1st grader and piano lessons??!!

Dante is now officially a proud 1st grader and has started piano lessons! Dante has a great knack for musical things and is so excited to start playing real songs on the piano. Today was his 1st lesson, and it was only supposed to go for 30 min. but it ended up being about 45 min. because he kept turning the pages and saying, "K- now let's do this one!" He is too cute and his teacher said he is very gung ho about piano:) I have included a picture with Dante and his piano teacher, Mitch Hulet, who is only 13- but he is raved about by many parents and kids love him! Dante is lucky to be one of his students. He only has a handful due to him having his own busy schedule with school and what not, but we are excited to see Dante progress and have fun learning how to play the piano.

Where is Ethan??

This past Saturday we all attended my cousin AJ's baptism. My kids were all asked to sing right before he was baptized. They were asked to sing "I am a Child of God" and so we had practiced quite a bit before that day, so my kids would feel prepared. There are 2 kinds of kids in the world:
1 - A child who loves to get up and perform and doesn't get scared or shy and hams it up! and 2 - a child who is scared to death and won't even go up to the front or stand up in front of a crowd. Well,- guess what.... there is a 3RD kind of child! I did not know this- and I learn something new every day about my kids. All of my kids seem pretty not shy... so they all walked up like normal kids and stood in front of the audience. The piano starts and they start singing everyone sings the first line .... I am a child of God... and that is pretty much all Ethan knows, since he is 3. So, then he has time to look around and think to himself... why are all these people looking at me?? Whoaa... there are a lot of people here... what am I doing?? So, instead of running to me, or out of the room, he simply decides to cover his face! I did not have my camera that night (I was so mad!LOL!) But I did make him cover his face for me, so that ya'll could get a better idea of what he looked like, when he is up there, while the other kids are still singing the rest of the song. He also put them up very slowly, hoping nobody would notice. When we got home, I asked him what he did. He said- I sang I'm a child of God. And i said, " Then what did you do?" to which he replied... "I covered my face because all these people were looking at me and I was scared. " What a cute clown:)

Texas Night Sky

Last night around 7:30 we started to hear some thunder, but no sign of any kind of rain or that it was going to rain. I saw the wind picking up and told my kids to go outside and ride their bikes before it turned dark. So, I step outside with them, and I see a beautiful rainbow in the sky, right in my own backyard! It was barely there-- but you could definitely see it. I took a quick snapshot of it and ran back in the house to tell everyone there was a rainbow outside and to hurry and come look at it. They all rushed out and within that time frame some clouds starting to come in so you could still see it, but barely. Then not 5 min. later I go back outside and the sky where the rainbow was, is completely black! I mean black! Then I turn to my right and the sky is orange, as the sun is setting. Then I go out into my front yard, and I see close to clear blue skys as the sun sets. These pictures were taken all about 3 seconds apart.... and you just had to do a quarter turn and you'd see a different sky, kind of like you were in an entirely different place. Pretty cool.... pics are included... 1st is rainbow, 2nd black sky- exactly where the rainbow was a few minutes before, 3rd orange sky, 4th front yard and clearer skies.

I AM SUPERMOM!

So, a few weeks ago I was at the library and I was picking out books. Usually there is no method to what I pick out, I just walk through and if the book looks appealing, I'll get it... if not- I'll leave it. I do usually judge a book by its cover. :) Anyways, as I was looking at the Newly arrived books shelf, I happened to see SuperMom Saves the World. I thought... this books looks kind of interesting, so I threw it on the pile of books I was already getting and went to check out. I then get home, and I pick the book up a few days later, and as I start reading I very quickly come to the realization that SUPER MOM'S name in real life is BIRDIE!! Yes, it isn't spelled the way I spell my name.... but usually when I find a book with a "Bertie" in it, it is a guy and he is from England and usually a very weird character. For instance, that one scandalous book with the Prince who was gay and he was looking for another Prince, and parents all over the country were mad that, that book was in elementary school libraries. Well, the Prince's name was Prince Bertie. So, needless to say- I was very excited that I was not only IN the book, but I was SUPER MOM in the book:) Whoo-hoo!! It was a very silly book, but entertaining.

Human Foosball?

