Some Pictures and An Update

Well, here are some pictures that I finally got off of the camera that show some of what has been happening lately.




This is my little shepherd before his big debut...Garrett looked so cute in his costume!

Now this is Garrett as the shepherds were leaving the chapel after the play. The pictures of the play were from a distance and couldn't get a close-up of Garrett.



And finally, Christmas part 1. Saturday we had Brian's family over for Christmas with them. We had a wonderful lunch of ham, broccoli casserole, sweet potato casserole, macaroni and cheese, salad, rolls, and cupcakes. The boys were SO excited that their cousins were coming. The kids all played so nicely together...I don't think we had even one little squabble the whole day. I was pretty tired after the whole event, but it was definitely a wonderful day!

Sunday was bitterly cold and windy...so much so that we lost our power for about 5 hours. We managed to get in a nap (no power necessary!) and still were without power. We played a few games and then had to run some errands. By the time we got home, the lights were back on!

And today we had our Bible Study friends come over. It had been a couple of weeks since we last met, so today was a nice treat. The kids just love to have visitors, especially their good buddy, Josiah. After a much wanted nap, I made some cookies for Garrett's preschool class Christmas party tomorrow. I wanted to make sure there was some special treats that he could eat at the party.

It doesn't really seem like I actually did much today, but I am glad it is bedtime for the boys. Once they are in bed, I am thinking about heading to bed, too!

Icy Start

When we got up this morning, it seemed to be raining. I was surprised because I had not heard a weather forecast for today. Imagine my confusion when schools were CLOSED! I called Brian and he informed me that it was not rain, but ice falling from the sky. And the road conditions were horrible. Fortunately, the temps are supposed to rise to the 40's by this afternoon, and they won't dip below the mid-30's tonight, so this should disappear shortly.

Tonight we have Brian's work Christmas dinner...I am so excited to get to dress up in fancy clothes! And the boys can't wait for Ms. Amanda to come babysit. They love to have sitters, but I think it is because the rules are not as strict and they get to watch a movie.

Well, I guess it is time to get some cleaning done while I am motivated. Bathrooms, here I come!

Happy Birthday, Jesus

Saturday we went to a Birthday Party for Jesus. It was so much fun (not to mention that it stresses why we celebrate Christmas!). The kids got to color a picture for Jesus and then we tied them to balloons and released them for Jesus. We then had cake and ice cream and then we wrapped gifts. Each child brought gifts for children from our Angel Tree at church...the boys brought for a 5 yr old boy and the girls for a 4 yr old girl. It was such a great opportunity to help the boys understand that Christmas is about Jesus' birthday and about giving to others. The kids really had a great time! On the way home, Hunter was very concerned. He said, "The balloons didn't have rocket boosters...I don't think they will get through space to heaven to get to Jesus." Wow, he really had thought about that. I just told him that I am sure Jesus appreciates our presents.

Sunday was Garrett's Christmas program for preschool. He was an absolutely adorable shepherd. (I will try to post a picture soon!) And in true Garrett fashion, he kept pulling on his costume and fidgeting. He disappeared at one time, and then he began to pick his nose. Keep in mind, he was on the front row, so everyone could see him. But, he was singing his little heart out. I asked if he had fun, and he said, "No, I didn't get to talk into the microphone!" Maybe next year!

Oh...we got SNOW!!! Only a dusting, but still, white flakes were falling from the sky much of the day yesterday. Hunter was perplexed. He wanted to know how could it be snowing if it was not winter? I just giggle and smile! He is such a thinker! But this weather is so crazy...by Monday it will be close to 70 degrees again. So much for the snow!

Maybe this weekend we will finish up shopping and get our tree up and decorated.

Sheep and Shepherds

Sunday will be Garrett's preschool Christmas program. I have asked Garrett lots of questions about it and he has been reluctant to tell me anything about the program. Finally they posted a message for the parents to be practicing some songs, so I at least knew what he was supposed to be singing. I asked Garrett what he was going to be in the program and he told me nothing. Last year in Hunter's program the 3yr olds were sheep and cows (I think) so I asked Garrett if he was a sheep. He look horrified I would even ask such a question. He told me "girls are sheep, boys are shepherds!" Finally, I am getting somewhere...Garrett is a shepherd in the program. I am learning with this one I have to ask just the right questions to get a straight answer.

I had an answered prayer this week. Garrett has been having trouble going in to his class every day, and I have been praying for him to transition better...perhaps for a friend to help him into class. Well, Tuesday, a little boy, Ethan, came running to our car very excited to see Garrett. Garrett jumped out of the car and literally ran into his class. Today, again, he met up with Ethan and went right into class. I am so thankful for the little answered prayers...it makes it easier to pray for bigger things and have faith that God answers those prayers, too.

Post Thanksgiving Post

We had a really nice Thanksgiving, although it did not go according to plan. To start with, my parents were in town, which they were not planning to be. That was nice, since we got to see them, my brother Robert and his wife Jennifer and Granddad.

Lunch at Tiffany's on Thanksgiving was wonderful. All of the food was so delicious and since the weather was so unseasonably warm, the kids got to play outside, too! It was really nice to be able to have Thanksgiving with so much family. After lunch, we went to Granny and Pop's house to visit and have dinner. There is only so much turkey I can handle in a day. But the boys ate well. And Hunter loves cranberry sauce...I was shocked!

Friday we got to have lunch with Granny, David and Emily. The boys love to play with their cousins! And afterward, Granny kept the kids so Brian and I could hit a couple of sales. The stores really were crowded and all the good stuff we wanted was gone. But, we got our for a bit without the kids. That was really nice.

