What Boys Do

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Lainey

Location: Ohio,
Birthday: February 25

Bio: working on restraint

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MARCH 27, 2009 9:41PM

Rate: 35 Flag

Mess with carts

apples 23

cart again

Navigate terrain with sticks

beach explore 23

cemetery 23

Catch hail with frisbees

hail 230

Contemplate the universe

contemplation 23

D building again

Play in the snow

snowball fight again

snowlou 23

Marvel at this phenomenon called “Shriners”

shriners-1

Envy construction workers

watch trucks-1

Make wishes

wish again

Move heavy things for people

bob move 23

Dress up

tie 23

wedding 23

Organize games for animal friends

games with lou

crystal and lou

Attend rallies

rally 1-1

rally 2-1

rally 3-1

Hang with Dad

with dad 23

leaves 23

Fix annoyed glare at loudly cheering mom while playing soccer

soccer glare again

Watch rivers run (Niagara and Ohio)

niagara river 23

ohio river again

Raid the kitchen

kitchen-1

food mess 23

Graduate with honors

graduation 23

Look on in befuddlement as next-door neighbors renew wedding vows

bored on steps 23

Fix things

fixing the shed 23

Dan with car again

Read nonstop

reading 23-4

reading 23-2

Love their grandpa

with grandpa 23

garage with gramps 23

Hug Mom

L and Mom wedding-1

Sleep

sleeping with computer 23

J sleeping-1

Appreciate the company of their brothers

hugs 23

baseball 23

holiday inn 23

sandy play 23

L first communion-1

NY bench 23

meadow

They also ski, play the piano, get kicked out of their dorms by university officials, climb atop full-sized vans screaming in fear of neighbors’ dogs, stand on preschool tables refusing to take apart their Lego masterpieces, start their high school chemistry labs on fire, think it’s “funny” to pretend to be hiding drugs in their cars when police officers stop next to them at red lights, and play a lot of poker and badminton, but I think I’ve stretched you to your limit on the pictures.

Author tags:

the transforming power of gratefulness and a little bit of wine, mom, sleepless nights, gray hair, trouble, fun, family, brothers, boys

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Comments

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Golly, is this the equivalent of showing home movies or whipping out the wallet pics at bowling league? How embarrassing.

Lainey

March 27, 2009 09:46 PM

Not at all. I loved it.

Stellaa

March 27, 2009 09:47 PM

Absolutely delicious. And if that was you, you are just as beautiful physically and your mind is. A treat I will remember. They call me a tyrant and a curmudgeon, but I have my limits. Those are some very lucky boys.

Ben Sen

March 27, 2009 09:53 PM

adorable!

doloresflores_d

March 27, 2009 09:58 PM

Thanks you guys. Where there are three, those are mine. And there's one or two of mine (at least) in every picture. And yes, Ben, that's me. I tried to bury it in there. But thank you for the compliment.

Lainey

March 27, 2009 10:02 PM

A lovely family portrait.

Rob St. Amant

March 27, 2009 10:06 PM

Great pics of your beautiful boys. Especially liked the pic of boys watching the neighbors renew their wedding vows. Thanks for sharing these.

dustbowldiva

March 27, 2009 10:07 PM

Those were great. Took me right out of myself. The last one is marvelous, but the ones of them reading - those struck me as really special.

Sandra

Sandra Stephens

March 27, 2009 10:08 PM

Oh no! I LOVE pictoral essays, especially about family!!!
They are all gorgeous young men! Nice job, there mom!
And there you are! Beauty among your burly beasts! Lovingly, of course. I so enjoyed this trip down your memory lane of your boys and must tell you my favorite picture of all is titled, "Enjoying the company of their brothers." The group hug with the boats in the background! The boy's colors! Red, white and blue!
Extraordinary!
Rated for being a mother of sons and sharing so proudly. xoxo

Just Cathy

March 27, 2009 10:16 PM

a lucky person, you.

trudi jo davis

March 27, 2009 10:16 PM

Gosh, I sure hope you don’t stay embarrassed about sharing this. I think I had tears in my eyes just about the whole time I scrolled, slowly, through everything. It’s like you let me peek through a future looking-glass, into my and my sons’ future (if we’re lucky). Thank you for this little treasure.

David Decker

March 27, 2009 10:21 PM

What a happy family! Thanks for sharing.

