Wee Wille's

Be Mine....

2012-01-23T14:58:00.006-06:00

Instagram Friday....

2012-01-21T20:30:00.003-06:00

The sun finally came out on Friday afternoon so we headed to the park. The kids had a blast riding bikes, practicing on the Rip Stick and playing with friends.

I love Instagram!! Makes pictures so much more fun!

It's official....

2012-01-21T20:26:00.004-06:00

We have no need for a crib mattress anymore. Joshua has been up multiple times during the night for quite a while and we're getting pretty tired of it. When Sophia was about his age and having sleep problems, moving her into a twin bed almost fixed the problems immediately. So, we decided it was time for Joshua to move too. A friend was selling this bed and almost brand new pillow top mattress, so we bought it and put it up the same night! He has not woken up during the night at all since moving into the big bed. Yeah!!! Mike and I are enjoying full nights of sleep again!

Making Progress....

2012-01-21T20:24:00.002-06:00

The house looks SO much more open. A lot of work left to do, but it's moving in the right direction!

Some new favorite things....

2012-01-10T08:24:00.002-06:00

It took me awhile to get into Pinterest....but WOW!! There are so many incredible ideas. http://www.pinterest.com You get hooked so easily!! I've done so much more cooking since I've come across so many great recipes. And the craft ideas are never ending!!! This was a great idea for organizing kid art supplies. A bucket--$2.50. Bucket Jockey--$7. And for less than $10 I was able to clean up and organize all their art supplies!! The only things not in the bucket are crayons and markers!

And...cross one more thing off my "I want to try" list!! I've watched people post pictures from Instagram and I finally downloaded it yesterday. So cool!!! You take a picture and then can alter it using several different filters and "looks". It's a very fun and easy way to play with pictures!!!

What a cutie this morning. Of course...that was an hour ago. Now he's a wild man playing naked in his room refusing to get dressed. Good thing I captured the sweet moment when I did!!

Most recent pics....

2012-01-05T07:17:00.006-06:00

I love this one!!! All their personalities come through. Joshua was SO well behaved during this shoot!

Check out his little ears!! So adorable!! He wanted to wear this hat (which was Mike's when he was a little boy).

So handsome!

Might be the last "real" picture with long hair. Good thing it's such a good one!!

And the walls came down....

2012-01-01T08:53:00.008-06:00

Before.....

We have talked about taking down this wall for a long time!!! There's no turning back now....

Already looking better!!! Can't wait to see the final outcome. The house is going to look a lot different in the next few months!! 2 walls coming down, taking out the wet bar and putting in a desk and redoing the kitchen. Wow!!!

Christmas Trip....

2012-01-01T08:15:00.008-06:00

We planned a very fun trip to Dallas as part of the kids' Christmas present! Brenda and her family drove to the ranch on Tuesday. We showed them around the ranch and played...and on Wednesday we headed to Dallas. Girls were headed to the American Girl Doll store and boys were going to Lego Land. Then, we were all meeting up for one night at Great Wolf Lodge. Such a fun trip!!!

4D movie at Lego Land....

Outside the American Girl Doll store. The girls were SO excited!!! Both girls were wearing matching clothes with their dolls.

Lunch at the Bistro. These people really know how to "work" the doll thing. Little doll highchairs, little doll tea cups and saucers!

After shopping....wow!! You could spend a TON of money in that store very quickly.

Great Wolf Lodge....what a fun place!! They have a MagiQuest where you use magic wands throughout the hotel to unlock different secrets and solve the clues. Our kids were more interested in just waving the wands and making things open and talk than they were about solving clues.

Big treehouse inside the lobby.

The indoor waterpark...it was pretty cool!! They had SO much to do!!

A nature show they do in the lobby a few times each day.

Happy kids after swimming!!

Had to get some Dippin Dots icecream before we left!!

It was a really fun trip. The kids had a great time and it was nice to do something we've never done before!! I would go back for 2 nights the next time!!

Christmas at the Ranch....

2012-01-01T07:58:00.004-06:00

We headed to the ranch the day after Christmas. Mom was up there celebrating with Mary and Brad. We opened presents about 30 min after we arrived! :)

The Charlie Brown Christmas Tree....

Gramma with our 3.

Lucy loved the pillow I made her. It was so soft!!

Lucy also loved Legos!

Grant and Joshua playing with the Lego board.

Other big gifts....Jake got a RipStick. Sophia got an EZ Bake Oven. Joshua got more trains. Mike got a new sander and book. I got lots of new jammies. It was a fun to be all together at the ranch for a little bit. Mom had to head home on Tuesday. Mary and Brad were coming to SA for the Alamo Bowl. But, we were staying the whole week!

Christmas Eve and Day....

2012-01-01T07:39:00.005-06:00

We spent Christmas Eve with Shirley. Everyone was there except Brian and Kyle. They were both sick at home. We were able to snap a few pics....it's very hard to get 5 kids together at the same time!!!

Joshua loved his Darth Vader mask from Tim and Noel. It was a big hit!! He told me "I waited for a long time for my mask!!"

Christmas at our house....what a whirlwind!! Santa brought a doll bed for Sophia, a Wii game for Jake and a Thomas toy for Joshua. Lots of fun and toys. Mike smoked a turkey and Shirley, Tim and Noel came over. All the food was soooo good!!!

Sophia's doll got a lot of new things for Christmas!!

Christmas in the Y3's classroom....

2012-01-01T07:33:00.006-06:00

I think it's always so cute to see Joshua with his friends at school. This is their Christmas party...Chick Fil A and a movie...what could be better??

Carolling....

2011-12-22T11:05:00.002-06:00

The Daisy troop that Sophia is in went carolling this morning at an Alzheimer's facility that is in the neighborhood. There were quite a few girls that came and they did so well! I hope they spread a little holiday cheer to the residents!

Our Elf....

