Goings On..

We have been busy, but not really busy like when it's Football Season. Mac has decided to Wrestle this year. I don't know anything about Wrestling except they wear a one piece unitard thing (singlet is the offical term used) and they wrestle on the ground or mats. I didn't know what the object of it was until another Mom told me. Then it became exciting for me-and Mac is pretty good at it. He has lost 3 pounds so far since it started (which is common for when he plays an organized sport). It's a School sport and when I went to the school to pay for his fee, I found out a very generous donor paid for the 8th Grade boys to Wrestle. I was blown away. I also found out that Wrestling here in Lake Stevens....very big deal around here. People move thier kids to Lake Stevens for the Wrestling program. I had no idea. Another thing that suprised me....there are girls that are Wrestling too. I was very suprised and we talked to Mac about it before he had his first match. He didn't like the idea of having to Wrestle a girl. At his first Tournament, there were 5 girls from different School Districts who are Wrestling. Not in Mac's weight class though...prayers answered. The other day, kids from South Whidbey came to the tournament. He was excited to see them and they were all "Hey Mac! Is this where you moved too? Is this your School?" Mac told me he remembered them but not thier names (he gets that from his Dad). Alot of the kids who Wrestled were kids that he played Football with when we lived on S. Whidbey. He's doing well in school, and loves his school, loves his classes and has a good group of friends.

Mason has been obsessed with words, and reading his sight words. He's still obsessed with number and math, but the reading is a great thing too. He doesn't think he needs to practice things over and over (like his Dad). I think he may have a photographic memory like Lee in the next few years. He gets frustrated with me when I tell him we need to practice, because he does'nt feel the need too and can't be bothered with it. Yeah, he is definately his father's son. He has been in Cub Scouts for the last 2 months and loves it. It took him a while to love the idea of wanting to go to Cub Scouts. Mason is also getting ready to be baptized next month. A very big deal for him.

Lee has still been working (another blessing). His company has been bouncing him around from different jobs, fixing other people's mistakes, finishing up small things on jobs, and fixing other people's mistakes. Things are slow right now, but they have lots for Lee to do. This is a case where skills are more important than education. There are many Supervisors who have been laid off and are at home because there is no work for them and they have no skills, but a college degree. Don't get me wrong, I think a college degree is very, very, important. Lee is a smart guy, but didn't like to be cooped up in a room (or different rooms) to learn. Then he decided if he couldn't be cooped up in a room to learn, he didn't want to be cooped up in an office all day. He loves what he does, and with all jobs, he does get mad and frustrated sometimes. Right now, we feel very blessed.

I am faced with a few decisions to make. I am feeling the need to go back to school. I'm still working out the how and whens. I know a person can take anything online, but I'm the type of person who needs "hands on" and I ask alot of questions. I'm still working it out, still thinking, still wondering how it's going to affect the boys-all 3 of them. Lee is suportive in everything I do. We have talked about it in detail, and he told me he would "step up" and help out more with the boys when he could or when needed.

That is about all. No pictures...I need to take more. Mac won't let me. Mason is a willing participant, Lee not so much.

Haircuts

When Mason was a toddler, his hair started growing into these beautiful, little red head, curls. The Spring of 2004 I think, his head was sweaty when he ran around, and he was a miserable little guy. So we had to cut the curls off. Lee and I never heard the end of it from the Grandparents, and quite honestly....Lee didn't think I had the guts to have them cut off. Since then, he has always had a "big boy" haircut. In November, Lee was looking at pics of Mason and said "hey, it's winter time now, lets grow Mason's hair out and see what happens". The only person who wasn't "on board" with this idea was Mason. I had to squirt his hair with a spray conditioner every morning so his hair would be less frizzy and less "poofy". He hated this process and over the course of this week particularly, he got mad at me 3 times this week about not getting his hair cut. Then, Lee said something about "well, why don't you cut his hair?" Like it was MY idea to grow it out. So yesterday after school, we went to get Mason's haircut.

The before pic...wouldn't smile because he wasn't happy.

After....a very happy guy!

I picked Mac up from Wrestling practice yesterday, and left Mason with Lee and Mac and I went to the Mall to run some errands for him. One of those things was getting his haircut too. We went to a Mastercuts in the Mall. He wouldn't let me take his before pic. He suddenly became annoyed with me. THEN....a couple of girls his age walked in getting thier hair cut too. I said something too him, and he wouldn't respond. I asked him something else and he gave me "the look". When I give "the look" Lee calls it the "Look of Death". Mac resembles me, so he gave me the "Look of Death". His haircut was over, and then he bolted while I paid for his haircut. So, no pics of Mac. It's not because I favor one child over the other, it's because I have a TEENAGE BOY now and he is a non willing participant. Now it has started, and now I have to be sneaky.

