the deaton family circus

i have a new nephew

2010-10-02T08:42:00.000-07:00

Jaxson Lee McCollough
4 lbs. 15 oz.
18 inches
and PERFECT!!!

"andy growing up"

2010-09-25T13:56:00.000-07:00

Andy Growing Up

Win I was a babe. I lrnd to toc.

In frst graed I maed new frens.

Win I am a edlt I am gunu not get a job.

I guess he's decided that babysitting isn't going to work out, after all.

The grammar is lacking, of course, as is the spelling. However, I still have third graders that do not capitalize the beginning of a sentence or the pronoun I.

t-ball

2010-08-29T14:30:00.000-07:00

I can't decide if it's T-Ball or Tee Ball. Whatever. Doesn't really matter. I DO know that playing ball with a bunch of rookie 4, 5, and 6 year olds is about the most fun you can have on a Saturday morning!

Thanks, Aunt Judy, for the pics! And thanks for coming to our game!!!

careers

2010-07-26T09:28:00.000-07:00

Ben (who has always said he was going to be a policeman) told me today that he has changed his mind. He wants to be a construction worker and drive an excavator. He asked me if I thought he would do a good job digging up dirt. I said, "Of course, baby!" I then told him that he could go to work with Daddy when he gets a little older and learn how to use tools and stuff.

So, Andy says, "He needs to be fourteen. Because on The Brady Bunch, Greg starts working for his dad when he is fourteen." Ha! Thanks, Nana.

Andy then started thinking about his own career, and he said, "I don't want to work very hard. Maybe I'll be a babysitter."

"You don't think that would be hard work?"

"All you have to do is give them food and put them in bed. That's SUPER easy."

Well, I have set a fine example for him. Seriously.

andy's kindergarten graduation

2010-06-28T15:29:00.000-07:00

It's official...
Andy is a
FIRST
grader.

it's summer!

2010-06-27T18:49:00.000-07:00

No excuses...I will try to blog more often because SCHOOL'S OUT!

We started our summer break with a week at the beach with some sweet friends. It's been a VERY long time since I have stayed up until 1 or 2 A.M....but that is exactly what we did every night! It was awesome!

The kiddos stayed up pretty late as well, but this is how we usually found them!

We made s'mores. A LOT of s'mores.

Brody thought this dragon needed a bite of his hot dog.
We could not stop laughing about this!

Ben and Brody were good buddies. Love them!

So far, our summer is busy, busy. But that is OK with me. We are having plenty of fun!

sweet boy

2010-03-26T19:42:00.001-07:00

I just found this picture...I hardly remember Benji being a little boy like this. Oh, he was SOOOO sweet!

quiet night

2010-03-26T19:27:00.000-07:00

My hubby and my boys are at the church camping out tonight. Belle and I have the house to ourselves! I have been looking forward to this since I signed the guys up for the campout!

A couple of nights ago, I was putting Andy to bed and getting ready to pray with him. He said, "Mom, tonight I am going to tell God that I am SO glad we have a computer so I can go to legos.com, and I am SO glad that Daddy is smart and helps me build stuff with legos."
I told him that those were awesome things to thank God for.
He leans toward me and says, "Could you tell Him for me? I don't think I can explain it to Him."
Oh, how I love that boy.

snow!

2010-02-13T15:38:00.000-08:00

what's missing from this picture???

2010-01-30T11:49:00.000-08:00

Andy's tooth!!!

Andy lost his first tooth this week--on Thursday. I was a little sad, but he was SOOOOO excited. The tooth fairy visited that night and left him a crisp dollar bill!

basketball

2010-01-18T15:29:00.000-08:00

Andy has started playing basketball. He loves it. I mean, he gets to see his best friend at practice and games, lots of people who love him come and cheer him on, and he LOVES yellow Gatorade. So, it's not so much the game that he loves, but the social aspect of it. I think he got that from me. And Deneise.

Every time he sees someone taking his picture, he stops and smiles. Seriously. Luckily, his coach is one of the most patient people ever. I don't think I could coach a group of 5-year-olds in a sport they've never played. But I DO LOVE watching me some 5-year-old b-ball. It is the best way to spend a Saturday morning. Even if the games are at 8 AM!!!

rulers

2010-01-15T17:38:00.000-08:00

Ben: Momma AND Daddy are rulers at this house, right???
Kevin: Yeah, but I overrule momma.
Ben: Well, there's only one ruler at Nana and Poppy's house.
Kevin: Who's that?
Ben: Nana.
Kevin: (laughing) I can't wait to tell Poppy that.
Ben: (very serious)He already knows.

so thankful

2009-11-27T14:58:00.000-08:00

I am thankful that our cousins live close, and that we get to play with them often!

This girl makes me smile every time I see her!

I am thankful for my family (the ones you see here and the ones who aren't in this picture). They are true blessings to me!

I am very thankful for this girl (and her momma). She has made my days after school so much easier by taking care of Andy for me, and Andy loves every minute of it.

This little man made his appearance earlier this year...I am thankful for him and his mommy and daddy!

I am thankful that we had the opportunity to take the boys to Disney World this summer. It was hot and crowded, but totally worth it. The kids had a great time.

There are about eleventy-million things I did not include on this list. I am abundantly blessed in every way.

Happy Thanksgiving!

alphabet zoo

2009-11-15T16:40:00.001-08:00

Alligator

Bunny

Camel

Dinosaur

Eagle

Frog, Giraffe, Horse, Iguana

Jaguar, Kangaroo, Lion

Monkey, (tiny) Nightengale

Octopus, Pig, Quail, Rhino (hard to see because it's sooo tiny, Snake, Tiger, Unicorn, Vulture, Whale, X-Ray Fish, Yak, Zebra

Andy and Ben made an alphabet zoo tonight! If they couldn't find the animal they wanted in their closets, they just drew them! Then, they took Kevin and me on a tour of the "zoo." It was super fun!

(And you can just go ahead and ignore those spots on the carpet that look like stains...there MUST be something wrong with my camera. Because I DO NOT have stains on every square inch of the carpet in this house.)

halloween...yeah, I know it's late!

2009-11-15T16:38:00.001-08:00

long time, no blog/kindergarten

2009-10-25T05:56:00.000-07:00

It's not that we have nothing going on, it's that by the time I get home, I don't want to think about the computer. But I did want to list a few things about Andy's Kindergarten year:

* He LOVES his teacher (and so do I)!!! She is so calm, and I am in awe every time I visit her room.
* He can READ! We have been working on sight words for a long time now, but it was always a chore for him. Now, he can't wait to get home to read something. He reads out loud to me, he reads to Ben, and he really loves for Daddy and me to read to him. He even loves to listen to chapter books! (This makes my heart happy!)
* He wants to write stories all the time. And they aren't too bad, considering he is 5. He stays on topic (usually animals) and puts his whole heart into it.
* He knows and UNDERSTANDS how to use the words respect, trustworthiness, and character. And he is SO proud that his class won Character Classroom for the first six weeks.
* He falls asleep on the way home almost every day. He is worn out after all that learning!
* He refuses to buy his lunch. Even on chicken strip day, I have to pack it. Which is a bit of a bummer for me, but I guess it's better for him.
* I get to see him during the day, and that is so cool! I love having him on campus with me. My class and his class are "buddies," so we get to hang out and do fun stuff with them every couple of weeks.

Here are a couple of pics (not related to Kindergarten!) that I took of the boys while I was cleaning the pool. They decided it would be okay to swim, though the water was a little chilly for my taste! Normally, they would wear actual swim trunks, but sometimes...

boys

2009-08-27T17:19:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I walked to the boys' bathroom and heard a lot of laughing--never a good thing (right, Miss Estes?). Here's how it went:

Andy: Ben just flushed a TOY down the TOILET!!!
Me: WHAT??? What kind of toy???
Ben: (laughing, still) A dinosaur!
(Ben was quite proud!)
Me: What kind of dinosaur???

