last day of school

(so it's way late)

The last day of school came really quickly this year. I guess as we get a little bit busier each year the time passes faster. This year Chris and I saw so much grow in each of the boys. We feel really blessed to have each of the boys at schools that fit them each so well.

2 Corinthians 9:8-11

 God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one psalmist puts it,

He throws caution to the winds,

    giving to the needy in reckless abandon.

His right-living, right-giving ways

    never run out, never wear out.

This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.

he made me a mom

Tanner you will always hold a special place in my heart because you made me a mom. You are handsome and sly, stubborn and smart, honest and rough, sensitive and strong-willed. You such a sweet friends...every time I turn around you have made a new friend...he got that from his dad.  You are a great student and such a loving brother. Sam adores you...always remember he does what you do...we oldest have big shoes to fill!  

I can not believe you are 7. 

I feel like I just brought you home from the hospital, watched you walk and saw your first tooth. Now you have 2 adorable big front teeth, you love to run like Daddy but you still come snuggle in my bed even morning! 

What you love at 7...

Tigers basketball

beyblades

Jack Sciezka books

Alabama football

building forts with Sam...using every cushions, pillow and blanket we have

telling everyone fast food is processed

trail riding with daddy

playing basketball

Bop It

Super-Hero Monopoly

CLUE

dancing in the living room

knights 

reading books to Sam

nerf guns

drawing abstract pictures

A to Z mysteries

Wild Kratts

History channel

playing chess with Big D

any graphic novel...especially Hardy Boys

Yolo

Muddy's

A few photos from his first sleepover...it's all he wanted for his birthday!

sweet moments

Tanner is our official "prayer" guy this Advent. 

Every night when we close he reads the written prayer then closes with his own prayer.

 I am so very proud of the young man he is becoming. 

He is so blessed to have such a Godly father who has taught him to pray.

a desk and some tears

Is that my baby sitting at a desk? 

I can't believe he starts 1st Grade in just one more week...tear.

So grateful 1st Grade is only 1/2 days.

So thankful God provided so we could sent T to Westminster this year.

Prayers for his sweet new teacher.

last days of school

We have so blessed to send the boys to such amazing schools and more importantly to have truly amazing teachers! 

We love EUMK and SKF!

EUMK SENIOR K CLASS OF 2012

Taner has been at EUMK since he was 2.  He starting by going just 1 day a week over 4 years ago. I can not believe sweet Tanner's time as EUMK has ended. The school is so hands on, creative and small. One of the things that attracted me to it over 4 years ago was that it was a mix between Montessori and traditional. I also loved the options for days because so many of the other preschools you had to go 3-4 days.  We were able to ease into school and even do K part-time.
Tanner will be going to Westminster Academy next fall. 1st grade is 1/2 days so I feel so blessed to have one more year a theme with him!

1st Day of EUMK...the 2's

Today was Sam's last day ever at Special Kids and Families. I am so very sad not only is he going to be in Pre-K next year but he will no longer be next door to me on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at work. I have been very spoiled the last 2 years being able to read to him, eat lunch with him and give kisses anytime!

Last day at Special Kids Play, Do, Learn preschool.

That's his..."I graduated and I'm going to EUMK"...thumbs up! He is so exciting to be going to Tanner's school.

1st day of Special Kids Play, Do, Learn...16months

Weekend Snapshots

Snapshots from a BUSY Weekend

Friday Night Date Night...no photos but we finally saw THE HUNGER GAMES. I read the books several months ago but Chris just spent the last 2 weeks reading books 1-3 so he was dying to see the movie.  I had just finished another book that was also in the theatres but I assure you he did not want to see it. We were able to get a trail run in together too...I love running with Chris.

I was thinking our weekend would be pretty laid back however I had apparently not looked at the "boys" calendar...Friday Taekwondo, Saturday morning bowling, Saturday afternoon Baseball scrimmage, EUMK senior Sunday and a little project...oh well BUSY BUT FUN!

