It's been equal parts quiet and busy around here. The second week of December was filled with play dates. We decorated cookies, played at parks and attended the science class at Lick Creek Park. It was so fun and pretty relaxing too. After all the fun, I started to feel under the weather. I haven't fully recovered and have been taking it easy. I've been having to take naps in the afternoon to keep up with my kiddos. I'm exhausted. I'm still teaching in the mornings (which I love), or I'd be sleeping in too. I'm so ready to be at 100% again!
Today we head to Dallas for the start of Christmas festivities. We'll spend the weekend with my family and then move over to my in-laws' for Christmas eve and Christmas day. It should be a wonderful time. May you have a Merry Christmas as we celebrate the birth of our savior!
Andrew has been growing by leaps and bounds. He is in to everything, partially because he just has to know everything! He's giving me a run for my money, and I'm trying to remember it's a phase. He is becoming more aware of his surroundings too. This morning when he woke up, he saw all the presents under the tree were missing (they are packed up and ready to go). He checked every inch under the tree before pointing at it in confusion. He has also started to sit an listen to books being read. It's possible I'll have 4 little bookworms soon.
Hannah is doing well. She is in a testing rules phase, but is quickly learning that the reason for rules is mostly her own protection. We've had a few ice packs needed around here lately. She loves Andrew and all babies. She has developed a sweet group of little friends. You ask her who her best is, and she'll rattle off around 20 names before you cut her off. She likes most everyone, which makes her very likable. She's got down letters and their sounds and will point them out around town. It's so fun to see her mind at work!
Robert had taken off suddenly with reading. He is reading novels now (like over 200 pages!). This just started in the past couple of weeks. He's reading over my shoulder currently and nodding at what I'm typing. I'm so proud of you, Robert! "I can read that whole thing!" he just said. Robert is also proud to announce that he can tell time and add and subtract even the biggest numbers (mostly in his head!). He's also still sweet as sugar with a "mini-hulk" streak. I think I'll keep him.
William is still an avid reader. He checked out 6 novels yesterday from the library and read them all before dinner. He and Robert have been listening to "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" at night. Books are an essential part of our house. William is working on his French also and with him wrapping up part of his schoolwork (already?!?), we are going to devote more time to it. If I've learned anything from teaching children in China English, it's that hard work and practice pay off! William is beginning to hear and recognize French with more consistency, and this can only help his language production. I'm so proud of him too!
Francis and I are doing well. Not much to report from us. Francis is the assistant coach for William's basketball team this year and games for both big boys begin in January. I managed to get the bulk of Christmas shopping done and wrapped before I started feeling bad, so I've been able to relax a bit in that department. The only exception was the three hours I spent helping the kids wrap the gifts they bought for their siblings and cousins. My whole body hurt by the end, but the kids learned how to wrap packages!
That's it for now! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Friday, December 20, 2019
Thursday, December 5, 2019
December 5, 2019
The last 3 weeks have been crazy exciting. Disney, Thanksgiving and Christmas activities have kept us busy.
We left for Disney the Friday before my birthday. Francis and I drove cross country overnight with all the kids in the car. It actually wasn't that bad! I took the middle 5 hour shift (middle of the night) and found it relaxing and quiet. I never just get time to think and pray, so I enjoyed driving for, like, the first time ever. Francis did the evening and morning driving and after breakfast, we arrived at Disney Springs. We shopped, relaxed and had lunch at Francis's favorite place (Wolfgang Puck Express) before our room was ready. We went to the room and *tried* to nap, but the kids were wired so we gave up. We ended up taking the bus to Magic Kingdom and then the monorail over to the Grand Floridian. It is beautiful there at Christmas time and they had their huge Gingerbread house up in the lobby. It was super cold outside (in the low 40s), but the kids were undeterred so we took the water taxi back to Magic Kingdom. Brrrr. We made it back in time for Francis to go get dinner and all of us to have an early bed time. It was the perfect way to ease us into a fun filled week!
Sunday we got up early and made it for extra magic hours at Hollywood Studios. We rode the new Skyliner, and I am sold. It is the best way to travel and so fast! We did Toy Story land (after walking through Star Wars Land...which was nuts). We found out Andrew is indeed 32 inches tall and was able to ride the new Alien Saucers. The boys did the Jedi Training and rode all of the intense rides with either Francis or me. Hannah, Andrew and I went to the Little Mermaid show and rode the more tame rides an additional time when the opportunity allowed. We had dinner at the Sci Fi Drive in for "Hannah's Birthday", which the kids really seemed to enjoy. Toward the end of the day, we ventured back into Star Wars land. It was still crowded, but less so. Francis rode the new Smugglers Run alone, and then the boys and I rode it together. It's a cool ride! The boys liked being gunners, and my personal favorite spot is the pilot. We finished off the first night in the parks with Fantasmic. It was a cold but great day!
Monday we headed over to Magic Kingdom. We made the mistake of trying to do the Jingle Cruise, but thanks to Fast Passes, the rest of our day was not nearly so stressful. Hannah met Cinderella, we rode all but maybe 7 of the rides (a few by choice), and had great timing when it came to the parade. that night we watched Anna and Elsa light up the castle. It was magical. We had dinner at the Crystal Palace for "Andrew's birthday" and got to add signatures to our book from Pooh and friends. We got pictures of ourselves in front of the castle and watched the fireworks show. I give Disney serious credit for giving compelling shows with lights and fireworks. It's amazing. After the show, extra magic hours allowed the big boys to ride some bonus rides while Hannah and Andrew slept in the stroller. William and I (and Robert the second time) managed to ride Space Mountain twice in a row right before park close. It was great! I am very proud of Robert. He went from not liking roller coasters to loving them in the span of one day!
Tuesday we did Epcot. We rushed to ride Frozen when it opened, and Hannah, Andrew and I rode it twice before the line got too long. The boys went to ride Test Track during our second ride. We met up and all but Andrew rode my favorite ride: Soarin! We rode all the ride, went home for a rest and swim in the mid-afternoon and still had time for dinner at Coral Reef (for "Robert's birthday") before the fireworks show. We walked over 15 miles (The kids took turns in the strollers), but it was still somehow both fun and relaxing.
Wednesday was Animal Kingdom. We were there at park opening (as we were every day). We got in line for Navii river Journey first thing and rode it. Then we rode rides, got wet (on the river rapids...thanks William and Hannah), and saw a ton of Animals. Before we knew it, my whole family arrived! That's right! My parents, Danielle, Kevin, Christian, Chad, and my niece and Nephews Alexandra, Issac, Timothy and Gideon all joined us at Disney World for my birthday. We watched the Lion King show, had an amazing dinner at Tucker House (for "William's birthday"), and had VIP seating for the Rivers of Light show. It gets better. We finished off the day with Fast Passes to Flight of Passage in Avatar. It is quite possibly my new favorite ride. The boys got to ride it twice, and I'm a tad jealous still. The ones who rode it on the first past pass went and rode the river journey before heading home. It was a fantastic day and I went home overflowing with excitement.
Thursday was the big twins' (Issac and Alexandra) real birthday. We started off the day in Magic kingdom and rode Buzz Lightyear a couple of times before riding most of the rest of the rides in Tomorrowland. We had a group picture with Cinderella and after a few rides (including Ariel), we had lunch at the Beast's Castle. It wasn't exactly as I envisioned (busy and we ended up in the beasts' room), but we got a free fast pass because my food took so long. We rode one of Hannah's favorite rides next: the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. The Drakes headed back for a nap, and after riding a few more rides, the rest of us headed over to EPCOT. We rode more rides (Hello soarin!) and had a delicious dinner with the Princesses at Akershus. We were the last people at the restaurant (waiting on our bill) and almost didn't make it back on the Skyliner. whew!
Friday was my birthday (cue trumpets and confetti). It did not begin as planned. Francis had to go get medication for Andrew who was having trouble breathing, so I had to take all 3 other kids to Magic Kingdom by myself. Hannah had an appointment at Bibbity Bobbity Boutique, but we squeezed in a couple of rides beforehand. The Boutique was amazing and totally worth the price. Hannah had her hair, make-up and nails done. They made a big fuss and announced when Princess Hannah was done. She went and had professional photos done afterward in her Cinderella gown. It was a once in a lifetime experience that she will not soon forget. Francis and Andrew met up with us shortly after so we could ride all of the kids favorite Magic Kingdom rides one last time. The boys wanted Space Mountain (we had already done Buzz) and Hannah wanted Splash mountain (we had already done 7 Dwarfs). We had a spectacular lunch in Cinderella's Castle where we met more princesses, got some wands and swords, and ate delicious food. We met up with my family at Hollywood Studios afterward. We rode all the rides we missed the first time (William loved Rockin Roller Coaster). We had dinner at the outpost in Star Wars land. The food was great, the ambiance very special, and the company was unparalleled. In that moment of getting presents on the edge of the Galaxy, I could not have been happier. I wish I could put in words how much it meant to have all my family there at the most magical place on earth on my birthday. Thank you, family!!!! We rode Smuggler's run and Slinky Dog Dash in groups. The big boys and I snuck in a ride on Toy Story Mania before just barely making it to Fantasmic in time. I couldn't have asked for anything more.
Our last day was at EPCOT. We got up early once again, packed up our room, and took the Skyliner over to the park. We rushed and were able to quickly ride Frozen. All 16 of us just fit in one boat together! We took turns riding test track, soarin, and the land. We all rode Nemo together and spent a short time in the aquarium. All too soon, it was time to say goodbye to my family. Some headed back to the hotel and others headed over to Magic Kingdom. The kids chose one last ride before we left. The boys chose test track and Hannah chose Frozen (complete with getting Anna and Elsa's signatures). We were in luck that it was the last night of the food and wine festival, because we were able to use our remaining snack credits from our meal plan to have a delicious dinner of poutine, filet mingnon, braised beef, and some desserts. It was so good and a perfect end to our trip. We rode the Skyliner back to the hotel and climbed in our car. The drive back home was not as exciting, but we made it back by lunch on Sunday. I'd go back tomorrow if someone offered!
The week of Thanksgiving was spent mostly recuperating and resetting. It was nice to have a little down time. Thanksgiving day we went to Cyndy and Chris's house for a Phillips/Boerger Thanksgiving dinner. It was good food, good company, and the kids had fun with Abby and Jackson. Saturday, my in-laws, and the Boergers came up to our neck of the woods and we went to Santa's Wonderland. We've never been before (even though it's literally 5 minutes from our house), but it was so fun! We met Santa, jumped, rode a train, did a snow hill, played in snow and had hot chocolate. William and Robert also did the mechanical bull ride. My favorite part was the hay ride. We got to see thousands of lights in multiple displays ending in a light display about the life of Jesus. It was a very long hayride, but the second we got off, I was ready to do it over again. The lights were that cool! We hope to go again sometime. Everyone spent the night in town, so Saturday morning we had breakfast at Sweet Paris (crepes) and then went to Urban Air Trampoline Park. Christ, Francis and my father-in-law decided to jump with the kids. It was all fun and games until it was time to go and Francis took one last huge jump. He stepped wrong and fractured his foot. We already had a boot and crutches, so we swung by and got them. After an x-ray, it looks like he'll be in a boot for the next 3-6 weeks. At least it happened after Disney! We still made it to see Frozen II that afternoon. Cute movie!
This week we had our last CC of the semester and the accompanying Christmas party. The kids gave their tutors gifts and got some things too. Wednesday we went to Lick Creek homeschool days and the kids participated in an egg drop challenge. Their contraption was a bit unorthodox (straws sticking out everywhere), but it did the trick and the egg survived all three drops. Today was our last Bible Study before the new year. I am looking forward to a quieter week next week, but we'll see!
Till next time!
We left for Disney the Friday before my birthday. Francis and I drove cross country overnight with all the kids in the car. It actually wasn't that bad! I took the middle 5 hour shift (middle of the night) and found it relaxing and quiet. I never just get time to think and pray, so I enjoyed driving for, like, the first time ever. Francis did the evening and morning driving and after breakfast, we arrived at Disney Springs. We shopped, relaxed and had lunch at Francis's favorite place (Wolfgang Puck Express) before our room was ready. We went to the room and *tried* to nap, but the kids were wired so we gave up. We ended up taking the bus to Magic Kingdom and then the monorail over to the Grand Floridian. It is beautiful there at Christmas time and they had their huge Gingerbread house up in the lobby. It was super cold outside (in the low 40s), but the kids were undeterred so we took the water taxi back to Magic Kingdom. Brrrr. We made it back in time for Francis to go get dinner and all of us to have an early bed time. It was the perfect way to ease us into a fun filled week!
Sunday we got up early and made it for extra magic hours at Hollywood Studios. We rode the new Skyliner, and I am sold. It is the best way to travel and so fast! We did Toy Story land (after walking through Star Wars Land...which was nuts). We found out Andrew is indeed 32 inches tall and was able to ride the new Alien Saucers. The boys did the Jedi Training and rode all of the intense rides with either Francis or me. Hannah, Andrew and I went to the Little Mermaid show and rode the more tame rides an additional time when the opportunity allowed. We had dinner at the Sci Fi Drive in for "Hannah's Birthday", which the kids really seemed to enjoy. Toward the end of the day, we ventured back into Star Wars land. It was still crowded, but less so. Francis rode the new Smugglers Run alone, and then the boys and I rode it together. It's a cool ride! The boys liked being gunners, and my personal favorite spot is the pilot. We finished off the first night in the parks with Fantasmic. It was a cold but great day!
Monday we headed over to Magic Kingdom. We made the mistake of trying to do the Jingle Cruise, but thanks to Fast Passes, the rest of our day was not nearly so stressful. Hannah met Cinderella, we rode all but maybe 7 of the rides (a few by choice), and had great timing when it came to the parade. that night we watched Anna and Elsa light up the castle. It was magical. We had dinner at the Crystal Palace for "Andrew's birthday" and got to add signatures to our book from Pooh and friends. We got pictures of ourselves in front of the castle and watched the fireworks show. I give Disney serious credit for giving compelling shows with lights and fireworks. It's amazing. After the show, extra magic hours allowed the big boys to ride some bonus rides while Hannah and Andrew slept in the stroller. William and I (and Robert the second time) managed to ride Space Mountain twice in a row right before park close. It was great! I am very proud of Robert. He went from not liking roller coasters to loving them in the span of one day!
Tuesday we did Epcot. We rushed to ride Frozen when it opened, and Hannah, Andrew and I rode it twice before the line got too long. The boys went to ride Test Track during our second ride. We met up and all but Andrew rode my favorite ride: Soarin! We rode all the ride, went home for a rest and swim in the mid-afternoon and still had time for dinner at Coral Reef (for "Robert's birthday") before the fireworks show. We walked over 15 miles (The kids took turns in the strollers), but it was still somehow both fun and relaxing.
Wednesday was Animal Kingdom. We were there at park opening (as we were every day). We got in line for Navii river Journey first thing and rode it. Then we rode rides, got wet (on the river rapids...thanks William and Hannah), and saw a ton of Animals. Before we knew it, my whole family arrived! That's right! My parents, Danielle, Kevin, Christian, Chad, and my niece and Nephews Alexandra, Issac, Timothy and Gideon all joined us at Disney World for my birthday. We watched the Lion King show, had an amazing dinner at Tucker House (for "William's birthday"), and had VIP seating for the Rivers of Light show. It gets better. We finished off the day with Fast Passes to Flight of Passage in Avatar. It is quite possibly my new favorite ride. The boys got to ride it twice, and I'm a tad jealous still. The ones who rode it on the first past pass went and rode the river journey before heading home. It was a fantastic day and I went home overflowing with excitement.
Thursday was the big twins' (Issac and Alexandra) real birthday. We started off the day in Magic kingdom and rode Buzz Lightyear a couple of times before riding most of the rest of the rides in Tomorrowland. We had a group picture with Cinderella and after a few rides (including Ariel), we had lunch at the Beast's Castle. It wasn't exactly as I envisioned (busy and we ended up in the beasts' room), but we got a free fast pass because my food took so long. We rode one of Hannah's favorite rides next: the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. The Drakes headed back for a nap, and after riding a few more rides, the rest of us headed over to EPCOT. We rode more rides (Hello soarin!) and had a delicious dinner with the Princesses at Akershus. We were the last people at the restaurant (waiting on our bill) and almost didn't make it back on the Skyliner. whew!
Friday was my birthday (cue trumpets and confetti). It did not begin as planned. Francis had to go get medication for Andrew who was having trouble breathing, so I had to take all 3 other kids to Magic Kingdom by myself. Hannah had an appointment at Bibbity Bobbity Boutique, but we squeezed in a couple of rides beforehand. The Boutique was amazing and totally worth the price. Hannah had her hair, make-up and nails done. They made a big fuss and announced when Princess Hannah was done. She went and had professional photos done afterward in her Cinderella gown. It was a once in a lifetime experience that she will not soon forget. Francis and Andrew met up with us shortly after so we could ride all of the kids favorite Magic Kingdom rides one last time. The boys wanted Space Mountain (we had already done Buzz) and Hannah wanted Splash mountain (we had already done 7 Dwarfs). We had a spectacular lunch in Cinderella's Castle where we met more princesses, got some wands and swords, and ate delicious food. We met up with my family at Hollywood Studios afterward. We rode all the rides we missed the first time (William loved Rockin Roller Coaster). We had dinner at the outpost in Star Wars land. The food was great, the ambiance very special, and the company was unparalleled. In that moment of getting presents on the edge of the Galaxy, I could not have been happier. I wish I could put in words how much it meant to have all my family there at the most magical place on earth on my birthday. Thank you, family!!!! We rode Smuggler's run and Slinky Dog Dash in groups. The big boys and I snuck in a ride on Toy Story Mania before just barely making it to Fantasmic in time. I couldn't have asked for anything more.
Our last day was at EPCOT. We got up early once again, packed up our room, and took the Skyliner over to the park. We rushed and were able to quickly ride Frozen. All 16 of us just fit in one boat together! We took turns riding test track, soarin, and the land. We all rode Nemo together and spent a short time in the aquarium. All too soon, it was time to say goodbye to my family. Some headed back to the hotel and others headed over to Magic Kingdom. The kids chose one last ride before we left. The boys chose test track and Hannah chose Frozen (complete with getting Anna and Elsa's signatures). We were in luck that it was the last night of the food and wine festival, because we were able to use our remaining snack credits from our meal plan to have a delicious dinner of poutine, filet mingnon, braised beef, and some desserts. It was so good and a perfect end to our trip. We rode the Skyliner back to the hotel and climbed in our car. The drive back home was not as exciting, but we made it back by lunch on Sunday. I'd go back tomorrow if someone offered!
