The Smith Family

Christmas in Arkansas

2011-12-29T15:25:00.001-08:00

We spent Christmas again this year with all our family in Arkansas. We are so blessed that Nathan's job allows him to take off this time of year so we can be with our family. We left on Friday, Dec 23. We spent all day Saturday with my family. Lily and Jude came in the morning and played all day with the boys and Reese. Nathan cooked dinner for everyone that night and we opened presents and had dessert at Grandmothers.

On Sunday morning we woke up bright and early to see what Santa brought everyone. We had our Christmas time with "the Fants" and then got ready for church. We went to church at college with Grandma and Grandpa and spent Christmas day there, playing and opening presents. Shelby and Justin and Julie came that evening.

We had planned to go to Branson on Monday and Tuesday with Grandma and Grandpa, but the weather was showing 35 degrees and rain and snow, so we opted to stay here. We spent the next few days back and forth between families, watching movies, playing with cousins, eating, and just having a lot of fun. Nathan and I were able to go out one night and eat in Little Rock and do some shopping as well. It was a busy time, but we had a lot of fun. It was so great to see everyone and get to stay more than just a long weekend. We are looking forward, though, to getting home and unpacking and getting back to life aa we know it. Reese had a tough time sleeping so hopefully we can get back to "normal" and so will she.

Merry Christmas to all!

Christmas in Texas

2011-12-29T14:25:00.000-08:00

We celebrated our own "family" Christmas on Thursday, Dec 22, before we left for Arkansas the next day. The boys had already received their "big present" from us- a playscape given o us by the Ardnts- on account of it was a little to big to hide and Nathan had to put it together in our backyard. They were so excited and got to play on it a little on Wednesday and Thursday. It still needs a little work, but it is going to be so great when the weather warms up and we are so thankful to our friends for passing it on to us.

On Thursday evening we ordered pizza and had a fun family night. We opened our presents to each other. The boys also got their chairs for the playroom that my mom got them for Christmas- they were too big to bring back from AR. The boys sat in their new chairs and watched one of their new movies. It was a nice, low key evening.

2011-12-20T07:04:00.001-08:00

Yesterday our "little Tuckerman" turned 3. How can he be that old already? He had a superhero birthday party on Sat and, as you can see, he was the Incredible Hulk. Tuck, you are so full of personality that we sometimes don't know what to do with you. You are strong-willed and stubborn but so funny and creative. You are never in a hurry bur always quick to give us lots of hugs and snuggles. We love you so much! Happy birthday T-Man

Not sure why the pics are in reverse order :)

Christmas Party

2011-12-16T11:08:00.000-08:00

We love you Miss Kaylee

Tucker's birthday- school party

2011-12-16T11:05:00.000-08:00

Tucker insisted on donuts for his school "party". He was so excited, although he didn't even eat his donut!

A Gruene Christmas

2011-12-05T11:28:00.000-08:00

We made the 1 hour trek down to Gruene, Texas, again this year to see the lighting of the town and eat our favorite sandwich and the Gristmill. This time we brought along our friends the Perkins (sorry there is no Greg in the picture- he wouldn't sit still for it). It was a quick trip and not a lot of shopping this year, but the weather was perfect (for us Texans) and we had a great time. I so look forward to all our family traditions we are beginning and hope our kids can look back on them with fondness as well.

My Little Runner

2011-12-05T11:19:00.000-08:00

Griffin made his mommy proud by running in his 2st Kid's K on Friday, Dec 3. Nathan had a basketball game that night, so it was just Griff and myself going to the race. We had asked him if he wanted to try a race and even practiced running twice around our neighborhood. Griffin can easily run a kilometer without stopping and I was impressed at his natural stamina and thought he would do well. We got there the night of the race and there was, of course, a lot going on. It was a fundraiser for Ronald McDonald house, so Ronald was there, as was Santa. Griffin was excited and full of energy...until we stpepped up to the starting line about 10min before the race. He got so nervous that he started crying and told me he didn't want to run (he gets that from his mommy:)). We talked about it and I told him I would be with him the whole time. I told him he would feel bad if he quit and he needed to try it. So he bucked up and did it! Ovnce the race started it was a whirlwind anyway. The kids K was actually probvably about a quarter mile long, with no real boudaries to keep kids on the course so it was really chaos. Griffin did great though and kept his pace the whole time. He got a participation ribbon and that made his night! He told me, "I was probably about 17th". I think he is going to be a runner and I can't wait to try out a little longer race.

Hat Day

2011-11-27T13:02:00.001-08:00

Decorating the Tree...

2011-11-26T11:35:00.000-08:00

...one of our favorite times of the year.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T14:53:00.001-08:00

Reese, 4 months

2011-11-15T11:58:00.000-08:00

We are about a week late, but just went for our 4 month check today. Reese is now 14 lbs, 4 oz (75%) and 24 1/2 in long (50%). I heard the words "superstar" and "perfect" more times than I could count. And she is...perfect. I mean, she cries and fusses like any baby and wakes up and needs her paci at night and drools everywhere. But overall, she is easy and happy and good and most of all healthy. That is the best blessing I can ask for and we are so blessed. We love you, our sweet, "perfect" little girl!

Cross Country State Meet

2011-11-10T21:03:00.000-08:00

4th Place in the State- 2nd year in a row! So proud of these girls!

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-10T20:56:00.000-08:00

Fall Trip to AR

2011-11-10T20:18:00.000-08:00

We had a great time in Arkansas the last weekend in October. We always love coming home in the fall and watching football and coming to Homecoming. While we were there we were able to spend a day in Greenbrier at the pumpkin patch and watch Uncle Randy's team play football. We also got to go to all the homecoming festivities for kids (horseback riding pictures are on my phone and I haven't figured out how to post them, so I will put them on Facebook) and to the play - thanks Melinda for the tickets! Reese was exceptionally good on the trip which makes us look all the more forward to coming home for the holidays in another month

Career Week at School

2011-11-10T20:14:00.000-08:00

Love My Kids

2011-11-10T19:17:00.000-08:00

Reese, 3 months

2011-10-11T19:08:00.000-07:00

and growing like a weed...She is pretty much sleeping through the night. She eats around 10 or so and she usually stirs once but once we give her her paci she is back out until 6-8. This is SO much better than my boys and I am just hoping it hangs on. Other than hating her carseat, she is pretty much the easiest thing all the time. She is just on the verge of laughing, as you can see in this video.