2011-12-22T11:02:00.002-06:00

Clyde the Elf comes every year to watch and report on good and bad behavior. Each night he flies back to Santa to tell him the news of the day...and each morning he's in a new spot. The kids love to be the first one to find him. Had a bump in the road recently when Joshua touched him...which is a major rule "no touching the elf or he might lose his magic!" There was lots of tears that day but after a night at the Elf Hospital, Clyde was okay! This morning he was riding Sophia's Barbie horse. After a lot of laughter...Sophia drew this picture of him....

Christmas Program

2011-12-16T09:18:00.002-06:00

Joshua was in the NPDS Christmas Program...and he did SO well. Walked up to the front, sang loudly "Happy Birthday Baby Jesus" and sat with his class. At the end everyone got up to sing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." His class all held hands. So cute!!! Makes me both happy and sad to see #3 doing all the things that the first 2 have already been through!!

A list for Santa....

2011-12-05T09:00:00.001-06:00

Santa made a stop at NPDS this year...and brought candy canes, donuts and juice. What could be better?? Jake and Sophia both told him their top wishes. Joshua didn't want to get too close!

Big Boys....

2011-12-01T09:01:00.003-06:00

This little guy looks SO big! First year in pre-school has been a big success (most days!). And now we have this great picture to remember his year in the Young 3's class!

Flag football with the 7 and 8 year olds! Jake had a great time and by the end of the season...they were looking kind of like a "real" football team!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2011-11-27T16:03:00.003-06:00

We spent the whole week in Kansas for Thanksgiving. Mike wanted to hunt and the kids and I had not been up there in a long time. It had been 3 1/2 years since Jake and I had gone and Joshua had never been up there!! The farm is a perfect place for kids.....lots of stuff to do! The house is more than big enough for extra people (we got the whole upstairs) and Rich and Dianne are SO good to us. The kids loved all the new things to play with and do. Lots of time throwing rocks in the creek, lots of puzzles and toys inside, lots of VERY good food (Dianne is quite the baker!!!) and time with cousins. Mike got a deer on Wednesday (whew!! trip was a success!!). On Thanksgiving we went over to his Uncle Larry's house. There were lots of cousins there!!! It was a great trip (long car rides were a big tough!!) but we were glad to get home today!

Evelyn (4), Ella (5), Sophia and Riley (7)The tree swing in the backyard.

The red barn made a great backdrop for pictures!!!

On the road by the creek.

Rock and Roll...

2011-11-14T08:04:00.007-06:00

Brenda talked me into doing the Rock and Roll 1/2 Marathon. Me...who is NOT a runner. And...little mental determination or competitiveness (when it comes to athletics!!). We trained for 3 months. One rolled ankle put a minor bump in the road, but for the most part we stuck to the schedule. Race day was warm and humid!!!

Picked up our stuff on Friday...but didn't want to wear the shirt until I "earned it" on Sunday!

The group that ran together. Brett and Brenda finished a couple minutes before me. Kevin was a bit behind...he did almost NO training. Very impressive!Sophia drew a picture of me crossing the finish line. I hope that's what I looked like

Baylor Homecoming Weekend

2011-11-07T08:21:00.006-06:00

We missed Baylor Homecoming last year...so we made sure to go this year. It's such a great parade and the kids have so much fun. It was a jam packed weekend....playing on the new swingset, the parade, lots of fun with DD, a campfire at the river, BB gun target practice....and lots of outside play time!

We went to the river late Saturday afternoon for a campfire. We roasted hotdogs and made smores. A good time was had by all (if you forget about the 2 dropped hotdogs followed by crying children!). Roasting a hotdog takes some concentrated effort!!

Grant and Sophia playing Go Fish on the swingset. Wonder who won???

All ready for the parade to start!

Sweet cousin pictures!!

Family Reunion

2011-11-07T08:18:00.002-06:00

The weekend that I was doing Ole Market was the big Dorman Family Reunion. It was really sad that I had such a major conflict. But, Mom took Jake and Sophia up so they could enjoy the weekend and play with cousins. They had a blast!! Lots of ranch fun!!!

Jake and Grant watching cousins swim in the river. Later Jake got to go swimming too!

Dorman Generation 4. So many kids I'm not sure I could name them all!!

Happy Halloween.....

2011-11-04T08:53:00.002-05:00

You might not be able to tell, but Hello Kitty, Darth Vader and Obe Wan were having a great time at the Halloween party!!! We went to a very festive party before trick or treating. Lots of fun was had by all....and we still have some candy left!!

Literary Pumpkin

2011-10-31T15:09:00.003-05:00

The school has a Literary Pumpkin Contest each year. The kids have to decorate a pumpkin to look like a book character. I was ready to help Sophia make Fancy Nancy....because I figured that's what she would pick. But, she wanted to do The Grouchy Ladybug (which was really easy!!) and she won a Best Effort award. I'm not completely sure what that means, but she was excited to get a special ribbon!

Jake did the character from Diary of a Wimpy Kid. There were several others just like his. :(

Next year we'll have to think outside the box!!

Joshua's First Halloween Parade

2011-10-31T10:27:00.002-05:00

After many years of watching the big kids get to wear their costumes to NPDS for the annual Halloween Parade....it was finally Joshua's turn!!! Darth Vader was a big hit and didn't take out any of his friends with his light saber (which is a big accomplishment!!!).

Snack with friends after the parade.

Reformation Fest

2011-10-31T10:21:00.001-05:00

Reformation Fest was last night at church. Lots of good food and fun!!

Bike Rodeo 2011

2011-10-31T10:06:00.002-05:00

As always...the Bike Rodeo brings big excitement. Sophia wasn't too sure about participating, but once she found out her friends were doing it, she decided to do it too. Both kids did very well and had a lot of fun. No winners this year....Jake was bummed that they didn't "say his name on the announcements"...but maybe next year!!

The youngest (and grumpiest) Bike Rodeo participate. He wanted to go through the course so badly so I waited until the very last Kindergartner went...and then let him go. People were cheering him on and I don't think he liked all the attention. He even got a ribbon at the end just like the big kids!!

Defending His Friend....