The week of Thanksgiving was spent mostly recuperating and resetting. It was nice to have a little down time. Thanksgiving day we went to Cyndy and Chris's house for a Phillips/Boerger Thanksgiving dinner. It was good food, good company, and the kids had fun with Abby and Jackson. Saturday, my in-laws, and the Boergers came up to our neck of the woods and we went to Santa's Wonderland. We've never been before (even though it's literally 5 minutes from our house), but it was so fun! We met Santa, jumped, rode a train, did a snow hill, played in snow and had hot chocolate. William and Robert also did the mechanical bull ride. My favorite part was the hay ride. We got to see thousands of lights in multiple displays ending in a light display about the life of Jesus. It was a very long hayride, but the second we got off, I was ready to do it over again. The lights were that cool! We hope to go again sometime. Everyone spent the night in town, so Saturday morning we had breakfast at Sweet Paris (crepes) and then went to Urban Air Trampoline Park. Christ, Francis and my father-in-law decided to jump with the kids. It was all fun and games until it was time to go and Francis took one last huge jump. He stepped wrong and fractured his foot. We already had a boot and crutches, so we swung by and got them. After an x-ray, it looks like he'll be in a boot for the next 3-6 weeks. At least it happened after Disney! We still made it to see Frozen II that afternoon. Cute movie!
This week we had our last CC of the semester and the accompanying Christmas party. The kids gave their tutors gifts and got some things too. Wednesday we went to Lick Creek homeschool days and the kids participated in an egg drop challenge. Their contraption was a bit unorthodox (straws sticking out everywhere), but it did the trick and the egg survived all three drops. Today was our last Bible Study before the new year. I am looking forward to a quieter week next week, but we'll see!
Till next time!
Thursday, November 14, 2019
November 14, 2019
Friday night William went to his first sleep over and the rest of the kids went to parents' night out. Francis and I had food at a Pho place and got to talk and laugh together. Saturday, my in-laws came in town for the boys' last football game (we won!) and the kids played on inflatables and had pizza and snow cones. William got the character award and Robert got the Effort award. I'm proud of my boys! Francis had off Monday so we did a bunch of things around the house that needed doing and spent the morning playing as a family at a nearby park. I'm so blessed that Francis loves to just hang out with us. I know we can be a lot, but he just loves us and rolls with it. Love you, honey!
Yesterday was a fun day. Despite the cold, we went out to Newman's castle with our CC group. the kids learned about castles and pretended to be knights in a siege. They hunted dragons, and got a dragon tattoo for finding them all. "King William" released the trebuchet and was locked in the dungeon. It was a good day full of adventure.
This week has been a week of preparation. I've been packing and planning. I have confirmed the house sitter and made sure that I'm not teaching. Why? We are going on VACATION! Tomorrow at this time we will be in the car heading for Disney World. It will be a long trip, but I'm hoping we are able to keep the destination in mind. My birthday is next week and I will spend it with family looking at Cinderella's castle. I can not wait.
The kids are great and so ready to go! I will give a report when we get back. Till nest time!
Yesterday was a fun day. Despite the cold, we went out to Newman's castle with our CC group. the kids learned about castles and pretended to be knights in a siege. They hunted dragons, and got a dragon tattoo for finding them all. "King William" released the trebuchet and was locked in the dungeon. It was a good day full of adventure.
This week has been a week of preparation. I've been packing and planning. I have confirmed the house sitter and made sure that I'm not teaching. Why? We are going on VACATION! Tomorrow at this time we will be in the car heading for Disney World. It will be a long trip, but I'm hoping we are able to keep the destination in mind. My birthday is next week and I will spend it with family looking at Cinderella's castle. I can not wait.
The kids are great and so ready to go! I will give a report when we get back. Till nest time!
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
November 6, 2019
Time flies by in this season of life, but I want to drop in and give a brief update. We are still doing CC, Bible Study, Science classes at Lick Creek park and going to the library. Things are chugging along. I want to mention a few highlights.
Francis's birthday was very special. We got to go hear 4 astronauts speak with our CC group on A&M campus. Afterward, we met Francis on campus and had lunch with him in the MSC. It was fun getting to have a birthday lunch with him for once and we'd never eaten on campus before. When I got home we made pineapple upside down cake and lasagna (both requests of the birthday boy). The kids always help make Francis's cake. It's one of my favorite traditions. everything was delicious and we even made it to church on time that evening! We took Francis to Casa do Brasil for a second birthday dinner that Friday. The kids love the all you can eat meat, and the food is so very good. Everyone left full and happy.
Saturday before last my parents came into town. My dad went with Francis, Robert, Hannah and Andrew to a trampoline park and my mom, William and I went to the A&M game. We got to meet Chancellor Sharp, Governor Abbott, some of the Bush family and many other state representatives. We went to the chancellor's tailgate and sat in the chancellor's box for the game. William loved the food (he ate at least 5 plates full) and cheered enthusiastically with the crowd. It was a great game. William received a special challenge coin from the chancellor saying to bring the coin and excellent grades to the admissions office upon high school graduation. He held it proudly all day and showed anyone who would look. After the game we were escorted to a special area and got to meet one of the players. It was so cool!
We did all of the candy gathering activities this year including "Wereworlf" creek park, Night at the Museum, Fall fest at our church and a party at a friend's house. The kids went trick or treating for the first time ever and really liked it. It helped that they were doing it with friends, but even when we got home, they wanted to do a few houses in our neighborhood (it was still pretty early). It was a fun evening for Jasmine, two Nexo knights and an elephant.
Andrew got his first haircut this Saturday. He's looking so big! He wasn't a fan of getting it cut but gave the stink eye instead of crying. He did great. I took the big boys on dates later in the day to get their hair cut and go shopping for different things we need. I have a funny picture of William holding an icee and sitting in the massage chair at Kohl's. He's got a rough life. Robert had fun perusing the toy section at Target with me. He loves riding in the top of the cart and he never gets to. It was a fun day all around.
Francis taught our science class this week for CC. The lesson was on rocket and he was asked to present. He did a great job teaching both the older and younger groups and finished his lesson by shooting off a model rocket. The kids were talking about it for the rest of the day!
Today the kids had their dentist appointments. No cavities! We also have been seriously beginning to prepare for our upcoming vacation. We are going to Disney World for my birthday! My whole family is coming. It will be a celebration to remember. We are driving so if you think of us, pray for us!
Tilll next time!
Francis's birthday was very special. We got to go hear 4 astronauts speak with our CC group on A&M campus. Afterward, we met Francis on campus and had lunch with him in the MSC. It was fun getting to have a birthday lunch with him for once and we'd never eaten on campus before. When I got home we made pineapple upside down cake and lasagna (both requests of the birthday boy). The kids always help make Francis's cake. It's one of my favorite traditions. everything was delicious and we even made it to church on time that evening! We took Francis to Casa do Brasil for a second birthday dinner that Friday. The kids love the all you can eat meat, and the food is so very good. Everyone left full and happy.
Saturday before last my parents came into town. My dad went with Francis, Robert, Hannah and Andrew to a trampoline park and my mom, William and I went to the A&M game. We got to meet Chancellor Sharp, Governor Abbott, some of the Bush family and many other state representatives. We went to the chancellor's tailgate and sat in the chancellor's box for the game. William loved the food (he ate at least 5 plates full) and cheered enthusiastically with the crowd. It was a great game. William received a special challenge coin from the chancellor saying to bring the coin and excellent grades to the admissions office upon high school graduation. He held it proudly all day and showed anyone who would look. After the game we were escorted to a special area and got to meet one of the players. It was so cool!
We did all of the candy gathering activities this year including "Wereworlf" creek park, Night at the Museum, Fall fest at our church and a party at a friend's house. The kids went trick or treating for the first time ever and really liked it. It helped that they were doing it with friends, but even when we got home, they wanted to do a few houses in our neighborhood (it was still pretty early). It was a fun evening for Jasmine, two Nexo knights and an elephant.
Andrew got his first haircut this Saturday. He's looking so big! He wasn't a fan of getting it cut but gave the stink eye instead of crying. He did great. I took the big boys on dates later in the day to get their hair cut and go shopping for different things we need. I have a funny picture of William holding an icee and sitting in the massage chair at Kohl's. He's got a rough life. Robert had fun perusing the toy section at Target with me. He loves riding in the top of the cart and he never gets to. It was a fun day all around.
Francis taught our science class this week for CC. The lesson was on rocket and he was asked to present. He did a great job teaching both the older and younger groups and finished his lesson by shooting off a model rocket. The kids were talking about it for the rest of the day!
Today the kids had their dentist appointments. No cavities! We also have been seriously beginning to prepare for our upcoming vacation. We are going to Disney World for my birthday! My whole family is coming. It will be a celebration to remember. We are driving so if you think of us, pray for us!
Tilll next time!
Thursday, October 17, 2019
October 15, 2019
Life never stops around here. The last 3 weeks are no exception. We've had CC, bible Study, Library, science classes at Lick Creek Park, football practice and games. ice skating lessons, a trip to Dallas, trip to Houston, and a field trip. And that's just a few things. I'm still teaching for VIPKid and have a pretty steady schedule of regulars now. It is fun to get a peek into someone else's life and family across the world, and I'm honored that they let me in.
Weekend before last, the kids and I went to Dallas to go to the State Fair of Texas. Friday the kids and I got to go with Christian and her kids to the Dallas Zoo. WE had a great tine and it was a good practice for walking at Disney. We got to celebrate my mom's birthday with almost the whole family. The kids got some cousin time, were able to swim at my in-laws' and my parents' houses, and had a blast. Sunday we went to the fair with my in-law's and my family. The kids loved the animals, the fireworks and the shows. My personal favorite was the return of the bird show! We had front row seats. Hannah, Issac and Alexandra even got to hold the perch for the first bird to land on. It was so fun! Lest you think we abandoned Francis, he actually likes being home alone for a weekend to recharge. He's an introvert and I know we overwhelm him often, haha. He got to enjoy some peace and quiet. I'm not sure what that's like but it sounds delightful!
Last weekend Francis and my mother went to the ground breaking for Bush Combat Development Complex and then on to the A&M game. Francis met all sorts of important people including members of the Bush family. It was a good day for him. Francis's parents, my dad, the kids and I went to William and Robert's (very cold) football game. My in-law's, the kids and I went on to Houston. We had lunch with the Boergers and then got to watch my niece Abby play volleyball. We all then went to Blessington Farms for the pumkin patch. There was so much to do and the kids love doing it all! Midafternoon, I started feeling a tightness in my chest. I tried to ignore it, but by the time we left and started to head to dinner, my head was hurting and it felt like someone was sitting on my chest. Although I have fall asthma, I haven't felt like this in years. My gracious mother-in-law drove me all the way home where I was able to use a nebulizer and get things under control. I am so thankful for her! This week I've been *trying* to take it easy so I don't have another flare up. I'm secretly hoping for a freeze to kill off whatever blooms this time of year and causes me pain. Fall can be rough!
Yesterday was Francis's birthday! The kids and I had a field trip to A&M to hear 3 astronauts talk about their experiences in space. It was fascinating! Afterwards we met Francis on campus and had lunch with him. We never get to see him at lunch during the week, so this was super special. I spent the afternoon with the kids making an pineapple upside down cake and lasagna. My little helpers were excellent and the food came out delicious. We also managed to squeeze in Wednesday night church between all the festivities. Happy birthday, Francis!
We are about to head out to Bible Study so I should end here. I will say the kids are all growing and changing before my eyes. Andrew in particular has turned into a kid and is no longer a baby. He plays with his siblings, understand simple command and even shares...well...once in a while. I am working with him on baby sign language because he really wants to tell me things. He's getting so big and running everywhere!
Till next time!
Weekend before last, the kids and I went to Dallas to go to the State Fair of Texas. Friday the kids and I got to go with Christian and her kids to the Dallas Zoo. WE had a great tine and it was a good practice for walking at Disney. We got to celebrate my mom's birthday with almost the whole family. The kids got some cousin time, were able to swim at my in-laws' and my parents' houses, and had a blast. Sunday we went to the fair with my in-law's and my family. The kids loved the animals, the fireworks and the shows. My personal favorite was the return of the bird show! We had front row seats. Hannah, Issac and Alexandra even got to hold the perch for the first bird to land on. It was so fun! Lest you think we abandoned Francis, he actually likes being home alone for a weekend to recharge. He's an introvert and I know we overwhelm him often, haha. He got to enjoy some peace and quiet. I'm not sure what that's like but it sounds delightful!
Last weekend Francis and my mother went to the ground breaking for Bush Combat Development Complex and then on to the A&M game. Francis met all sorts of important people including members of the Bush family. It was a good day for him. Francis's parents, my dad, the kids and I went to William and Robert's (very cold) football game. My in-law's, the kids and I went on to Houston. We had lunch with the Boergers and then got to watch my niece Abby play volleyball. We all then went to Blessington Farms for the pumkin patch. There was so much to do and the kids love doing it all! Midafternoon, I started feeling a tightness in my chest. I tried to ignore it, but by the time we left and started to head to dinner, my head was hurting and it felt like someone was sitting on my chest. Although I have fall asthma, I haven't felt like this in years. My gracious mother-in-law drove me all the way home where I was able to use a nebulizer and get things under control. I am so thankful for her! This week I've been *trying* to take it easy so I don't have another flare up. I'm secretly hoping for a freeze to kill off whatever blooms this time of year and causes me pain. Fall can be rough!
Yesterday was Francis's birthday! The kids and I had a field trip to A&M to hear 3 astronauts talk about their experiences in space. It was fascinating! Afterwards we met Francis on campus and had lunch with him. We never get to see him at lunch during the week, so this was super special. I spent the afternoon with the kids making an pineapple upside down cake and lasagna. My little helpers were excellent and the food came out delicious. We also managed to squeeze in Wednesday night church between all the festivities. Happy birthday, Francis!
We are about to head out to Bible Study so I should end here. I will say the kids are all growing and changing before my eyes. Andrew in particular has turned into a kid and is no longer a baby. He plays with his siblings, understand simple command and even shares...well...once in a while. I am working with him on baby sign language because he really wants to tell me things. He's getting so big and running everywhere!
Till next time!
Thursday, September 26, 2019
September 26, 2019
We've been very busy these past few weeks. I'll try an hit some highlights.
I've been working in the mornings and some evenings teaching English online. I'm still liking it and I have some regulars now that I really enjoy.
Nana and Grandad came in for Robert's birthday at the beginning of the month and we spent a glorious afternoon at Chuck E Cheese with their all you can play all day special. The kids came home with some amazing prizes and the adults had a ton of fun too. The kids especially like riding in the back of Nana and Grandad's convertible. I mean, who wouldn't?
Robert's actual birthday was spent going to CC where he got to bring treats (cookies) for all his friends. He got to open his present from us (the Buzz Lightyear playset he's been wanting for months) and we had dinner at Burger Kind (his choice!). After dinner Robert decided he wanted to have his date with me while the rest of the kids and Francis went to Hannah's skating lesson. I was so honored! We went shopping and had rolled ice cream (William talked about how amazing it was!). He chose black forest ice cream. The workers found out it was his birthday and put a sparkler candle in his cup and sang to him. The whole place joined it. It was very special. There were a ton of college students there who all wished him a happy birthday. Robert loved the attention. Robert has hit the 33 inch mark and is still lean. He's smart, sweet and we love having him in our family. Happy Birthday Robert!
Later that week was the first Bible Study and first JAM (parents night out). For the latter, Francis took me to Christopher's steak house and we finally celebrated our anniversary. The food was amazing and the company unparalleled. We rarely get to celebrate our anniversary in August, but I'm happy we still try to do it. I love you, Francis!
I took Hannah on her Mommy date the next day. She wanted to do the same thing as brothers, but for shopping we went to Barnes and Noble. She looked at nearly every item in the toy and children's sections with great care. This girl knows what she likes. She chose cherry rolled ice cream and loved it as much as her brothers loved their flavors. I love one on one time with my kids! That night we had our Life Group social at a friend's house. The kids got to run out in the area behind the house and the adults got to eat, watch and talk. It was a great evening.
This past weekend, my parents came up to see the boys' first football game. The kids played hardand had fun. Afterward my mom and Francis went to the football game while the kids, my dad and I went home and watched the game. My dad is amazing. He managed to play chess with William, hold Andrew, read to Hannah and have a conversation with Robert simultaneously. Everyone loves Papa. Mom and Francis had a good time too talking to all the big wigs and eating yummy food. I hope to go with Mom one of these days!
Robert and William led worship in church on Sunday as part of the children's choir. Robert even recited John 1:1-2 before the whole congregation. It brough tears to my eyes to hear them sing. They will be performing in December a full concert and William and Robert both have speaking parts. I can hardly wait!
We've gone out to Lick Creek park 3 times now for their free homeschool science class. The kids have learned about the scientific method, insects and birds, and volcanoes. It's been pretty fun and it's free! Afterward we've been going on short walks around the park. We even moved library day for it, so you know it's a big deal.
We got to check out the library renovations on Tuesday. They reopened on Monday. I love the renovations. They put a glass wall around the children's area which helps with both sound and containment. They also added a play area and activity tables, and the kids did not want to leave when it was time. We'll be back soon!
Andrew had his 15 month check up today. He is still super long (33 1/3 inches) and average weight (24lbs). He's getting so big. He's trying to keep up with his siblings and abandoned his high chair for a regular (booster) seat at the table. Don't tell him, but he has slept through the night 7 out of the last 10 nights. I don't even know how to process that. In fact all of the kids slept through the night last night. I got up this morning and made sure they were all alive before I started work. I'm hoping this is the beginning of a new era. Sleep is needed in this house. Hopefully it sticks around!!
Till next time!
I've been working in the mornings and some evenings teaching English online. I'm still liking it and I have some regulars now that I really enjoy.
Nana and Grandad came in for Robert's birthday at the beginning of the month and we spent a glorious afternoon at Chuck E Cheese with their all you can play all day special. The kids came home with some amazing prizes and the adults had a ton of fun too. The kids especially like riding in the back of Nana and Grandad's convertible. I mean, who wouldn't?
Robert's actual birthday was spent going to CC where he got to bring treats (cookies) for all his friends. He got to open his present from us (the Buzz Lightyear playset he's been wanting for months) and we had dinner at Burger Kind (his choice!). After dinner Robert decided he wanted to have his date with me while the rest of the kids and Francis went to Hannah's skating lesson. I was so honored! We went shopping and had rolled ice cream (William talked about how amazing it was!). He chose black forest ice cream. The workers found out it was his birthday and put a sparkler candle in his cup and sang to him. The whole place joined it. It was very special. There were a ton of college students there who all wished him a happy birthday. Robert loved the attention. Robert has hit the 33 inch mark and is still lean. He's smart, sweet and we love having him in our family. Happy Birthday Robert!