Saturday morning Tanner went bowling with Mrs. H and Mrs. H, his K teachers.

At the EUMK Family Night a friend of Tanners bid on "Bowling with the SK teachers" so D invited Tanner to come along. The boys had so much fun bowling with the teachers.  We never think to go bowling but it would be a fun winter Friday "Family" night activity or a good December birthday party!

Look at all of that baseball cuteness. I may not know much about the game but I love shopping for the gear...the red socks stressed him a little but in the end he decided they were cool. Tanner did not get his baseball skills from me...I have no hand eye coordination..i.e....I close my eyes when the ball comes my way. Tanner has actually been helping me work on my throw...he also keeps me from getting lost when I drive...what would I do without him???

Tanner is playing up this year...technically he was suppose to play T-ball again but the Sports Director at Hope encouraged us to play up so we did.  I think it was a great choice because he is really learning the game.

I am a little nervous to type it...

BUT

Sam has been so good at the practices and was great a the scrimmage.  A good friend of Tanners has a little brother who is almost 4 and they play great together. His mom and I are both "single" on practice night...both hubbies are in school so we always have our whole crew with us(she has 3 boys). My dad has been really helpful and offers to help whenever he is in town but so far no meltdowns.

Getting out a few of Sams' birthday presents. It was hot so it was a great sprinkler day.

The boys made a marble run using water heater pipe insulation, a box and some painters tape.  It entertained them for about an hour...woo-hoo! Thank you Pinterest.

Do you see the PROJECT??

A new front porch...we decided our house needed a little pick me up but we didn't want to rob a bank to do it.  We ended up painting our shutters, the front door and taking down the cedar columns to add what you see. I think overall we spent maybe $200...the labor lives here!

My handsome Kindergartner getting ready to head to Senior Sunday at EUMK. I can not believe he only has a few weeks left. It has been such an amazing year for Tanner.

The new front door color BM...Palladian Blue.  I now feel like the outside of our house matches the inside...more pictures to come.

EUMK Senior Kindergartners

2011-2012

lately

Lately...an ipad and iphone dump

Sam got a haircut after school today.  Both boys have 1/2 days on Thursdays so we met my dad to trim the boys up.  He has taken the boy to get haircuts for every single haircut they've had...male bonding time...sometimes mom even comes...I wonder if other kids have grandparents, parents and aunts at their haircuts! Oh he always picks up the tab because he's generous like that...thanks dad!!

We go to FUNCUTS...which I highly recommend for kiddos...indoor slide, train table, video games, movies...it ROCKS!  Sam is watching Scooby Doo Meets Batman below...not a fuss. Mr. Ray is the best with boys...he has hair eating dinosaurs, shark juice and balloons!

Lunch...yes my only choice was to eat the goldfish from Sam's school Easter eggs.

Tanner and Chris love to bike ride on the trails.  Chris is teaching Tanner that it is important to take care of his new nice bike...so he put him and Sam to work washing the muddy bikes. I was really impressed they were squeaky clean.

 In other news...MY CAR WAS FOUND...see it above it the rain boot and skateboard photo!!! Hallelujah...this was my prayer so we are very grateful.  We are taking it to the body shop Monday...the thief was not the best driver...he hit a thing or two so off to Joe Stewart it will go! I am so thankful to have it home, clean out and soon dent free.

Bunny Run

Tanner ran his first 5k last Saturday. I am super proud of him.  I think he ran it in 36 minutes...Chris ran beside him and said he loved it.  We are so glad to add another running lover to the family!

The Bunny Run 5k benefits Special Kids and Families.  I am so lucky to work there part-time...it is such an amazing service for families with young children. 

1st big tournament

We packed up the boys and headed to Nashville this weekend for Tanner's 1st Taekwondo tournament. Somewhere around Jackson, TN we remembered Jackson the bulldog at home and realized we had not gotten anyone to watch him. Not a big deal until we realized whoever we called would need a key...Toot-Berries(i'm trying out some new profanities)! We had to turn around and go back to Memphis. Needless to say we got on the road much later than expected so we finally made it to Nashville around 9.