The Biblio Files

March 27, 2009 10:26 PM

Thanks so much for visiting, all. Diva, that one cracks me up too. Don't they all look just confounded? Sandra, those readers are all just one--my middle son--and we have tons of pics of him reading everywhere. He learned early on never to go anywhere without a book. I actually have one of him reading during his older brother's high school graduation! We got to a point where we had to take books away when he'd bring them into restaurants, chastising him that he was giving everyone the message he preferred the company of his books over people. (Never mind that that's how I feel often!) And Cathy, your enthusiasm is so sweet. I must tell you that I love when you post pics of your girls and grandkidS (notice that big old plural now), which is sort of what inspired me to do this. Thanks again to everybody else too.

Lainey

March 27, 2009 10:26 PM

This was wonderful, Lainey. You made me miss my brothers! My favorite photos are the one who is catching the hail with frisbees, and playing games with the animals. Nothing embarrassing about any of these, I'd say you have a lot to be very proud of! Thanks -

Donna Sandstrom

March 27, 2009 10:32 PM

You are blessed...

Wordsmith

March 27, 2009 10:34 PM

This was just great. Just the dose of happy I need to offset, well, everything else. I love this place when it makes me smile.

vera war

March 27, 2009 10:39 PM

The look of befuddlement is priceless!!!

b Koscelny

March 27, 2009 10:51 PM

Such wonderful memories you must have. Looks like you did good, Mom!! I didn't have any brothers and when my son was born I was in shock at things he did. You are so right! They take things apart, often forgetting to put them back together. They jump off things, often needing stitches. Yet, when you need something... they're there! Yeah for sons!!

MiddleAgedWomanBlogging

March 27, 2009 11:33 PM

that was gorgeous. i love people's pictures. and man i wish i had more than one, even tho i dont mean to be greedy and i DO know i am lucky to have one. but wouldnt HE be luckier if i had two or three? yes.
rated even tho i am a tiny bit wistful now.

jane smithie redux

March 27, 2009 11:56 PM

Do not apologize, this is Just. Plain. Perfect. I loved it so much I can't even tell you. Thank you for sharing your love and those beautiful boys.

Sally Swift

March 28, 2009 01:03 AM

Lainey, I enjoyed your photo album thoroughly! I got a little choked up, and thought of this song:

And oh how the years go by
And, oh, how the love brings tears to my eyes
All through the changes the soul never dies
We fight, we laugh, we cry as the years go by.

The YouTube pix are of a family not familiar to me. If you open it in another tab, you can listen to it while looking at Lainey's pictures. (I sure hope I did the hyperlink right.)

Cindy Ross

March 28, 2009 02:08 AM

Lainey, your boy look like tight brothers. All the pictures showed boys who were enjoying childhoods and security. A lot of joy and contentment in those pictures. Thanks for sharing.

marytkelly

March 28, 2009 02:10 AM

Rated appreciatively for sons.

Jon Henner

March 28, 2009 02:18 AM

Well, jeez, thanks all you late-nighters. And Cindy, that's about the sweetest thing in the world, putting my slideshow to music! Is that Amy Grant? She has a distinctive, pretty voice.

I think it's kind of funny how montages like this OF COURSE don't show the difficult times. (I remember one time in particular where I traumatized everybody with my craziness--can't remember which combination of kids set me off--but we all ended up spent in Borders listening to music, where some nice old man whispered in my ear what a lovely family I had, and I thought, "You have no idea what just went down in the back bedroom, mister." Still, a lovely family is what I have, and I'm everlastingly grateful.)

Lainey

March 28, 2009 02:54 AM

God, what gorgeous perfect boys. I had only one. But you have a treat. Beautiful. Oddly enough I really enjoyed that. But, I am a mom and a totally goopy one, too. GREAT pix.

Lisa Solod Warren

March 28, 2009 08:18 AM

What handsome young men they are. You have a beautiful family.

Arizona Viking

March 28, 2009 10:11 AM

I love these boys. If I wanted some boys of my own, I'd ask for these ones. Rated.

Siobhan Curious

March 28, 2009 03:43 PM

Oh Lainey,

I enjoyed this. They look like great kids---and I LOVED the "they also" list.

m. a.h

March 28, 2009 05:47 PM

This reads like a meditation with an ending that caps it just right. Thanks for sharing!

Owl_Says_Who

March 28, 2009 08:45 PM

Makes me wistful. I always thought I wanted to raise a family, but I'm not unhappy with the life I have.

resistanceisfruitful

March 29, 2009 10:12 AM

Your boys seem so cool and so happy. What more can you ask?
I'm so pleased you decided to share: these pictures are so blissful, and bliss is contagious.

libertarius

March 30, 2009 02:01 AM

You know you're a good parent when your child gets kicked out of their dorm by university officials. I'm serious. Wonderful pictures of your boys. Having recently spent a weekend with my 2, your post brought back rushes of memories. Thanks Lainey!

marytkelly

March 31, 2009 09:32 AM

That bingo game looked awesome.

shaggylocks

March 31, 2009 09:42 AM

When I saw this, I was reminded of what is in store mor me, and I was really happy!

ePriddy

April 01, 2009 11:17 PM

oh boy (pun intended). Thanks for working so hard mom!

