My Boys & Me

Where Did The Summer Go???

2009-08-24T19:03:00.000-07:00

I had really high hopes that I was going to get a lot accomplished this summer. Well, you know how that goes. I really do plan on getting caught up and posting some pictures of the things that have been going on this year. We have had so much happen. I got a new job. I found out mid June that I was going to be at a new school. I was SO excited. This is part of the reason my summer flew by so quickly.

I am going to tell you a little about my new job. The school is called eStem Public Charter Elementary School. Here's the website if you have any interest in checking it out... www.estemlr.net. It's name stands for it's focus... e(economics)S(science)t(technology)e(engineering)m(mathematics). It was voted the #1 elementary school in Little Rock last year. So, that's my school...

Here's my new position. I am a specialist this year instead of a classroom teacher. I teach HALT which stands for Higher Active Learning Time. I get to create my own lessons and teach what I choose. I do Kindergarten through Fourth Grade. Basically, my only restrictions are to teach higher level thinking, critical thinking, and creativity. I am loving it!

The other great news is that Brayden gets to go with me. He is in first grade and LOVES his teacher.

Here's the other thing that makes my school different than regular public schools. We are an extended year, extended day school. So, the kids started back to school on July 20, which means that I started back on July 13. That is the main reason I lost most of my summer. For me, though, it was absolutely worth it to be at this school. I love my new job and the school!

More to come soon...I promise! :-)

Someday...

2009-05-08T20:33:00.000-07:00

Someday, I will get it all together...

Someday, I will start posting more frequently...

Someday, I will be able to keep all informed of the Little Rock happenings...

Someday, you will get to see pictures of my kiddos and our activities...

Someday, everyone will get to see pictures of the new house we purchased...and the remodeling that is going on...

Unfortunately, someday is not today...and will not be tomorrow...and probably will not be until school is out for the summer...

Crazy times at the Martin house! School is winding down (both my job and my Masters classes); we just bought a house; we are painting and doing flooring prior to move in; we have to be out of the apartment by May 26; and I think I am going crazy! :-)

I will survive the month of May... I will survive the month of May... I will survive the month of May...

Fun times! Hope everyone is doing well. I do really plan to update very soon. I have been taking lots of before, during, (& will do after) pictures of the house so that you can see the progression.

Computer Problems

2009-02-14T10:02:00.000-08:00

So, I planned on updating a lot sooner, but I was having computer & internet difficulties... I think everything is worked out. I have finally finished a post from the Christmas cruise. Enjoy below. I plan on doing more very soon.

Working On It

2009-01-20T17:38:00.000-08:00

Just to let you know...I'm working on it...

Hopefully there will be new posts soon...

Martin Family Cruise

2008-12-24T14:04:00.001-08:00

For Christmas this year we took a cruise with Matt's family. There was a total of 15 of us that went on the cruise. We had a blast! Enjoy our pictures from the cruise...

Brayden was so excited to finally be on the "big boat"

Mason's newest pose for pictures

Can you feel the excitement?!?!

Brayden in front of the water park on the top of the ship

Stop for a family photo...exploring the boat

checking out the mini golf course

balance beam

my cutie

riviting round of mini golf

Mason would just place the ball where he wanted.

Dinner

Brayden loved the ice cream!

Brayden, Hunter, Mason, & Tyler

beautiful staircase in the middle of the ship...beautiful decorations for Christmas

Matt & Ryan

ping pong tournament

pirate fun at Camp Carnival

family photo on formal night

This is the picture we used for the Christmas card.

cousins
Mason, Brayden, & Anna

Matt & I at dinner

The kids preferred to eat dinner at Camp Carnival. It worked out well for us, too. They really enjoyed all of the activities, including face painting.

silly pose

ready for the beach

Mason looking for his daddy's feet

playing in the ocean in December...loving it!

Brayden loved the waves splashing on him.

Mason lounging on the beach.

This is my favorite picture.

And now "Deep Thoughts" by Brayden

Matt and his beach ping pong opponent

Mason & Mommy

I have a really good caption for this picture, but I am not going to post it... :-)

Matt & I

Three Amigos Resturant in Cozumel

Matt, Bert, & Ryan

The Three Amigos

Christmas show presented by the kids at Camp Carnival. Brayden was a part of the show.

It's After Midnight

2008-11-25T22:38:00.001-08:00

...am I'm up...yep...up and on the computer...why?...because I don't have school tomorrow! Yea! I love Thanksgiving break.

And...

We are back in the Lone Star State to celebrate our time with family. What a blessing it is to be able to take time to give thanks to God for all that we have. We are truly blessed! I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Be blessed!

Things Are A Shakin'

2008-11-15T20:43:00.000-08:00

Fun Fact: Did you know that Arkansas has earthquakes?