Later that week was the first Bible Study and first JAM (parents night out). For the latter, Francis took me to Christopher's steak house and we finally celebrated our anniversary. The food was amazing and the company unparalleled. We rarely get to celebrate our anniversary in August, but I'm happy we still try to do it. I love you, Francis!
I took Hannah on her Mommy date the next day. She wanted to do the same thing as brothers, but for shopping we went to Barnes and Noble. She looked at nearly every item in the toy and children's sections with great care. This girl knows what she likes. She chose cherry rolled ice cream and loved it as much as her brothers loved their flavors. I love one on one time with my kids! That night we had our Life Group social at a friend's house. The kids got to run out in the area behind the house and the adults got to eat, watch and talk. It was a great evening.
This past weekend, my parents came up to see the boys' first football game. The kids played hardand had fun. Afterward my mom and Francis went to the football game while the kids, my dad and I went home and watched the game. My dad is amazing. He managed to play chess with William, hold Andrew, read to Hannah and have a conversation with Robert simultaneously. Everyone loves Papa. Mom and Francis had a good time too talking to all the big wigs and eating yummy food. I hope to go with Mom one of these days!
Robert and William led worship in church on Sunday as part of the children's choir. Robert even recited John 1:1-2 before the whole congregation. It brough tears to my eyes to hear them sing. They will be performing in December a full concert and William and Robert both have speaking parts. I can hardly wait!
We've gone out to Lick Creek park 3 times now for their free homeschool science class. The kids have learned about the scientific method, insects and birds, and volcanoes. It's been pretty fun and it's free! Afterward we've been going on short walks around the park. We even moved library day for it, so you know it's a big deal.
We got to check out the library renovations on Tuesday. They reopened on Monday. I love the renovations. They put a glass wall around the children's area which helps with both sound and containment. They also added a play area and activity tables, and the kids did not want to leave when it was time. We'll be back soon!
Andrew had his 15 month check up today. He is still super long (33 1/3 inches) and average weight (24lbs). He's getting so big. He's trying to keep up with his siblings and abandoned his high chair for a regular (booster) seat at the table. Don't tell him, but he has slept through the night 7 out of the last 10 nights. I don't even know how to process that. In fact all of the kids slept through the night last night. I got up this morning and made sure they were all alive before I started work. I'm hoping this is the beginning of a new era. Sleep is needed in this house. Hopefully it sticks around!!
Till next time!
Thursday, September 5, 2019
September 5, 2019
September is in full swing at the Phillips house. We've had two weeks of CC now and start Bible Study next week. Hannah started skating lessons and the boys started foot ball practice. Hannah was hesitant at first but seems to be liking it so far. The boys are on the dame team and enjoy practicing in the evenings with Francis who is their assistance coach. We have been getting a lot of friend time too which has been good for kids and momma.
Weekend before last we had the big boys family party. The whole Noble and Phillips clan got together to celebrate with Ninjago, Pokemon, Star Wars and PJ masks (some of the boys favorite things). Thankfully we already had most of these decorations! I tried my hand at face painting and we played pin the tail on the Charizard. It was good to see everyone and get loved on by those we hold dear. Shout out to our family for driving to see us!
Back to our first day of CC. It was Hannah's first day in class. Her class is pretty even boys and girls (unlike William and Robert, who both have boy heavy classes). She was a little shy at first but by the end of the morning, she wanted to take a turn just like everyone else. She did her first presentation and shyly told everyone her name, age and that she loved ponies. Some kids won't speak at all the first time, so I was very happy she was brave enough to speak. The kids and I all had lunch together and then had recess. William is now in the "older" group when the kids split for recess (they trade playing outside and at the indoor playground), so he doesn't get to play with his siblings. It was an adjustment, but it wasn't long before all the kids had found a friend. We love our CC group. It's going to be a great year!
In my new job (with VIPKid) I have now taught 16 classes, and 10 of them were in the past 5 days. My morning schedule is becoming completely booked most days. I thought taking a week off last week (Francis was in DC and had the laptop) was going to ruin my momentum, but God is good and I'm making progress in getting students to both book and rebook me. So far my favorites are the littlest ones (4 years old), but I also like how older students are more able to hold a conversation in English. I could write a novel here about all my experiences so far, but overall I'm enjoying both the flexibility and the actual job. I have also found that I can find almost any prop to teach among my kids' gigantic store of toys. So rather than call them hoarders, I can now call them my resource center managers, haha. It's all about perspective.
This morning we went to the Lick creek nature center for a homeschool science lesson. It was fun and afterward Hannah got to play with her friend while the boys caught and identified bugs and spiders. A good time was had by all!
That's it for now. Till next time!
Weekend before last we had the big boys family party. The whole Noble and Phillips clan got together to celebrate with Ninjago, Pokemon, Star Wars and PJ masks (some of the boys favorite things). Thankfully we already had most of these decorations! I tried my hand at face painting and we played pin the tail on the Charizard. It was good to see everyone and get loved on by those we hold dear. Shout out to our family for driving to see us!
Back to our first day of CC. It was Hannah's first day in class. Her class is pretty even boys and girls (unlike William and Robert, who both have boy heavy classes). She was a little shy at first but by the end of the morning, she wanted to take a turn just like everyone else. She did her first presentation and shyly told everyone her name, age and that she loved ponies. Some kids won't speak at all the first time, so I was very happy she was brave enough to speak. The kids and I all had lunch together and then had recess. William is now in the "older" group when the kids split for recess (they trade playing outside and at the indoor playground), so he doesn't get to play with his siblings. It was an adjustment, but it wasn't long before all the kids had found a friend. We love our CC group. It's going to be a great year!
In my new job (with VIPKid) I have now taught 16 classes, and 10 of them were in the past 5 days. My morning schedule is becoming completely booked most days. I thought taking a week off last week (Francis was in DC and had the laptop) was going to ruin my momentum, but God is good and I'm making progress in getting students to both book and rebook me. So far my favorites are the littlest ones (4 years old), but I also like how older students are more able to hold a conversation in English. I could write a novel here about all my experiences so far, but overall I'm enjoying both the flexibility and the actual job. I have also found that I can find almost any prop to teach among my kids' gigantic store of toys. So rather than call them hoarders, I can now call them my resource center managers, haha. It's all about perspective.
This morning we went to the Lick creek nature center for a homeschool science lesson. It was fun and afterward Hannah got to play with her friend while the boys caught and identified bugs and spiders. A good time was had by all!
That's it for now. Till next time!
Friday, August 23, 2019
August 23, 2019
The last couple of weeks have been a blur. I applied for and started a new part time job with VIPKid. I am teaching children in China English online. I set my hours (though due to the time difference that is only morning or evening). I'm still getting my feet wet and there is a learning curve with online teaching, but I think I'm getting better. I never thought I would be doing this, but here we are! I think it will be a good experience and the children are seriously adorable!
The boys had their friend birthday party last Tuesday at Grand Station. One nice thing about summer birthdays as well as most of your friends homeschooling is that you can have a party during the week and take advantage of weekly specials. The kids got to bowl and play laser tag and had the best time. They all want to play laser tag again soon, so hopefully we can set up a daddy kid night with our life group soon.
The end of last week, everyone but Robert was sick. Between cleaning up the ick, taking care of tired kids and feeling bleh myself, I was worn out. A friend, not knowing the extent of our exhaustion, found out we were sick and secretly dropped stuff on our porch during her lunch hour. I got a text from her to look outside and there in my door step was soup, a bag of Sonic ice (the good stuff, yeah!), Gatorade, sprite, crackers, activity books for the kids and Kleenexes. I started bawling. It was up there with one of the sweetest things that had been done for me. She's the friend I want to be. It inspires me to be better.
We had CC orientation on Tuesday. The kids all met their tutors and had fun with their new classes. I think it's going to be a great year!!!
I don't have much more to say. I've been spending every "spare" moment working to get a handle on the new job, and we've been going through our routine when we haven't been sick. Playgroup eneded for the summer as we tried out the new Fun for all park with friends and now that public school has started, things have settled down a bit. Not for long though! Ice skating (Hannah), football (William and Robert), AWANA, Bible study and CC start up over the next couple of weeks. It's going to be great!
The boys had their friend birthday party last Tuesday at Grand Station. One nice thing about summer birthdays as well as most of your friends homeschooling is that you can have a party during the week and take advantage of weekly specials. The kids got to bowl and play laser tag and had the best time. They all want to play laser tag again soon, so hopefully we can set up a daddy kid night with our life group soon.
The end of last week, everyone but Robert was sick. Between cleaning up the ick, taking care of tired kids and feeling bleh myself, I was worn out. A friend, not knowing the extent of our exhaustion, found out we were sick and secretly dropped stuff on our porch during her lunch hour. I got a text from her to look outside and there in my door step was soup, a bag of Sonic ice (the good stuff, yeah!), Gatorade, sprite, crackers, activity books for the kids and Kleenexes. I started bawling. It was up there with one of the sweetest things that had been done for me. She's the friend I want to be. It inspires me to be better.
We had CC orientation on Tuesday. The kids all met their tutors and had fun with their new classes. I think it's going to be a great year!!!
I don't have much more to say. I've been spending every "spare" moment working to get a handle on the new job, and we've been going through our routine when we haven't been sick. Playgroup eneded for the summer as we tried out the new Fun for all park with friends and now that public school has started, things have settled down a bit. Not for long though! Ice skating (Hannah), football (William and Robert), AWANA, Bible study and CC start up over the next couple of weeks. It's going to be great!
Thursday, August 8, 2019
August 8, 2019
Life has been slightly less hectic the past couple weeks. We went to a physics show at the library which the kids LOVED. It included all sorts of experiments and at the end they got to use a leaf blower to pretend to be astronauts blasting off and blow bubbles into a tank of dry ice. We have still been doing playgroups on Friday. The weather should hit 100 degrees at our house for the first time all summer so the heat in the mornings haven't been too unbearable. Last Friday after playgroup, we went to to opening of the new Fun For All playground at Central Park. I even spotted one of my former students. He's a teenager now and that is just crazy to think about. Anyway the new playground is very cool and even has a splash pad. there were hot dogs, cookies, cake, snowcones and a ribbon cutting ceremony. It was hot but good. We will be going back tomorrow for the last playgroup of the summer and will enjoy it when it is less crowded (hopefully).That same day we also went to the last family movie night of the summer at church. We had pizza and watched How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. It was an interesting movie and concluded the series nicely. Other than that we've had promotion Sunday at church which means William is officially in third and Robert is officially in first grade. Hannah is starting her last year on the preschool side. How did that happen?! We had our annual churchwide pool party at Adamson Lagoon to celebrate. The kids look forward to this day all year and it did not disappoint. We are so thankful for a church that invests in families and loves Jesus too.
Andrew is walking everywhere. No more crawling, but plenty of CLIMBING. If there's a way to get on top of something, he will find it. If you see his busted up chin, know it's from multiple tumbles and will probably be a constant condition for the time being. That's not even counting all the times I catch and save him. He's turning into quite the monkey. When he isn't climbing he's getting a hold of something he probably shouldn't have. He likes his toys just fine, but forbidden things are so much more fun (or so he thinks). He's a ball of energy and a joy to be around. He has quite a few words, but distinguishing between them is a little hard sometimes. Mommy is still his favorite person. I only edge out Francis by a small margin now, and seeing him run for the door when Francis gets home gets me every time. Andrew loves taking things apart and trying to put them back together. I think he will love puzzles pretty soon. He's growing up so fast, and it is so fun to watch!
Hannah is four now as she tells everyone she meets. She loves ponies, princesses, pink, purple, blue, Pinkalicious and Fancy Nancy, skirts, dresses, unicorns, and singing. There's so much more to this smart, spunky, beautiful little girl. She's a negotiator and won't settle for less. She is kind and helpful and generally a good cleaner of her room. She has so many friends and I love to see her play and use her imagination. She can write her name, is learning to write the other letters, and is beginning to connect letters to their sounds in a meaningful way. She loves doing puzzles and solving problems. She loves being a big girl and doing her "schoolwork" while her brothers do theirs. Her vocabulary is impressive and her memory and comprehension are exceptional. She's go so many skills at her fingertips. I can't wait to see how they develop. She is starting her first year in CC in a couple weeks, and I know she'll shine!
Robert is still my best cuddler. He always knows when I need a hug and kiss. He feels strongly and deeply and says things that reflect he is in some ways mature far beyond his years. His imagination is also very present and active. Robert can tell an entertaining story any time of the day. He is reading very well and is about to make the real leap to reading novels independently. Right now he mainly sticks to graphic novels or shorter books because it is more fun and comfortable to him. He is doing well in math also. While he doesn't always want to sit down and do school, when he focuses, he hits it our of the park! His cursive is coming along as well. He can sign his name in cursive, so I call that a win (hello life skill!). He's a good organizer who also has the patience to sit and do puzzles even when I don't. He is an amazing listener. You can tell him almost anything and he will retain it. I can't believe he'll be 6 next month. I can't wait to see what the coming year holds!
William will be 8 in a few days. He is such a critical thinker and wants to know the how and why of everything. When he thinks I'm wrong, he challenges me (though he's gotten better about doing it respectfully). I'm coming to enjoy our more grown-up type chats. It's wonderful that he lets me into his world and how he thinks. He's not too cool for me yet, and I'll take it as long as it lasts. He will still hold my hand and hug me without a second thought. He still devours books. He read at least 4 books and a novel and a half yesterday after we got home from the library. He's starting to clue in when to listen before you speak, but is always eager to share what he knows. He's a great big brother most of the time and a ring leader to most of the mischief. He is also not one who loves to sit down for school, but does it with excellence when asked. William is good at weighing the cost to benefit before doing an action which has been interesting to watch recently. He's also good at trying to negotiate rewards for completed tasks (and sometimes succeeds). He's gotten in 4 of his adult teeth now and looks so much older. He is just brilliant. Happy almost birthday, William.
Lest you think our family is perfect, I feel like I need to point out that it isn't. Some days are rough, others are impossible, and some are amazing. I generally choose to remember the amazing and let the rest fall away as a place for room to grow. I am not perfect and I am humbly reminded of that daily (sometimes hourly). It's easy to get caught up in what is lacking, so I refuse to do that here. If you are reading this far, know that the grass is not always greener over here, but I do have a loving Savior who gives me grace and hope each day. I'd love to talk with you about that.
Till next time!
Andrew is walking everywhere. No more crawling, but plenty of CLIMBING. If there's a way to get on top of something, he will find it. If you see his busted up chin, know it's from multiple tumbles and will probably be a constant condition for the time being. That's not even counting all the times I catch and save him. He's turning into quite the monkey. When he isn't climbing he's getting a hold of something he probably shouldn't have. He likes his toys just fine, but forbidden things are so much more fun (or so he thinks). He's a ball of energy and a joy to be around. He has quite a few words, but distinguishing between them is a little hard sometimes. Mommy is still his favorite person. I only edge out Francis by a small margin now, and seeing him run for the door when Francis gets home gets me every time. Andrew loves taking things apart and trying to put them back together. I think he will love puzzles pretty soon. He's growing up so fast, and it is so fun to watch!
Hannah is four now as she tells everyone she meets. She loves ponies, princesses, pink, purple, blue, Pinkalicious and Fancy Nancy, skirts, dresses, unicorns, and singing. There's so much more to this smart, spunky, beautiful little girl. She's a negotiator and won't settle for less. She is kind and helpful and generally a good cleaner of her room. She has so many friends and I love to see her play and use her imagination. She can write her name, is learning to write the other letters, and is beginning to connect letters to their sounds in a meaningful way. She loves doing puzzles and solving problems. She loves being a big girl and doing her "schoolwork" while her brothers do theirs. Her vocabulary is impressive and her memory and comprehension are exceptional. She's go so many skills at her fingertips. I can't wait to see how they develop. She is starting her first year in CC in a couple weeks, and I know she'll shine!
Robert is still my best cuddler. He always knows when I need a hug and kiss. He feels strongly and deeply and says things that reflect he is in some ways mature far beyond his years. His imagination is also very present and active. Robert can tell an entertaining story any time of the day. He is reading very well and is about to make the real leap to reading novels independently. Right now he mainly sticks to graphic novels or shorter books because it is more fun and comfortable to him. He is doing well in math also. While he doesn't always want to sit down and do school, when he focuses, he hits it our of the park! His cursive is coming along as well. He can sign his name in cursive, so I call that a win (hello life skill!). He's a good organizer who also has the patience to sit and do puzzles even when I don't. He is an amazing listener. You can tell him almost anything and he will retain it. I can't believe he'll be 6 next month. I can't wait to see what the coming year holds!
William will be 8 in a few days. He is such a critical thinker and wants to know the how and why of everything. When he thinks I'm wrong, he challenges me (though he's gotten better about doing it respectfully). I'm coming to enjoy our more grown-up type chats. It's wonderful that he lets me into his world and how he thinks. He's not too cool for me yet, and I'll take it as long as it lasts. He will still hold my hand and hug me without a second thought. He still devours books. He read at least 4 books and a novel and a half yesterday after we got home from the library. He's starting to clue in when to listen before you speak, but is always eager to share what he knows. He's a great big brother most of the time and a ring leader to most of the mischief. He is also not one who loves to sit down for school, but does it with excellence when asked. William is good at weighing the cost to benefit before doing an action which has been interesting to watch recently. He's also good at trying to negotiate rewards for completed tasks (and sometimes succeeds). He's gotten in 4 of his adult teeth now and looks so much older. He is just brilliant. Happy almost birthday, William.
Lest you think our family is perfect, I feel like I need to point out that it isn't. Some days are rough, others are impossible, and some are amazing. I generally choose to remember the amazing and let the rest fall away as a place for room to grow. I am not perfect and I am humbly reminded of that daily (sometimes hourly). It's easy to get caught up in what is lacking, so I refuse to do that here. If you are reading this far, know that the grass is not always greener over here, but I do have a loving Savior who gives me grace and hope each day. I'd love to talk with you about that.
Till next time!
Friday, July 26, 2019
July 26, 2018
Lots going on around here. Last week was busy! Hannah had ballet camp Monday through Thursday with many of her friends. They dance, made crafts, played games, had a tea party and fun snacks and did so much more! It was seriously adorable to pick her up after an afternoon of fun and hear about her day. She can't wait for next year. We also had Hannah's friend Hadassah over on Monday, Bible Study Tuesday morning, time with friends at the library with a story teller, and then the second Summer Fun Days on Thursday. Whew! Friday we went to playgroup in the morning and family movie night at church that evening. Never a dull moment around here, but I wouldn't have it any other way!
