid turned 4 end of December and I swear it is as if he woke up the morning of his birthday and decided....to....talk!! Lots of rambles but with many hand gestures and at least 2 to 4 words you can make out...he is trying so hard to tell stories and he is hysterical. Very exciting stuff.
My childhood friend's husband flew me up to Seattle to surprise her for her 40th birthday... there will be a post just on this because 1) it was deliciously fun to surprise the heck out of her AND to have a girls weekend away with no responsibilities 2) I want to share with you about the present I had made for her out of her daughter's baby clothes she had forgotten she had given me "in case" we ever had a girl... posting a picture as a teaser but in the mean time DON'T GIVE YOUR BABY CLOTHES AWAY... ;) wait until I tell you about the blankets you can have made with them.

Luke played a duet and solo in a guitar recital with his buddy ....he was also invited onto an all-star soccer team this winter to play as their goalie...he loved it!
Reid decided to "chuck" his glasses out the car window while driving down the road...but never fear "Dad" came to the rescue and found each lens and mangled frames in the road while dodging cars...they are now our "back up pair" ...Note to Self: engage the kid lock on the back windows!
Most recently, I was asked to be C0-Chair for the first ever Southern California Best Buddies 5K Walk which will happen on May 7th....much more to come on this as well. Check out their website...they are nationally and internationally represented. Such an awesome organization!
....and here are a few photos of my "newly 4 year old" and my "guitar-slash-soccer-slash-baseball season starting guy"
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31 for T21: Ride 'Em Cowboy!

These pictures just make me giggle!! Reid's preschool brought in a pony for the day and apparently Reid wanted NOTHING to do with it. But, the photographer was very patient from what I understand and was able to get these two shots....and I am so glad, these are such a treasure to me!

Man, my little cowboy has sure grown... in the pictures below Reid was wearing a onesie that said "Little Cowboy" on it at about 8 months. The first one in this set makes me laugh because of what you can't see, the photographer was making all these crazy sounds and flashing toys for Reid to respond to and Reid...well, he wanted nothing to do with him. I think maybe Reid was ticked at the way the guy positioned his little hand on his ear and made it all bendy...the look on his face is like, "Seriously dude, after what you just did to my ear...you ain't getting nuttin out of me after that!" ;) ... I just love his fuzzy hair in this picture though....oh and Luke's hair (that was back in the day when his hair had to be absolutely perfect or he would get so mad if even one little hair was out of place). I'm sorry but I just have to say it, it's a mom's prerogative...they are so stinkin cute!!

A 3 Pound Science Experiment

This summer Luke and I have been trying to do a science experiment a week but the most noteworthy science experiment by far has been his first which took 2 weeks in the making....

.....and it is the one I am most proud of him for!
At the beginning of summer Luke came to me complaining that he hated his little tummy...he has made comments before about it and it honestly breaks my heart that he even thinks about weight at such a young age (9 years old tomorrow..the 26th). He has always been a "sturdy" boy even as a little little guy...that's just his build. However, people have made comments about his size before in front of him...not meaning to be hurtful but I am afraid he is internalizing some of these words. Poor little guy even tried to stick up for one of his friends once at school who was being called "weirdo" and the bullies turned on him and said, "Be quiet fatty".....ooooh not a good night in the Foreman household as this mom was ready to knock some little kids block off!! ;)
So, as he shared with me earlier this summer his concerns again... we had ourselves a good little heart to heart and I shared with him that losing weight is actually just math and science (his 2 favorite subjects) and that it can actually be fun...add this, eliminate that, and over time you get results. He seemed intrigued by the concept. So, I proposed a 2 week "science experiment" of eliminating desserts and soda from our diets and seeing what results we would get after 2 weeks. He responded as I had hoped and told me, "Mom, that's a challenge I'm up for"....
I have to say Luke was so faithful and so determined...even reminding Toby at an Angel's game they went to that he did not want any soda while they were there! I also have to say the two weeks also coincided with many intense 2 hour baseball practices for All Stars which I am sure helped produce the results he got......but drumroll please.....after weighing himself on the Wii Fit both before and after the 2 weeks he lost nearly 3 pounds. He grinned from ear to ear when he saw it on the screen.
THAT....I must say was one very successful science experiment!!
And it was also a good life lesson about food in general, that eating is okay (he is definitely a 3 square meal kind of kid) but eliminating the "bad kind of foods" is important.
So presents my next topic.... Chef Luke and his Little Helper....
Just because one is not eating desserts or consuming soda doesn't mean one must starve. As part of our Camp Intentional plans Luke has been making dinner once a week. I give him a cookbook to look through and he decides what's on the menu for the night.... the pictures below were from the following menu...all chosen and cooked by Chef Luke.
The MenuCowboy Tri-tipSour cream mashed potatoesCorn on the cobFruit kabobs

This is what Luke called his "Mango Tango" drink creation...adding a little of this and a little of that to create a yummy drink which he insisted be served in champagne glasses ;)

As for little Reid...well....let's just say he didn't mind the dinner but preferred the placemat, sorry Luke! ;)

No matter what these two are doing or where they are they always end up snuggled together!

As we sat down for dinner Luke pointed out the time on our outdoor clock...7:15... remarking..."Geez, cooking takes a looooong time (He started at 5:00)...and I say Amen to that, now he has a little insight into moms day!!! ;)

That's what I call a yummy success!!