1st Day

Karissa was late to class because I made her walk with us to Cara's class, so no pictures of her with Mrs. Peters.

Peyton

We have had a crazy two weeks. We had VBS last week, ending with a Saturday party at the waterpark. This week I started watching my neighbors 6 wk old daughter. She is a tiny thing, only 5lbs 12oz. All the kids love her and are very helpful. PTA activities also started this week. I don't know how people do it. How can you work meet the teacher night and meet your kids teachers. Thursday was BTS teacher luncheon plus meet the teacher night. I feel like everyday this last week I had twice as many kids in my house as I actually have. We babysat, a lot. Kirk is gone to WF to run a trail run half marathon on Sunday and do his Fantasy Football draft. I opted to stay home and rest for a night and a day before school starts. Kirk took the kids with him, except Cara who is spending the nigt with Aunt Linda. I am struggling with just being lazy and enjoying the peace or working my tail off and getting a lot done while I can.

Pool Time

Every summer I take tons of pool picyures. This summer I haven't taken hardly any. It was a little bright today but I got some cute shots. I almost had a great shot of the foursome. Someday, maybe!

Sleep, Running and Pictures

Caleb went to sleep at naptime with no swats at all!! Last night Kirk thought it would be fun for all of us to go to the track with him while he ran two miles with 100 yrd sprints. We loaded everyone up at 6:30 and went to the oven, I mean track. I ran and walked with Kirk and the kids came and went along the way. Kylie ran and walked almost the whole two miles and she ran faster than I did!!!! So, I got on earlier to check my mail and blogs and I got an e-mail from Kelly. She said her photographer was having a give away and to sign up and say she referred me. I went to the photographers webpage and an hour later I pulled myself away from all her beautiful pictures.http://www.xanga.com/fotobydeedra I hope I win because I probably can't afford it otherwise:)

Sleep training (AGAIN)

A little over a month ago I posted the cutest video of Caleb crawling out of his crib. He has turned our house upsidedown. We used to have a naptime/ bedtime routine that worked great. The past month we have spent hours sitting by his bed or in his doorway waiting for him to go to sleep. We tried shutting him in his room with a kid lock on the inside door handle but we felt really cruel. We tried putting him back in bed over and over but that didn't work either. Saturday, we had a garage sale and took the kids to the water park (thanks Mom!!). Needless to say we were exhausted and everyone fell into bed by 8:30, everyone, except Caleb. We gave in and put him in our bed as we couldn't even keep our eyes open. I think he fell asleep somewhere around 9:30ish. So, Sunday we silently agreed we'd had enough. We put him in bed and everytime he got out we swatted his leg and put him back. It took a few times but he stayed in his bed and went to sleep. Today is the third day second nap. I can't say it is getting any easier but I think he is learning. At least he stays in his bed even if he doesn't fall asleep right away. I don't know how you all feel about the dreaded spanking, issue. I have never really had a problem with it but I must say my mind is being bombarded with all the physo babble out there. One minute I feel mean and I feel sorry for him, the next minute I feel like I am just doing my job as a parent. The whole time he is crying and getting up my mind is warring within about the right and wrong and damage I am doing. So, if anyone out there agrees with our method I would appreciate some moreal support on this. If you don't agree don't bother adding to my stress. Thanks.

PTA

Last weekend, I went to the Texas PTA Summer Seminar. I went with five other girls and we stayed for three days. It was so much fun and I learned a tremendous amount of stuff. I never knew what the PTA was truly about. I always just thought they put on all the parties and did stuff for the teachers. Actually, we are advocates for the kids, parent educators as far as protecting and raising their children and encouragers for public and parental involvement inpublic schools. JOin your local PTA!!! I am only the treasurer, but I am so excited about the upcoming year. Previous PTA boards have not recognized our mission and so haven't provided programs and such. We have six officers and we are all excited to work together this year. We had a great seminar in Austin and were really able to bond without our kids. We have 17 (soon to be 18...not me) kids between the six of us, not including step children. Just wanted to share my new adventure with you all. I was sick before I left and while I was there and am finally feeling a bit better, today.

Kirk's parents came up Wednesday and I caught Christaian and Caleb playing together. This is for Kevin and Katerina.

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Huney

I forgot to blog about the newest member of our family. When Lambeau went to a new home Huney arrived. She is a dwarf hamster and all the kids love her. She doesn't seem to be too much trouble an lets Karissa hold her and play with her.