Saturday we went to Houston to celebrate my mother-in-law's birthday at Cyndy's house. We went swimming, did water balloons, had cousin time and had dinner. Cyndy did a wonderful job decorating! The kids were sad to go when the time came, which is always the sign of a great time. We gave my MIL updated canvases of each of the kids, so her staircase is getting a picture upgrade!
This week we had our last Bible Study of the summer on Tuesday. I studied 1 Corinthians this summer; it was both good and challenging.
Wednesday was Hannah's 4th birthday! I can't even believe that is true. We started off the morning having a party with friends at our church playground complete with cookie cake. When Francis got home, she got to open a present from us and little things from her brothers. We had dinner at Hannah's choice: Golden Corral. Everyone ate their fill and the staff even sang to Hannah. We came home and let Hannah blow out some candles (we were already full of dessert), before letting her play with her new things. She said it was the best birthday and I'm so glad. Hannah is smart, spunky, sweet and sassy. She can write her name, count, communicate well, and is a delight to our family. I look forward to what the next year holds! Happy birthday Hannah!
Thursday was the last Summer Fun Day and today we have already had playgroup. I've got a million things left on my to-do list today in addition to playing with the kids and doing school, so I'm going to have to leave this post short.
Till next time!
Saturday we went to Houston to celebrate my mother-in-law's birthday at Cyndy's house. We went swimming, did water balloons, had cousin time and had dinner. Cyndy did a wonderful job decorating! The kids were sad to go when the time came, which is always the sign of a great time. We gave my MIL updated canvases of each of the kids, so her staircase is getting a picture upgrade!
This week we had our last Bible Study of the summer on Tuesday. I studied 1 Corinthians this summer; it was both good and challenging.
Wednesday was Hannah's 4th birthday! I can't even believe that is true. We started off the morning having a party with friends at our church playground complete with cookie cake. When Francis got home, she got to open a present from us and little things from her brothers. We had dinner at Hannah's choice: Golden Corral. Everyone ate their fill and the staff even sang to Hannah. We came home and let Hannah blow out some candles (we were already full of dessert), before letting her play with her new things. She said it was the best birthday and I'm so glad. Hannah is smart, spunky, sweet and sassy. She can write her name, count, communicate well, and is a delight to our family. I look forward to what the next year holds! Happy birthday Hannah!
Thursday was the last Summer Fun Day and today we have already had playgroup. I've got a million things left on my to-do list today in addition to playing with the kids and doing school, so I'm going to have to leave this post short.
Till next time!
Friday, July 12, 2019
July 12, 2019
Two Fridays ago, the kids and I left for a 10 day stint in Dallas. Francis came for both weekends and the 4th, but had to be home for work Monday through Wednesday. The kids and I got to my parents' house around lunch and spent much of the rest of the day swimming in the pool. (This was an ongoing activity throughout the trip.) All the kids had passed swim lessons, but Robert had yet to try to swim without holding onto the side of the pool (the instructors held onto him or gave him a kick-board to practice strokes). Well, I told him to jump in from the side and swim to me. He was nervous, but went for it, and he made it! So we tried again and again, each time a little longer. Before he knew it, Robert had made it across the pool. Since then, there's been no going back. I'm so happy for him and he loves that he has graduated from the need to use a floatie.
Saturday was busy. Francis (who came Friday evening), the kids, my parents, Danielle, Kevin, Christian and her kids all went to a celebration in downtown Wylie. They had activities for the kids (including horseback riding, much to Hannah's delight), music, food and bounce houses. We stayed until after lunch, then hung out in my parents (where the big boys played video games) and ended the evening with Alexandra sleeping over and watching fireworks from my parents' yard.
Sunday we got up for church and in the afternoon we went swimming and took family photos. The clouds (and Hannah) were only somewhat cooperative, but we managed to get a few good pictures.
Monday Christian had to work, so Danielle, Kevin and I took all 8 kids (Christian's and mine) to the Dallas zoo. It was actually really fun! William loves the gators, Andrew had a particular affinity for the apes, Hannah loves all the stature and Robert loved the animatronic dinosaurs (I don't know why they are there either. We even managed to get everyone fed and left right at nap time. After another evening of swimming, we got up Tuesday morning and all (kids, sisters, Kevin and my mom) went and did the Crayola experience. We learned how crayons are made, created artwork of various kinds, played with the huge screens, made our own crayon and played in the playscape. My kids could have spent all day there, but we finally left to have lunch with Papa and play at the mall playground. We ended the day back at my parents to swim.
Wednesday was more low key. Cousins came over and the whole crew (minus Francis and Chad) enjoyed the nice weather outside playing and swimming. That day I packed up all my stuff (and the dogs and moved over to my in-law's house. Andrew and Robert (who wanted some quiet time) stayed with Nana and Grandad while Hannah, William and I got to march in the Sachse parade with my mother. Danielle, Kevin, William, a few others and I walked the whole route passing out candy and necklaces while Hannah rode in a convertible waving with my mom (something Princess Hannah was born to do...she told me afterward she wants to grow up to be a princess at Disney World) and my dad drove his decorated truck behind which held all the candy. It was really fun! I was amazed by how much William walked. He's a trooper!
Thursday was the 4th of July. We (Francis returned the night before) got up early and staked our claim on the Plano parade route with my parents, the Drakes, the Aguilars, my in-laws and us (aka our whole family minus the Boergers). Danielle's friend Erin also joined us. The parade was a good length and the kids got a lot of candy. We then went and had BBQ at my parents' house, followed by Hannah's 4th birthday party. She really wanted her party on the 4th so we could swim and have a snowball fight (a tradition at our house). We had cake, opened presents, swam, snowball fought and before we knew it, it was time to head to fireworks. The parking lot with out traditional spot was closed off (Boo!) but we found a spot and didn't let it spoil our fireworks enjoyment. Overall it was a perfect 4th and even the weather cooperated!
Friday was Danielle's birthday. After meeting up with a childhood friend for breakfast (Candace), Hannah and I joined Danielle, Kevin and my parents at Studio Movie Grill for lunch and to see Aladdin. It was so cute. We Francis and the boys at my parents house for, you guessed it, swimming, games and eventually Chick-fil-a dinner. Francis and I then dropped off the kids at my in-laws (thank you!). The two of us met up with Danielle, Kevin, Christian, Erin, Sierra and my parents to do an Escape Room. I had never done one before. This one was themed Stranger Things--a show which I have not seen. I decided to read the synopsis in the parking lot before going in, and I'm glad I did so I could appreciate the references. We escaped with 17 minutes to spare (out of an hour). It was fun but stressful for me, haha.
Saturday we had Andrew's first birthday party. The family in town all showed up, and we swam, had cake, did a pinata, had a delicious hamburger lunch and even played some board games. Andrew was not a huge fan of his smash cake. He smooshed it around like playdough, then pushed it off the high chair tray. He loved the swimming. He hung out in the pool with Nana until he fell asleep. He's a water baby; that's for sure. He's grown so much over the past year. He is walking more than crawling all of a sudden (since like Monday) and he is communicating more, playing more interactively and still constantly discovering. I cannot wait to see what the next year holds!
Sunday we went to my in-law's church, had lunch at Arby's and headed home. We were ready to be in our own beds again, but it was a truly special trip. The week of the 4th is generally my favorite week of the year and it did not disappoint.
This week we've still been busy, but less so. Monday I had to take Lucy to the vet. She's ok, but goodness it was expensive and stinky. Tuesday we had Bible Study in the morning and Cow Appreciation night at chick-fil-a. All 6 of us dressed up in masks and got a free meal (we had a couple extra coupons to make that happen)! Wednesday we did some pictures in the morning and the headed off to the library for Star Wars Day there. They had all sorts of activities (pin the bun on Princess Leia, Star Wars bing, light saber training, Darth Vader blasting, etc), music and people in costume. My kids' pictures ended up in the paper as they used their sabers to pop bubbles! Thursday was the fist Summer Fun Days. William and Robert did "Fear (is not a) Factor" at church and Hannah and Andrew did "cooking through the Bible" all morning while I caught up on errands and things at home (like making the kids' school year book). I even got to have lunch date with Francis where our meal was, get this, free! Two free meals in one week. That's crazy talk. Today we had a morning playdate at McDonald's and we are about to do school. The kids enjoyed a 10 day hiatus from school, but I know they also enjoy the routine.
I guess that's all for now. Till Next time!
Saturday was busy. Francis (who came Friday evening), the kids, my parents, Danielle, Kevin, Christian and her kids all went to a celebration in downtown Wylie. They had activities for the kids (including horseback riding, much to Hannah's delight), music, food and bounce houses. We stayed until after lunch, then hung out in my parents (where the big boys played video games) and ended the evening with Alexandra sleeping over and watching fireworks from my parents' yard.
Sunday we got up for church and in the afternoon we went swimming and took family photos. The clouds (and Hannah) were only somewhat cooperative, but we managed to get a few good pictures.
Monday Christian had to work, so Danielle, Kevin and I took all 8 kids (Christian's and mine) to the Dallas zoo. It was actually really fun! William loves the gators, Andrew had a particular affinity for the apes, Hannah loves all the stature and Robert loved the animatronic dinosaurs (I don't know why they are there either. We even managed to get everyone fed and left right at nap time. After another evening of swimming, we got up Tuesday morning and all (kids, sisters, Kevin and my mom) went and did the Crayola experience. We learned how crayons are made, created artwork of various kinds, played with the huge screens, made our own crayon and played in the playscape. My kids could have spent all day there, but we finally left to have lunch with Papa and play at the mall playground. We ended the day back at my parents to swim.
Wednesday was more low key. Cousins came over and the whole crew (minus Francis and Chad) enjoyed the nice weather outside playing and swimming. That day I packed up all my stuff (and the dogs and moved over to my in-law's house. Andrew and Robert (who wanted some quiet time) stayed with Nana and Grandad while Hannah, William and I got to march in the Sachse parade with my mother. Danielle, Kevin, William, a few others and I walked the whole route passing out candy and necklaces while Hannah rode in a convertible waving with my mom (something Princess Hannah was born to do...she told me afterward she wants to grow up to be a princess at Disney World) and my dad drove his decorated truck behind which held all the candy. It was really fun! I was amazed by how much William walked. He's a trooper!
Thursday was the 4th of July. We (Francis returned the night before) got up early and staked our claim on the Plano parade route with my parents, the Drakes, the Aguilars, my in-laws and us (aka our whole family minus the Boergers). Danielle's friend Erin also joined us. The parade was a good length and the kids got a lot of candy. We then went and had BBQ at my parents' house, followed by Hannah's 4th birthday party. She really wanted her party on the 4th so we could swim and have a snowball fight (a tradition at our house). We had cake, opened presents, swam, snowball fought and before we knew it, it was time to head to fireworks. The parking lot with out traditional spot was closed off (Boo!) but we found a spot and didn't let it spoil our fireworks enjoyment. Overall it was a perfect 4th and even the weather cooperated!
Friday was Danielle's birthday. After meeting up with a childhood friend for breakfast (Candace), Hannah and I joined Danielle, Kevin and my parents at Studio Movie Grill for lunch and to see Aladdin. It was so cute. We Francis and the boys at my parents house for, you guessed it, swimming, games and eventually Chick-fil-a dinner. Francis and I then dropped off the kids at my in-laws (thank you!). The two of us met up with Danielle, Kevin, Christian, Erin, Sierra and my parents to do an Escape Room. I had never done one before. This one was themed Stranger Things--a show which I have not seen. I decided to read the synopsis in the parking lot before going in, and I'm glad I did so I could appreciate the references. We escaped with 17 minutes to spare (out of an hour). It was fun but stressful for me, haha.
Saturday we had Andrew's first birthday party. The family in town all showed up, and we swam, had cake, did a pinata, had a delicious hamburger lunch and even played some board games. Andrew was not a huge fan of his smash cake. He smooshed it around like playdough, then pushed it off the high chair tray. He loved the swimming. He hung out in the pool with Nana until he fell asleep. He's a water baby; that's for sure. He's grown so much over the past year. He is walking more than crawling all of a sudden (since like Monday) and he is communicating more, playing more interactively and still constantly discovering. I cannot wait to see what the next year holds!
Sunday we went to my in-law's church, had lunch at Arby's and headed home. We were ready to be in our own beds again, but it was a truly special trip. The week of the 4th is generally my favorite week of the year and it did not disappoint.
This week we've still been busy, but less so. Monday I had to take Lucy to the vet. She's ok, but goodness it was expensive and stinky. Tuesday we had Bible Study in the morning and Cow Appreciation night at chick-fil-a. All 6 of us dressed up in masks and got a free meal (we had a couple extra coupons to make that happen)! Wednesday we did some pictures in the morning and the headed off to the library for Star Wars Day there. They had all sorts of activities (pin the bun on Princess Leia, Star Wars bing, light saber training, Darth Vader blasting, etc), music and people in costume. My kids' pictures ended up in the paper as they used their sabers to pop bubbles! Thursday was the fist Summer Fun Days. William and Robert did "Fear (is not a) Factor" at church and Hannah and Andrew did "cooking through the Bible" all morning while I caught up on errands and things at home (like making the kids' school year book). I even got to have lunch date with Francis where our meal was, get this, free! Two free meals in one week. That's crazy talk. Today we had a morning playdate at McDonald's and we are about to do school. The kids enjoyed a 10 day hiatus from school, but I know they also enjoy the routine.
I guess that's all for now. Till Next time!
Thursday, June 27, 2019
June 27, 2019
My last baby turned ONE on Saturday. I can't believe it. We celebrated first on Friday with friends at a splash pad with Shipley's donuts and a ton of water play. The donuts were great, and I'm now very popular with my kids' friends. Andrew loved the fountains and didn't seem to mind being sprayed in the face. Friday evening we went to movie night at church with pizza and popcorn. We watched How to Train you Dragon. It was a good last day as and 11 month old for Andrew.
Saturday we were up early, had breakfast and went to see Toy Story 4. Andrew slept through the first half, then woke up to eat popcorn and then hung out with Francis along the back side wall of the theater near the exit. He was very good as was the movie. We had lunch at one of Andre's favorite places: chick-fil-a. After eating, he got to go in the play area for the first time. He had a blast even though he didn't climb very high (to my relief). His siblings thought it was the best time and cheered him on. We went home for an afternoon rest and regroup. For Andrew's birthday dinner we went to a new baked pizza place in town (Howdy's) and he got a free shake that we were all able to share. We came home, sang, and had a (little) ice cream and cake. Andrew was a little confused at first, but after I had him taste the icing, he was all in! Over all it was a great first birthday. As I held him before he went to sleep, I thought back to how hard that day he was born had been. The following week was even harder and we've had trouble since then, but it's all been worth it. he is worth it and I'm so glad he is part of our family. We love you Andrew!
This week is the second week of swim lessons so our evenings have been spent at the pool. The kids have been learning and tonight they get to show that off and have some fun. In the mornings we have been home some with the exception of Bible Study Tuesday and a trip to the library on Wednesday. Last Wednesday they had a famous story teller come and do stories. This Wednesday they had the inflatable planetarium from Houston come so the kids could learn about constellations. My kids can now find many constellations, name them and find the north star.
Yesterday afternoon Andrew had his one year well check. He is 32 inches (which is even more off the charts long than he already was) with a big beautiful head that matches. He is just shy of 22 lbs and is just above average. So he's long an lean. He's met and exceeded all of his milestones. When the nurse asked is he was able to stand independently, he actually stood up and tried to walk off the exam table right on cue. He's talking quite a bit and lets his opinion about everything be known. He's currently contemplating how to climb out of the baby swing instead of taking a rest which he needs. If he would sleep better and drink out of a cup (he eats like a champ), we'd be batting 1000. I can't wait to see what this next year holds. I have a feeling there will be a lot of adventure.
We are coming up on my favorite week of the year: 4th of July week! The kids and I (and Francis for a few days too) will be up in Dallas playing with family. Please pray for safe travels and good weather.
Till next time!
Saturday we were up early, had breakfast and went to see Toy Story 4. Andrew slept through the first half, then woke up to eat popcorn and then hung out with Francis along the back side wall of the theater near the exit. He was very good as was the movie. We had lunch at one of Andre's favorite places: chick-fil-a. After eating, he got to go in the play area for the first time. He had a blast even though he didn't climb very high (to my relief). His siblings thought it was the best time and cheered him on. We went home for an afternoon rest and regroup. For Andrew's birthday dinner we went to a new baked pizza place in town (Howdy's) and he got a free shake that we were all able to share. We came home, sang, and had a (little) ice cream and cake. Andrew was a little confused at first, but after I had him taste the icing, he was all in! Over all it was a great first birthday. As I held him before he went to sleep, I thought back to how hard that day he was born had been. The following week was even harder and we've had trouble since then, but it's all been worth it. he is worth it and I'm so glad he is part of our family. We love you Andrew!
This week is the second week of swim lessons so our evenings have been spent at the pool. The kids have been learning and tonight they get to show that off and have some fun. In the mornings we have been home some with the exception of Bible Study Tuesday and a trip to the library on Wednesday. Last Wednesday they had a famous story teller come and do stories. This Wednesday they had the inflatable planetarium from Houston come so the kids could learn about constellations. My kids can now find many constellations, name them and find the north star.
Yesterday afternoon Andrew had his one year well check. He is 32 inches (which is even more off the charts long than he already was) with a big beautiful head that matches. He is just shy of 22 lbs and is just above average. So he's long an lean. He's met and exceeded all of his milestones. When the nurse asked is he was able to stand independently, he actually stood up and tried to walk off the exam table right on cue. He's talking quite a bit and lets his opinion about everything be known. He's currently contemplating how to climb out of the baby swing instead of taking a rest which he needs. If he would sleep better and drink out of a cup (he eats like a champ), we'd be batting 1000. I can't wait to see what this next year holds. I have a feeling there will be a lot of adventure.
We are coming up on my favorite week of the year: 4th of July week! The kids and I (and Francis for a few days too) will be up in Dallas playing with family. Please pray for safe travels and good weather.
Till next time!
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
June 19, 2019
We've been back from Canada almost a week and have been resting, resetting and trying to get back on schedule (with the addition of swim lessons at 7pm..what was I thinking!?).
