Letting Go...

Letting go...
Easier said than done.
He smiled, so I smiled too (but inside it was different).
He was ready, so I prepared myself too.
It was emptier at our house that day, but I cherished the evening together.

Thank you for your calls, emails, & texts...it was just what I needed.

Free School Printable

I love these snack labels and they will help keep our snack supply organized as I make daily lunches/snacks for Benjamin. Check it out & print them for your kiddos!

All I Really Need to Know...

All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten


by Robert Fulghum

Most of what I really need
To know about how to live
And what to do and how to be
I learned in kindergarten.

These are the things I learned:

Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life -
Learn some and think some
And draw and paint and sing and dance
And play and work everyday some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world,
Watch out for traffic,
Hold hands and stick together.
Be aware of wonder.

I keep thinking about our sweet boy who has just begun a new chapter in his life.
Can't wait to hear all about it when I pick him up this afternoon.

the night before kindergarten...

We loved reading this book together tonight....thanks Polly for the great gift! Benjamin already knows what to expect in a small measure since going to Montessori school last year, but this will be more structured & probably less play time. He'll meet new friends & learn a new school. I'm excited & nervous for him all at the same time. Russell and I were just talking this weekend about how much he has grown this summer. Not just physically, but emotionally & mentally. He has matured & I know he'll handle things very well tomorrow. [The big question is...how am I going to do??]

endings & beginnings....

Our last weekend of summer break....started off with a tour of Benjamin's new school, dropping off school supplies & meeting his new teacher. The building has been under construction all summer long, so we were thrilled to finally get to see the finished product. Nice! Then we had a getaway in San Antonio....swimming & relaxing & nursing colds. I hadn't planned on the last part, but anyway we made the most of the mini vacation.

looking inside Benjamin's classroom

meeting his kindergarten teacher...21 in his class...a total of 5 kindergarten classes in his school.

Enjoying the waterslides with Daddy. Benjamin actually went down this waterslide solo at least 3 times, but Russell was always at the bottom waiting to assist him as he literally flew out...so I couldn't get a good picture. Anyway, he had a blast!

You can see the outdoor slide behind them....the starting point was 2/3rds the way up the windmill. The trees hide most of the slide.

End of summer activities

Benjamin attended a LEGO robotics camp for a week this month. They did use computers to make their creations move....ie the mouth of the crocodile went up & down. He loved it & thought it was pretty neat to do something a bit similar to what cousin Evan did this summer.
Swimming & looking for treasures....great family time.
The Circus! Trevin wasn't quite sure what to think with all the loud noise, however he was fine sitting in our laps & loved the elephants best. Benjamin enjoyed it all....especially the motorcycles racing in the sphere.

Trevin's first visit to the dentist...he actually let the assistant clean his teeth with their electric brush. I can't believe he sat so still & cooperated.
Heading out of town this weekend to relax, see friends & swim before school begins Tuesday!

Happy Weekend to everyone!

It's time!

I'm officially using my facebook account...can you believe it, Lori? I've found it a great way to communicate & find updates & news about Benjamin's new school....so there you go! However, I want to be careful so it doesn't take away my time from my family, my blog & more important things. I'm realzing more and more that each day is a gift & it is up to me to use it wisely.

Invite me to be your friend...if you wish!

Summer 2011

Things I want to remember about this summer....
-sweet, sweet time with cousins & family
-blissful relaxing in the pool with Nana & Papa
-friends who came to visit us...so good for our boys as well as for me
-watching Benjamin gently coax Grandma B's dog (we claim him too!) to eat & drink....I don't know if it worked though. Our hearts are so sad.
-sweet, juicy mangoes...that our boys love just as much as we do!
-treasure hunts for Jesse & Benjamin courtesey of Russell
-snowcones & homemade popsicles
-Trevin finally learning to say 'Thank You'....he's been saying 'please' for several months now
-weekly visits to see Grandma B & to meet up with cousins Makenna & Colten
-school supply scramble
-getting reaquainted with my bike...loved those [morning] bike rides with my hubby on our trails
-scoring $5.99 polo shirts at Gymboree during Tax Free Weekend....what a great deal!
-evening games with Benjamin - Scrabble Junior & SkipBo Junior were 2 of his favorites
-quiet days at home

Jarin & Justin come to visit!

Hugs for baby Nelson

Hard Hat Playtime

Play & snacks with the Cortez's
Sweet Blue Eyed Colton

Hugs for a cousin

thought of the day

"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

23 months

In less than a month we'll have a 2 year old in our household! What??
Random things I want to remember about Trevin at this age...

