Change of Plans

I wrote a post earlier today with every intention of publishing it tonight, and being done. My heart changed from 15 hours ago, though, and while I still love what I wanted to say, and will post it sometime, I feel the need to say something else...

Tell your family you love them. Hug your kids. Hold them in your lap (if they are little enough). Kiss your spouse. Call your grandparents and parents. You never get this back. You only get one chance around. Make it good, and don't leave it left unsaid.

I have family I need to catch up with and friends I keep putting off the phone call because I know it will be long and "i don't have time." Make time. It will be worth it.

Love you all.

~A

Good Ole Fashion Fun

I love a good slip and slide. When we were kids, we wore these things out (literally), and had a blast. My boys love to get it out, but haven't completely grasped the concept of running and sliding; who cares - they're having fun and, personally, I'm ecstatic that my grass is getting watered in the process! A few weeks ago, we invited some friends over for homemade ice cream and slip and slide heat beatin' fun. So, imagine my surprise when I found out these kids had NEVER been on a slip and slide. What's wrong with that??!! So, we made introductions...Drew and Grace meet the slip and slide, slip and slide meet Drew and Grace. They all had so much fun. It was so hot, I was almost tempted to join them. Luckily for the other adults the key word in that sentence was "almost."

Caleb and Cameron pre-sliding

Cameron trying out the action

Caleb getting his slide-groove goin'

Drew caught on quickly

Grace was 'all smiles'

And, the last picture would not cooperate for the life of me. My Dad heard there was homemade ice cream, and came on over. He decided to give Cameron some help on sliding techniques...

Oh where, oh where have we been?

Okay, so I realize I am way over due to post, but it got me thinking, how many (of my two readers) have really been checking?!

So, I am going to attempt a post a day for a week. Albeit, some may be very short, I'm gonna try.

Recap of the summer thus far:

Pool, river, movies, repeat.

Really, though, we have been very busy. In June, we:

* spent a lot of time at the pool or river

* helped my mom have a garage sale

* attended karate camp (well, one of us did)

* packed my mother's entire house for her move after she broke her arm

* helped my mom (in four trips to fredericksburg and brady) move

* the boys spent a week at Greg's parents having a blast and attending their VBS (allowing me time to help my mom and sneak a a few dates with my sweet hubby)

* twice a week visits to the physical therapists - the boys are surprisingly amazingly well behaved while we are there

* started taking Spanish (the boys)

* Father's Day and several birthday parties

*pool, river and more pool and river

*oh, and trying to stay cool during our 105-110 degree days (can anyone hear the ca-ching sound of my electric bill rising?)

For the Fourth of July, we drove to Midland to check out Jared and Kendall's new pad and spend the weekend. We went to Balmorhea, looked at potential houses, ate a lot, watched the fireworks, and got to see rain for the first time in ages.

We are currently gearing up for our church's VBS - I am doing registration again (last year our attendance was over 800). We are eagerly looking forward to a weekend trip to visit with family!! And, I am trying to hang on to some of the summer - it seems to be flying by.

I have some great pics of the happenings around here, and I will post them throughout the week. Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer - hope you are staying cool!

Oh, and I'll leave you with some pics of the boys "walking on water"...

Mixed Feelings

So, if you know anything about this day

you'll know how excited Caleb was for his first day of Kindergarten. And, naturally, I was so excited and so proud - just feeding off of his excitement. I cried later. And the day before. And the night before. But never in front of him. He was too excited!!

So, today when I dropped the boy who used to wink at me like this

for his last day as a Kindergartner, I cried a little inside. Outside I was so proud and so excited as he clapped his hands and proclaimed that "after today, I am a first grader, and in just a few years, I'll be in college." Gasp. So, I cried at home. Alone. Where has the time gone?

So, hug your babies, cuddle with your toddlers, read to your children that book you've read to them 3,000 times already this week. It goes by so fast. You're gonna miss this. You're gonna want this back.

Caleb receiving his awards and Kindergarten certificate.

Calling My Bluff

A couple of weeks ago, at the end of a fun, but very exhausting weekend out of town, I learned a lesson...be ready to show your cards when called on a bluff. It went something like this:

The four of us returned home late afternoon. Greg and I unpacked the car, and actually unpacked (something that if ever, rarely, happens). We tend to be the kind that have to take days weeks to unpack. Greg even went a moon-walk size leap further and vacuumed out the car! Needless to say, we were tired. We decided on a very nutritious dinner for the kids (popcorn, deli meat, grapes, cheese), and attempted to get them in bed at a decent, if not slightly early, time.

Greg and I then cleaned up the kitchen from the meal we had just slaved over for the kids, folded laundry and put it up stacked it in laundry baskets (I mean, really, did you think I was that good?!), started another load, and decided to have our dinner on the couch. We had some leftover Costco chicken salad (amazing) and wheat thins. Upon the first crunch of our cracker and us selecting a show to watch, out emerged two children from their respective rooms. "We're hungry" (did I mention that when we did feed them that five star meal, I made sure and asked them eight times if they were full or wanted anything else) were the next words out. This as they are eyeing my dinner.

At first I said what any good parent would say, "No, it's bedtime. You boys need to get in bed, we have an early morning tomorrow and you both are going to be exhausted."

"But I'm starving." followed right after with "yeah, we staaaahhhhving".

Several looks back and forth between Greg and I, all the while the vultures are eyeing my crackers, and I out of my mouth come the words (directed at Greg), "we have some broccoli in the fridge"; then to the boys "you want some broccoli? If you are hungry, you may have broccoli."

