November 6, 2009

all i want for christmas

For the last two weeks, my house has been full. My two older boys have returned home. One, in transit to his new Coast Guard assignment, and the other, fresh out of boot camp.

Ironically, all the years that my boys were living at home, I loved the rare moments of peace when the house was empty. Now, my peace comes from having them all at home.

I told them that all I wanted for Christmas this year was a day of picture taking. With happy attitudes. And several clothing changes. And no bloodshed. That's a big request. They came through for me, and this afternoon we ventured outside. They were troopers as my subjects of the day.

I thought it would be fun to re-create some old photos.

This one, from about thirteen years ago, has always been a favorite.



And now.....


When they were little, I dressed them similar on purpose. This time, I picked the shirts for color, and didn't notice they were all from Aero until the pics were done. We also noticed the two older boys were on opposite sides of their little bro, but when I suggested we go out and redo them, I didn't get any takers.

My two older boys took the time to dress in their gorgeous uniforms. So handsome.


Another old favorite - the men in black, all ready for prom six years ago.


Now, they are ready to take on whatever comes their way.


The last two weeks have been great. The chaos has been fun, and it's going to take some time to get used to a quieter house again.


I love my boys!

p.s. I am not a little person, I am five feet, seven inches, but standing next to these guys makes me feel quite petite... That just gives you a hint of what our grocery bill has been the last two weeks!

37 comments:

  1. You have such handsome, good boys...wish I still had some unmarried daughters! Fill them up and hug them with all your heart! God bless such good boys and their wonderful Mom! Come say hi :D

    ReplyDelete
  2. OMG I am crying as I am writing this. I saw your blog on Jayme's, and I am so glad I looked in.

    You are so beautiful, and your boys are just gorgeous. I cried when I looked at the pictures because I know very well how time flies.

    There are times that I wish that we can just keep time still, but that is life, it goes by too fast.

    God bless everyones children.

    You have every right to be proud of your boys. You have raised them well.

    I love my kids and would give my life for them, so it warms my heart to see beautiful loving families.

    Mirjana

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great idea to recreate old photographs. They turned out great!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Beautiful! Best gift ever, eh? I have three boys myself...then a girl. They are close to your guys age, it looks. Hug them, squeeze them...and oh...thank them (and you) for their service to our country!

    You are gorgeous too, madame!

    ReplyDelete
  5. hello. i am new to your blog and i love what i see. your boys are so handsome. you must be very proud of them. i am and i don't even know them. i am thankful for young men and women who protect our country!! so sweet of them to go along with the photo taking for the day. they must love their mama!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I LOVED your post! My heart aches for my 3 kids away at college (2 boys 1 girl)....and your sentence about how you wanted quiet....and now peace comes when they come home. That really got to me. Loved your photos...what amazing young men!
    And amazing moms raise amazing young men...at least that is what I have found!
    Blessings,
    Debbie

    ReplyDelete
  7. Teresa,
    What I love about blogs - the really good ones -- is that they can touch you so personally. I already knew I liked you when I saw that beautiful kitchen, with the same scale that I have and the light blue (not Caribbean, which is all that seems to be available now as much as I search eBay, etc.) Le Creuset pot on the stove.

    But then you write this post. I just launched my first blog last week, and as the mom of two little girls, was saying how blissfully happy I was to have a rare moment alone in my own home. Your post reminded me how fast it will go.

    Also, as the mother of girls, boys are something of a foreign species and I always so admire a woman who has raised fine young men - clearly, you're one of those women. Like some of the other women who commented, seeing those pictures made me feel proud! And you look beautiful!!


    As Thanksgiving approaches, thank you to your sons for serving our country and thank you for adding a little more beauty to my everyday life.

    Keep the inspiration coming please!!

    Best,
    Kris

    www.myfabulous40thbirthday.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. What wonderful photos... all of them! I pray your boys are safe as the proudly serve this great country of ours, and may they return to you over and over and fill your home with the peace of their presence.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm sitting here with a grin on my face! Lovely post. My special little guy is married and living in Japan now, 32 years old, 6'4" and there is nothing I want more than a hug whenever I can get one.

    I'm happy that you got your wish!

    :)
    Zuzu

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a lovely post. How proud you must be of all three of your handsome sons! Your photos are beautiful - they capture just what you adore about your sons.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love this!!! First of all, your pictures are ALWAYS glorious...but your boys. Sniff. So touching.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wow, just blog hopping I found you through the portfolio of fabulous K creations... and I'm so glad I did!
    Your house is so lovely, as a person who adored her 1917 farmhouse, I am amazed at what a beautiful job you've done! Sadly we had to move away, my husband is military... but someday!
    Just wanted to introduce myself, and let you know I'll be checking in regularly :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love your blog and the post truly touched my heart. Our son is 21 and contemplating joining the Marines so we are going through a whole lot of emotions right now. God bless your sons who are serving our great country. Also....I absolutely am mad about your kitchen. Nice to meet you.

    LeAnn:)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hello...New to your place here and loved your post and the rest of your blog...Your boys were darling as little ones and as handsome as they come as adults!!! Great photography!!! xoxo~Kathy @ Sweet Up-North Mornings...Stop in anytime, love to have you!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Beautiful sons! Lovely blog. -- michele

    ReplyDelete
  16. What a wonderful looking group of young men....I would love the same gift!!!! I wonder if I can make them understand how much it means to us Moms!!!!!! Tell your boys they did good!!!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Teresa
    Came by from Jen, and what a delight to see your wonderful sons, I have three too and a daughter. My heart goes out to you as a military mom, its a tough job too. My son was in the A.F a short time before being injured at the training base and returned home after 5 months but I get the idea believe me, of what its like! I cried every day! I wish for the guys the best and hold them in honor and respect in my heart! Beautiful site, will be adding you to my sidebar! Lori

    ReplyDelete
  18. What a wonderful Christmas present! I can imagine how wonderful it was for you to have them home.

