1st Day of School...Getting Ready

Today was Natalie and Will's first day of school. It was Nat's first day of Kindergarten..she is such a big girl! We started off the day with the "breakfast of champions"...pancakes and bacon! They chowed down! Check out that "bed-head" on Nat!

We have always done pictures on the front porch on the first day...it was just so hard this year getting the 2 of them to coordinate smiles (they have never been at the same school before or started on the same day). This was the best one in the bunch! For some reason, Will had to wear his baseball glove in the picture (he would not pose without it). : )

Backpacks, lunch boxes, sun on our faces...we're ready to go!

A Date with Natalie

Erick and I decided to take Natalie out Saturday night for a date to celebrate her heading off to kindergarten this school year. She had never been to Rainforest Cafe, so we decided to surprise her and take her there! We had a great time...it was nice to be able to focus our attention on her and not be distracted with her little brother! She seemed to thrive on the attention.

She was beaming when we got there! I think it was sensory overload for her!

Walking to our table under the aquariums...

Is that a crazy face or what?! Natalie and Daddy had to chase the frog down in the restaurant since he wouldn't come over to our table.

And what celebratory meal would be complete without a HUGE dessert? We ordered Nat the "Volcano" complete with a sparkler tucked in it when they brought it out! Of course, Momma and Daddy got to share some, too.

The evening was so special. We were able to share with Natalie how proud of her we are and our hopes and prayers for her this coming school year. We prayed with her (and for her) and we KNOW that God is going to bless her kindergarten year immensely!

Meet the Teacher Night

This past Friday night, Natalie and Will had "Meet the Teacher" night at their school. It was a great way for them to get familiar with their surroundings and new teachers (especially for Will since this will be his first year at LCA).

Will's teacher this year is Mrs. Donovan. She seems very mild-mannered and patient...just what my laid-back little man needs! Here he is meeting her for the first time...with sister right there in on all the action!

Nat had fun showing him around the room like an old pro (this was her same classroom when she was in PK4). She was a very good encourager!

Here is Natalie meeting her teacher, Mrs. Huxham, for the first time (excuse the beached whale in the background). : ) Mrs. Huxham seems funny and light-hearted, yet structured...exactly what my outgoing, verbal daughter needs!

God is so good to provide wonderful teachers who are going to be such a blessing to my kiddos!

Can you tell Miss Priss is excited to go back or what?! She loves school (mainly the social aspect of it)!

A couple more...

I couldn't stop with the previous post. : ) Here are a few more pictures from the kiddos' photo session...

Say Cheese!

I took the kiddos in for pictures this week. For Will, they are his "3 year old" pictures (even though he is almost 3 1/2) and for Natalie they were her "6 year old" pictures. Pictures seem to always stress us ALL out and cause melt-downs, so I didn't have high hopes. I really wanted a couple of pictures of them together...I figured this would be my last chance for it to be just the two of them with the baby coming in October. They actually did fantastic! It was such a good session I had a hard time choosing what pictures to purchase! Here are a few of the ones I thought were extra cute...

Natalie's Party

As mentioned in the previous post, we celebrated Natalie's 6th birthday this past Tuesday! We had a great day! It was a day full of activities and excitement...and of course, neither one of the kiddos napped, so we were ALL worn out by the end of the day. Here are a few of the priceless moments I thought I'd share.

Last year, when Nat turned 5, we started the tradition of bringing her breakfast in bed (she had seen her Daddy bringing her Momma breakfast in bed on her bday, so she figured why not me as well). This year, Natalie informed us that she would like biscuits, bacon and a pop tart. We topped it off with orange juice and coffee with cream (mostly cream). She was pleasantly surprised and wanted us to sit with her and chit chat when we brought her her special tray full of goodies! Is that some crazy mornin' hair or what?!?

Natalie insisted that she open one gift that morning, so we gave her her iPod Shuffle. She had been asking for one for awhile...apparently some friends (and their older brothers and sisters) at school have them. Erick and I had such a blast downloading songs to it. We did alot of those Kids Bopz versions of popular songs, some kids praise music and some oldies but goodies (Jailhouse Rock, Twist and Shout, etc.). She can't wait to download more songs now! She got some Hannah Montana CD's for her birthday and we plan on putting them on the iPod soon. After some brief tutoring from Daddy, she got the hang of it real quick!

Natalie got to pick wherever she wanted to eat for lunch...and, just like we knew she would, she picked mexican food (Posados). We had a great meal and Nat's was topped out with this insanely huge sundae they brought out at the end. She didn't get halfway through it...it was too big!

Natalie's party this year was at Pump It Up (Indoor Bounce Zone/Slides). She had her 4th birthday there as well...Erick and I actually tried to talk her into something else, but she was adamant. Then again, it was nice to have it somewhere other than our house, somewhere inside in August (it was over a 100 degrees outside), and it was super-nice to have someone else do all the work (especially clean-up). So, we headed over there in the afternoon with a bunch of her friends. We had a great time bouncing for an hour and a half, and then we headed to the party room for cake and ice cream. Natalie wanted a "My Little Pony" cake this year. Here she is getting a little help from her brother blowing out the candles. Can you tell she worked up a sweat running around, climbing and bouncing?!