Hands and Feet

2011-10-10T08:58:00.000-07:00

Our church (spearheaded by a few good friends) has begun a new ministry called Hands and Feet. It is a way to serve others and allow our children to be apart as well. Our first project was on Sunday night. We met at the church, made cookies together, decorated and packaged them, and then delivered them to a children's home in Round Rock. It was a great experience. Even with Tucker saying he was hungry no less than 50 times, he willingly participated in making the cookies and decorating the box. Griffin made a sweet card. It was really neat delivering the cookies. We went to 2 homes and met the moms and kids at the first home while they were out playing. At the 2nd home no one was there, so we left the cookies (we also left our mark as Griffin broke their flag holder, but that led to another lesson learned :)). We talked alot about what we were doing and why and it was a great experience. We are looking forward to the next one.

Fun Farm

2011-10-10T08:48:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from the fun farm at school. Same as every year, but the kids never get tired of it! It took a lot of nerve, but Tucker got on the horse. Griffin's focus this year was the bunnies- he was really sweet with them.

Happy Birthday Nathan!

2011-10-07T07:02:00.001-07:00

I hope today is a great day! I love you and I am so proud of all you have done and who you are. It has been a great year and looking forward to many more. I love you!

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-06T14:49:00.000-07:00

This was our third year to go to Marble Falls to the pumpkin patch and meet our good buddies, the Cherry's there. Last year we tried to go late in October to get cooler weather, but all the flowers were dead, the pumpkins were picked over and it was still 90 degrees. So, this year we opted for the early October date and, although it was hot, we had a great time! The flowers were actually very pretty despite the drought and the pumpkins were slim already so it is good we went when we did. The kids had so much fun together- it was great seeing them again.

Optimus Prime

2011-09-15T06:37:00.001-07:00

Yesterday Tucker was, as usual pretending to be a super hero- this time it was Optimus Prime. I came upstairs to put him down for a nap and he said, "Optimus Prime does not take naps!" (in his very serious super hero voice) THis one is going to give me a run for my money

Reese Again

2011-09-15T06:23:00.000-07:00

I just can't help myself :)

Reese, 2 months

2011-09-07T16:18:00.001-07:00

I finally have my fat baby! :) Reese had her 2 month check today and she is 12 lbs, 12 oz and in the 90th percentile! She is 22 1/4 in long (50th) and pretty much perfect in all other areas. Of course, with the dr today came the dreaded shots :( She seems to be taking it all in stride, sleeping most of the day away. Her nights are getting better every week, averaging between 5-7 hour stretches at night between feedings. I am only having to get up once between the hours of 10 and 7, so that is great as far as I'm concerned.

Labor Day at the Pool

2011-09-07T14:06:00.000-07:00

It was actually a little chilly, so the kids spent more time out of the pool than in it. At least we got to put Reese in a cute swimsuit! :)

Arkansas in August

2011-09-07T13:43:00.000-07:00

Here we go again...and now we have 3! Our first trip to visit family in Arkansas was a success! And by that I mean we made it there and back :) Actually, Reese did great! She was able to meet all the Smith's , the Hirscheiders, the Tribbles, and Grandmother for the first time. Having the new van made the drive much easier.

Boys trip to Branson

2011-09-07T13:12:00.001-07:00

Last month we went to Arkansas to introduce Reese to our family there. While there, the Smiths took Griffin and Tucker to Branson for an overnight trip to see the Noah show and to Silver Dollar City. They, of course, had a great time. The show was apparantaly amazing. I am jealous :) Although they were both 2 small for a few of the rides they wanted to ride (no surprise there), they had alot of fun! I can't believe how big they are getting.

More to come about our trip later...

A great night, a not-so-great night

2011-08-24T07:34:00.000-07:00

Why, Reese, did you get my hopes up by sleeping through the night one night, only to completely reverse it the next night! On Monday night, you ate at 10:30 and were asleep by 11:30, I heard you briefly at 4:30 and was about to get up, when you got quiet, so I waited. You went back to sleep and slept till 6:30! Oh, but I knew it was too good to be true. And just to show me that you were not going to make this a habit, last night you had your worst night in weeks. You slept all evening, barely waking to eat at 8:30 and I could not wake you again, so I finally gave up and went to bed around 11:30. Of course, you woke up at 1:30 and 3:30 to eat and then again fussy at 5:30 and 6:30.

Okay, you win. You are in charge. But we love you anyway! :)

Mom

Reese, 1 month

2011-08-08T06:03:00.000-07:00

Reese was 1 month old on Saturday. I know everyone says this, but I can't believe how fast the time has gone and how much she has grown already. Everyone tells me how tiny she is, but she just keeps looking bigger and bigger to me. She is starting to get her little rolls everywhere and the "newborn" look is slowly fading to just a little baby. It is fun and sad at the same time.

So far, she has been a near perfect baby. She still sleeps a lot during the day, but is awake for long chunks of time a few times a day. When she is awake, she is bright eyed and pretty content. She is not a big fan of her swing yet, but we are hoping that will change. She loves to be sitting up, trying hard to hold her still wobbly head up. We have gotten a few fleeting smiles, but are still waiting for the big grins. She is a little fuzzy at night, right before bed, when we are ready for her to go down, but she is not quite in agreement yet. Once she goes to sleep, around 11:00, she will usually sleep 4-5 hours, eat, and sleep for 3-4 more hours. Even then, she usually goes back to sleep until 8 or 9.

Reese, we are already in love and want you to stay little forever, although we know that is not possible. So we pray that you continue to grow healthy and happy and we thank God everyday for bringing you into our lives

Mom and Dad

Reese's Room

2011-07-23T08:57:00.000-07:00

It is finally finished. I have to give credit where credit is due- Nathan did all of the painting, the boys made the large canvas', my sister made the initials, and my mom made the bedding and curtains. All I did was arrange the room.

More hospital pics

2011-07-22T16:11:00.001-07:00

These are pictures Megan took while visiting us at the hospital (you can tell cause they are way better than my pics) Thanks again Megan :)

swim lessons

2011-07-21T07:48:00.000-07:00

So this is a make-up post. Last month, we signed Griffin up for swim lessons at the Pflugerville rec center. He has always been hesitant in the water- he loves to be in the pool, but putting his head under, jumping off, etc...not so much. Since we had never done this before, we signed him up for the first "stage", Preschool I. I must put a plug in here for the rec center. We were VERY impressed. The cost was reasonable, it was a perfect time frame (4 days a week for 2 weeks) and the instructors were great. griffin did great the first day and they immediately moved him up to the next level. He loved the lessons and made leaps and bounds in his swimming. He now loves to go under (with his new goggles on) and to jump in with his life jacket on. Overall it was a great experience for us and we would recommend it to others.