Friday before last, the kids and I headed to Dallas in the morning and met the whole Noble clan at Grapevine Mills Mall. It had been far too long wince we've seen them and the 4 hours there playing and having lunch were not near long enough. The kids got some cousin time and we even managed a group picture before the kids and I had to head on. We drove over to the airport around 3 and met my in-laws who helped me get unpacked, bags checked and get through security. We were joined a short while later by Francis, but, much to our dismay, Cyndy, Chris, Abby and Jackson just barely missed joining us on our flight (their connection was delayed). The 8 of us made it into Canada and finally in to bed at our hotel around 2 am. It was a long day, but we made it!
Saturday we got up and had breakfast with some of the extended Phillips and Cotnoir family (while the Cotnoirs are not technically related to Francis, they are Francis's cousins' cousins...so close enough!). It was s fun breakfast and everyone did years of catching up. Andrew got to meed Nana Phillips for the first time. He gave her a huge toothy smile and I got a few photos as they got acquainted. He even let Nana Phillips hold him! Finally after breakfast/brunch, some of us headed back to the hotel for a nap (ok I napped!) and then we got a snack and headed to Nana's house to play before the birthday party. More family time, and the kids finally got to play the games in Aunt Melo and Uncle Vic's basement (they'd been talking about it for months). They have air hockey, pinball, Foosball, pool and a few other things down there that entertained my big kids for hours. Finally we headed to Nana's 90th Birthday Party! All of her 4 kids and 10 great-grandkids were there and all but 2 great grandkids (and one spouse) were in attendance. We were a large and jolly group! We did get a picture of Nana with her great grand kids. It was the first time they were all together and ranged from 8 to 3 months. It was a special time. We ate and then returned to the house for cake and presents. Nana talked about her life and what God has done in it. I'm not sure there was a dry eye when she was done. She is such a special lady. Thank you God for her!
Sunday morning we were up again and went to the church where Francis grew up and where some of his family still attends. The church is French-speaking so I got to use my (somewhat limited) skills and the boys did great with the French they have been practicing. They tried to sing along in church and William kept pointing out words he knew. The three bigs decided to go to class when the children were dismissed. I was a little hesitant, but they did great and could even tell me the story that they heard in class. Thankfully at least one teacher in each class knew English, but the class itself was in French. The kids didn't seem to mind and came out all smiles. Made my heart so happy! We also got a picture with a podium the kids' great great grandfather built for the church. That was a pretty cool find! Francis had to go home in the afternoon, so his stay in Canada was short but sweet. He was missed, but needed to get to work on Monday. After church and lunch at St. Huberts (where the kids love the clown ice cream), we went to Nana's (and Aunt Melo and Uncle Vic's) for a swim and a BBQ. It was a good, relaxing evening.
Monday the kids and I were up again and off with my in-laws, Cyndy, Chris, Abby, the Lawlers, and some of the Herons over to Upper Canada Village in Ontario. Outside were the grave markers of the kids' great great great great great grandparents who were the ones who left Pennsylvania and moved to Canada around the war of 1812. It was a cool day learning about life circa 1850. Robert loved the old bakery, William loved the blacksmith, Hannah loved the houses and horses and Andrew just wanted to explore. We got to eat all together in an old hotel turned restaurant. It was the highlight of the day for me as I could almost place myself there while eating "period food" (or an attempt at it). Monday was Nana Phillips's actual birthday so we all went back to have dinner with her and just enjoy her company. It we lived closer, I think we would definitely do it more often.
Tuesday after breakfast, we explored old town Montreal and the port. The big kids and grandad, Cyndy and Chris climbed and ziplined over a huge pirate ship, while Nana, Hannah, Andrew and I rode the carousel and played in the jump houses. Uncle Jim joined us a for a while and we had a nice chat. In the late afternoon we walked around old town and ended up in front of Notre Dame. They had horse carriages, so Hannah, William, Robert, Nana and I took one around. After a short while, it dawn on Hannah that we were riding in a carriage like a princess and her smile got so big I though her face might break. the kids even got to feed the horse (names Princess) a carrot at the end). We ate at a swanky restaurant before heading back and finally getting in bed before 10 pm.
Wednesday morning we were in no hurry to get up. The Boergers had headed home (as had all the other travellers) so it was just me, the kids and my in-laws. We ate breakfast at the hotel, made a trip to Toys R Us (they still have them in Canada!) for the kids to spend the birthday money from Nana Phillps and then spent the rest of the morning and afternoon with Nana Phillips. It was a sweet time and hard to say goodbye. Andrew even showed off his walking skills! We had dinner at St. Huberts and got to bed early knowing a long day lay ahead.
Thursday we got up at 5:30 and packed into the car to head to the airport. We made it in plenty of time and even though our flight was an hour and a half delayed, we still made our connection and got to Dallas that evening. The kids and I were all exhausted, so rather than driving home, we stayed at Nana and Grandad's and headed back home Friday morning.
So there's our trip in a nutshell. We had a wonderful time and made so many memories. We can't wait to go back.
Friday evening we had our Life Group's pool party. My kids are becoming quite the fish! Sunday was Father's Day. The kids made Francis pictures and he got a special board book from Andrew (all the kids have a "daddy and me" picture book I've written and had made). He also got Les Miserables in French. We went to church, had lunch at BJs, had a quiet afternoon and then had family movie night where I made Francis's favorite: homemade Lasagna. We watched Ralph Breaks the Internet.
This week we started swim lessons. The kids are in Level 2, 1, preschool and parent/child respectively. I can't wait to see what they learn. Other than that, Summer activities are in full swing. We had started Summer bible study on Tuesdays, library generally on Wednesdays and playgroup on Fridays. I'm trying to soak in the moments. I know September will be here all too soon.
Till next time!
Friday before last, the kids and I headed to Dallas in the morning and met the whole Noble clan at Grapevine Mills Mall. It had been far too long wince we've seen them and the 4 hours there playing and having lunch were not near long enough. The kids got some cousin time and we even managed a group picture before the kids and I had to head on. We drove over to the airport around 3 and met my in-laws who helped me get unpacked, bags checked and get through security. We were joined a short while later by Francis, but, much to our dismay, Cyndy, Chris, Abby and Jackson just barely missed joining us on our flight (their connection was delayed). The 8 of us made it into Canada and finally in to bed at our hotel around 2 am. It was a long day, but we made it!
Saturday we got up and had breakfast with some of the extended Phillips and Cotnoir family (while the Cotnoirs are not technically related to Francis, they are Francis's cousins' cousins...so close enough!). It was s fun breakfast and everyone did years of catching up. Andrew got to meed Nana Phillips for the first time. He gave her a huge toothy smile and I got a few photos as they got acquainted. He even let Nana Phillips hold him! Finally after breakfast/brunch, some of us headed back to the hotel for a nap (ok I napped!) and then we got a snack and headed to Nana's house to play before the birthday party. More family time, and the kids finally got to play the games in Aunt Melo and Uncle Vic's basement (they'd been talking about it for months). They have air hockey, pinball, Foosball, pool and a few other things down there that entertained my big kids for hours. Finally we headed to Nana's 90th Birthday Party! All of her 4 kids and 10 great-grandkids were there and all but 2 great grandkids (and one spouse) were in attendance. We were a large and jolly group! We did get a picture of Nana with her great grand kids. It was the first time they were all together and ranged from 8 to 3 months. It was a special time. We ate and then returned to the house for cake and presents. Nana talked about her life and what God has done in it. I'm not sure there was a dry eye when she was done. She is such a special lady. Thank you God for her!
Sunday morning we were up again and went to the church where Francis grew up and where some of his family still attends. The church is French-speaking so I got to use my (somewhat limited) skills and the boys did great with the French they have been practicing. They tried to sing along in church and William kept pointing out words he knew. The three bigs decided to go to class when the children were dismissed. I was a little hesitant, but they did great and could even tell me the story that they heard in class. Thankfully at least one teacher in each class knew English, but the class itself was in French. The kids didn't seem to mind and came out all smiles. Made my heart so happy! We also got a picture with a podium the kids' great great grandfather built for the church. That was a pretty cool find! Francis had to go home in the afternoon, so his stay in Canada was short but sweet. He was missed, but needed to get to work on Monday. After church and lunch at St. Huberts (where the kids love the clown ice cream), we went to Nana's (and Aunt Melo and Uncle Vic's) for a swim and a BBQ. It was a good, relaxing evening.
Monday the kids and I were up again and off with my in-laws, Cyndy, Chris, Abby, the Lawlers, and some of the Herons over to Upper Canada Village in Ontario. Outside were the grave markers of the kids' great great great great great grandparents who were the ones who left Pennsylvania and moved to Canada around the war of 1812. It was a cool day learning about life circa 1850. Robert loved the old bakery, William loved the blacksmith, Hannah loved the houses and horses and Andrew just wanted to explore. We got to eat all together in an old hotel turned restaurant. It was the highlight of the day for me as I could almost place myself there while eating "period food" (or an attempt at it). Monday was Nana Phillips's actual birthday so we all went back to have dinner with her and just enjoy her company. It we lived closer, I think we would definitely do it more often.
Tuesday after breakfast, we explored old town Montreal and the port. The big kids and grandad, Cyndy and Chris climbed and ziplined over a huge pirate ship, while Nana, Hannah, Andrew and I rode the carousel and played in the jump houses. Uncle Jim joined us a for a while and we had a nice chat. In the late afternoon we walked around old town and ended up in front of Notre Dame. They had horse carriages, so Hannah, William, Robert, Nana and I took one around. After a short while, it dawn on Hannah that we were riding in a carriage like a princess and her smile got so big I though her face might break. the kids even got to feed the horse (names Princess) a carrot at the end). We ate at a swanky restaurant before heading back and finally getting in bed before 10 pm.
Wednesday morning we were in no hurry to get up. The Boergers had headed home (as had all the other travellers) so it was just me, the kids and my in-laws. We ate breakfast at the hotel, made a trip to Toys R Us (they still have them in Canada!) for the kids to spend the birthday money from Nana Phillps and then spent the rest of the morning and afternoon with Nana Phillips. It was a sweet time and hard to say goodbye. Andrew even showed off his walking skills! We had dinner at St. Huberts and got to bed early knowing a long day lay ahead.
Thursday we got up at 5:30 and packed into the car to head to the airport. We made it in plenty of time and even though our flight was an hour and a half delayed, we still made our connection and got to Dallas that evening. The kids and I were all exhausted, so rather than driving home, we stayed at Nana and Grandad's and headed back home Friday morning.
So there's our trip in a nutshell. We had a wonderful time and made so many memories. We can't wait to go back.
Friday evening we had our Life Group's pool party. My kids are becoming quite the fish! Sunday was Father's Day. The kids made Francis pictures and he got a special board book from Andrew (all the kids have a "daddy and me" picture book I've written and had made). He also got Les Miserables in French. We went to church, had lunch at BJs, had a quiet afternoon and then had family movie night where I made Francis's favorite: homemade Lasagna. We watched Ralph Breaks the Internet.
This week we started swim lessons. The kids are in Level 2, 1, preschool and parent/child respectively. I can't wait to see what they learn. Other than that, Summer activities are in full swing. We had started Summer bible study on Tuesdays, library generally on Wednesdays and playgroup on Fridays. I'm trying to soak in the moments. I know September will be here all too soon.
Till next time!
Tuesday, June 4, 2019
June 4, 2019
How is it June? The last month has flown by. Andrew has turned 11 months and is standing/walking nearly as much as he crawls, unless he is in a hurry, then he bear crawls at lightning speed. Someone didn't believe me, but when they walked away, Andrew decided to catch up to them and managed to trip them. Whoops! Andrew is communicating more and more with his favorite words being mama, dada, more, bruh (brother or sister) and bye. He wants to be big so bad and climbs on everything in sight. He has bruises all over from failed or sometimes successful attempts to complete his own daring deeds. He's so busy and active! He never stops moving, even in his sleep. One smile and my heart melts, though. He's my little guy and I love him so much!
Let's see. Mother's Day weekend was good. My in-laws came in on Saturday to see the boys play soccer. After the games Nana and I got to see Hannah's ballet dress rehearsal. I guess I hadn't prepared Hannah well (and she wasn't very happy anyway) because she just stood on stage and gave the meanest look with her arms crossed. Oh well. After rehearsal she promised to do better for the actual show. That night my in-laws watched the kids so Francis and I could have a date night and go see Avengers Endgame. We seldom get dates so this waspretty special! Sunday, We drove down to Houston to see my niece get baptized! I hope I have the joy and privilege to see each of my nieces and nephews (as well as my own children) get baptized because they have found the truth and hope in Jesus.
We got to visit the new Aggieland Safari with the Williams family back in mid-May. It is a drive thru Safari where you can feed and interact with animals as well as an area that is like a more traditional zoo. It was so very fun! It started off with me getting bitten by an ostrich across my face (he wanted the feed I was not giving him), and being stared down by a donkey (I finally had to inch my car around him), but memories and much laughter were made. Hannah liked the giraffes, Robert and William both liked feeding all the exotic animals, and Andrew loved the birds. I hope we can go back soon!
May was also my month to do dates with the kids. I took both boys to Chick-fil-a for Mother-Son date Knight. We had professional photos, ate good food, made craft swords and shields, got balloon creations, met the Chick-fil-a cow, heard live music and got cake pops! Afterward the boys and I went to a park to play before heading home. I took Hannah to Chuck E. Cheese. That girl got her money's worth! She played the coin type games and got 1,000 tickets!! She took a while deciding what she wanted (the opportunities seemed endless), but she got a headband, foam hammer, candy, ball and a couple other little things. It was a great evening and Hannah has worn the unicorn headband almost every day since!
Memorial Day weekend was a big one for us. Leading up to it we had Practicum (where the kids went to play camp and Geodraw camp and I had training) and Saturday was both practicum and the last soccer game for both boys. Fortunately both events were at Central (our church) so I was able to slip out and go see the boys play. After the games they had inflatables, free sno cones and pizza as well as an awards ceremony and a soccer ball for each kid. William got a medal for "effort" and Robert got one for "shooting". I was very glad for the snocones because it was hot out there! It was a good season and the boys learned a lot. Sunday was an extremely busy day. We went to church, left after service and picked up food, and then got Hannah dressed for her recital. We arrived at around the same time as Nana and Grandad and got amazing seats. I was so nervous, but we practiced and she came out and did ballet like a pro. I cried happy tears. After the show, we said goodbye to Nana and Grandad and got in the car. Then we drove for two hours. We kept expecting the kids to ask where we were going, but they didn't. We finally stopped to have dinner at an unfamiliar Jason's Deli. We pointed out the window at all the sights and still got no questions about our location. As we were climbing back into the car, we asked the kids how long they thought we had been driving. They guessed between 20 minutes to an hour (each kid's guess was different). We told them we were in San Marcos and had been driving for 2 hours!! They looked confused and got even more confused when we said we were staying in a hotel that night. Then they got super excited (they love hotels). Then we dropped the big news. The next day we were going to spend the day at Sea World in San Antonio! Francis and I were greeted with hugs and thank yous and William went to check when I said the bags were all packed. We never surprise our kids like this so they never saw it coming!
After a fun night in the hotel (where all three big kids insisted on sleeping on the pull out couch instead of the two queen beds), we headed to Sea World. We had an epic day that I think they will always remember. If they wanted to do it, we did it. On top of this, someone gave us their (mostly unused) food punch card as they were leaving the park (it was the annual food fest) so we got a ton of free food from all over the world to sample too. It really couldn't have been any better unless there were more hours in the day.
We have started up Summer play group and had a good crowd last week. I've missed seeing all these ladies outside of church! We went to a splash pad and let the kids play while we chatted.
Sports camp is this week for William and Robert (and Francis who is volunteering). They've been having a great time. Hannah was feeling a little left out so last night she, Andrew and I went Golden Corral. Kids under 4 eat free and so I only had to pay for me! Hannah particularly loved the chocolate fountain where she could dip strawberries, and Andrew loved all. the. food. He probably ate his entire weight in food. It was pretty decent food and I got steak, so no complaints here!
That's all for now. I've got to get packing for our upcoming trip to Canada! Au revoir (that's me brushing up on my French)!
Let's see. Mother's Day weekend was good. My in-laws came in on Saturday to see the boys play soccer. After the games Nana and I got to see Hannah's ballet dress rehearsal. I guess I hadn't prepared Hannah well (and she wasn't very happy anyway) because she just stood on stage and gave the meanest look with her arms crossed. Oh well. After rehearsal she promised to do better for the actual show. That night my in-laws watched the kids so Francis and I could have a date night and go see Avengers Endgame. We seldom get dates so this waspretty special! Sunday, We drove down to Houston to see my niece get baptized! I hope I have the joy and privilege to see each of my nieces and nephews (as well as my own children) get baptized because they have found the truth and hope in Jesus.
We got to visit the new Aggieland Safari with the Williams family back in mid-May. It is a drive thru Safari where you can feed and interact with animals as well as an area that is like a more traditional zoo. It was so very fun! It started off with me getting bitten by an ostrich across my face (he wanted the feed I was not giving him), and being stared down by a donkey (I finally had to inch my car around him), but memories and much laughter were made. Hannah liked the giraffes, Robert and William both liked feeding all the exotic animals, and Andrew loved the birds. I hope we can go back soon!
May was also my month to do dates with the kids. I took both boys to Chick-fil-a for Mother-Son date Knight. We had professional photos, ate good food, made craft swords and shields, got balloon creations, met the Chick-fil-a cow, heard live music and got cake pops! Afterward the boys and I went to a park to play before heading home. I took Hannah to Chuck E. Cheese. That girl got her money's worth! She played the coin type games and got 1,000 tickets!! She took a while deciding what she wanted (the opportunities seemed endless), but she got a headband, foam hammer, candy, ball and a couple other little things. It was a great evening and Hannah has worn the unicorn headband almost every day since!
Memorial Day weekend was a big one for us. Leading up to it we had Practicum (where the kids went to play camp and Geodraw camp and I had training) and Saturday was both practicum and the last soccer game for both boys. Fortunately both events were at Central (our church) so I was able to slip out and go see the boys play. After the games they had inflatables, free sno cones and pizza as well as an awards ceremony and a soccer ball for each kid. William got a medal for "effort" and Robert got one for "shooting". I was very glad for the snocones because it was hot out there! It was a good season and the boys learned a lot. Sunday was an extremely busy day. We went to church, left after service and picked up food, and then got Hannah dressed for her recital. We arrived at around the same time as Nana and Grandad and got amazing seats. I was so nervous, but we practiced and she came out and did ballet like a pro. I cried happy tears. After the show, we said goodbye to Nana and Grandad and got in the car. Then we drove for two hours. We kept expecting the kids to ask where we were going, but they didn't. We finally stopped to have dinner at an unfamiliar Jason's Deli. We pointed out the window at all the sights and still got no questions about our location. As we were climbing back into the car, we asked the kids how long they thought we had been driving. They guessed between 20 minutes to an hour (each kid's guess was different). We told them we were in San Marcos and had been driving for 2 hours!! They looked confused and got even more confused when we said we were staying in a hotel that night. Then they got super excited (they love hotels). Then we dropped the big news. The next day we were going to spend the day at Sea World in San Antonio! Francis and I were greeted with hugs and thank yous and William went to check when I said the bags were all packed. We never surprise our kids like this so they never saw it coming!
