New Adventures

My babies just keep growing up on me. Last week Mason started a gymnastics class where he gets to do somersaults, bars, trampolines, beams and a ton of other fun activities. He had a blast and tried everything at each station. He had his second class tonight and did great. Last week he was scared of the loud music at the very end of the class when they get to free dance with ribbons. Then they gave him a stamp on his hand and he FREAKED out. It was funny and sad. I did the whole wash it off with my spit as fast as I could and he was fine. Needless to say he sat out the ribbon dance and very politely declined the stamp at today's class. Haha. I rushed off last week without my phone so here are pics from his second class! So proud of this big and brave boy!!

On Monday Mal had her first dance class. I have been excited for this day ever since I found out Baby B was a girl!! She is doing a combo ballet and gymnastics class. She is the youngest and smallest girl in there but had a blast. She is dancing at the studio I used to teach at and her instructor is a former student of mine. It already feels like home and I am hoping that she loves it and continues classes for years to come.

When I asked her if she had fun she said "Yes! Dance to fwozen!" Then we got in the car and she was saying "up and down, up and down" - a ballet exercise song they do. So she is grasping some of it! Even if it is just the music so far!

We are not allowed to view them while in class so I took some before and after pics!

I am excited for the memories these new adventures will bring our family!

Big Kids at a New School

The buggies started another year of Mothers Day Out this week. We are at a new school and only going one day a week. Their first day was a success and they seemed to have enjoyed themselves. They did not nap, of course, but they are going to work with them on that next week! ;)

I am,so far, very pleased with my decision to only enroll them for one day. We've still had lots of time to play and do other stuff and I don't feel like I am planning for school all week. But, the kids are stil able to get some socialization and structure!

Their teachers were very sweet and complimented them. They were also patient when I asked a million questions about how they did all day.

My favorite part was when I picked Mason up and was talking to him. He said "Mason play dinosins (dinosaurs) wit da kids", "Mason play outside cars wit da kids", "have fun wit da kids". He was just so proud of his day with his class. Mallory didn't say much, she was too busy playing to stop and say hi when I got there. So I am pretty sure she had a good day.

I did also learn that they were sweet and kind to everyone, but eachother. Did that surprise me? Not one bit. Maybe one day they will get along.

I am excited for the rest of the year and the fun things they will be doing and learning.

My happy handsome big boy!

Last year. My, how time flies and how quickly they grow...

My silly beautiful baby girl!

And wow. From baby to toddler in a year...

Outside their classroom all ready for the first day!

The first place he went to play! Sister roamed off to the dollhouse. :)

A little after school treat!

Proud of these babes and praying the rest of their school year is a success!

Catching Up, Again

We packed a lot of fun into the last minute of summer so sorry for disappearing for a bit!

Sharing memories so that we have them forever on the blog. Backing up to over 2 weeks ago...

We met our friends Sara, Baby Cora and Bri for lunch!

Princess was so proud that she got C's pacifier to stick onto her toe. Maybe that's why Sara hasn't let my kids around the baby since. Hehe.

We registered my baby girl for dance! I am so excited for her and to share my love for dance with my daughter!

We made a trip to the lake to fish and ride jet skis for mine and the babies first time!! They were so fun and the kids were troopers. Mal was excited to sleep in the bunk beds.

Mason in his own bed that I had to get in to keep him from falling off all night. He sleeps crazy. The kids loved the jet skis and they each caught a little white bass on the boat.

It was clearly so much stinking fun, wore my little man out!

We came home to a box of goodies from Aunt Mami. Let me just say, it pays to have connections in education. Our book collection just grew by about a hundred, with some of my all time favorites! Thanks Mami!

We celebrated my Auntie K's birthday.

I decided the day after getting home from the lake I wanted to just get Mallory's room switched over. So I painted all afternoon into the wee hours of the morning and finished it. I am so pleased with the design of her new room!

Maser asked me to put this "sticker" on him. I obliged while trying to explain it was a tattoo, not a sticker. Let's just say I don't think we will have to worry about this one getting inked at any point. He was NOT a fan that it wouldn't come off. Ha.

The buggies both got haircuts.

I am happy to report that my hard work paid off. She is sleeping wonderfully in her new, quiet, blacked out princess room!