Reese, 2 weeks

2011-07-20T13:42:00.000-07:00

We just had Reese's 2 week check. She is 8lbs, 3oz (almost a pound over birthweight). This is a first for our family- we might actually have a chubby baby :). She is in the 75th % in weight and the 50th in height (20 in). Everything was perfect- thanks be to God! We are so blessed!

Our Family

2011-07-20T06:59:00.001-07:00

Reese, 6 days

2011-07-19T09:02:00.000-07:00

These pictures were taken by my good friend and GREAT photographer, Megan. Her website is www.MeganDrennon.com. These pictures are amazing and really capture the personality of our boys as well as our sweet little Reese. Thanks Megan!

Griffin's birthday party

2011-07-18T15:49:00.000-07:00

This year we kept it simple and invited a few friends to Chuck-E-Cheese. It turned out to be a fun afternoon, despite the crowd. Here are a few pictures of the day.

Happy 5th Birthday Griffin!

2011-07-18T15:23:00.000-07:00

Griffin,

I can't believe my baby is 5! You are so smart and so full of life- I am constantly amazed at your imagination and your sense of humor. Although you tire me out with your endless energy, I love to watch you play with superheroes with your brother and do "powers" with your daddy. You never run out of ideas!

Even with your loud play and crazy high energy level, you have such a soft heart. You do not like to disappoint and often break down when you do. You are sensitive and thoughtful and never are without a hug and love for your mom and dad. I know that God will use this part of you to bless the lives of others as you grow up.

Griffin, you have always been a bright child- you talked early, learned your ABC's, number, and colors with little effort. I have enjoyed watching you learn both in school and Bible class and I look forward to seeing you soak up everything you are taught as you go on to school (although I am glad that I have one more year at home with you).

Your Daddy and I are so proud of you and we love you so much! You are a great big brother to Tucker and I know you will be to Reese as well. Happy Birthday son!

Love,
Mom and Dad

Oh, and Happy Anniversary Nathan! I know our day gets lost in the shuffle, but I love you more than anything and I am so blessed to have spent these last 7 years with you. I can't wait for many more together. I love you!

A Good Night's Sleep...

2011-07-12T06:30:00.000-07:00

Finally!! Last night we finally got our first pretty full night's sleep in a week and it was much needed. Starting last Tuesday night when I woke up at midnight with contractions, Nathan and I have been up at least half of every night. We spent the following 2 nights in the hospital and you know how sleep is there, and the first 4 nights at home Reese has had a little bit of day/night mix-up. She sleeps most of the day away, no trouble at all going down and would probably sleep hours on end if we let her. Then when night comes, she is all of the sudden wide awake and hard to get to sleep. She has had a good stretch every night of about 3-4 hours, but the rest of the night has been very long. But last night, thanks to our friend Julie and her gliding/swing like contraption that she let us borrow, we put her down at 11 in it and she slept until 3:30! She woke up, ate, and slept till 7. It may not happen again for a while, but it feels good to feel normal for a day :)

More pictures

2011-07-09T07:21:00.000-07:00

Reese Madalyn Smith

2011-07-09T06:50:00.000-07:00

She is HERE! Reese Madalyn Smith was born at 7 am on June 6th. She weighed 7 lbs, 4 oz and was 19 in long. Although she did come on her induction date, she came on her own terms and her own time (not sure if this is a sign of things to come :)). I was scheduled to go in at 7, but we ended up going to the hospital about 3:30 am with contractions. She already has a mind of her own (but I shouldn't expect anything different from my children!). We got to come home from the hospital around 10am on Friday morning and everything is great. She is absolutely perfect! The boys are just gooey over there little sis and we are adjusting now to our family of five. Thanks to all for the comments and well wishes. We are excited to share her with everyone.

Camp Agape

2011-06-24T14:51:00.000-07:00

This was our first year in 7 years to not be in charge of our yearly Day Camp. Although it was a little sad to let go of something that has been such a big part of our life for 6 years, it was time. Camp is a big commitment and requires lots of time and energy and with the baby coming and moving all around this time, we knew it was something we could not really commit to this year. We left it in wonderful hands. Our good friends Summer and Amber did a great job! The theme was Western. Nathan and I taught Bible one day and I was a counselor for the 4th grade girls. It was nice to be on the other side of it for a change. My boys has a blast as well. This year Griffin and Tucker were both in the preschool class so they got to participate in lots of activities and feel like a part of camp. It seems that every year I never take any pictures for camp and this year is no exception-I just get too busy and caught up in the week. Griffin asked me just yesterday when woudl be the next Camp Agape and he was disappointed in my answer of "next year". :)

Happy Birthday Lleyton!

2011-06-24T14:31:00.000-07:00

We were blessed to be invited to the San Antonio Zoo with our friends for sweet Lleyton's birthday! It was a warm day (as all days this spring have been) but it was a lot of fun. that is a nice zoo and the kids loved it! I didnt take many pics, but here are a few of our day.

School Year and Water Day

2011-06-23T13:32:00.000-07:00

This past year I taught the Preschool II class at our Children's Ark program. It was Tuesday and Friday from 10-2. It was a great experience and fun to be back in the classroom. I wish I could continue this next year, but with the baby coming, it would just be too much. Here are some pictures of our Open House program (we were rainbows and sang 2 cute songs-thanks mom!) and the water day (of course, these are of the boys. They had a great year as well in their classes.

catch up

2011-06-23T13:15:00.000-07:00

Wow! I am Way behind on my blogging! With the end of school year and moving, we have been busy...but since it is about to get busier with the baby in a couple weeks, I think I need to play catch up. This will be more for me than anyone else.

Easter Fun

2011-05-02T07:10:00.000-07:00

We were able to go to Arkansas for Easter again this year. Despite our ac in our car going out and our car being broken into, it was still a good trip. The boys dyed-easter eggs, went on about 4 egg hunts, and of course, we had our Reese family egg toss. It was good to see everyone before the baby comes and we are stuck here in Austin for a while.

The Royal Wedding

2011-05-02T06:55:00.001-07:00

Leave it to my food friends Megan, Lora, and Mindi to plan a unique, fun, and entertaining party around the wedding of Prince William and Kate. We all came wearing white, brought wedding "snacks" and played fun games while visiting, watching the wedding, and looking through each other's wedding albums. It was a great night and a lot of fun! Thanks Ladies!

Camping Fun

2011-05-01T20:43:00.000-07:00

We had a great spring camping of weeks trip a couple of weeks ago- much better than the last one we went on in the freezing cold! It got a little cold at night and I am ready for a new air mattress, but other than that it was great. Griffin always loves camping, but it was fun to see Tucker really get excited this time.

