Highlights of 2009

One of my New Year’s resolutions is to be better at my blog and here it is, Jan. 8, and I am just getting too it. I’m working on it:) Here are some highlights from a wonderful year. I love going back through the pictures. It seems that the year goes so fast, it’s almost a blur and these pictures help me remember what fun we had! Here’s to another great one!

Our Disney Cruise

Trip to Chicago for our godson, Aiden’s , baptism

San Antonio Rodeo Tate learning to ride his bike

A surprise visit to IN to celebrate Dad’s 60th birthday

Tate’s first teeball season

The bluebonnets

Fiesta

Trip to Port Aransas

Preschool Graduation

Trip to Big Cedar Lodge in Branson, MO

Tate’s dinosaur birthday at the Witte Museum

A visit from Mamaw and Papa

The White Family came to visit

Tate’s first day of Kindergarten

Tate’s football and soccer season (at the same time)

A trip to Houston

A girls trip to Las Vegas

The annual golf trip to Waynesville

Maren’s 3rd birthday

Auntie LaShona’s visit

Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

Buzz and Jessie

Tony, Eva and the gang

Jason and Mike finishing the SA 1/2 Marathon

Our family picture

Christmas 2009

Snow in IN

Buzz Lightyear and Jessie

I love to have the kids costumes match but realize that, with their ages, it’s not going to happen much longer. I didn’t think it would even happen this year. Tate had high hopes of being a Ttransformer or Power Ranger. When we were out school shopping, the Disney Store had their costumes already out. Tate saw Buzz and had to have it. I quickly went with that idea because there was the cutest Jesse costume for Maren. Yeah! After promising that he wouldn’t change his mind if I bought it, we were ready for Halloween in August. The thought of changing costumes came up on occasion but he had already taken the tags off Buzz…darn. Needless to say, they were too cute! To Infinity and Beyond………………

Happy 3rd Birthday, Maren!

I can't believe my baby turned 3! She was so excited for it to be her birthday although she didn't quite understand that a birthday is the whole day and not just at the party. When she woke up, we sang "Happy Birthday" to her, she thought that it was time to go to her birthday party that we are having next week at Pump It Up. We had a hard time convincing her that it was her day all day. I guess her birthday celebration just got longer and she is going to be so confused at her party next week.

She had a good day! It, unfortunately, rained and was one of the coldest days we have had but her Auntie LaShona flew in from IN to help her celebrate so she was excited to go to the airport to get her. We were having trouble figuring out a fun "kids" place to take her for dinner since she is scared to death of Chuck E. Cheese and Rainforest Cafe. We ended up at PF Chang's because that is where we wanted to go and she had just as much fun with the chopsticks as anyone. With a birthday cake waiting at home, the evening was a success. We were all so exhausted that the celebration had to continue on the next morning when we opened presents. Just like her brother, she can't wait until her next birthday. She already asked today when was she going to be 4--slow down, little one, you are growing up too fast and we haven't even had your 3 yr old party yet!

First Day of Kindergarten

Tate's first day of kindergarten was on Monday! He had informed me the day before that he doesn't go to school on Mondays because he didn't at Preschool. Oops, did I forget to mention that this is a full time thing? After a pretty easy wake-up, getting dressed and eating breakfast, we got some first day pictures, went over getting on the bus in the afternoon and we were off. We are carpooling with our neighbors because the bus pickup is at a crazy 6:35am when school doesn't start until 7:45. So since the school is 5 min away, it makes more sense to take them. We picked up Jordyn and headed to school. The discussion was whether to drop them off or take them in, in which, both of them said to drop off but when we got there and EVERYONE was going in, we parked and walked in together. Good thing, the place was packed with people. We made our way to the cafeteria where the kinder and 1st graders meet, found each class and then the clinging started. Tate had been so good and then, when he realized he was staying, clung onto my leg and wasn't letting go. Finally, I got him to sit with his class and Maren and I stood in the back to make sure he got to his class OK. After his teacher came and got the class and they marched down the hall to the classroom, someone mentioned they were reading a book in the room and it was for the parents, too. The kids were sitting on the floor and we listened to a cute book about being scared the first day of school and the kids were to hand out a heart to their moms and dads. That is when Tate lost it, poor guy. His teacher came over and talked with him as we left. I don't think it lasted long but I was hoping for an easier exit.

