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.

My Favorite Summer Blog

Yes, what you are seeing is Connor in underwear. Diego underwear to be exact. Mommy bought him some underwear and a potty seat to see if he was ready. He does love the underwear. Just that he forgets to take the diaper off! He wants to wear them with a diaper under them all the time. My little Comedian. I guess I got my answer.

Fireworks!

We headed out to Memaw's and G-Dad's the weekend after the 4th and the boys couldn't wait to shoot fireworks. Of course, Connor thought it was so funny to blow out the match before they could light the pump. It took Daddy many, many tries before he could beat Connor to get it lit.
Jack loves lighting fireworks and wanted to do it all by himself this year. It made me a bit nervous but Daddy let him. Connor got to hold his first sparkler this year. He wasn't quite sure what to make of it.
Now, notice I said my boys love fireworks! This is where Bailey parked her fanny. In the garage as far away as possible. She has always been scared of the noise they make and is not thrilled to see them.
We also got to do Connor's favorite thing, feed the Neigh Neigh's.

Again, the boys loved feeding the horses but Bailey wouldn't get close enough to feed them. I keep hoping she will outgrow a few of her fears but not yet.
Daddy rode them all three around the pasture on the tractor and they love it.
Connor loves to "drive" the tractor.

It was a fun Sunday at the farm!

Outrigger Island

VBS was in June and really we spent the whole month getting ready and having it. Don't get me wrong I love helping to make it so special for the kids, but it definitely takes a toll on all of us.
Bailey's friend Kylie went with us this week and the girls had a blast.

Connor was in a classroom for the first time and he loved it! He didn't cry once when I dropped him off and he could see me during the day and not get upset. He would smile and say Hi mommy! This is Connor with his buddy Mason. They are so cute together.
Of course, Jack had a blast. This is Jack and his buddy Clay clowning around. In their class picture they are doing bunny ears to each other. Oh well, that fits the two of them perfectly. These two have been friends since they were around 6 months old.

All in all, VBS was a huge success. The director, Chelsea does an incredible job of organizing and running it. The kids loved it and now finally our summer can begin.

My Favorite 8 Year Old

This is what our playroom looked like at 1:00am. Six 7 and 8 year olds laying in sleeping bags and playing our gamecube and their Nintendo DS's. This was the biggest birthday adventure Greg and I have had so far... We started the evening with our family coming over for a cookout and cupcakes. Jack got everything he wanted and more. We gave him a new "moto" style bike he had been wanting. He also got several lego sets he wanted and new games for his DS. He got a cool archaeologist set to play outside with. He is sure that he wants to be an Archaeologist when he grows up. He also got a set of matchbox cars that he gave to his baby brother because he has so many and Connor really wanted them.

After the family dinner all Jack's friends showed up. While Daddy cooked the dogs they bounced and bounced and bounced. That is my child completely out of control in mid air.
Here is the tent that they were suppose to sleep in that night! It didn't happen for several reasons. I am the one who decided not to put them outside. It was really humid and hot and I was afraid we would never get them to sleep.
After playing outside and eating our campin' cookout we headed in to have cupcakes with worms on top! Then he opened more fun gifts. After that Daddy asked them if they wanted to go to the High School baseball game. We can walk to the field just one street over and 4 of them jumped at the chance to go to a High School game. Then they went to Blockbuster and got a movie to watch.
While they watched the movie the had seconds on dinner and had root beer floats and popcorn!
They really just loved hanging out and playing games and eating! Yes, I stocked up on snacky foods. And it was a good thing. One friend ate four hot dogs! I don't think I could ever get Jack to eat more than one! Around 12:30 we began the long process of getting them into bed and trying to get them to sleep. Finally, at 1:20 when I checked on them they were all snoring! Thank goodness because three of them had a baseball playoff game the next morning at 10:20!

Happy 8th Birthday, Jackson!

I still remember that night eight years ago that you came into my life. You came in with a bang and haven't stopped since. Every time you walk up to me and hug me and tell me you love me I still melt. God has blessed us with a wonderful first born son. Continue to honor God and your mommy and daddy.