1st Day of Kindergarten!!

After months of agonizing over being ready for "big boy school"; hearing hundreds of opinions from friends and family; and sending in about 15 typed pages of information to the school....Sam finally started his first day of Kindergarten this week. I've been preparing him for months. All summer we've played "school bus", practiced letters and numbers, and read lots of books about making new friends....then it was time for him to get on the bus. We promised him we would follow the bus and be there when he got off. To be honest, I never thought he would even set foot on the bus....but as the big yellow, giant pulled up to our driveway....he squared his shoulders, grabbed his booksack, climbed in, and drove off into his future!

As I'm writing this, tears are pouring down my face at the thought of him being so brave. I will never forget the sight of that bus driving away...and I'll never forget the feeling at that moment that life would never be the same (for either of us). As promised, we were there when he got off the bus and was shuffled onto the kindergarten playground. To him, it was just a sea of unfamiliar faces...a great big new place to get use to...and totally unknown experiences ahead of him. In an attempt to distract them, his teacher (who is wonderful) gathered up her children and began showing them around the playground, then lined them up to go inside. That was it...we didn't even get to say goodbye (OK, that's a little dramatic...we could have said goodbye, it was just easier not too). As I walked back to the car, his whole life was flashing before my eyes (which, of course, were filled with tears). How could my baby possibly be in Kindergarten already?

I had an empty feeling in my heart all day...and I'm still not really sure why. He's been at preschool for the last two years...but it's just not the same. I just knew he would exit the bus that afternoon feeling sad and not wanting to go back, but he had the biggest smile on his face instead . I know I sound like I'm being negative...but I really thought this was going to be difficult for him. Realizing that I was wrong about the whole situation was actually the hardest part. And, yes.... Amy...you were right!

Today was day 4 of school, and every day he has come home happy (tired, and hungry...but happy!). Last night at open house, he wouldn't leave until he showed us every detail of his classroom, and he was sooo proud of everything he could barely contain his excitement.

Since last year, the mom's in his preschool class said we were going to get together after the first day of kindergarten to see how everyone did. For the most part, we're all at different schools...or at least different classrooms, but the experience was similar for all of us. Going to coffee took our minds off of being sad...but still, at some point during our outing, most of us cried. Being with this group of mom's (I call them the preschool mom's) that I've become close friends with over the last two years was a little bittersweet. I thought about them at open house last night as I was meeting the new kindergarten moms and wondered "will these people become my new best friends? Will I lose contact with the preschool mom's who have been my support system for the last two years?" I couldn't bare to think about it anymore...and went about with the small talk you carry on with strangers. They all seemed very nice...I just felt like I needed my preschool moms at that moment. After all the drama, tears, late night phone conversations and prayers...more than anyone, we all knew exactly what the rest of us would be feeling.

I keep telling myself that even though it's the end of a chapter in Sam's life...the next chapter looks like it going to be pretty exciting!!

And as much a I hate to admit it...the next chapter of mine (new friends and old friends) might just be OK too....

BTW...the BEST part of open house had to be when I saw an old friend. She's always wanted childen and has been fostering and trying to adopt for years. She's now in the process of adopting two beautiful sisters the same ages as my boys. I don't want to jinx it...but I have a good feeling about this one. Please say a prayer for her and her new daughters that everything goes smoothly!

Hot Air Ballon Championship !

We decided to check out the Hot Air Balloon Championship yesterday and it was a blast! Admission was free and there was tons of things for the kids to do and lots of great local bands. We did end up spending a small fortune on water but it was well worth it. It was extremely hot, but perfect conditions for the balloons. Of course, we had to stop at Cabella's before heading home so the boy's could check out the elephants and other wild animals, but Ty's favorite thing for some reason was the mannequin dressed in camo. Enjoy the pic's!

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words!!

Well, it's been a very busy couple of weeks. Just before the Fourth of July, the boys (and me) had Vacation Bible School; then my in-laws, brother-in-law, and niece were in town for several days; my husband took the following week off work; my mother came in town for a few days; and finally, Ty celebrated his 4th birthday (for about 5 days). By now, everything we've done is just a blur, so rather than recap for you, I'm just adding some pictures and videos. Enjoy!!

Crabs anyone?

Lynn Meadows Children Museum

Climbing with Dad!! (video)

At the Beach!! (video)

Ty singing Bon Jovi, with Sam on Drums!! (video)

Fishing...fishing...and more fishing!!

Ty's 4th Birthday (5 day celebration (video)

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY !!

Spending July 4th Weekend with Family!!