Friday evening we went to Danville so Brian could hunt Saturday, and I could do dome hunting of my own. Tammy and I hit some stores to get some Christmas shopping done, and we had lots of success. Needless to say, I am wiped out from this weekend...sounds like a nap is in order for us all today!

Getting ready for the holidays

Well, I would like to say I am getting ready for the holidays, but truth be told, I am not ready to even think about them. I am just in shock that Thanksgiving is this Thursday! We are going to Richmond, where Brian's sister Tiffany is hosting. That is going to be so much fun...the kids just love spending time together! I am excited because I get to bake! I love to bake (especially chocolate chip pie!) and this year, I think the boys will help. One of the skills that Hunter is supposed to learn this year is following a recipe, so baking with me will be perfect!

The boys have been totally infatuated with Spider Man lately. Every day Garrett wants to wear a SpiderMan shirt (the only problem...he doesn't have as many shirts as there are days in the week!). Hunter wants to wear the SpiderMan costume that I got at a yard sale. One day last week, I was busy with housekeeping when I passed by the boys' room. Hunter was in there putting on a church shirt (button down oxford-type shirt) and pants. But I also noticed the pants did not fit at all. Upon further investigation, I realized he also had on his clothes AND the SpiderMan costume. He explained he was putting the clothes over top to be Peter Parker. It was all becoming clear. A few minutes later, Garrett was putting Hunter's clothes on top of his SpiderMan shirt and jeans. He, too, wanted to be Peter Parker. They have such great imaginations!

Garrett believes that he IS SpiderMan, and insists that he has to wear the shirts to shoot webs out of his arms. Since there were no more shirts clean last Tuesday, I tried to appease him with Spidey undies. He was very indignant. He told me, "I don't want to shoot webs from my penis!" I had never imagined that would be a problem! Oh, the mind of a child!

We had a wonderful trip to Danville this past weekend to visit Uncle Paul, Aunt Tammy, Sydney and Cassidy. The kids had movie night Friday, they played much of the day Saturday, we went to see The Bee Movie, and played some more. It is always sad when our visits are over. It is wonderful that the boys and their cousins are so close!

Grandpa came by for a quick visit yesterday afternoon. The boys were thrilled...they played games and read books with Grandpa. They love the attention!

Well, we are preparing for a busy week...all weeks are busy, but we have 3 days to get it all done! We have our Bible Study friends coming this morning. The boys love when their buddy Josiah comes to play. They run wild and have a blast. And I love to spend time with the ladies that come here every Monday morning. It is such a blessing to have these ladies in my life.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! God Bless!

Where has this week gone?

I can hardly believe Saturday is almost over...and I haven't written all week! I am still in shock that October is over and November is here! This year has just flown by.

As I try to recall the events of the week, I am amazed at Hunter's determination. You may recall that last Sunday he asked for his training wheels off of his bike, and he has practiced riding every day. Well, that practice is paying off, as he is able to ride almost the length of the driveway without falling. He does fine until he realizes what he's doing, and then he panics. I am just so proud of his effort and determination.

Hunter is making great progress with school as well. He is still learning his addition facts, and this week he started some subtraction as well. Now, to be fair, he has known how to figure out addition and subtraction problems for a while, but now he is memorizing the facts. He is also learning how to count dimes. To my amazement, he must already understand multiplication, too, because he knows the quantity without having to count by tens aloud. I am in trouble...he's so much smarter than me!

Garrett is doing very well with school, too. He is counting aloud in English to 20 and in Spanish to 8. Preschool has really been a good thing for Garrett. He is really developing his social skills. He is less shy and will introduce himself to others. I am very pleased. He has been very loving and using lots of manners this week, too. My wild man is becoming tame.

Garrett has been showing off his "hot dogging" on the swing set. He can climb up to the cross bar on top and hang. He loves to do "cool tricks." I know when he uses the words "hot dogging" and "cool tricks" that while I don't want to watch, I must for fear he may hurt himself. Oh, the gray hairs that I have!

We did learn that grown ups in costume really upsets Garrett. His preschool teacher was dressed as a beautiful princess for the costume parade, and he was not happy about that at all. Thankfully, she was only in costume until about 10 that morning, so Garrett got over Ms. Stacy in her costume.

Since it is November, today was the opening day of black powder season, so I am a hunting widow. I have not heard from the hunters...I can only assume they are safe and sound and without a buck. I am certain I would have heard if someone actually got a buck today. As every good hunting widow should, I decided to go shopping today. But unlike some I have heard of, I am only interested in Bargains (notice the capital B). Yes, my mother taught me well...thanks Mom! I only went out today because I needed to find Hunter some pants that fit...he is just too tall and skinny (like Daddy)! So, I started at the DAV, where the sign said, "All clothes, $1!" That was enough for me to go in. I only spent $11 and got quite a few pairs of pants for Hunter and me and 2 pairs of snow bibs for the winter. I was so thrilled...I love to get a great bargain! I think Brian likes my bargain hunting too. I guess today we both went hunting.

Well, as I look at the time, I realize that I should finish writing and go put some dirty boys in the bath tub. They must be clean for church tomorrow!

All Is Well

I had the pleasure of going to Charlotte, NC this weekend for the Women of Faith conference with about 45 ladies from my church. It was such a wonderful time. I know Brian and the boys missed me, but as I told the boys, I needed to go so I could come back a better mommy and a better wife. I feel re-energized from the much needed time away. Don't get me wrong, I adore my family...but I also really appreciate my sanity!