After the party was over, we headed back to the house with the grandparents and gifts in tow. Natalie opened her gifts and had a blast trying everything out. She did not want the party to stop! Around 9:30, we put the kiddos down (they were out in less then 5 minutes) and we crashed too!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NATALIE!

Happy 6th Birthday, sweet Natalie! We cannot believe that 6 years ago today, right at this time, we were in the hospital awaiting your arrival! Of course those that know the story, know you were adamant about NOT coming out on your own, so you had to have a little help via the doctors and an abdominal surgery for momma. : )

Below is our first family picture together in the OR (pardon the quality of the pic...we had to scan it in...we weren't in the digital age when Nat made her debut).

You were so beautiful the first time we laid eyes on you! Dark hair and dark eyes. The doctor exclaimed what "chubby cheeks" you had as she pulled you out! I remember the change in your Daddy's voice as he heard your cry for the first time and saw you. His voiced cracked and sounded so tender...he was in love with you from the very first moment of your life! We were so surprised by your weight...they had estimated you were 8 1/2 lbs, but then you only weighed 7 lbs and 4 oz. You were perfect, though! Daddy escorted you down to the nursery where it looked like the papparazzi had camped out...flashbulbs and video cameras galore! Being the first grandchild on both sides made you awfully darn special!

We love this picture of you below. You were one day old and they were coming to take your first official picture at the hospital. We had picked out a very special outfit for you...in fact, we bought it the day we found out we were having a girl! Your Daddy and I were so afraid to man-handle you and change you into the outfit, that we called one of the nurses from the nursery to come and dress you. We thought you were so fragile and we didn't want to hurt you by pulling the outfit over your head...we were such silly, new parents! We thought you looked like a little koala bear in many of your first picture including this one...so cute!

You amaze us every day, dear Natalie! We love all your wonderful qualities: sassiness, leadership skills, kind heart, intelligence, gentleness, love for animals, how you are protective of your brother, that you love the Lord, friendliness, how you make us laugh, and your great cooking skills (thanks, Daddy, for that one)!

We simply cannot believe that you will be starting kindergarten this year...where does the time go? We are so very proud of you and we want you to know that you mean the world to us! We know this is going to be a very special year for you...going to kindergarten, getting a new brother or sister, and earning more responsibilites and freedoms.

Our prayer for you as you grow another year older is that you will seek God in all that you do and say, you will always show kindness and compassion to others, and that you will continue to grow in your love for the Lord. We love you so very much!

2 more months?!?

Erick took this tummy shot (below) of me today. It is August 12th and I am scheduled for my c-section on October 12th...2 more months!!!! I feel huge! I don't know how I can go another 8 1/2 weeks!


Erick seems to think this one will be a nine-pounder...Will was 8 lbs. 3 oz and a little over a week early. I was so miserable that last month with Will because there was absolutely no room (I remind you I am only 5' 2"). I don't think my skin will stretch to fit a nine-pounder!


Natalie tends to remind me on an almost daily basis how "huge" I am getting. I know she is not being spiteful when she says these things to me, but it really is starting to get to me (blame it on the hormones). Last week, she said to me, "Mom, you're just like the queen bee." To which I replied, "Thank you!" (thinking this was a compliment) Then she comes back with, "You're just too fat to fly." (side note....Nat had learned from a family friend, who happens to be a beekeeper, that the queen bee rarely leaves the hive...she literally is too fat to fly...usually because she's pregnant) So, I'm glad my daughter remembers interesting facts from the beekeeper...I just don't like it when she applies them to me. : )


The summer heat is finally upon us! We had our first official 100 degree day yesterday. I am so thankful that these hot days are coming in mid-August and not mid-May like last year. However, with the heat comes swelling and being uncomfortable. I am praying for an early fall!

Mountain Memories

Last week, the kiddos went with my parents (Granny and Grandad) and my mom's side of the family to New Mexico. We usually go every July or August and stay in some cabins in the mountains about 30 minutes outside of Taos. I just couldn't make the trip this year....being so pregnant and no real good hospital nearby, so Erick and I stayed home while the kiddos headed off! Erick and I have to give a big "thank you" to Mom, Dad, my Aunt Sandy, my Uncle Jim, my Grandad and my cousins. They took it upon themselves to take care of these wild 'n crazy kiddos for a week and they all managed to survive! The kids had a blast and Erick and I were able to get so much done around the house (Erick took the week off so we could set up the nursery, clean and organize the kiddos' rooms, clean out the playroom, organize the garage, etc.). Thank you! Thank you!

Here are Natalie, Will and Granny by the river that runs right behind our two cabins. The kiddos tried their hand at fishing again this year, but they didn't have any luck. Last year, they caught some, but the fish were just being tricky this year!