Firestorm McGrew

April 01, 2009 11:25 PM

Darn, I'm looking at other parents' kids' photos again ...

Mother Wonder

April 02, 2009 03:47 PM

I love that you still had a bunch of activities flurried at the end of your piece! This entry needs puts in a beautiful book that will happily be handed upon, generation upon generation. This is meant to be people's hands. Time intensive and wonderful job. Great photos as well. I think I like the Shriners and the befuddlement ones the best.

Beth Mann

April 02, 2009 10:08 PM

Mundane family photos could add up to something so poignant and universal. That's what boys do- they grow up too fast.

icemilkcoffee

April 02, 2009 10:16 PM

So many late stragglers coming by to see the boys! What more could a mom want? Thank you all for visiting, and icemilkcoffee, you said it best about boys growing up too fast. That they do. sigh.

Lainey

April 02, 2009 11:33 PM

Not embarrassing, Lainey, I loved the pictures, especially after a day of writing on a yucky topic. I needed the day brightener; thank you for this. Beautiful pics, beautiful boys. Rated.

Also, have you read Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson? Very funny memoir with lots of 50s "boy" stories, including blowing up a chemistry lab!

annette2009

April 04, 2009 05:19 AM

sigh.... how fabulous was that?! Gonna go smooch my sleeping almost-8 year old.

Many, many thanks!

carolineinTO

April 04, 2009 09:39 PM

mmmm :-)

Gonna go tuck the 5-year-old in. Again. Those covers NEVER stay on, the way he rolls around......

artsfish

April 04, 2009 11:17 PM

I was just thinking of you today, artsfish! How funny you should stop by! And thanks to you too, Annette and Caroline. Boys are lovely, aren't they? Well, not all the time, but I won't tell if you won't.

Lainey

April 04, 2009 11:46 PM

This was so touching! You've certainly captured the essence of boys! I can agree whole heartedly since I have four boys (five counting my husband.)

patricia k

April 08, 2009 09:57 AM

In my mind, I could hear John Lennon's song "Beautiful Boy" playing as I looked at the darling pics. Great post.

Brie

April 12, 2009 12:37 AM

sorry to get to this so late. I know all this beauty you've posted is not possible without good genes and a good mom and a dash of luck here and there. well done, you have a right to be proud and happy with these wonderful guys.

bbd

April 15, 2009 10:01 PM

Oh, your boys are just gorgeous! I have 3 as well. Aren't they something? Somedays I think we should get a special reward for surviving motherhood with boys but other days I think it's really the boys that deserve the reward for surviving boyhood with mother!!

WalkAwayHappy

April 15, 2009 10:11 PM

Thank you, bbd! And you too, brie and patricia. An expression popped into my head the other day that I think describes my boys well: "inclined toward goodness." They are full of life and frankly full of it, but I know that they are good boys. Whatever it is they ever do wrong--and there will be many, many mistakes--I don't think I could ever believe that they meant anybody any deliberate harm. What more could a mom want? (Well, I guess she could want some assurances that they'll be financially OK and for sure a guarantee that they'll remain jail-free, and oh yeah, I'd like them to marry decent women, and truth be told I'd be lying if I pretended I'd be fine without grandchildren...)

Lainey

April 15, 2009 10:12 PM

Well, hello WalkAwayHappy--and thank you for visiting! I don't remember reading you anywhere before, so I ran over to see your stuff. And here's the thing: I meant to find a quickie or two to comment on--you know, that reciprocal thing--but I couldn't do it. Here's why: I can tell it will resonate with me. I mean, soul mate kind of stuff. I mean, depression and watching with melancholy as your boys need you less? Wow. Yeah, I need to go back there and read you thoroughly. Thanks so much.

Lainey

April 15, 2009 10:17 PM

These photos are wonderful. I loved it. And as a Mother of a 10 year old boy who is about to turn 11 on my birthday, yes, what was my birthday, I really loved this post. Don't forget throwing sticks and rocks in any body of water.

Kathryn Varuzza

April 17, 2009 10:38 AM

Thank you for sharing what really matters. You have a beautiful family.

mr e

April 21, 2009 08:21 PM

They do all these things and when you think it has all run out......they amaze us all over again!

Gary Justis

April 25, 2009 08:56 AM

I've emailed this to my daughter, who has born the first boys (two of 'em) in our family in generations. We all need tutorials on Boys. Thanks for this delight - lucky boys, lucky mom.