Here's the clip from the news website:

Hector - The U.S. Geological Survey says a small earthquake occurred in central Arkansas.

The quake, of preliminary magnitude 2.9, occurred at 7:47 a.m. Saturday, 14 miles north of Hector in Pope County.

A dispatcher with the Pope County Sheriff's Office said the office had not gotten any calls regarding the tremor.

A quake of magnitude 2.5 to 3 is the smallest generally felt by people. Hundreds of earthquakes occur each year. Most are so small they cannot be felt. Hector is about 80 miles northwest of Little Rock.

Luckily, we did not feel anything. Apparently, though, Arkansas falls on the New Madrid fault. I did not realize this until we moved here. Who would have thought Arkansas would have earthquakes!

Praise Report and New Request

2008-11-15T20:33:00.001-08:00

To start off with, I have a praise to report. I have talked to my mom everyday since her surgery. She is doing fantastic. Apparently, she is impressing herself and her doctor with how well she is doing. YEA! Again, the recovery will be lengthy. Please continue to pray for her that her recovery will continue to go as well as it has already.

Here is my new request... We received a call this morning that Matt's grandmother had to be taken to the hospital. Apparently, she has an infection and congestive heart problems. There is fluid around her heart and on her lungs. She is also having trouble swallowing. She is 92, but continues to be very healthy. Please remember her when you pray.

Prayer Request Update

2008-11-13T14:34:00.000-08:00

Mom's surgery was this morning. They started about 8 am. Both knees are now completed. I talked with my sister several times throughout the morning. She said the doctor said everything went really well. Last I talked with my sister (about 1:30) mom was in recovery sleeping. They were just waiting on a room to put her in. I obviously have not talked with my mom yet, but it seems like the surgery went as planned. Thanks for all of the prayers.

Please continue to pray for her recovery. I know that it can be very painful and very lengthy. Also, please continue to pray for no complications.

I appreciate all of the prayers.

Not Me Monday!

2008-11-10T17:19:00.000-08:00

It's time again for another round of Not Me Monday!

Let's see...I am not excited that I only have one more day of teaching this week. Why would I be excited? I love teaching! I especially love spending every day with my students who don't seem to care what I have to say.

I did not spend the weekend sleeping. Seriously. I did not take a 2 hour nap on Saturday and Sunday.

I am not procrastinating my school work. I am not supposed to be reading right now. I don't have a test on Wednesday.

My husband did not buy me roses today...for no reason...not at all... He wouldn't do that.

That what I did not not do. Now, what have you not done?

Prayer Request

2008-11-07T19:30:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends & Family!

Some of you may know, but most of you probably do not know, but my mom will be having double knee replacement next week. I am soliciting as many prayers for her as possible. It's a very common surgery these days, but there is always a risk of complication especially with blood clots. So, please pray for her and the doctors attending to the surgery. Pray for all to go well with no complications and for a very quick recovery. She is currently trying to decide if she wants to do rehab at home or at a rehab facility. I am encouraging the rehab facility because she can be monitored easier and if there are any complications it will be more convenient. Again, just pray for her. The surgery will occur on Thursday, November 13. Thanks for the prayers!

Ode to School

2008-11-07T19:20:00.000-08:00

Well, I wanted to let everyone know that the school week did get better. Thanks for listening to my rantings on Tuesday. I still am amazed at some of my children, but the good news is that only one child got sent home this week. (FYI - That's an improvement from weeks past. I usually send 4-5 kids to the office on a regular, almost daily, basis.)

So, here is what I am looking forward to in November...

Next week, we have a shortened week at school. Apparently in Arkansas they have 2 days with the kids out of school yearly for Arkansas Educators Association Conference. That means, I still have to work, but no kiddos. YEA! That will occur on Thurs & Fri. To top the week off I will have a sub on Wed because I have to be out for another professional development day. The good news is that I am still going to be at the school, so my kids should not be near as disruptive since I will be just across the hall from them.

The next week is a full week of school, but I actually have to attend 2 different trainings that week as well. So, I will only be at school MWF for the week.

Then, Thanksgiving! YEA!!! Mon & Tues and no more for the week. We get to take a trip home to Texas to visit with family and some friends. I wish there was more time to take a trip back to Clifton & Waco so that I could visit all of my friends, but I'll take what I can get.

BTW, if you are starting to question my return to teaching, I want to reassure you that I do absolutely LOVE teaching. I just have a very "behaviorally challenged" & "academically challenged" class. It makes for a harder school year in which I enjoy regular breaks, but still love the little successes I get to be a part of with my kiddos.

Anyways...enjoy your upcoming weeks as I know I will!

The Joys of Teaching

2008-11-04T17:13:00.000-08:00

Here is why I love teaching...

