March brought good things into the Hyde home. Mark got a new job, Grandma Young came to visit, and we had lots of Birthdays. Hooray for March! Grandma Young snuggling in Boston with our family. I think Grandma looks cold.

My mom really knows no embarassment. She walked the streets of Boston wrapped up in a blanket. I guess having 11 children has thickened her skin to what people think and doing what makes sense to her. At least my kids would still be seen with her.

Cooper's Pirate birthday party. He was a wicked, good pirate. All the kids had a great time.

Colton screaming on a ride at Chuckie Cheese on his second birthday. Not quite up to riding big kid rides. He is still tough.
Colton eating cake on his birthday. He's got the chocolate face to prove it.

Look at these cute boys who keep us hopping and our lives interesting.  Here is to another year of excitement and adventure with the Hyde boys.

Mark started a new tradition this year-burning of the tree.  The kids were a little nervous that their dad was pouring gas all over the tree and lighting it on fire.  We have had some not so good burning experiences this year.  They got over it quickly.  It was fun to see the tree go up so quickly, instead of sitting in our forest for years.

Tosh, Ed and family all came up for New year's Eve.  We set the clocks ahead two hours so the kids would think it was twelve, when it was really ten.  They didn't know and were better off the next day.  This our ten o'clock toast.  We didn't film the twelve version.  We had a great time with the Herrmann clan.  They know how to party and play lots of pounce and other fun games.  We ate too much food and laughed alot.  The U game was also a great way to start the year.

Christmas joy!  The kids had so much fun opening presents and hanging out all day playing with their toys.  They are so excited about even the small things like whoopi cushions.  Children really make Christmas fun.  Kayden tried to steal my job of handing out the presents.

We made a huge snowman Christmas eve, it was so fun.  The next day it was gone due to rain.

We cut down our christmas tree about a week ago. It is a family tradition to go to the same spot that Mark has gone for his whole life. It is really fun for about the first hour. Mark takes forever to pick out the tree. We look over every tree on this big lot on a mountain side. Mark can not decide and I start to get grumpy and the kids start to get cold and then they have to go back to the car and then I start telling Mark to get a tree quickly. By this time both John and Wendy, and his parents all have their tree on top of their car ready to go. Twenty minutes later we finally cut down our tree and strap it to the top. We always get beautiful trees and they look great in our house. It is very fun to decorate the tree and keep traditions alive. Mark let Kaleb put the angel on top of the tree this year and he was so excited. It sounds like getting the tree is very hard, but it is a fun family tradition and I am so glad that Mark gets so involved and loves a good tree. The boys feel so proud to help their dad cut and carry the tree.

The kids had such a great time in Pittsburgh with their cousins.  This is the kid table during Thanksgiving dinner.  We all ate lots of food.  The weekend was fun-packed with snow, muesuems, and hanging out.  The kids could not wait to get outside and play in the snow.  Massachusetts has still not got any snow that's worth going outside and playing.  Kaleb and Kayden loved  jumping on the tramp and doing flips.  Fun stuff.  Tosh pulled out all the fun family traditions- chocolate french dessert, dipping chocolates, and eveskevers.  It filled me and helped to escape reality for a couple of days.  I am thankful for family.

Mark and I reliving our glory days when we were in Highschool.  If only life could still be so simple.  
This is our family all dressed up for the Ward Halloween party.  Mark and I like to dress up as well.  Mark was a football player, I was a cheerleader, Kaleb and Kayden were nijas, cooper was Mr. Incredible, and Colton was Superman.  
We had such a great Halloween.  The weather was perfect, we did not even need jackets.  Colton was a little scared at first.  He did not want to get out of the stroller until he got the first piece of candy.  The candy changed it all, then I could not keep him in the stroller and he wanted to go up to every house.  I really like Halloween, so I was also excited to trick-or-treat too.  It is a sad truth of being the youngest of four boys- you know what candy is at a young age.  The kids went strong for a couple of hours.  We had to push them at the end, especially Kayden.  Kayden does not care for candy like his other brothers.  He would be the only kid excited to get an apple.  We have lots of candy, so I might just gain back the five pounds I recently lost.

We went leaf peeping today.  I have lived in Massachusetts for 8 years and I just learned that is what looking at leaves in the Fall is called.  We are so lucky to love in such a beautiful place.  We have had gorgeous weather and beautiful scenery.  The boys had lots of fun jumping in the leaves ad climbing all over the rocks.  Unfortunately the photos do not do justice, so you will have to come and visit us if you really want to see how beautiful they are for real!!

People kept staring at us and counting the boys and asking if they were all ours.  Hard to mistake our four boys since they all look like each other and were wearing red sox shirts.  They were a little concerned for my boys safety jumping off rock walls and scaling the sharp rock cliffs.  We know they are going to be okay.  We are standing right by our children and watching them.  It's nice to know that people are concerned about our children or maybe they are not around four boys that often.  We just have to grin and bare it or grow thicker skins.  Our lovely day at the mountain (that's what they call this in Mass.) ended with the Park Ranger yelling (rather loudly-everyone turned to look at us) at Cooper and Kaleb for walking off the path.  He told them to get back on the sidewalk.  Our boys were puzzled why he would yell at them.  They told us they were capable of going down the small side of the mountain to the parking lot. 

Colton did not want to be in any pictures.  He wanted his mom to hold him and love on him.



Celebrating boyhood!  What a marvelous sight.  They are full of spunk and energy and they are mine.  I have become more appreciative of the fact that I am a mother of boys.  What an overwhelming responsibility.  When I look at these cute faces I can face the challenge.  Mom I know you will love these photos.

Look at Cooper go!  He really has taken off riding his bike.  Kayden decided it was time for Cooper to learn to ride his bike without training wheels.  He took them off by himself and taught Cooper how to ride his bike.  I came outside and he was riding on the grass with Kayden holding on to the back.  It took him only a couple of days to get the hang of it.  He calls his bike the motorcycle, dirtbike.  If anyone is in need of their children being trained to ride a bike without training wheels, Kayden is available.

A funny thing happened to me today involving these flowers.  I have been driving past this farm stand on my way to Target for a couple of weeks.  Every time I drive by I want to by Hydrangeas, but I do not have any cash.  Today I had some cash, so I decided I would buy them on the way back from the store.  I was at Joann's waiting in a long line with a son who needed to pee.  I was irritated and on edge.  Colton was not staying in the cart and cooper keeps asking if I will buy him candy.  I get to the register and swipe my debit card to pay for my items.  It is taking a long time to process my transaction.  Finally she tells me the machine is not working.  I have to put an item back and then use my cash.  I am upset and leave the store frustrated.  We head home and I drive by the farm stand sad and mad.  As I passed the farm stand I noticed a yard that had lots of Hydrangeas.  I decide to stop and ask them if I could have some of their flowers, thinking that I will never see them again.  I pulled up and knocked on the door and a familiar face opened the door.  At first I could not put a name with a face.  I said I know you.  She said, I am Dr.  blank at Amherst Pediatrics where my kids go to the Doctors.  I told her who I was and hesitated to ask her if I could have some of her flowers.  She thought I was asking if I could take some of her hydrangea plants to plant in my yard.  She was delighted when I asked for cuttings only.  I then cut some to make me feel good on a beautiful Autumn day.  Long story for flowers.
The boys decided to make some scary Halloween masks.  They were very excited about their masks and ran around the house trying to scare Colton and I.  Colton was scared and actually started crying and they removed their masks to show Colton they were his brothers.  We are really getting into Halloween this year.  We have hung ghosts from the trees and decorated our porch with dead trees and other creepy stuff.