It's a Great Day

...to go to the park to play.

James's 3rd Birthday Interview

My little man turned 3 on September 21st.  We had an awesome dinosaur party.   I took some pictures, but my budding photographer (Alyssa) seems to have misplaced my camera.  So, instaed of pictures of the amazing party, here is his birthday interview.

1.  What is your favorite color?  Orange
2.  What is your favorite animal?   Elephant
3.  What is your favorite book?  Big Blue Zoo
4.  What is your favorite toy?  Blocks
5.  What is your favorite fruit?  Oranges and grapes
6.  What is your favorite TV show?   Paw Patrol
7.  What is your favorite thing to wear?  Orange dino shirt
8.  What is your favorite song?  Itsy Bitsy Spider
9.  What is your favorite game?  Operation
10. What is your favorite drink?  Milk
11. What is your favorite holiday?  Christmas
12. What do you want to be when you grow up?   Hair cutter
13. What do you want for your birthday dinner?   Chuck E Cheese
14. What is your favorite dessert?  Sherbet
15. What is your favorite thing to do outside?   Slide
16. What is your favorite movie?  Ice Age
17. Who is your best friend?   Sissy
18. What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy? Go to baseball games
19. What is your favorite thing to do with Mommy?  Eat food
20. What is your favorite place to go on vacation?  The beach to find lots of shells

First Week of Kindergarten

Alyssa turned 5 on August 22nd and just 4 short days later she started kindergarten. She was so excited.   New school supplies, new backpack,  new outfit, she was ready to go.

Sunday night we packed a lunch of her choice, tuna fish (only kindergartener I know who'd choose tuna for lunch), packed her bag, laid out her clothes, and tucked her in.  She was way too excited or nervous or maybe a bit of both to sleep.  She was still tossing at 10 pm.  She wandered in to my room around 3:30 am.  I knew this could be trouble in the morning.

Monday morning I woke up my girl  to get ready for the first day if school.  Half awake Alyssa sat down to eat a bowl of cereal.  This was not a good sign.  She slowly got dressed and even slower got ready to leave.  Jonny gets her outside and she breaks.  Full on tears, screaming, hyperventilating,  begging us not to take her.  Luckily, Jonny's mom was in town and could stay with James and Natalie.   It allowed both Jonny and me free to wrestle her in her seat.  Needless to say, I didn't get my off to school pic every mom needs that morning.

The whole 3 minute drive to school she begged, "Let me go home.  Take me home.  Let tomorrow be my first day."  We arrived at school, walked her to her class,  and sat her at her table.  After hugs and kisses we left her there quietly coloring.  I missed her all day.  I worried she just sat there and cried.  3:20 finally arrives and we pick her up (side note just to say that the elementary school pick up line is one of the circles of hell).  She cannot stop talking.  She loves school and wants to live there.  And I get my first day of school pic, sleepy eyes and all.

The rest of the week is a piece of cake.  We get into our new routine rather quickly.  Every morning she gets up, eats breakfast, and tells me she's going to ride the bus.  She brushes her teeth and gets dressed.  As I'm fixing het hair I ask her if she's really going to ride the bus.  She answers,  "Yes."  I get James and Natalie dressed in preparation for this next bit of song and dance.   I say, "It's almost 7:45.  If you're riding the bus you need to get your shoes on and get your backpack."  We walk to the door.  I help her slip on her backpack.  She looks up at me, "Maybe I'll be a car rider again today."

We've had so many firsts this week.  First day of school.  First time buying a school lunch.  First homework assignment. First ID card that looks a little like a mugshot.  First week of smiley faces on her behavior chart.  I'm proud of my girl.  I think she's going to love kindergarten.   I even think one day she'll ride the bus.

Alyssa's 5th Birthday Interview

1.  What is your favorite color?
        Yellow
2.  What is your favorite animal?
         Monkey
3.  What is your favorite book?
          Any, I guess
4.  What is your favorite toy?
           All of them
5.  What is your favorite fruit?
           Strawberries and apples
6.  What is your favorite TV show?
          Jessie
7.  What is your favorite thing to wear?
          Dresses
8.  What is your favorite song?
          Carly Rae Jepsen
9.  What your favorite game?
           Candyland
10.  What is your favorite drink?
            Sweet tea
11.  What is your favorite holiday?
            New Year's
12.  What do you want to be when you grow up?
             Chef
13.  What do you want for your birthday dinner?
              Chili's
14.  What is your favorite dessert?
              Brownies and cinnamon buns
15.  What is your favorite thing to do outside?
              Play on the swings
16.  What is your favorite movie?
              Free Willy 4
17.  Who is your best friend?
              Ian, Evan, and Christina
18.  What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy?
              Go to the movies
19.  What is your favorite thing to do with Mommy?
              Sit and relax with her in the rocking chair
20.  What is your favorite place to go on vacation?
             "Down on the desert with Gamma."

Just because we love him.

Tuesday night at about 9 pm Jonny got a call from his boss.  Uh oh.  AIG was doing an emergency practice.  Basically,  he had to act as though he could not access his building just like if there was a hurricane,  fire,  or other disaster.  He and his team met at an alternate location and got everything done without missing a single deadline.   He rocks!

Unfortunately,  this called for a 15 hour workday and very little sleep.   We weren't home when he arrived home around 1 pm Wednesday.   He had crashed (rightfully so) so the kids and I didn't get a chance to see him.  I decided to let him sleep.

Alyssa was very bothered that we did not wake him up for dinner.  "But he's got to eat," she kept saying.  She decided we should bake a cake for him so "he'll know how much we love him."

The following is our messy but very fun cake adventure.

Another 1,000 Days

James is 1, 000 days old today!  My parents put together a special treat:  his own treasure chest with 1, 000 pennies.  Also, my dadgave him his Cat in the Hat watch that James has always admired.

Staying Cool.

We have had an unusually mild spring.  Personally,  I'm loving it!  After working multiple summers in the Texas heat with no a/c I'm not going to complain about the beautiful weather.  The kids are loving the weather and outside time just as much!

April Birthdays

Miss Natalie turned one Tuesday!   I cannot believe it.  We had a milk and bookies party.   All the guests were asked to bring books in lieu of presents.  The books are then donated to kids in need in our community.  I had lots of fun with this party.  It was incredibly windy so I didn't get many pics.  The food included Mr. MacGregor's veggie tray, Very Hungry Caterpillar fruit tray,  Little Red Hen's bread basket, If You Give a Moose a Muffin, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish goldfish.  We had a great turnout and the park was fun!

Also, I happened to turn 31.  Not nearly as exciting.

It's rodeo time.

Lots of pics from the Houston Rodeo on March 8, 2013.