When they make us LOL

Over the course of the past few days, the boys have been full of funny things to say. Now we recognize that they may not seem funny to anyone else, but since this blog is intended as an "update" and a record of memories, we want to record them before we forget them. The only downside I can see is that you don't get to hear or see the boys say these things.

MAXWELL

The other day we were driving down the road and out of the blue Maxwell said, "Daddy, I think I have a sweet tooth coming in!" After we were able to quit laughing, Maria asked him, "why do you say that?" to which he replied, "...because I like sweet things."

MILLER

Last night while getting Miller ready for bed he told me he wanted me to read him one of the Froggy books (one of the books in a series Maxwell has). When I told him we weren't going to read a Froggy book he looked at me with lips pouting and said, "I'mo tell mommy!" (no that isn't a typo--he adds the "o" to the end of I'm instead of saying "going to"). We then went into his room where Maria and Maxwell were waiting for our go to bed routine and he looked at Maria with his best pout (see the previous post from Maxwell's first t-ball game and you can see the look) and said, "Mommy, daddy tell Miller he no wead booky Fwog" (instead of Froggy book).

Tonight at Chick-fil-A was kids eat free and "Build-your-own-Sundae" night and they gave kids free ice cream to make a sundae with. When Miller had just about finished his sundae he looked at me and told me he wanted to play in the play area. When I told him no, he said, "play just a fewww minutes daddy." When I insisted that we were not going to play he stuck his lips out further than we have ever seen and gave me his best pouty look. We were in tears we were laughing so hard and then he just kept looking at us and saying, "why-you laughing?" with his hands out and his shoulders raised in confusion.

Maxwell's sporting debut

Tonight was Maxwell's first t-ball game and he did a FANTASTIC job! He hit the ball twice and both times he scored. He also had a couple of stops when they were fielding the ball. We couldn't be more proud of how well he played!

...and what post wouldn't be complete without a pouting picture of Miller. This was after we told him for the hundredth time that he wasn't big enough to play t-ball yet. He's ready!

No need for cute here

As I was typing up the previous post with our bluebonnet pictures Maria said, "I wish I knew how we could make our blog cute like all of our friends," to which I replied, "I see that 'cutestblogontheblock.com' link on a lot of the blogs you read." Wanna guess her response?

"I guess our blog doesn't need to be cute though since you are the one who writes all of the posts."

So my question is, are there any background templates that are "manly" and yet, not camouflage. In case you haven't figured it out, I'm not exactly the camo kind of guy.

NOTE: After posting this blog I decided to wander over to the website mentioned above where I found what I believe to be a background that is manly enough for the Upton's Update blog. I hope you agree, but if you don't, please keep it to yourself :)

That time of year again

We are in the height of bluebonnet season in this part of Texas so we would feel like we were shirking our responsibility as Texans if we didn't post some bluebonnet pictures on the blog (I was born and raised here so I'm folding my entire family into that identity--Maria still doesn't fully claim her "Texanhood"). Last year, my parents were here to help us capture our annual bluebonnet pictures with the boys, but this year they are in California helping my grandparents out so this is also our attempt at helping them stay up on how the boys are doing (or rather, making them miss the boys and Texas even more than I'm sure they already do!).

I'm going to let the pictures say the rest--these were all taken out by the Bush Presidential Library complex at A&M (which is also where my office is so I get to drive by these beautiful fields each day).

...and what photo shoot isn't complete without a meltdown? Miller threw himself facedown in the bluebonnets and when we went to help him up, Maria said, "Wait! Let me take a picture!"

...you gotta love that face!

Maxwell wanted to share what he has been learning about the Bible this year in school with his Great Granddad and Great Grandma Upton (who live in California) so we made the two videos below. We love you Great Granddad and Great Grandma!!!

Love,

Matt, Maria, Maxwell, Miller & Baby

new house rule...

The title of this blog was the subject line of an email I received from Maria yesterday morning at work. The content of the email is below,

"he who complains about going to the grocery store, skips dinner that night!"

Maxwell started whining when she told him they had to go to the grocery store to get some things for dinner. After Maria told him the new house rule, she said she didn't hear a single complaint from him on the way to the store, while they were there, or on the way home. As our friend Larry said, "he didn't know it, but he was going to fast if he complained..." to which I replied, "yes, and whether or not he chose to pray while fasting was up to him!"

Unwanted Audience

I've gone back and forth in my mind about whether to post this, but since it is a record of our lives with kids, I thought it blog-worthy. If you disagree, I apologize in advance.

Recently, I have been experiencing what I have come to believe is a stay-at-home mom's #1 complaint--lack of privacy--and I'm not the stay-at-home mom here! I won't bore you with details, but let's just say that Miller is entering the stage in his life where he is interested in how our bodies work. As a result, I seem to have an audience each time I have to go to the bathroom. Unfortunately, the audience has even been known to grow as the family apparently chooses to congregate wherever the head of this home is. If only I got that kind of attention when I ask Maxwell and Miller to be kind to each other and share! Needless to say, I have found myself with more than one unwanted audience in the past few days.