Birthday Weekend!

Happy Birthday Daddy!
Ryan with his Sunday school class singing "Happy birthday."
Ryan showing Ben how to put the helmet on! This is Ryan's helmet from his junior high days! It is now one of Banjamin's favorite play items!

Happy Birthday Triplets!

Rich (baby Vaughn), Ryan (Ben and Dylan), Doug (Carter)

When there are triplets in the family, the birthday celebration turns into a week long adventure. I surprised Ryan this year with his present. Usually he knows what he is getting or he buys it WAY ahead of time, and then tells me that is his birthday present - Don't buy anything!!! Well this year, with the help of my parents and his brother, I surprised him with a shotgun he had been dreaming about! I purchased it about a month again after consulting with lots of people about the right one to get him. I kept it at my parents for over a month, and then my mother brought it and hid it at the house when she was keeping the boys. I gave in and gave it to him early during the week (birthday on Sunday) because I wanted him to enjoy it over the weekend. You know when you are expecting a great reaction because the gift is awesome. Well I got nothing! I got nothing because he was in SHOCK!!! It took him several minutes to recover from opening it. I gave it to him early also because I didn't want him opening it in front of the boys. Even though guns are apart of our lives, I didn't want Ben to see him get excited about the gun. Thursday night I took Ryan out to eat Texas de Brazil. If you have never eaten there, it is an adventure. I recommend that you starve yourself for several days, so you are able to eat more. Friday and Saturday we went over to his parents to visit with them and the other brothers. Saturday night was their birthday dinner. His parents cooked dinner and the wives brought the cakes. I was pumped about Ryan's cake. For several days, he kept telling me, I don't want a cake. Don't do anything, this isn't a big deal. Which if you know my husband, that doesn't sound right. Anything that involves him, he likes for it to be big. I searched for a recipe, and I made a peanut butter cake with chocolate buttercream frosting, can I just say YUMMY!!!!! It was fabulous! Sunday, I made muffins and took juice for his Sunday school class, he is the assistant to the 4 year olds!! they sang happy birthday to him. He was embarrassed, but the kids had fun! Then after church off we went to my parents for another party and gun bonding time!!!

New Pictures

Being a sweet big brother!
Carter is fighting back, actually I think Ben stuck his hand in Carter's mouth!
Ryan and Ben coming down the water slide at cousin D's birthday party. This is the only time Ben went down. He was too interested in the bat and ball in the yard!
Sweet boys!
Even sweeter boys!

This has been a very busy week (that is why I didn't have a chance to blog anytime during it). I worked MWF this week and Ryan went out of town Tues-Wednesday. The boys are growing. Carter is moving all over the place. Benjamin has turned into such a sweet boy. Carter is usually our cuddler, but Benjamin has been all about the hugs and kisses! I love it! He will come up and just sit in my lap, or he will come over and just give me a big hug! I hope it never ends! It makes me sad thinking about the future when they can't or won't sit in my lap anymore! We went to the zoo on Thursday with the Lynch girls. We had a great time, Ben has now reached the point he only wants to walk at the zoo. I think he is afraid he will miss something. The train was working this week, so we rode it twice. We always have a meltdown when the train is out of service. Mainly because we talk about the choo- choo train all the way to the zoo! Ryan's birthday is the weekend, so hopefully I will have some good pictures to show next week!

13 Thursday - 13 Disgusting Things the boys did this week!

Ben kissing Lady April 2006 (Granddad's dog)

13 Digusting things the boys did this week!

1. Carter pooped in the tub on Wednesday night for the first time ever!

2. Watching Ben try to catch the "poop" (I was quickly trying to get Carter out and then fish Ben out, Ben wanted to stay in with the poop and starting swimming in the water; in return sending the poop around the bathtub too!)

2. Changing both boys poopy diapers at Ckick-fi-la on Wednesday. After changing Ben, I let him down. I went to get Carter and then noticed Ben splashing the water in toilet with his bare hands!

3. As I was running the bath water on Wednesday night, I turned back in the bathroom. Ben had the toilet brush in his mouth!! The sad thing, I was more worried about the residue of chemical products than fecal matter.

4. The boys and I were outside enjoying the nice weather. Ben decides to eat a berry from our shrubs! After I told him, "No, they will make you sick." He then fed them to the neighbor's cats.

5. The boys and I went to Micky D's tonight for dinner (if you haven't picked up on it, Ryan is out of town this week, everything happens when he is gone!), Ben and Cater had a great time playing on the equipment. I don't even want to think how dirty it really is!

6. At Walmart tonight, Carter threw up 2 oz of his bottle. That wasn't the disgusting part (I am used to the spit up). I found the need to clean it up. Have you ever noticed what is on the floor in the produce section at Walmart!

7. Round 2: in the bath tonight (not wanting to be outdone by his brother), Ben poops! I was changing Carter. I walked back in the bathroom to Ben saying, "Mommy, I poop". As I stepped closer, he did poop - really big poop!

8. Okay, I am used to the pooping in the tub. The disgusting thing about Ben's poop. He had taken his foot and smashed it into the tub. Now making it smeared pooped in the tub.

9. As I was leaning over to get Ben, he reached for it and said"Eat poop, Mommy!" I loudy stated, "No, eat poop Ben, that is gross, hurt you." It seemed to work!

10. Cleaning bath tub for a second night that has been contaminated with fecal matter is pretty disgusting! I finally got smart with the toys and put the entire bath toy sack in the dishwasher!

11. Ben picking his nose and wiping it on me.

12. Ben drinking milk too fast. Yes, you guessed it, it comes right back up!

13. Knowing Carter pee peed in the bath water (can't prove it), but then watching Ben drink the water!

I LOVE BOYS!!! I can't image my life any different!

60 Years and counting. . .

Gramps, Ben, and Nina 4/2005
Nina and Gramps at 50 year wedding anniversary in 1996

This past weekend, Ryan and I traveled to Franklin, TN to celebrate his grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary. Wow - 60 years! That is a great accomplishment. We had a great time together visiting his uncles, aunts, and cousins. It was fun to have almost everybody together. Ryan and I had a mini-vacation because the boys stayed here with Mums! I think that is the first time Ryan and I have been anywhere together without the boys since Carter joined our family. Even though we missed them, it was fun not to have to change any diapers!!!!!

Base - Ball game

Ben & Ryan before the Ranger game on 10/2/05 - notice the outfit, Ben 12 months!
Ryan and the boys before the Ranger game on 8/31/06 - Carter same outfit - 6 months!!
Carter ready to cheer on the Rangers!
This is at home after the game. Ben is showing off his prize possessions. He got the bat for hitting several balls in the play area. And we sat right behind the pitcher area (don't remember what it is called). After the relief pitcher went out, the catcher threw us the ball! This was around 10:00, he was wired!!!!
Before the game, he was saying "Play ball". He always takes his glove to the game!

The great baseball outfit that both boys get to enjoy came from Ben's buddy PP. Thanks "P" man for the perfect outfit for my boys (and his mommy for picking it out). Ryan and I took the boys to the Ranger game last night to kick off family time. As soon as we walked in, there was a homerun, which means fireworks and a great big "BOOM". It took us 2 innings to recover from it. We were prepared for the other 3 booms, and we quickly placed our hands over Ben's ears. It helped a little! Today Ryan took a day off of work to enjoy time with the boys. We went to the zoo, we had never been as a family. It is a lot easier when someone else is pushing the double stroller, Benjamin was excited to show his daddy all the animals, our little zoo tour guide!

Have a great holiday weekend!