I was completely exhausted when I got home this afternoon, and Brian was wiped out, too. But wouldn't you know it, the boys had more energy than they knew what to do with. Finally, I sent them outside to play. Garrett wanted to play catch with real baseball gloves. Hunter decided that he was a big boy today (and he really is!) and quite brave...he asked for the training wheels off of his bike. So, Brian had him wheel the bike into his workshop and removed the training wheels. Riding his bike was much easier for me when I didn't have to hold the bike. But, I am so proud of his determination.

It is finally fall, and if the temperatures outside aren't enough proof, I have a yard full of leaves as evidence. I really do like the fall...it's just a lot of work for Brian. Thank goodness for the leaf bagger on the riding mower!

Well, I am officially too tired to recall any more from today. I will have to come up with something more tomorrow!

Strange, but it seems to work!

I received an email yesterday that claimed if you put Vick's Vapor Rub on the soles of your feet at bedtime and cover your feet with socks, that this would help with coughing. I thought I would try it...anything is better than the horrible coughing I hear come from Garrett. And oddly enough, it worked. He woke this morning far less congested and not coughing like he had been. Of course, I also gave him a breathing treatment last night, too. These usually don't work immediately, so I think there must be something to the vapor rub on the feet. I am certainly going to be adding vapor rub to our nightly routine for a while!

Doctor's report

Well, I took Garrett to the doctor today and the great news is he does not have strep or any other infection. The not so surprising news, although I was not wanting to hear it, is that Garrett has asthma. He is fighting allergies right now, and he is experiencing some asthmatic symptoms. So, we start him back on nebulized medication during flare ups, and he will now take Singulair again for allergies/asthma. Like I said, this is not a surprise...I just assumed he would have to have a serious attack before he would get an official diagnosis. Now we just move forward with more knowledge and try to avoid some of the triggers (outside for starters!). Oh, the many adventures I have with Garrett...

I don't know about anyone else, but I am ready for some real fall weather. Sure, some leaves have started to change color, but there are far more brown leaves around than anything else. It is so dry here. I guess one plus is there is a burn ban because of the drought, so I am not inundated with the smoke from the burning leaves.

Our church held a Harvest Festival this weekend. They were estimating about 3000 people would attend, and Brunswick stew and BBQ was prepared for 3000. By 2:30 PM, all of the food was gone. They went and got 2000 hot dogs, and those were gone very quickly, too. They now believe that over 6000 people attended. We did not stay too long, but while we were there the boys had so much fun. Garrett rode on a pony, Hunter threw a softball into a target and won a t-shirt, and they both jumped in the leaf pit. They got to do a few more things, too...but the lines were so long that Garrett got very impatient. All in all, a good time.

Last night and this morning Garrett is really feeling puny. His allergies are driving him crazy. He was in bed by 7:40 last night...and asleep in minutes. He told me his neck hurts when he eats. I think he really means his throat is hurting, but I am not sure. I suppose this means a trip to the pediatrician today. I don't think I want to take any chances that something more serious is going on. This also means no school today. I do feel he is not contagious, but to be safe, I will keep him home today.

Well, a hungry three-year-old is wanting some breakfast. I better go before he tries to fix himself something!

OUCH!!!

The title says it all...we got flu shots yesterday! Oh, that was fun. By 7:30 last night I was wiped out on the couch and my arm was so sore I could hardly move it. Keep in mind, I get an allergy shot in my arm every week, but they never hurt like this one. Enough of my whining...I just needed to get this off of my chest.

Being the kind mom that I am, I bribed the boys with ice cream if they behaved while getting their shots yesterday. That worked out well, until I was ordering the ice cream and Garrett decided to walk from booth to booth at McDonald's! But the best part was the older woman who cleans the lobby telling Garrett not to do that anymore. I was fine with her correcting his poor behavior...Garrett was set to tears, though. He kept telling me the lady had a "mad face" and you could definitely see the displeasure in her face. From then on, if Garrett even thought he might see her, he hid his face. Maybe I need to adopt a "mad face" every now and then to get my points across with Garrett. The older woman came and apologized to me for correcting Garrett, and I told her not to worry about it. She also apologized to Garrett for upsetting him. I again told her not to worry about it. I don't think Garrett will walk on the booths in a restaurant again any time soon.

Well, I hope that the ounce of prevention is worth the pound of cure they say...I DO NOT want the FLU in my home this year (or any year for that matter). I am sure my arm won't hurt so much tomorrow.

'Tis the Season

I am sure any of you who read this blog understand the season that I am talking about...cold, flu, and/or allergy season. I am equally certain that the unusually hot, dry weather is not helping at all! In the grand scheme of things, we have not been hit too hard (yet), but we all have scratchy throats and Garrett has a yucky nose. I am calling today to get flu shots. I do not want that to enter the doors of my house!

On a serious illness note, our 4 week old niece Erin (the cute baby Garrett was holding) has been hospitalized with RSV, a virus that is like a severe cold in older children and adults. Hopefully she will come home today...for her sake and for Tiffany's sake. I told Garrett that baby Erin was sick and in the hospital and his first comment was, "We need to get her a bucket!" I told him she wasn't that kind of sick...I am so amazed at his ability to be sweet and kind. He then prayed for Erin, "Dear God, get Erin better now." Oh, the faith of a child. Any of my blog readers who think about it, please pray for Erin.

Allow me to brag on Hunter...He is so smart! He has already memorized his "doubles" addition facts (1+1 to 9+9) and he knows his plus 1's (2+1, 3+1, etc.) Honestly, I had third graders that had trouble with this. I am so proud of him. He gets so excited about school time. He informed me the other day he was a "math genius."

Garrett is showing signs that he is ready to start learning his letters and sounds...he already knows some. He came crying to me the other day, saying he can't read and he wants to read his books. Now, I don't want him to cry or be upset, but this may be the motivation that he needs to start the reading process.