Okay, I was looking for stuffed, squishy, big, little...

Ben:.......a triceratops!

I was laughing too hard to be mad, and I went to tell Kevin the story. While I did that, Ben also flushed a car. As of now, the toilet is still working, but I'm sure soon enough we'll be seeing some aftershocks!

one, true God

2009-08-17T03:58:00.001-07:00

I was in Andy's room praying with him last night, and he said, "Mom, our God is the ONE true God.".
I said, "Yeah, he is! How do you know that?"
"Well, when Daniel had to get in that lions' den, God made their mouths stay closed so they wouldn't eat him! And they were HUNGRY!"
He then went on to tell me that he also knows God is the one, true God because Shadrach, Meshach, and "A-ben-dee-go" didn't burn up in that fire!
***not sure if those names are spelled right, but I don't have time to look them up!

So, all that to say, I am thankful for my church, and the sweet girls who love Jesus and my kids so much that they share truths like that with them faithfully every week. Thanks Stacey, Heather, Neesie, Sarah, and Sasha! My boys are growing in truth because of you!

my boys are a little obsessed with star wars...

2009-07-21T16:13:00.001-07:00

I overheard Andy saying this to Ben:

"Ben, I'll be your master, and teach you all kinds of tricks. Then, you can be just like me when I DIE!"

A little disturbing, yes, but still makes me laugh!

Disney World, part 1

2009-06-29T13:44:00.000-07:00

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

heeellllooooo!

2009-06-29T11:29:00.000-07:00

I'm working on my Disney post, but for now...
This is how Ben went to the grocery store today. Notice how the legs are now capris? He's had this for over a year and still loves to put it on. He loves anything he can dress up in. He is SO funny!

world's worst blogger

2009-04-29T18:33:00.000-07:00

Well, it's me!!!
I have a few pictures to post, but nothing exciting going on. So here are a few boring details (mainly for J , who I know is thinking that I need to update!):
- I have cooked dinner the last three nights. OK, tonight I cooked a frozen pizza, but I am counting it. We have even eaten at the table TOGETHER, at the same time, all three nights.
- Andy had an accident at school yesterday, and the only pants in the school's extra closet were these tiny little jean/leggings. They were short and tight!!! I seriously could not stop laughing when I saw him.
- Ben told me tonight that grape juice is his favoritist.
- TAKS is officially over for my students. YAY!
- We are reading my favorite book at school right now, Because of Winn-Dixie. :)
- My baby, Andrew, will be 5 in one week.
- My husband is the greatest. I washed dishes last night, and I couldn't remember the last time I had actually done that. He has taken care of it for so long. I love him.

Here are a few funnies for you:

I found Ben behind one of the speakers the other night...

Here's why!

He's covered in marker!

And here is that man of mine...in all his bling!

interior design

2009-04-14T16:58:00.001-07:00

Andy decided to use his book of one trillion Pokemon stickers to decorate his door. Awesome!

superboys

2009-04-14T16:40:00.001-07:00

warning!

2009-04-01T17:55:00.000-07:00

Bakugan Balls WILL melt if you hide them in the oven, and then your mom preheats it to 325 degrees without looking in it!

disney on ice

2009-03-29T16:50:00.000-07:00

Today we got to go to Disney on Ice with some of our family. It was an awesome show! The boys LOVED it.

Here is Ben eating his $10 cotton candy. And, no, I did not type that wrong. It was $10.

Ben said, "Mmmm...It tastes like fur!"

The bank-breaking cotton candy did come with this very fun Flounder hat, which the boys did a great job sharing!

And here is a bonus picture for you...My sweet nephew, Brody.
He loves me.

picnic at the park

2009-03-17T15:33:00.000-07:00

Today the boys and I went to the park to meet some good friends. Most of these friends are former students of mine...some were even in my class the year I was pregnant with Andy! It was so fun to hang out with them and their mommas!

Here are some pics of the sweet boys...

andy's beliefs

2009-03-14T07:01:00.000-07:00

Thursday night, I made pork chops, peas, and mashed potatoes for dinner. Andy does not like to eat anything green. But, to that, I say "tough!" So, anyway, as we are sitting at the table, three of us are eating and one of us (Andy) is crying and says, "I can't believe that everyone likes peas except me!!! Waaaa..."
I say, "Well, believe it, and maybe you will like the next bite."
He says, "I don't believe in anything except God. (pause...) And Jesus."
So, really, in the grand scheme, I guess I would rather him believe in God (and Jesus) than in liking peas.
But I still made him eat four bites. Because he's four.

awwww

2009-03-04T16:49:00.000-08:00

This is my baby brother and his baby boy. Oh, I love these two!!!

balance

2009-03-02T18:45:00.001-08:00

How can you keep up with Facebook and blogger??? Can it be done?

love, part 2

2009-02-16T17:46:00.000-08:00

Ben: Momma, I love you.
Me: I love you, too, baby.
Ben: Momma, I love you more than Ring Pops.
Me: Wow, that's a lot of love!!!
Ben: Yeah, it's the mostest love.

Ohhh, I love my boys!

love

2009-02-11T18:32:00.000-08:00

Andy: Mom, if an angel shoots your heart with an arrow, you will fall in love.
Me: Really?
Andy: Yes.....I hope that doesn't happen to me.
Me: Why?
Andy: I would have too many girls to choose from.

A few minutes later...
Andy: If I fall in love I can't be tough anymore.
Me: Sure you can. You think Daddy's tough, right?
Andy: Who is Daddy in love with?
Me: Well, me! That's why we are married.

Wow...deep thoughts on falling in love from my 4-year-old!

sometimes, they are sweet

2009-02-09T15:20:00.000-08:00

My boys have been acting like...well, BOYS since we walked in the door today. After the third time Ben got hurt, I sent Andy to his room for some alone time. I explained that he wasn't trouble, but I wasn't listening to the fighting anymore! So off he went. A few minutes later, I heard Ben walk into Andy's room and say, "Andy, I miss you."
Ahhhhh....I really love those boys.

thank goodness for laptops!

2009-02-03T18:27:00.000-08:00

I have been confined to my bed since Sunday...with pneumonia! It is no fun. And, being on day 3 of the quarantine, I am beginning to understand what my sister-in-law has felt like for the past few weeks. Granted, I do not feel like doing anything, but knowing that I couldn't, even if I wanted to, is miserable.
I am planning to return to school on Thursday, but I have been assured that it will be 2 to 3 WEEKS until I feel better.
Ummm...wow. That is a long time. I had just gotten to a point where I could run 20 minutes on the treadmill (that is a LONG time for me to run, y'all). I know it's going to be a while before I get back up to that. Frustrating!
I talked to the doctor today and he said that I shouldn't be contagious anymore, so I did get to give my boys a small hug before bed tonight. That was the first hug I've given them since I put them to bed on Saturday. I miss being a part of my family!
But, if we had only the mac, I wouldn't be able to use the computer. So, again, thank goodness for my (PC) laptop!

oh, yes

2009-01-25T18:47:00.000-08:00

I forgot to mention that my previous post was written on my brand new laptop--a PC! And it worked beautifully.

It's not pink, but I love it anyway! And I love my husband for understanding that "I just need it." He is very wonderful. And I still got a birthday present from him:

Isn't it pretty???

pictures...

2009-01-25T18:05:00.000-08:00

Last week I stayed at my mom's house. This is the glass I drank my milk from. It is the same Strawberry Shortcake glass that I drank milk from when I was about 6. (The flowers in the background are from my parents for my birthday!)

