Frogs and Snails and Puppy-dogs’ Tails….
Winter in Wisconsin when it’s 3 degrees outside means mischievous boys inside. I do so love my boys. I love them to pieces…I love how they are spicy…I love how they are silly…I love how they are on top of each other like a little pack of puppies…scratching, and wrestling and climbing…..laughing , yelling…howling at each other. Their noise and racket and raucous ways keep our home alive…and as for me….they keep a smile on my face.
Kisses..xxx
T.
Tracy Porter
Note that Fin is trying to tie a string around Max’s legs….they are poetry in motion.
…and yet, calm…and sweet …oh, Max. I want to lick his freckles. I love freckles….and yes, they should have a taste…say coffee ice cream-ish…
….ahh, but then the storm arises….arrrrghhhh matey!
Human Bridge. All chiropractors just move onto the next photo, as surely you are cringing. My boys could not wait to show me this circus trick, and they dearly wanted it documented so they could see it again and again. Well, at least it wasn’t on the roof….yet.
Awww…they really can be angels. Correction…they ARE angels. Gus can always melt….just about anyone or anything.
Look mom, our bunk beds are as good as the “climber thingy” in the backyard, except that thing is covered in ice and two feet of snow. Thanks Sig….for clearing that up.
…and they adore the boxwood kitties. December and Fin sleep side by side every night…until December bites his toes. Maybe he likes the smell of them…just a thought.
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Labels: more Tracy Porter
Reader Comments
Oh what a delight…..I love children……In my life after death …..I will live in a world of children and old people…..just to love them and nuture them and take care of them…..thank you for giving me this insight to your happiness…….OK….I want to be a rug under your feet……..to experience your laughter and noise………you are earth, moon and stars….and you delight…..thank you!!!
Thank you for showing more of your life at home with your angels!! They are so cute/handsome. I think it would be such an awesome life for a child to grow up in John & Tracy Porters home! God bless you all.
Oh how I remember these days…this is truly the “rawness” of life. Crossing my fingers for the boys to get a “snow day” on Wed…have they seen the movie “Snow Day”??? My boys loved it at their ages! AND that GUS…reminds me of my youngest (almost 13!) when he was little, I kept his angel soft blond hair longer…oh that sweet face. Almost 60 and SUNNY here in Seattle…enjoying this rarity
Happy Happy Day!
Awwww!!! How cute…and alive with “boy energy.” So much love in their eyes. Makes me want to be a kid again….carefree timelessness, you know? My 15&18yr. old sons still wrestle and instigate one another!! But boy do they look out for one another..which is so sweet. I bet you didn’t have to schedule too many play dates with a tribe of your own…and you may as well capture candid moments because i can only imagine what taking a serious photo would entail…many cocktails!?!? Tracy, thanks for sharing more loves of your life…To the boys: CHEERS!!!Have a Ruby Red Tuesday….Margie
oh boy! you have a FUN house.
loving your posts!
where are the dogs in all this fun?!
I love that you include you beautiful family in your posts. It is so interesting and inspiring to get to see little snippets of your life and how you embrace it and make it special! Your boys a adorable. I would love to be a fly on the wall in your house… I can only imagine the craziness with 4 boys and two huge dogs! you let them bike in the house and skateboard…you dont worry about them crashing into things and breaking them or ??? It a strange concept for me to grasp haha ( I tend to be on the more anal/super careful side) so I truly appreciate your correct, family first mentality and lifestyle! I just wonder… how you keep things in check? allowing the freedom but also rules? Love your post today!
Just a thought and certainly not to make your boys grow up too fast…but someday four lucky ladies are going to have a truly unique and super cool mom-in-law!
I also have four boys and what a joy (and challenge) they can be! Mine range from 9 to 2! I could not imagine my life any other way. Looking at your pics reminds me of my little ones – always active and ever so sweet! Enjoy…. life is way too short!
Looks like fun Tracy! Glad to hear the boxwood kitties are doing well also! Sandi, Rebecca and I had such fun last week at the Iris exhibit! We wish you were there with us!! Loving the framed art you have in the shop!! Happy day…snow storms comin our way tomorrow!! xoxo
Look at the life in those boys’s eyes!!! I know the look having a couple myself and it always equals fun…. and sometimes danger… my son decided to try and jump our newly installed spiked iron fence…he wanted to show his chums his skills…. not so good… he had a close shave of the goods and ended up spearing a leg on the inner upper thigh… That was a time I was not so cool headed…trip to the ER and 15 stitches later.. we can laugh about it.. and he can always have his visual reminder(scar on the leg) to beware of his acrobatic atempts! Hugs and kisses- Amy
SIMPLY SPLENDID!!!