What's In A Name

2011-04-03T19:40:00.001-07:00

Those of you who know Nathan and myself know that we are sports fans, especially basketball. I come by it naturally. I grew up in a family of sports fans and coaches. At this time of year, on the eve of the NCAA National Championship game, I can’t help but think of my granddad. I would like to take this time to honor him by telling a small part of his story and I will explain why in the end.

Charles Robert “Bobby” Reese was born on October 1, 1930 in Pike County Arkansas. He grew up in Kirby, AR. He played basketball at Henderson State University from 1948-1952. Bobby Reese married Jean Woodall on June 1, 1952. They were married for 28 years and had 3 daughters: Rita, Tina and Terri.

Coach Bobby Reese has a combined 23 years of coaching experience. In 15 years at the high school level, he had one state championship and one state runner-up team in basketball and one state championship on the junior high level. He coached at Delight, Umpire, Waldo, Mabelvale, and McClellan. During his seven years at the collegiate level, he led Henderson State to two NAIA runner-up finishes as the head coach and two additional NAIA runner-up finishes as an assistant coach. He was the head coach at Henderson State from 1978-1980, compiling a 44-14 record. He also served as an assistant for three years at Arkansas State University.

Bobby Reese was killed in an automobile accident on March 20, 1980, on his way home from the Junior College National Championship Tournament in Kansas. He was 49 years old.

I never really knew my granddad. I was less than 2 when he died. I am the oldest grandchild and the only one born before he passed away. I can look him up on the internet and see from his many honors and awards what a great coach he was. You can see that from what I wrote above. I have heard many stories over the years and I know from those what a sense of humor he had and what a great guy he was. My favorite story is one my mom tells of when she was in high school She had a date on Saturday night, but mentioned on Friday evening the night before how she hoped it was on Saturday and not Friday. My granddad, overhearing this, went out and wrung the doorbell, then yelled to my mom that her date was here. My mom had her hair in curlers and was not dressed and said she went running around the house like crazy, trying to get ready, while my granddad laughed!

But most importantly, I have learned from the lives of my grandmother, my mom, and my aunts, what an amazing Christian man, husband, and father he was. I can see this in the legacy of faith he has left behind. He would be so proud to see all of his daughters married to Christian men and having raised faithful children of their own. He would have loved to watch his grandsons play football and his granddaughters play basketball. And I know he would have been so proud to see his great-grandchildren Griffin, Tucker, Lily, and Jude and watch as they grow up.

And that brings me back to the reason for this tribute. Nathan and I plan to honor my granddad and his family by naming our daughter Reese. We have talked about this ever sense we found out we were pregnant with Griffin and decided to save it for our little girl. We kept the names of our boys a secret and originally planned to do the same with this one, but before I could tell him not to, Griffin had told his entire class and several of our friends so why fight it.

I know that my granddad would be proud to see his name live on in this way and we pray that she continues his legacy of Christian faith on to her children and grandchildren, as we hope for our boys as well. It wouldn’t hurt if she is a good basketball player too!

Spring Break and the zoo

2011-03-31T06:14:00.000-07:00

Over Spring Break the boys and I decided to brave it and travel alone to AR to see the family. Nathan needed to save up his days off for when the baby comes and when I drove the boys one way over Christmas it all went well, so it seemed like a good idea. It actually turned out great. The boys were near perfect on the way there- watching one movie after another. My sister, Courtney, had her baby on Friday and we left on Saturday so we were able to stop in Little Rock at the hospital to see them (see previous post). We spent Saturday night and Sunday morning with my folks and Liliy who came back to Searcy with us. The boys went to see Grandma and Grandpa (Nathan's parents) on Sunday night and stayed all day Monday. My mom and I were able to go back to LR on Monday and see baby Jude again and do some shopping. We got lucky and found material for the baby room, so that was exciting. The rest of the week was spent splitting time with both families. I think McDonalds was the resteraunt of choice for the boys and you know when you are with grandparents they cant say no so I think enough nuggets and fries were eaten that week to last us all year. On Thursday we traveled back to LR and spent the morning with Courtney and Jude and then took the boys and Lily to the LR zoo. Although many animals seemed to be sleeping the afternoon away, the weather was beautiful and it was a great day with Granna and Granddad. We left to come home on Friday- the ride back was a little more challenging with 2 very tired and very spoiled boys, but they did well overall and we made it back. I think that will be my last solo trip for a while, but it is good to know I can do it if I need to.

My new neice, Jude Elizabeth

2011-03-29T18:45:00.000-07:00

Kite Festival

2011-03-28T20:12:00.000-07:00

This was our 5th year in a row (I believe), to go to the Zilker Park Kite Festival the first Sunday in April. It was very warm and VERY crowded and as usual, we had difficulty getting a kite up in the air with no wind and no room, but we still had fun. Here are some pictures from our adventure

Another Year, Another Family Retreat

2011-03-27T14:36:00.000-07:00

Well, we have returned from another weekend at Laekey Texas at our annual church family retreat. Even the move from late April to late March cannot keep us away. We love it! Actually, this was one of the hottest weekends we have had in a while.

I had it easy this year since Nathan took both boys (what a guy!) in his cabin. I think it went pretty well except at shower time (Tucker hated it) and bedtime Sat. night (both boys slept with Nathan in his bed- he had 2 bunks pushed together. We are all tired (Nathan probably the most) but we had a great time. On Saturday it was so hot that we were able to play in the water a long time and the boys all took a canoe ride. I sat this one out- maybe next year. We brought lots of sand home with us but the boys had a blast. At the talent show Griffin and his buddies, led by Tanner, sang "Jesus Loves Me" and brought the house down. We hope to enjoy many more years here with our church family and make more memories that our kids will cherish as they grow older.

Rodeo Day

2011-03-03T12:17:00.001-08:00

Griffin's Latest Thoughts

2011-03-03T11:54:00.000-08:00

It is so funny how a 4 year old's mind works. The day before we went to the Dr for our sonogram, we were talking about it. Our converstation went something like this:

Griffin said, "Tomorrow we have the baby"
Katie: "No, I am not having the baby tomorrow, but we will find out what we are having tomorrow"
Griffin: "Do you know what you are having?"
Katie: "No, I don't"
Griffin: "Can't you just look down your throat?"

Gotta' love the imagination!

It's a ...

2011-02-10T12:51:00.001-08:00

The Cherry Circus

2011-02-09T08:43:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we were invited to celebrate John Paul and Grace's birthday. They had a circus theme and Griffin and Tucker were so excited to be reunited with their friends. What is even better is that they invited the boys to spend the night (we owe you huge! :)). Nathan and I found the offer to hard to refuse and so we enjoyed our night out while the boys played and watched movies. They both did good that night and they all came to Austin and met us for church that morning.

