A Peek at our Week 2011: Week 21

Saturday, May 21

I tried a new fitness class at the gym this morning...Group Kick.  After I got over feeling silly about punching and kicking an imaginary opponent, I really liked it.  The bonus was that my arms were sore the next morning.  And I can only dream that this is how I looked in class.  Anyway, it is another goal (#57) checked off of the 101 in 1001 list.

Sunday, May 22

It's hot outside.  You can find us at the pool for the next 100+ days.
 

Monday, May 23

Will and his good buddy O had fun playing outside this afternoon.  They were astronauts, rock climbers, and jungle explorers.  I love active imaginations.
 

Tuesday, May 24

My decorator stopped by today with so many of beautiful samples.  Lots of decisions, but it is all very exciting!
 

Wednesday, May 25

At the age of 4, the world of summer camp opportunities really opens up.  Will is so excited to be going to lots of camps just like Jack this summer.  This week he is attending space camp at his preschool.  When Will got in the car the first day, I asked him how it was and he replied, "AWESOME!"  Today, he came home with this cool rocket ship.  It has been such fun hearing Will describe all the fun space crafts, games and interesting facts that they are learning.

 

Thursday, May 26

This little bird was perched outside our kitchen window at lunch today.  Will named him Tweet Tweet.  We were right up at the window talking to Tweet Tweet and he would just look at us as if he was listening.  Maybe Tweet Tweet dropped by to beg for a little lunch.

Friday, May 27

We are loaded up and headed to "the farm" for Memorial Day Weekend.  Looking forward to a weekend full of swimming, rafting, hiking and exploring.  I hope we brought enough stuff!

Bugz

The first grade play is a time honored tradition at Jack's school.  The highlight of the year.  We had been looking forward to it for weeks.  However, Jack was very secretive about it.  Wouldn't tell us about the costumes, the songs, or the parts.  He wanted it all to be a surprise.

Gramma and Mimi made the trip over because they just knew this was something they didn't want to miss!  There were two shows as the whole school was invited to watch.  We, of course, stayed for both productions.

  Mimi and Will waiting for the show to start.  A sign of the times...Will and Brent are both using their electronics to help pass the time.

Bugz: A Musical Play for Young Voices

"There's going to be a picnic and everyone is pitching in.  The Lady Bugs are in charge of proper etiquette.  The Army Ants are in charge of security.  The Fireflies are there to light the way.  The Praying Mantis is in charge of saying grace.  And the Bumblebees provide the entertainment.  Everyone is trying to figure out how to tell the Stink Bugs that they are not really welcome because they will spoil the tasty event.  The Stink Bugs are feeling very bad.  The Butterflies sing an encouraging song to the Stink Bugs about how things can change.  The Stink Bugs give everyone a flower to hold under their noses so that it covers the smell.  Then all can go to the picnic."

 Jack the Maggot waiting for his cue.

Jack had two lines in the play and they both were "I'm a maggot!"  He delivered it as "I'mmmm a maaaaag-ot!"  His part was that one line from the movie that everyone remembers.  After the play, you could hear students leaving the cafeteria saying "I'm a maggot!"  A couple of weeks later at Chick-fil-A Spirit Night, a middle school boy came up to Jack and told him that he was the best one in the play.  Yesterday at swim practice, one of the middle school girls told Jack that he was the funniest one in the play.  Jack says that he is now famous! 

Jack's group sang and danced to the song "Goin' on a Picnic."

Jack loved being on stage.

We might need to find a children's theater group for him.  A Star is Born!

Grandparents Day 2011

Friday, April 29th was Grandparent's Day at Jack's school.  He had been looking forward to this day for weeks because both sets of grandparents were going to attend.

The morning started off with muffins and coffee for the grandparents, and then everyone attended Mass together.  After Mass, Jack took his grandparents back to his classroom to meet his teachers, show them his desk, and take pictures with them.  Then he was able to take them on a tour of his school.

Jack was so excited about the upcoming first grade play, so I wasn't surprised to see this picture of him posing next to the play tshirt.

Jack pointing to his butterfly artwork displayed in the hallway.

