Red Day

I was so proud of my back-to-school shopping this year. I actually started early in the summer, and did it online. I sifted through websites with coupon codes, and combed through all the stores clearance sections. After all, the stuff they have on the rack at the beginning of the summer is already their winter selections, so I figured clearance is a great place to go. I saved a butt-load of money, and got the kids a pretty good amount of clothes to start school with. So, this week went great, clothes-wise, and my kids looked handsome or cute (depending on if your talking about the boy or the girl). Enter Friday. Do you remember the Kinder Kate blog where Kate told me she had to wear red, but didn't know the day she had to? Well, Thursday, I found out that she had to wear red on Friday. Yes, yes, in the back of my head I assumed it would be Friday that she had to wear red, afterall I have had one kid do this kindergarten thing before. On the otherside of my head, I thought, well.. if the teacher hadn't said anything yet, maybe they are doing the colors for two weeks.. or maybe I was just being lazy and didn't find her anything to wear. Choosing to worry about other things besides what my daughter was going to wear on red day. I should have worried a wee bit more. Thursday night, I was trying to figure out what she was going to wear. Hmm, she has a denim skirt with a red belt with white polk-a-dots. She could wear a white shirt, but at least the belt would be red. Then, I found an old 4th of July shirt that was red. Well, I thought, she could wear that.. but NAH, she would look PWT (poor-white-trash) and we don't want that. Plus, that shirt is getting a little small, and it says "happy 4th of July"--definitely out for the school she goes to. Lets just say, at this school, WE are the kids on the "other side" of the track... if ya getmydrift. So, I did what any other good mom would do. Hmmm.. I'll sit here and watch reruns of THE OFFICE and get my mind off the stress. And that it did. I went to bed forgetting all about Red Day. So, this morning the alarm goes off. Red Day quickly enters my head. oh, craaaaaaaaaap. well, i'll just get her denim skirt and make her wear her white shirt (that she wore the day before -- another PWT option) with the denim skirt and red belt. Only problem.. said denim skirt is in the dirty clothes. Now, I'm not one that has to have clothes crisp and clean. Heck, I'll admit it, I even take clothes out of the "dirty" pile once in a while (read.. "three times a week")and put them on my kids, or even.. myself (shameful, yes... I'm trying to keep up with the laundry.. really, I am!) but, alas, this time the skirt was WAY too dirty.. even for my standards. Well, dang, where does that leave me? I go in her closet and dig through her clothes. And then I found it, the only other red thing in her closet. A hawaiian "shirt". Yup, it was red and it was going on her body. (much to her protest--THIS LOOKS FUNNY.. I CAN'T WEAAAAAAAAAR THIIIIIIIIIIIIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!). I found some khaki capris to put on her and some white tennis shoes (they pretty much have to wear tennis shoes b/c I can't ever remember if its a freakin' PE day, or art day, or whatever day.. and heaven knows, the ONE day I put her in sandals she would have PE, and then have to sit out, and then she would be HORRIFIED). Innocent enough, right? Well, no. Lemme explain. The hawaiian "shirt" was apparently a freakin' DRESS. I thought it looked dress like, but when we have 5 minutes until we have to get out the door, I don't care what it is, it's going on her body. I didn't find out until after school when I texted the friend who "handed down" the shirt, that said shirt was a dress. Cute. When I went to pick her up, and I saw her at the little cone waiting on me, I was horrified. That can't be MY child.. let alone Donna Bennetts granddaughter! (My mom ALWAYS had me dressed perfectly for school, and my hair was always perfect, clothes ironed.. you know, what good moms do. She made sure I was dressed to the "T" --whatever that means.) The shirt/dress she was wearing was all wrinkled with the inner seams looking like they were on the outside because, yes, it was THAT wrinkly. The khahi capris were now pants. Guess them capris were a little long, dontchathink? (said in my best hick voice), and her shoes were more of a "dirty gray" than white. All the white "paint" (whatever it is that colors the shoe that color) was chipping off the shoes, and they are also about 2 sizes to small. Luckily, the shirt/dress covered her hiney from where her pants were falling down to her ankles.. but at least the pants at the ankles covered up the shoes that were too small. Oh well, at least her hair was cute.. oh wait IT WASN'T. I really need to wake up better in the morning. I did her hair in two clips. I THOUGHT the clips were red. They were pink. By the end of the day, they were falling out, and just hanging on by one strand of hair on both sides. As I'm staring at her waiting for me at the cone I'm thinking, DOES THAT POOR GIRL HAVE A MOTHER?????? OH WAIT, THAT POOR GIRL IS MY DAUGHTER!!! A part of me wanted to keep driving past her cone. I couldn't admit that I dressed my daughter that way! Plus, Noah would run after me. Kate would try, but her pants would probably fall all the way to the ground. (who knew SHE would be my "pants on the ground" kid!?). So, I pulled up and braced myself for the teacher to open the door and let my poor PWT child in---at least Noah looked decent-- When the teacher opened the door, I looked at Kate and said, "silly daddy put you in that today??" Luckily Kate said, "Hey, you dressed me" AFTER the door was closed!
I guess wearing dirty clothes to school isn't as bad as I thought....