I am going to have to go now and start school with the boys. I will have to write more later. Again, please say a prayer for Erin!

Fun on the Farm

Tuesday Garrett's preschool class went to a dairy farm for a field trip. The kids had a wonderful time. We got to go on a hay ride, pet a two week old calf, see the huge hogs, and see where the 80 cows are milked. After the tour of the farm, the kids had a snack picnic and then they had a pumpkin hunt. Garrett was so proud of his cute little pumpkin that he found in the hay.

The only downside to the field trip was the heat...it was 92 degrees Tuesday, which only made the smells of the farm all the more stinky!

Hunter informed me that he had already been on the farm trip last year, so he did not need (or want) to go again. Thankfully, I had a friend who could watch him for the morning. The next trip is to the fire house...I think Hunter will go on that trip. Last year, the firemen came to the school...this year the kids get to go to the fire station.

Great family time

We had a great weekend this past week. We got to go to Richmond to visit family, including the newest addition, Erin. She is just precious! Of course, the boys loved playing with their cousins, David and Emily, too.

We got to go to play miniature golf, which was not as much of a challenge as I had envisioned. Four children 5 and under playing putt-putt and no one got seriously injured! And they all seemed to have a really good time.

We also got to spend time with both Grannys, which is such a treat for the boys. They don't get to see either Granny very often, so to see them both in the same day...just wonderful.

Mom fixed us a wonderful dinner of grilled chicken, baked potatoes and broccoli. The boys loved it...and the ice cream for dessert! Mom just loves to feed people, and my boys love to eat. This is a match made in heaven! As we were leaving, Hunter said very emphatically," THAT is a REALLY NICE lady!" What a smile it brought to my face that my children recognize and appreciate love and hospitality.

Saturday the family time continued. The boys and I went to Timberlake Christian School for a volleyball tournament that cousin Sydney was playing in and Aunt Tammy was coaching. We watched 4 volleyball matches and spent much time on the playground in between games. While Sydney's team did not win the tournament, they did win their first two matches. I was so proud of these middle school girls and their efforts. I think Sydney was touched that we came to watch her play. By the way, she is a pretty good volleyball player.

Sunday we just spent time together at home. After church, we had lunch and watched football. Well, I watched the inside of my eyelids and at some point a show was put on for the boys. All in all, a good day.

Well, I am realizing the time and need to get boys up and moving. Garrett has a trip to a farm today with school. I will write more about that later!

Corn Maze

By the temperatures outside you would not believe it is Fall, but it is, in fact, October 1st. We took full advantage of the wonderful weather this past weekend, spending a lot of time outside. The highlight for the weekend was going to a corn maze that was a blast! I need to mention, too, that I have always wanted to go to a corn maze, so this was a "dream come true" (according to Hunter).

In the maze there were strategically placed scarecrows that were numbered, and we had a set of clues that corresponded to the scarecrows. You were told to turn left or right depending on the answer to the clues. The boys loved this. It took us about 30 minutes the first maze and a bit less time the 2nd.

In addition to the mazes, there were other events as well. The boys got to ride on a "cow train" and we took a hay ride. We got to fire corn cobs out of a small cannon, shooting at targets, there was a corn crib (like a sand box) with lots of toys and shovels. The had a "mini maze" for kids to walk through and my favorite, the no-left turn maze. In this maze, you were only take right turns to get through. This was quite a challenge. Sadly enough, I did not figure it out...the boys didn't care what the intent of the maze was, and they got out taking the most direct path. They got bored with me trying to figure it out...so I, too, took the easy, direct path out. Maybe next time I will be able to figure this one out.

I would highly recommend this to anyone who lives near Montvale, VA...it was well worth the drive and the admission.

Just another day...

For the first time since being back from vacation, I actually have nothing pressing to do. Now there is always another load of laundry that could be washed and a dishwasher to unload, but nothing too major. And I am finding myself...dare I say it...BORED! I am not familiar with this feeling too much lately, so I decided that I must do something semi-productive, so I am writing in my blog. I don't have much to report, though. We have had a really busy week, but here are a couple of highlights.

Garrett's pictures at school went well (or so I was told) and today he got to taste apples in school. Finally, a food related event that he can willingly participate in without fear of an allergic reaction. He told me he tried a green apple, a red apple, a yellow apple and a red/green apple. I think the red/green apple was a Gala apple with some green on the skin. Hands down, the green was his favorite. This comes as no surprise to me as I buy a 5lb bag of them each week and they get devoured. I can't complain that the boys love fruit!


Hunter learned about "Some, some more" and "Some, some went away" problems in math this week. For those of you not versed in the terminology, this is adding and subtracting word problems. He is learning to find key words that indicate if he is going to add or subtract. Garrett was an eager participant in this lesson, too, but only because he could write on the white board with marker. He understood what we were doing (sort of) but he didn't care that it actually was math. Hunter, on the other hand, couldn't do enough problems. I did learn not to give him examples of subtraction that included his name, as it upset him to think he was losing balloons, pencils, etc. He is so sensitive!

Since there is nothing more of consequence to write about, I will include some more pictures from the beach. I mentioned before that we went to play miniature golf several times. One was pirate themed and there was even a hole on a pirate ship!


And we had to try out the stocks. Well, that didn't work too well given their stature, so we decided to just put them in jail!

And here we all are...

We had such a wonderful time on vacation...it is a shame we have to wait another year for the next one!

We're back!!!

We are back from the beach and I am trying to get back to the normal routine. Unfortunately, I was unable to blog any while at the beach, as the wireless connection at the hotel had a very low signal strength. And upon returning home, after clearing out 100+ emails and unpacking, I found I had mounds of laundry to get through. So, blogging was put on the back burner. But I am back and getting caught up.