Avatar

Over the weekend, we saw Avatar in 3-D. I have to admit, I wasn't nearly as excited as Lee and Mac were. There has been sooo much hype and media coverage on this movie-I guess that's what turned me off on it. But here I am...posting about it because it impressed the HECK out of me. I loved the movie. Lee thinks that all other movies will be a great disappointment after seeing this movie. Mac thought is was very cool. Mason liked it, he must have because he sat for the WHOLE thing! That is impressive for Mason. It was funny to watch him try to grab things in the air. It made me giggle a little. I did my homework before we bought tickets ( before we got to the theaters-the only way to go). You can see it on IMAX 3-D or just regular 3-D. We saw the regular 3-D and it was still very cool. I can't imagine watching the IMAX one, it would have been sensory overload. Avatar was made to be seen in 3-D. This movie is a must see in theaters (near you). It was a 2 thumbs way, way up from the Bryant Fam...which is hard for ALL of us to love 1 movie.

Hit by the FLU!

Last weekend, was probably the worst weekend our family has ever had since...Mason was in the IICU at Childrens after he was born. I am not exaggerating when I say this. I had the stomach flu for the first time in I think 9 years. If I'd had it after Mason was born, I can't remember it.
Mason had the stomach flu the night of Lee's birthday. He ate dinner, and then 1 hour later, puked. He then proceeded to puke almost every hour on the hour until around 3:30am Thursday. I wasn't too concerned because after he would puke, he wanted to drink water and/or Sprite. He slept most of Thursday, and only puked 2 times. He felt better on Friday, but I kept him home from school, and then he started to crash or fall asleep, late afternoon/evening. Lee came home, we ran some errands, got some Taco Bell for dinner.....then around 8:00pm I puked. If there is anything on this earth that I hate more...it's puking. This thing came really fast. Then around 10:00pm (I think), Mac started puking! I told him "Mac, you have to make it to the toilet to puke, because if you miss it or if you don't make it, I can't take care of you, I can't clean it up. You are on your own." Not a nice thing to tell her teenage son, but I was busy taking care of myself at this point. And if anyone knows anything about Lee, he's not a "caregiver". He's not one to play nurse to us when one is sick. He does alot of things, and does them well-but caring for the sick, nnnoooo! He was ready to check into the closest hotel after Mac was puking. Mac and I both felt bad on Saturday, slept most of the day. On Sunday we both woke up like nothing happened. We stayed home from Church so not to "spread the wealth" so to speak. And Lee waited around to see if he was going to get sick, because he felt it was inevitable....but he didn't get sick. Whew! I never would have heard the end of it from him. Oh, but Lee did order Pizza Hut on Saturday night...Mac and I did NOT partake of the pizza fest he and Mason were having.

41

Someone turns 41 today. I thought I would share some things about Lee, mostly from this last year....
1. He's an awesome Husband./He works really, really hard. (It's a tie)
2. He's a great Dad. When he walks into the house, you would think he was a Rockstar because of the way the boys greet him when he comes home.
3. He thinks he's still in his 20's when he rides his Motorcycle.
4. He cracked his rib last spring riding his Motorcycle with his brothers (thinking he was 20 something).
5. He likes Christmas lights and is sad when they come down every year the day after this birthday.
6. He doesn't like to make a fuss on this birthday. He doesn't want any cake, any presents, etc. But I do it anyways.

7. If he shave off his beard tomorrow, he would look 25.
8. He's a great Dad.
9. He loves to tease his siblings like when they were kids.
10. He likes to quote things from Movies.
11. His favorite T.V. shows are NCIS, CSI:Miami, The Unit (it was cancelled), Heroes, Eureka, The Mentalist, and many, many more...
12. He wears kilts (Utilikilts) but can't at work because it's not OSHA approved.
13. He's become a little annoying since he has been OSHA approved and takes safety classes for work.
14. He calls himself "The Dad".
15. He has a "Silver Palate" when it comes to food. I'm not sure if this is my fault or his Mom's.
16. He thinks after almost 19 years of marriage I should be able to read his mind.
17. He hates it when it rains, and starts mentioning "wanting to move to Arizona or California" almost every January thru March. Then the sun starts to come out in April and then he forgets about it until the next January.
18. He loves James Bond movies.
19. He likes things done right the first time.
20. He's a great Dad and Husband. (I know I mentioned his before.)

That's 20 things. I could list 41 but I've still got stuff to do today.

Happy 41st Birthday Lee!!