After we got in the car, I have to admit I was sad and I realized it wasn't about him going t0 school but the fact that my little guy is getting so big that he doesn't need me to do everything for him anymore. He is now big enough to make decisions on his own. Where did the time go??

I'm so excited for him to learn new things and, I'm sure he will love it! I could hardly wait until he got home.

I was a little worried about him getting off the bus. He is being picked up by his after school daycare 3 times a week and riding the bus home 2 times a week and, as much as I trusted them to get him on the right one, I still hoped he was on the bus. Everyone got off except Tate. I popped on the bus and he is still sitting there. I guess I forgot to tell him that the bus didn't drop him off at his house:) He had lots of stories to tell and was so excited about his day!

So the second day has come. Maren can't stop taking about how she wants to go to kindergarten and that she is a big girl and wants to ride the bus like Tate. Slow down, girl, I can't take my babies getting any bigger! We dropped Tate and Jordyn off at the drop off. Tate got out, gave me a kiss and was off. Didn't even look back. I'm not sure which was harder. He is a big boy now!

The White Visit

Our wonderful friends, the White's, came to San Antonio to visit us. We had a fantastic time! Tate and Maren had been looking forward to their visit and had such a good time playing with them. Maren, bless her heart, has sharing issues. I could blame it on her being "2" or her personality or that, I just don't know. Julia is 3 so she is right in between Tate and Maren. Maren is such a girly girl that Julia had fun with her dresses and dolls until Maren would spontaneously cry about wanting everything Julia had, that Julia would head off and play doggy or whatever with Tate. Then when the crazy girl would settle down they would start over. I'm not quite sure how to handle her lack of sharing, believe me I've tried, but hopefully it will be better the next time we see them:)

Amy and I wondered where they days of getting together and taking naps, going shopping, getting pedicures, going out to eat instead of take-out (due to avoiding the stress of taking 4 children into a restaurant) and doing whatever we wanted went. Especially when we were racing for the exit of SeaWorld in 102 degree heat with tired, overheated children and husbands but knowing we wouldn't give it up for anything. We love getting the families together, having the kids play, drink a few drinks, have some good conversation and food, maybe an M&M or two and wish we lived closer so we could do it all the time! Can't wait to see them again in Hawaii in May 2010 (or maybe sooner)!

Happy 5th Birthweek, Tate!

 

My little guy turned 5 on Thursday!  Where has the time gone? He has been ready to turn 5 since he turned 4 and he told everyone that looked at him that it was his birthday! Some birthdays last one day but, for Tate, the festivities seemed to last for a week. We had big plans in store! He took cupcakes to his class on Wednesday then was primed for the next day. We started the day off with breakfast tacos (per his request-he tried one at our 4th of July parade and decided they were pretty good and wanted another one) and one present (much to his dismay).  His class had a field trip that day to Incredible Pizza so we took Maren to school and I went with him. He had such fun playing games and eating pizza and showing off his new Optimus Prime to all his friends. 

After that it was Mommy and Tate day, we had some errands to day and then finished getting ready for Jason's parents who were flying in later in the day. We had a nice quiet afternoon. We picked up Maren, met up with Jason and picked Mamaw and Papaw at the airport. We headed to the RiverWalk to eat at Rainforest Cafe. Since we aren't huge fans of the Rainforest Cafe and try to avoid it as much as possible, this was a treat for Tate because he loves it. He even batted his eyes and got a big box of fake bugs because "it was his birthday":) We enjoyed dinner and the huge lava brownie dessert complete with the whole place singing Happy Birthday. He was, then, ready to go home knowing more presents were waiting for him. After opening his presents, Maren was almost hysterical, she was so tired, and noone had any problem going to sleep. 

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The next day the boys went fishing while the girls shopped in Fredricksburg. For dinner, we took everyone to Enchanted Springs Ranch aka one of Oprah's Wackiest Family Adventures. After a horse ride, pictures sitting on Woodrow the Longhorn, wagon ride to see some zebra, reindeer and other exotic animals, we ate brisket while watching Pistol Packing Paula perform gun twirling. Only in Texas! We got some pictures around the cute western town and called it a day. 

  

 

 

Tate's party was the next day at the Witte Museum. It, of course, had to be dinosaur theme because, according to Tate, it is a dinosaur museum. We saw a dinosaur exhibit there a few years ago and that is all he remembers. The kids had fun playing around the museum and eating pizza and cake. By the time the party was over, everyone was exhausted. 

 

 

We spent the next few days relaxing, enjoying our company and getting rested up for next year!