the little pleasures - Easter

This was the purpose of this blog to begin with.  To catch the simple pleasures along the way.  To find happy moments with challenging teenagers.  Sometimes it takes me a while to find one, most the time things are status quo around here, good, everyone happy, but boys who tease and challenge each other every bit as much as they support and enjoy each other.

But this week was easy.

Formula -
Easter + cousins = happy!

My brother Joseph, his lovely wife Erin, and their 4 awesome kids, came to share their Easter break with us.
We played: at parks, bounce places, golf courses, and movie theaters.
We ate: Belgian waffles, subs, a gigantic pizza, Bahama Bucks (a must do in AZ), Del Taco, and lots of Easter Candy!
We worshipped: at the Mesa Temple Easter pageant, in an Easter Eve devotional, and in church.

But dearest to me are the little moments when my boys are loving the little moments with their cousins.
Peter wowing them in Super Smash Brothers, James entertaining and educating (in music or other teenage arts) Isaac, almost 9 and Max, 7, Seth teaching them knife throwing, or just visiting with Annalyn, almost 12. 
Each of them was completely wowed by Kayla, the two year-old baby doll that wraps anyone and everyone around her tiny little finger. James and Seth would willing take a turn watching her outside on the trampoline or dipping her feet in the pool.   Even now that the cousins are gone the boys reminisce about the fun and funny times when Max would laugh, or Kayla would talk baby talk.

Dave and I loved every second with our dear family, even though Joseph and I butt heads.  Erin and I can't ever get enough time together. 

I love so much that our boys value that time with their family and don't hide away a teenage recluses.  Sure attitude comes and goes (we swore Seth and Annalyn were poured from the same teenage grumpy mode) but we now only remember all the happy moments from this past week.

please play on

James is good at the guitar.  He has been taking lessons for about 2 years and he is really good at it.  He can do some pretty "sweet" stuff on that first guitar we bought him.
One exciting development is that he plays it without being commanded to practice.  He plays it to pass the time.  He plays it for the sheer pleasure of it.
Having him bring me into his room to listen to his latest accomplishment, is a treat.

A sweet treat, to both the ears and heart of a Mom.

boys to men - volume 6 - Pimples

This isn't a lesson as much as it is a warning.

Be prepared for detailed synopsis of pimple popping triumphs.

I don't know if this will be true of all teenage boys but it is true of mine.

Regardless of the many times I have sweetly asked them to refrain from sharing their pimple adventures with me, they have not honored my request.

The satisfaction of a pimple popped drives them to disregard my distaste.  I have heard many a story. 

Be Warned.