2011-10-25T07:34:00.002-05:00

Yesterday we got a note from Joshua's teacher saying that he had bit one of his friends because he was "defending" another friend. As soon as I read the note and looked at him....he started crying and went "turtle" on me. Going turtle is when he starts crying (because he knows he's in trouble) and retreats to a corner, curls up in a ball, hides his face...etc. He tries to become as small as possible. It's pretty cute.

So...after a lot of crying....I got the whole story (as much as you can from a 3 year old). Clinton was punching Lila....so Joshua bit Clinton to make him stop. How can you get mad about that??? Defending his little friend Lila....who is such a cutie!!! I think it was a fairly decent decision for his 3 year little mind...a friend is getting hurt....hurt the attacker to make him stop.

Wonder who else he will have to defend this year???

Ole Market

2011-10-21T06:59:00.003-05:00

I jumped with both feet into the big world of the Junior League Ole Market. WOW!!! 4 days of shopping. I have a table, but I was lucky to be put in a spot where I can make it look more like a booth. I've done well so far but I'm hoping the 2 last days will be the busiest...which everyone says they are!!

His Own Friends....

2011-10-03T13:26:00.003-05:00

Now that Joshua is in pre-school....I love that he is making his own friends and talks about them so much!!! This weekend he went to Rex's birthday party. So funny seeing a bunch of 3 year olds interact and play with each other. He has his own friends to hang out with!

Flag Football

2011-10-03T13:15:00.004-05:00

Jake is playing Flag Football this year. It's a group of boys from Northwood and almost the complete Wolf Den...so all the boys and parents know each other well. 2 practices a week and 1 game...this is serious business. You have to wear the mouth guard at all times!!! The first game went well. Football is a hard game for 8 year olds to really understand. But, they had fun and Jake pulled 1 flag. Isn't that all that matters???

Women's Retreat....

2011-09-12T12:28:00.002-05:00

I was asked to be in charge of the annual Women's Retreat this year and it was a little overwhelming because the lady who has done it for the past 3 years has done SUCH a good job. I wanted to take over the job, but wasn't quite sure I could do it all. We went with a packaged retreat kit focusing on Romans 10:15 "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news." We had a smaller group this year....only 15 women. But, we had a great time and I think everyone walked away with a refreshed feeling, new and deeper friendships and great memories.

Roller Skating....

2011-09-06T12:38:00.002-05:00

Fairly sure that Sophia would happily become a regular at Pixie Skate!!! I took all 3 roller skating for the first time last week. They have a Pixie Skate on Friday afternoons for kids 2-9. It was perfect. It was not very crowded and the kids had a blast. They have these walker type things with wheels on the bottom the kids can use for balance. Sophia was one happy roller skater!! Jake had a great time too. He didn't want to use the balance thing so he stayed close to the wall. And Joshua was happier to run around without skates on. He tried a few laps and then was done!

Our Baby is 3!!

2011-08-26T10:46:00.004-05:00

Feels like this was taken just yesterday! Time flies with 3 kids. Our baby is 3!! Happy Birthday to the life of the party!!!

He got to celebrate at school today and bring a special snack. It was so cute watching him while all his new friends sang Happy Birthday!! We're officially out of diaper, started

pre-school....wonder what else year #3 will bring??

First Day of School.....

2011-08-22T11:18:00.002-05:00

All 3 kids went to school today. Can't believe we have a 2nd grader, a Kindergartner and a pre-schooler in the house!! The boys were very excited. Sophia...not so much. Things started off well at home.

Once we got to school...reality started to hit.

But seeing Finola helped....

We dropped Jake off first. He was so happy to go into his classroom. I think he's going to have a great year! And then....Kinder hallway...not so happy. This is how we left Sophia. I'm hoping her day improved. She didn't have a full out fit...but was close. There was some laying on the floor and refusing to get into her chair. But, when Mike left, Mrs. Schlough came over and Sophia listened to her and did what she was told. I'm hoping she walks out of school with a smile on today!

And Joshua...thrilled to be going to school!!! Walked him into his room and he said "When are you leaving Mommy?" Oh...the 3rd child. Watch out NPDS!!! He'll give you a run for your money!

Beach Trip 2011

2011-08-22T10:41:00.005-05:00

These 2 had lots of fun together!!!While on the dolphin watching tour...pirates "attacked" the boat. The kids had to defend our boat with water guns. They loved it!!! It was so much fun!

First beach trip in a few years!!! We went with the Robsons. 5 kids, 2 adults...it was a wild time but lots of fun. The kids did really well. I think every kid except Jake had a major meltdown, but thankfully they all chose different days to have thier "special day". We brought home lots of sand and lots of memories. Can't wait to do it again next year!!

At the Texas State Aquarium....

Smores on the beach were a big hit!!

Always looking for a good time!!! :)

5 kids in the water...together and happy!!!

We went out on the dolphin watching boat and they had this touch pool in the middle full of hermit crabs. During the boat ride they dropped nets and caught a few more things to add to it.

Crazy hair night....we sprayed color on the kids hair before we went to the beach one night. Didn't get too many pictures, but they loved it!!!

Cousin Pictures

2011-08-22T10:19:00.006-05:00

Grant and Lucy were here while Mary and Brad were on a trip....and since Brenda was doing a Summer Quick Pics Session...I thought it would be great to get all 5 kids together. It was 103 outside and getting 5 kids to all look the same way at the same time was quite a job...but I think we got some great ones!!!

Celebrating #8

2011-08-04T12:35:00.003-05:00

Jake had 3 birthday celebrations!! By the third one, I was worn out!!! On his actual birthday we went out to dinner and got frozen yogurt. On Saturday night for his friend party, he had 2 friends spend the night. It's the first time we've had a sleep over at our house!!! We went bowling, came back here for pizza and cake....and then the boys played Wii and DS games the rest of the night (and the morning too). They were all very good, but there was little sleeping going on. I think they finally crashed about 11 and then were up at 6:30!!! He had to have a nap on Sunday afternoon! Sunday evening the family came over for the last celebration. Captain America was the theme he wanted this year. So, 3 parties and 2 cakes later...I can officially say our oldest is 8 years old!! Wow!! Where did the time go????