After a fun night in the hotel (where all three big kids insisted on sleeping on the pull out couch instead of the two queen beds), we headed to Sea World. We had an epic day that I think they will always remember. If they wanted to do it, we did it. On top of this, someone gave us their (mostly unused) food punch card as they were leaving the park (it was the annual food fest) so we got a ton of free food from all over the world to sample too. It really couldn't have been any better unless there were more hours in the day.
We have started up Summer play group and had a good crowd last week. I've missed seeing all these ladies outside of church! We went to a splash pad and let the kids play while we chatted.
Sports camp is this week for William and Robert (and Francis who is volunteering). They've been having a great time. Hannah was feeling a little left out so last night she, Andrew and I went Golden Corral. Kids under 4 eat free and so I only had to pay for me! Hannah particularly loved the chocolate fountain where she could dip strawberries, and Andrew loved all. the. food. He probably ate his entire weight in food. It was pretty decent food and I got steak, so no complaints here!
That's all for now. I've got to get packing for our upcoming trip to Canada! Au revoir (that's me brushing up on my French)!
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
May 8, 2019
It's been 3 weeks since Andrew surgery. He has been hearing so much and grown by leaps and bounds as a result. He is talking more, sleeping better, crawling more, eating more, exploring instead of being solely attached to mommy and has even taken his first steps!
Easter camping was a huge success. We made it in time to have dinner with everyone on Friday and attend the Good Friday service on the lake. Robert received his first real Bible for graduating Kindergarten and being a reader. This has become a tradition after we did it for William 2 years ago and Robert was anticipating the moment of getting his own Bible ever since. His face beamed as he sat down after receiving it, and I teared up at how proud he was to own it.
The weather all weekend was perfect and we had a group egg hunt, family egg hunt, Timothy and Gideon's first birthday party, eye dyeing, treats, wonderful food and family time. Andrew did well for his first time camping and the other three slept hard as ricks when their heads hit the pillow. There's nothing like non-stop outdoor fun to tire you out. Sunday morning we had our "sunrise" service on the lake with my parents' Sunday school class and company (we had around 100 there) befor catching lunch on the way out of town and heading home.
The day was not over though. When we got home and unpacked, I noticed Andrew was standing and much more balanced than he had been even a few days before. After a few tries, he took his first STEPS from Francis to myself before taking a step here and there between other items. It's crazy how fast things change in less than a week!
That Monday Andrew Turned 10 months old. He is smart, inquisitive, funny (he even laughs at our jokes), and wants to know everything. I cannot believe he will be one in a few short weeks. His favorite thing is crawling like a spider (feet and hands on ground) super fast to keep up with my walking. It's impressive. He is loved and loving. and I'm so glad God knew we needed him.
Francis has been gone a lot the past couple of weeks (two separate trips to El Paso and Austin), and I have had to be in two places as one two Tuesdays in a row. Thankfully I made it and with people watching my kids one either end (soccer and dance practice), we survived. I'm so glad to not have to do it again though. Francis starts his new position on Monday (he's moving to a more permanent position within ARL doing the same job). I'm so proud he was able to do it so quickly, and I look forward to seeing what this new chapter holds.
We've been doing school "lite" here. The kids picked out their summer workbooks and we have been spending only 10-15 minutes max on school things.If we don't keep some routine, we have a hard time, so this is a good compromise. We'll start back up school in a couple of weeks but take it easy during the summer since we have so many other fun things to do too. The last Bible Study is tomorrow and I am sad to see the year end. It's really the final thing that's still going on. After that, we have a couple of quiet weeks with just soccer and dance before they finish and Summer activities begin!
Yesterday we had our CC Field Day. Thankfully the weather held off (it's been a little unpredictable around here), and we hung out with over 100 other CC kiddos doing games at 18 different stations. Hannah got a first, second and third place ribbon at different events, William got second at the sack race and Robert got third at the same event. They were all in different groups so I couldn't see them all compete all the time, but what I did see made me smile. They tried hard, played well and were good sports. It was a good day.
Yesterday evening was less enjoyable. After Hannah's dance class, we were getting ready to go to bed, when I picked up an oscillating fan and gave it to Francis to move out of the boys' room. The large round base of the fan suddenly detached and hit Andrew in the head. There was immediately blood everywhere. We all rushed to the ER and after an hour of "your next", we went to a different ER and were seen right away. Andrew has a gash in his forehead that required a steri strip to close it and finally stop the bleeding. He has a long cut under his right eye and a small cut on the eye itself. With some eye drops and time, he will be fine, but he looks pretty beat up.
Well, an hour has passed between the last sentence and this because the kids and I just spent it in the bathroom. Why? We were under a tornado warning. We are ok, but it got pretty loud and the rain is still really coming down. We'll have to see if there is any damage after the storm has passed, but we are thankful to be safe, warm and dry. It's no small task to hang out in a bathtub with 4 kids for an hour watching a storm get ever closer on the news on your phone, but the kids were amazing. The dogs too were with us and very nervous, but they finally managed to settle even if they were stressed. Hoping that is the end of excitement for today!
Till next time!
Easter camping was a huge success. We made it in time to have dinner with everyone on Friday and attend the Good Friday service on the lake. Robert received his first real Bible for graduating Kindergarten and being a reader. This has become a tradition after we did it for William 2 years ago and Robert was anticipating the moment of getting his own Bible ever since. His face beamed as he sat down after receiving it, and I teared up at how proud he was to own it.
The weather all weekend was perfect and we had a group egg hunt, family egg hunt, Timothy and Gideon's first birthday party, eye dyeing, treats, wonderful food and family time. Andrew did well for his first time camping and the other three slept hard as ricks when their heads hit the pillow. There's nothing like non-stop outdoor fun to tire you out. Sunday morning we had our "sunrise" service on the lake with my parents' Sunday school class and company (we had around 100 there) befor catching lunch on the way out of town and heading home.
The day was not over though. When we got home and unpacked, I noticed Andrew was standing and much more balanced than he had been even a few days before. After a few tries, he took his first STEPS from Francis to myself before taking a step here and there between other items. It's crazy how fast things change in less than a week!
That Monday Andrew Turned 10 months old. He is smart, inquisitive, funny (he even laughs at our jokes), and wants to know everything. I cannot believe he will be one in a few short weeks. His favorite thing is crawling like a spider (feet and hands on ground) super fast to keep up with my walking. It's impressive. He is loved and loving. and I'm so glad God knew we needed him.
Francis has been gone a lot the past couple of weeks (two separate trips to El Paso and Austin), and I have had to be in two places as one two Tuesdays in a row. Thankfully I made it and with people watching my kids one either end (soccer and dance practice), we survived. I'm so glad to not have to do it again though. Francis starts his new position on Monday (he's moving to a more permanent position within ARL doing the same job). I'm so proud he was able to do it so quickly, and I look forward to seeing what this new chapter holds.
We've been doing school "lite" here. The kids picked out their summer workbooks and we have been spending only 10-15 minutes max on school things.If we don't keep some routine, we have a hard time, so this is a good compromise. We'll start back up school in a couple of weeks but take it easy during the summer since we have so many other fun things to do too. The last Bible Study is tomorrow and I am sad to see the year end. It's really the final thing that's still going on. After that, we have a couple of quiet weeks with just soccer and dance before they finish and Summer activities begin!
Yesterday we had our CC Field Day. Thankfully the weather held off (it's been a little unpredictable around here), and we hung out with over 100 other CC kiddos doing games at 18 different stations. Hannah got a first, second and third place ribbon at different events, William got second at the sack race and Robert got third at the same event. They were all in different groups so I couldn't see them all compete all the time, but what I did see made me smile. They tried hard, played well and were good sports. It was a good day.
Yesterday evening was less enjoyable. After Hannah's dance class, we were getting ready to go to bed, when I picked up an oscillating fan and gave it to Francis to move out of the boys' room. The large round base of the fan suddenly detached and hit Andrew in the head. There was immediately blood everywhere. We all rushed to the ER and after an hour of "your next", we went to a different ER and were seen right away. Andrew has a gash in his forehead that required a steri strip to close it and finally stop the bleeding. He has a long cut under his right eye and a small cut on the eye itself. With some eye drops and time, he will be fine, but he looks pretty beat up.
Well, an hour has passed between the last sentence and this because the kids and I just spent it in the bathroom. Why? We were under a tornado warning. We are ok, but it got pretty loud and the rain is still really coming down. We'll have to see if there is any damage after the storm has passed, but we are thankful to be safe, warm and dry. It's no small task to hang out in a bathtub with 4 kids for an hour watching a storm get ever closer on the news on your phone, but the kids were amazing. The dogs too were with us and very nervous, but they finally managed to settle even if they were stressed. Hoping that is the end of excitement for today!
Till next time!
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
April 17, 2019
Things are very quiet around here...but I'll get to that.
This past week has been good overall. Last Thursday Andrew made through the whole Bible Study in the nursery for the first time. Up until recently I've been bringing him into class with me and even after that I have had to pick him up in the middle to feed him. It's a good sign he's growing up and I'm glad.
Friday evening was the last Junction (parents' night out) until the fall. After we dropped off the kids, Francis and I went to see the new movie Shazam at Star Cinema Grill. It was cute and the food was good. Saturday was a long and crazy day. We got up and checked if the boys' soccer games were cancelled due to weather (they weren't), so Francis took William to his game while I took the other 3 to the George Bush Library Easter egg hunt. Due to the weather threat, the even was moved indoors which meant we had to wait in line to get in and it was extra crowded. We did manage to get a picture with the Easter bunny and do the egg hunt/games before Francis brought William to me and took Robert to his game. After William did all the things he wanted at the event, the three kids I had and I picked up food and headed home in a bit of an overcast windy gloom. We ate quickly and I changed Hannah into her dance costume and as soon as Francis got home, Hannah and I went to get her class pictures done for dance. As soon as we arrived, the weather took a turn for the worst so we got inside. while Hannah was getting her pictures done, I found out there was a tornado in Franklin (35 miles north of us) and that we were under a sever thunderstorm warning. Keeping a careful eye on the radar, when Hannah got done (I can't wait to see how they turned out!) we left in between bands of the storm and made it home in time before another downpour. After a short time, the storm finally passed and we were able to do a final activity- attend a birthday party at jumping world. The kids had a great time. There was a scary moment though where Hannah fell off a 10ft platform and hit the cement ground (she was miraculously fine). She was supposed to jump onto an inflatable mat, but grabbed hold of the platform instead and landed underneath the platform on the cement. My heart stopped momentarily, but other than a little crying and needing an ice pack on her leg for all of two seconds, she didn't let it stop her from running around and enjoying the est of the party. When we left, the sun had come out and it felt as if a week had passed. Weird.
Sunday was the last AWANA for the spring and the awards ceremony. William received his Sparky award, Robert received his first book award and Hannah finished Cubbies book A. William and Robert were both selected to read verses during the ceremony to represent their particular grades. I'm not sure how they were chosen, but hearing them read scripture proudly brought tears to my eyes. Francis also finished his 5th year volunteering with Cubbies. I am so thankful for a man so willing to serve and invest in our children.
Monday I spent the day packing up the three big kids' suitcases. Why? Becuase yesterday morning I met my dad part way between here and Dallas and he took them back with him. William and Robert will be spending time with their cousin Issac and my dad in order to go camping in Tyler early and do manly things. Hannah was dropped off at my sister Christian's house so she and her cousin Alexandra could have girl time for a couple of days before we all meet up in Tyler on Friday for Easter camping with the whole Noble Family. I am thankful for a family that loves my kids.
Part of the reason the kids all 3 left is because this morning Andrew had surgery to get tubed put in his ears. He's had constant ear infections for over 5 months and recently failed his hearing test due to all the fluid in his ears. It was a long night of being up with him and a rough morning of waiting, but he came out of surgery just fine and is in the swing next to me sleeping (finally). I can already tell a difference in his responsiveness to sound. Sounds that normally would be ignored are now of sudden and immediate interest. I look forward to seeing what other wonderful things come out of my baby no longer being in constant pain. I'm hoping he will finally get a good nights rest so I can too. For now, I will go back to cleaning out the school areas and preparing for the next school year while I have a moment of quiet.
Till next time!
This past week has been good overall. Last Thursday Andrew made through the whole Bible Study in the nursery for the first time. Up until recently I've been bringing him into class with me and even after that I have had to pick him up in the middle to feed him. It's a good sign he's growing up and I'm glad.
Friday evening was the last Junction (parents' night out) until the fall. After we dropped off the kids, Francis and I went to see the new movie Shazam at Star Cinema Grill. It was cute and the food was good. Saturday was a long and crazy day. We got up and checked if the boys' soccer games were cancelled due to weather (they weren't), so Francis took William to his game while I took the other 3 to the George Bush Library Easter egg hunt. Due to the weather threat, the even was moved indoors which meant we had to wait in line to get in and it was extra crowded. We did manage to get a picture with the Easter bunny and do the egg hunt/games before Francis brought William to me and took Robert to his game. After William did all the things he wanted at the event, the three kids I had and I picked up food and headed home in a bit of an overcast windy gloom. We ate quickly and I changed Hannah into her dance costume and as soon as Francis got home, Hannah and I went to get her class pictures done for dance. As soon as we arrived, the weather took a turn for the worst so we got inside. while Hannah was getting her pictures done, I found out there was a tornado in Franklin (35 miles north of us) and that we were under a sever thunderstorm warning. Keeping a careful eye on the radar, when Hannah got done (I can't wait to see how they turned out!) we left in between bands of the storm and made it home in time before another downpour. After a short time, the storm finally passed and we were able to do a final activity- attend a birthday party at jumping world. The kids had a great time. There was a scary moment though where Hannah fell off a 10ft platform and hit the cement ground (she was miraculously fine). She was supposed to jump onto an inflatable mat, but grabbed hold of the platform instead and landed underneath the platform on the cement. My heart stopped momentarily, but other than a little crying and needing an ice pack on her leg for all of two seconds, she didn't let it stop her from running around and enjoying the est of the party. When we left, the sun had come out and it felt as if a week had passed. Weird.
Sunday was the last AWANA for the spring and the awards ceremony. William received his Sparky award, Robert received his first book award and Hannah finished Cubbies book A. William and Robert were both selected to read verses during the ceremony to represent their particular grades. I'm not sure how they were chosen, but hearing them read scripture proudly brought tears to my eyes. Francis also finished his 5th year volunteering with Cubbies. I am so thankful for a man so willing to serve and invest in our children.
Monday I spent the day packing up the three big kids' suitcases. Why? Becuase yesterday morning I met my dad part way between here and Dallas and he took them back with him. William and Robert will be spending time with their cousin Issac and my dad in order to go camping in Tyler early and do manly things. Hannah was dropped off at my sister Christian's house so she and her cousin Alexandra could have girl time for a couple of days before we all meet up in Tyler on Friday for Easter camping with the whole Noble Family. I am thankful for a family that loves my kids.
Part of the reason the kids all 3 left is because this morning Andrew had surgery to get tubed put in his ears. He's had constant ear infections for over 5 months and recently failed his hearing test due to all the fluid in his ears. It was a long night of being up with him and a rough morning of waiting, but he came out of surgery just fine and is in the swing next to me sleeping (finally). I can already tell a difference in his responsiveness to sound. Sounds that normally would be ignored are now of sudden and immediate interest. I look forward to seeing what other wonderful things come out of my baby no longer being in constant pain. I'm hoping he will finally get a good nights rest so I can too. For now, I will go back to cleaning out the school areas and preparing for the next school year while I have a moment of quiet.
Till next time!
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
April 10, 2019
And we are done with school. whew.
ok so Friday before last we had a family Bahama Bucks date (snow cones) to mark the end of Robert finishing Kindergarten and William finishing his tutor proof (round 2). We spent Friday morning at the ENT doctor to get Andrew's tubed scheduled (that happens next week), so after a rough morning we headed to William's tutor's house to do the proof. I sat in the next room as I listened to William tell all 24 weeks of all 7 subjects (Math, Latin, English, timeline, Geography, History, Science) of memory work. He did it flawlessly. So, after that major success, we had to do something and Bahama Bucks seemed fitting.
Saturday William and Robert each had their first soccer game. Francis had his first game coaching (Robert's team). Both boys did great! Robert scored his firs goal in a major breakaway, and I managed to get it on video! I cannot wait to see what the coming weeks hold. That afternoon we had lunch and then went to A&M for their annual vet school open house. We got to pet animals, learn about how to make horseshoes, look at snakes, and participate in teddy bear surgery. The last was the kids favorite. they got to dress up in scrubs, pick out a stuffed animal and after telling the vet tech what was wrong, learn how veterinarians help solve these problems in animals. It was fun and informative. My favorite combination.
Tuesday before last, William completed his tutor proof making him an official Memory Master. I was so nervous waiting for him to finish because he had come so far. He had no problem and came out beaming with pride. He worked very hard to accomplish this and pushed through even though he didn't always feel like it.
Wednesday evening we celebrated by taking the kids to the Brazilian steakhouse in town (Casa do Brasil). With a kindergarten grad, a Memory Master and some good news regarding Francis's job, we had a lot to celebrate. I didn't know my kids could eat so much, but they relished all of the food, especially the all you can eat meat. Even Andrew had a good share. Hannah loved the fried plantains, and the big boys ate their weight in steak. A good time was had by all!
Thursday was our usual Bible Study. I am still loving it and even was able to sign us up for next year. Next year we are doing Genesis. Yay!
Friday was the Father-Daughter Dance. After Francis's date with William on Monday to Chuck E cheese, it was Hannah's turn for some Daddy time. She got all dressed up in a "rainbow" pink dress and did her hair, jewelry and "make up" (lipgloss) to perfection. Francis got her a silk flower corsage to match. The dance had professional photos, ice cream bar, a dance floor and little craft area. Hannah played and danced the night away with Francis and her little friends. She came home with her face positively beaming.
Saturday rain caused soccer to be cancelled, so we headed over to A&M for their Physics and Engineering festival. It did not disappoint. With over 200 different experiments, multiple shows (we loved the Bubble Show), a huge working Tesla coil and so much more, we learned and had fun! When we finished, we eventually headed home and had crepes a la Francis for dinner. Francis is an amazing chef and our bellies and hearts were full.