The boys went to a birthday party this weekend, and this was one of the favors...

Sorry, Neesie, I know this grosses you out!

And here is my Benji, on Stockshow Day at school.
Yes, the buckle is on the side. He does it with no help from anyone!

really, they make me laugh everyday

2009-01-24T13:44:00.000-08:00

Andy: Mom, are you older than 18?
Me: Yes.
Andy: Then can you order that car for us (on TV)? You have to be 18 or older.

And the other night:
Andy: Ben, STOP taking my color pages!!! You are messing them up!
Ben: (running) You missed me, you missed me! Now you gotta kiss me!
I do not know where that came from, but I cracked up!

dinner conversation

2009-01-13T16:07:00.000-08:00

Ben: Momma, what's that?
Me: That's a mixer. (A beautiful, red KitchenAid stand mixer)
Andy: Did that come from Home Depot?
Me: No, Granny bought for me for Christmas a long time ago, before you were born.
Andy: Was that the Christmas Jesus was born?
Me: Nope...I wasn't around for that Christmas.

blogger + mac = mad marcy

2009-01-12T18:49:00.000-08:00

UGH!!!!
I really do not like my mac computer. Is it an imac? Or is that only the notebook ones??? I told Kevin from the beginning that I have never liked macs. Had to use them in college for a whole semester and I hated them. I am a PC girl! Don't get me wrong, I love Apple...ipod and iphone are awesome. HATE the computer. I want a new PC laptop for my birthday.
It takes me forever to load pictures to blogger, or to do anything on the internet, for that matter. And cutting and pasting??? Does that even exist in the world of mac? That is the main reason I don't blog too often--it takes forever to get my pictures on. And without pictures, let's face it, my blog is downright boring! My words are lame.
So, anyway, to sum it up, I am done with the mac. I have a birthday in 9 days. Maybe my sweet hubby will read this and head on down to the Best Buy...I really like those little Dells that you can get in any color. Pink would be rad!

very merry

2008-12-26T11:28:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas was definitely MERRY! We were all very spoiled. But most of all, we got to hang out with all of our families at some point during the week. Here are some highlights from yesterday:

Uncle Jason is the Transformer expert, so he and Ben spent some quality time together figuring out this new Optimus Prime!

Andy and PawPaw had lots of fun building puzzles!

These boys are amazing artists!

This was first thing in the morning...scoping out the loot!

And here is Mika B...maybe she'll be a teacher when she grows up!

Merry Christmas!!!

better than the zoo

2008-12-23T06:34:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, the boys and I went to Cabela's for a few last minute gifts. We were there for an hour and half! The boys love to go there and I love to take them. It's better than the zoo for many reasons, but here are my top three:
-it smells better than the zoo
-it's free!
-it's five minutes from our house

torrible!

2008-12-09T18:14:00.000-08:00

Tonight, Ben was having MUCHO trouble listening and obeying his parents! After several warnings from Kevin and me to pick up the toys in his room, I went in and gave him a little smack on the booty to get him moving. He told me, "You're mean, momma!" I said, "You are making very bad choices." He said, "You're torrible!!!"

I had to walk out because I was cracking up.

I told Kevin I wasn't sure if he meant horrible or terrible, but Kevin said he probably meant both.

rudolph

2008-12-08T20:02:00.000-08:00

My dad and I took the boys to Casa Manana to see Rudolph yesterday. This was my boys' first experience with live theater...unless you count High School Musical on Ice???
Anyway, I wish you could take pictures inside because the looks on those sweet faces when they saw Santa and Frosty and Rudolph...Precious! They were so good and had such a great time. Andy looked through the playbill and decided that he wanted to see just about everything listed. Especially CATS, because that is his favorite animal. (That is an exact quote!) He told Kevin tonight that he got to see the REAL Rudolph. He was also quite impressed that the REAL Santa was there to be in the show. :)
It is so much fun to watch them grow up and take in new things and try to process it all. They amaze me with the things they know.

ring pops rock

2008-11-24T11:16:00.000-08:00

Look at those lips!!!!

I am loving Thanksgiving Break! It was so nice to hang out with the family all day on Sunday, knowing that laundry and lunches could be left off of the to-do list.

Happy Thanksgiving!

i am not so good at the blogging...

2008-11-22T14:19:00.001-08:00

Well, Kevin pointed out to me today that it has been 20 days since my last post. Yikes!!!

Here are the boys in their Halloween garb:

Here are Ben, Jesse, and Andy at a hotel in Big Spring. They are watching Kung Fu Panda. Ben was thoroughly excited!!! We were in Big Spring for my cousin's wedding.

And here we are...in love. Awww...
Kevin has mentioned a time or two that we have no pictures of US on the blog.
I thought we should.

This week, we are out of school! I'm not sure who is more excited-Andy or me! We all needed a break from the day-to-day. Wednesday, we are heading out of town to go camping for Thanksgiving. I can't wait, because being in the trailer is one of my very favorite things.

I promise to keep this thing a little more updated. Well, I promise to try!

whew! what a weekend!

2008-11-02T15:12:00.000-08:00

***I wrote this on Sunday, intending to add pictures and post...but i cannot find my camera! So, pictures later!***

So, we start with Friday...the boys were super-excited about Halloween this year. They are all about candy. But, I think their very favorite part was the prizes for the games they played at the Harvest Festival at our church. Ben hasn't stopped playing with his little plastic camera. He looks at the animal pictures inside it and says, "Momma! I took a picture of a giraffe (or lion, zebra, alligator)!" Good job, Shellee, on picking prizes!
Andy decided to be the Red Power Ranger, and Ben was Jabba Fett (I know Jabba Fett doesn't seem like the right name, but it is. It's from the Clone Wars, which I know nothing about!)

On Saturday, I got to go to the Aggie game with my brother and sister-in-law. I watched the game until halftime (which is my VERY favorite part of an Aggie game!!!), then LeAnn and I went to the bookstore to hang out with Deneise. Fun, fun, FUN!!! I had forgotten how much I love College Station.

Today has been busy, too. Church, gym (because I did not work out once this week!), groceries, and laundry.

Whew! It's been kinda crazy, but great. I'm sad about having to go back to work tomorrow.

tough!

2008-10-30T16:16:00.000-07:00

Kevin: Andy, who do you think is cooler: momma or daddy?

Andy: YOU! I think you're even awesomer!

Kevin: You do???

Andy: Yeah! Momma's just tough.

guess what???

2008-10-28T14:49:00.000-07:00

1. Ben wore undies all day today with zero accidents. Even dry at nap time! Praise God!!!

2. Andy ate bat wings and drank vampire blood at school today. Yummy!

So, this week, I had resolved that I was cooking dinner every night, except Wednesday. (I used to be so good about this, but I just haven't stuck with these past few weeks!) When I got home, Kevin asked me what I was making--taco salad. He said, "Sounds great!" Then he says, "We should eat out one night this week. I am craving Boston's." I said, "How about tonight?" He started laughing. What can I say? I am weak.

fun pictures of funny boys

2008-10-27T16:55:00.000-07:00

vocabulary lesson

2008-10-20T16:50:00.000-07:00

From Andy:
erupt
(sentence) "Mom, Ben keeps erupting me. He won't stop talking over me!!!"

From Ben:
gibbling
(sentence) "I really love the gibbling Joker [on Batman]!"

Oh, they learn something new everyday!

not much

2008-10-19T15:12:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a while...
Right now, Kevin, Andy and Ben are playing in the tent that Kevin has set up in our dining room (We no longer have dining room furniture because we gave it to my brother). They are playing space ship and I am just sitting here listening to them play. The boys have amazing imaginations. They are blasting off to Mars. Then to the fairest times. ????? Kevin isn't real sure what that means...maybe the fair? We went to the fall festival at my school yesterday--maybe that is where that came from.
And for today's Bible lesson...Andy's class talked about King Saul last week. He told me this morning on the way to church that "Saul used to be just a plain, old farmer with a farmer's hat. Then God gave him a crown and he took off the farmer hat and put it on. Then he got to be the KING of the Isrealites." I'm pretty sure those were his exact words. I love him so much.

math...

