Whew!

We made it through the first week of school.  This has probably been the most difficult first week of school I have had in my 8 years of teaching.  We have a TON of new technology at school and there are so many kinks to work out.  I have a GREAT group of kids but they are a little more chatty and rowdy than in the past.  But, Friday was better.  I think I have finally gotten through to those darlings, made a connection, and they are learning to trust me.  It is always a process. 

The boys will go to their preschool orientation this week and school starts for them next Tuesday.  So fun! 

This weekend we went to a cute birthday party.  Cousin Luke was such an adorable birthday boy!  Brayden, Bryce, and Nathan were watching Luke open presents.  :)

Cupcake time!!

Nathan loved climbing at the party.  He cracks me up...such a dare devil!

On Jordan's first trip up into the playhouse at the birthday party, he came down the slide with me.  His foot grazed the side of the tube slide and caused his ankle to turn funny.  He would NOT walk or stand on it for the rest of the day today.  Thank goodness we have an EMT and an emergency room nurse cousins that looked at it and assured us that it is only sprained.  Sweet Jordy just laid on the floor tonight and watched Sesame Street.  He liked his "Boo Boo Bunny" ice pack.  With a little Tylenol and a "Boo Boo Bunny" ice pack, he should be back to normal in no time.  At least, I hope so, because I have had to carry him around the house all evening!  :)  And he is getting a little too heavy for that!

Nathan thought he needed a "Boo Boo Bunny" too.  He also thought he needed Tylenol too.  But, I said no to that one.  TWINS!  They always want what the other one has. 

Now I must get my lesson plans written for next week.   I might be able to be quite productive tonight.  Bryan's gone to his fantasy football draft and the little boys are asleep.  Better make good use of this time! 

Much love,

Savoring the Last Few Days of Summer

We took the boys to ChuckECheese yesterday for lunch.  The boys had a blast!  We are just trying to enjoy these last few days we have at home before school gets started again. 

Today, we stayed in our PJs all day. It was glorious!

Oh, and if you are curious...my face looks normal now.  I was a little nervous on day 4 after the chemical peel that it might never be the same.  But it recovered.  Thank goodness.  :)  It was worth it, but I really hope I don't have to do it again for a really long time!

Countdown to Aug. 23rd...

We only have a few more days of summer...I always get anxious to get back into a routine.  I'm always excited to meet my new students and get the school year started.  BUT, I ALWAYS MISS MY BOYS when school starts.  Praise the Good Lord that He has made it possible for Gram to keep Nathan and Jordan every day.  Gram doesn't mind if I call to check on the boys every day on my conference period and sometimes at lunch too. ;) Gram loves on the boys, reads to the boys, takes them on fun outings, sits in the floor with them, and feeds them good lunches. PaPa makes pancakes for the boys on special mornings before he leaves for work.  So, even though I cry every morning for the first 3 weeks of school when I put the boys in the car with Bryan to go to Gram and PaPa's house, I know that I have nothing to worry about!  They are loved at Gram's house just like they are loved at home...and that is a really good feeling. 

Enough of that.  Or, I might start crying again.  Oh wait.  I already am.  Gee!!

I had a chemical peel on my face last Wednesday.  When I was pregnant, I got a terrible "pregnancy mask."  Dark brown spots developed all over my face and they were even more pronounced in the summer due to sunlight exposure.  Ususally the dermatologist would prescribe a bleaching cream to apply to the brown spots.  But, the dermatologist said my case was a little too bad for bleaching cream.  So that's when I decided to schedule a chemical peel.  It has been a horrible experience.  For real.  I mean, I am sure that I will be glad in the end.  I haven't had any complications with it, but the peeling process lasts about 10 days before your skin is back to normal again.  And, I am on day 5.  It has been a very slow 5 days.  I have pictures of the progress.  I almost posted them.  However, I decided to spare you the horror.  Let me just tell you that Bryan has been calling me "Freddy Krueger."

Jordan and Nathan have a new favorite activity of sending their little animals down the parking garage driveway.  Oh goodness...whatever entertains these two little busy boys!

Jordan has been kissing for a while now but Nathan just learned in the last few weeks to smooch!  It is so funny!  We have this alphabet book that the boys love!  "A is for Apple that I like to bite.  B is for Bear that I cuddle at night.  C is for Car that I drive around town.  D is for Duckling covered in down..."  I've got that one memorized.  Anyway, Jordan and Nathan  both have to give a quick smooch to EVERY page in that book when we read it at bedtime.  It is hilarious. 

Aunt Emily got a great picture (below) of Nathan giving his cousin, Avery, a little kiss!  So cute!  Of course, I am sure he will love that I posted this picture when he is fifteen.  HA!

I am so sorry for all the randomness and words tonight.  I guess I have a lot on my mind.  This time of year seems to do that to me!  :)

Baby Georgia is Here!!

Meet Georgia Elizabeth!  My new niece!

7 pounds 6 ounces

Big sister, Vivi, is so proud!

Vivi immediately began to read Princess Stories to Georgia....this is even before they took Georgia to the nursery.  Do you think Vivi is excited about her baby sister or what?!

Still reading Princess Stories...

My sister's family of FOUR!

Time for bath and check-up in the nursery...

Nathan and Jordan see Georgia for the first time.  :)

I love this picture.  Georgia's first pink hairbow!! I'm not totally sure why this picture loaded sideways, but it is 11:32PM and I have a very long day tomorrow.  It wasn't sideways in my saved folder.  Technology!!!