Ok! So, Ethan is totally into soccer right now and he loves to have me roll the ball to him, so he can run up and kick it. Well, today I was rolling it to him, and he was kicking great- and then out of nowhere he decides he wants to try something new. He goes and stands in between our 2 couches and proceeds to hold himself up between the couches on the arms and says, "K, roll it to me now mom." So, I roll it to him, and he kicks it, like he is playing foosball. I guess, just standing and kicking isn't fun enough for him!! Do they even have a human foosball team??;)

Come on ride the train.... the CHOO CHOO train

So, this is a little ongoing from the last post at Brazos. As we were driving around, we decided to stop and play on a little play ground they have there in the camp grounds section. There was this old metal slide (do they even make these anymore?) Anyways, it was long and tall and the kind of slide I grew up with. Anyways, as you know from my previous post, the weather that day was 102 degrees - which I forgot to mention- was actually feeling like 112 degrees with the heat index! So, needless to say- I'm sure the slide was very, very hot--- but my kids did find a way to go down, without burning themselves. As Erin demonstrates in one of the pictures she is using her tennis shoes and her bum to slide down....

I also thought it would be a cool picture to get everyone going down like in a train, after they got used to the "scary, hot metal slide" and I'm not sure if we ever quite made it-- but lots of attempts. Proof of pictures below!

Then there is a picture of Chet running down the slide- being a GREAT example of safety for the kids... and Ethan sliding down, and then getting brave and standing up half way through and jumping off the rest. And for the last picture at the end of the day.... we call this one.... AND THIS IS HOW WE GO HOME:)

disclaimer: So, I'm not sure why my pictures are not in order, but hopefully you can figure it out:)

It is all about the Alligators!

This post is a little late, but last Friday we went to Brazos Bend State Park, in 102 degree heat, just so we could go see if we could catch an alligator trying to cross the road in front of us. The kids had sooooo much fun, until about 3 hours in and then they decided they were hot and sticky! We got lots of great pictures and we even got super close to a deer and I fed a raccoon out of my hand! Yes, you did read that right- a raccoon ate a cracker (bad, Bertie, I know!) right out of my hand, in the middle of the day. So, my guess is- this raccoon has been fed quite a bit.... or else A: It would not have been awake during the day and B) It wouldn't have come up so easily to take it out of my hand. So, I don't really feel all that bad for feeding it, just a little:)

We hiked around 40 Acre Lake, and I did not know it was as big as it was.... or else I would have chosen a smaller lake to walk around with the kids. Yes, folks, on maps... the trails are REALLY larger then they look on the map. We saw 2 alligators, and they were completely submerged in the water with just their eyes popping out, and covered in this really mushy green stuff (which I can't think of the name right now) So, see if you can find the alligator in one of my pictures.

All in all it was a great Friday afternoon, the kids loved it and we will hopefully go back for more when it is not QUITE so scorching!:)