Winter in Austin, Part 2

2011-02-06T17:30:00.000-08:00

Now this is more like it!

Children's Ark Wedding

2011-02-06T14:33:00.001-08:00

It is wedding time again for Children's Ark. Since Griffin is in Mary and Terry's class again, his role stayed the same. However, I am teaching in the class that participates in the wedding, so I guess you could say I was the "wedding coordinator". The wedding went off without a hitch (thanks mostly to the real coordinator, our director Melanie) and everyone looked great.

Macy's Birthday

2011-02-06T14:29:00.000-08:00

Our friend Macy had her birthday party a couple of weeks ago. She and Tucker are pretty big buddies.

Winter in Austin

2011-01-10T06:34:00.001-08:00

Today as I sit here writing it is cold, rainy and all around yucky. It is suppose to stay in the 30's for the better part of the week. Typical winter weather, right? Ye, but in Austin, you just never know what you will get. On Saturday it was in the high 60's and clear and sunny all day. We decided to take the boys to Town Lake to play...and so did everyone else in Austin. Guess they all had the same idea about taking advantage of the weather. After searching for 10 minutes for a parking spot, we finally found one. here are some pics of our winter fun! :)

Bunk Beds

2011-01-09T19:21:00.000-08:00

We knew the day would come when our boys would share a room. The cost of bunk beds put that off until now, but with a new baby coming, we decided to go ahead and get the beds and move the boys in to a room together over Christmas. It has gone better than expected. Tucker has transitioned almost seemlessly from baby bed to bottom bunk and Griifin loves being on the top bunk! We rearranged and decorated over the holiday and the boys seems to spend more time than ever together playing in their room. Nathan has had to adjust his bedtime routine a little but I think they have it down now. Yesterday Tucker started saying to Griffin, "Let's go to secet hideout". We asked Griffin if they had a secret hideout and he said, "yes, our bunk beds." Tonight when Tucker said it to Griffin again, Griffin said, "OK, but remember I'm the leader." It is so fun to watch them grow up and become friends.

Christmas Post

2011-01-07T13:58:00.000-08:00

Here are our pictures from Christmas. I went down early with the boys so we were able to spend more time with the grandparents than we have in the past years. The boys went back and forth between families, having more and more fun everyday. My mom had a cute new mailbox that they would open everyday to find a surprise and fun activities planned for the day. Lily was there most of the time we were there so that was fun for them to get cousin time. One afternoon we went to see the trumpet swans that make their winter home near Heber Springs every year. It was neat, but very cold, so we did not last too long. The boys checked out the Christmas lights with Grandma and Grandpa- there are actually a lot of really good lights in Searcy.

The Christmas celebrations were numerous- we had Christmas with my family and with my extended family, Christmas with the Smiths and, of course, Santa came on Christmas morning. We had to tie our suitcase to the roof of our jeep to get home with all the gifts from family :) We had a great time and even had a surprise visit from Nathan's cousin Meggan and her husband and their boys Ethan and Grant. We were exhausted coming home and glad to be back, but it was a great trip.

Tucker, 2 years old

2011-01-06T11:25:00.000-08:00

This is so late that I am ashamed but I do not want to let too much more time go by without documenting this occasion. On December 18, Tucker turned 2. We celebrated with a few friends coming over for dinner (although this was more for us since brisket is not Tucker's favorite meal) and cake and ice cream. Poor guy with a Christmas time birthday- he will probably always feel a little slighted, but hopefully we can make him feel special every year.

It is hard to believe my baby is 2. I guess it is fitting since he will not be the baby much longer. He is growing up so fast. Tucker speaks in complete sentences now and is NOT shy about letting you know what he wants. Although he tries hard to keep up with Griffin and copies his every move, make no mistake he is his OWN person with his own personality. My stubborn second child, Tucker does not give in easy. He knows what he wants and when he wants it. He is funny and independent, yet he is still my snuggler. He knows how to get a laugh, although he is very picky about who he shares this talent with. He is growing out of his "clingy" phase- doing great at school and church. He is still my "little guy" and weighs next to nothing, but it is nice when you have to carry him around.

Our Little Tuck- we love you so much and are excited to watch you grow even more and become a big brother.

Catching up-Decorating the Christmas Tree

2011-01-03T19:34:00.000-08:00

Main Street Bethleham

2011-01-03T13:16:00.000-08:00

This is our 4th year in a row to viist the Bethlehem village in Burnet and it has become a "must do" at Christmas for us. We love it every year and are amazed at the work that goes into creating this biblical scene. This year we went with several families and were able to get in pretty quickly. No matter how mild the weather in Austin, it always seems to be cold the night we go to Bethlehem, which while a little uncomfortable, fits the mood. Here are a few pictures from the event.

It's Official

2010-12-09T11:50:00.000-08:00

Baby #3 is healthy and growing. I am 9 weeks and the babies heartrate is at 165. Everything looks great and we are excited!

Thanksgiving

2010-12-08T12:22:00.001-08:00

Wow how time flies! I cannot believe it is 2 weeks past Thanksgiving and we are full swing into the Christmas season! This year Thanksgiving was great for our family. For the first time in 3 years, we were able to go to Arkansas and celebrate with our families. The trip was long and the traffic was terrible, but it was worth it to celebrate with our families. Below are some pictures of our trip and of the Children's Ark Thanksgiving Dinner!

Fall Festival

2010-11-08T08:55:00.000-08:00

Our school Fall Festival was the last Friday on October. I thought these videos were funny to see the difference between Griffin;s experience and Tucker's. They both had a great time though.

2010-11-07T18:39:00.001-08:00

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-03T12:33:00.000-07:00

My Super Heroes

2010-11-01T13:15:00.000-07:00

Super G and T man

more to come later...

Fall trip to Arkansas

2010-10-28T20:37:00.000-07:00

Well, we survived another trip- and it is getting easier. Tucker is finally old enough to watch movies with Griffin and eat in the car, so we made record time- 9 hours going and 9 1/2 coming home. For those who have made the trip from Searcy to Austin, that may not sound that fast. For those that have made it with infants and toddlers, I think you would agree we were flying! :)

The trip itself was great as always. It was short, but jam-packed. On Friday we went to Greenbrier where my aunt and uncle live. We met them for lunch, along with my sister and Lily (they came over from N little rock). We went to a pumpkin patch (most of my pictures are from here) and later went to watch my uncle's HS football team play. It was a great atmosphere and they won, which made it all the better. On Saturday we spent the day with Nathan's parents and Justin and Julie and Shelby came that evening. We played at the park and had a nice evening. Sunday was full of church, meals, and family, and it was nice to not have to go home until Monday. We miss our family and love our visits, but it is good to be back home also.