Are my kids annoying?

OK...Brooke has been here several days now and I can tell she has reached her patience threshold with the boys. They follow her around like puppies, constantly call her name and fight over who gets to play with her. The only thing she wants to play now is "hide and seek" minus the "seek". They were just playing with trains and I could sense it was about to go terribly wrong. It starts with a little squeal...then I hear something being thrown....then yelling....then crying. Brooke's attempt to calm everyone down (the best way a 10-year-old can) is not working. I hear her take a deep breath and say "EVERYONE PLEASE JUST STOP TALKING TO ME!" She sounded very frustrated and totally ready to go home. Now this didn't really bother me. They had played nicely long enough for me to clean the breakfast dishes and rotate the laundry. I was a happy camper...but these are MY kids. For some reason, I'm just more tolerant. I started thinking about a few things that happened yesterday...


The boys started their summer reading class yesterday. It actually takes place in a college classroom with seven other 4 and 5 year olds and their moms. At the beginning of class, the teacher gave instructions that they needed to raise their hand and wait to be called on before speaking. Now, I'm sure he didn't expect these children to do this perfectly, but I think he did expect to get a little help from the moms to keep order in the classroom so he could teach. There was a couple of kids who constantly spoke out of turn. The more the teacher tried to ignore them, the more upset they got and the more they misbehaved. On the positive side...these kids were very smart and very outgoing. It's like they were going to explode if they didn't get to give the answer. At first, I thought "how embarrassing for these moms, that their kids aren't following directions". Then I realized that they were totally proud of the fact their kids were obviously the smartest ones in the class. It didn't seem even to cross their mind that following directions is an important thing for their kids to learn too. I wondered if they were thinking just the opposite about me and my kids...."Poor kids, they need to learn how to speak up for themselves and be more outgoing".


Later that day, we went swimming in the kiddie pool. There were 2 very rambunctious brothers in there with us. For a good 30 minutes, I assumed these brothers (about 5 and 6) were not being supervised by anyone. They were body slamming each other into the water; holding each others heads under; and karate kicking each other like crazy. They did seem to be having a good time with each other, but it was totally violent. Then I realized they were being watched whole time and were allowed to act this was. Their dad, who was obviously a bodybuilder, was tanning just outside the pool and found them to be entertaining. He (like the mom in the story above) was proud of them and seemed to feel sorry for my 5-year-old who stayed to himself in the safety of his floatation ring. This rough play went on for a while and all the other kids were watching. Some kids purposely stayed away (like mine), others looked like they wanted to join in but knew they would get in trouble. Then, another little boy walked up to one of the brothers and pushed them. He was younger and smaller then both of the brothers and was smiling while he did it...it wasn't meant to be mean...he just wanted to join in their game which he probably figured was acceptable behavior since nobody was stopping them. The dad freaked out and very rudely told this little boy (who he didn't know) not to push. Then his son's continued playing their violent game. Is it just me...or is something wrong with this man? Does every parent think their kids are the best ones wherever they are?

...and if that's the case, does it mean my kids are NOT the cutest kids in the whole wide world?

Why girls are WAY better!

...and I'm talking about more than the obvious things like the ability control certain bodily functions until the end of meal.

I've had the pleasure of spending a couple of days with my little sister (she's only 10) and she just makes me happy. After keeping the boys busy all day (which that alone makes me happy) we just have so much fun being girls. The truth is...I am a girly girl, contrary to what some of my friends (Lana) would say. Not necessarily in the sense of getting all dressed cute and made up for a random Tuesday...but in other ways. Brooke and I do silly girl things. We dance to cheesy Disney songs in our pajamas (we make sure no one is watching, of course). She comforts me when I cry while watching Ice Princess. I brush her hair...for hours. And of course we talk...really talk. Don't get me wrong, my boys and I talk all the time, but somehow it's just not the same kind of conversation girlfriends or sisters or mothers and daughters share.

Today I took my little sister (Brooke) and the boys to the Children's Discovery Center in Mississippi. We also went with my older sister and her two stepson's, ages 18 and 14, who are in town for a few weeks. If you're wondering how she was able to convince two teenage boys to go to a Children's Museum with a bunch of kids, please read back to the past blog where it is mentioned that she has a positive attitude. She simply walked in their room, woke them up (11:00am) and told them we were going to "have a great day acting like kids again in a place where we wouldn't see anyone we knew". GENIUS! And did they act like kids?! They dressed up costumes; climbed in the mazes with the little ones and sipped fake tea with their pinkies out (I did mention these are boys right?). Anyway, we had a great time there. The original plan was to go to the beach after, but a typical summer thunderstorm quickly changed that plan. So we ended up at the outlet mall for pizza and a little shopping.