Movin' on Up

The other day our family was on our way home from grocery shopping, when Noah said, "Well, I think it's time I get my own place". Hmmm, I guess having your laundry washed, dried, and folded for you (notice I did NOT say "ironed"), and having food in the fridge, is not your "ideal" living conditions?? oh, ok, whatever.. so I told him he could move in the house across the street from us that is For Sale.. he said, "ok, uh, can I borrow 500 bucks?"

As funny as it was for him to say, I almost felt like I was in the movie FATHER OF THE BRIDE. You know, the part where the daughter comes home and they are at dinner, and she tells her Dad that she met a guy and she is getting married. Only when she is telling him this, the dad sees her as a little girl about 7 years old. I know in just a few short years that he will be telling us for real that it's time for him to get his own place. While I know that I will be happy, and every "kid" needs to grow up and move from the nest (and he better not be one of those kids still living in the nest at 30.. or this bird might just have to ...), I have a feeling that I will flashback to that day and see his little 7 year old face with his teeth coming in, instead of the nice man he has grown up to be. Time is a weird thing. I'm sure when I told my parents that I was moving out, they felt the same way. Of course, to give them credit, I really still LOOKED like that 7 year old girl saying that, so I guess that's not a good example...
Noah, you are growing up way too fast, but you will always be my "boy".. so get used to it and "suck it up, Surface!" love ya!

Kinder Kate

Me: Kate, what did you learn today?

Kate: justin bie.ber makes beautiful music and I don't like him

There is an example of your tax dollars at work, people!! haha!

Kara's first day..

Kara was SO excited for her first day of Mothers Day Out. Now, I'm not naive and I know it won't last.. afterall, she has older siblings and I know how this works.. but I choose to enjoy it while she IS liking it. She couldn't wait to put on her "fufiful" dress (beautiful) and her bows. Her favorite was the penguin lunch kit that she picked out.. because it comes with a penguin icepack. I don't know about anyone elses kids, but for some STRANGE reason, my children are obsessed with icepacks. They like to go to bed with them, carry them around, etc. again, very strange. Anyways, here are her first day of school pics. Enjoy! :)

Kinder Kate

I figured I would start a segment called "kinder kate". This will be little musings my daughter says about her day at school. We have two things (so far) that she has said today that have made me laugh:

Mommy! I can spell RED now!!!

Me: Really, how??

Kate: uh, I dunno.. but we learned in school today


and #2

Kate: oh, mommy, my teacher wanted me to tell you something.

Me: Ok, what is it?

Kate: I have to wear red.

Me: when?

Kate: I have no idea.

It might prove to be a long year. This will definitely be a different ride than Noahs Kinder year. Not a better ride, not a worse ride.. just different. Thats whats so great about all your kids, you might do the exact same things with them (school, activities, church, etc.) but each "ride" is a totally different experience. Never gets dull!

Another Year!