R.I.P Dixie

Ok, so yesterday ended up being a pretty sad night. Yesterday at about 10:30 my sister called me to see if their dog was over here. She is a miniature dauchsund, named Dixie and she is about 11 years old or so, and she will walk over to my house every once in a while - because I'm exactly .33 miles away from my mom. She wasn't here, and so they went looking for her. No sign of her, so they started making signs for her, incase someone found her, or took her in, and they started calling animal shelter/control places to see if she had maybe been dropped off. Anyways- at about 5:30 PM my sister was having a bbq at my mom's house and swimming and so we came over to eat and swim. When I got there, I had asked if they had heard anything about Dixie or found her. They were like- no- nothing yet. Apparently my mom had just gotten off the phone with my dad, and he told her the last time he heard barking was in the garage that morning before he left for work, and my younger sister who had left that morning for the beach, said the same thing- that she had heard Dixie barking like crazy in the garage at around 8:15-8:30 AM. Anyways, they had already checked the garage, and my mom asked me and my older sister to go check again- maybe they missed her, or maybe she got stuck somewhere. Apparently- there is this baby oppossum that lives inside the walls of our garage, or in this one little part of it, and he gets in through this little hole in the back. So, Dixie has been trying to get this oppossum forever- like 2 months now. So, my sister walks to one side of the garage and is looking where some bricks can be pulled out and something can get back there- and she was gonna see if maybe she went back there, and I thought- well I'll just go over to where she normally is barking by the oppossum. I looked behind this big green bucket, right, pretty much pushed up against the wall, and I saw her feet and her tail and I was like- I can't look! I yelled, "I found her", and ran out of the garage. My sisters husband and friend went back there to check on her, and see if she is ok or dead, or what needs to be done. She was dead- and apparently had been so by 8:45. I went to my moms that morning at 8:45 AM and I did not hear barking- but they didn't notice her missing til around 9:30, because usually she will take up sleeping in the house somewhere under anyones blanket, so it is normal, not for her to always be right there in the kitchen area or downstairs even. Cause of death- electrocution. When they pulled the green bucket away, they found an extension cord in her mouth that is plugged into my moms extra fridge and freezer in the garage, and she had bitten straight through it. Since she had been chasing and barking and trying to get this oppossum for so long- we were like- what made her bite the cord this time? It was against the wall- so it wasn't like out in the open, or anything... so our only guess is, that as she was chasing and trying to get to the oppossum, it ran back in there pretty quickly and she had its tail in sight and thought she was going to bite the tail, when she ended up biting right down on the cord.
We got Dixie when I was about 15 or so as a puppy.. and I loved the dog- but she was only really "my" dog for a few years before leaving for college.. so it wasn't as hard on me- as it was my youngest sister who has had her since she was 5! My dad and my youngest sister were hurt the most! We had a little funeral for her, before burying her in our back yard. I started to cry during the funeral- but not much before or after. My kids were upset, but didnt really understand.. and Dante (6) my oldest- kept saying, but she'll come back right? But she'll come back.. and I explained to him, that yes- someday we will all be together again with Dixie and that she is in Heaven now. So- that was the shock of the day yesterday! But- she was doing something she loved- chasing animals as dachsunds are hunter dogs, and she thought she had her "prey" in her mouth.. and it had to have been really, really quick! So - that was pretty much that- and I'm good today- it is just weird thinking that she won't be there anymore when we go over there. We did have her spend the night recently while my family was in Nashville, and she slept with the kids- so I feel like we had some good time with her before she left.

Put on your Sunday best kids...WE'RE going to SEARS!

So, this past Sunday I decided to be all fun and dress Dante and Ethan as twins in matching pants, ties, and both with white button up shirts. This is always fun! I also had laid out a dress for Erin that was very pretty and pink- and would match the boys.... but she had plans of her own! After not wanting to wear the dress- even though, everytime she goes away to spend the night somewhere, she will take that dress as her "Sunday dress"- I decided to skip the fight and let her wear the dress she wanted. However, I did tell her, that since I was going to let her wear that dress, then I would get to do her hair however I wanted... which she then went onto say," But Mom!! I don't want a bun!!" Then - Ethan, not really knowing what we are talking about chimes in and says very excitedly, " I want a bun mom! Can I have a bun??" :) Kids- they say the darndest things!

why is he not listening to me???

So, Ethan is an amazing kid- he answers every time I call his name. He is very obedient and usually obeys exactly what I say on the first request... so the other night, Erin came into me and told me Ethan was not playing with her. He had turned a movie on, and wanted to watch Care Bears. So, I come out of my room and ask Ethan nicely, if he can play with Erin for just a little bit. He was on his stomach in his room, with his elbows on the ground and his head in his hands. He didn't answer me when I called his name. So, I said it again as I walked closer- and I'm thinking- he always answers- he must REALLY be into Care Bears, or is just plain ignoring me because he doesn't want to play with Erin. So, I go around him and crouch down so he can see my face as i talk and this is what I find! He is sound asleep on his hands-- he was really zonked out- and I had to get a picture because it was too darn funny!

STRO'S game for Pioneer Day!

On July 24th, we took our kids to their first ever pro baseball game - the Astros at Minute Maid Park. They absolutely loved it and had a great time-- the only thing I h ad a problem with, was 5 bucks for a tiny bag of cotton candy?? When did things hike up in price at ball games?? LOL! That night was a great night- Craig Biggio announced his retirement and then right after that he hit a Grand Slam to put the Stro's ahead 7-3!! We ended up winning the whole game 7-4. I took lots of pictures at the game and they are below, or to the right, or to the left... you'll see them:)