2008-10-02T15:24:00.001-07:00

I asked Andy today if he did math at school. He said, "What's math?" Ben said, "Matthew, Mark, Luke, John!" I guess someone's been listening when I sing the New Testament song!

oh, wait, i forgot...

2008-09-28T20:18:00.000-07:00

I forgot to say that Kevin's injured hand is his right hand and the most injured finger is his ring finger. His pinky is also pretty bad. Fortunately, he is left-handed, so he can still write. And text, thank goodness!
I thought that was important for the story, but I forgot to mention it in the post. That is why we edit our posts before publishing!
And the way the whole thing happened is that he has a winch (yes, it's a real thing, Neesie, not just a person) on the front of his Jeep and he wanted to respool it to make the cable straight. So once it was almost all the way in, he was holding it to keep it straight and pushed the lever the wrong way, which sucked his hand into the spool instead of reversing.
And, since his right hand is currently lame, he can't even drive the stupid Jeep, because it's a stick shift.
And, do you watch The Office? I love that show!

okay, okay

2008-09-28T19:33:00.000-07:00

I know...it's been forever since I last posted. But, I got a very sweet, encouraging phone call from my aunt tonight, and she told me it's time. So...
Last Saturday, I was doing something I never get to do--take a nap with my boys. Usually, Kevin lays down with them, but he had some work to do on his Jeep. So, we lay down in my bed and zonked out.
A few short moments into the nap, Kevin comes into the house in a major panic. This is not like him. He is yelling at me that I need to get him to the emergency room, because he has just nearly cut off his finger!!!
Ummm...WHAT?!?!?
So I jump out of bed and run outside to ask my neighbor (who we know well) to come stay with the boys till my dad can get here. She's not home! So I run across the street to the neighbors who are outside (probably watching me run like a crazy person) and I ask the woman to watch my kids!!! I seriously have only formally met this couple one time, and have said maybe 50 words to them since then. They are very friendly, we just don't ever see them.
Do you hear what I am saying??? I was basically leaving my children with a stranger.
Okay, but Kevin's finger was falling off, maybe.
But, as Donna (the one I didn't know too well) was coming over, another neighbor (who I do know) came to check on us and said she'd be here, too. Phew! So, I call my dad and he heads this way, as Kevin and I get in the car and drive to the hospital.
This is the only time Kevin has gone to the emergency room since he was, like, 9. I am trying to be calm, which is easy, being that I NEVER overreact. ha! Kevin is losing it on the way there. (I hope he doesn't mind me saying that--I mean, he had good reason to lose it!)
So, we finally get there, and I drop Kevin off as close to the door as possible. As he gets out, a very sweet police officer comes to my window to let me know I am in the wrong place to be dropping off. Well, I sort of lost it then. I gushed about the situation, and she kindly told me to just watch out for ambulances that might be pulling out. OK!
So I park and go in, and Kevin is already back in triage. This is the first time I actually look at his hand. It's yucky! I won't go into too much detail, but gross. Then we wait in chairs (that's what they call it on ER, which is where I received all of my medical expertise) and we quickly go back to a room. The nurse comes in to check him, and then the DOCTOR.
Y'all, I was glad that I had on this cute dress and make-up, even though it was a Saturday. Because he was beautiful. Dr. McDreamy of this particular hospital, I'm sure. If I'd had my camera, I'd have taken his picture. No camera. Bummer.
Oh, wait, huh? I lost my train of thought there for a minute.
Okay, yeah, the doctor. He looks at Kevin's hand, and makes these faces, like, oooo, not good. So, Kevin says, "What? What do you think?" And Dr. McDreamy says, "Well, I can't say you aren't going to lose this finger. And if you've broken any of these bones, here, you'll need surgery."
EXCUSE ME???
So, I just sit there as quietly as I can, because though I am a little freaked out, Kevin is a LOT freaked out. And still in lots of pain, because he's still had no pain medication at this point. The doctor says, "We are going to take some x-rays and go from there." Okay!
X-rays, then a BIG FAT needle full of glorious numbing juice, then Kevin can relax a little. And since he was numb, I went ahead and told him that I might be in love with his doctor. He really did not care.
His parents were, by now, in the waiting room, so I went to get them, and since only 2 visitors are allowed at a time, I waited for them to go back. The x-rays came back while I waited, so his mom came to tell me that there were NO BROKEN BONES! NO TENDON OR ARTERY DAMAGE! That was a complete miracle. It was.
So, all he ended up needing were a few stiches and some very nice narcotics and we were on our way. Now, a full week later, he is still in quite a bit of pain. It's what they call a crush injury, and so his hand feels like a ginormous bruise. He's only taking the pain meds at night now. So that is the most exciteing thing that has happened at this house in the past few days.
Oh, and Ben wore underwear all day yesterday without an accident. YAY!
Whoa, I think this has been my longest post!

cuties

2008-09-14T16:05:00.000-07:00

what do you think???

2008-09-14T15:59:00.001-07:00

Is a bag of chocolate covered pretzels and a cup of grape juice considered a balanced and nutritious meal? Because that is what I just fed my kids for dinner. And I promised them a popsicle if they finished everything!
Go ahead and nominate me for mother of the year...I totally deserve it!

happy third birthday, benji!

2008-09-07T14:26:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was Ben's third birthday! WOW! That is so hard for me to believe. We had a fun time with our family. Ben got way too many toys, but that's fine with him! I'm not sure who was more excited about the new things--Ben or Andy.

When Ben opened this he said, "Ooohh, a swimming tang [thing]!"
He thought it was a life jacket!

He told Neesie it was too loud!

I am BATMAN!

He blew out each candle separately...so cute!

Happy Birthday, Benji!!! You are my favorite Benji in the whole world!

and happy birthday, papa jerry!

2008-08-31T13:10:00.000-07:00

Well, I can't find any pictures of Papa Jerry, but today is his birthday. We love Jerry and Cathy so much. (these are my brother's in-laws) They have been grandparents to our boys and parents to Kevin and me.

I'll post this one, because I know it's one that Jerry will appreciate.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JERRY! WE LOVE YOU!

happy birthday, collin!

2008-08-31T12:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we got to celebrate my nephew, Collin's, FIFTH birthday. I can't believe he is already five. He was the tiniest baby I have ever held. He weighed just over 4 pounds when he was born. He's still pretty skinny, but as you can see, he has GREAT BIG muscles!!!

There was so much chocolate icing on the inside of Ben's mask we had to throw it away. He also had yellow icing on his belly and arms.

Mika had a blast lounging in her little bikini. She is so sweet!

T-E-A-M! Go Team!

2008-08-31T06:29:00.000-07:00

This is my awesome team! I love them...they are the BEST!

Thanks, Emily! It worked!

TGIF!

2008-08-29T15:37:00.000-07:00

nuff said!

funny kids!

2008-08-29T03:35:00.000-07:00

Benji: When I was a little kid, my fray-vrit color was blue. But big boys like orange and yellow.

(that big boy will be 3 in one week!)

Andy: Today we got to play Play-Doh!

Me: I love Play-Doh! What color did you get?

Andy: Well, first I had pink and L (friend) had green. L was crying because she doesn't like green, so I gave her my pink and I played with green.

Me: Wow! You are a very kind friend to L.

Andy: The teacher told me trade with her. You HAVE to do what your teacher says, even if you don't want to.