Blue frosting is fun!!!

Baseball cap, undies with no shorts, cowboy boots....and Uncle Tim throwing you in the air. What more does a boy need???

Happy Birthday Jake!

2011-07-29T14:58:00.002-05:00

We have an 8 year old in the house now!

Seems like we were just here.....(needless to say that Mike rigged up the bottle!!!!)

To this....

The Swimming Crew

2011-07-24T08:19:00.001-05:00

We've spent quite a few afternoons at the Robson pool. This crew is becoming

quite the school of little fish!!

Stay-cation Part 3

2011-07-24T08:06:00.003-05:00

And the last stop....The Snake Farm. How many times have we driven past and not stopped??? Well...now we can say we've been there! Lots of snakes inside, a petting zoo and animals outside. I don't think you can spend much more than an hour there. But....a good time....lots to look at. I could have done without walking past the hyenas during their feeding time though.

Stay-cation Part 2

2011-07-24T07:57:00.005-05:00

Next stop...Aquarena Springs. I had a Groupon...so it was $5 for all of us!! It's a really pretty place! The glass bottom boats are so much fun to go on!! The water is crystal clear so you can see all the plants, fish, turtles and springs bubbling up! We went on the boats, went through the aquarium and walked through the wetlands. The kids had a great time!

Stay-cation Part 1

2011-07-24T07:43:00.002-05:00

On the ferris wheel....not something I'll be going on again!! Too high for me!

We saw Scooby Doo, Porky Pig, Speedy Gonzales and Sylvester. Jake was the only one brave enough to get close enough for a picture!

3 kids....3 H-U-G-E drinks!

Merry Go Round---Joshua wanted the tiger and Sophia wanted the zebra!

Travel plans to Dallas and Tulsa got canceled. So, we decided to be tourists in San Antonio. We hit Fiesta Texas and the kids had a great time!! We rode a ton of rides. Jake and Sophia liked the log water ride the best. Joshua would have spent all day on the airplanes if we had let him!!

IMAX Experience.....

2011-07-24T07:35:00.007-05:00

We went to see Legends of Flight at the IMAX. It was the first time I was really worried we might be asked to leave. 5 kids....4 pairs of 3D glasses and only 2 adults was not a good combo. Plus 2 little 5 year old girls sitting next to each other giggling. I'm sure glad we got to stay for the whole show!!

Cousin Camp recap....

2011-07-11T12:29:00.005-05:00

Cousin Camp 2011---The bumper sticker should read "We Survived". It was crazy but fun. Pics are not in order.

Sophia takes art very seriously...
4 kids on a scavenger hunt...

Pop Rocks were at the last clue.

Mike and Dugan standing for the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of the parade....which lasted about 2 minutes!!

Mike and I went on our first bike ride together. Ranch riding is tough!!!

Miss 4th of July. Could she be any cuter???

Sophia got to the last clue before the cows did...whew!!! Just like his sister....Joshua takes art very seriously!!

Love this picture!!!

Water balloons were a big hit...for the 3 minutes that it took to throw all of them!

Mary calls this the "Circus Midget" picture. Not sure if that is PC or not!

Next year we will take a "before" picture!!!

The Grand Marshall of the 2 min. parade!

Cousin Camp...

2011-07-06T06:39:00.002-05:00

This picture might look like they all had a terrible time...but don't believe it!!!! We had a fun (but crazy) time!!! A scavenger hunt, painting, swimming at the Baylor pool, water fun on the patio, make your own ice-cream, Cars 2, decorate your own t-shirt, 4th of July parade....it was a jam packed weekend!!! More pictures to come soon!

Summertime "Firsts"

2011-06-27T09:42:00.003-05:00

First time we've gotten to swim with Lucy....our little chunk of love relaxing in the pool. Kids jumping and splashing around her....no worries!!!! Couldn't be a cuter bathing beauty!!

First time Jake has done a Flag Football Camp....and what a great experience!! Such a well run camp through AHISD full of lots of football, fun and friends. We will be going back next year for sure!

First time in 8 years that the crib is coming down. I took this right before the mattress came out to go on the other bed. So...I guess technically the crib is still up....but he's not sleeping in it. We'll give it a few days before we take it down for real! Very mixed feelings. Joshua has stayed in it longer than Jake and Sophia both did. Last night was the first night in the toddler bed. He did pretty well except woke up about 4am when he fell out of it. I always think that must be very scary/sad for kids. Imagine being dead asleep and then jolted awake because you fell out! Sad!!! But, he did go right back to sleep.

Soon I hope to be posting that we're adding another "first"....first time in 8 years that diapers won't be a part of my regular HEB purchases. We'll see.....I'm not too optimistic, but we'll keep on trying!!!

Summer Time...

2011-06-14T06:21:00.001-05:00

These 2 pictures just say "summer"....don't you think????

Little Golfers....

2011-06-09T14:23:00.003-05:00

We played putt-putt this morning. I use the term "play" loosely. But...3 golfers, 3 real putters, no injuries and only 1 tantrum. I'd call it a successful outing!!!!

Where Did He Go???

2011-06-09T08:55:00.002-05:00

Cub Scouts can earn a belt loop that requires visiting a TV or radio station. The other day we toured the KSAT station. It was a pretty big group of boys and siblings and they all did pretty well. The highlight was getting to play on the green screen in the studio. The kids loved it!!!!

And after they finished playing, 2 of the newscasters came in to tape segments. Sadly I missed it all because Joshua was so loud that I had to take him out. A nice lady in the hallway took pity on me and gave him a bag of Cheez-Its and a bottle of water. Bought me a few minutes of peace!!! Mike said the kids did really well during the weather segment and the news segment...which was about the latest scandal involving Congressman Weiner. :)

Memorial Day

2011-06-01T15:07:00.002-05:00

We spent Memorial Day weekend at the ranch. It was hot and very windy but we had fun. Went on some bike rides down the rocky rode, played at the river, flew kites, ran through the sprinklers....lots of fun!!!

