Hugo

This is our new pet snake, Hugo. He is a Ball Python. Cole got him for Christmas. Hugo has been shedding and it took him about 3 weeks to finish. During shedding time you aren't supposed to feed your snake so we were very anxious for him to finish so we could feed him. The pet store reassured us that Hugo could go for months without food but being new snake owners we are just so nervous about everything. So Cole helped the shedding process along a little by wiping him down with a warm wash cloth and it helped all the extra skin to come off. We probably should have waited a day to feed Hugo because he had been handled so much that day but like I said we are new at this and we felt like we were starving our snake. So on Sunday night we fed him. Hugo wasn't as quick to eat as usual but he eventually couldn't resist and had a small meal of just two pinky mice(as seen hanging out of his mouth.) The boys love this part of having a snake and can't wait to watch him eat a live mouse. I don't know is that weird or just curious. The crazy thing is that I like watching the whole thing too. I don't know how I will feel when the creatures are alive. All in all owning a snake isn't so bad and Cole has been very responsible so far.

Nap Time

This is what happens when you stay up all night with friends. Cannon said he fell asleep for just a few minutes early in the morning at his friends house and his friend and his friends dad duct taped him to their couch. I thought only girls did things like that to the first girl to fall asleep at a birthday party. Cannon had a great time and thinks that his friends dad is so funny.
When Cannon got home he was quite grouchy so we all thought it would be a good idea for him to go to his room and watch a movie or just simply be away from us. Cannon plus no sleep equals one grumpy boy. I went in just a few minutes later and Cannon was sound asleep and I couldn't resist taking a few photos. I love my son so much and he is extra adorable when he is sleeping!

Let it Snow!

At the end of January we had a couple days of good snow and the kids played in it like crazy. Michael helped them build a fort and they would stay outside until they were all pink and frozen. Then they would come inside for a little hot chocolate let their clothes dry a little and head right back out to start the process all over again. It has been a great winter for the younger three. They have really become very best friends. Cole is such a great example of how to be a big brother and Travis just follows his lead with Adam. The only problem is I think Adam is getting a bit spoiled in the process because both Travis and Cole baby him a little too much. It is great to see my kids be such good friends.

Catch Up!

Wow I really thought I would catch up and really get moving with my blog but that obviously didn't happen. We had a great Christmas. Cole finally got his ball python he has been asking for for about 5 years now. To be perfectly honest it is really not as bad as I had imagined it to be. The feedings aren't that bad and there is relatively minimal work with a snake and Cole is in heaven.

Cannon turned 13 on the 30th of January and is now officially a teenager! He had some friends over for his birthday and stayed up all night watching PG-13 movies because we wouldn't let him watch them until he was 13. He had a great night and ate junk all night long. Now it is the constant question of can I watch this movie can I watch that movie? I am thinking there should be a new rating of PG-16 or something like it. There is such a wide range of what the industry calls PG-13. There are so many that I won't even watch so now it is preview everything. There are just some movies I don't want to watch but it is all in the name of love:)

The boys got there report cards right after they got back from Christmas vacation and they all did so well it was a great day in the Simmons house. Travis who has to work a little extra hard in school seems to be really catching on this year and it showed on his report card. I know he has had to work harder but I think it has helped him to develop better work ethic and he seems willing to put in the extra time. Cannon got to be in the regional spelling bee and he took 4th place over all. I wonder how well he could have done if he had studied his words even once?

We are heading for the home stretch of basketball. I looked at the schedule and there are only 2 more home games to be played in the Byron Gym and that just seems odd but wonderful. I can't wait until next year when the school will be just down the street and if my kids want to run home for something they can. It will be wonderful! Well that is us in a nut shell things are good around here. Life seems to be moving faster than I can keep up with but I am sure enjoying the boys and all their new discoveries.

By the way the lady with the boys is Grandma Scooter she is our neighbor and has become a very important person to the whole family! We all love her and we are all very grateful to have found each other and to have another person to have around to love and share experiences with.

Cole

I am going to try to get caught up on what is going on around here kid by kid. School started and things got busy real fast. Cole played soccer and had a great time finally being able to be on a team with his closest friend Brian. Next came little grizz football! Not just flag football but they got pads this year and played tackle.The funny side note about that was when school started we knew that football was going to be with pads and Cole was so excited. When Michael was going to give Cole his fathers blessing before school started he asked me if dad would mention doing well in football this year. He has never thought of getting a blessing for soccer so maybe I was wrong when I thought Cole was following after me and my passion for soccer. The football season went well and Cole had a great time. Cole and Brian were on opposite teams and Brian became Cole's nemesis. Every time I thought Cole was about to score a touch down Brian would come out of nowhere and tackle him and when you see the picture of the two of them and see how much smaller Brian is than Cole you will be even more impressed by Brian's ability. It was a good thing Cole loves Brian so much or I am sure there would have been a lot of complaints about that boy who kept tackle him. Cole also ran for student body president and won. He is enjoying being part of the student counsel and coming up with new ideas to help improve the school. Cole also got an award at an assembly for speaking with a purpose. That means not using your words to hurt others and saying kind things to those around you. It is a nice recognition I just wish he did the same at home:)

Cole turned 11 on November 6th. The time just seems to be flying by and I can't believe in a year he will be 12 and I will have two sons who can pass the sacrament. Cole requested for his birthday dinner to consist of potato pearls (which are dried potatoes), homemade rolls, and whatever meat I wanted to come up with oh and brown gravy. He likes that better than anything cake with the caramel in the cake and Skor candy bar on top. I love watching my kids grow and mature it just brings with it so much responsibility and I just don't know if I am doing enough.