Nathan, Jordan, and Vivi were very still for about 8 minutes while they watched the "Big Bad Wolf - Three Little Pigs" video on Bryan's iPhone.  They LOVE that OLD cartoon.  :)

I am so happy to report that Georgia is healthy and beautiful!  Yay!

Country, Huntin' Dogs, and Good Cookin'

We are back from Georgia.  What a great trip to visit family!  We survived the 14 hour car ride with two toddlers.  We did manage to check out every Chick-Fil-A and MacDonald's playground along Interstate 20.  Once the boys stretched their legs and played for a few minutes, we were good for a couple more hours on the road. 

The boys loved my grandparents' huge yards.  We just don't have yards like that in the Texas suburbs.  Nathan and Jordan played under my Memom and Grandaddy's magnolia tree...what great memories I have as a little girl playing underneath those trees.  Jenn and I loved catching lightning bugs with our cousins under that tree.

Nathan loved Memom Fuller's pretty hydrangas.  He loves to smell the flowers.  :)

There is a horse farm behind my grandparents' house and Jordan was in heaven.  He just loves horses right now so he was tickled to see like 30 horses in one place.  It is beautiful.

I wanted a picture with my boys...this is what I got.  So, when does this phase of not smiling for the camera end?  They are just such stinkers about that stinkin' camera right now!!

Nathan thought my Grandaddy's lift chair was as good as a ride at Six Flags.  He would sit in that big chair and push those buttons up and down and up and down and up and down.  What a ham!

Nathan and Jordan loved visiting the huntin' dogs in the backyard.  :)  I just can't call them "hunting dogs."  That sounds so wierd. 

Daddy spent some time coaching some basketball!

Daddy and Grandad found a playground for the boys to burn some energy.  :)

This was a big moment on the trip...the boys first whole piece of pizza!  My boys are FINALLY taking bites of things.  It cracks me up to see that big ol' piece of cheese pizza in their hands.  :) 

Side note: Jordan decided that he likes ketchup!  Yippee!!  I was hoping at least one of my boys would share my love for ketchup.  Nathan is still not a fan of ketchup.  But, I'm workin' on it.

We took this picture on my Aunt Laura's porch...still one of my most favorite places in the world.  My Aunt Laura is a fabulous hostess and I love her pretty back porch that overlooks her pretty swimming pool, flower pots, the woods, the garden...it is just so peaceful.  It can warm anyone's heart.

We were so blessed to spend last week with family.  Can't wait to go back and visit again!

More Summer Fun!

*This is Bryan* Sorry for the lack of updates this week. We have been dealing with two sick little boys. They both had a nasty little stomach bug and we spent most of our time doing laundry and trying to protect our furniture from projectile awfulness! I’m now convinced that home insurance should have a “toddler-projectile-puke-clause”! In between the bouts of sickness we did manage to take the boys to their first swim lessons. That was quite entertaining! After the first night Becca assigned me the task of holding onto Nater-tot! Jordan was content to be held or just sit on the edge and play with the basket of water toys, while Nathan just assumed he already knew how to swim! It was a full upper-body workout keeping that boy from jumping right out of my arms and into the pool!


Now we are in the process of packing for another long road trip (your prayers for safety and sanity are greatly appreciated!). We are heading to Georgia to visit all our family! I’m sure Becca will have an update when we return. Tonight we met up with my parents at Chick-fil-a so they could get some quality time with the boys before we leave. They were keeping Bryce and Brayden tonight so Chick-fil-a was the only place we could go without getting asked to leave! The boys had a great time, they love chasing after their big cousins.

I love watching my boys play together. I’m so thankful that they have each other. I pray that their souls will be knit together like David and Jonathan (1 Sam. 18:1) and that they will always look after, encourage, love, and spur each other on toward love and good deeds! I pray that they will each love Jesus deeply and that they will walk with Him all the days of their lives. Every boy needs a best friend, someone to keep them “sharp” and hold them accountable. What a special blessing it is to be able to grow up with one under the same roof! “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17

These are some of my favorite things the boys are doing right now.

1. Nathan and Jordan have learned to give high-fives

2. Jordan sings all the high notes of his favorite songs

3. Nathan climbs on every single piece of furniture we own

4. Jordan can act like a sheep, horse, cow, and duck.

5. Nathan loves to be read to and will bring us books until the shelf is empty

6. Every time I get near the floor the boys think it’s an invitation to wrestle!

7. Both boys love our dog Cooper and have to tell him goodbye every time we leave the house

8. Jordan gives kisses

9. Nate gives hugs (and bites)

10. Both boys like to get my remote and have me chase them around the house

Preschool Play Day At the Gym

Our city recreation center hosts a preschool play day every Thursday morning and we were finally able to take the boys today.  Nathan and Jordan loved it!  They just ran around that gym barefoot for 1 1/2 hours. 

Jordan's favorite word while sitting on the "sit-and-spin" was "WHOA!"  He was cracking me up. :)

Nathan can climb on every piece of furniture in our house so this was the perfect climbing gym for him!

Tired Jordan takes a short rest.

Oh, and here is our new playroom at the house. Yes, Paige, I have my kitchen table back and my living room is free of toys.  I feel like we can actually have company over for dinner again.  Life is good.