Next on the schedule was the Student Program.  Each grade along with the bands and chorus performed a song.  The first graders sang "Button Up Your Overcoat."  After Grandparent's Day, Jack chose for us to have lunch at Maggiano's because "that is where we ate last year."  We are a tradition driven family!  The veal and mushroom ravioli were wonderful!  After lunch, we went home where we watched Prince William marry Kate Middleton while some of us napped.  Just shocked that the men weren't enthralled with the details of the wedding like the women were.

Saturday morning, we went to cheer on Will and the rest of the Red Sox to another T-ball win.  

After the T-ball game, Gramma and Granddaddy had to go home, but Honey and Happy stayed to party the rest of the weekend.  We decided to pack up a picnic lunch and head to a park that had a little splash park area.

It was the perfect Saturday afternoon!

We loved having all of the grandparents come for Grandparent's Day!  It is wonderful to be so loved.

The Day After...

Saw this on Facebook today.  I don't know if it is real or fake, but it sure is funny!  Have we heard from Harold Camping today?

A Peek at our Week 2011: Week 20

Saturday, May 14

We all had a weekend getaway...I went to the beach with the girls, Brent went to the lake with the guys, and the boys went to play with Gramma and Granddaddy.  On Saturday, they went to a dinosaur dig at the zoo.  Looks like they found the head of an ancient beast.  It was fun to be junior paleontologists for the day.

Sunday, May 15

Good morning, Mr. Hunt.  Your mission, should you choose to accept it, involves spending the next week doing laundry.  Mr. Hunt, this isn't mission difficult, it's mission impossible.

Monday, May 16

The blues have arrived in the garden!  This is Jack's hydrangea, given to him by Aunt Blythe the day he was born.  It has just grown like a weed, much like the boy.

Tuesday, May 17

It was the last classroom visit from the Spiritual Life moms.  Today's lesson was about the Parable of the Seed and the Sower.  All of Jack's friends always make Will feel so welcome.  After Spiritual Life, we stayed to have lunch with Jack.  Will gets to walk through the lunch line with Jack and loves being one of the big kids.  My heart skipped a beat when I saw him carrying his own lunch tray to the table.  In a blink of an eye, Will will be a navy shoe wearing kindergartener.

Wednesday, May 18

Each day at the gym, we pass by the bubblegum machine.  It is such a temptation.  Today, I actually had a quarter and Will got a piece of bubblegum.  His "lucky" piece of orange bubblegum.

Thursday, May 19

When Brent was at the big law firm, he started a charity fundraiser called Cinco de Mayo.  When he first proposed the idea, he had some doubters, but it has been going strong for 7 years now and has raised an impressive amount of money for the Susan G Komen Foundation, American Cancer Society, and the March of Dimes.  This year, Brent was invited back to Cinco for the Awards Show, a recap of the Best Ofs from the past 6 years.  The IP team won for Best Song "525, 600 Billable Hours", a takeoff of the Seasons of Love song from Rent.  The IP team gave the award to Brent saying it was like his lifetime achievement award.  Cinco truly is his legacy at the firm.

 

Friday, May 20

You're never too old for bubbles!  Will was having a wonderful time blowing bubbles and then catching them on the wand.

A Peek at our Week 2011: Week 19

Saturday, May 7

The weekend mornings are special, special because Jack makes breakfast all by himself.  He gets the toaster out of the cabinet, pulls the waffles out of the freezer, the butter out of the fridge, and the syrup out of the pantry.  Sometimes he adds whipped cream, sometimes fresh fruit.  But it is always gourmet!

  

Sunday, May 8

This weekend we went to a local art festival.  Brent and I enjoyed touring the art booths.  Jack and Will enjoyed the inflatables in the children's area.  This soapbox derby car caught everyone's eye.  Just a few more years and the boys will be old enough to race.  Won't that be fun! 

Monday, May 9

 

Jack moved up to the 7 & 8 division this year.  He'll be swimming all four strokes.  Welcome to the big leagues.

Tuesday, May 10

 

Today after gymnastics, Will decide instead of a candy treat that he would rather play on the playground.  Warm sunshine and a cool breeze, a treat indeed.