Such a classic summertime picture!!!!

The crew down at the river.

Our Little Dancer

2011-06-01T14:53:00.002-05:00

The ballet class had a recital on the last day. They did one dance "The Mouse Dance". It was pretty cute. Sophia loves being up on stage!!! And afterwards each girl got flowers from their family.

Let's Get Muddy.....

2011-05-16T11:35:00.003-05:00

Mary and I become Muddy Buddies this weekend. Such a great time!!! 5.7 miles of biking and running....ending with a crawl through the mud pit. More pictures to come....but these are a few of the best so far.

Jake was so proud of doing the Mini Muddy. He did a great job and had so much fun!!!

We stayed at the Exotic Safari Zoo....I think that's the name. It was a great time with friends and the kids ran non-stop.

Now...can't wait to beat our time at next year's Muddy Buddy!!!

A Special Gift....

2011-05-10T06:53:00.002-05:00

The secretary at NPDS is undergoing major surgery next week and will be out for quite a while. the teachers asked me to put together a quilt for her. Each class did a square so all the kids from the school are on the quilt. I also made a matching travel pillow so she could take it with her to the hospital and to doctors appointments. I love taking time out from my regular sewing stuff to make a special gift like this! I can't wait until they give it to her!

Sleeping baby....

2011-05-10T06:50:00.002-05:00

I know....he's 2 1/2....but he'll always be the baby. He loves his "blue dog." Such a sweet sweet sight!!!

Mother's Day

2011-05-10T06:44:00.002-05:00

Happy Belated Mother's Day! We had a great day! Church, a 3 mile bike ride with the big kids, time to sew, and dinner with the family. In preparation for dinner, I made these 2 things....spray painted mason jars and "puffs". Both courtesy of this wonderful blog http://www.joyshope.com/ Such a great blog to follow!!!! I think those mason jars are SO cute!!! What a great way to make little centerpieces. Spray paint can transform anything!!

And the puffs....they are addicting. Sugar cookie dough made into tarts and the filling is cream cheese, cool whip and sugar. INCREDIBLE!!! A plate full of happiness. I plan on making them for all kinds of occasions!

Interesting that I got no pictures with the kids. :(

Mother's Day at NPDS

2011-05-10T06:32:00.002-05:00

The annual Mother's Day celebration at NPDS....Sophia was in her performing element!!! And so cute. They performed a song, had a special snack and gave us presents. Such a fun morning! Had to copy this picture....that's why it's so small. Watch out Northwood Elementary. The crew that is headed your way is full of fire!
"I'm a Little Flower" song.....

My first race....

2011-05-02T09:19:00.003-05:00

I ran in my first race this weekend....Hell Run....with about 18 other moms from Northwood Elementary and NPDS. Lots of fun. 3 1/2 miles with obstacles. It was at Rocky Hill Ranch...which was very appropriatly named!!!!! Super steep hills and lots of rock. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be. But, we all finished and had a great time.

This was the end the course. Go through tunnels, crawl under barbed wire, climb over that orange 15 ft ladder wall, swim through the NASTY tank, crawl up those tires, jump over a small fire pit....and then time to celebrate!!!!! I could have pushed myself harder and finished faster. I know that for next time. But....it was lots of fun and I'm proud that I finished it!!!!

Easter Morning (and Day).....

2011-04-30T06:20:00.002-05:00

Easter morning was kind of a blur. Kids got up too early and I didn't get any great pictures. Easter baskets were lots of fun. They all got kites....a big thrill!! After the egg hunt in the house, the living room looked like a jelly bean factory had exploded. Next thing I knew they were sorting them by color, so at least we had neat piles of jellybeans scattered all over!!

After church we went to the Marafioto's for their Easter event. Lots of food, pinata, cupcake decorating and an egg hunt. It was lots of fun. I think there were 16 kids total!!

And after a short nap, we went to Shirley's for dinner. We all had a great time celebrating this special day....and we were all VERY tired at bedtime!!!

Bike Rodeo

2011-04-30T06:17:00.001-05:00

Sophia's school had a Bike Rodeo yesterday. It was quite a little event. They set it up like they do at the Elementary School. It was really cute. As we were going over there, I asked Joshua what he would say when it was Sophia's turn. "I say...go O-phia, go O-phia." One day he'll get that "s" sound down!!!

Time Flies....

2011-04-30T06:02:00.002-05:00

What happened??? I was taking old pictures down and putting these new ones up and realized..the kids are SO big. Joshua lost his baby look. Sophia looks so grown-up. And Jake had baby teeth just a year ago. Now he's got permanent teeth, a battle scar and looks SO handsome.

Love this one of all 3....Sophia being the little mommy trying to keep Joshua in line. Jake being the cool dude and sitting there until the picture is over.

Good Friday....

2011-04-27T15:33:00.004-05:00

Mary and Brad came down for a couple days. On Good Friday we spent most of the day together.

Dying eggs....I didn't know it was possible for kids to get more colored than the eggs!!!

We had a picnic with mom in the park. Great weather to be outside!!!

Shooting some hoops...

USS Lexington

2011-04-25T20:15:00.003-05:00

Mike and Jake got to take a fun trip the weekend before Easter. They went with Cub Scouts to Corpus to stay on the USS Lexington over night. They seemed to have a great time and came home very tired!!!

On the ship at night....

Very close sleeping quarters!!!

They also went to the Aquarium while they were there. I think this is a very cool picture!!!!

Egg Hunt #1

2011-04-25T09:39:00.003-05:00

The first of many egg hunts...this one was at church. Joshua got 2 eggs and decided he was done. They made Resurrection eggs, had a pinata, skits, songs, egg hunt and lunch. Quite the celebration! Jake missed it because he was on the Cub Scout trip.

Battle of the Flowers Parade...

2011-04-16T14:07:00.004-05:00

Or the Flowers Fight Parade (as Sophia called it!!!). This was the first time I've ever been (that I remember). I took the big kids and we went with Finola and Cheryl. Reserved seats is the way to go. We had a really good time. Next year I'd like to be in the shade! It was pretty hot. But, the kids loved the parade, had lots of treats and trash....and we all had fun!!