Well, another year has begun. Only this time, a bit different. My first baby girl is now beginning Kindergarten. My baby boy is starting second. Where does the time go? It seems like just yesterday they were both going to MDO and now real school. Wow. Noah was actually very excited and looking forward to school this year. I think he is really loving the fact that Kate will be there. He would never admit it, but he likes having her around... and knowing that she isn't getting to do something that he isn't! Kate takes comfort in that fact that Noah is in the same school. I told her that she could look for him when she is walking down the hallway, to which she replied, "but I don't even know where the hallway is!!".. oh, sweet girl! They both got up pretty easily today. I'm worried come Wednesday, though. By then Kate will understand its an everyday thing... she is NOT a morning person. By day 3 of VBS she was kicking and screaming that she wanted her bed back... so school will be interesting. Kara is taking the first day pretty well. She does seem a little lost without Sissy. They are pretty much best friends. I think she will do just fine, though... she seems to enjoy the extra attention.

Kate 1st day of Kinder!
and of course, BACKSHOT!!

Noah, my big 2nd grader!

and his backshot!

Noah and Kate look so sweet here!

Kate at her new desk! :)

Kate and Daddy

Kate and mommy

Noah wouldn't let me take any pictures of him in his class on the first day. I did get one on meet the teacher, though. He didn't even want me walking to his class, but too bad.. he lost that bet. When we got to the room, he did wave goodbye. He is a pro at this now. I'm so proud of him! Kate is totally different from Noah. When I dropped Noah off at Kinder, he didn't want to talk, and wouldn't let me take any pictures (what!? nothing has changed...). Kate let us take as many pictures as we wanted and didn't care when we left. She has Luke in her class this year, so that eased some fears, and she is also sitting by a sweet little girl who already started talking to her. I think this is going to be a good year for both of them! I'm so proud of them and how they are handling changes in their lives. Here's to a good year, for both of my babies in Elementary! Tomorrow, I drop off my third baby for the first time in MDO. Hope she does just as well as her bubba and sissy. Right now, she is singing and torturing the dogs.. lovely. Not sure what I will do on Tuesday and Thursdays with a little free time!! oh, the possibilites!!!!!!

Girls Vacay!

The weekend after Sea World the boys stayed home and had a "boys weekend". They painted Noah's room, rode go-karts, saw SMURFS 3-D, and probably stayed up late watching movies and just doing "manly" things. While all this "man-stuff" was going on, the girls and I escaped. I hadn't been able to see my Mamaw (dad's mom) in a long time. She is.. uh.. not sure how old, but whenever I'm that young, I hope to look and be as fiesty as her. Anyways, I needed to go see her. So the girls and my mom and I headed up to Dallas. The girls were pretty good travellers and we got to Dallas in a record time of ... 6 hours!? maybe that's a little exaggeration? We got to our hotel, checked-in and then took my Mamaw out to eat. She lives in a new retirement community. Everybody has their individual apartments. I love where she lives and I love that she is around other people and not so alone. She seems to be really happy, which makes me happy. We ate at Cheddars and she kept me laughing at stories of her life at her new home. You know, maybe she should start a blog. I bet she would have people laughing just at her fiesty-ness if nothing else. After we visited with her, we went back to the hotel and crashed... after 3 hours of Kate and Kara talking and giggling.
The next day we got to visit with one of my moms dear, sweet friends from High School. I love Paula like an Aunt. She is one of the most kind, tender-hearted people that you will ever meet. She has never met a stranger, and loves everybody. She has two grandsons, and we got to meet one of them. He was just 2 days old and such a sweetie. We took her to eat (I'm loving vacations.. eating and no dishes!) and then had a cupcake Tea-Party at her house and just visited with her and loved being with her. She loved having "grand-daughters" for the day, too. My girls took to her quickly as well and wanted her to sit by them and hold her hands. It was so sweet. Thanks, Miss Paula, for loving on my girls!!
After we got with her, we went to a local outlet mall. Well, that was a letdown, but it was still nice to walk around in the scourching 100+ degree weather. It's not like we aren't used to it, but at least our scourching has humidity to it, so you don't feel like your just in hot weather. If you use your imagination you can talk yourself in to thinking its the sauna at a spa. Anyways, I think I will take Houston hot over Dallas hot anyday. Actually, I would prefer to take Colorado hot, over Houston hot.. but that will never happen. Why, you ask? Well, my bones wouldn't be able to take the winter. Now, my ideal would be to have a winter house in Roatan, Hondorus and a Summer home in Colorado.. ..
Anyways, the next day we drove home and made it home safely. Not sure if my mom wants to do a girls weekend again, but I wouldn't mind next summer! Thanks for coming with us and playing with us, Mimi.. we had a blast!!!
**and again, blogger isn't letting me upload pictures, so I will do it soon! :)

Pictures

this is the little coaster that Kara could ride. Love both

of the girls faces in this one :)




Noah in front of THE coaster. Still in awe that
he rode this!