Love the lived in boy’s bedroom! Not too fussy manliness.
PERFECT.
Tracy, what a great group of little men! You have to be strong of heart to be the Mummy of four boys, that’s for sure. All those daredevil “fun” things. {Can you tell I have girls?} xoLidy
SANDI,REBECCA,PAM Do tell us more of the Iris exhibit!
These photos are adorable!!! I can only imagine how rowdy it gets!!! I’ve got 1 boy and 1 tomboy, ballerina complete with a face full of yummy freckles as well! These 2 give me a run for my money, i’m afraid if they had any more siblings they’d take over and run the show!
I too have boys! They are the best. I love how you describe them as a pack of puppies! That is wonderful—my boys are just like that. They are the loves of my life as well. Thank you for sharing. We are raising the next generation of men! We a job we have and like the way you are doing it. With lots of love. xoC
Wow Tracy, Your guys are cute!! Thanks for sharing how cute and crazy things can get. I have two boys myself and know what fun they can be. Happy Happy to you and the boyz. k
Snow Day here too…in southwestern Ohio!!
This gave me a grand opportunity to listen to John from last weeks radio show!!! Endure you? Is that what you said? Au contraire!! GENUINE….COMPLETELY GENUINE!!! John, you were so inspiring! So full of sage wisdom and thoughtfulness, I called my husband in to have a listen! He thought you did a great job too! I was inspired by the fact that you have a fear of public speaking and yet there you were walking right thru it!! Both you and Tracy inspire me to be “the best version of myself” because that is what the two of you seem to aspire to. Your love of life, attention to details, layers of goodness, “roses overflowing,” jumping off of cliffs regard for living is contagious! What a lovely legacy you will leave your cowboys!
Still wondering about your theme song….Louis Armstrong Wonderful World?…Just one tiny critique…please leave the opera singing to the misses…that was you trying your cords out on “jollification” was it not? I had flash of the church lady from SNL!! Still admire you for trying though!!
HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!!!!
I LOVE that you showed your boy’s room ‘as is’…that inspires me.
I’m throwing a celebration party tonight for a friend who just finished chemo. I was about to run around my house and try to make everything ‘picture perfect’. Now I’m just going to clean a bit, turn the lights low, light candles, put on some beautiful music, relax, and HAVE FUN with her and all our friends.
P.S.~Hope you have an early spring!
Hi, Tracy….Your cowboys are so awesome, each of them sooooo handsome…Max is an exact duplicate of you!!!….Thank you so much for sharing them with us….Snow storm tomorrow and it’s suppose to be a big one….Couldn’t be snowed in on a better day, Wednesday, TRACY PORTER RADIO DAY!!!! How about all us Girls, get a hot cup of tea, (or coffee) and join our beautiful Tracy, for her radio show?!!! Would be soooo cooool, it would be as if we were all together, snuggly and warm, like having a PJ party, with our Tracy!!!! WOW!!! Maybe we could even call in, one at a time,(but all together), just to say Hi, Love You!!! quickly so it wouldn’t take up too much show time, (wish it could be one big conference call) but one at a time will definetly do….What do you think?…Is it a date?????
Tracy,… Got my Feb. catalog, you know what I’ll be doing tomorrow!!!!! T C O Y!!!
No snow days here….best we can hope for in central CA is a fog delay now and again. I want to thank you for sharing your boys with us. I love to see your “real life”. I have four girls so it is quite different for me but my children are the light of my life as well. Please continue to share…it brightens my day! Happy Tuesday to you Tracy and blessings to you and your family.
Tracy,.. Sorry, I mean’t your other cowboy GUS, the miniture you…..
Tracy, it’s been a long time since I’ve been able to comment here, wow those boys have grown!!! We have 5 girls and 1 boy, and we’re under 2 feet, soon to be 4 feet of snow, here in Marlyand, can you say cabin fever??? lol! Overheard at the table this morning, “I know why boys are so dirty, they were made from dust, and girls are cleaner because they were made from Adam’s rib, so girls aren’t so dirty.” The girls just don’t understand the total boy they have for a brother, but oh do they adore him!!! I love the shots of your boys, I’ll stay tuned, maybe you could include some tips for raising boys, I’m a little new to this Mom of boy thing….:-) You are one blessed woman!!!
