preschool open house

Wow. I really can't believe the time is here. My little Calebug will be starting preschool this Wednesday. I thought I had another week. I had written on my calendar that the first day is September 9th. Imagine my surprise when the phone rang on Thursday reminding me of the preschool open house which was to be held on the following day. I said I didn't even know there was an open house tomorrow, when is the first day of school? September 2nd, Cale's teacher responded. I still don't know how I feel about this. The truth is that I'm happy and sad all at the same time. This is the last time I'll be sending one of the boys to preschool. In just a year, I'll be sending all three boys to the same elementary school. In fact, I have to get in line on Tuesday morning (at 4 or 5 am) to be sure that Cale gets his transfer into our elementary school for next year since we chose to send our kids to an amazing school system that is out of district. This is certainly a bittersweet time.

One thing that I do know for sure is that Cale is very excited about starting preschool. He thinks he is HOT stuff since he will be going to school like his brothers. He has apparently been attending preschool for years without my knowledge anyhow since anytime I ask him where he learned something that I'm surprised he knows, he casually responds, "I learned it at my preschool!"

stiking a pose before going in to meet the teachers

making his way to his classroom

When we got to his class we realized that Cale has the same teachers that Coby had three years ago. Yay! They are wonderful and they were so happy to be having Cale. I warned them that he is very honery, but a lot of fun! They said that's just how they like 'em. We'll see how they feel once they've been around Cale a few days! ;)

so proud after finding his name

What timing! Cale's napmat came in the mail after dinner the same night of the open house. He loves it. The great news is that he will not have to take a nap if he doesn't need one as they are going to allow nappers to nap and those who don't require them to do a creative activity. I love the flexibility since Cale very rarely naps anymore. I'll send it just in case though.

wonderful weekend

I had the best weekend. My weekend got off to a great start when I got to enjoy lunch with my girlfriend Julie. We try to sneak a lunch in every two months or so and we always have so much to catch up on. I feel sorry for anyone who sits next to us as they surely get an earful!

Darren had to work Friday night, but the boys and I decided to go ahead and start back up our Family Fun Friday without him. We had pizza, ice cream sandwiches and a movie of course. Actually, it wasn't really a movie per se. It was a DVD with five Scooby Doo episodes the boys hadn't seen before. Oh, how they love their Scooby Doo!

We slept in on Saturday. We really slept in on Saturday. It was great! I won't share what time we all woke up. That would be embarassing. After breakfast, the boys were just so content to be at home and they had a great day playing (nicely) together. They played outside, played the Wii, read books and built lego Star Wars ships. Meanwhile I mopped, vacuumed, dusted, cleaned all the bathrooms, did laundry, organized and cleaned the kitchen and fridge/freezer. All the while Darren was in the garage putting new shocks and struts on the SUV. It was a very productive Saturday. I just love days like that...days when we are able to get done what we need to get done, yet the boys are having a great time all the while.

We went to the late service on Sunday (by late, I mean the 1 pm service). After church we decided on whim to see if GramPat and Papa would like to have the boys so Darren and I could have a quiet mid-afternoon lunch. They were game, so we took them over and then went to Charleston's for lunch. After lunch, we ran home to drop off my leftovers, went to look at some new houses in our neighborhood and ran a few errands before picking up the boys. It is amazing how reconnected you can feel with your spouse after getting away for an afternoon together. Another perfect day!

I have to share what happened when I went to bed on Sunday night. I was really tired, so after the boys went to bed I was going to get in bed and watch House Hunters. As I laid down I felt something very hard underneath my pillow. I couldn't imagine what would be there...with three little boys, I never know what I might find. I lifted up my pillow to find this..........


In the words of Coby and Cale, I've been dying for this!!! I have been wanting this lens for my camera (I needed more zoom for the boys games, programs, etc) and was hoping that maybe I could get it for Christmas. Well, Christmas came early for me this year because my amazing husband went out and got it for me. What made it all the more special is knowing that Darren spent the money that he was saving toward something he was wanting to buy for himself. Instead, he chose to go out and get this for me. What a guy...what a guy!!! Sometimes he can be SO sweet.