Speaking of food...those teenage boys can EAT! Before we left for the day they each ate 3 sausage, egg and cheese biscuits, then ate an entire monster size pizza AND a bowl of spaghetti just a few hours later! Both of them are as thin as rails, so I don't know where they put it. Those of you who know me...know that we don't spend much on groceries. If this is how typical teenage boys eat, I'm going to need to look for a job!

A day without my hubby

Well....EVERY DAY is a day without my hubby, but today was Sunday. I'm use to having him around on the weekends and I feel a little cheated when he has something to do. But since I'm trying to have a good attitude (see previous post) I decided to make the best of it and try not to give him a hard time about needing to leave.


First, please know that we do have bad days, really bad days, in fact most days are filled with meltdowns, bloody noses and tears. Did I mention meltdowns? But as I said in my very 1st post, I'm only going to write the good things about my family and today was filled with good things....


We started by going to church... just the boys and me. We were on time and actually a little early. They both went to their Sunday School classes happily and without incident. And even though I'm not crazy about sitting by myself, I ended up being surrounded by people I knew so I didn't feel too pathetic. The music was especially uplifting and I spent half the service fighting tears of appreciation for everything I have. The sermon was awesome, as usual, and I left feeling inspired and ready face my busy week.


I promised the boys we'd go to our favorite "fancy" breakfast restaurant after church, so that was our next stop. The wait was long, but they sat quietly and waited for over 30 minutes. Since there were no available seats to wait in, they found two empty magazine holders (that actually looked like children's chairs) and sat in them. They thought they were so smart for figuring that out. Once we finally sat at our table, they sipped their $3 chocolate milks (served in a fancy glass with LOTS of whipped cream and a straw) and ate all of their breakfast. We had interesting and educational conversation and the word "poop" was not used once throughout the entire meal. This is a huge accomplishment. At one point, a man from the table next to us turned to me and said how well behaved they were. That comment from a stranger has made me decide that I need to start telling people (especially moms) the same thing when I notice their children behaving well. As moms we don't get much encouragement or appreciation, so it's up to us to support each other. Anyway, breakfast....was a success!


Next, we had to go back to church to drop of some decorations for VBS. As I figured, I ended up staying to help for several hours. The boys, again, were really good and helpful. They're even more excited about going to VBS now since they've seen a little preview of what to expect. By this time my hubby was home and rather than tackle the mess in my house, I asked him if he would mind if I went back to church alone to see if they needed anything else (sadly, that is what I like to do for fun). He was fine with it so I went back and ended up meeting some great people. It's amazing what a little uninterrupted, adult conversation can do for a person whose main vocabulary consists of phrases like..."because I said so"; "please don't pee on your brother"; and "Sweetheart, your underwear are on backwards again"!!!

In today's sermon, the Pastor talked about a man who said "I've been going to church for 20 years and I've heard thousands of sermons...but I can't remember what any of them have been about. It's all been a big waste of time." Another man responded "I've been married for 20 years, and in those years my wife has prepared thousands of meals for me. I don't remember much about those meals...but, they've nourished me every day of my life." I'm sure you can see where he was going with this...

This day, reminded me of the sermon. After all is said and done, this wasn't a day that I'll remember for a long time. We didn't really do anything out of the ordinary or special or life changing. It was just another day...another great day.

Why we sail.

I do not have a bad attitude...I do not have a bad attitude. OK, apparently I have a bad attitude. My husband tells me all the time, but now my friends are telling me too! So, I complain when I have to exercise...doesn't everyone? Apparently not. As I'm working out with Amy, she's begging the teacher (who happens to be my sister) for more and smiling and talking and looking like she just loves the pain. And me? I just want to know when the next water break is going to be and praying my shoes come untied so I can stop for a minute.

So...I'm refocusing. I'm ready to be positive. I am woman. I have a good attitude...I have a good..................Oops, dozed off for a second there. I have a good attitude.

OK. Here we go.
Sometimes when I tell people we have a boat they'll say "you mean your husband has a boat". But the truth is I love it too! My husband and I fell in love on his sailboat. Since falling in love means getting married, buying a house, having kids and less money in general, we sold the sailboat. We've since tried other recreational vehicles (4-wheelers, jet ski's, powerboats...and when I say "we" I mean "he") but, they just weren't my thing. We have often talked about getting another sailboat and after years of saving, we finally did it. It is everything I remembered and more! Although, it is a totally different experience with the kids, it's still wonderful. I'm not sure which is better...enjoying it with friends (see My Bayou Vieux's blog), or just the spur of the moment family trips.