So, about that vacation...Myrtle Beach was nice, but not as family oriented as North Myrtle Beach. We were able to spend much time on the beach despite the cooler temperatures (the upper 70's-low 80's) and the coastal breeze. Hunter loved being in the waves, and Garrett loved the sand. But, hands down, the walk-in pool was the overall winner. This pool was a salt water pool and you could walk right in to the pool...no steps. The water spilled over the edges of the pool, too. It was really neat (and warm).

While we had many days of fun in the sun, we did have a soggy day Thursday (I think we got 2 inches of rain), so we went to Ripley's Aquarium. That was so fun! The tanks were amazing...it felt like you were in with the fish! There was a pirate exhibit that the boys liked, and there were touch pools where we got to touch a stingray and a horseshoe crab. The boys did not want to leave!

We also played several games of miniature golf. Garrett is getting to where he doesn't lose interest quite so fast and will last just about a whole round. Both boys had so much fun...and Brian and I had fun playing, too.

Well, today is Tuesday, and that means preschool for Garrett. I need to get him ready, so I will have to write more later. He does have school pictures today, so I need him looking his best. I would love to see the photographer getting the class picture for the three-year-old class...I bet that will be a hoot!

Yellow Day and Other Stuff

This month at school Garrett is learning about the color yellow, and today was "Yellow Day". All of the children were encouraged to wear yellow and bring in a picture of something yellow. Garrett had his favorite Wiggles shirt (that is of course yellow) picked out several days ago in anticipation for today's event. And my overachieving son decided to pick many yellow pictures out of magazines, not just one. He is really a lot more like me than I would admit sometimes.

Hunter continues to excel in his studies. I do think he is told too often that he is really smart, though. Last week we were filling in the day on his calendar and I asked him what day it was. He answered "Wednesday." When I asked him how he knew, I was expecting him to say because the 5th was in the column for Wednesday. But instead his reply was, "Because I am very smart!" He was correct...he is very smart, and he knew it was Wednesday because he read the calendar. He just didn't realize I wanted to hear that he looked at the calendar to get his answer.

Let me brag for a minute. Anyone who knows us knows that Hunter has quite the academic future ahead of him, reading at such a young age. But, it appears that Garrett may be more academic than I gave him credit for. I was administering an oral math assessment with Hunter that required Hunter to make rows of objects matching the numbers 1-5 (which was a piece of cake for him) and then tell me which was the least and which was the most. Well, to my delight, Garrett picked up the teddy bear counters and began doing his own rows. I asked him to then put the numbers in order and he did. I asked him to show me the least number and the greatest number and he did! Keep in mind, this is a first grade math assessment that my 3 year old was able to perform the tasks. I was tickled...No, I was amazed. I knew he could count to 5, but he actually can count and recognize the number 0-9. They both also can distinguish between the left and right. Now, if we could grasp tying shoes!

All this to say, I LOVE homeschooling Hunter and Garrett. While I am more intentional about working with Hunter Monday-Thursday, Garrett gets some school if he comes near the school room. They both are just absorbing so much, and it all happens before noon. It looks like we will be just fine to take a vacation next week and just enjoy the beach!

A couple more stories about preschool:Garrett gets stickers in school when he is "caught" doing something good, while all of the other children get an M&M. Today he told me he got stickers in chapel time. I asked what he did to get a sticker and he says, "Hmmm, let me think about that." "Oh, I know, I was a goooooood boy!" I don't know what he did that was good, but he surely seemed proud of it. I am proud, too, for I had concerns that his active three-year-old self would not sit still or listen very well. And when I was leaving with him, the director pulled me aside to tell me Garrett is the bravest boy in school. Evidently, he figured out a way to get to a pole that is part of the play structure and slide down. This was not an easy pole to get too...Hunter would never even try. Another little boy watched Garrett and when he was asked if he wanted to try, the boy said, "No, that is for brave, big boys. I'm just a little boy." I guess the monkey comes out in school sometimes, too!

First Day Pics

Garrett was so happy to be going to school Thursday. He was very proud of his Cars lunchbag. Big brother Hunter wanted to be in pictures ,too!

Garrett remebered his backpack and lunchbox went in his cubby!

Now that I have figured out how to do pictures, I will try to include some with more posts!

1st Day of School

Today was Garrett's first day at Preschool. I must admit the misting in my eyes as I drove off came as a surprise. I have been so excited to have time to devote to Hunter and schooling without interruption, but pulling out of the school I was a little sad. I was already missing my little man. Then Hunter chimed in, "I am glad Garrett is at school. Now he won't bother me." Children really tell it like it is...no need to sugar-coat anything.

Hunter and I had a very productive morning of school. It was nice to not have interruptions, but at the same time, I missed the interruptions. I had time to write out plans for next week and I am looking forward to working more with Hunter. He flies through the concepts I am presenting, and this is FIRST grade reading and math. Hunter took his first spelling test today and he got all of the words correct...of course, he probably already knew the words, but I figured it better to ease him into the new routine. I am still trying to figure out the best way to arrange school time, but he is flexible with me and we are learning together. He did tell me today (when he was supposed to be doing a math sheet), "I have run out of energy." We had just started school. I asked him if he needed a drink to get his energy back, to which he answered "yes." Then he tried to get out of work again with the same excuse. I had to inform him that no matter how much energy he didn't have, he had to get the work done. I think he just wanted to go watch a show. Again, we are learning how this school thing goes.