How adorable they are, Tracy. As cute as my son’s freckles are, I can’t say I’ve ever wanted to lick them. Think I’ll leave that for the dogs! Thank heaven for little boys!
Angela M (Madhatter)……..you are funny…….are you insane……slightly delusional…..is that what you are……Madhatter……..??????? But its a date if we are snowed in tomorrow……lolololol…Cant wait to get my Catalog…………..waiting….sigh……….
These little ruffians are something else. As a mom to three girls this is foreign territory to me…. but boy are they cute! Never a dull moment, right? I can tell!
Love the new home stuff- those paintings are delish…Still pondering (gladly) my clothing choices… Pippa, Callista, Blushing Artist, oh my! Wore my Gaelic Antiquities (over a long sleeve tee) to a school event today and received lots of compliments. May need to restock those business cards soon Tracy!
My dear Valery,….Look who’s calling the kettle black!!!..Calling ME!! insane and delusional…. I bet you have your PJ’S picked out already….:) You’re the BEST!!!
TCOY
Angela……..honey I have the phone programmed to redial…..until they pick up……you know me too well……..what does tcoy mean…..take care of yourself!!!
Well hello there Auntie T,
Mom said i could leave a quickie message for the Cowboys! Hope you will allow it.
You guys are the epitome of charisma! ( two of my thirty- five spelling words this week ).
Your bunk beds will make awesome pirate ships! Man on deck, man below. I think you guys should work a little harder at keeping those stinky socks picked up off the floor! Auntie T needs a break every now and then! You guys are the best! oxoxo to December!
Love your Fairy God sister,
Demitasse
Tracy -
Thanks for the boy pics! Human Bridge? Now that’s thinking outside the box! I love boys…I have three and with boys, what you is what you get!
Life is good!
Mary Ann
Valery….If you would have taken the time to check out my post to you on Feb. 7 @ 12:52pm to be exact, you would already know…. but I now see you just did not do that…so now I must repeat myself ….:) it means Take care of you!!!! And I mean every word of it
…
DING!!! Okay Valery and Angela M………back to your corners!!!
Hello RARE BIRDS,………
Oh Myyyyyyyyyyyy,……..would you looky…….. it’s a party going on every evening at the Porter home!!!!!!!………. TRACY love, you are quite the mother!!!!!!! Those gorgeous little hunks of love, well you know it,……..I am smiling !!!!! I can’t believe how tall they are getting.
Darling, so delighted that you have a large pantry! In a couple of years, when their appetites really kick in,……..the shelves will need to be jam packed!!!!!!!! I suppose I will definitely need to ship several of my cauldrons up to you then!!!!!!!!!!
The lavender fields from yesterdays post,…….and the fact that the temp is dropping quickly here today,…..makes me long for the arrival of Spring,……..and of my friend from Michigan,…….and her lilacs galore!!!!!!! Went to the Yankee Candle shop, and bought several Lilac Blossoms candles……..hope to have my nip of wine this evening in the lilacs!!!!!!!!!!!.
Anglomania!!!!!!! that’s all I can say about your framed art!!!!!!! LOVE IT!!!!!!!
MARGIE love,..did you ever find your lavender tea???? Not really a big “Who” fan…..but loved their performance!!
Cameoxoxox
CAMEO, you’re right…Tracy may have to give up a few of her ‘fancy food” shelves to make room for some manly men food…start packing the cauldrons!!! Lilac blossom candles-GREAT IDEA!! Funny you should ask about the tea..i just googled lavender tea in a red box, France(that’s how serious I am)!! Nothing though…the place where I used to buy it is still around, but, she sells her own tea so I don’t know if she will give it up!!!! DEMITASSE, wonderful sentence. And, I am impressed with your vocabulary at your age.
The Porter boys are lucky to have such a wonderful Fairy God sister. Keep up the good work! Margie
OH!! – the tying of the legs has me about to be incontinent!! Too funny! Same kind of scheming my kids and their cousins participate in daily, if not hourly. In between the laughing fits, that is…
Having boys is absolutely an adventure not to be missed. Ladies – if you don’t have any boys of your own, see if you can borrow some for a day (with all proper custodial blessings, of course!)
A liberal scattering of snips, snails and puppy dog tails is definitely what the doctor ordered for *this* mother to see the beautiful yang-side of life (I only have sisters).