Sunday marked the second week for Francis on the new light board and the opening of the new children's library at church. The kids already have checked out books and we love the cozy feel of the reading windows. Sunday evening was the next to last AWANAS. All three bigs had finished their books and will be getting their awards next Sunday after their last class. They have learned a ton of verses this year!
Monday was a quiet day at home. Andrew (who now has SIX teeth!) learned that he can crawl away from mommy (not just toward) and spent a good portion of the day exercising his new freedom. He found and now enjoys the dog food (yuck), so we've entered that phase of babyhood. He is also working on standing up from sitting without holding onto anything, which is really impressive for only 9 months!
I needed a quiet day to prepare for yesterday. Yesterday we hit the ground running and didn't stop. We had our last day of school at CC. It's hard to say goodbye, but it was a sweet time followed by our end of year party and Memory Master presentation. Francis came up and together he and I presented William with his Memory Master certificate in front of the group. After lunch and recess, we stayed to listen the the 4-6th graders present their Faces of History projects. I was so impressed by their knowledge of their characters as they dressed up and presented figures from ancient history. They did a great job! We went from their to Job's third birthday party. We played at the park, had an egg hunt and ate pizza and cupcakes. the weather was a bit warm, but still pretty. Finally we went to dance practice (Hannah) and soccer practice (William and Robert). By the time we got home, we were tired! whew.
Today we will go by the library to pick books and do Wednesday evening church, but mostly we've earned a rest.
Till next time!
ok so Friday before last we had a family Bahama Bucks date (snow cones) to mark the end of Robert finishing Kindergarten and William finishing his tutor proof (round 2). We spent Friday morning at the ENT doctor to get Andrew's tubed scheduled (that happens next week), so after a rough morning we headed to William's tutor's house to do the proof. I sat in the next room as I listened to William tell all 24 weeks of all 7 subjects (Math, Latin, English, timeline, Geography, History, Science) of memory work. He did it flawlessly. So, after that major success, we had to do something and Bahama Bucks seemed fitting.
Saturday William and Robert each had their first soccer game. Francis had his first game coaching (Robert's team). Both boys did great! Robert scored his firs goal in a major breakaway, and I managed to get it on video! I cannot wait to see what the coming weeks hold. That afternoon we had lunch and then went to A&M for their annual vet school open house. We got to pet animals, learn about how to make horseshoes, look at snakes, and participate in teddy bear surgery. The last was the kids favorite. they got to dress up in scrubs, pick out a stuffed animal and after telling the vet tech what was wrong, learn how veterinarians help solve these problems in animals. It was fun and informative. My favorite combination.
Tuesday before last, William completed his tutor proof making him an official Memory Master. I was so nervous waiting for him to finish because he had come so far. He had no problem and came out beaming with pride. He worked very hard to accomplish this and pushed through even though he didn't always feel like it.
Wednesday evening we celebrated by taking the kids to the Brazilian steakhouse in town (Casa do Brasil). With a kindergarten grad, a Memory Master and some good news regarding Francis's job, we had a lot to celebrate. I didn't know my kids could eat so much, but they relished all of the food, especially the all you can eat meat. Even Andrew had a good share. Hannah loved the fried plantains, and the big boys ate their weight in steak. A good time was had by all!
Thursday was our usual Bible Study. I am still loving it and even was able to sign us up for next year. Next year we are doing Genesis. Yay!
Friday was the Father-Daughter Dance. After Francis's date with William on Monday to Chuck E cheese, it was Hannah's turn for some Daddy time. She got all dressed up in a "rainbow" pink dress and did her hair, jewelry and "make up" (lipgloss) to perfection. Francis got her a silk flower corsage to match. The dance had professional photos, ice cream bar, a dance floor and little craft area. Hannah played and danced the night away with Francis and her little friends. She came home with her face positively beaming.
Saturday rain caused soccer to be cancelled, so we headed over to A&M for their Physics and Engineering festival. It did not disappoint. With over 200 different experiments, multiple shows (we loved the Bubble Show), a huge working Tesla coil and so much more, we learned and had fun! When we finished, we eventually headed home and had crepes a la Francis for dinner. Francis is an amazing chef and our bellies and hearts were full.
Sunday marked the second week for Francis on the new light board and the opening of the new children's library at church. The kids already have checked out books and we love the cozy feel of the reading windows. Sunday evening was the next to last AWANAS. All three bigs had finished their books and will be getting their awards next Sunday after their last class. They have learned a ton of verses this year!
Monday was a quiet day at home. Andrew (who now has SIX teeth!) learned that he can crawl away from mommy (not just toward) and spent a good portion of the day exercising his new freedom. He found and now enjoys the dog food (yuck), so we've entered that phase of babyhood. He is also working on standing up from sitting without holding onto anything, which is really impressive for only 9 months!
I needed a quiet day to prepare for yesterday. Yesterday we hit the ground running and didn't stop. We had our last day of school at CC. It's hard to say goodbye, but it was a sweet time followed by our end of year party and Memory Master presentation. Francis came up and together he and I presented William with his Memory Master certificate in front of the group. After lunch and recess, we stayed to listen the the 4-6th graders present their Faces of History projects. I was so impressed by their knowledge of their characters as they dressed up and presented figures from ancient history. They did a great job! We went from their to Job's third birthday party. We played at the park, had an egg hunt and ate pizza and cupcakes. the weather was a bit warm, but still pretty. Finally we went to dance practice (Hannah) and soccer practice (William and Robert). By the time we got home, we were tired! whew.
Today we will go by the library to pick books and do Wednesday evening church, but mostly we've earned a rest.
Till next time!
Thursday, March 28, 2019
March 28, 2019
We've been busy around here. First off Andrew turned 9 months. He hit that milestone with an explosion of activity. He realized all of a sudden that crawling was faster than rolling. He was on the ground, pushed up and landed farther forward. I could see the light bulb go off as he did it again and again across the floor. No more rolling around for this guy. He's fast and his siblings don't know quite what to make of it. He's also standing without assistance for short periods of time. He is still working on taking that first step, but I think is may not be far off. Until then, he has no problem pulling up on furniture and cruising along until he reaches the end. He's got down the pincher grasp and his fine motor skills are very developed. He started waving bye bye by opening and closing his hand last night, which melted my heart to no end! He makes all sorts of noises and thinks he's talking. He's got a great sense of humor and thinks we are all hilarious. He's the best cuddler too. He still doesn't want me out of his sight, but he loves the rest of the family too. We love you Andrew! His 9 month check up was Monday and he now weights 19lbs 11 oz and is 30 inches long! He's still above the growth chart for length but he's lean so he looks like a mini-basketball player. He graduated to mostly 18 month clothing! And you know what? I wouldn't change a thing.
We are winding down our school year over here. In fact, Robert's last day of Kindergarten is going to be right after I finish this blog. He's learned so much this year and can add and subtract like a champ and is reading so well. We have a couple more weeks of CC, but our book work is going to take a break. William has a little more work (mainly in math) because he's been focusing on Memory Master for the past few weeks. What is Memory Master? It is where you memorize all the memory work for all seven subjects for all 24 weeks of CC and recite them 3 times (to parent, tutor and director). He's already recited them to me and meets with his tutor tomorrow for round 2. It's a big accomplishment to even do it once! Only one other 7 year old is even attempting it from our campus, and I so proud of the hours of practice he has put it. I didn't make him do it...I've actually given him plenty of opportunity to not do Memory Master, but he's determined and I'm cheering for him. When he did it for me on Friday, we celebrated with some Cici's pizza and then William and I gad our date at Sharkey's Cuts for Kids. Sharkey's is a swanky place for hair cuts. He was able to play video game and get a shampoo in addition to getting his hair cut. He left with a balloon and a sucker. He's already planning when he can get his haircut again, haha. We also went around playing pokemon together before we headed home. It was a fun evening.
Saturday was a mixed bag. I got my hair cut finally (at least 12 inches gone), and my head feels so much lighter. I met up with Francis and the kids for lunch, and then Francis took the big boys to practice soccer. they were gone a long time and when they returned, Francis was on William's bike pushing himself along....because he couldn't walk. He hurt his ankle stopping a ball. We rushed to urgent care (it was the same foot that he broke in college), and fortunately it is just a bad sprain. He has a boot and is making progress toward recovery. That evening we had family movie night and watched Inside Out. It was a much needed break after a very busy day.
Otherwise, we've been mostly chugging along. We had friends over yesterday afternoon. Hannah got to have some girl time with the girl in the other family. they played ponies, dress up and babies among other things. She was so sad when the time was over so we will have to do it again soon. Her brothers play with her and try to (sometimes) do what she wants, but their interests tend toward pokemon and Ninjago at present. It was nice for her to have a Pinkalicious sort of afternoon for once. Hannah is starting to get a hang of her letters. She's not had much interest as her brothers read to her, but she's starting to know the names of letters and their sounds. She can count, and I can see the school bug has bit her a little because she gets out her "school books" without anyone mentioning them. Next year she will get to do CC, and I know she will love having her own class. She's getting so big so fast!
We are winding down our school year over here. In fact, Robert's last day of Kindergarten is going to be right after I finish this blog. He's learned so much this year and can add and subtract like a champ and is reading so well. We have a couple more weeks of CC, but our book work is going to take a break. William has a little more work (mainly in math) because he's been focusing on Memory Master for the past few weeks. What is Memory Master? It is where you memorize all the memory work for all seven subjects for all 24 weeks of CC and recite them 3 times (to parent, tutor and director). He's already recited them to me and meets with his tutor tomorrow for round 2. It's a big accomplishment to even do it once! Only one other 7 year old is even attempting it from our campus, and I so proud of the hours of practice he has put it. I didn't make him do it...I've actually given him plenty of opportunity to not do Memory Master, but he's determined and I'm cheering for him. When he did it for me on Friday, we celebrated with some Cici's pizza and then William and I gad our date at Sharkey's Cuts for Kids. Sharkey's is a swanky place for hair cuts. He was able to play video game and get a shampoo in addition to getting his hair cut. He left with a balloon and a sucker. He's already planning when he can get his haircut again, haha. We also went around playing pokemon together before we headed home. It was a fun evening.
Saturday was a mixed bag. I got my hair cut finally (at least 12 inches gone), and my head feels so much lighter. I met up with Francis and the kids for lunch, and then Francis took the big boys to practice soccer. they were gone a long time and when they returned, Francis was on William's bike pushing himself along....because he couldn't walk. He hurt his ankle stopping a ball. We rushed to urgent care (it was the same foot that he broke in college), and fortunately it is just a bad sprain. He has a boot and is making progress toward recovery. That evening we had family movie night and watched Inside Out. It was a much needed break after a very busy day.
Otherwise, we've been mostly chugging along. We had friends over yesterday afternoon. Hannah got to have some girl time with the girl in the other family. they played ponies, dress up and babies among other things. She was so sad when the time was over so we will have to do it again soon. Her brothers play with her and try to (sometimes) do what she wants, but their interests tend toward pokemon and Ninjago at present. It was nice for her to have a Pinkalicious sort of afternoon for once. Hannah is starting to get a hang of her letters. She's not had much interest as her brothers read to her, but she's starting to know the names of letters and their sounds. She can count, and I can see the school bug has bit her a little because she gets out her "school books" without anyone mentioning them. Next year she will get to do CC, and I know she will love having her own class. She's getting so big so fast!
Monday, March 18, 2019
March 18, 2019
Long time, no write. Back on Feb 22, Andrew turned 8 months! He was sitting up all the tiem and even pulling himself to standing and staying standing for a couple of seconds unassisted. He is doing longer and longer stints of this now and even attempts to take steps (which end in him face planting if I don't catch him). He says mama and has gone from 2 to 4 teeth (the two on top have come in). He's smart, determined and cute as can be. He's loved by his siblings and parents and laughs with (or at) us often. Time is flying by, but I am trying to savor the sweet times.
The weather the past month has been a mix of beautiful, extremely rainy and cold. Sometimes all in the same day. When the weather is nice, we've been going kite flying and for walks to the park. It's nice to start getting outside again and get our bodies back into working order. Toward the end of February, Andrew got to wear real shoes for the first time and enjoyed walking around the park holding onto my fingers or the playground equipment. He's getting so big so fast and wants to be just like his siblings.
What else? William finished basketball! His last game was great with his best playing yet. He received the "Positivity" award for always having a good attitude. I have to agree that no matter what happened on the court, William never let it get him down. It's a valuable life skill to be able to see the good in things. He had a pizza party complete with cookie cake and fun was had by all. Now the boys start soccer practice on Tuesday. I'm so not cut out to be a sports mom, but I love my little athletes!
February was Francis's month to take the kids on dates, but March has been mine! Robert chose Chuck e Cheese. We had a blast and he really thrives on that one on one time. We played all the games, got some cool prizes and even got a special visit from Chuck E Cheese himself. Robert says "It was fun!" Hannah's date was on Friday. She chose to go shopping at Target and Charming Charlie's and have ice cream. She'd never been to Charming Charlie's and at every new piece of jewelry or purse she would squeal or sigh happily or say "that's gorgeous!". It was adorable. William's date id this Friday and he wants to get his hair cut at special place in town that lets you play video games. I'm hoping it lives up to his expectations!
We had western day at CC week before last. I finally got both the boys cowboy boots for the occasion. Hopefully they can pass them down so we'll get some use out of them. After Bible Study on Thursday, the kids and I headed to Dallas for Spring Break. It was a fun few days! Friday, Mom, Dad, Christian and her kids joined us at the zoo for a fun day of animals. Hannah loved the giraffes, Robert loved time with cousins, and William loved the reptiles and insects. It was Andrew's first zoo trip, and he, like his siblings did at the same age, loved the Koi fish best. We all went back to my parents house and were joined by Danielle and Kevin for pasta and swimming. It was Andrew's first swimming adventure and he loved splashing in the water while I held him.
Saturday we did a little shopping. Hannah picked out her dress for the father-daughter dance and we all had lunch at Chick-fil-a. All 8 cousins then spent the afternoon with Sweetie and Papa while Chad, Christian, Danielle, Kevin and I went and saw Captain Marvel. We enjoyed it! We got back just in time for dinner and of course, more swimming. It was a sweet time and I'm glad the kids get to have time with their relatives.
Sunday we went to church at Prestonwood (even with time change we arrived early enough to play at the indoor playground), and had lunch with my parents and Dani at a Mexican food place. Afterward we said goodbye and headed to my in-laws. Grandad and Nana were happy to see us, and the feeling was mutual. It was Robert's half birthday so after an afternoon of games and fun at the house, we ate dinner at Red Lobster. I got a cake for Robert and we sang to him (because, why not?). The cake was delicious! Monday Nana took off from work and we had a special breakfast at IHOP. Then we all went to the Perot museum for the day. It was a blast!!! all of the science memory work we've been learning was on full display at the different levels of this museum. The kids learened about dinosuars and fossils, earth science, biology, robotics, physics and so much more! We didn't even fully do everything. Hannah loved looking at the gems and mineral, Robert loved being a dinosaur, and William loved learning about earthquakes and other natural phenomena. Andrew liked the children's museum play area at the end. Thanks for taking us, Nana! We ended our day eating Greek food and headed home happy and tired.
I wish I could say Tuesday was a great, but it wasn't. We were already planning to head home, but went to play with cousins one last time at the playground at Prestonwood. When we arrived, Hannah said she was tired and fell asleep on a bench. she awoke in a worse mood a while later and when I tried to get her to the car, she threw up in the lobby. With Christian's help, I got everyone in the car and we made the long drive home. When we got home, Robert was also sick. But wonder or wonders, after a long nap their fevers (which came on mid-morning), had broken and they each announced they were fully recovered. It was a relief, but we did stay home Wednesday just to make sure. Thursday we had a play date at Central Playground and Friday we had pie for Pi Day as well as a great trip to the park.
Saturday we went to Sherwood Forest Faire. Hannah had a birthday party that morning, so Francis and the big boys went on ahead without us. While they were storming the (play) castle and practicing their archery (their chosen special activity), Hannah was getting her nails done and having girl time with her friends. After I picked up Hannah from her party, we (along with Andrew) went to the Faire also. We saw full contact jousting, a little magic show, fire dancers. a bird show and so much more. Hannah selected a pony ride as her special thing and she, Andrew and I attended the fairy tea party. It's one of my favorite things we do as a family because we've done it every year since before William was born.
Well, I think that's it for now. Hopefully I won't wait so long until I write again. Till next time!
The weather the past month has been a mix of beautiful, extremely rainy and cold. Sometimes all in the same day. When the weather is nice, we've been going kite flying and for walks to the park. It's nice to start getting outside again and get our bodies back into working order. Toward the end of February, Andrew got to wear real shoes for the first time and enjoyed walking around the park holding onto my fingers or the playground equipment. He's getting so big so fast and wants to be just like his siblings.
What else? William finished basketball! His last game was great with his best playing yet. He received the "Positivity" award for always having a good attitude. I have to agree that no matter what happened on the court, William never let it get him down. It's a valuable life skill to be able to see the good in things. He had a pizza party complete with cookie cake and fun was had by all. Now the boys start soccer practice on Tuesday. I'm so not cut out to be a sports mom, but I love my little athletes!
February was Francis's month to take the kids on dates, but March has been mine! Robert chose Chuck e Cheese. We had a blast and he really thrives on that one on one time. We played all the games, got some cool prizes and even got a special visit from Chuck E Cheese himself. Robert says "It was fun!" Hannah's date was on Friday. She chose to go shopping at Target and Charming Charlie's and have ice cream. She'd never been to Charming Charlie's and at every new piece of jewelry or purse she would squeal or sigh happily or say "that's gorgeous!". It was adorable. William's date id this Friday and he wants to get his hair cut at special place in town that lets you play video games. I'm hoping it lives up to his expectations!
We had western day at CC week before last. I finally got both the boys cowboy boots for the occasion. Hopefully they can pass them down so we'll get some use out of them. After Bible Study on Thursday, the kids and I headed to Dallas for Spring Break. It was a fun few days! Friday, Mom, Dad, Christian and her kids joined us at the zoo for a fun day of animals. Hannah loved the giraffes, Robert loved time with cousins, and William loved the reptiles and insects. It was Andrew's first zoo trip, and he, like his siblings did at the same age, loved the Koi fish best. We all went back to my parents house and were joined by Danielle and Kevin for pasta and swimming. It was Andrew's first swimming adventure and he loved splashing in the water while I held him.