Jake was sportin' a headband for the day...not sure why!!

Fiesta Time in SA!!!

2011-04-14T12:40:00.002-05:00

It's party time in SA!! And at NPDS that means....the annual parade around the parking lot!!!

Flowers....bright colors...lots of cute-ness....and this is the best picture I get of her. What is her deal with pictures lately????Joshua was trying to help with the pinata!

Stepping up my game...

2011-04-14T11:20:00.002-05:00

I've made the big move and rented a booth at a craft mall....and I couldn't be more excited. This gives me the freedom to just "make stuff" instead of waiting for custom orders. I have so much fabric and random things that I've collected especially during the past year when I've really started sewing more. Plus I have lots of invetory just sitting around. At this craft mall, you pay a monthly fee and they take 10% of your sales. BUT....the store is staffed every day...and all you have to do is keep your booth stocked and looking nice...and that's it!!! Hopefully pick up a decent paycheck each month! You can check online each night to see your sales each day. There will be a big happy dance when I see a sale!!! I'm just really hoping that this takes off!!!!!

Sophia's 5 Year Pictures....

2011-04-03T07:34:00.005-05:00

Love love love these. I think the last one is my favorite!

Spring Program--Part 1

2011-03-29T07:29:00.002-05:00

The Spring Program was last night at Sophia's school. She sang 4 songs....and loved every minute of being on stage singing. We try to put her in sports (ok....really it's me!!!)....but last night it just a reminder that she is NOT a sports girl....singing and dancing is what she loves. She loves being

onstage!! These are the 2 Spanish songs she sang....

Morning Hair....

2011-03-29T07:27:00.001-05:00

Just makes me laugh!!!!

Carnival Time!!

2011-03-27T07:43:00.002-05:00

The annual Northwood Carnival is a big event!!!! The kids have been looking SO forward to going. They all had their t-shirts on and were ready to go! It turned out to be H-O-T but the kids had fun. Lots of games, food, cascarones, silly string....and hanging out with friends!

What was the highlight of the event??? Have a Diet Pepper (as Joshua called it).

Big thrill...a real soda!!!

Now...if I could just get all the confetti up off the floor today....I will be doing good!!

Spring Break Fun....

2011-03-21T12:34:00.003-05:00

This Spring Break started out with one day at Art Works for the big kids. They had a blast!! On Tuesday we had Naomi with us all day. We went to see If You Give a Pig a Party at the Children's Theater. The moving truck was at the Truwe's all day. They came over for dinner and one last good-bye. Lots of tears as we said good-bye to such good friends and such a wonderful part of our church!

On Wednesday we headed to the ranch. Mike and Shirley came later that night. On Friday, Rich and Dianne flew in and stayed until Sunday.

Just a few highlights....dining alfresco on the wonderful new patio. It's not completely done...but W-O-W. It's a great addition to the ranch!!!

Getting up close and personal with the lions at the Waco Zoo.

Hanging out with little cousins.

Ice cream cones on the deck!

Enjoying the nice evening weather!

Not a bad way to wake up each morning!!!!

Up Close and Personal....

2011-03-11T13:24:00.003-06:00

Ever seen a 2 toed sloth up close??? They are incredible to see. NPDS had a special visit from Zoomination this week. They brought a HUGE scorpion, several lizards, a baby kangaroo (who hopped all around the room in a "mini escape"....I don't think that part was planned!!!), a macaw and a sloth. It was a big hit...with both kids and parents!!!

Way to go Jake!!!

2011-03-03T14:06:00.002-06:00

Jake has had a rocky 1st grade year....for many reasons. Some have been beyond his control....others are issues that we are working! At Northwood, earning your self-manager badge is a B-I-G deal. The kids earn it by having so many consecutive days with good behavior. The self-manager badge gives you special privileges around school. Jake got it about November in Kinder. It's taken until March to get it this year. This morning I had a meeting at school that was right around lunch time. So, I decided to stay and eat with him. What a surprise when I saw that today was his big day and he was proudly wearing it around his neck! Self-manager badge...and mommy and brother for lunch. What a day!!! Joshua was so cute at lunch. He was thrilled to get a tray and eat with the big kids! Won't be too long before he's at Northwood too!!!

Joshua's First "Big Boy" Party

2011-02-20T14:12:00.003-06:00

Good friends with a now 2 year old....invited Joshua to the party. His first "big boy" party where he was the one invited....Jake and Sophia just got to tag along. It was at Art Works....and he loved it!!!! So cute!

I overheard this conversation not long before it was party time:

Sophia: Joshua...we're going to Christopher's party. You know...your best friend.

Joshua: I know!!!!!!!

So cute!

Cupcake Party!

2011-02-20T14:00:00.003-06:00

9 little girls, lots of cupcakes, sprinkles and PINK!!! What could be more fun?? Treasure hunt outside!
The pull-string pinata...next time I'll go with the regular kind. I ended up having to tear the bottom to get the goodies out.

Don't you want some of this??? Think there are enough sprinkles on it???

Happy Birthday Sophia!!

2011-02-17T11:19:00.002-06:00

What a difference a year makes!!! My 4 year old last year....Now... my big 5 year old....who has grown 4 inches!!!!!
So much love for this little girl. Happy 5th Birthday!!! We love you!!!!

Future Home Boy?

2011-02-11T15:24:00.003-06:00

Joshua is rockin' the gangster look! And...in case you think your hair looks bad in the morning...don't worry....Joshua's is always worse!

Barn Dance

2011-02-11T15:14:00.003-06:00

The annual Barn Dance at Northwood Elementary is pretty funny!!! The kids "dance" for the parents.... Too bad I forgot the video camera this year. Jake was a pretty cute cowboy! And love that the hat he's wearing was Mike's when he was a boy. That's well-made and very tough hat!!! It's had a long and rough life. Sophia wore it on Wednesday for the Cowboy Breakfast at her school!