TERI, hi! You reminded me of something I received a few years back, here’s some of it:
I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into
a holding pattern if I weren’t there for the day.
I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.
I WOULD HAVE INVITED FRIENDS OVER TO DINNER EVEN IF THE CARPET WAS STAINED, OR THE SOFA FADED (this is the one that reminded me)
I would have eaten popcorn in the ‘good’ living room and worried much less when someone
wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.
I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
I would have cried and laughed less while watching televison and more while watching life.
I would have never insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed. (you can tell this is from awhile back)!
But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute..look at it and really see it. Live it and never give it back. Stop sweating the small stuff.
Don’t worry about who doesn’t like you, who has more, or who’s doing what.
Instead, let’s cherish the relationships we do have with those who love us.
Let’s think about what we have been blessed with and what we are doing each day to promote ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally.
I hope you all have a blessed day.
This obviously goes along with all we’ve been chatting about…LIVING RAW!!!
Perfect MARGIE!!!!!!! You are my kind of woman!!!!!!! I am enjoying Lilacs this evening!!!!!!! TERI love,….. I hope your evening is a pleasant one!!!!!! Off to the kitchen, to make steak Fajitas!!!!!!! I think TP is making movies today……cheers to you, lovely Rare Bird, and all birdie eyes that reads this!!!!!! oxoxoxoxo
Cameoxoxoxo
Oh,….. and I use the words “making movies”,….. because it sounds more Anne Bancroft-ish,…..she would have never stood for the word “videos’….!!!!!
oxoxoxo Cameoxoxoxo
Oh My gosh – those boys are the best kind of handful – you want to gobble them up with all the rambunctiouness! My baby is now 6′1″ and still growing at 14 and I have indeed taken out a 2nd mortgage at the grocery store – there is NEVER enough food….and they look so wistful and sad if you ask them to wait!
They are just beautiful Tracy!
Margie – your note is very inspirational today – a real keeper – thank you!
Well I hope Tracy is making movies – perhaps we will have to institute our own oscars, Cameo???
WELL…snowy goodness to all!!!!….ok, get this…it was indeed a snow day here school canceled…..and a photo shoot day!! Here to just going with the flow!! 6 kids ( 2 of darling SARAH’s and 4 of my own) 2 over sized wet long haired “pony” dogs….2 cats playing with the jewelery on our prop bed….and all of the rest of us making merriment to get our photo shoot done! You can imagine…and more than likely the picture in your head is spot on!!! GLOROIUS CHAOS…..i am ok with this….
Blizzarding like the dickens all day….gorgeous windy & wild…the kids went out for an hour then in, then out then in….I made a gargantuan platter of sandwiches this morning for all of them and they were happy all day….what’s not to be happy about…doggies, kitties, kiddies,goodies…. snow and no school….ahhh…..they even set up a candy store at one point…..( they come by it honestly!!) I always think it’s good for the kids to check out the photo shoots anyway…they love the process…and when they come to the studio after school…they re-enact the whole thing….top to bottom…..
I hope you are all well…snuggled in….I love your chatter today….sorry i wasn’t in here sooner…but the light goes fast…and we just need to follow it all day…..I am ready for a long HOT shower and nip of wine…simple dinner tonight kids…whew…
Thanks for all your lovely thoughts on the boys…aren’t they funny….they are to me!!…i love the silliness in them….
YOU guys are awesome…love you so..
xxxx
T.
Love it. You must be one tired mom.
But what gives? No pictures of them swinging from the chandeliers?
STILL SNOWING!!!! Tracy, you didn’t ‘make movies’ in the snow did you? You are one busy MAMA!!!! I would have made the first purchase at the Candy Store…oh, to be a kid again!!! You are probably in the dream state by now!!!
Such glorious boys, all of them! True “sons of thunder” in the best of ways! It is so clear to see traces of both their Mama and their Daddy in each of their sweet faces…how much fun they must have together! We are bracing for a storm here too…happy snow, everyone!
Tracy, your boys are beautiful, and full of energy. Love the photos. So sweet, and you seem to have captured their essence perfectly. Margie, I actually printed out your piece and am going to paste it in my journal. This is just the sort of focus I want this year and the remainder of life. Demitasse, I loved your precious post!
Wow Your boys are gorgeous et tellement mignons et meme beaux!
I love these pictures, full of live, love and energy! Glorious Chaos is a great way to describe this energy!
A bientot
Love seeing your boys in action. What fun!!!