beach fun!

The beach is one place we really look forward to taking the boys every summer! This year, we actually went twice - once to Galveston with Nana and Papa and the other to Port Aransas. The boys absolutely love it! It's just the perfect place to play. This year C and L enjoyed getting in the water. Baby P enjoyed it also, as long as he was in either Mommy or Daddy's arms. All 3 loved the sand! In Galveston, there was this hole that somebody before us had dug, and that was a favorite of the boys!

Here's that hole I was talking about.

L was fascinated by this seaweed.

   
I decided not to take my camera to Port A...less to pack. We left early one Saturday and spent one night. The boys, especially C, were excited about staying in a hotel! Here are some pictures I took with my iPhone. I didn't get pictures of this, but the boys found sticks when we first got there, and they played light saber wielding Jedis with them.

It was so, so nice to get to go on our mini vacations! I'm already looking forward to our next one.



Building with Daddy

One day, we were walking through Lowe's and saw these bird house and feeder kits on sale. Naturally, we bought 3 for our boys to do. A few weeks later they got to build them with their Daddy. They loved it! Well, what's not to love about spending time with your Daddy and getting to use tools?!

  
The boys painted their projects, then hung all 3 in different spots in the backyard. We bought birdseed for cardinals/ songbirds, and sure enough we've spotted, among many other birds, Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal (what we call the male and female cardinals that hang out around here) on the feeders enjoying the seeds.

 

Somebody is 1!

Our sweet niece, E, turned one at the end of June! Poor C was sick, so I was just me and L at her party. I felt horrible we all couldn't go but it was nice to have some one on one with L. It's something he rarely gets, so "dates" like this with him are nice.

My Bday and Father's Day

Summer is just about over, all except for the ridiculous heat. I'm so thankful we have air conditioning everywhere we go! I truly enjoyed the summer, more than I thought I would and was a little sad to see it end. My Cman has started 1st grade, and my 2 little guys start preschool in 2 weeks. 

In June, I celebrated my 33rd birthday. We went to eat dinner at ZTejas and then had my very favorite chocolate cake from La Madeline. That cake is to die for! I wish a had a picture of it. But here is something even better, at least I think so, a picture of me and my sweet guys.

I love how the above 2 pictures just show each boy doing their own thing, L unwrapping his silverware and C so intrigued by the activity in the kitchen. It's these little moments that I love to remember. I truly have so much more than I could ask for or deserve. I am so blessed!    

Later that same weekend, we celebrated Father's Day. My husband is the love of my life. I've known him for 19 years! I can't imagine life without him. He is such a great father and fulfills that ever important role for our boys in a way that I'm unable to, and I love that.


That bag that C is holding is full of peanuts. We went to Logan's to eat lunch, and the boys were so entertained by the peanuts! It kept them (especially Baby P) busy for a long time. I'll have to remember that.

And here is my brother and I with our wonderful Dad!



The whole family-


We also got to spend time with my cutie patootie of a niece, who is now 1 year old!

And one more, just for fun.

  

Love it!

last day of preschool 2011

The last day of preschool for L this year was fun filled! It was pirate/ princess day for his and another 3 year old class. They got to come to school dressed in costume. And it was the annual last day of school picnic. L got to choose what he wanted for lunch and Daddy even got to come and eat with us! His teacher gave all her kids some sweet parting gifts including a scrapbook with pictures of the entire year and an "ABC" book filled with art they had completed. Since I knew I would be taking pictures, I brought my camera with me when I dropped off L that day. So, I got a picture of him at chapel. They have chapel every Friday and just sing and praise the Lord. It's the sweetest thing to watch!





In the fall, L will start his last year there and P will start his first year. Baby P will be in the "young 3's" class. And I will have a few hours to myself each week. What will I do?!

We all love the boys' preschool, and I'm so glad I get a few more years before we're completely done and have to say goodbye to all the wonderful people at OHCP. 

fun at the children's museum

There is a great museum in New Braunfels we got to enjoy with friends a few weeks ago. And at that museum we got to...


See a longhorn

Have fun with water play

Silly girls...How else are you supposed to get to those ducks?

Dig for dinosaur bones

And play a game peek-a-boo (which I used to get a cute picture of my sweetie)

wrapping up the school year

Our sweet C man demonstrated such good behavior throughout his kinder year. He would sometimes come home with "news tape" on his shirt that said things like:

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In April, C's school had a Family Dance and Picnic one evening. All the grades got up and performed dances they had been practicing in P.E. After they had their turn, they invited the parents to join in.

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On an unusually cold day in May, C's class visited Morgan's Wonderland for a field trip. Morgan's Wonderland is an awesome place where people of all abilities can enjoy a day of fun!

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In honor of Mother's Day, L's class had a breakfast and performance for the moms. There was yummy food and the sweet sounds of 3 & 4 year olds singing. They were so, so cute! And I was so surprised to see my lil' L singing and doing the hand motions to the songs in front of so many people.

The kids had all made one of these for their moms. I think L's got me pretty much figured out. :)

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In May, C's school held a "Reader's Restaurant." It consisted of all the kinder classes showing off their reading skills they had acquired throughout the school year. The students would come over to the parents and read a book chosen from their "menu" of books. After they completed the book, the parents would then "tip" the student with stickers. What a fantastic idea for the kinder kids to show what they had learned. And they were so brave as they went around to different parents!

Overall, I'd say all these fun activities helped bring the school year to a great end!