The Patio

We are still working on our patio. Who knew such a small space could make such a difference. Kirk can be found most everynight lounging out there or even out there with his laptop. We still need to get a fan but I think that's it. It is wonderful to sit out and watch the kids play. The backyard needs a lot of work but that will probably have to wait til next summer. Anyway, it was a great birthday project and we both had fun putting it together.

33

Happy Birthday to me.

Happy Birthday to me.

Happy Birthday to meeeeee.

Happy B i r t h d a y to me!!

Look at my wonderful birthday surprise!!!!

Many of you may not know that we had to get rid of Lambeau. When we did we decided we would make a nice backyard out of our yucky one. Step one was to spruce up the patio. Previously, we had a plastic green table and plastic chairs in 3 different colors. So last night Kirk and I had dinner and shopped til we dropped or the stores closed or the van was full. I have never seen so much stuff in our van. All that you see plus three carseats plus Kirk and I were in the van last night. So at midnight we finally sat down and relaxed on our new patio. It still needs a few things but it is a great start. Thanks, Kirk, for indulging me!!!!

Happy Birthday Kevin

Happy Birthday Kevin. We miss you. I know most of your birthday is past already with the time change. I guess it is better late than never. Karissa is sick or she would have led the singing. We made a surprise for both of you and are hoping to get it in the mail today.
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This Ones for you Mike

I woke up this morning to Kylie snuggled up to me in bed, running fever. By lunch time Karissa had it, too. I just checked on Caleb and now there are three. The weather finally turned nice enough to swim and now we are all sick. This summer is wearing me out. Only seven weeks until school starts :)

Escape Artist

So last night, Caleb woke up from the storm. He usually sleeps right thru but he is sick and sleeping very restless. He woke up about 2:30 and stayed awake until 4:30 at which time I put him in his bed to fuss himself to sleep. I am almost asleep in my bed when I notice his crying is getting louder and louder. In the next instant, he is running into my room. The little buger climbed out of his crib. So today, We have to decide whether to leave him in his crib or put up the toddler bed. I was just thinking how nice it is to have ONE kid that stays in bed all night. At nap time today I put him in his bed and he crawled out and was trying to open the door. He doesn't know how to open the door yet but I am sure it won't take long. So much for our peaceful nights!!!
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Birthday fun

Today, was Kylie's second birthday. Kirk's parents and nephew came to visit. They brought Kylie all kinds of ballet stuff. Then we decided to go to Chuck E Cheese. It was wonderful. For $50 nine of us ate and had drinks and played all the games we wanted. On top of that, they gave Kylie a crown, a balloon, and 4 tokens (4 years).Then Chuck E came out with ice cream sandwiches with candles to sing to all the birthday kids. Kylie is afraid of Chuck E so we skipped the ice cream singing thing. I am really impressed with all they do for free. After that we went to Toy R Us. They also gave Kylie a balloon, a crown and announced to the whole store her name and it was her birthday. She thought it was really cool. We also received a $3 gift card to spend at Toys R Us. Kylie was so impressed by it all. Kids are so easy when they are young. I just wanted to share all our cool birthday freebies.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Dad! We love you and miss you. Hope you have a great day. Thanks for being such a kind and loving Dad and grandpa.

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Kylie is 4

Today, Kylie is 4. In so many ways, she is still the baby of the family. She is such a little pixie. She is so tiny and even her features are petite. She is very shy but can be as loud as the big girls when she is comfortable. She cries at the drop of the hat and loves to "sleep in the middle" of our bed. She wants to big but wants to be the baby at the same time. Caleb has become her big, little brother. He is younger but bigger and stronger. Kylie loves to play with him and take care of him. She is the runt of our litter. The older girls both love to play with her and play really well unless all three of them are together. Kylie tends to be sickly and them seems even smaller than she is. She weighs next to nothing and still likes to cuddle up to us. She has tiny freckles on her tiny nose. She loves the water and riding her new big girl bike. We love our little Kylie Paige and can't imagine our family with out her. Happy Birthday Kylie-boo.

Cara's Tooth

Last night, Cara came into our bedroom and said she had her first loose tooth. We looked at it and said"Keep wiggling it and soon it will come out." She went back to bed and not 5 minutes later came in our room and said"I lost my tooth...I mean really lost it. I was trying to pull it out and then it was gone and there was a hole where it was." We couldn't believe it. It wasn't that loose. Karissa practically waits for them to fall out by themselves and here is Cara yanking hers out. Anyway, we spent the next 20 minutes looking for her tooth. She put it under her pillow and was so excited by her $1 this morning. She told me to call and tell everyone she knows she lost her first tooth.