The boys are pretty good travelers even without the DVD player that was broken. My mom always packed us little gifts for road trips, to be opened throughout the trip. So this trip they each opened a Lego Ninjago sticker book, new twistable colored pencils with sketch books, Tic-Tacs and new Batman books. It held their attention on the way to Nashville but it was DS3 and LeapPad the whole way home.

We stayed with our precious friends, Kathryn and David, who are excellent hosts. They came with us to the tournament(after making a Starbucks run) and even watched Sam so Chris and I could go over by Tanner without a very busy 2 year old. I stay with K&D every year for the 1/2 marathon and somtimes just for a "girls weekend".

Tanner won 3rd place in his age group for his Sparing Kicks. We are SUPER proud of him.  He was really embarrassed because they said his name over the loud speaker. 

Our little family minus a face!

Getting lost heading landed us at this little burger joint...Gabby's!  Yummo!  We had to order Tanner a 2nd burger...the couple at the table next to us thought it was hilarious.  If they only knew how much our boys eat in a day.

We headed to the Nashville Science Museum after eating lunch.  The boys had a great time.  There was an exhibit called BodyQuest with an area called Down the Hatch...basically digestion and bodily functions.  The boys LOVED it!  It was lots of fun and we will certainly make plans to return.  Next time I think we will go during the week because they weekend was crazy. 

Oh Mrs. Frizzle...I imagine when Sam likes girls one day they will look like Mrs. Frizzle...red-headed!

time management

time management...with technology

I let Tanner have FREEDOM with his techonolgy over Christmas...we'd been sick so I had gotten nothing done...it was kind of nice if I'm being honest. I'd been telling him when school started we were back to "No Screen Time on School Nights." I told him I'd probably make some card to help us monitor his time...
so he made this!
Too funny...he gave himself 3 30 minute cards for his DS3
and
Sam...3 30 minute cards for his LeapPad


(he taped them to the fridge)

I made some extras that could be earned...the toothfairy also brought a "ds3" card for the tooth he lost on Friday night.  I love technology...I probably need cards for the Ipad and my Iphone but they are little and I'm old school in my thinking technology can be taught to any old dog but the basics like reading and math and loving science and history are so crucial.  I also believe all the reports that say kids can not attend and focus if they get too much screen time...haven't you read "The Berenstain Bears and Too Much TV?"  I am thankful for boys who love to be outside, love board games and like to make messes!Thankful also for a husband who overlooks the messes because he loves that I play with our boys:)

***This has been GREAT for me also because the "ds3" cards can also be LOST...if we make poor choices!

the party aka "boy heaven"

The BIG 6

We had Tanner's birthday party at the Special Kids and Families Therapy Center.  It is amazing, I must say...so many fun things for every age.   Climbing wall, trampoline, slides, basketball...what more could a boy ask for?  Add some Nerf Guns for favors to be used during the party, of course, and 400+ bullets...HEAVEN! This party was a breeze...we just showed up!  I did end up having to clean my house..ugh...bc we had the parents drop the boys off at 4:30 and pick up at 8:30...the boys just rode with us to the center.  So "type A" me needed it sparkling for the 5 minutes each parents saw it...Can we say "I have issues?"
After we played, it was time for pizza, video games and strawberry cupcakes.  It cracks me up that Tanner wanted pizza bc he is very lactose-intolerant but he loves some dough, sauce and sausage!  Of course, he choose a pizza joint with oodles of video games so we brought lots of quarters for the boys.  I felt like they were playing lots of games with there $3-4 when I realized my Dad was parked by the coin machine putting $10's in and passing out more quarters!  It brought back memories of the arcade in the Hilton at the beach from when we were little...lol!  Needless to say the boys had a great time...I hope the parents enjoyed their 4 hours and hopefully their kiddos went to sleep as quickly as mine!!