But boy, he sure can he be honery too!

school days

It's finally arrived. The boys started back to school today. We woke up to heavy thunderstorms which wasn't the best way to start the school year. I mean really who wants to get up on a rainy day? It was especially hard since we'd been sleeping in for three months straight! We made it though and the boys had a fabulous day (so did I!). Coby loves first grade and Connor is just thrilled that his best friend is in his class for the third year in a row! All are happy. As for me, I had a back to school celebration! Mom and I had a girls' day which included shopping and lunch. Darren was off so he and Cale had a boys day...per Cale's request they dined at Panera Bread. That kinda made me mad since I can never get Darren to go there with me! Maybe if I was a brown eyed three year old I'd be more prone to get my way? Here are a few pics of the boys this morning and a few from years past.

they have grown so much this past year

I cannot believe that I have a 4th grader. Connor is getting old on me. Or maybe I'm the one getting old! He moved upstairs in the school this year which is the area of the school reserved for 4th and 5th grade classes only. He also has four periods, so he rotates classes throughout the day. He told me this over dinner tonight and I about fell out of my chair. Can he seriously be old enough to be rotating classes? I didn't do that until Jr. High (that shows my age doesn't it...since it's been called Middle School for how many years now?). I don't know what else to say...I'm still in shock at how big my firstborn is getting and how quickly the time has gone by. I hope that this school year proves to be the best yet for Connor.

Each of the boys the on the first day of FIRST grade...

Coby Lane is in the first grade. It nearly killed me when Connor went to first grade and I was afraid I'd feel the same way when Coby went, but it was much easier this time around. The thing I always worry about is that first grade is the first time that the boys are in school for 7 hours which seems so long to me. Kindergarten was only 2 1/2 hours so it is a huge jump to go from the Kindergarten hours to first grade. Coby handled it beautifully though and for that I am so thankful. He told me that he is glad that he'll be going to school all day because he won't have to go "shopping" with me. That cracked me up because I very rarely go shopping with the boys because the few times I do, I hear them gripe or whine the entire time. It's not worth it. But if his only reason that he's happy to be in school all day is because he can get out of trips to the grocery store, Target, the bank, post office and other errands, then that works for me. ;) The other thing he's excited about? Having his very own desk. That is a BIG deal to a six year old.

Sadly I didn't get to walk Connor to his class this year. That would just be SO uncool. Thankfully I still have two other boys that aren't too cool for me...yet.

countdown to school

Summer break is quickly coming to an end and I can't believe how fast it has gone by. We have had such a relaxing summer (well, as relaxing as it can be having 3 boys home all at one time for three months straight). We've been content just taking it easy, but of course we had some fun as well. We went to Dallas a few times, Six Flags, the zoo, Connor's baseball games, Uncle Kennard's game in Grand Prairie, had great times at Grand Lake, enjoyed mom and dad's pool often (but not as much as we should have!) and Coby and Cale took swimming lessons. Coby started off the summer getting his tonsils removed and then spent the month of July in summer school. All in all the summer has been good, but to be honest I'm ready to get back into a routine again. Up until this last week, I was indifferent about sending the boys back, but now I'm ready for school to start. The fighting and tattling has hit an all time high this week so I'm now ready for a little (or long) break. So the countdown begins. Anytime the boys are fighting I just tell myself, 'just three more days, just two more days, etc...I can make it!' I know that there are some moms that don't feel this way, but I'm willing to bet that there are many who do!!! Surely I'm not alone? Luckily, the Connor and Coby are extremely excited to go back so it works out well for all of us!

special pebble

As the doctor handed me Coby Lane after he was born, I was in complete shock. I had many ultrasounds throughout my pregnancy, but still there was a part of Coby that could not be seen on ultrasound. He had a large nevus (aka: mole) on his knee. He was so little that the nevus covered a large portion of his knee at that time. It scared me to death. I just knew that my precious newborn must have cancer of the skin, even though it had yet to be introduced to the sun. I was terrified. That is until his doctor came in the next morning and told me that it wasn't anything to be concerned about, but that we should keep an eye on it. At that point I quit worrying about his health as far as the nevus was concerned, but that worry was quickly replaced by a new one: that he would one day get made fun of for this "birth mark".

