Meet the Boys... (aka B2S 2009)

Before I do anything else - I just need to say that I have the most wonderful kids in the world. I know, I know - I'm a little partial being that I gave birth to them and all, but really.... how many teenage & pre-teen boys do YOU know who willingly and ungrudgingly (is that a word?) sit for photos for their mother? Especially at 7:00 in the morning before the first day of school? Exactly - I thought so. They don't complain or grumble or refuse to smile...they do get rowdy and silly sometimes, but that's ok - it happens. Anyway - they're pretty awesome, if I do say so myself.

These are some of the photos from Monday morning's B2S photo shoot... I just love them...so full of personality. I let each boy bring what they love most (besides me, of course - lol). Gosh...there are some scrapbook pages just WAITING to happen!!!

This is Justin... 16 years old, driving (SO important to mention!), & a Junior in High School. Pictured here with his 2 favorite things - his Ibanez guitar and his dog, Gracie. Sporting stylish, new Abercrombie white shorts and American Eagle shirt... and of course, his favorite Sperry loafers. This kid is not going to have much of a life for a while... his schedule includes Pre-AP Calculus, AP American History, AP Chemistry, AP Computer Science, Pre-AP Language Arts III, AP Spanish IV, Newspaper & some random technology course he has to take. He had his 1st 4 classes yesterday - and 3 of them gave him homework...REAL homework...the first day of school. Sigh... I know it'll be for the best in the long run, but it's surely no fun right now! He got his first real job this summer, which ended 2 weeks before school started, so at least he had a little time off. Justin recently started playing guitar in our church's Praise Service (which means this night owl has to be at church at 7am - lol!) My Dad is so proud he could almost burst... :)

Next we have Jake... 15, just got his learner's driving permit about a week ago (and is happily scaring the daylights out of his mother every chance he gets!), and is a Sophomore in High School (also taking mostly Pre-AP classes.) Jake loves football, football, and...um... football. He lives for it, you could say. He plays Tight End for the JV team - their first game is this coming Thursday. He also loves playing violent, war-type games on the XBox360 - like Call of Duty & Gears of War... typical teenage boy. I don't see the fun in those type of games, but then I lack the testosterone needed to enjoy violence, I think. LOL - whatever. He's a great kid - no worries! Oh - almost forgot - he also loves to EAT. Beef, preferably - or eggs. Whatever it is - it needs to be in LARGE amounts. If I don't have enough of whatever it is we are eating for him to have as much as he thinks he needs - I get this look like, "Mother...don't you LOVE me? I'm half starved!" And Lord help me if I were to serve a meal without MEAT... tried it once over the summer (spaghetti with no meat - just sauce, noodles & cheese) and there was almost a mutiny - they all three FREAKED! Boys!

The 2nd photo here is of Jake being invisible in his Abercrombie camo shorts. I can't see him - can you?

Finally we come to Jackson... 11 years old, started 6th grade yesterday - Middle School... geez, I'm still in shock about that one. (nevermind - it's not 'pity-party for Mom' time right now...) Anyone want to guess what Jackson's "thing" is? Yup - soccer. He's starting his 5th season with the Eagles. I'm really surprised he didn't choose to wear red, white & black to school on the first day. Most of the school clothes he picked out were his team colors - lots of Adidas and Under Armour stuff. Guess he wanted to look like the big boys. Of course - all of his new American Eagle clothes have an EAGLE on them - so I guess he's covered either way! Jackson is also working on his adult Black Belt in Taekwondo. He's got 3 stripes on his red/black belt - 2 more to go! Poor kid has had a bit of a rough summer... he was diagnosed as OCD with a vocal tic disorder. Long story, but he's doing better - still has a ways to go, but we're hoping the meds work well enough so that school is not a challenge for him. He gets to start Pre-AP classes this year, too - Language Arts & Math and a GT Explorations class. I have been so blessed to have smart kids!

Love, love, love them! :)