So, I went back to school today. Still not feeling that well. My ear hurts. It's very stuffy and muffled, so I can't hear that well. Anyways... I walk back into my classroom this morning (feeling the way I described) only to see that my room is a DISASTER. No joke. Absolute disaster! Why, you ask.

Well...

I had a sub yesterday. Not just any sub, but the WORST sub on earth. Ok, that may be an extreme statement, but I did tell the office staff that the sub should NEVER sub for anyone at our school again. As some of you know, I have a difficult class. They are what I like to call "behaviorally challenged." What I mean by that is that they don't know how to behave. I spend a lot of my day trying to teach them how to behave...along with reading, math, etc. What did my sub do yesterday? She let them act however they wanted. No joke. I was told by several people how out of control they were. Several other teachers tried to help by getting onto them. The assistant principal and principal were both in my room at some point yesterday. My principal said that she had the kids clean up. There were crayons all over the floor. They got out my box of snap cubes and were throwing them all over the floor. Absolute chaos! Needless to say, I was very upset and I sure made sure my class knew it this morning.

So, there was no grace or tolerance in my classroom this morning...

Tomorrow will be a better day.

Not Me Monday!

2008-11-03T17:43:00.000-08:00

I have seen the Not Me Monday! on several sites, so I have NOT decided to join in the fun today.

I also have not been stealing my children's Halloween candy. I would never do that, especially since I am trying to watch what I eat and lose a few pounds before the holidays.

I also did not take the day off of work because I was sick. I did not go to the doctor and find out I have another ear infection. I would not have an ear infection because I am an adult. I was supposed to grow out of those a long time ago.

I am not writing on my blog instead of reading for my test on Wednesday. Why would I procrastinate? I would not do that!

Well, I am new at this, so here is my Not Me Monday! post. What have you not done?

First Day of School

2008-09-19T19:40:00.000-07:00

Here are the long awaited pictures from Brayden's first day of Kindergarten.

getting ready to go...

in the car, on the way...

out of the car, ready to enter the school...

Here he is in his classroom! What a big boy!

Hit by the Hurricane

2008-09-14T16:56:00.001-07:00

This weekend was quite a whirlwind...good, but quick. I attend the ladies retreat this weekend. It was quite a blessed time to get away with Christian women and just spend time with God. What a wonderful way to spend a weekend. We talked a lot about love and loving people. It was something I really needed to be reminded of...especially to remind me of how I need to love my difficult students.

Oh the other hand though, the hurricane made for an interesting weekend. We watched the news during the breaks throughout the weekend because the hurricane was heading right toward Little Rock. Our retreat center was about two hours away in the middle of no where, but it looked like the hurricane was basically going to hit the entire state (Arkansas is just not that big). I was on the phone off and on all day yesterday with Matt making sure they were ok. It hit last night. No big problems, just a lot of power outages. Of course, with the wind there are broken trees and other damage, but everyone is good. I woke up this morning to the power being out at the retreat center. So, we ate breakfast and worshipped without electricity. I had talked with Matt this morning as well, who said the power was out at our apartment. So, I got to come home to a house without power. Hopefully, it will be up and running again by tonight or tomorrow...

Thanks be to God for all of His blessings and protection this weekend.

It's Raining...It's Pouring...

2008-09-03T19:47:00.000-07:00

Well, it's raining...again. I feel like it has rained the entire time we have been here. That is probably because it almost has. Yesterday, though, we started getting the effects of the hurricane. So, the rain began...and continues...and continues... While Texas gets a nice cool breeze, Arkansas gets rain... No wonder it is so green here. It is definitely beautiful, though.

Well, I promised pictures and I continue to plan on providing those, but they will have to wait. I am having some internet difficulties at the moment and can not upload any pics. So, the anticipation of the first day of school pictures will have to continue...

For now, enjoy your weather, while I enjoy the rain...

One Week Down, Way Too Many To Go

2008-08-24T16:43:00.001-07:00

The first week of school is finished. I am so glad. It was quite the long week. I will have quite the challenge with the students in my room, but it will be a good year -- just a lot of work. I also know now why they liked me so much in the interview. My 3 1/2 years working with foster children will really come in handy... :-)

On another note, Brayden had a GREAT first week in Kindergarten. He loves his teachers, loves his school, and is just enjoying Little Rock. Mason also had a great week at his day school. The director sent an email to my sis-in-law saying how great Mason had adjusted to school. She said he acts like he has been there the entire time and that they are enjoying him so much. I am so glad. I was worried about the move with the boys and how they would adjust, but they have done beautifully so far. The only bad thing is that is has rained all week. I had promised Brayden all week we could go swimming, but it seemed like every time we were going to go it would be raining AGAIN. Maybe next week will be better. We were able to get in the pool a little Friday, but only for a short period (& it was really cold because of all of the rain).