Glee spread across my children's face while shock spread across ours.

"Yay! Yay! We want broccoli!"

So, as not to go against my word...

The boys ate an entire head of broccoli, smiling the entire time, and proclaiming their new found love for the vegetable.

Swine Break '09

I think we'll have t-shirts made. "Swine Break '09" I praying for a peace from God, because right now I feel like I'm living in a media-paranoid environment. Over 36,000 people get the good ol regular flu every year, but two people in our town get the pig flu and they shut down the schools. Yes, you heard me correctly. School has been cancelled, along with every other extracurricular activity, until May 11th. Cameron will not get to go back to his Kids Kare class - their last day was slated to be May 12th. Caleb will not get to finish his t-ball season. This craziness is going to affect so many. I worry for my friends that work who have no where to take their children for the next two weeks. I feel badly for the kids whose prom was cancelled for this weekend.

**I just got a call from my friend while I am writing who said everything is closed - grocery stores, movies, libraries, no church services. UGH**

Be on the lookout for us - we could very well be on your front step tomorrow.

Month in Recap

I know you've all been waiting anxiously on the edge of your seat to find out what we've been up to lately, so, I am ending the suspense.

When I last left you, Greg was going to be starting to work out of town, and my cousin Ellen was coming to visit. For time sake, I'm going to make this simple:

3/17 - 3/19: Ellen was here - which was an amazing God-send! I truly enjoyed the company and we accomplished quite a bit. I honestly need her to come back to motivate me to get some other stuff done. (the picture still has not been taken for the room, ellen)

3/20: Greg came home from week 1 away

3/21: Caleb had his first t-ball game. Mamo, Papa, and Mimi were all in attendance. (i forgot the camera)

3/23: The start of our Spring Break. We went to Waco to visit Jared and Kendall. We were only there for a little over 24 hours, but we certainly made the most out of it!!

The boys and Uncle Jared at the Zoo

Checking out the Leopard

That was Monday, then Tuesday we went to a Jump Castle place and the Children's Museum. I'm not sure who had more fun - the kids or the adults.

3/24: We left Waco that evening and headed to Richmond to await the birth of our new nephew, Katin on the 25th, and to play with Daniel (the big brother)My brother, Jason, holding his newest addition

An awfully proud aunt holding her super cute nephew

The day after Katin was born, Greg and I took Caleb, Cameron, and Daniel to Johnson Space Center. Those pictures are on another camera, but I will share soon. The boys had a great time, and we all slept well that night!!

On Friday, Greg and I took Caleb and Cameron to Galveston and to Moody Gardens. We all loved our lunch at Gaido's and we all had a lot of fun at the Gardens and Aquarium.

Saturday morning we went to Daniel's soccer game. I can use one word to describe 3 year olds playing soccer - AMUSING! :-)

Saturday afternoon, the four of us attended our favorite neighbor's (and very good friends) daughter's wedding. The wedding was conveniently close to my brother's house. It was a FUN small town wedding. We all danced 'till we crashed. Literally. The boys fell asleep on us in the chairs at the reception. Too cute.

Sunday morning marked the end of our spring break and time to come home. Time for Greg to head back out of town, Caleb to go back to school, and Cameron and I to do laundry and go grocery shopping!

The end of March and beginning of April has found us playing/practicing a lot of t-ball, playing outside, and gardening. Caleb thoroughly enjoyed April Fool's Day and teased me endlessly that there were spiders or bugs in my hair. It never got old to him. And, as for gardening, we have planted a nice size garden with our before-mentioned neighbors. A couple of Saturdays ago we planted, fertilized and built a fence to keep our friendly deer from eating our produce. We are calling it the Hurtin' Garden (combine Hurta and Griffin). Cute, huh?

Last Thursday morning Cameron accomplished something HUGE! He learned how to spell his name correctly. Emphasis on the 'correctly..' You see, he's been 'spelling' his name for some time now, but we have been practicing over and over to get it right. Well, he's done it and he is so proud. Give us a call sometime, and he will gladly tell you over the phone!

Then, this last weekend was Easter. I have very mixed emotions on this day. What a glorious reminder that the Tomb is empty and that my Perfect Father has given me an indescribable Gift through His Son. I sing His praise for this! For the past three years, this day is accompanied by reflection, remembering and sadness as well. (more on this in a later post) But, this year, I received another gift. My sweet Caleb told me that Jesus "really" lives in his heart. He told us that "God sent his Son to die on a cross to save him from his sins so that he could live forever in heaven." Then he told us he asked Jesus to live in his heart forever and asked us about being baptized. Greg and I have talked at length about it with him, and he is going to talk with one of the pastors at church. But, talk about WOW and huge goosebumps and more pride than this Mama can possibly describe.

As for our Easter travels, the boys and I went on Friday to my mom's house in Fredericksburg and Greg drove in from out of town and met us there Friday night. On Saturday, we went to my sister-in-law's grandfather's ranch in Medina. It is BEAUTIFUL! A ton of Kendall's family comes every year. They have a service, potluck lunch, and egg hunt for the kids. So fun! One of Kendall's uncles is a retired pastor. He gave a wonderful sermon overlooking the Medina River as we all sat in lawn chairs and were blessed. The boys really enjoyed the egg hunt as well. You'll notice that I'm not just talking of little boys by the pictures below. We had a great day.

We came home on Sunday and had a very relaxing day grilling, playing outside, and being with family.

And, now don't you feel better and all caught up...