Ever since Coby could talk he's always called it his special pebble that God gave him. He loves his pebble! My uncle has one just like it (even on the same knee). Coby has always loved having that in common with my Uncle Lyn.

To be honest, as the years have progressed I really haven't given Coby's pebble much thought. It hasn't grown in circumference so it's like Coby has grown into it. What once seemed like such a big deal now seems so small and insignificant. However, for some reason the other day I broached the subject of pebble with Coby.

Me: Does anyone ever talk about your pebble.

Coby: They just ask what it is.

Me: What do you say to them?

Coby: It's a pebble! (Simple as that!)

Me: Would you like to have it removed?

Coby: Would it hurt?

Me: No, they'd numb it.

.....Long pause.....

Coby: Well, what I'd really like is to have another pebble over here! (as he points to his other knee)

And to think I was worried!

week at the lake

Last Monday, we headed out for a last minute trip to the lake. We do this every August. A week or two before the boys are to start back to school we realize that we haven't been to the lake all summer. We panic. The same question arises every time. How can the boys already be going back to school when we haven't yet been to the lake? So, we run off to the lake and stay as long as Darren's work schedule will allow. Then we come back home and try to get into school mode. We shop for school supplies if they haven't already been bought, start getting back into a bedtime routine, etc.

Here is our week at the lake in pictures....

there is always lots of relaxing

lots of swimming

many leisurely golf cart rides (in fact we ran over the snake above while riding around one evening)

fun times on the jet skis

tons of rock skipping

too many fake smile pics to count

and of course, my attempt to get a good pic of all three boys which I always fail miserably at

We had a great week. And now we're back to reality! But you know, reality isn't too bad.

summer vacation: part 2 (of 2)

On our last full day in Texas, we headed to Dallas. We found a brochure at our hotel for the Hard Rock Cafe. I had only been to the one in Cancun when I was there for Spring Break with friends after our senior year of high school (I can't believe that was 14 years ago!). Anyway, I don't think the Hard Rock is as popular as it used to be, but I thought the boys would enjoy eating lunch there reguardless. We had the friendliest waitress ever and were surprised to find that this particular location had just opened the previous week. The food was great and the boys liked the surroundings.

Warning: lots of fake smiles seen below!!!! :)

After lunch we had some time to kill before the baseball game so we headed to the Grapevine Mills Mall. On our way there, we passed this sign for O'Connor Rd. I just had to get a pic which for some reason Connor was furious about. He was totally embarassed that there was a street with his name. I'm not sure why (I mean who knows what goes on in the mind of a 9 year old?).

Finally on Tuesday night we headed to the ballpark. We were heading to Kennard's ballgame. He was chosen to play in the All Star game. The best players from his league were chosen to play and Kennard was the only player from his team to play. It's quite an honor and we were thrilled to go watch him play. We were a little bummed to find out that Kennard was injured in the game previous to the All Star game so he was only allowed to bat once, but we had a great time nonetheless. The weather was perfect, plus there was an amazing fireworks display after the game too. The fireworks were different than any we've seen before which was nice.

Coby took such great care of cousin Madison during the game. They are SO sweet together.

my adorable niece

Kennard up at bat

Connor got to run the bases after the game...every boys dream!
Well, maybe not every boys dream as Coby declined!?!

After the game, Kennard gave Connor and Coby game balls. Then they waited outside the locker rooms to get the players autographs. Unfortunately most of the players headed up to the deck above for a post-game party so the boys missed out on a lot of the players. Uncle Kennard (who chose to spend the evening with his family rather than go the party) took pity on the boys and took them up to the patio (bar area) to get the players autographs. I think it was the first (and I'm sure it will be the last) time that I've told my boys to go work the bar! They got tons of autographs and left the game extremely happy!!! What a great way to end our mini vacation.