Then last weekend we went to Fredericksburg to visit Popo (D's grandpa) and attend the county fair. Popo always has ice cream of course!

Aunt Sandy drove from Austin to visit a bit too!

The "horsey races" were so much fun and the kids did so well. Mason was in love with the tractors on the track that pull the gates. He now calls them the "tractor races". 

They even rode some rides at the carnival. Too big dangit!

Beep beep!

Their own horsey race!

And once again, the fun was just too much to handle. This was before we even got out of the parking lot!

We came home and decided I needed to just knock out painting over all the pink paint in the new playroom. So one day and 10 long hours of painting later, we are LOVING this space as the playroom. Still need to decorate but it's great. Bright and big. All the work, the little money for paint, and the sore feet were totally worth it doing the room switch. Now, no more house projects for a while!

Yesterday I got to keep my sweet baby nephew. He was SO good and I think he enjoyed his time with us as much as we enjoyed loving on him!

Today we had meet the teacher at our new Mothers Day Out. Trying to get a before pic and once again, nobody cooperates.

They had the Kona Ice truck there and the kids loved their first snow cone! Their teachers were sweet and I think it's going to be a fun year at "school" one day a week.

Phew. That's life here. Now I am ready for this weekend at home to recover and watch some college football!! Wreck em Tech!! 

Just Sayin...

Another collection of random thoughts and happenings...

Tonight in the car we were singing "If you're happy and you know it say Amen, Amen! If you're happy and you know it say Amen..." Mason yells "Oh Man". Umm. No buddy. Amen and Oh man do NOT mean the same thing. "In Jesus name I pray, Oh man."

Gosh he's got my heart with his funny sayings, random sweet kisses and that smile!

Mallory, bless her, has decided that sleep is 100% overrated. In fact, it is now common for her to be totally completely awake at midnight. And it takes her almost 2 hours to fall asleep at naptime. My Mommy manual didn't say anything about 2 year old sleep regression. But for the record... It sucks. I love her but her new found joy in being awake, yeah not so much loving that.

We have some ideas and a plan in place to try to combat this. One of those things will happen next week and it will involve switching her room to what is currently the playroom. Her room has that huge north facing window and arch window so it is always bright bright bright. Great for playing, not so much for sleeping. So, this Mommy gets to paint her new room (again) and start on a playroom. Her current room is slightly bigger so I am actually pretty excited to utilize the space as play space. And, blackout curtains are on the way for the one small window in her new room! Now, wish I would have thought of this back in January before I did the big kid rooms, but, you know. I like to make life complicated! ;)

Mason woke up Monday night at 1 am and didn't go back to sleep until 5 am. He kept saying "ear hurt" and just crying. Turned out to be dreaded swimmers ear. His pain at night has been awful. These are much worse then inner ear infections! Poor little guy.

Y'all, please stage an intervention. I have a serious problem. I indulge at least weekly if not twice a week...

I love this little guy soooo much. Being his Aunt is amazing. 

We attended our first Triple A baseball game for D's company picnic night. It was really fun and the buggies were just happy as can be.

The kids wanted to hold their backpacks leaving the gym one morning. It gave me visions of them walking together at kindergarten. I got teary eyed and then freaked out. My kids are NOT growing up. They will be home with me forever!

Summer Nights

We have been in our house for almost a year now and still loving it. One of my favorite things about it this (abnormally mild) summer has been our evening walks.

When we first moved into our neighborhood I quickly realized, with the exception of a couple of houses, we are surrounded by grandparents, parents with grown children, and families with high schoolers and elementary aged kids. We are definitely the "young" family on the block! As we have lived here, I am fully aware now how much I love our quiet area and how every night the streets are filled with families walking their dogs and enjoying the weather.

One of the other neat things that I was honestly unsure about when we first moved here is the little farm down the street. They raise peacocks and some goats, chickens, and a few other animals.  

The kids love to walk down to the farm and count the "cocks" as Mason calls them. (Not trying to be crude here, that's really how he says it no matter how I correct him!)

And then all the gorgeous houses and tree lined streets... Yep, loving it! Our summer evening walks have been peaceful, pleasant, and a great way to bond with my littles!

What has been one of your surprise favorites with your family this summer?