 

Wednesday, May 11

Today was the last Playball class at school and everyone got a medal for a job well done.  Will was so proud of his gold medal.  He wore it all day and had to tell everyone about it.  A little recognition makes for one happy 4 year old.

Thursday, May 12

Jack's had his eye on the 50 lb mark for several weeks now.  He's been eating and weighing, eating and weighing, and eating some more.  He finally reached his goal!  Woo Hoo!

Friday, May 13

The high school friends met at the beach to celebrate our momentous birthdays.  This was the view from the deck of our beach house.  Ahhh!  Good friends, good food, and good conversations are good for the soul.

My Mother's Day

I had a wonderful Mother's Day with my favorite boys, busy but they made sure that I felt loved.

My sweet Jack got up before everyone else and on his own initiative made me a special breakfast of chocolate chip waffles with butter and syrup, mixed berries and grapefruit juice.  Will cut me fresh roses with Daddy's help to make the tray look pretty.  Then Jack and Will piled into bed to share breakfast with me.

After breakfast, they gave me gifts they had made at school.  Each had answered a questionnaire about me.  Truth be told, I love these types of gifts...I find it hilarious to hear about my favorites, likes and dislikes from their eyes.  Very revealing!

Here is Will's All About Mommy:

I did get a chuckle out of "My mommy loves me because I'm so nice to her."

And Will drew a portrait of me on the back:

This gave me pause for concern.  Those are some crazy eyes, so I was hoping that Will was trying to capture me in my glasses.  But Holy Cow!, I have the neck of an offensive lineman.  After I told him how beautiful the picture was and how proud of it I was, Will confessed that it was actually a picture of a skeleton fish.  I have never been more relieved in my life.

I can never get enough handprint pictures.  I save every single on.  LOVE!

Jack's Meet My Mother:

This boy knows his mama!  He was dead on for most of these questions.  But I didn't realize that I was stressing about his wedding.  Should I be?!?!

Jack's portrait of me:

We all spent the afternoon together and then Brent cooked Bronzed Trout and Cajun Potatoes for dinner.  It was delicious!  I haven't eaten that much butter in ages.  Butter = Good!

I love these boys...all three of them!  They give me such joy!

A Peek at our Week 2011: Week 18

Saturday, April 30

It was a beautiful spring day!  So we packed up a picnic lunch, a blanket, and the beach chairs and loaded Happy, Honey, and the boys into the car and headed to the park for the afternoon.  Jack and Will enjoyed playing in the spray fountains and we enjoyed sitting in the shade while watching them have fun.  It was a perfect day.

Sunday, May 1

This face warms my heart.  Those highlights, blue eyes, and the gap grin just slay me.

Monday, May 2

and a busy day.  I forgot to take a picture today...oops!  But do enjoy more of Brent's gorgeous gardens.  I never tire of the red and yellow roses together.

Tuesday, May 3

Tuesdays are gymnastics days for Will.  He did great in class today...a flip on the uneven bars, a (almost) backward roll, and perfect ski jumps.  Will also set a personal record for spider on the wall...15 seconds!

Wednesday, May 4

Sweet Mrs. Adela has been cutting Jack's hair since he was a year old and Will's hair since he was a baby.  She loves children and always makes me feel like my boys are so special.  Mrs. Adela knows where every cowlick is on Jack's head and she lets Will have 4 lollipops even though the sign says "Please take ONE only."  Every year, Mrs. Adela requests a Christmas card and every year it is proudly displayed on her wall of fame with all of her other children.  We love our Mrs. Adela!

Thursday, May 5

We were waiting for the start of the First Grade Play.  Will crawled up into Mimi's lap to show her how to play Lego Star Wars on the DS.  Will pulled out one of his silly faces for the picture, but doesn't Mimi look pretty!

Friday, May 6

While waiting for our pizza, I glanced across the table and was suddenly overwhelmed with how absolutely adorable Will is.  It happens to me at the most unpredictable times, and I have to stop and remind myself to soak it in.  I don't want to ever forget this age.