Pumpkin Patch Fun

We have a little Pumpkin Patch up the street from us and we love to visit it this time of year. Bailey loves her holidays and decorating and I think she gets it from her mommy.

*side note--Connor had to sit on this pumpkin for this picture, no matter how many times we said it's going to fall. Just after the click of the camera-- you got it, the pumpkin and Connor rolled right off the hay!

. My kids love fall and Halloween as much as their mommy so we always have fun dressing up in our Halloween clothes and playing in the pumpkins. I couldn't even believe how well all three of them posed for pictures. Connor was fine as long as he could sit on a pumpkin! Bailey had a great time "modeling" for me.

Connor decided to lay down for some pictures and it was so cute that all the other two decided to try it too!

I have to admit that this year we didn't buy any pumpkins because mommy has already decorated the front yard to the hilt. We don't need anymore pumpkins. I absolutely love this time of year. The smell of cool , crisp fall nights. The sounds of Friday Night Football. Warm clothes. The colors of fall. Eating soup on a cold night. Cuddling up with my kids under a fluffy blanket to watch a movie. Mums all over the porch and yard.

Friday Night Lights

Bailey attended the Pearce Cheerleading Camp a few weeks ago with several of her friends. She loves "pretending" to be a cheerleader and for that weekend she was! One of the perks of the camp is that the girls get to perform on the field at one of the Pearce games.
She also loved getting to cheer with her big girl friends, Ellery and Avery. They are on the Varsity Squad and helped with the camp.
The night of the performance, mommy, daddy, Jack, Connor, Mimi, and Aunt Tamara came to watch. We also sat with several of Bailey and Jack's friends and families from school. Bailey and her best buddy Isabella had so much fun cheering even in the stands. We live just two streets from the High School Stadium and on Friday nights our lives revolve around football. Greg and all three kids have gone to nearly every game this year. With the weather cooling off now I might even join them for the fun!

A Day At The Zoo

The kids had two days off this week for Fair Day and instead of fighting the crowds at the Fair we decided to head out to the zoo for a fun day. It was definitely the correct decision. We drove right past all the traffic headed to the Fair and we drove straight up to the front parking lot of the zoo and waited in NO lines.

If you asked my kids their favorite place to visit in Dallas I am pretty sure the zoo would be their first choice. The weather was amazing and cool. All the animals were out roaming around because they love the cool weather also. Having daddy go with us was a treat too. We spent alot of time at the birds of prey area. We have never really paid much attention to these animals because they are across from the lions area. Since the lion died last Spring we headed over to check the birds out. This huge Harpy Eagle would not take his eyes off my baby Connor! He seriously followed Connor everywhere he went. He was a truly magnificent creature. His claws were as large as a grizzly bears. He can eat an animal as large as a sloth in the rain forest! Come to think of it Connor is about the size of a sloth.


I call my two boys my monkeys and they really enjoy acting like them! All in all it was a perfect day at one of our favorite places!

Soccer Sisters

This is the cute face of one happy Soccer Sister! Bailey's soccer team, The Soccer Sisters, has been together now for several years and our Fall season began a few weeks ago. Our coach also got the girls new fancy lavender uniforms this season. On this Saturday, Bailey scored two goals in their 8 to 1 win and was rewarded with an ice cream sundae!

She plays all positions but loves forward the most. Of course she would, she gets to score that way. Here she is waiting to kick off to the other team.

Bailey is such a girly, girl so we are really proud of her aggressive play in soccer.

Way to Go Soccer Sisters!

The New Look

We have known for a while now that this was coming. A year ago we went to the eye doctor and he told us Jack was "borderline" nearsighted. We put it off as long as we could but he seemed to be getting a little worse. The eye doctor we see goes to our church and is wonderful with Jack. He was not only more nearsighted but has developed astigmatisms in both eyes! Now we had no choice, glasses it was. Jack made the comment, "Well, I only have to wear them until I'm 13 then I can get contacts." He has been a trooper about it. He claims he is excited about wearing glasses. So, now he has worn them for 2 days and he is adjusting. If you see Jack soon tell him how handsome he looks!

Connor's First Day of School!

This was one happy boy! Finally, after weeks of mommy being up at church planning and helping it was time for pre-school to start. Connor was really excited to "go to school like Jack and Bailey". Our 10 minute car ride was full of "will Tedi be in my classssss...." "will Broobie be in my classssss..." (Broobie is how Connor says Brookie, we laugh so hard when he says it!) After we got there Connor passed out some first day treats to his teacher and directors and Chapel teacher. Then it was off to class! His teacher is Mrs. Carey and he already likes her tons.

When it was time for me to go I have to admit I had a hard time leaving him. I know he is becoming a big boy, but he is still my last baby. He loves to tell people, "I mommy's baby!" Then he follows it up with, "but I a Big Boy too!" I don't start Spanish classes until Monday so I had a day off. I spent it by myself, in the quiet house! I was in need of a recharge day and I got it.

When I went to pick Connor up he was still fast asleep on his nap mat! I was shocked, I really figured he wouldn't take a nap. I was quite proud. He soon woke up and saw me and I helped him pack up. His teacher actually called him her ray of sunshine. I guess all the other sweet 2 year olds had cried alot! No crying for Connor, he was so excited about his day, he told Jack and Bailey and Daddy all about it!