I will be posting pictures of Brayden's first day of Kindergarten soon. There are not very many because his dad took him to school. Matt doesn't take as many pictures as I do... :-)

The Boys Are Back In Town

2008-08-15T20:58:00.000-07:00

The boys arrived today. YEA! I haven't seen my babies since Sunday. We are all very excited to be back together. We have quite the busy weekend ahead. We should be moving into our apartment tomorrow. (I say should because we still need to sign the paperwork and get the keys, but we should be able to do that when they open tomorrow.) I have to take Brayden school supply & uniform shopping. And, I need to finalize what I am teaching next week. I did getting my classroom finished decorating today. I am very happy about that. Therefore, I can focus my weekend on my boys instead of worrying about my classroom. I got to meet Brayden's teacher tonight. They had a meet & greet for the Kindergartners. His teacher seems to be super nice. I am so excited about him going there. I really feel good about the choice we made for his school. Oh, and Paige and Bert bought the boys a "Welcome to Arkansas" gift that consisted of Arkansas Razorback t-shirts. Apparently that is the thing to wear in Arkansas. :-)

Little Rock

2008-08-14T16:14:00.000-07:00

I have arrived! Ok, actually I arrived on Sunday evening, but... I am here none the less. Little Rock, our new home away from home. So, this week has been quite crazy for me. I started Inservice on Monday. (BTW, I have come to appreciate more and more the previous schools I have worked for as the week has progressed.) This week has consisted of me being is meetings all day and looking for a place to live in the evenings. Oh, and figuring out where Brayden is going to school. Yes, I am sure most of you are thinking "Surely she would have had all of this figured out before she moved," but you all would be wrong. :-)

Basically, we were trying to hold out on getting an apartment because we were hoping the buying a house thing would go through quicker than it has. So, an apartment it is for six months. The boys will have fun, though. The apartment complex has a playground (which is conveniently located across from our building), two swimming pools, a workout facility (so I can work out my "stress" eating from the last couple of weeks), and...are you ready for this?...free tanning. Yes, you read that right...free tanning. I haven't quite seen that amentity before.

Oh, and the school thing... I had always planned on bringing Brayden to school where I am teaching, but this changed this week. As I was sitting through Inservice listening about school improvement, I found out more and more how low my school is in test scores. I did not realize how low we were until I started seeing the numbers on paper. I knew it was a low income school, but I was balancing that with Brayden having the security of knowing I was there in the building, so I thought it would be fine. But, as I heard more and more, I started to really think that Brayden would just be bored in class. It seems that he would be way ahead of the other kids and would not really be learning anything new. I also talked with the GT teacher at our school who recommended that I not bring Brayden there for the same reasons. So, Monday started the search for the new school. I tried to get a transfer to a couple of the newer, nicer schools, but they were already full. Therefore, we found an apartment in an area where Brayden can go to a better school. He will now attend a Magnet school that focuses in Technology and Communications. Sounds pretty cool, huh? I am so excited about him being there. Although, I am quite sad that I will not be at the same school. Maybe next year? Who knows!

Hope you enjoy my ramblings today... maybe there will be more later.

Ring Bearer, reporting for duty

2008-08-02T19:18:00.001-07:00

On Saturday, August 2, Brayden & Matt were in a wedding. The groom was Matt's best friend (John)'s little brother. So, he had asked Matt to be a groomsman and Brayden to be the ring bearer. This was Brayden's first time in a wedding. Here are some of the pictures...

dressed & ready for the pictures

My Handsome Little Man

Picture time

waiting patiently for more pictures

after the wedding pictures

Brayden did such a great job. He was so still and well behaved throughout the entire time. I'm so proud. You almost would have thought it wasn't him... :-)

Brayden made a new friend this weekend. The other little boy in the picture is Addison. He is John & Kevin (groom)'s nephew. They had the best time. Addison actually even spent the night after the rehearsal dinner because they were having so much fun together.

Brayden & Addison at the reception

The Big News

2008-07-30T22:42:00.000-07:00

We are moving to Little Rock, AR.

Just thought everyone should know. We have a location. No house still, but at least it's a start, right?

My Turn

2008-07-23T08:33:00.000-07:00

Mason has been back and forth with his potty training. When I first quit my job and started staying home he decided he was ready to go in the big potty. He was very successful with #2 in the potty, but not so much with #1. Then, he just decided he did not want to go in the potty anymore. So, I dropped it for a little while with him. Now, we are back with me trying to ask him and him telling my no. I think this morning was a turning point for him. He was sitting in his high chair eating breakfast. Brayden told me that he had to go to the bathroom. So, Brayden went and came back. When he was back, Mason said "my turn." I said "your turn?" He said "my turn go potty." So, we went. And he went. #1 & #2! Yea!! Therefore, he is wearing "big boy" underwear today.