Oh...well, at least he understands that much!!!

Our first official week of back-to-school and all that goes with that is almost over. I forget every year how hard the first week is! Andy loves Pre-K, though I am still having trouble leaving him in the CAFETERIA with about 13 million other kids. He's fine with it, but I'm not. Luckily, another parent doesn't love how it's all going down, either, so the problem is being handled. I just pray every day on the way to school that each morning will be smoother than the last. I can't wait till next year when he will be on campus with me!

i'm frustrated!

2008-08-23T15:51:00.001-07:00

Blogger isn't letting me load any pictures! I'm not doing anything differently. Is it just me???

it's almost time!!!

2008-08-21T18:51:00.000-07:00

Here are some of my favorite people...

This is my team: Suzanne, Terry, me, Eileen, Erin, and Kim. They are THE BEST team. They certainly make going back to work after a great summer much easier to do.

The boys are doing great at school. They were super excited to see all of their friends and teachers. Andy starts pre-k on Monday. I am just a little nervous about that because I will be leaving him in the cafeteria at his school in the morning, and then he will go to class from there. I know that everyone in that building will be looking out for those little babies, but he is MY baby. I wish there were a way for me to be with him until he starts class. But, I know he's okay. He has several friends in there and is so excited to go to "real school!"

In other news, Ben seems to be the victim of peer pressure--in a good way!!! He is very interested in using the potty these days, and he is especially interested while he's at school. Yay! Way to follow the crowd, little man!

Tonight was Meet the Teacher night at my school. I got to meet most of my new students, which is so exciting to me. It's fun to see them and talk to them for the very first time. They all seem like FUN kids. I am ready for Monday! I also go to see some of my kids from last year, and that made me a little (well, a lot) sad. They are bigger and I miss them! But, I know they are going to have a great fourth grade year, and I can tell I am going to love this new class.

fun with the cousins

2008-08-17T12:38:00.000-07:00

We got to spend some time with Collin and Mika today...

I love how Andy's leg is crossed...he looks just like Kevin!

Here is Mika eating her queso... So Cute!!!

this might be my favorite part of the day

2008-08-14T18:52:00.001-07:00

mixed feelings

2008-08-14T13:50:00.000-07:00

My kids are, at this very moment, fighting over a toy. I told them to figure it out, or it's going to the Goodwill bag. (This is not an idle threat. It would not be the first toy to meet that fate.) So, I think tomorrow is going to be a good day for all of us. Because they are tired of each other. And I am tired of them being tired of each other. And Ben just came up to me, crying, because "Andy will not be a watermelon." Huh? I don't know what that means, but I'm sure the cure is in spending some quality time with old friends and new teachers tomorrow, not each other. So, I am just not feeling too sad about going back to work tomorrow.

However, I know the end of the day tomorrow will not come soon enough, because by that time I will be missing my boys terribly. It's always hard the first few weeks.

I am excited to see my team again. They are the best friends to work with, and it's fun to catch up on each other's summer fun.

I really don't have much to say, but I got a mean text message from someone, telling me to update.

Oh, Vegas! That's why I haven't posted in a while. Kevin and I went to Vegas and had a blast. (THANK YOU to Le and Brandon for taking care of our boys!) We came home broke! (Luckily, Kevin is a conservative gambler, but I'm not. Anything he may have won, I lost. I do not know when to quit. I understand how people can become addicted.) We saw Danny Gans, and he was awesome. We also saw Le Reve, which is a Cirque de Soliel show, and I didn't get it. I think maybe it was a dream about Hell??? Anyway, not nearly as good as Love (we saw that last year).

So, there's the update of our fascinating lives. Hope you're satisfied, Le!

make lunch--check!

2008-08-05T16:43:00.000-07:00

Andy is so, SO excited about going back to school. He has all his new supplies, and we recently found the perfect backpack and lunch box, after MUCH deliberation--Spiderman. He decided, for both himself and for Ben, that the backpack needed to match the lunchbox. I totally agree. (Ben got Batman, by the way.) So, for a few days now, Andy has asked if he could pack lunch in the new Spiderman lunchbox. Well, that doesn't really make sense when we are eating peanut butter sandwiches in our kitchen. Yesterday, he asked again if he could pack a lunch. I told him that was a fantastic idea, because we were going to work at school for a while the next day. A little while later, I hear him bustling around in the kitchen, and this is what I found when I got to him:

He packed "lunch" for the two of them. As you can see, ha made excellent choices: peanut butter crackers, granola bars, raisins, fruit snacks, fruit roll-ups, chocolate covered pretzels, yogurt, string cheese, and a drink. Wow! He put the same things in both lunches, because "that's fair." I love that he thought to put all the cold stuff together on the bottom. He's so funny!

I am so pumped to know that I will not have to make lunches for them every night...Andy obviously has everything under control!

I seriously wonder what their teachers would say about me if I sent this to school?????

okay, i'm getting there...

2008-08-04T14:33:00.000-07:00

***I actually wrote all this on Monday, but forgot how to resize pictures on our new computer. Got it figured out now, though!***

So, as I have been working on about 247 yards of laminated wonderfulness for my classroom, I have started getting back into school mode. I am feeling a twinge of excitement about meeting my new students, and I am especially feeling ready to see my fellow teachers. Most of you already know this, but I work at the best school, and I love the people I work with. And this year we are adding a very exciting new friend--Deneise! I am so happy that she will be in our building every day. She just adds fun to everything!!!

Here are the boys enjoying some fun in the sun...I mean shade.

too much???

2008-08-04T08:32:00.000-07:00

Okay, I really do not let my kids watch TV all day long. I don't. We do lots of other things during the day. But, apparently what I am letting them watch is too much. Because, the other day we went to my mom's house and as we walked up to the porch, the boys got really excited and start saying, "Nana got Aqua Globes!!!!!" Wow. This is a little glass thingy that you stick into potted plants so you don't have to worry about watering them and we know this because we have seen the info-mercial for them about a thousand times on this Power Ranger episode we have Tivoed. (Is Tivo a verb? Can I add -ed to the end of it?) So, okay, that was kinda funny that they remembered that.

Well, then, this morning, the boys were sitting at Nana's table for breakfast and Andy sees a new grill cover, still in the bag. "Oh, did Nana buy some Space Bags?" I say, "Huh? What's a Space Bag?" He says, "You stick all your stuff in it and then put your vacuum in it and they get smaller."

Proud moment, as I realize that this is another info-mercial that plays during Power Rangers. So, I am feeling great guilt about the number of times they have watched Power Rangers this summer.

nothin'

2008-07-26T14:07:00.000-07:00

I got nothin! For this post, I mean. I really wanted to catch up on the blog today, but I just don't have anything interesting going on in my life right now!

Swim lessons are officially over now, which is just about the best news ever. I'm pretty sure Andy learned nothing except that he really hates to get his face wet. He really does love to swim and hang out at the pool. We go almost everyday for fun (and for my sanity--it keeps them happy and wears them out. win-win).

I had to go to work yesterday. Usually this is about the time I start thinking about the things I want to do in my classroom and what I want to do differently with this class, but I am just not there yet. I was extremely unproductive. It was nice to hang out with adults all day, but I sure did miss my boys.

Kevin and I leave for Vegas is less than 2 weeks!!! I am so, so excited. I love Las Vegas. We always have the best time there.

Oh, and I lost 1.5 pounds this week. I realize that is a tiny number, but it is a start. I am afraid I may have trouble fitting into some of my school clothes in the fall. I have been bad this summer. Time to get back on track!