State Cross Country

2010-10-23T08:56:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was the State Cross Country Meet for TAPPS. My girls have worked hard all season, running in races every Saturday to prepare for this race. Our goal was to win State and it was a goal that we thought we had a chance to accomplish. We faced some setbacks, including an injury to one of our top runners, but were still able to finish 4th in the State and had a runner in the top 10 (6th). Although we did not reach our goal, the girls ran well and I am proud of them and am looking forward to next season

Community Helper Week

2010-10-23T08:45:00.000-07:00

Last week was community helper week at Children's Ark. On Tuesday we were visited by a Police Officer who gave the kids lots of good safety information. On Thursday the fire truck came to school. These visits were made even better since Giriifn's class got to see both visitors with our class and Tucker's class got to see the fire truck. He was cautious, but interested. It was a fun week and very informational as well.

Fry's Fun Farm

2010-10-18T07:03:00.000-07:00

This year I am teaching at Children's Ark, so it was a little different experience than past years. Nathan was also able to come and see the boys- something he had not been able to do at his old job- so that was special for the boys. Griffin had done this before, but this was new to Tucker and he loved the "mals" (animals). It was a great day with great weather.

Smith Sick Ward

2010-10-18T05:23:00.000-07:00

This was a couple of weeks ago, but I am behind on my posts. We are all well now and hopefully will stay that way for a while

2010-09-28T15:27:00.000-07:00

Griffins first Soccer Game was a blast. The second video is Griffin taking it coast to coast for the first goal of the season. I have to say sorry to Tucker for pushing him aside while trying to get this footage. After his goal, griffin got right back on Defense and kept a couple of theirs from going in. He loves soccer and picked it up quick thanks to Coach Kendall and Coach Tim. He says that his favorite parts are scoring goals and stopping the other team from scoring...if it were only this easy. We are looking forward to the cooler weather this season and getting a chance to watch Griffin dominate on the field. We're proud of you Bud!

Dad

Trip to Searcy

2010-09-23T12:29:00.000-07:00

Last month we went to Arkansas to see our family. It had been a while since we had been there, so it was great to be back. The boys and I rode home with my folks, who came to visit the weekend before. We were there for the week and then Nathan came that next weekend. Although the boys were sick the beginning of the week, we all got better and were able to enjoy our time.

Tanner's Birthday

2010-09-23T11:51:00.003-07:00

Silly Tucker

2010-09-12T19:14:00.000-07:00

A couple more t-ball vidoes...

2010-09-10T19:38:00.000-07:00

First Season in the Books

2010-09-06T12:58:00.001-07:00

This is a little late but just as important to me none the less. Griffin finished his first season of t-ball in August and it was a bitter sweet ending. Although we had to endure 100 degree practices I had the best time coaching him and his friends...I think we will be putting the summer sports on hold for a while. Griffin did as well as any dad could have dreamed. He batted 1.000 and made some pretty impressive defensive plays in the infield...some were even more impressive because he did it with his glove on the wrong hand or sometimes no glove at all. He won the trophy or "statue" for the best throwing arm because he did learn to throw the ball very well. After he got past closing his eyes before he threw, he really turned into a pretty good defender.

In July, Griffin and his team got the opportunity to run out on the baseball field with the Round Rock Express AAA baseball team. I probably got more joy out of this day than he did but the boys had a great time. After the express representative explained to them what they were to do, talking to them like they were in middle school mind you, they took the field. Instead of each of them running to their designated base, they all migrated to second base like a flock of geese. There were a lot of laughs in the stands but the boys were just excited to be in front of all the fans. Each of the boys were given a ball to get some big league autographs got to shake hands and high five the players willing to give their time.

I was proud of the example Griffin was on the field and the way he listened and learned as best he could. Coaching my boys is something I have looked forward to doing even before they were born and this was one of the best things I have shared with him and look forward to more seasons in the future. I'm proud of everything my boys do but it touched a certain part of my heart to be able to share something I love with Griffin this year.

I love you Buddy

~Dad

First Day of School

2010-08-29T19:29:00.000-07:00

What can I say...we all survived. Griffin has the easiest day. He is in Ms. Mary and Ms. Terry's class again this year, so it was all old hat to him. He did get to be the line leader (which he predicted by the way) and Ms. Mary told him she chooses a line leader who knows what to do and can be a good leader, so he was very excited. I was a proud mama too. His biggest challenge is going to be making new friends- his class last year was full of friends from church and this year he is the oldest and does not know that many in his class. It will be a good experience for him.

Tucker was the big surprise of the day. It was his first year and I was not sure how he would do all day without me, especially sleeping on a mat on the floor for naptime. But after prying him out of my arms in the morning, he was great all day long. He played outside, painted his art, played games, ate lunch, and even napped. I am so proud and so relieved.

I also had my first day teaching the Preschool II class. I was a little nervous to be back in the classroom again, but once I got started it was just like riding a bike. I have a great class and am looking forward to teaching again.

Tucker videos

2010-08-03T05:51:00.000-07:00

One great thing about having our new Flip video camera is we are now able to film Tucker more day to day- like we did with Griffin when he was the only one and we filmed everything he did. :) The bad thing is now everyone who looks at this blog must indure our family movies. Enjoy!

These is for you Tucker!

Going to Outer Space...in our own house

2010-07-25T17:52:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from Griffin's party (and a video for the grandparents!). We had an outer space thing and it really was "out of this world" (ha, ha). Our living room was mission control, complete with a large rocket (thanks to Cynthia Miller). When the kids arrived, we took there picture in a space helmet. Once everyone got here, we began our mission with some training exercises: the kids learned to defy gravity, tested their lung capacity and made some space snacks. Finally, we were ready for take-off. The kids participated in 3 missions: rocket buiding, rocket shooting, and a final trip to the moon. This was our biggest undertaking. We transformed the hall and griffin's room into outer space, complete with black walls, stars, asteroids, moon rocks, and a bouncy house (insode griffin's room-thank you Drennons). The kids had a "blast". After all missins were completed, we ate, open presents, and swam. All-in-all it was a lot of work for a short time, but well worth it. It was nice to have Nathan's family here to celebrate, and to help with the set-up. There are still staples in our wall, but I think our house has pretty much come back to earth.