Little successes in parenthood...so exciting!

Counting Down

2008-07-16T23:00:00.000-07:00

25 days and counting...

That's how many days we have left until our last Sunday.

Where are we moving? Still unknown...

Could I be stressing a little? Yes.

Please pray for me. It's so hard waiting on God... Why can't He just be on my timeline?

Six Quirks Meme

2008-07-16T22:28:00.000-07:00

Here are the rules:

-Link the person(s) who tagged you
-Mention the rules on your blog
-Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours
-Tag 6 fellow bloggers by linking them
-Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged.

One of my long time friends (since 6th grade) Stephanie over at http://homeschoolingmythreesons.blogspot.com/ tagged me for this fun little mid-week activity! Let's see how I do. Let me start by saying I'm not sure I have six quirks,but I'll try...

1. I am addicted to Dr. Pepper. Always have been. I'm afraid I always will be. It is such an addiction that I actually gave it up for the Lenten season this year. Quite the sacrifice. Seriously.

2. Ok, I know this stems from #1, but I consider it a second quirk. Not only am I addicted to Dr.Pepper, but I am addicted to Sonic Dr. Peppers. That's right. Not only do I need a Dr. Pepper, but I must drive to Sonic to get this Dr. Pepper. Luckily for me, Clifton's Sonic has two times during the day that they discount their drinks. Morning drink stop where Larges are $.99 until 11 am and Half Price drinks from 2 - 4 pm. This occurs daily. In turn, I am there daily, sometimes twice a day... You get the point. In fact, I have even transferred this addiction to my son. That's why when we told him about us moving he asked "What about Sonic?"

3. I've been known to talk in my sleep. Actually, I've been known to have full conversations in my sleep without remembering in the morning. This does not occur as frequently as it used to, but still happens at times. Most of the time now I will vaguely remember parts of the conversation. Also, I breathe loudly when I sleep. I do not normally snore (unless I am congested), but I do breathe loudly.

4. I hate shoes. Seriously, I would rather go without, but it's just not allowed. So, in the summer, I live in flip flops. It makes it a lot easier to slip them off as quickly as possible. (BTW, Mason has this same quirk.)

5. I rarely cry. Ok, let me qualify this. I rarely cry in real life situations (except when I was pregnant). I will cry at the drop of a hat when I am watching a movie, but in real life...nothing. Crazy, I know.

6. I hate to cook. Really, hate it. I know we have to eat. I like to eat. I would just rather someone else do the cooking.

Okay, so I don't think I do this enough to tag 6 people, but here are a couple... Jessica at http://www.remretsupdate.blogspot.com/ and Rose at http://www.growingcolin.blogspot.com/

~ Mason's 2 ~

2008-02-06T15:52:00.000-08:00

On December 14 Mason turned two years old. We wanted to do some fun activities just for him on his actual birthday. We had a combination party for Mason and Brayden several days later since their birthdays are so close together. Here are some pictures from his actual birthday.

Happy Birthday Mason!

First, we went to the doctor for his two year old check up. I scheduled it thinking he would not get a shot. Unfortunately, he did get a shot, but did great! The nurse was so sweet to him and gave him a sucker. He loves suckers.

Then, it was off to the Jumping Party. We love the fact that they opened one in Waco. How exciting! This was also the location of their birthday party, but we had to try it out on Mason's birthday.

Doesn't Brayden look so excited?

Mason and Daddy in the train.

Mason climbing up the big slide by himself!

Then, it was off to Chuck E. Cheese for dinner. Mason loved the "puppy."

Mason stealing my drink.
After Chuck E. Cheese, we went to Wal-Mart to let Brayden pick out a birthday present for Mason. During our time in the store, Mason decided to have a fall. Therefore, we ended up at the emergency room on Mason's birthday. It's hard to see, but there is a line of purple on the side of his face. He was fine, but it was scary for us.

Since we spent several hours at the ER the night of Mason's birthday, we decided to wait until the next morning for him to open his birthday presents.

Thanks, brother!

Happy Birthday Mason!

Halloween

2007-11-02T11:47:00.000-07:00

The night of Halloween we started off by going downtown to trick or treat. Then, we went to the church for our Fall Family Festival. I tried to get a few pictures before we left of their costumes.

Brayden and his power ranger stance.

He found his power ranger gun/sword to accessorize the outfit.

Mason was not in the mood to stand for a picture. He kept trying to run to the road.

My sweet power ranger.

My sweet Pablo.

This is as good of a picture as I could get before we left.

Trick or Treating downtown Clifton

Mason joined in the fun of trick or treating.