Last, I just want to say that I love my children. I do! Even this week, when I have seriously questioned my abilities to tackle this great task of motherhood, I love them. I love who they are right now, for better or for worse. They make every day exciting. I am so thankful for them. And I am so thankful for the naps that they are taking right now, so that I could write this completely random post.

cookies

2008-07-22T05:54:00.000-07:00

These were delivered to our house yesterday evening. Kevin helped my sister-in-law's parents get some cabinet doors for their kitchen, and they are just the kind of people who go above and beyond with thank-yous. They are the sweetest people, and we will certainly enjoy the yummy gift!

Thanks, Grammy and PaPa!

If you look closely, you will see that the middle cookie is a cabinet door, and the one on the far right says "baby cousin!"

little helpers

2008-07-22T05:48:00.000-07:00

The other night, the boys helped me cook one of the many gourmet meals that I am constantly amazing my family with--English muffin pizzas. This is one of mine and Kevin's favorite meals! here are the boys making their pizzas:

At first, they didn't want sauce on their pizza, but after they piled on the cheese, they changed their little minds! So, we had to start over. But, they turned out super yummy!

summer fun

2008-07-16T19:40:00.000-07:00

First of all, I'll update on swim lessons: they are not my favorite thing. Yesterday was worse than Monday, but today was better. Well, better after the initial meltdown that lasted from about the time he woke up until the time I walked him into the shallow end of the pool! His sweet teacher told him he could just play today--no swimming or going under. So he did get throught the "lesson" with no crying. Progress!!!

We hung out with my parents and brother and sister-in-law tonight. Here are a couple of pics from the fun:

These days, Leann either cannot think about food or is starving-no in between. This was her first plate tonight! I'm so not judging. I say eat when it feels good! I love you, Le!

Poppy says he's saving for a real pool... No kidding, Ben asked my mom if she had a pool for him, and she said no. So he tried to be resourceful. The dog bowl was fine with him! He sat in it for about 30 minutes!

Finally, here are a couple of pictures that I have taken of my boys at bedtime this past week. Sometimes they get so quiet and I wonder why. Well, apparently, sometimes, they need to accessorize before they get their beauty sleep!

swim lessons-day 1

2008-07-14T19:18:00.000-07:00

UGH! Andy started swim lessons today. He likes to swim and does all the usual stuff-splashing kicking, floating-while we are in the neighborhood pool. He's never really been afraid of the water. However, Andy changed his outlook on water today. He cried the entire time. I sat on the opposite side of the pool, where he couldn't really see me, and I could still hear him. The lessons are an hour long, and at about minute 37, he spotted me and ran away from the teacher to get to me. He was in trouble for that, but when I sat him down to gently, lovingly (ha!) tell him that he would be returning to the pool with his teacher, he was shaking. I do not know what came over him, but I think he was truly terrified. Still, I made him get back in the water and do one more activity with his teacher. I wasn't sure if I should be furious with him or heartbroken for him. I know he has to learn to swim, and I cannot teach him. But is it okay for me to force him to "face his fear?" I think I'm right-just keep going, even if he is scared to death? The more he goes, the more he'll understand that he's fine????? I am feeling like a bad mom right now. When I put him to bed, we prayed especially that God would help him have courage to go under the water and not cry. I, myself, am praying that his sweet teacher will find enough patience to get through these next two weeks! Hopefully, I'll have happy reports tomorrow.

By the way, while he was "cleaning" his room this afternoon, Andy found a toy (that he has only had for a few weeks) and he said, "Mom! Look what I found! I have been looking for this for several years!" :)

favorite farm animals

2008-07-11T10:34:00.000-07:00

This morning in the car, the boys were having a conversation about farm animals. It went something like this:

A: My favorite farm animal is a horse.
B: My favorite farm animal is a cow.
Mom: What do cows give us? What do they make for us?
A: Chicken!!! (pause...) No, wait, that comes from pigs.

Ha!

back from vacation!!!

2008-07-08T13:26:00.000-07:00

Well, we made it home from our back-to-back vacations! We spent a few days in Galveston and then came home just long enough to get ready for a camping trip with the WHOLE family.

Galveston was great! This was the first time either of the boys had seen the ocean, and they were totally impressed. All the kids had a blast playing in the sand, collecting shells (then tossing them in the water), jumping in the waves, and just hanging out. Ben has no fear when it comes to water. He wanted to walk further and further into the waves alone! Someone had to be holding his had the whole time. I think Andy's favorite part was burying his feet and ankles with sand and then breaking free. We stayed at a house with a beautiful view of the Gulf (I know, it's just the Gulf, but it's still cool to sit on the porch and smell the ocean). We had a great time!

For the Fourth, we went camping in West, Texas. There is nothing in West, except the Czech Stop. Which we visited and spent $$$$ for lots of yummy kolaches! But, it is close to Hillsboro, so we did a little shopping. Mostly, we just hung out. This is the first time that all of mine and Kevin's family have traveled together, and it was just so fun! I took only 1 picture while we were camping:

This is my sweet neice, Mika Baylee. I love this picture for many reasons...first, she lost one of her baby earrings, so Lori put her own earring on Mika. So she had this big, heavy earring on one side of her head. Second, she loves her mac-and-cheese. She had it everywhere! Third, I think this picture tells a lot about her personality. She is very sweet, but is not one bit ashamed of flirting a little to get her way. She pretty much had every boy on the trip wrapped around her little finger!

And last, but certainly not least, I'M GOING TO BE AN AUNT (again) !!!!!

My baby brother and his wife are going to have a baby! I am just so excited I can hardly see straight. I know everyone probably already knew this news, but I wanted to say it anyway. Because I am SO excited!

ben is funny!

2008-06-26T14:27:00.000-07:00

While he was supposed to be napping, Ben was apparently having a fashion crisis. The red you see around his waist is actually a pair of shorts! He squeezed his whole self into one leg! I went to his room because I could tell he was sort of griping about something (I assumed he had just woken up grumpy). When I opened the door, he says, "Momma, I can't get the belt on!" I told him I would help him in just a sec--I had to grab the camera! But no worries--I got the belt secured and he can now tote around his Ninja Turtle sword. All is well!

We are leaving tomorrow for a few days in Galveston with our friends Lonnie, Adrean, and Brooklyn. Fun!!!

Fort Worth Cats

2008-06-24T07:24:00.000-07:00

Last night, we went to a Fort Worth Cats game. We had so much fun! The boys had more fun playing than actually watching the game, but Kevin and I managed to watch a tiny bit.

naptime!

2008-06-21T18:08:00.001-07:00

This is what I found in my bed when I came home from the grocery store.....And they didn't even flinch when I took the picture.

fun pics

2008-06-20T15:35:00.000-07:00

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I will let these speak for themselves...

answered prayer???

2008-06-17T06:25:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday morning, Andy asked me if we could ask God for a frog. I told him, sure, you could pray and ask God for that. A little later, the boys were playing and I heard Andy say, "Ben, stop talking to me! I am praying right now!" I looked at him and he was sitting with his sweet hands together and head bowed. When he finished, I asked what he was praying about and he said, "For a frog. And a cat. I want 2 pets." Oh, great! So Saturday night, we were outside playing in the backyard, and Kevin found a frog!!! Andy really wanted to bring him inside because he was pretty sure that God had sent that frog to our house! I had to explain that the frog would much rather live outside in the soft grass than in our house in a box. I told him I was sure God would keep sending the frog back so we could visit. Was that the right answer???

In other news, during the summer, I just pretty much let the boys dress themselves. Yesterday, they chose to wear cowboy boots (with no socks) and hats. Makes since, being that it was only about 400 degrees out. Here they are eating snowcones with Nana (Poppy didn't make the pictures!):

sorry, judy!