Happy Birthday, Happy Wednesday

2010-07-23T15:48:00.000-07:00

We just go a Flip video camera and we tried it out a lot this past weekend on Griffin's birthday, so I will make a disclaimer that there are lots of videos to come. These are mostly for the grandparents and family who could not be here. This video was Wednesday night at church-it is always great when you get to spread the birthday out over as many days as possible :)

Splash Park...

2010-07-23T06:12:00.000-07:00

...with friends and family

4 Years, 6 years

2010-07-21T13:18:00.000-07:00

My baby is 4 years old! I can't believe it! Am I that old? I guess so. Griffin turned 4 this past weekend on Saturday. I will post more pictures andwrite about our party soon, but this post is dedicated to my oldest son.

Griffin, you are such a special boy. You are so smart, sometimes too smart for your own good. You began talking early and have not stopped (much like your mother :)). You are so full of questions- always wanting to know everything. I am constantly amazed with how much you can remember and recall and the way you put things together. Your mind is always working, which is why you stay awake so long at night, always calling us in to tell us "one more thing" or ask one more question. What makes me the proudest, though, is the way you remember the Bible stories you learn at church and the way you are so eager to learn more about God and His creation. I pray you always have that hunger for knowledge, especially about our Creator.

Griffin, you are SO full of energy. Your imagination amazes me everyday. It sometimes seems that you live in another world. I love watching you play by yourself and with your friends, always coming up with new ideas, games, etc... you must have gotten your creative side from your Daddy because I wish I could be like that. I can just see you 10 years from now acting in a school play. I am especially pleased to watch how you include your little brother in your games. He looks up to you so much and loves playing with you and it makes me so proud to see you sharing with him and including him. Although you are a little rough at times, I know you love him very much and you two will have many more years of fun and mischief together.

Although you rarely sit still long enough for me to love on you, you are so affectionate in your own way. You tell me all the time, "I love you, Mommy" and "You're the best Mommy"- it makes me smile every time you say it. You are never shy to give me a hug or a kiss. I know the day will come when you will shy away from that, so I cherish every one. You have never met a stranger and are friendly to everyone. I love watching you talk to people at church. You are such a happy child and even when you are sad, it does not last for long.

Griffin, your Dad and I love you more than we could ever say. You are our first born and you will always be special to us.

On Saturday, Nathan and I also celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary. Sharing an anniversary with a birthday is an interesting thing. Although our day was filled with family and friends celebrating Griffin's birthday, it is still important to remember that 6 years ago on this day, I married my best friend, who became the father of my children. I love you Nathan. You are a perfect fit for me and I thank God everyday for bringing you into my life. You are such an amazing Father and husband- thank you for 6 wonderful years- and for the flowers :)

Cousins and Sea World

2010-07-08T17:05:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we were able to meet up with Nathan's cousin Megan, her husband Matt, and there 2 boys Ethan, 4 and Grant, 2. They live in St. Louis and we had visited them 2 summers ago when Griffin was almost 2. Ethan and Griffin got along great then and although he doesnt remember much about that trip, Griffiin was super excited to see his cousin Ethan again.

Megan and her family first went to the beach in Corpus, timing it just right and making it right before the hurricane hit. They came up to San Anotnio early last week and spen a couple of nights there and we met them on Thursday to go to Sea World. Nathan's brother Jason, his wife Traci, and there son Grant, 18 months, also met us there. The hurricane had hit land the day before in Mexico, so the chance of rain was 100% that day. We wwere afraid we might be wasting our money, but there was no other time to go, so we took a chance, packed up lots of umbrellas, ponchos, and snacks, and verntured out.

It could not have been a better day! The sky was overcast and looked horrible all day, so the park was not nearly as busy as the Thursday before the 4th should be. It did sprinkle on us off and on monst of the morning and early afternoon and during the Shamoo show it poured, but conveniently let up as the show was ending. It was cool- something we were not expecting, and we were able to see every show and ride every ride we wanted to with no waiting in lines. All the boys, including the little ones (Tucker and Grant) were great. The shows are all about 20 minutes long, which was perfect for us. Tucker loved the animals and watched with interest. Griffin and Ethan of course were having the time of their lives. Our family even went on the log ride together and Tucker would not even let me hold on to him as we went down the hill. I had not been to Sea World since I was 11 and so I really enjoyed all the shows. We stayed until almost closing time, 9:00.

Our cousins followed us back to Austin and spend Friday and Saturday with us. The dads took the older boys to see Toy Story 3 and Megan, Tucker and I went shopping. We also went to a water park one day. It was a great visit and we were so glad that they were able to come and see us. The boys all got along great and it is always fun to see our boys play with and get to know family better. It is a memore he will laways have and I am sure will talk about for a long time. Maybe next summer we can take another trip up to St. Louis. Thanks Matt and Megan for making the trip!

4th of July

2010-07-07T06:15:00.000-07:00

This year we stayed in town for the 4th. We had family in town for the weekend (more about that in a later post) so we did not go to Arkansas as we have done in several years in the past. We - decided to go downtown to the fireworks, which I have not done in many years. We got there early (thanks Caitlin!) and got a good seat on the lawn. It was hot, but we passed the time snacking, walking around, and visiting with our friends, Cailtin and Jesse. The fireworks were great- Tucker was a little scared at first, mostly due to the canons they shot off for no reason before the show started. He did settle down some and watch. Griffin of course loved it. It was nice to go to a real fireworks show and all in all it was a good evening, made better by the fact that Nathan actually had the day off on Monday for the first time in 3 years. Sorry, no pictures- I forgot my camera.

Tucker, 18 months

2010-07-05T15:40:00.001-07:00

I can't believe my baby is a year and a half! My how he has grown up these past few months. He is soaking up knowledge like a sponge. While he is not quite as verbal as his brother at this age, he understands so much and is learning new words everyday. As his vocabulary grows. he has figured out that he can use it to get what he wants...and he knows what he wants. Tucker is definitely more strong willed than his brother and has developed a screeching sound to lets you know when he is not happy. We are working on that. Tucker seems to have a little bit of a spilt personality. At home he is talkative and silly but he likes to pretend he is serious and quiet when we are around others. He is still a momma's boy all the way, but is getting better.

As for statistics, he is now FINALLY over 20 lbs. and is back on the growth chart (we had a little drop off at 15 months which led to tests, a visit to an endocronologist, and a new pediatrician, all to realize he is just little). He is still little, below the 5th percentile, but somebody has to be. Other than being little, he is great. He eats as well as any 18 month old, sleeps all night, and throws fits when he doesn't get his way...we are so happy he is normal and healthy...and we think he is pretty cute too!

Here are a few pics from the past few months that show a little of his personality.

We love you Tucker!