He could not say "trick or treat," but would say "hi" and then reach for the candy.

Brayden's friend, Seth, joined us during the trick or treating.

Then, it was on to the church for more fun.

Mason playing basketball.

Mason in the bounce house.

Brayden in the bounce house.

The boys coloring at the festival.

Gotta love fake lips that are also kazoos.

Mason, Brayden, and their friend, Katelyn

(I love Mason's look in this picture)

Brayden, Mason, and Lexi

Lexi is Brayden's best friend. This picture was supposed to be just of Brayden and Lexi, but little brother had to get in it, too.

The end of the night. I think the boys are done having fun.

Preschool Halloween Party

2007-10-31T11:35:00.000-07:00

Today is Halloween. Brayden has been waiting for this day ever since we bought his costume (which was about a month ago). He got to wear his costume to school today. He was SO excited. His preschool had a morning full of fun planned. Mason & I joined Brayden in all of the fun. We started the morning by taking a few pictures at home.

Brayden has the power ranger moves down!

Brayden (the Red Power Ranger) & Mason (Pablo from Backyardigans)

Mason LOVES his costume. He giggles every time he puts it on.

The Preschool took a field trip to the Clifton Care Center. They sang songs to the people at the nursing home and went "trick or treating" at their rooms.

Since Brayden is the tallest, he is in the back of the group.

The kids had made cards for the elderly. After they sang, they handed out the cards.

Then, they went "trick or treating."

Here are my cuties! Mason did really well at the nursing home. He was talking to the people and letting them touch his hand. He kept giving one lady "five" because she kept putting her hand out. I think she might have thought he was hitting her, but he was just giving her "five." Brayden was a little more stand-offish. He was not exactly sure what to think of everyone. It was a great experience for the boys.

Back to school and outside play time before the party.

Mason was saying "cheese." He likes to have his picture taken.

First, the kids made sacks to put candy in from the pinata. Mason had to make a sack as well. He thinks he's as big as the rest of them.

My big boy writing his name on his sack.

Now, comes the food. They got to decorate their cookies with icing. Yum! Brayden chose blue icing because blue is his favorite color.

Saving the best for last, the pinata!

Picking up the candy from the pinata.

Mason had to get some candy, too!

More fun to come tonight!

Howl-O-Scream

2007-10-26T14:44:00.000-07:00

On the 19th we went to Sea World to have fun at their Howl-O-Scream. Due to a busy October schedule, we decided to go on a Friday. It really is the best time because most people are in school. Therefore, rides were not very busy.

We had to start off with the Shamu ride. Matt & Brayden are in the front. Brayden had to ride this one several times which was not a problem because you could walk right onto the ride. Mason is still a little too short for this ride (maybe next year).

Next up, it was mom's turn to take the boys on the monkey jumping ride. Mason is big enough for this one. He did not like it as well this time as he did in May.

Jack had to show up at each of the shows since it is decorated for Halloween.

Even Shamu dressed up for the day.

Mom & Brayden

Daddy & Mason

Daddy tried to take the boys on the big playground. Mason did not want to do much. He was a little nervous.

So, daddy and Brayden played on the big play area while mommy & Mason went to the toddler area.

Mason had too much fun in the toddler area. He figured out all different ways to jump in the area. He really enjoyed climbing on the foam shapes.

We had to make sure we saw the dolphins before we left.

Labor Day Trip to Sea World

2007-10-23T14:17:00.000-07:00

Labor Day weekend we took a short trip down to San Antonio to have a good time at Sea World. The boys & I had went a couple of times already this year with my mom & nephews (we have season passes), but daddy had not been able to come. Not only did we want daddy to get to come with us, but also mommy does not ride roller coaster and Brayden really wanted to ride some. So, Labor Day weekend was a good time for us to venture as a family to Sea World.

Gotta throw in a picture of Shamu since that is the reason you go to Sea World, right?

Sea World's new ride, Journey to Atlantis

That is Brayden and Daddy on the ride. They are in the front on the left. Matt is wearing the orange shirt.

This would be Brayden's first big roller coaster ride!

Brayden & Daddy on the Texas Splashdown.

We actually all (Mason, me, Matt, & Brayden) got to ride together on this one. It was Mason's first big ride. He LOVED it!! He was laughing each time we went down.

We had an awesome hotel! They had a face painting and balloon animals that evening.

Of course, the boys had to get balloon swords so that they could "fight" in the room.

Brayden had Shamu painted on his face.

We love Sea World!

First Day of School

2007-10-14T18:34:00.000-07:00

Brayden started Preschool at the end of August. It's so hard when your little one is getting bigger. It's hard to believe he is actually old enough to start Preschool. Next year, he will be in Kindergarten. For me, it's both exciting and sad because my baby is growing up. Here he is on the first day of school.