Connor Update

I haven't given an update on Connor's health in quite a while. I haven't needed to. He has been doing really well. Since summer started he has only had two fever spells and one cold. Actually the other two kids have been sick more than him! That being said... we went for our regular visit to the oncologist today. I assumed that since he has been so well that the blood counts would be great too. No such luck! His white blood count was down somewhat but his ANC (total neutrophil count) was way down. Not such good news going into the winter sick times. What I tend to forget is that Connor appears on the outside so... well but on the inside he is just not so well. I feel completely blessed by the wonderful healthy summer we have had and will pray hard for a healthy winter.

Our Little Ballerina

Bailey took a tap and ballet class this summer at our city Recreation center. She has taken ballet several summers in a row but this was the first time she took tap. After a few weeks she informed me that she still loved ballet but wasn't in love with tap. I think it was just something new but she insisted it was boring. I thought getting to stomp her feet and make a lot of noise would thrill her.
This is B with her sweet dance teacher. We have had her several times and we have actually had her mother one summer too.

Monkey 1 and Monkey 2

The last week before school started Bailey went away on a quick trip with her Aunt G, so the boys and I found ways to entertain ourselves. We enjoyed the cooler weather this last week and played in the backyard. Connor rode around on his little Diego bike. He has just begun to pedal and loves to ride.
Jack enjoyed running through the sprinklers and jumping on the trampoline. He also loved making Connor laugh by standing on his head in the sprinkler on the trampoline.
I love this pic. Connor looks up to his big bro so much. I am constantly telling Jack to be careful what he does because little monkey is watching him all the time.
The boys had a great time just "monkeying around" in the yard!

Here We Go Again!

Today was the first day of school here in Richardson. We had finally gotten the kids back to bed at 8 after a summer of staying up really late. We all dressed and after our yearly pics in the front yard we headed to the donut shop for our first day breakfast. These pictures are out of order we actually took Bailey to class first then dropped off Jack. Here is Jack with his 3rd grade teacher Mrs. Fox. She was Ms. Kees last year but got married this summer and she is an Aggie, which Jack thinks is really cool.
Here is Bailey with her very sweet 1st grade teacher. Bailey told me all last year she really hoped she would get Mrs. Collins and she did! She also has several of her Kindergarten friends in her class.

Don't they look so grown up? For some reason Connor didn't want to be in the pictures this year. After we dropped off the kids he cried and cried and actually sat down on the outside sidewalk and cried that he wanted Jack and Bailey. He is going to miss them so much. And so will mommy!

Sweet Prayer

Jack has now lost his 8th tooth. He was getting into bed tonight and said it was loose. I reached in to wiggle it and it fell into my hand! After we got him all tucked in and tooth into tooth pillow the boys said their prayers. Connor's is pretty much the same every night. Mommy, Daddy, Bailey, Jack, ... Jack's tonight was pretty normal until he got to..."God, look after my friend Lane and my cat Chester." We had a rough week around here. A friend of Jack's from his 1st grade class was killed in a tragic accident last Sunday and Jack has asked Greg and I many questions this week. Then Thursday night our 19 year old cat Chester died in his sleep. I still think of Jack as so young but then he says things that make me realize he is truly growing up. He finished his thoughtful prayer with, "help Bailey and I to have a good year at school." That is exactly what I was going to be praying tonight!

Beach Pictures

After dinner one night we headed down to the beach to snap a few fun beach pictures!

The Aquarium

After Hurricane Dolly hit the coast it rained for about two days and so after spending the first day indoors we decided to head to Corpus to visit the State Aquarium. We have been many times but this was Connor's first visit. The kids really enjoyed looking at all the different fish and turtles and sea life. The best thing we did was go under the dolphin show area to the underwater viewing area. Connor loved the dolphins. He ran the length of the glass yelling at them and they would come right up to you and show off.
This was a fun little fish tank that you could go under and come up inside it.
My three sweet children up on the viewing deck in the really horrible wind.

Rockport Beach

On Tuesday morning we loaded up and headed out to the beach. At this point we knew that Hurricane Dolly was headed into the Texas Coast and we wanted to make sure we made it to the beach just in case... All three kids enjoyed piling onto Daddy in the shallow water.
Connor spent a lot of time chasing the birds! He would yell, "Here birdie, birdie, come here now!"

Of course, sand castle building was in store! Bailey and Jack are expert sand castle planners. Connor is the expert sand castle destroyer.
After an hour and a half, Bailey just went to the umbrella and sat in the shade. She really isn't in love with the beach. She would much rather be in the pool.
The boys enjoyed some football.

Who is that really skinny kid relaxing in the water? Someday when he is older and has a little meat on his bones I'll show him this pic.

Take Me Out To The Ballgame...

A few months before our beach trip, I began to look for something new to do around Rockport. We have been so many times that we feel like we do the same things every year. I decided to check out the Corpus Christi AA team, the Hooks. It just so happened that they were playing the Frisco Roughriders while we were in town. And, it happened to be dollar dogs and sodas! What else could we ask for, baseball, dogs and cokes. We settled into our outfield seats on the lawn and ate a few dogs. Bailey enjoyed resting on Mimi.
The kids loved standing along the wall and looking down to see the players and Jack really enjoyed begging after each and every inning for a ball to be thrown at him.
Connor didn't appreciate the game too much yet. He was more interested in running away to the really nice kids play area below us. One home run ball was hit like a line drive directly between our blanket and Terry and Nicole's. It hit the ground very hard and flew to fast for us to get it behind us. I was so grateful that none of the kids were in the path of that hard hit ball.
It was a fun, new adventure during our beach vacation.