Vacation

This was supposed to be our family vacation picture. It was the end of the second day at Sea World. It would have been great but instead of Kylie, we got Blue Dragon (Kylie won him at a fishing game).

The USS Lexington (really cool)














Padre Island
















The Alamo
















Girls at dusk on the beach

Shamu

Feeding the dolphins



Last, Wednesday we set out on our first family vacation. We left Caleb with Grandma and drove to San Antonio. We spent two great days at Sea world. We saw Shamu, fed dolphins, rode roller coasters and played at the water park. We loved the acrobat Viva show with the beluga whales and dolphins.
Saturday morning, we stopped by the Alamo. The Alamo was very hard for the kids to grasp. Karissa had studied it in school, so she wanted to see it. I checked out a kids library book and read it to them the night before. Cara didn't understand why "they had to fight instead of just talking."Then, we drove to Corpus Christi and walked on the bay and visited the beach at Padre. Sunday, we saw jelly fish off the USS Lexington and got to tour the inside of the first air craft carrier. We spent the rest of the day at the beach in Padre. Sunday night, we drove to Austin(we saw the capital all lite up) and stayed the night in the best hotel of our trip. We drove home on Monday. I caught a cold about the second day of vacation. Hopefully, it will run it's course soon. We had a great time and would love to return to Sea World and the ocean very soon. Kylie loved Shamu, Mom loved the Beluga whales, Dad loved the sharks, Karissa and Cara loved the acrobat show. They all loved the wave pool. ( Kylie informed me ...sometimes when I sneeze I know I am allergic to butterflies).

Caleb had a great time with Grandma and Grandpa and cousin Amanda. He also spent one night with Memaw and Pawpaw and cousin Chris. He loved to look at pictures of all of us but had a great vacation wothout us. We missed him greatly but knew we would wear out much quicker with him. Without him we spent 10 hours at Sea World day one and 8 hours day two. For those of you who know of Kirk's fear of the ocean...he did very well. I think he got a little above the knee deep. Cara, on the other hand, got in until the waves came and then ran out as fast as she could. She loved collecting shells and making sand castles. Kylie and Karissa loved jumping waves but not the salty taste of the water. The ocean was relaxing but very dirty.

Karissa

Today was a big day for Karissa. She got her expander removed and her top braces on. She did really great. I am so proud of her and the maturity she showed from the last time she had appliances put in her mouth. She was scared and hesitant today, but relatively easy to prod along. She has had mainly ice cream and milk shakes to eat this afternoon. She has had quite a bit of soreness. Hopefully, she will adjust quickly. She got black and hot pink bands on her braces.

Tonight, was her Star Scholar award ceremony and reception. All the students who have an A average in citizenship and academics for the year, get a medal. This is her second year to recieve a medal. She was so proud of her braces and even dressed in pink and black to match.

Graduation

Last night was the Awana Award ceremony. Karissa finshed two books and finished the second most sections in all the Sparks. She is really amazing. She didn't just memorize her verses for credit. She can still recall and recite a lot of what she learned. Kylie and Cara finished their first Cubbie books. It was alot of fun and they were all very proud.

Tonight, was Cara's preschool graduation. It was so cute. She got to lead the processional. Then they led the pledges and sang three songs. She got a certificate and a new Bible. The preschool also made memory books for all the kids. Memaw took a dozen yellow roses to Cara at school for her last day. She was about to burst with pride and excitment over getting flowers for the first time.

Caleb got a tricycle, yesterday. He didn't want to get off it at Walmart. He thinks he is big like the girls. Debbie and I went garage saling with the kids today and saw a very similar trike for $10. We could have saved $27.

My Grill

Yesterday, I got the surprise of my life. No, I'm not pregnant. I won a huge grill. When we picked up Kirk's jeep Saturday they were having a drawing for two grills. Kirk had already put his name in earlier in the week. Jamie, our saleswoman, said I could enter, too. We didn't hear anything Saturday or Sunday so we just forgot about it. Then yesterday I got a call from James Wood (the car dealership). I just figured they were calling to check on How Kirk was liking the car. Instead this guy says"Are you feeling lucky?" I couldn't\can't believe I won something. So cool to get a jeep and a brand new, mega, we could never afford and would never spend that much on, grill. Now we just have to learn how to use it and all the gizmo's on it.