Action shots of him and his partner...Kiera. The girls do most of the leading!!

Seuessical....

2011-02-06T15:06:00.003-06:00

Last week Jake was in the 1st/2nd grade performance of the PTA program "Seuessical"...all based on Dr. Seuss books. Too bad I didn't get any pictures. I did take video...but it's not uploading to the computer right now. He did a really good job!! I was proud of my little guy. I know he's been self-conscious of the band-aid he had to wear...and up until the day of the performance he kept saying he did not want to go. I didn't want to push him. But, then he changed his mind and wanted to participate. He was quite the little singer!!!

My Texas Girl....

2011-02-06T15:04:00.001-06:00

In the aftermath of the "Big Snow 2011"....Sophia and I were running errands on Saturday. We were walking into a store that had a lot of salt on the sidewalk. Sophia looked down and said "Wow...there must have been a lot of people eating pretzels around here." I about fell over laughing!!! True sign of a girl who never sees snow or ice. The only logical explanation for large pieces of salt...is that they must have fallen off large soft pretzels!!!

3 Bugs in a Rug...

2011-02-06T15:02:00.002-06:00

It got very quiet in the house....so I wondered if something was wrong!! I went into Jake's room and found 3 cute bugs in a rug!!! I love that they are getting to the age where they can all play together....nicely...sometimes!

10 years....

2011-02-06T14:58:00.002-06:00

Mike and I celebrated 10 years last week. I can not believe it's been that long!!!! We've been through a lot of laughter and tears!!! I wonder what the next 10 years will hold but...

I hope it doesn't go by quite so quickly!!!

I am so blessed to have such an amazing husband!

A Texas Snow....

2011-02-06T14:50:00.003-06:00

As you can see....it "snowed" in San Antonio on Friday. More like a very light dusting of powder...but it was enough for San Antonio to get very very excited! And enough that schools and highways were shut down. The kids loved it!!!! Well...the boys loved it. Sophia told me that she did not like the snow and wanted to go to school. We had a snowball fight and made a teeny tiny snowman. Good times!! Maybe next time it snows Sophia will venture outside!

Happy Early Birthday Grant!

2011-01-31T09:27:00.004-06:00

Grant had an early birthday party in San Antonio this weekend at Brad's parents. It was a Baylor Bears party...so of course the kids had to wear green and gold. Mary did a great job with the decorations. The kids all had a great time!

Sophia is quite the little mommy. She got Lucy to laugh and laugh!

Mary made this "celebration of life" poster. It's something they do at Grant's school for birthdays. Really cute and fun to look back at the pictures!

Football pinata...only minimal tears. And we were extra cautious with the bat!!

Getting directions for the treasure hunt. You can tell everyone was very serious about it!

"Hand off the football to Bruiser" game....

7 Years....

2011-01-31T09:21:00.003-06:00

We made it 7 years....and then our "no stitches" run came to an abrupt end!!! I've been assured that one day we will want to look back at these pictures....otherwise I would not post them.

Jake learned a hard lesson....don't walk behind someone who is swinging a golf club. It's such a scary feeling when your child is walking towards you with lots of blood and you have no idea how bad the injury is or exactly what is wrong. Thank goodness for friends who can keep a level head.

Many stitches later, Jake is doing fine. I'm hoping it will not leave a scar. It's already looking SO much better. It's amazing how quickly kids can heal.

And in the meantime...I'm hoping it's another 7 years before we have to go through stitches again. Think we can make it????

Overheard at our house.....

2011-01-26T09:03:00.004-06:00

Things you don't hear everyday:

1. Joshua at dinner "I too tired eat my bread." And then he puts it back on the plate and sits down...with a very sad look on his face.

2. I told the kids to "stick together like glue" as we were walking across the parking lot one day. Sophia answered "or we can stick together like penguins trying to keep warm." Yep...we could do that too!!

3. Sorting toys when it was clean up time....Joshua yelled "No you put that ball in that basket!!!! Too big.....cars go in there." Okay...maybe he's inherited my need for order!!!!

Laundry Room Re-Do

2011-01-24T12:00:00.003-06:00

Our laundry room was a sad place. Never got fully painted, ugly dark cabinets and shutters. Weird outside door to the patio that never got used. It was just a place to do laundry and put stuff that you had no idea where else to put. So...Mike redid everything and turned it into a MUCH more use-able space. It's now 1/2 laundry room, 1/2 sewing area for me. Now...it is a very small space...but it's mine. Bright, cheery and functional!

He knocked out the broom closet and removed the outside door. Patched and finished everything up. He took down the ugly brown cabinets and repainted them. The whole room got a fresh yellow coat of paint. New built in desk area and shelves. New bi-fold door instead the old door. And, a little matching curtain to finish the room off!!!

There are still a few things to finish. The door and door trim needs to be painted. And the ceiling and floor boards needs to have caulk around the edges to finish them off. And...outside need some work. Still have to paint the outside of what used to be the door. And find a dumpster for all the old stuff that came out of the room. But...it's just about finished and I think it looks great!!!

Next house project will be MUCH bigger. We have plans to knock down the wall between the living room and family room!

Northwood Wranglers....

2011-01-23T12:56:00.004-06:00

Jake is playing basketball right now on a team of 1st graders from his school. They're the Northwood Wranglers!!! It's a great group of boys...5 out of the 11 are in Cub Scouts together. At this age they really start to "get serious" about the rules. 2 boys on the other team got called for technical fouls yesterday!!It was fun to watch the game. I missed the first one last weekend. Jake doesn't get too involved, but he keeps up with the other boys, makes a few break away attempts at the basket and has a great time. So...that's all that matters!

Welcome to 2011...

2011-01-12T11:25:00.002-06:00

We've started off 2011 with lots of cleaning out. Isn't that what you're supposed to do??? So far I've donated 12+ bags to GoodWill. And I'm sure there is more to come!

Jake's room was a disaster. He's the master at "cleaning up" by just throwing and shoving stuff to where it appears to be clean...but isn't. He pulled a game off the shelf last night and a ton of stuff came down with it. So, this morning I had enough and went to work.