Cole is a great student and has a lot of success in school. I love watching him get excited about a new subject. I hope his passion for learning always stays with him and he keeps up all the good work.

Cole was a nerd for Halloween. A pretty good one if I do say so myself.

Cole also got his arrow of light award last week. That is the highest award you can get when you are a cub scout. We worked on things this summer so he could accomplish all he had to do. We barely got it done just in the nick of time. At the pack meeting on Thurs. Cole received his award and we had a little ceremony for him. It was nice and instead of being the cub master that night I just got to be the mom. The ceremony went well and most of the family was there for it. It is really nice having family around I know it makes the boys feel good when they come and support them.

Camping

It is the great debate in our family Camping or the Lake? I would choose camping every time and Michael would choose the lake. So we try to compromise and do both. I feel like I get the short end of the stick sometimes because it is a lot easier to run to the lake for the afternoon than it is to get all packed up and head up the mountain. This year we got to go three times and it made me happy every time I got to go. Unfortunately the first time we headed up I went a day early and Michael came up with Cannon the following night and by the morning that Michael was there it was snowing. The weather never quit either and we had to cut our camping weekend short. The next weekend we went the weather was perfect. Todd and Emily came up and spent the night and the kids had a great time together. I love being on the mountain because there are no distractions. All the technology and whatever else draws us apart when we are home together isn't on the mountain and my boys are forced to spend time with their good old mom and dad. We played a little game of baseball while on the mountain and it was a blast. We of course roast marshmallows morning noon and night and just get good and dirty! The third time we went up it was for Labor Day weekend always our last trip before the snow comes and school and activities take over. We always go camping with the same families that weekend and we always have the best time together. We all plan our meals together play games and ride horses(which is the highlight of Travis' and my weekend!) I love being up on the mountain there is just something about the beauty of it all that just makes me so happy inside. There is nothing better than a weekend away with the kids and just having some slow mountain days. I don't especially love being dirty but all the other things that I get to experience while on the mountain is worth all the grime. When people say you are closer to God on the mountain I agree. It is no excuse to miss church but I do feel a special spirit when I am camping. I just am grateful we have such a close beautiful place to do our camping at.

Sails Away!

One night, this summer, Michael decided to take the boys out to the lake and sleep on the sailboat. Yes, we own a sailboat and it was an interesting summer to say the least. I have found out that I have a fear of the boat that doesn't make sense and the fear takes over and I get irrational and beg to just get back on solid ground. Anyway, Michael took the boys one night and I stayed home for a little peace and quiet. The weather here was great and so the fam headed out for a night of food and fun and I believe a movie on the boat. When Michael and the boys got to the lake the wind had picked up and when Michael tried to paddle his way out to the sailboat on our big tube he had a hard time fighting against the wind. Michael was about to give up and head back to the dock when a big gust of wind picked up and it blew him directly toward the sailboat. The boys all got aboard and they went back to the buoy the boat was tied up to and started to watch a movie. Unfortunately the computer was not fully charged so the boys ended up having an earlier bedtime than they had planned. As I had mentioned before the wind was really picking up and it rocked the boys right to sleep.

The next morning the family woke up to find that the big tube that was tied to the sailboat had gotten loose and was nowhere to be found. They had breakfast and decided to raise a small flag they had bought. When they tried to lower the flag it wouldn't come down. So first Michael tried raising Adam up the mast but Adam got too nervous and begged to come down. So up Travis went and retrieved the flag from way up the mast. It was a good thing I was not there because that flag would have stayed up there before I would be okay with any of my kids going up that mast! After breakfast and the excitement with the flag they boys all decided to go for a little sail around the lake to see if they could locate the inner tube. They looked for quite a long time with no luck when someone spotted something down one of the little coves. The sailboat was too big to go all the way into the cove so Michael sent Cole down in to retrieve the tube. He was successful but he had a bit of fear and was sure he heard the rattle of a snake.

They then took the boat out of the water and began the process of putting down the mast when yet another thing went wrong and something very important broke and luckily no one got hurt, accept the sailboat. They all finished what they had to do and got everything squared away and headed home.

After they all got back and showered and told me the tale of their weekend I asked them if it was even worth going and they all exclaimed that it was one of the best nights of their lives and that they would do it all again in a heartbeat. I guess you never know what will become a bonding moment. Family is great and I am thankful for a husband who is willing to sacrifice and spend what was probably not the most comfortable night with his boys and even though nothing seemed to go his way he still said it was one of the best times he has had with his kids! Thanks honey for all you do!