Last night was one of the last minute family trips. I heard that the moon was supposed to beautiful, so we decided to go out, watch the sunset and check out the moon. My husband picked up some steaks, I grabbed the boys' swimsuits and we were off. After a short ride and one 3-year-old meltdown we anchored at the beach for a swim. I'm going to bore you with details now, so feel free to skip to the next paragraph. The water was calm except for the unusual amount of fish jumping out of the water. The beach was almost private, a welcome change from the weekends, where the abundance of teenagers and obscene music is pretty much intolerable. I even convinced my husband to play the instrumental guitar CD we have. I have to mention it was the CD we listened to at our wedding rehearsal. Every time I hear it I can picture his grandparents dancing in our backyard while wedding construction was happening all around them. And as I sat on the boat eating the steak my husband just made me, I watched my kids and their daddy playing in sand and water and realized that this is what I want them to remember about their childhood.

So, I am making a promise to myself right here...right now. Every time I even think about exercising....we are going for a boat ride instead. It's simply just the right thing to do for my family. After all, what's more important? The few extra pounds I've put on, or a lifetime of memories for my children?

Could my kids be any more different?

As I'm sitting here checking my email, my kids are inside their tent trying to work out the details of an imaginary game. The older one wants to play "baby and mommy". The younger one wants to play "golf player Power Ranger with a shootin' gun". Keep in mind, he has never seen a Power Ranger show, he has a few of the action figures and just assumes that they play golf and shoot guns. Somehow, their game seems to be working out. The "mommy" is a Power Ranger, and they are taking about going to work to get a snack (probably because I haven't fed them breakfast yet). Now their conversation has turned to Buzz Lightyear. I think he's the waiter (or "the man" as they call) it in their imaginary restaurant. Ty is telling Buzz "I'm going to count to four and you better give me it" (just in case you're wondering...the tone is not very nice). I really hate hearing my words come back to haunt me! I'm now being interupted by Ty, who needs to "check his PBSkids.org".
This would be a good time to make breakfast!

Fathers Day!

Fathers Day... where should I begin? My hubby decided (well...asked) if he could go 4-wheeler-riding with a friend for the day. Since we have several Fathers and Grandfathers that live within driving distance I told him as long he we wouldn't be missing any big family gatherings that I wouldn't mind at all. Lucky for him, when I called around there wasn't much going on so he made plans to go. I thought I'd just spend the day at home with the kids and try to get some cleaning done, but at the last minute we had a message that there would be a get-together with some of his family. So I decided I would just pack the kids up and make the rounds (which meant 4 stops). The closest stop being a little over an hour away and about 30 minutes in between each one. Of course, I totally judged the timing wrong, so we only ended up spending about 45 minutes at each stop until we reached our final destination, where my hubby met up with us (that's the area where he was 4-wheeling).

Even though we rushed around all day and dodged huge lightning storms in between, the kids were actually really good. It usually takes them about an hour to warm-up to new places so they never were comfortable enough to complain or whine even though they didn't have lunch or dinner until after 8pm. My 3-year-old even proudly recited all 18 of the bible verses he knows for his Aunt and Grandmother (OK...I had to bribe him and promise him he could have some Sprite if he did it). Later, when we realized how late it was getting we ordered pizza. When it arrived, everyone was finding places to sit and eating as fast as they could while 5 different conversations were going on (the normal chaos). Then, Ty quietly started singing our usual mealtime prayer. Within seconds, the room was silent and we all prayed together. It was adorable and of course, I felt soooo proud of him.

Now that I'm thinking about it, my kids have been really into prayer lately. Before we left for our adventure today, I was telling the boys about all the "Dads" we were going to see. They asked if we'd be seeing Paw Paw Courtney. I told them we wouldn't because he was in heaven with Jesus (and has been for over 20 years). So they decided we should say a prayer and ask Jesus to tell him Happy Father's Day for us. Of course...we did. Later while driving in a really bad rain storm I heard Sam whispering something to himself so I turned the radio down to hear him . He must have sensed that I was nervous because he was telling God that he knew we needed rain to make the flowers grow, but if he could please just slow it down for a little while. Again...soooo proud and touched that he was doing that for me.

I really think I'm going to like this blogging thing. I probably would never have remembered these moments if I hadn't sat down and thought about something great to say about today.