Cannot say Benjamin, so calls him "Bubu" instead
Loves to talk on his play phone to Nana, Papa, Grandpa Lairlee
The words I hear most during playtime are, "Ready, Go, Fast!"
Would rather ink his arms with markers instead of the paper
Wants to tell stories just like Benjamin....but in his own language
Is able to unlock & open all doors in our house. But he knows not to go outside without us.
Sleeps great at nights (thankfully we are done with teething for now)
Walks down the stairs now, but reverts to belly sliding if he feels a sense of urgency about the situation
Will climb out of his high chair & the grocery cart when we are not looking
Plays by himself pretty well
Favorite toys - either race cars or JD tractors.
Just discovered Bob the Builder this week.
When Russell comes home from work, he yells to him "Dada, Dada" & expects to be acknowledged/greeted....even if Russell is on the phone.
Loves to rock & cuddle before bedtime/naptime. But he must have his bunny.
Climbs on anything, gets into everything (ie sneaks into our shower, taking off the drain and proceeds to stuff my razor and a small B&BW lotion bottle down the drain....ugh!!!!)
Calls every meal "lunch" and usually asks for lunch as soon as he wakes up. He is a very good eater! His favorite food is cheese.
Wears 3T clothes & does NOT like footed pjs.
Loves bathtime & would play in there for hours if I'd let him.
He'll go around & shake hands after mtg.
Loves car keys. Mr. Curtis is a favorite because after mtg, he'll always give Trevin their car keys. Trevin tries (in all positions standing, sitting, lying down)to get the keys into his pants pocket...just like Mr. Curtis.

Celebration...

Woohoo...we're ready to celebrate around here..

-Potty training is going great
-This week I finished my 30 hours of CEUs to renew my PT license....that's a big hurdle for me every 2 years
-We got some rain this week...okay maybe it only lasted 10 minutes, but it was more than wonderful.
-School supplies have been purchased. I almost waited until 'Tax free' weekend, but was advised that the sales are *on* now and most store are *out* of the supplies by that weekend. Ummm...that helped me put it into high gear. We got lucky and were able to find all our items.
-Benjamin's school is nearly finished. We get to take a tour & meet the teachers in 10 days!
-Nana is coming home soon. Wow...she has been gone for only 8 days but it feels like 18! The boys have really missed her (oh, I have too)
-Photo shoot this weekend for our family. I decided to take the easy way out and not try to get cute shots of our boys myself. Trevin doesn't stay still for more than 30 nanoseconds. I can't even think that fast.
-I ordered my new "organizer/daily planner for this coming year"...from Erin Condren. Have you heard of her products? I had a great coupon code...so it was a good deal for me. Can't wait to try it out.


Enjoy the week!

our hangout spot

Tasty Tuesday!

Pure Sunshine Ice Pops

from Ice Pop Joy

2 cups chopped strawberries
4-5 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
4 tablespoons honey
1 cup purified water
1 cup ice

To make your Pure Sunshine ice pops:
Put all your ingredients into a blender.
Blend until smooth.
Pour mixture into reusable popsicle molds.
Freeze.
Eat and enjoy.

We loved thsese!

So far...

Wow....this takes a lot of patience & diligent effort. We're giving it our best shot this week. I'm glad to have lots of encouragement & help from older brother in our latest endeavor. Keeping our fingers crossed that it works!

lots of boys!

These aren't the best pictures, but we've enjoyed summer days with friends.
Jett & Benjamin's new notebooks they made together...

Landon, Ethan & Owen singing a song from "Annie"...that they had learned at a Broadway choir camp. Trevin felt so important to be standing up there with them as they sang their hearts out.
Benjamin & Landon playing some fiddle songs together...so proud of them!

We are anticipating more fun times this week as some special friends come to visit us...can't wait! Have a great week!

preparing...

This seems to be the month of many changes...getting ready to watch Benjamin venture off to Kindergarten. His new school will be ready to open its doors on Aug 30th, so we are excited. I'm preparing myself for this big change. Tomorrow we'll hit the stores to buy his school supplies. We've purchased his uniforms, backpack, etc....so little by little we're getting ready.

Trevin, our little monkey [who has become such a tease, little rascal, but remains a bundle of love] is ready for potty training. I've been putting it off because of my work schedule, company, deadlines, & just because. We'll stay home this week more than we usually do & get this one checked off our list. If it doesn't happen this week - we'll try again after Benjamin is in school.

We're preparing for more hot & dry weather. We keep hoping that Mr. Weatherman will predict a change for us. So far, no luck. But we enjoy chilling out....eating homemade popsicles (we don't like store bought ones any more...if you're lucky, I'll post recipes this week), swimming in the evenings after Russell gets home from work, & playing games with Benjamin in the evening, spending some time outside in the evenings or early mornings. So....we're not suffering!

our date in July at the time of Russell's birthday :

conversations...

I love our conversations with Benjamin...they are usually quite honest, hilarious, & thought provoking; all at the same time. He also loves to tell about his imaginary house, parents, family, etc in IL. This goes back a long ways...from playing with cousin Makenna. Anyway, I often forget to write down what he tells me. I don't want to forget this one though...

Tonight Russell was telling me about someone he works with....he works incredibly long hours, has a terrible commute to work, etc...you get the picture.

Andrea: "Oh boy, what a life."
Benjamin: Mommy, you are so funny. You do not have a life.
You have a family!!!


So true, but I love my family mucho mucho...wouldn't trade it for anything!