2008-06-13T06:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know it's been a while. We have been SO busy having fun, I haven't had time to write about it. We've been swimming at my mom's community pool (hers is way better than ours) and in the little one in our backyard. The boys aren't picky when it comes to playing in the water. Andy had his four-year check-up this week, and got FOUR shots. He was so sad! He kept screaming, "But I'm not sick!!!" Ugh! It is so hard to hold them down for that! We've been to the bookstore. Twice! I have read two whole books already this summer--I am so excited about getting to read grown-up books silently! Maybe we will start having D.E.A.R. time here at the house!

I am trying to convince Ben that using the potty is WAY better than going in his diaper, but he disagrees. That is pretty much bumming me out. I have been taking him about every 20 minutes to try, and nothing happens...until, like, the minute I put his pull-up back on, then he's all, "I teed in my underwear!" He says it very proudly, like it was what I wanted him to do all along. I really thought Ben would be a breeze, since he has Andy setting the example and all. Andy even goes at the same times as Ben, for moral support, I guess.

Last night, we went to see Kung Fu Panda. It was funny, and the boys loved it. They were so good. Andy's been to a couple other movies, but this was Ben's first. My favorite part of the night was when Ben sat on the edge of his seat and started belting out, "What time is it? Summertime! It's our vacation..." He loves that song (from HSM2). It was funny! He pretty much sings and talks all day long, even while lying in bed. He just talks/sings himself to sleep.

Okay, I promise to try to think about blogging more often. I don't want to disappoint my loyal following!

bittersweet

2008-06-04T16:57:00.000-07:00

So, today was the last day of school for what I think may be the best class ever grouped together. I am so sad. Not every day was perfect, but we had so much fun. Even the bad days were bearable, because I just love those kids so much. They are a group that knows how to get along-they were caring towards each other and helped each other out. You just don't get that every year (or even most years). But, I realize that they have to move on. I had nearly gotten to the point where I was ready to send them on to fourth grade. My time with them was awesome, but I knew they were ready to move on to bigger, more challenging things. However, at our awards ceremony yesterday, as we recalled all the fun times we had, I started unravelling a little. And when I woke up this morning, I knew I was not going to need any mascara today...it would have been a waste! I am so proud of this group. They work hard because they know they should. They make good choices because they have learned that it's the right thing to do. This is in NO way a reflection on me--most of them came to me with those things already in place. But it sure is cool to get to be a part of their lives everyday as they discover who they are and how to solve problems without asking me. I am so sad. But, even with all my tears today, not one of those little angels cried. They were more than ready to say goodbye. Now, I am sure that when the newness of summer wears off, they will start thinking, "Boy, I miss Ms. D. I wish I was back in 3rd grade!" Yeah, right.
Now, I must say, that I DO love summer. I am so glad to be home with my boys all day!!! They are so much fun, too. So, this is the "sweet" part. Summer is fun! Popsicles, water guns, sidewalk chalk, the pool, crocs, no ironing (except on Sundays!). YAY!
Happy summer!

Some fun, Some not!

2008-05-29T18:42:00.000-07:00

So, I will start with the good stuff...

First, this has been a FUN week at school. Tuesday was Ultimate Game Day (I missed this because I was home being very sick)! The kids reported to me that it was mega-fun. Wednesday was TAKS football. Third grade took home the first place trophy for the first time ever! Thanks, Coach Estes! The cheerleaders also did an excellent job, I might add. Today, we walked to the park near our school and let the kids picnic and play. They were so good and had such a blast. We were worn out when we got back to the building! While we were at the park, this sweet (?) birdie decides to hobble to my shoe and perch for a while. I was quite popular for a few minutes with all my third grade friends. Then Parker tells me that Corey is pretty sure the bird has rabies (he could "just tell"), and that got me a bit paranoid! Then, I sort of felt like the bird was looking at me with his mean eyes, so I freaked a little. I ever-so-gently nudged him from my shoe. Then he climbed onto my backback and pooped! Yuck!

And now the not so good...

I had to go to COURT today! I did not know I would be going to court and talking to an actual JUDGE, or I would have at the very least redone the messy ponytail on my sweaty head (picnic today, remember?). A couple of weeks ago, I got a ticket. Well, 2 tickets, but one was Kevin's fault because he forgot to put a new insurance card in my car. The other was the police officer's fault for catching me driving 54 in a 40. So, already, you can see I am the victim here! Well, when I got to the FW Municipal Building, I go to the window and she says, "You have 3 tickets. One from November that hasn't been paid." ??? Oh, yeah. I mailed that in and checked probabtion on the back, and "they" (the powers-that-be in this great city) hadn't sent out the bill to pay them for it yet. UGH!!! So, while I thought I had already served my probation for that one, I was wrong. Now I am on probabtion AND I have to take Defensive Driving. I sat in the courtroom for an HOUR and TWENTY MINUTES! And I really wanted to tell that judge how MAD I was that it had taken them so long to get me a bill for the old ticket, and how, technically, I should be able to do probation now for this new ticket.......But I was a GOOD CITIZEN. I pretended to respect the judge's suggestion that I do both probation and the "driver's safety course." I think I even said, "Thank you, sir." Again, UGH!!! Why does it have to be such a hassle?

Well, that turned into a bit of a rant. But I feel better. I think I may have cleansed myself of this hatred toward city government. Wait...no, there it is. Still there. Thanks for listening. I mean reading. Or skimming.

So, who wants to take defensive driving with me??????

Fun Facts about Frogs

2008-05-19T16:34:00.000-07:00

So we found this little guy in our yard tonight...

The boys started telling me all the things they know about frogs. Here are some insights from Andy:

They love to eat grass, sometimes. But mostly they love frog food.

They jump very fast, but walk very slow.

They can be still for a long time.

Sometimes they scare you.

And Ben tells me:

Frogs live in the ponds with their "mudders."

And now you know all about frogs.

3 different things

2008-05-16T20:00:00.001-07:00

Well, I didn't want to write three separate posts, but I have 3 things to talk about:

1. Am I a loser??? The boys are at my parents' house all night tonight, and all Kevin and I came up with was dinner (at P.F. Chang's-yum!), Barnes & Noble, and home. And when we got home, Kevin went to the bedroom to read while I sat down to watch the season finale of The Office. Ummm...does this mean I am getting old? Okay, who am I kidding, this is how I have always been! But, am I a loser?

2. Our third graders went on a field trip to Casa Manana this week. I wrote a reminder on the board a few days ago: "Casa on Thursday--bring a sack lunch." So on Wednesday, as I reminded the class about bringing a lunch, one of my confused kiddos says, "Why do we need a lunch? Can't we eat there?" I say, "No, we are eating at the park. They don't serve food." He says, "But, that's what they do..." I'm like, "Huh???" He says, "Taco Casa. They make food there." "Ohhhhh...now I'm with you. Yeah, we are actually going to Casa MANANA. It's a theater." I've said it before, I'll say it again...I love my class!

3. So, the 2 or 3 of you that read this blog already know this, but Emily rocks! She is just the best kind of person. Someone you know you can depend on, even at the very last minute. And she doesn't make you feel dumb for not knowing everything, or anything, in my case, about A/V equipment. (A/V equipment make me think of Napoleon Dynamite, which makes me laugh.) And so, not only did she make sure movie day happened for third grade, she also generously agreed to coach our football team. And she even knows what she's talking about. She said something to them about a running play, and I was thinking "What the heck is a running play? Don't they run on every play???" Well, that's why she's coaching and I am helping the cheerleaders.
So those were the three things I wanted to say.

the ref

2008-05-14T17:26:00.000-07:00

Ben has this toy whistle he bought at Chuck E. Cheese. It sounds like a real whistle--loud! He recently rediscovered it, and today has started using it to let us know when Andy has done him wrong! Tonight, each time Andy took a toy from from Ben or ran him over, Ben would blow the whistle at him. He did it like 10 times in an hour. It has been cracking me up! The nice thing is, he hasn't been running to me to tattle on Andy. I guess the whistle is enough punishment! So, Kevin and I think maybe we have a little referee in the making!