3 bags for GoodWill...1 for the trash man!Looks much better!!! Wonder what he'll say when he gets home from school???

The other big transformation is still in progress. This is the laundry room "before". "After" pics will come in a couple weeks!!!! It's going to look WAY different all ready!!

Christmas Program

2010-12-28T13:40:00.002-06:00

The kids were in the Christmas program at church. Pretty cute!! Jake moved up from being an animal to a Shepard this year. Big thrill!!!

Christmas Recap...

2010-12-28T13:12:00.007-06:00

There are a ton of pictures!!! We had a great Christmas.

Decorating a Gingerbread House....

Baby Lucy was all doll-ed up!!!

Needed a wardrobe change. A girl can never have too many Christmas outfits!!!

A little big cousin to little cousin help with the new Leapster.

Christmas with the Wille's.

Wonder if these 2 will learn to get along?

Sophia really wanted an American Girl Doll. This is the Target version....and she is THRILLED with it!!!

Santa brought Jake a Red Rider BB Gun!

Gramma gave Sophia a Fancy Nancy dress-up set with 2 books.

This is the old school house desk that Mike found for Mom. Joshua is on his new bike. Jake got a DSi...which he's wanted for a year now. He's SO happy and plays with it non stop!!!

Hanging Out....

2010-12-08T12:40:00.002-06:00

Both Jake and Sophia have little Christmas trees in their rooms. Sophia has a new pink one that I found just yesterday. Oh the excitement!!!

Last night Sophia (very serious) asked if they could all "hang out" in her room by the Christmas tree. That would give time for me and Mike (who wasn't even home!!!) to "relax on the couch." Who was I to say no to such a wonderful offer!!! So...all 3 kids head to Sophia's room with a box of cereal in hand to "hang out." Through the closed door I heard lots of laughter. It was very sweet!

When I finally went in there to get Joshua for bed, they were just sitting and eating. Joshua felt the need to put a ski cap on his head...I should have grabbed my camera quickly!!!!! They all seemed to be having a fine time.

As Jake and Sophia walked to brush their teeth, Jake told Sophia "tomorrow night we can hang out in my room." Love it!!!

Christmas Countdown...

2010-12-01T20:10:00.003-06:00

We don't have an Advent calendar to use each year. It's something I've been looking for, but haven't found "the" one yet. So today I made this Countdown to Christmas clipboard. Total cost...about $6. I think it turned out really cute. I may stick 3 little chocolates on it each day for the kids. I'm not sure that this will be something we use year after year...but for now it's perfect!!!

Turkey Time....

2010-11-29T11:59:00.005-06:00

We were at the ranch for Thanksgiving. Mike and the kids went up on Monday. I ended up having a full 48 hours kid free. It was so nice...but in the middle of it all I was helping a sick mom. She got feeling better and we headed up on Wednesday. Lots of fun and good food!!!

This is Sophia's way of "dressing warmly". It was 80 when I got there on Wednesday afternoon. Thursday morning a front blew through and dropped it to about 35. Baby Lucy is such a cutie. We all can't get enough of her!The kids table on Thanksgiving.

Our annual trip to Homestead Heritage on Friday. The kids had a great time!

Once Again...

2010-11-29T11:57:00.001-06:00

This is what we found in Sophia's room last night. Wouldn't you like to be a fly on the wall for this tea party??? She has such a wonderful imagination!!!

Where Has the Time Gone????

2010-11-23T19:54:00.003-06:00

Okay...took a little hiatus from blogging to deal with life...which included a 3 night hospital stay for Jake. Thankfully Jake is doing fine and life is pretty much back to normal.

Mike and the kids went up to the ranch yesterday. Mom, Shirley and I were supposed to go up today but Mom is sick...so Shirley went up today and hopefully Mom and I will go tomorrow. Turkey Dinner will be calling our names....loudly!!!

Mike took Joshua out in a deer blind tonight. Check out these adorable pictures!! Mike took them with his cell phone, but they are still priceless. Joshua looks SO big. Mike said he did great and loved watching for animals. Such a little cutie!!!

Happy Halloween!!

2010-11-01T11:59:00.003-05:00

The kids could hardly wait until trick-or-treating time. We met at Shirley's house. Tim, Noel, Sullivan, Brian, Courtney, Christopher and my mom were all there. We had a quick dinner and then hit the streets.

Wonders never cease!!! All 5 Wille cousins together and looking at the camera!!

Joshua and Christopher tried HARD to keep up with Jake and Sophia!!!

Checking out their loot afterwards!

Party Time...

2010-10-31T13:35:00.004-05:00

Two families in Sophia's class worked together to put on one incredible Halloween party. It was so much fun!!! Most of it was outside...2 bouncers, bobbing for apples, sidewalk chalk, face and hair paint, pinata, treasure hunt, good food and drinks for young and old!!, fabulous decorations. It was quite the party scene. The kids had a great time...and so did we...too much fun that I didn't get many pictures. Thankful that we have such a fun group of friends to hang out with!!!

Carving Pumpkins...

2010-10-31T13:21:00.007-05:00

Kids love carving pumpkins...parents...not so much!!! But, of course we pretended like it was loads of fun!!! Mike took the redneck approach to carving. But I have to say that the drill really made things go faster!!!! Sophia wanted a princess pumpkin...complete with tiara, eyelashes and red lipstick!

NPDS Halloween Parade...

2010-10-29T13:29:00.003-05:00

I love the annual NPDS Halloween Parade. It's so fun to see all the costumes. There are some cutie-pies!!! Sophia was thrilled to wear her Ariel costume!!!

Joshua was thrilled with all the costumes...as you can tell!We were standing in a very sunny spot!!!!

Inside the classroom after the parade....

Halloween Boo Gifts

2010-10-29T13:25:00.002-05:00

I made these for the kids teachers. 2 are left over....we might go Boo-ing later. Or just eat the candy ourselves!! I got the idea from this great blog: http://www.controllingmychaos.com/