Dec. 2011

We used to have a vine growing in some trees in the backyard that the boys used to swing on like Tarzan...until one fateful day when they both got on the Tarzan vine and it broke.  Ryan and Brock have wanted something new to swing on for quite a while.  Steve bought a rope and tied it VERY high in a tree for them.  He scared me half to death...you can see the ladder at the bottom of the tree.  To get in the tree, he had to stand on the very top of the ladder and pull himself up into the tree, then climb even higher to get to the limb.  I was praying the entire time!!!

Steve was changing after work one day and all of a sudden, Ryan walked into the living room with Steve's Marine dress Blues on.  He was so cute!!!

When Brock saw that Ryan was wearing Daddy's Marine uniform, he wanted to, too!  So, Brock put on his dress Alphas.  How cute is he?!?

We salute our service men and women!! 

My nephew, Garrett, had a couple basketball games in the DFW area one weekend.  So, our family drove up to watch him play.  We also got to see Paul, Jackie and Jake.  Garrett did a great job and we had a lot of fun watching him play.  Brock and Ryan loved seeing their cousins again, too!

At one of Garrett's games, the senior's at the school got to paint their parking space.  I thought this was a cute picture!

Ryan's class at school bakes something almost every Friday.  His teacher took this picture of him making snickerdoodle cookies.

They even got a surprise visit from Santa!

Ryan and Brock love all the Christmas shows on TV.  I love how well they get along...most of the time.  They have a great friendship that is so sweet to see.  One of my prayers is that their friendship will continue to grow and that they will be best of friends as adults.

Nov. 2011

Ryan's class took had a field trip to a pumpkin patch and I got to go along!  They had a field with tiny pumpkins and they got to pick a pumpkin to take home.  Ryan was very proud of his speckled pumpkin!

This slide was a lot of fun, too.  It was fairly high and quick!

The Tues. before Thanksgiving, the boy's school had Grandparent's Day.  Grandparents (or other special family members) could come eat lunch and watch their grandkids put on a program.  Brock's class did a cute program about the Pilgrims and the Indians.

Each student wrote a paragraph about their grandparents.  This is what Brock wrote:

All of the Kindergarten kids were together and sang different Thanksgiving songs.  It was so cute!  They had turkey hats (like Ryan's), Pilgrim hats or head bands with their Indian name on it.  Too cute!!!

Here is just one of the songs the Kindergarteners sang:

Thanksgiving at the Midland Brockman's

Most of the Brockman's were able to come to Midland for Thanksgiving this year.  We had a great time together, as we always do!  We sure missed those that couldn't come (Don, Kelley, Jody, Nickie & Ashley).  We pushed on and had a good time, though! 

Greg, Kenzie & Jack

Jake, Ben & Ryan

Walter

Lee & Steve

Jack & Kenzie

Jackie & Carmen

Steve jumped just right on the trampoline to send Ryan flying.

Diane & Jack

Ryan, Maggie, Michelle & Jake

Maggie, Kenzie, Ryan & Jake

There were many highlights of our time together, but Greg and Walter doing Wii Just Dance was just about the best!

Halloween

Uncle Dick, Aunt Harriett and Gramma came down for Brock and Ryan's birthdays.  So, the boys took full advantage and goofed around with Uncle Dick.

Gramma with Kramer peeking over the edge of the table.

Ryan made an Ironman pumpkin...

...and Brock's was Yoda!

Brock dressed up as Boba Fett again this year.  He was Boba last year, but got the cool Boba Fett helmet for Christmas last year.  So, he was able to really go all out with the real helmet and the cool costume.

Ryan was Ironman...also the same as last year.  Like Brock, he got the cool wrist/hand packs for Christmas last year.  So, he was able to wear all of his awesome Ironman gear this year. 

Ryan's 6th Birthday ~ Oct. 30, 2011

Ryan split his birthday cookie cake with Brock.  He helped Brock decorate it with Lego Star Wars characters.

Six candles...I can't believe my little guy is growing up so fast.

He's showing us a book that he desperately wanted at the school book fair...and got it for his birthday.

He worked really hard to buy a DS player and got his first DS game for his birthday.

This is such a great picture of my 6 year old!

Ryan got this Batman cake for his party with his friends.

...And the excitement shows!!

He dressed up as Ironman and had a costume party with his friends.

Brock's 8th Birthday ~ Oct. 28, 2011

Brock turned 8 years old this year.  I just can't believe how time goes so fast.  He really wanted a cookie cake for his birthday and since I got a really good deal on two of them, he got his wish.  One of them, we made for both his and Ryan's birthdays and then cut it in half.  He decorated it himself with Lego Star Wars characters.

Here he is with his half and his burning 8 candles.

Some of his gifts...a Darth Vader hat and gloves...

...the Lego Star Wars Visual Dictionary...

...and a Sooner football.

The other cookie cake was for his birthday party with his friends.  He decorated this one all by himself, too.  He created the ships and placed them and the people where he wanted them.

For his party, he dressed up as Darth Vader...

...scar and all.  I think this picture is AWESOME!