He's ready to go with his Superman backpack and lunch box.

He's showing us his big muscles that he has like Superman.

This is his school.

My Little Monkey

2007-10-11T21:05:00.000-07:00

For those of you who know Mason, you know he is quite the little monkey. It is actually amazing some of the things he is able to do, scary but amazing. The other day Mason and Brayden were playing in their room (they now share a room). Brayden is really good about telling me when Mason is doing something he is not supposed to do. So, I hear "Mom, Mason's climbing." I run into the room to see what he is climbing on and this is what I found...

As you can see, Mason is on top of the shelf close to the hanging rack in the closet. As the wonderful mom I am, what did I do? I told him to stay there so that I could get the camera.

After I took the picture, then I told him to get down.

Just a side not, this shelving unit is three boxes high. He just LOVES to climb on anything he can find.

Parents Week Away

2007-10-08T11:16:00.000-07:00

I know this is a little past due, but here are some pictures from our vacation in August. As you can see from the pictures, there were no kiddos on this trip. Matt and I take a trip every year, whether big or small, without the little ones. This year we decided to venture to Orlando. Not as wonderful as Hawaii which we did last year, but we can't go to Hawaii every year - although that would be really cool if we could. Hope you enjoy the pictures...

On the first day of our trip, Matt & I went to a zoo. Although I do not like them, they did have some of the coolest looking snakes at this zoo. I was brave enough to actually go into the snake house to see them. That's a big deal for me since snakes really creep me out.

Day 2 we ventured to Daytona Beach. It is supposedly the World's Most Popular Beach.

Daytona Beach

Day 3 we did something a little different. We went to the Tampa Bay Buchaneers training camp. How cool is that?!?! Okay, maybe not so cool to some that do not like football, but very cool to me.

We were very close to the practice field. When are you ever able to get this close to pro football players?

The players would also throw footballs to some of the kids on the sidelines.

We ventured to the Orlando Ripley's Believe It or Not! I loved the way the building looked!

The Grand Finale of the Trip

Universal Studios

It was absolutely AWESOME!!!

Fear Factor Live!

Jimmy Neutron

We took some pictures of the characters for Brayden.

Temple of Paisadon

Men In Black ride

We had a wonderful time. We did some awesome things in Orlando and did not even do Disney World. We are saving that for our trip to Orlando with the boys.

Sweet Boys

2007-09-24T20:48:00.000-07:00

I had to take a picture of my boys for my work bulletin board. I thought it turned out too cute. So, I decided to share. Enjoy my sweeties!

Cousins Play Time

2007-09-24T13:08:00.000-07:00

This weekend was fun filled family time. Uncle Bert and cousin Anna came to visit. Matt took Brayden to Fort Worth Thursday evening so that they could all go to the Rangers game. Since I was not there, there are no pictures of that evening, but they had a lot of fun. Brayden says Anna is his "best friend." So cute! Friday Matt, Brayden, Bert, and Anna came to spend the rest of the weekend at the house. We just hung out and played Friday evening. Then, Saturday morning we took the kiddos for a day of fun in Waco. Enjoy the pics.

In the car, ready to go!

At the zoo, Brayden's going to direct the way.

Brayden & Anna posing for a picture. Brayden was not too happy about taking the picture.

After the zoo, we went to one of their favorite places, Chuck E. Cheese. Here's Mason enjoying some Powerade.

Brayden & Anna with Chuck E. I'm not exactly sure what Brayden was doing. You never know with him. :o)

Having fun on the roller coaster ride!

Brayden wanted to sit by Mason.

But, Anna got to sit by Mason.

Having fun!

They all got to ride together. Brayden is really into driving.

Mason konked out when we got home. He slept while the others played outside in the sprinkler.

After a while, they got tired of playing together and taking turns. Here is Brayden not wanting Anna to have a turn.

Here is Anna not too happy about letting Brayden have a turn.

After this, we had bath, dinner, and bedtime. Then, it was church on Sunday where we got to hear Uncle Bert preach. What a fun weekend! We really enjoyed our time with them, but missed Aunt Paige on this visit. That would have made the weekend even better!