    Love your kitchen! What a happy and beautiful room.

    ReplyDelete
  19. What a beautiful blog!! I have two boys 4 and 5yrs old and I often wonder what it's going to be like when they're taller than me :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. I just found your blog and I totally understand what you mean. I have three boys myself - 30,25 & the baby will be23 next week. This year has brought the first time we have been totally empty nesters. I can remember those days when my house was full of teenage boys so yes, I totally understand your grocery bill the past couple of weeks! The friends felt at home enough to even write things on the grocery list I kept on the side of the fridge - I guess that was a good thing. While I have nothing against a good quiet moment the moments of having all three boys in the same house at the same time are getting fewer and farther between.
    So glad you got some wonderful pictures of your boys together.Quite a handsome group.

    ReplyDelete
  21. You have such handsome boys! Wow, they are tall if you are 5' 7'. The photos of your youngest in the previous post remind me of my youngest! He is seldom cooperative when I get out the camera. I love your kitchen too! I just wandered over from Maryjanes blog.
    Blessings,
    Lorilee

    ReplyDelete
  22. I just wandered over from Maryjane's SWEET SASSY SADIE LEE blog, and I hope you don't mind, but I did a feature on your blog to send my friends over to see you.

    I love your description of having peace when all your kids are home. I describe it as a "calgon" sort of moment when you take a deep breath and go "aahhhh..." inside of yourself and take note of the satisfaction of having them all under one roof again, it just seems so right.

    Your sons are all so handsome, and I know you are proud of all of them. Please thank them for their service to our country, I really, really appreciate it!

    Love, Love, Love your blog and am so happy to meet you!
    XOXO
    Joni

    ReplyDelete
  23. What a great idea! Now if I can just get my three older kids to cooperate!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Handsome boys indeed Teresa! You are so blessed! You are darling to!

    Hugs,
    Maryjane

    ReplyDelete
  25. Great pictures, you have such handsome boys! I'm glad I found my way here, it's nice to meet you! One of these days my husband and I will buy a farmhouse. Right now we're content being in an older home, close to the kids' schools but someday....
    ~Michelle

    ReplyDelete
  26. Such bright happy smiles to go along with the juicy-colored tops. Fun picture for sure!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Stopping by from Joni's blog, Old Centennial Farmhouse. I just LOVE your blog, glad she introduced us! You have such handsome boys, your home is beautiful (LOVE the transformation!) and your photography is wonderful. I will be coming back for sure! Can't wait to see more of your place =)

    ReplyDelete
  28. Just hopping on over from Jon's Old Centennial Farmhouse! She's right...I absolutely love your blog and like Ali, I too am glad she introduced us.

    Your boys are so handsome...I can't believe how much they have changed in a mere 6 years from their "prom" days! I suppose the call to service for your country will do that to a person...mature them in many different ways.

    I'm an older mommy so I only have a 5 and 3 year old...I just can't imagine my little man a "big" man, but I know the time will come.

    Many blessings to you this Veteran's Day from Kansas,
    Valerie

    ReplyDelete
  29. oh gosh, my boys are 7 and 9. time flies, doesn't it?

    your boys are all so handsome. are they all pals? hope so!

    xo

    ReplyDelete
  30. Joni at OCFarmhouse recommended you and BOY am I glad she did!! Beautiful home, beautiful family and beautiful blog..I will check often. Could you please ship me your kitchen!!!!Blessings and Gratitude to your young men for serving their country,Sue

    ReplyDelete
  31. I have wives for your boys. ha! ;O)

    What an **awesome** blog this is - thank you so much for welcoming me so sweetly. I grabbed a soda pop from your front porch fridge and am settled nicely into your back porch jacuzzi. Nice. Next time ya might wanna clean it up a smidge before inviting folks. jeez.

    LOVED my visit here. Will be back, for sure and for certain! That's a promise, not a warning.

    Thank your sons for serving our country!

    jAne at http://tickleberryfarm.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  32. First off, what are your secrets to NOT aging? being new to your blog, i thought you were the little sister in that last picture!!! how fun to have three boys - i have three girls and look forward to watching them bond over the years - loved these pictures and how proud must be of all of them!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Hello, I'm a first time visitor and I love your blog! Your boys are so handsome. You are very blessed. I had to look at the picture again of you and your boys. I thought you were one of the girlfriends!! You look so young! Have a blessed holiday season.

    Debbie

    ReplyDelete
  34. oh this makes me weepy! my boys are 5 & 9 and I know that they are going to be big just like your boys before I know it. Every year I make them take pictures in front of our front door on the first day of school. I hope when they are grown I can still talk them into posing there so I can see just how much they have grown...
    Great blog! Love your house!!

    ReplyDelete
  35. awww! How sweet! Great photos and your boys look so happy and in love with their mom and family!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Found your blog last night through Tidy Mom and just found this post. Your boys are beautiful (we have 2) and I appreciate your sons who have chosen to serve. Our boy just left a month ago for his first deployment in Afghanistan and we miss him more than words can say... We know our way to Ft. Benning by heart these days! And we cannot wait for him to return! Thank you for your blog and God bless you and your beautiful family.

    ReplyDelete
  37. I laughed out loud at the photo of you with your boys because you were wearing your favorite hoodie sweatshirt - AGAIN!! Honestly, if Gap does not make some more for you, I think all your readers will have to search the entire internet to get you a few more.

    Handsome, handsome lads. I only have one - a boy - and I can't even imagine 3x that energy and food intake! I bet raising those boys has been a blast!

    ReplyDelete