When we went to get Garrett from school today, the first thing he said was, "I had so much fun at my school today!" I was so thrilled to hear this. He said he didn't want to come home yet. He must have had a good time. He was, no surprise, huuunnngry when he got home, so I fixed everyone lunch. I know he played hard today, so I am expecting him to nap well...time will tell.

I did take some pictures of the first day of school, so when I figure out how to post them here, I will.

First Day Jitters

Tuesday is preschool orientation for Garrett...and I am a bit nervous for him. Garrett is so excited that he gets to go to school. I am asking anyone that reads this blog to please pray that we have a good day at school. I have to leave Garrett in his class while I meet with the other parents for an information session (about 45 minutes). I know he will do great, but I am still just nervous. So, please pray! I will update later how the day goes.

Super Holiday weekend!

I don't know about anyone else, but it is unbelievable that today is Labor Day! How in the world is time going so fast?!?! I am excited, though, because now that it is September, that means our trip to the beach is fast approaching!!! I can't wait for vacation...with my family. I did have a vacation by myself to California to visit my friend Deborah, but that was more like a reunion.

Friday we went to "The Lake House" to visit Uncle Paul, Aunt Tammy and Sydney and Cassidy. Granny Carole was there on Saturday, too! We had lots of fun playing, riding on the boat, tubing, and swimming. Garrett has decided he does like his life jacket (Spiderman on it may have something to do with this), and he wanted to swim by himself. Being the worried mother that I can be, that really upset me...I didn't want anything to happen to my little man. Sydney and Cassidy had two friends at the lake too, so there were four big girls watching and entertaining Hunter and Garrett. The two older girls even rode in the tube with Hunter and Garrett. Again, I was a bit nervous, but Uncle Paul is a very safe driver and the boys had a wonderful time.

Today we are having some friends over for a cookout this afternoon. Afterwards, we are going to see our friend Chance play in a little league baseball game. The boys are really excited to go see Chance play baseball...they really look up to him.

Daddy and Hunter have gone to play golf. I will write about how that adventure played out later. I need to get off here and go to the grocery store...Garrett got the short end of the stick...he has to shop with Mommy! Maybe next time he can go with Daddy!

School's back in session!

Well, I actually did something ahead of schedule! We started school today...and all things considered, it went very well. I originally planned to start after Labor Day, but I thought if we got a few days in this week that we would be ready to really roll next week...and Garrett starts preschool Thursday, so that will be another adjustment.

Our morning went something like this...after we ate and got dressed, I told the boys to meet me in the living room (now to be referred to as the school room) and be ready to sing! We sang a couple of kids praise and Bible songs, we prayed together for a good first day of school and began our first lesson for the year. I started with Bible. We read about "love" today and how God teaches us love in the Bible and through Jesus' example. We also talked about how we show love to others. They got to demonstrate...hugging, kissing, high 5's. So far, so good.

Next I started Hunter on a math sheet about a calendar. It was really easy for him, and it tied into us "building" our calendar. I have the calendar on the file cabinet with magnets, and all of the number pieces are magnetic, so I had the boys work together to find the days in order. Garrett did really well up to 10, and then he lost interest. Hunter finished the remaining days. And now August is complete. Won't they love Friday when September begins!

After this I had Garrett listen to a book on tape. He loved that little noise that signals to turn the page. I think he felt like a big boy, reading a book without a grown up. Hunter did a couple of phonics activities, recognizing beginning blends in words and a review of the vowels. While he finished this, Garrett and I worked on numbers to 10, which he recognizes much of the time and he has learned to count with a one to one correspondence. I am really impressed!

Today was a fun day...not too much stress. After all, this is only Kindergarten for Hunter. We will try to keep school time to about an hour of actual work time...it will last a bit longer the days where both boys are here, just because I will have to bounce around. The best part was shopping today for a couple of supplies. Hunter has his own pencil pouch, pocket folder organizer, crayons, scissors and pencils...Garrett got some crayons and his very own scissors, too. I really am looking forward to tomorrow. I am anxious to get into a routine.

Pray tomorrow is as great a day!

Growing up

As much as I want them to stay little forever, the reality is that my boys are growing up. Just yesterday, Hunter informed me he was going to make his own breakfast and lunch (poptarts and grilled cheese in the toaster oven). Now, I am not irresponsible...he did not use the oven, but he put the sandwich together and put it in the oven. He told me he fixes his own food because he wants to be a chef when he grows up. How amazing that he makes that correlation so young. In addition to a chef, he wants to be a veterinarian, a cashier and a janitor. Secretly I hope he goes in the direction of veterinarian (or maybe an engineer?), but I am sure he will be great at whatever he decides to do!

Garrett is learning how to put his sandals on by himself and to buckle his seat belt in the car. Now this may not seem huge to anyone else, but this is such a time saver for me. We can get ready and Garrett not be waiting to put his shoes on (and getting into trouble of one sort or another!).

I mentioned in my last post a book I am reading. Well, I still haven't finished the book, but I have started trying to apply some of the principles. And I am seeing some success. I have been working hard to catch the boys doing something right, rather than just fuss when they do something wrong. I tell them how proud of them I am and how much they are loved. As I was telling Garrett "good job" for cleaning up his plate from breakfast, he said, "Tell me you're proud of me!" I gladly told him because I truly was proud. Both boys seem genuinely interested in receiving praise, therefore they do things that deserve praise. I am loving this!

Well, I am off to catch the boys being good!

Where is the time going?

I can't believe that it is Tuesday already! I am not keeping up with this blog thing very well...and I have a couple of very loyal readers who want to know what is going on in our world! Sorry you have had to wait!