Random thoughts

2008-05-12T16:48:00.001-07:00

So, life around here has been a little slow, which is actually exactly the way I like it. We had no big plans for the weekend, so Kevin, the boys, and I spent all of the weekend together. We haven't done that in a looong time! Friday, we got to spend some fun time with our friend Parker. My boys pretty much think he hung the moon! Saturday was just family fun time, doing laundry, shopping, blah, blah, blah. Kevin took the boys to Wal-Mart at around 8 p.m. on Saturday night (yeah, he's totally on top of it, guys) to buy my Mother's Day gift--a new electric griddle (yes, it's what I asked for). We make pancakes about once a week for dinner, so it's going to come in very handy! My real present is sitting in the garage. I got a new car!!! I was pretty much sick of paying way too much at the pump for the Expedition. I drive about 50 miles a day!

So, today was back to school for the boys and me. Andy's class took a field trip to the zoo, and Kevin went with them. He's such a cool dad!

There are only 16 days of school left! That seems impossible! I love, love, love my class so much. I am looking forward to summer with my boys, but I am sure I will shed some tears on the last day of school this year. My class is just so awesome. They impress me everyday, and I will miss sharing days with them.

And now, in honor of Mother's Day, the top 5 reasons I love being a mom:

5-The smell of baby lotion on freshly bathed skin

4-Bedtime stories

3-Just listening to the things the boys say to each other when they think no one is listening (like when Ben was tiny and Andy tried to teach him to say "Merica Nidol," which is what Andy used to call American Idol)

2-Chubby baby feet, clean or dirty

1-The way a kiss from me nearly instantly silences their cries

Oh, I love these BOYS!

Happy 4th Birthday, Andy!

2008-05-06T19:43:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe that this baby is four years old. It seems like I waited forever for him to be here, and now I can't remember life without him. He wanted to have dinner at Double Dave's tonight. And now that Andy is 4, he is no longer free! Bummer!

Buzz and Batman

2008-05-05T18:28:00.000-07:00

Don't let these innocent faces fool you...

They are ready to strike!

Fun in the sun!

2008-05-04T19:11:00.000-07:00

Today was GORGEOUS! The weather was perfect, and the wind was pretty much non-existent. (Windy days are no bueno for people with allergies--Kevin and Ben!) I didn't take many pictures because I had my hands full trying to help Andy learn to pedal and steer (at the same time) his new "big-boy bike!" He did a great job, but really was only interested in making it to the playground. I think it's gonna be a while before he wears the yellow jersey! He had no interest in getting on the bike to ride back to the house. "It's just too hard!"

And one funny thing from Andy the other morning in the car...He takes off his shoe and says his big toe hurts when he bends it. So I say, "Okay, let me rub it for a minute." He says, "Well, I think I just have had too much sugar this week. I had a sucker yesterday and a Dr. Pepper, so now all the sugar is stuck in my feet. And it hurts." Ummm, I don't know what he is talking about, unless he has confused all of my talk about too much sugar hurting his teeth with hurting his feet. He makes me laugh every day.

Parties R Fun!

2008-05-03T20:08:00.000-07:00

This morning, we had Andy's birthday party at Jumping Party. I didn't think I was ready for the whole having a party somewhere else, but it was awesome! No pre-cleaning, no clean-up!!! The kids had a blast! Andy doesn't actually turn four until Tuesday, but he's been saying that he's four for about 2 weeks now, so who cares??? Here are some of the highlights:

Andy LOVES to climb and slide and climb and slide...Ben only ate the icing!
Collin showed Mika how to use the "blower thingy"
Two of my favorite Power Rangers!

A super fun day! Andy told my mom tonight the the best part of the party was playing with his friends (awwww). Yes, indeed!

Going to Hollywood, Baby!

2008-04-28T18:28:00.000-07:00

So, the secret talent turns out to be rapping. I have always been a great wrapper, but recently, I've learned that I pretty much rock the mike when I rap.

So, tomorrow is a big day at our school (I guess for lots of Texas schools), so "they" decided that the kids would love to watch their teachers make fools of themselves...and fools we were, indeed! But, the kids loved it, and my group made it to Hollywood! Don't know exactly when the tickets will arrive.

Here we are!

GEM

Left to right: Erin (teaching BFF), Grace (my student teacher/Erin's sister) and me.

And my friends Emily and Patti.

And this is my good friend Jennifer, AKA Muffy Midler. Muffy loves the movie Beaches so much that she moved to Florida. She was da bomb!

So, all in all, a very rewarding day. As much as I dreaded this whole "Power Rally," it helped me remember that my job is all about those sweet kids. The looks on their faces when we started...priceless. My students ROCK!

Extra-Awesome

2008-04-24T16:42:00.000-07:00

I'm loving my new blog look! Neesie, I'm gonna show you all the neat tricks I've learned about blogging! (Most of them were explained to me by Emily!)
And, by the way, I have discovered a talent that I never knew I had, but you'll have to wait till Monday to see the pictures. Because, unfortunately, there will probably be pictures.

Do you know how...

2008-04-22T17:25:00.001-07:00

...to remove CRAYON from carpet??? I don't! I am just hoping that it magically disappears one day! Apparently, Ben thought Andy's room could use a touch of color, so he colored some of the carpet purple and some orange. Beautiful! Ben's really into coloring things that really need no color these days. Saturday, the boys were coloring with markers at the table--no big deal. But, I guess Ben thought it would be super to look like the red Power Ranger. So, that's when I discovered the markers they were using are NOT washable! Oops...His hands were still pink the next day at church. Sunday night I scrubbed them so hard he told me I was hurting his skin! I threw the markers away.
In other news, Andy's class has been studying the solar system and the other night we were checking out the stars. I explained to him that we can only see stars at night, and he said, "Well, there's one star we only see during the day." I say, "No, we can only see them at night." He gently reminds me, "Well, the sun is a star and you can't see it at night." Oh, yeah.
(So if anyone reading this happens to have a child in my class, I promise I explained things the right way there! I even explained how Pluto is no longer considered a planet, remember???)
And Happy Earth Day!!!

How nice!

2008-04-16T18:43:00.000-07:00

And I just wanted to say that Blogger does a really nice job with the posotive reinforcement...like when you publish a post it says "Your post has been published successfully!" It really makes me feel like I have done something great. Thanks, Blogger!

Benji

2008-04-16T18:21:00.000-07:00

I love every little thing about Ben. He even makes me laugh when he's in trouble. Like the time he bit Andy (right on the booty) and he hid under his crib so we wouldn't find him. Or when I ask him to do something he doesn't want to do, he says, "That's not a great idea." And I love, love, love it when he says, "I luh you mama." He really is so sweet...most of the time. Last weekend, at Nana and Poppy's, the boys were helping in the yard. Ben had the job of sweeping, but Andy really wanted the broom. So as Andy basically has a meltdown about it, Ben walks over to him, shoves the broom towards him, and says, "How 'bout a little fire, Scarecrow?" I wasn't there, but I'm told he said it very much like the Wicked Witch of the West. Maybe a little less Wizard of Oz around here???

New to you!

2008-04-13T13:23:00.000-07:00

These are old pictures that I came across, but you've probably never seen them. Truthfully, I haven't seen them since I took them off the camera! Enjoy!

My all-time favorite of Ben

Stickers!

Oh, so sweet

YAY!

2008-04-12T17:22:00.001-07:00

Oh, yay me! I actually got a picture to post! I'm gonna try another...

This is one of my faves--Peter Pan and Captain Hook go camping.