Kara and her favorite part of the pool! :)

All of us at Mi Tierra's

... and Buccee's! :)

I had so many more pictures. I don't know what's up with Blogger, but it won't let me download anymore.. it's really ticking me off.. ugh, one day maybe it will work.. when they are graduated.. from medical school. Until then, these will have to do.

Mamu and Roof-top swimming

So, one of our trips this summer was our second annual Summer Trip to Sea world--accompanied by Memaw and PawPaw (chris's parents). This year we decided to do three nights so we would have 2 full days at SeaWorld. With 7 people going--three of which are kids--it's just too hard to do everything you want at Sea World in one day. We did the water park one day (which I have no pictures of) and then the park (shows and rides) the second day. This year the kids were most excited about the hotel. We found a really great rate at the Grand Hyatt on the RiverWalk. The kids were so excited to stay at a "fancy" hotel.. but I think the thing that made them most excited was that there was a pool on the roof. Well, they were VERY excited about it AFTER the hour it took me to convince Kate that, No, we would NOT fall off the roof while we were swimming. The first night we got there, we ate at Mi Tierra (sp?) and then up to the roof we went to swim for about 30 minutes before the pool closed. Kate and Noah swam, while Kara got mad that I was holding her. She was sure she could swim, but we left her floaties at home. So, she would hold her breath and sink to the bottom, but HEAVEN FORBID you help the child. If I heard "no, I DO IT" one more time, I was thinking about jumping off of the roof of the hotel... anyways. She finally found her niche on the pole (the one you hold on to to go down the stairs in the pool...) dancing and hanging on it... hmmmm, 'nough said. That night we found out the Dallas Cowboys were staying there for there training camp. Pretty Cool! Everynight they got interviewed on the roof by the pool. How cool is that??


So, the first day we were there we got up and headed to the park. Man, was it H.O.T. Brutal really. But, at least the shops were cool, and there were some shaded areas to help keep us cool. We decided to eat first to beat the crowds, and then Noah "pinky promised" daddy that they would ride the steel eel. Now, I wasn't so sure this would actually happen, but to much my surprise he rode the dang thing. Not once, but twice. Momma won't even ride that ride. I rode the Great White (the one that goes upside down).. one time with Chris and one time with My Mother-In-Law (and dang, no pictures to prove it!!!!). However, I REFUSE to ride the Steel Eel. It just looks scary, and that one drop.. uh, no thanks.. I'll pass. We were very proud of him for riding that. Way To Go, Noah.. what's next--jumping out of Airplanes??? The rest of the day the kids rode rides in the Kiddie Park. Kate was excited that she got to ride the Shamu Rollercoaster with just her and Noah. Big thing for her!! Kara rode a mini-coaster, too. She flung her arms up way in the air and giggled the entire time. Talk about the picture of care-free. Ah, I miss those "care-free" days. Enjoy them while you have them, kids. (but, we all know you never enjoy them until we no longer have them...). By the time we left the park (9:00 pm) we were all WORN. OUT. No swimming on the roof tonight! The next day we got up (a little bit dragging...) and headed back out. This time to the waterpark. It was a lot of fun, and we enjoyed the lazy river (our name for it), the wave pool, and some kiddie areas. We stayed there until about 4 and then let the kids ride their favorite rides one more time in the big park and then left. We decided to have dinner all together on the RiverWalk that evening. We ate at the Original Mexican Cafe.. or Restraunt.. something like that. It was very yummy.. the service, you ask? Well, it was worse than when I was a waitress.. and that's an insult--trust me! By the time we got back that night, the Roof-Top pool was closed. It's a good thing we went that first night!! We got up the next day (REALLY DRAGGING) and headed home. Of course, we had to stop at Buccees on the way home (I'm not going to lie.. we stopped there on the way to San Antonio, too!). All in all it was a nice trip! It was so nice not to have to cook, clean, laundry, etc. for three nights! :) We had a blast with Memaw and PawPaw. It's nice to have extra help, but also, just more adult company with us! I hope we didn't wear them out too much.. but I'm pretty sure they had just as good of a time as we did! Until next time, Mamu!! (that's Shamu in kara language.. oh, and "mamu" can be the whale, dolphin, OR her sea lion stuffed animal..)
*so, I just tried to add pictures, but blogger isn't working right now. Boo. I think I will go ahead and post this and then just do another post with some pictures on it. Knowing me, if I don't post this now, it will never get posted! :)