Saturday we did a little shopping. Hannah picked out her dress for the father-daughter dance and we all had lunch at Chick-fil-a. All 8 cousins then spent the afternoon with Sweetie and Papa while Chad, Christian, Danielle, Kevin and I went and saw Captain Marvel. We enjoyed it! We got back just in time for dinner and of course, more swimming. It was a sweet time and I'm glad the kids get to have time with their relatives.
Sunday we went to church at Prestonwood (even with time change we arrived early enough to play at the indoor playground), and had lunch with my parents and Dani at a Mexican food place. Afterward we said goodbye and headed to my in-laws. Grandad and Nana were happy to see us, and the feeling was mutual. It was Robert's half birthday so after an afternoon of games and fun at the house, we ate dinner at Red Lobster. I got a cake for Robert and we sang to him (because, why not?). The cake was delicious! Monday Nana took off from work and we had a special breakfast at IHOP. Then we all went to the Perot museum for the day. It was a blast!!! all of the science memory work we've been learning was on full display at the different levels of this museum. The kids learened about dinosuars and fossils, earth science, biology, robotics, physics and so much more! We didn't even fully do everything. Hannah loved looking at the gems and mineral, Robert loved being a dinosaur, and William loved learning about earthquakes and other natural phenomena. Andrew liked the children's museum play area at the end. Thanks for taking us, Nana! We ended our day eating Greek food and headed home happy and tired.
I wish I could say Tuesday was a great, but it wasn't. We were already planning to head home, but went to play with cousins one last time at the playground at Prestonwood. When we arrived, Hannah said she was tired and fell asleep on a bench. she awoke in a worse mood a while later and when I tried to get her to the car, she threw up in the lobby. With Christian's help, I got everyone in the car and we made the long drive home. When we got home, Robert was also sick. But wonder or wonders, after a long nap their fevers (which came on mid-morning), had broken and they each announced they were fully recovered. It was a relief, but we did stay home Wednesday just to make sure. Thursday we had a play date at Central Playground and Friday we had pie for Pi Day as well as a great trip to the park.
Saturday we went to Sherwood Forest Faire. Hannah had a birthday party that morning, so Francis and the big boys went on ahead without us. While they were storming the (play) castle and practicing their archery (their chosen special activity), Hannah was getting her nails done and having girl time with her friends. After I picked up Hannah from her party, we (along with Andrew) went to the Faire also. We saw full contact jousting, a little magic show, fire dancers. a bird show and so much more. Hannah selected a pony ride as her special thing and she, Andrew and I attended the fairy tea party. It's one of my favorite things we do as a family because we've done it every year since before William was born.
Well, I think that's it for now. Hopefully I won't wait so long until I write again. Till next time!
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
February 20, 2019
The past couple of weeks have brought some changes around here. Francis made it back safely from Maryland and he had a productive trip. Nana and Grandad came to visit weekend before last and got to see William perform at his basketball game and then we spent the afternoon at one of the kids' favorite places: Urban Air Trampoline Park. It was fun for all and I am so thankful the kids have such amazing grandparents.
Last week was Valentine's Day and the kids had not one, but two Valentine's parties! The first was at CC on Tuesday. The second was at Bible Study. While it was very fun and the kids had a great time, it was sure a lot of Valentine's to make! All said and done, I think we did around 80! Tuesday morning the kids woke up to cards and small gifts from us and their grandparents. Andrew really liked his stackable toys and looked super cute in his hugs and kisses Valentine's outfit. For dinner we had a special dinner together and played at home. It was a good day overall. Friday we had Junction (parents' night out) so the kids went to church while Francis and I went to a Brazilian Steakhouse for a nice dinner. I'm thankful for a church that gives us the opportunity to have a night out. I was a little concerned about leaving Andrew as he's gotten to where he doesn't like me leaving the room, but the experts in the nursery got him to sleep the entire time we were gone. Win!
This past Saturday was particularly special. After William's basketball game, we went to Houston to meet the newest member of the family: My nephew Jackson Boerger. We visited the hospital and the kids were able to meet him and play with their cousin Abby. I even got to hold Mr. Jackson. I can attest to the perfect little bundle being the highlight of 2019! My heart melted as I looked into his sweet little face. That little guy is loved far more than he will ever know. I did my best not to cry from joy while I was there (I teared up), but when we left I cried happy tears and praised God for the miracle of his life and his safe delivery. Welcome to the world, Jackson!
This week has been quiet but busy. Andrew is good at rolling around and can get up on all fours, but shows no sign of desiring to crawl. He can walk around quickly in the walker and can stand independently. He even tries to walk by letting go of things and taking a step...which ends in him landing on his bum or his face. But he's close! So it's possible he'll skip crawling all together. He smiles at anyone who will give him the time of day and still hates naps. He can get to anything on the floor and does, much to his siblings' chagrin. They love making him smile and he loves being prat of the group. I love seeing all of them bond.
Hannah is all spunk and sweetness. She is a sponge and is quick to correct when she sees an error has been made. She loves doing her "schoolwork" and already wants to learn to write her letters and numbers. She loves hanging out with her brothers and her friends and is at present the most extroverted of the bunch (which is saying something). She may be smaller and younger than many of the kids she hangs out with, but she doesn't let that stop her from keeping up. Her favorite spot is still my lap and I will love that for as long as it lasts. She lives up to the name "Princess Hannah" and we love her for it.
Robert is growing so much that every time I turn around I notice the change. His height has increased again and his mind is overflowing with information. The "what ifs" never stop flowing and lead to good deep conversations that I never thought I would have with a 5 year old. He is so loving and is the best at finding a way to compromise with his siblings. He is sharp and knows not only what his is doing for school, but is such an avid listener that he can generally answer most of the questions from his siblings' work too. He loves to listen to his memory work on his MP3 player at night and probably can recite more verses, history facts and science information than most adults.
Monday the 11th was William's half birthday. He wanted ice cream to celebrate turning 7 1/2 and I'm all about celebrating. I can't believe he's already more than halfway to 8. His mind is changing as he challenges what we say with logic (sometimes good and sometimes bad). I am working on the balance between helping him think critically and making sure he isn't disrespectful in the process. He's a sweet boy and so smart, and I want him to cultivate a spirit of curiosity and also wisdom.
Last week was Valentine's Day and the kids had not one, but two Valentine's parties! The first was at CC on Tuesday. The second was at Bible Study. While it was very fun and the kids had a great time, it was sure a lot of Valentine's to make! All said and done, I think we did around 80! Tuesday morning the kids woke up to cards and small gifts from us and their grandparents. Andrew really liked his stackable toys and looked super cute in his hugs and kisses Valentine's outfit. For dinner we had a special dinner together and played at home. It was a good day overall. Friday we had Junction (parents' night out) so the kids went to church while Francis and I went to a Brazilian Steakhouse for a nice dinner. I'm thankful for a church that gives us the opportunity to have a night out. I was a little concerned about leaving Andrew as he's gotten to where he doesn't like me leaving the room, but the experts in the nursery got him to sleep the entire time we were gone. Win!
This past Saturday was particularly special. After William's basketball game, we went to Houston to meet the newest member of the family: My nephew Jackson Boerger. We visited the hospital and the kids were able to meet him and play with their cousin Abby. I even got to hold Mr. Jackson. I can attest to the perfect little bundle being the highlight of 2019! My heart melted as I looked into his sweet little face. That little guy is loved far more than he will ever know. I did my best not to cry from joy while I was there (I teared up), but when we left I cried happy tears and praised God for the miracle of his life and his safe delivery. Welcome to the world, Jackson!
This week has been quiet but busy. Andrew is good at rolling around and can get up on all fours, but shows no sign of desiring to crawl. He can walk around quickly in the walker and can stand independently. He even tries to walk by letting go of things and taking a step...which ends in him landing on his bum or his face. But he's close! So it's possible he'll skip crawling all together. He smiles at anyone who will give him the time of day and still hates naps. He can get to anything on the floor and does, much to his siblings' chagrin. They love making him smile and he loves being prat of the group. I love seeing all of them bond.
Hannah is all spunk and sweetness. She is a sponge and is quick to correct when she sees an error has been made. She loves doing her "schoolwork" and already wants to learn to write her letters and numbers. She loves hanging out with her brothers and her friends and is at present the most extroverted of the bunch (which is saying something). She may be smaller and younger than many of the kids she hangs out with, but she doesn't let that stop her from keeping up. Her favorite spot is still my lap and I will love that for as long as it lasts. She lives up to the name "Princess Hannah" and we love her for it.
Robert is growing so much that every time I turn around I notice the change. His height has increased again and his mind is overflowing with information. The "what ifs" never stop flowing and lead to good deep conversations that I never thought I would have with a 5 year old. He is so loving and is the best at finding a way to compromise with his siblings. He is sharp and knows not only what his is doing for school, but is such an avid listener that he can generally answer most of the questions from his siblings' work too. He loves to listen to his memory work on his MP3 player at night and probably can recite more verses, history facts and science information than most adults.
Monday the 11th was William's half birthday. He wanted ice cream to celebrate turning 7 1/2 and I'm all about celebrating. I can't believe he's already more than halfway to 8. His mind is changing as he challenges what we say with logic (sometimes good and sometimes bad). I am working on the balance between helping him think critically and making sure he isn't disrespectful in the process. He's a sweet boy and so smart, and I want him to cultivate a spirit of curiosity and also wisdom.
Tuesday, February 5, 2019
February 5, 2019
We have been busy! Andrew turned 7 months back on January 22. I can't believe that has happened so fast! He's got two teeth, is very mobile even though he doesn't do a proper "crawl" and is discovering the world around him more each day. He laughs often and will give his (loud) opinion about anything that captures his attention. He's a joy and a character, and I wouldn't trade anything for him.
Hannah's half-birthday was that Thursday. I'm not sure how half birthdays are a "thing" in our house (it's probably because I like sweets), but we got a few cupcakes picked out by Hannah to commemorate the occasion.
Throughout that week, Francis worked hard to complete a robotic hand which he received as a kit back on his birthday. With much effort it was completed and he has enjoyed teaching the kids how to use it. Saturday before last was busy. We had William's basketball game at 8am (early!) followed by donuts and a petting zoo outside a local store. If that weren't enough we had lunch and then went to a birthday party all afternoon. Finally I was too tired to cook and we tried out an Asian Buffet in town. William is really into trying new food right now and that was the ultimate experience for him. His favorite thing he experienced (other than all the new desserts) was the clams which he said were, "much better than I expected". The other kids tried new things too and a good time was had by all. I even found a pastry with bean paste inside that immediately transported me back to the days we had in Korea. It was a wonderful moment of nostalgia and now I'm aching to travel again.
Last Monday the big boys went to an orchestra and ballet concert. The younger two were not old enough to attend (you had to be school aged). Robert particularly loved it. He sat enraptured through the entire performance and spent the rest of the day talking about it. He has such a wonderful imagination, and the experience only fueled that flame. He really loved the costumes of the dancers who played animals and other characters to accompany the songs. I'm so glad!
Tuesday we had CC, then went home for an hour before going back for a special play group at church in the children's playground. We then had a quick snack, dropped off William at basketball practice (the next building over), and hurried Hannah to dance. Francis brought the big boys home after practice and we met at home for a late dinner. You can bet I slept hard that night!!! Wednesday afternoon we went to A&M's Kyle field to watch a flag football game between the State Representatives. Mom didn't play but was there to cheer on the freshman. The kids got to sit on the seats of the famous cannon, got to feed Reveille treats, and took pictures on the field. Francis showed up later and we all had snacks in the Chancellor's box before heading to Wednesday night church. Thanks mom, for all the fun!
Thursday was a quiet day where we "only" went to morning Bible Study. The only other thing to mention is that while I was out Thursday evening, Robert hit his head on the corner of the wall while playing tag (we think) and it bled quiet a bit. Francis just came around the corner and Robert was standing there covered in blood, and had no clue that he was bleeding (which is why we have no idea what happened). He got cleaned up and was fine before I got back. Friday I planned to stay home, but Robert smacked his head yet again (on the ground this time thanks to his sibling) and blood again burst forth from his head. I rushed him to urgent care. Turns out a hematoma had formed below his scab that was under a lot of pressure and that's why it was such a spectacular display. They wanted to do a staple but decided against it because they were concerned they'd cause another gush (the thing they were trying to avoid). So they wrapped up his head and he got to look like a revolutionary soldier returned from war for a couple of days (dad said all he needed was a fife). He's fine now and I'm so glad it was not more serious!
Saturday was another crazy day. We started with a meeting for Hannah's upcoming dance recital. She got her costume, which fits, and I heard all about what is expected. It was a lot of info! We went from there straight to Houston for my niece Abby's 8th birthday. It had a bounce house and crafts and was all mermaid themed! Hannah was in heaven, let me tell you. She painted a mermaid bank which now sits proudly on her night stand. After the party we drove straight to church for William's basketball game. After the game we grabbed a late dinner and headed home. There's never a dull moment around here with so much going on, but at least it is all fun things.
Sunday Francis left for Maryland. He returns tonight after having a bunch of meetings. Instead of taking it easy, I was in charge of a Super Bowl party at church Sunday evening and a field trip yesterday. Thankfully both went well. My Dad came into town late Sunday evening and has been here to help. Yesterday my dad, the kids and I went to Austin with most of our Classical Conversations homeschool group. Why? To get a tour from my favorite State Representative, Candy Noble (my mom!). She showed us around and gave us a ton of cool information. It was also rattle snake round up so the kids all got to touch live rattle snakes in the outdoor rotunda of the Capitol. It was a great time and dad, the kids and I even got to have lunch with her in the Capitol afterward. It was a day I won't soon forget and I know my kids won't either. Thanks mom, for letting my kids (and I) get to do all these cool things. I know they have no idea how cool it all is, but I do.
Today my dad and I have taken the kids to the park (where they played basketball and swings with Papa) and now the big 3 are playing video games with Papa. They will miss him when he leaves tonight!! My dad is taking Hannah to dance for Dad/Grandad night tonight. I was sad that it was this week when Francis told me about the trip, but Dad has filled the gap and I cannot say how grateful I am. Thanks Dad! I'm not sure how I would have been in two places at once tonight (dance and basketball), but now I don't have to be. I am so very very blessed.
Well, that's it for now! Till next time!
Hannah's half-birthday was that Thursday. I'm not sure how half birthdays are a "thing" in our house (it's probably because I like sweets), but we got a few cupcakes picked out by Hannah to commemorate the occasion.
Throughout that week, Francis worked hard to complete a robotic hand which he received as a kit back on his birthday. With much effort it was completed and he has enjoyed teaching the kids how to use it. Saturday before last was busy. We had William's basketball game at 8am (early!) followed by donuts and a petting zoo outside a local store. If that weren't enough we had lunch and then went to a birthday party all afternoon. Finally I was too tired to cook and we tried out an Asian Buffet in town. William is really into trying new food right now and that was the ultimate experience for him. His favorite thing he experienced (other than all the new desserts) was the clams which he said were, "much better than I expected". The other kids tried new things too and a good time was had by all. I even found a pastry with bean paste inside that immediately transported me back to the days we had in Korea. It was a wonderful moment of nostalgia and now I'm aching to travel again.
Last Monday the big boys went to an orchestra and ballet concert. The younger two were not old enough to attend (you had to be school aged). Robert particularly loved it. He sat enraptured through the entire performance and spent the rest of the day talking about it. He has such a wonderful imagination, and the experience only fueled that flame. He really loved the costumes of the dancers who played animals and other characters to accompany the songs. I'm so glad!
Tuesday we had CC, then went home for an hour before going back for a special play group at church in the children's playground. We then had a quick snack, dropped off William at basketball practice (the next building over), and hurried Hannah to dance. Francis brought the big boys home after practice and we met at home for a late dinner. You can bet I slept hard that night!!! Wednesday afternoon we went to A&M's Kyle field to watch a flag football game between the State Representatives. Mom didn't play but was there to cheer on the freshman. The kids got to sit on the seats of the famous cannon, got to feed Reveille treats, and took pictures on the field. Francis showed up later and we all had snacks in the Chancellor's box before heading to Wednesday night church. Thanks mom, for all the fun!
Thursday was a quiet day where we "only" went to morning Bible Study. The only other thing to mention is that while I was out Thursday evening, Robert hit his head on the corner of the wall while playing tag (we think) and it bled quiet a bit. Francis just came around the corner and Robert was standing there covered in blood, and had no clue that he was bleeding (which is why we have no idea what happened). He got cleaned up and was fine before I got back. Friday I planned to stay home, but Robert smacked his head yet again (on the ground this time thanks to his sibling) and blood again burst forth from his head. I rushed him to urgent care. Turns out a hematoma had formed below his scab that was under a lot of pressure and that's why it was such a spectacular display. They wanted to do a staple but decided against it because they were concerned they'd cause another gush (the thing they were trying to avoid). So they wrapped up his head and he got to look like a revolutionary soldier returned from war for a couple of days (dad said all he needed was a fife). He's fine now and I'm so glad it was not more serious!
Saturday was another crazy day. We started with a meeting for Hannah's upcoming dance recital. She got her costume, which fits, and I heard all about what is expected. It was a lot of info! We went from there straight to Houston for my niece Abby's 8th birthday. It had a bounce house and crafts and was all mermaid themed! Hannah was in heaven, let me tell you. She painted a mermaid bank which now sits proudly on her night stand. After the party we drove straight to church for William's basketball game. After the game we grabbed a late dinner and headed home. There's never a dull moment around here with so much going on, but at least it is all fun things.
Sunday Francis left for Maryland. He returns tonight after having a bunch of meetings. Instead of taking it easy, I was in charge of a Super Bowl party at church Sunday evening and a field trip yesterday. Thankfully both went well. My Dad came into town late Sunday evening and has been here to help. Yesterday my dad, the kids and I went to Austin with most of our Classical Conversations homeschool group. Why? To get a tour from my favorite State Representative, Candy Noble (my mom!). She showed us around and gave us a ton of cool information. It was also rattle snake round up so the kids all got to touch live rattle snakes in the outdoor rotunda of the Capitol. It was a great time and dad, the kids and I even got to have lunch with her in the Capitol afterward. It was a day I won't soon forget and I know my kids won't either. Thanks mom, for letting my kids (and I) get to do all these cool things. I know they have no idea how cool it all is, but I do.
Today my dad and I have taken the kids to the park (where they played basketball and swings with Papa) and now the big 3 are playing video games with Papa. They will miss him when he leaves tonight!! My dad is taking Hannah to dance for Dad/Grandad night tonight. I was sad that it was this week when Francis told me about the trip, but Dad has filled the gap and I cannot say how grateful I am. Thanks Dad! I'm not sure how I would have been in two places at once tonight (dance and basketball), but now I don't have to be. I am so very very blessed.
Well, that's it for now! Till next time!
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