Joey Goes to Kindergarten

Catching up with several posts today...

Last Thursday was Alexee's turn to be the Teacher-of-the-Day.  One of the many benefits of that special role is that you get to bring one show & tell item to school.  Alexee asked me a while back if I could bring Joey to her classroom for her that day.  I'd forgotten to follow-up with Mrs. D to see if that would be okay, but luckily we were able to get it approved on short notice and Joey made his first trip to Kindergarten! 

She was so happy to get to show him to her friends!  She stood up front while Mrs. D asked her some questions about Joey so that the class could learn more about him.  I just love the smile on her face!  The kids thought he was great and giggled when he started squeaking and eating a snap pea.  

 Mrs. D let Alexee take Joey around the carpet so that everyone could have a turn petting him.

At the end of his visit, Joey was given some space on the rug so that everyone could see him walk around.  I think they all enjoyed meeting him!  :)

Batman Party at the Park

We had a small party for Crosby at the park after school on Wednesday.  It was more of a playdate with cupcakes and balloons really, but I think he had a fun time!  We invited a few little boys his age, along with their siblings.  I was so thankful for the beautiful weather.  After being SO cold at the soccer field two days earlier, I didn't think it was going to work out to play at the park for his party. But the sun was shining, and it was perfect!  He asked me if he could have strawberry cupcakes with Batman on top.  I printed the bat signals on card stock, cut them out and taped them to toothpicks for the cupcake toppers.  We also had juice pouches, pretzels, fruit snacks and popsicles.  It definitely didn't look like a Pinterest-inspired party, but I honestly loved the simplicity of it.  We all sang Happy Birthday, and he seemed happy!  I hope he felt loved and celebrated...he is such a huge blessing and a joy to our family.

Thank you, friends, for joining us for C's special day!

Happy Birthday to Crosby

Crosby turned four last week!  We've had a lot of birthday activity around here lately!  Rhett was sweet to decorate Crosby's breakfast seat with birthday confetti that he'd saved from his celebration at school (Mrs. C decorates for the kids' birthdays in her classroom).

His birthday was on one of his school days, so we stopped at the grocery store on the way to pick up a treat for his class.  He wanted to take pink sugar cookies with sprinkles from the Kroger bakery.  I've been asking C when he's going to stop sucking his thumb, and he has been telling me that he'd quit when he turned four.  But he forgot for the picture below.  :)  

This next picture was right after I said, "You're not supposed to suck your thumb anymore--you're 4 now!" 

After school he got to open his presents.  He's really into Batman right now (in addition to Spider-Man), so he asked for a Batman costume for his birthday.  He also wanted a Batman party (which we had at the park the following afternoon).  He looked so cute and was amazed at the mask when he looked in the mirror.

Alexee wanted to take our picture--I thought it was funny when I saw her shoe in the picture.  I suggested she move just a little bit closer-ha!

C wanted to have his b-day dinner at Razorback Pizza.  

Soccer, Week 2

It was COLD.  I think it was 40 degrees and the wind was blowing really hard.  It would have been miserable, but seeing Crosby have so much fun made it worth it!  He didn't want to leave.  I was not disappointed when they ended practice 10 minutes early.  There were very few people left by that point anyway.  Where is spring!?!

(That's Alexee under the blanket in the last picture.)

Rhett's Pool Party

We had Rhett's pool party at the athletic club last Sunday, the last day of Spring Break.  The kids went swimming for the first hour and a half, then everyone moved to the party room for cake and ice cream.  

 With his buddies:

Garret, Aidan, Nate, K'Ron, Gabe, K'Lon, Rhett and Lawson

We were glad that Bobba and Grammy could join us for the party.

Happy 9th Birthday to you, Rhett!

The athletic club provided the cake, ice cream and juice.  R chose a chocolate cake with chocolate camouflage icing.

 The whole birthday crew!

Lane's parents came to our house after the party.  They had birthday gifts for both Rhett and Crosby and a surprise for Alexee.  Rhett had requested money for his birthday--he likes to save up and do a lot of his own shopping now.  Grammy and Bobba brought him a "treasure chest" containing old coins and birthday cash!  :)  Crosby loved his new firetruck that sprays real water!  (And I think Lane and Rhett liked it, too--everyone wanted to play with it.)  And Alexee's fairy wings were the perfect surprise because she is in a phase right now where she pretends to be a fairy with her friend Chloe.  I think she wore the wings to school every day last week.  

That evening we all went to eat at Kobe Japanese Steakhouse for the boys' birthdays.  Rhett has decided that this is his new birthday meal tradition (instead of Purple Cow...I have to say this was MUCH better!)  This is the one kind of food that all three kids seem to really like!  They all like fried rice, and Rhett always eats every bite of his steak.

Nine wonderful years old! 

After dinner we came back to our house for birthday dessert--brownie sundaes.  Thanks, Grammy & Bobba for celebrating with us today!

Spring Break

It's spring break week here, even if the weather feels more like Christmas break!  Like last year, we were able to get away for a few days and spend some time together on White River.

Throwing rocks in the water, picking wildflowers for a Solo cup "vase", shooting your BB gun...I think it's the little things that are the most memorable.  This is how I remember my own childhood, and sometimes I worry that our kids will only remember iPods, iPads and Disney channel!  They all had fun playing outside--they didn't mind it being chilly.  Alexee and Crosby dug up an earthworm and put it in a jar.  Alexee intended to bring it home to add to our pet population, but we convinced her to let it go.

Crosby was so tired Monday afternoon.  He slept for 2 1/2 hours before I woke him up to get ready to meet my family for dinner in Mt. Home--it was a fun night.  Rhett and Alexee went back to my parents' house with them after dinner.  Dad had asked Rhett if he'd like to go to staff meeting with him Tuesday morning, and of course Rhett wanted to.  Alexee went to feed with Mom and had a chance to play with Princess Louisa.  

R had asked Mo and Grandad for a briefcase for his birthday.  I think his specific request was "a locking briefcase like a real businessperson would carry".  Maybe a slightly unusual birthday wish for a nine year old boy, but he has never had much interest in toys.  He took his new briefcase to the meeting and made himself comfortable.

Lane kept a pleasant fire going most of the time we were there.  It was nice to come inside and warm up.

Crosby and Jeryn caught a few fish from the bank on Monday.  So cute!

The sun finally came out on Tuesday, and it was a little warmer.  Dad took us all out in the river boat to fish for a while, and they were biting!  Everyone caught several and had a good time.

We were calling Alexee "Lucky Lex".  She was reeling them in one after another!

One time Crosby said, "I think she caught a shark!"  :)

The boys were catching fish at the front of the boat, too.  Rhett can cast by himself now. Crosby got bored after a while and moved back to the back to check out the motor.  He wanted to know exactly how it worked.

Dad told Alexee that he thought she might be the only person on the river that day fishing in Hello Kitty shoes.  :)

one of my new favorite pictures:

That evening we built a campfire and roasted hot dogs and marshmallows for S'mores.  Mom, Mo Nina and Grandad Forrest all came to join us. (Bogart enjoyed his time outside too.   He was happy to eat one of the hot dogs that fell on the ground.)

My Grandparents trying S'mores 

Thankful for my family!

Spring Break Family Photo
3.20.13

*****

As I mentioned, the weather wasn't super spring-ish for spring break.  Mom sent me these pictures two days after we left their house.  They got a very late-season snow!