Summer Fun

Summer has been very good to us this year! We have had a fun time hangin out... but, I have to say, its been WAY TOO HOT! But we DID accomplish a few things. One of the major accomplishments we made was (insert drumroll here): KARA IS ALMOST POTTY TRAINED!!! After almost 8 years of poopy diapers, pee diapers, blow-outs, and me going around saying, "oh crap!" (literally).. I. AM. DONE.!!!! oops, I mean, Kara now uses the potty (have to remember, this is NOT about me). She is so proud of herself, and we are proud (and thankful) as well. Just look at the cheesy smile...(or is she constipated?? i kid, i kid.. one day she will KILL me that this is floating on the internet somewhere....)

We also cooled off with our cousin, Dylan, outside memaw and pawpaws house in the sprinkler. That day was a lot of fun, and I had a huge post in my brain about that day, but well, sometimes my brain and my body do two different things. Anyways, we had a blast playing that day, and the kids LOVED that Aunt Shelly got in the sprinkler with them!

Kara got her first pedicure, and Kate was able to tell her how to do it. Mimi came with us for this fun little treat. I love the little animal chairs they sat in! The girls sat and whispered to each other like little gossiping teenagers. So Cute! Again, another long post in my head about it.. but now it's just a little paragraph in a blog. You know, I have the BEST blogs floating in my head. Usually think about them when I'm trying to go to sleep. I have a blog about sisters floating around up there in that head of mine as well as *who I would put in my presidential cabinet if I were to become president one day *One about why I don't like the anti-drug campaign in Elementary schools *What I would do differently as a mom if I started over again *One about each of my family and friends and why they are special to me.... and so on and so on. I always have a new one in my head every night.. but come the morning.. they just don't get posted. Oh no, I got off-track... shocker. Anyways, back to girly pedicures:

Kara also had her birthday party. Cinderella, of course! Here is the most normal picture I can find of her at her party..... Oh how she cracks me up...

..and another big accomplishment is KATE CAN RIDE A BIKE WITHOUT TRAINING WHEELS!!!! yipeeeeee!!!!!!!!! She is SO PROUD of herself!!! Just look at her getting so big!! :)

We also took another trip to Sea World, this time with the in-laws. Our kids LOVE that place. I will do an entire blog on that, but that was Noah's big accomplishment this year.. he rode the Steel Eel!!!! I can't believe it, I won't even do that!! I will blog about that later.

As much fun as this summer has been, I think I'm ready for school to start. Although I'm already panicking thinking about Noah going into 2nd grade, Kate going into Kinder, and Kara going into preschool.. They grow up way too fast.... BUT, then I look at this face (and knowing her brother and sister did it to her) and it suddenly makes the panic go away, and makes me much more ready... )

Hope everyone enjoyed their summer as much as we did! I promise (uh, maybe) that I AM going to get better at blogging. I've started running, and I'm getting a little better at keeping the house clean, so maybe.. just maybe.. I can get better with blogging... don't hold your breath though. OH BREATH... I FORGOT.. my kids have learned how to swim! They took private lessons with "miss Natalia" (one of my brothers friends) in my parents pool for three weeks (2 days a week) and now they are FISH! (Well, Noah and Kate can swim, Kara has mastered the art of sinking to the bottom of the pool... BUT at least now she will hold her breath when she drops down... that folks, is progress!!) Thanks to Mimi and Papa and the CONTINUOUS use of their pool without which they would have no where to learn.. and practice! We are really grateful that they have let us bombard their pool when "we" (kids) feel the need to "practice" (play around) their skills. I think next year Mimi and Papa might require pool tags to get in.. haha! :)