I am trying to think about all of the things that happened this past week...Oh, let's see...We went to several yard sales Saturday...I was looking for Homeschooling stuff, and found a game for Hunter we've wanted to get for a while. The game is Guess Who? and by deductive reasoning skills you figure out the other player's person. The best part is how much both Hunter and Garrett enjoy playing the game. Garrett needs to be on a team (preferably with Brian or me), but he loves asking questions. I don't feel too guilty about spending $3 on a brand new game that lived in someone else's house for a while...it beats the $16 Wal-Mart and Target want.

Oh, another big happening this week is some of our homeschool books arrived. Hunter is so excited...he saw some math fact cards that are part of the Saxon Math curriculum and asked to do school right then (this was at 5PM!) He asks me everyday when it is time for school. I hope his excitement for learning continues for a long time. We even bought Garrett some "school" books...letters and numbers. He was beaming when he said, "I get to do school, too?" He's too cute sometimes.

I have a new ministry opportunity at church now. I am going to be leading the women's small group leaders. We have a new head of adult ministries and I think he and I will work well building this ministry again. A lot of prayer has gone into this...but mostly I am amazed how God is bringing new ladies to me to lead groups. In such a large church, there is no way for me to know everyone...but God is bringing people to me each week! How exciting!

At this very moment, my adorable 3 year old has turned into an extremely adorable tiger! He is wearing a tiger costume that is intended for babies sized 12-24 months. Admittedly, it is big, but not really big enough...but he looks so darn cute!

I have had a productive couple of days this week. I have gotten lots of laundry done, cleaned most of the house, and organized a lot of my homeschool things. I also cleaned out the playroom (threw away a bag full of happy meal toys) and organized it, putting like objects together in drawers and bins and actually labeled them. I have wanted to do this for several years and now that I have done it, I hope that it will be easier to keep it straight.

I am reading a book called One Minute Mother. This is an interesting book. The author has written several business management books, and a lot of the strategies were presented in his other books, but reading how these could work when parenting was really eye-opening. The premise is helping children feel good about themselves and want to behave. I am sure some of you are skeptical, and I am not totally convinced the strategies work as well as described, but I am willing to give it a try. I want peace in my house. One strategy is to set one minute goals. Without expanding on the how, we have set our first family goal: to have a house that is nice (and clean) for others to want to visit. This goal is helping the boys to understand why they should clean up their toys before going on to something else, etc. Again, this is a work in progress...I will let you know if this really is working. So far, so good.

Well, it is time to bathe the boys. This day has flown by, as did the past week. I will try to be more diligent to post more often...then I will have less to say with each post! Good night!

What a weekend!

This was a crazy weekend, to say the least. The craziness started Thursday evening when our babysitter's dog got out of our yard. Brian and I were at drama practice and I sent him home to make sure everyone was alright. The babysitter was very upset, as were the boys, so Brian went out on foot and then in the car to look for Caesar, the puppy. No luck! So then we all went out Friday morning until around 10 to look...the boys were so cute, calling for Caesar. Hunter said he couldn't call for Caesar because he was afraid he would cry like the night before. I love that he is so sensitive. We put up posters all around...someone has to have this dog.

Friday was also our anniversary...11 years...I can't believe it! We went to Outback Steakhouse for dinner...nothing too exciting. When a friend came to watch the boys for us, Hunter says, "Hey, have you seen a weiner dog? His name is Caesar and he's missing!" Again, too sweet!

Sunday we went to a birthday party and Fred Flintstone made a special appearance. The boys thought that was too cool. They just recently were introduced to the Flintstones, so this was a very special event. It seems like we did a lot more than this for as exhausted as I was Sunday night, but this is all that I recall.

Just for laughs (for someone, I hope): Last night at dinner, Garrett's affinity for the word "poop" and it's variations (poo, stinkies, etc) and other potty words got the best of me and Brian. Every other word out of his mouth seemed to be "poop" but for no apparent reason, other than he thought it was hysterical. He was informed that he was not to say that word or any variation any more, especially at the dinner table. He promptly starts whispering something, so we bit, and asked what he was saying. He said, "I'm singing the Winnie-the-Pooh song!" My comedian 3 year old had gotten us. He found a way around our restriction. I have to tell you it is hard, if not impossible, to keep a straight face around this kid. I don't like to lose, but especially not to the wit of a 3 year old.

Hot, hot, hot!

Well, today I thought I would try posting early. It is going to be a scorcher again today. I am running out of things to do indoors to occupy my wild monkeys. Yesterday, I gave in and let them play in the pool in the driveway. I decided that if they were playing outside and I needed to be out to supervise, that I would wash my car. It did help to keep me from melting completely, but even washing the car in 100 degree weather is exhausting. But, I did learn that washing a Camry is much easier than washing a Caravan. It's fun learning something new.


Before I forget, I must warn anyone who will heed, beware of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers! I think they need to come with a warning...that you can't wash only one area. If you start, be prepared for the long haul. I made the mistake of trying to clean the kitchen floor just by the door. This area is always so dirty/dingy and I wanted to make it look just a little less dirty. Well, as you may already have guessed...I couldn't stop with the doorway because the floor looked so good. I spent the better part of 2 hours on my knees (not praying) getting the entire floor cleaned. I must say, the floor looks AMAZING! Even Brian noticed when he walked in from work.


Today, we are planning to go swimming with a friend...hopefully earlier rather than later in the day. That should sufficiently wear the boys out. They love to swim. Hunter has gotten pretty skilled at it and even does tricks. Garrett is not so fond of water on his face, so he is a bit more cautious. This is probably the only time this boy is cautious. And I may even get a nap out of this deal!

Tomorrow is our 11th anniversary! I can't believe it has been 11 years. This last year really has flown by. I guess I am getting older. Gone are the days when a year is an eternity. I guess I must get off the computer and get my day going. The boys are done with breakfast and are itching to get bathing suits on! Gotta run!