Brothers

2010-06-22T11:53:00.001-07:00

Summer Fun

2010-06-21T10:23:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from our first trip this summer to our favorite "splash park". It is perfect for both boys this year and I am sure we will be back many times to try and beat this summer heat.

Lets Go Raptors!!!!

2010-06-19T12:25:00.002-07:00

If you know me, you know that this has been a day I have been looking forward to for a long time. After 2 very organized and very productive practices (c'mon, these are 3 and 4 year olds we are talking about), the Raptors played their first game today. Dressed in his oversized shirt, new white baseball pants and socks that stretched the length of his legs, Griffin took the field on the pitchers mound (or pictures mound as he calls it) for his First T-Ball game. I could not have been a more proud dad!

~Dad

Summit Groups, the First Year

2010-06-17T14:04:00.000-07:00

At our church, the High school kids are divided into groups by class, called Summit Groups. These groups meet every Wednesday night at a home near the church. 2 couples are chosen to be the leaders and to stay with this group through their 4 years of high school. Last summer we were asked if we would pair up with another couple and lead the incoming Freshmen group. Since we live right behind the church, this made it perfect for us to meet at our house on Wednesday nights. We were excited to take on this challenge. As it go closer to the fall, the other couple that was to be with us were unable to commit anymore, so we asked our good friends, the Drennons, if they would be interested in joining us. I honestly thought this was a long shot, since they were already committed in so many other places. But they surprised us and agreed to be our partners.

We started in the fall when school started and for most of the first semester, our numbers were small and pretty much had the same kids every time. Those that we did have, though, were solid. After Christmas, our numbers began to grown and the kids became more involved. Throughout the year we had several get-togethers, including a game night at the Drennons, a kickball challenge vs the sophomore class (which we won!), a service project/game night with the VCA residents, and an end-of-the-year swimming party at the Vandygriffs. We also went to several sporting events, a band concert, and a choir concert to watch our talented kids do what they do best. We have a talented and unique group of kids and we are really enjoying getting to know them and we look forward to the next few years as we can all grow closer to each other and to our Lord.

Here are some pictures of our year...oh and of course I couldn't resist throwing in some of our kids as well

Morgan and Gabby at the swimming party

Cute Lleyton

Sweet Tucker

Griffin and Kennedy- the best of friends!

Our family

My sweet boys

Matther, Jackson and Ben

The girls

Our group at VCA

Playing Ninja-their favorite pasttime

Game night at VCA

We tagutht he residents how to play their new Wii

Playing Beatles Rock Band at the Drennons

Game night at the Drennons

Family Retreat

2010-06-16T13:08:00.000-07:00

Every year our church has a family retreat at the HEB camp in Leakey the last weekend in April (I know, this post is WAY behind). I had to coach at our district track meet, so Nathan took the boys by himself on Friday. I joined them on Saturday afternoon and they looked to have had a good time. The campsite is so pretty and the weather was great. The boys played in the sand, went hiking, played in the water, and rode in the canoes. On Saturday night Griffin performed in the talent show, singing "When we all get to Heaven" with the help of Carter and Abbie Boyd. It was precious. The boys were so good the first night, that Nathan kept both of them in his bunk on Saturday night as well (lucky me!)

Here are some of the pictures of the weekend. I am working on the video of Griffin singing.

Camp Agape

2010-06-15T13:57:00.000-07:00

Wow! I am so far behind! This past month has been busy, mostly planning for Camp Agape, which was last week. I am going to do my best to catch up on my posts over the next few days, mostly for my own records, but in case there are a few of you out there still interested :).

Let's start with Camp. This year our theme for Camp Agape was No Matter What. We learned about one of my favorite Bible characters, Joseph. This year's camp was set in a 70's background with lots of color, music, and games. We attempted a field trip to the roller skating rink this year, a first for us. All went well...except when I tried to take the school bus under our church awning. I'll let you figure out what happened. All-in-all the week went well. The campers always have fun and our counselors and junior counselors were wonderful as always.

This was my 6th year to co-direct this camp with Caitlin and it has been a great experience overall of me. I have enjoyed working with Caitlin and seeing our ideas go from just crazy thoughts to actual events that the campers do. I am not sure what role I will be playing in camp in future years but I know I will be involved in some way- it is too special to me and now to my kids.

Pictures to come soon.

Show-n-Tell

2010-05-05T14:12:00.000-07:00

Thursday is our day for Show-n-Tell for Griffin's school. At the beginning of the year it was easy to find something to take- narrowing it down was the hard part. Just when we were about to run out of good ideas, Christmas came. That has carried us through most of the year, with a new toy here and there, but the last month or so I must admit we have been scrounging around the house for things to take. I have lost track of whether he has taken some things, so it becomes even more difficult. It has helped that Nathan began reading to Griffin at night from a chapter book. It started with me reading him Charlotte's Web (one of my all time favorites) We attempted to start it last year, but he wasn't quite ready. He asked about it again several months ago and we started it over. He loved it ans listened very well. Nathan puts him to bed at night and so he decided this was something he wanted to start with him. So they read James and the Giant Peach and then Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and then The Fantastic Mr. Fox (Roald Dahl is great for beginning chapter books). Now they have started The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I am constantly surprised by how well he listens and how much he remembers. Anyway, back to show-n-tell. Laely, whenever they finish a book, Griffin takes it to show-n-tell. I think it is a great way to share this special time he has with his daddy. I happened to witness this on the day of his Easter party and got a picture of him showing his class Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Open House

2010-04-29T06:38:00.000-07:00

Griffin's Open House for his school was on the Tuesday after Easter. We had plans to be in Arkansas and come back that day until we found out his class would be singing. How could we miss that! So we drove home late Monday night the night. It was a tough trip, but worth it. Griffin's class were cowboys and they sang "She'll be Comin' 'Round the Mountain" and "The Lord's Army"(Cowboy style). Of course, we thought he did great and he loved showing us around his room. His favorite thing were the cookies but that is to be expected. I can't believe he is old enough to have an open house...I don't know what I will do when he goes to Kindergarten.

I apologize for the sideways video- still can't figure out how to turn it around.

Easter

2010-04-28T11:08:00.000-07:00

Here is a late Easter post-I am so behind! We had such a good time in Arkansas for Easter...I had so many good pictures I couldn't narrow them down much. This was Courtney and my first solo attempt to dye Easter eggs and it was so cute! Even Tucker got into the mess. Of course, when we did this as kids it didn't involve painting our bellies, but you have to start SOME new traditions, right? Of course, we had our usual egg toss and my boys had 2 egg hunts (one with each family). the weather was great and we enjoyed playing outside and at the park. Looking forward to seeing everyone again!