Jumping Party

2007-07-29T22:17:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we took the boys to one of the best places EVER! It's called "Jumping Party." We have been to it a few times. The first time we discovered it was for Brayden's 2nd birthday. For his 2nd birthday we actually did two birthday parties. The first was with Matt's family at Chuck E. Cheese. Side note - the best time to go to Chuck E. Cheese is on Christmas Eve. I know, sounds like a weird time to go, but when your son's birthday is the day after Christmas, you get inventive. There was only one other family at the place. The second birthday party was with my family. This one we had at the Jumping Party. (No, we did not pay for birthday parties at both places. We just went to those places to play and did the party on our own.) My mom had seen it and thought it would be fun. This occurred right after Christmas. Again, a great time to go. We were the only ones there. We had a blast. Basically, the place is a bunch of blow up things. There are slides, bounce houses, obstacle courses, etc. All ages had way too much fun (including my sixty year old aunt). So, this year on Brayden's actual birthday we went again. We went with Matt's family this time due to being at their house on his birthday. Again, all ages had a blast. For those of you who know about Matt's family, they really do have all ages. Mason (who was right at a year old) also had a blast. So, to end our fun day we went to Jumping Party. We had so much fun! Mason loves to be able to climb and do what his big brother does. He has no fear. He did not want to play in the toddler area, but enjoyed the big slides instead.

They had a new slide that was shaped like a dinosaur. It was not as cool as some of their other stuff, but still an added attraction. Plus, Mason was able to climb this one almost on his own.

Mason climbing through the obstacle course.

Brayden going back to get his brother in the obstacle course.

Mason conquering the big slide. Brayden had already slid without him.

Daddy & Mason conquering the big slide. Again, Brayden had already went without them.

The best thing about this place is that parents can play with the kids. I had fun as well (I just always seem to be the one taking the pictures. Go figure.)

We had a BLAST!!

2007-07-27T18:49:00.001-07:00

We had originally planned on going to Sea World this weekend with the boys. After further research, we found that it was predicted to rain all weekend in San Antonio. So, we had to come up with plan B. Below is some of the pictures from plan B. More should be coming since our weekend is not complete. Basically, we decided to come into the metroplex instead of San Antonio. I have been wanting to go to the Dallas World Aquarium for a while now. I was expecting a very large aquarium. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a disappointment on the aquarium part, but it was very cool, none the less. It was a lot more rainforesty (is that actually a word??). So, enjoy the pics from our adventure. Also, to end the day we went to Chuck E. Cheese, which is always a fave with Brayden. Sorry to disappoint, but I did not take pics at CEC. Hope you enjoy the aquarium!!

We're ready to go!!

This stroller was the perfect size for Brayden to push. He had a lot of fun pushing around his brother.

Mason LOVED the waterfall!

Brayden & Tyler

admiring the rainforest

family fun

Mason loves being close to the fish!

Brayden & Mason

This would have been a great picture if you could have seen the fish in the background...

Look at that sweet face!

watching the ducks and rabbit

Enjoy some of the animals with us!

sting rays and ducks

puffer fish & shark

LOVE the puffer fish!! Very cool!

sea turtle

Shark

It was very cool. You walked through a tunnel and the shark was swimming all around you and on top of you!

Sloth

That was another cool part of the rainforest. The sloth was out in the open and you could get right up and close to it.

baby crocodiles

penguins

jaguar (or as Mason called it "puppy")

flamingos

yes, one is standing in it's food as it eats

They did have some cool fish!

Sea Dragon

This is the fish Mason was looking at in an earlier picture. Beautiful!

We had an awesome time!

Tired!!

2007-07-24T09:00:00.001-07:00

We had a blast at the Rangers game last night! We stayed until the game was finished, so we did not get home until after 1 am. As expected, I am tired! Brayden and Mason had a ton of fun. Brayden thought he needed to buy EVERYTHING. He had a blast playing with one of his friends. I don't think he actually watched too much of the game. Mason really enjoyed the music. He LOVES, LOVES, LOVES to dance. He did stay up a whopping 2 hours past his bedtime. So, I missed Sosa's homerun & another homerun - don't know who hit that one since I missed it - (the best inning) because I was walking around with him trying to get him to sleep. He finally sat still long enough on my lap, with me bouncing him like I used to when he was a little baby, to fall asleep. Best of all, the Rangers WON!!!

Family Fun!

Mason talking on the phone. I guess he had an important call to make.

Brayden & our YM, Warren

Here's a view from the cheap seats.

trying to keep him under control

He's finally asleep!

How to Work from Home

2007-07-19T09:34:00.001-07:00

I work from home part of the time (or most of the time). When I do, my boys are with me. Sometimes this can pose difficulty in getting things accomplished. Mason is quite the monkey. Some days are worse than others. Today is one of those days. So, here's the solution...

Just kidding... I thought it was a cute picture. He likes to play in boxes. Here is what he is doing today, though...

Climbing on the table and closing my computer. I guess he wants me to stop blogging...

To Blog or Not To Blog

2007-07-19T08:28:00.000-07:00

I am a newbie at this blogging thing. I have thought about it for a while, but hate to write. Why would I create a blog when I hate to write? But, here I am. I am creating it so that my friend, Jessica, can stalk me. :o) Anyways, we will see what this blog ends up becoming...