The van is sold!

Today was a weird day for me as a mommy. We have been trying for the last two weeks or so to sell our van. We bought a Toyota Camry a few weeks ago in an effort to maximize fuel efficiency, and since we are set with just the two boys, we felt we didn't need the van anymore. I loved my van. It was a badge of motherhood that I wore proudly. Everyone knew that I was a mom when I drove around town, toting my boys, their toys, a stroller or two and whatever other essentials were needed for the day.

The man we sold the van to actually was getting it for his son who has 4 children, 3 under 3. Yikes!!! He needed the van much more than me. I am at least comforted by the fact that the van is going to a good home (like it is a dog or something?). I did not realize how attached to this vehicle I was. I have never really thought of myself as overly materialistic, but it felt like the close of a chapter in our life, not needing the room of the van. On a positive note, we got over 400 miles on a tank of gas in the Camry. I think I will get over the gas-guzzler soon. (yes, I am "frugal" or "thrifty" or whatever you want to call it. Thanks Mom, you raised me well!)

It was unbelievably hot today, so we didn't do much exciting. We may just have to go to a movie or something tomorrow to entertain the boys. It is too hot to go outside and they are getting stir crazy in the house.

Hunter very randomly informed me today that he didn't eat sea food. I thought that was a very strange statement. But even stranger was the fact that Brian picked up some tuna steaks to grill today for dinner. Little did Hunter know, but he was going to eat sea food and he actually enjoyed it. Garrett did too. He said, "It tastes like chicken!" He is so funny.

Our evening ended with a cut-throat game of Monopoly, jr. Hunter, Garrett and I were playing. I am so impressed by Garrett's counting skills...he is getting the concept of one to one correspondance. I am also blown away by Hunter's addition skills. He likes to see how many ways he can make the dollar amounts he needs to pay. ($3 plus $2 or $2 plus $2 plus $1, etc). I am really looking forward to the fall and really taking the opportunity to teach Hunter. He just loves to learn...and it comes easily to him. He must get that from his dad, because nothing academic came easy for me...I just wanted to make high marks.

That is enough for tonight. I really am going to learn how to post pictures. I think pictures will add so much to the posts (especially for Granny, and Granny and Pop!). Good night!

There's a pocket where?

This morning Garrett ran out of his room at 6:45 just bursting with excitement. He says to me, "Mommy, when I put my hands in my undies there is a pocket in there just for my hand." Not wanting to burst his bubble, I gently told him I didn't think it was really a pocket. But he insisted, "But my hand fits in it. It's a pocket!" How could I argue with his logic...at least he had thought it through!

Sunday we had torrential rain that washed a lot of dirt onto the driveway, and that dirt just invited the water from the pool to play and we had a driveway full of mud! But that wasn't enough! No, the dirt wanted to see where the water was, so then there was mud in the pool! I love boys!!! I wonder why I even bother with toys when they will dig in the mud for hours. They had a great time, and I enjoyed spraying them off when they were done.

I am so thankful for the opportunity to learn about strange hidden pockets and the endless fun of a mud hole. It's time for bed...I'm sure I'll have more to write tomorrow...

Rockers and Snuggle Bugs

Last night I had the pleasure of being escorted (by Hunter and Garrett) to the debut concert of their rock band. They played guitars and sang an original (soon to be #1 hit) "The Hello Song" and a few cover tunes (Old MacDonald had a Farm, Where is Thumkin, and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star). Brian and I had a good laugh and were quite entertained by our two "headbangers." Watch out American Idol!

Today was a relatively normal day. Several friends came over while I met with the mommys. Hunter got up and dressed himself without being asked. I know he is 51/2 but I am not quite ready for him to be so independent! At least he still needs me to turn on the TV (if Garrett is not around!)!!!

When Daddy got home, Garrett was quick to snuggle with him on the couch. Much to Brian's delight, the little snuggle bug fell asleep right in his arms! Life doesn't get much better than that for Brian...until dinner time and we had to wake Garrett up. There is something to letting sleeping dogs lie!

Well, it is now time to get two (not so) little boys in the tub. It is astounding how much dirt and sweat they accumulate over the course of a day or two. I love this job!

Nothing to complain about...

Yesterday I had a wonderful visit with my friend Jodi. She is a remarkable woman and I am continually amazed how God gives her comfort. Jodi and her husband Keith lost their 4th child, Jackson, during childbirth not even a month ago. While I am sure she has her sad moments, she is genuinely at peace knowing her little man is sitting in the arms of Jesus! This really has gotten me thinking about how much I have to be thankful for. I often find myself frustrated beyond belief and even angry at my children. I really need to do a gut check here...I have my children! God gave me these amazing boys (for how long only He knows) to borrow...they are not MINE. I need to be grateful for each day I have with them and every opportunity to live life to the fullest with them.

So, today I decided was going to be a better day. It is AMAZING how my attitude has a transforming ability to it. It can be for the positive or the negative...today has been a better day. I have a choice to make each and every day, often many times throughout each day, to be cheerful, happy, and pleasant to be around, OR I can be grumpy, angry, and not too much fun to be with. I want to make more of an effort to enjoy my days with the boys. With all that I have been blessed with in my 32 years, I certainly have nothing to complain about.

Here I go...

Here I go...I am going to attempt to blog. I have been inspired by my friend Jen and by her friend Rachel. I want to have a way to remember what my life with the boys has been like, especially all the funny, cute, intelligent or down right embarrassing things my two wonderful children say and do each day. I really love being a mom, and I cherish every moment. I hope I can be intentional about documenting our lives.