Swinging! How old do you think that swing set must be?!

This is a picture of the clouds coming into the valley where the cabins are. They had several good, afternoon rains while they were there. One afternoon, the storm dropped the temp down into the 40's!

Making mud pies...a favorite tradition the kids have with their "Auntie!"

A family picture on the last day. Left to right: my cousin Stuart, my cousin Jeff, Jeff's wife Jen, Natalie, Granny/Mom, Will, and Grandad/Dad. Not pictured: Auntie, Uncle Jim or my Grandad, Harvy.

Just call them "Emeril" and "Rachael"

The kiddos enjoyed a "field trip" to a new place in town yesterday. It is called YOUNG CHEFS ACADEMY. The kiddos get to complete a recipe, learn cooking skills and kitchen safety, and then eat what they make. They had a blast! Of course, since they already cook with their daddy so much, I just knew they'd enjoy it!

Measuring their flour & learning to level it off...

They were making cheesy bread sticks for their recipe. Nat got to add the olive oil.

Will got to add the yeast.

After they rolled out their dough and sliced it into bread sticks, each child got to coat their dough strips with egg white and then add cheese. Will kept saying the whole time, "I'm hungry!" I had to convince him to wait to eat the bread sticks until after they were baked.

And here they are enjoying their cheesy bread sticks! They washed them down with some "Pirate Punch" they had made. We had a marvelous time and plan on heading back soon.

Tennis Camp

Natalie and Will
participated in a
week-long mini tennis
camp this week put on
by the city. They both
seemed to enjoy it pretty
much, although Will
cried part of the time
the first day. They had
some adults working with
them and then some
local high school tennis
team members helped
out, too. Thank goodness
it was inside! Momma
would have fried sitting
out in the sun that long!
Good planning on
someone's part.

Will had a tendency to
throw or kick
every ball that came
his way...we're thinking
he may be more suited
for baseball or soccer!
He also showed "left
hand dominance" which
Erick and I had been
suspecting. We won't
know or sure until they
test him in preschool
this year, but everytime
he went to throw the
ball or swing the racket,
it was always with his
left hand! This family
needs a lefty!

Natalie's favorite part
was checking out the
cute tennis skirts on
some of the female
coaches. She informed us
the first day that she
needed one of those so
she could be "stylish!"

On the last day, the kids
got to run through a
"tennis tunnel" (the coaches
holding the rackets up),
take one last swing and then
they each got their own tube
of tennis balls! They were
thrilled!

Stickers, Ponies and Spiderman

The kiddos behavior has been a little "shaky" this summer. I think it's a combo of being trapped inside with all the rain and just being on a different schedule than during the school year. So, to help motivate them to make better choices, we implemented sticker charts about a month ago. With each 5 stickers they earn, they get a small treat like a Happy Meal or a snow cone. Then, they each set a goal for a big reward when they completely filled up the chart with stickers (Erick and I are not above bribery). Natalie chose a pony ride and Will chose a Spiderman toy of some sort. Natalie completed her chart first and Erick scheduled a horse ride for her at a local horse park.

Here is Nat putting her final sticker on the chart!

Will quickly completed his chart after Nat, so it was off to Toys R Us!

Natalie was able to bring carrots and apples to feed the horses before her scheduled ride. Erick said she adored petting the horses and loving on them...she wants one of her own so bad! All of the horses and ponies were very docile and are very accustomed to having kiddos love and pet on them. Of course, she had to wear her pink cowboy boots and her red cowboy hat (which was a little too small to fit around her noggin...but, she had to wear it anyways)!

Natalie's horse was named "Crash." She loved all 5 minutes of the ride...you see, a few minutes after this picture was taken, a storm blew in and they were forced to cancel the ride early. They said they would reschedule Nat's ride. Funny thing...they have rescheduled twice since this first ride, and both times it has been cancelled due to rain! Crazy! As of this post, she is still waiting to complete her horse ride.

Brother and I headed to Toys R Us and he picked out a Spiderman outfit. He was so excited! He put it on right when we got home and was having a blast until Erick held him up to a mirror and he saw himself. He got a little freaked out and hasn't put it on since. Oh well! Maybe he'll adjust to it in the coming weeks!

Dad's (a.k.a. Grandad) Birthday!

We celebrated my dad's birthday this past Tuesday, July 3rd. We always do dinner together and then head over to the fireworks in Addison...Kaboom Town (they always do their fireworks on the 3rd). We had a great time and the kids enjoyed celebrating with their Grandad!

Of course, the kiddos had to help open his presents. What's more fun than ripping off papers and bows?!

The kids also helped to blow out the candles on his cake. I won't tell you how old he turned, but I bet if you take a pretty close look at the cake, you can tell for yourself!

We love you, Dad/Grandad! Happy Birthday!

Independence Day!

HAPPY 4TH, EVERYONE!

We hope you have an awesome day
with family and friends!