Pumpkin Patch 2014

There is an awesome pumpkin patch just a couple of miles from our house, and we've had our eye on it for a while now.  When Carl and I lived here years ago we would drive by that very pumpkin patch and talk about how fun it would be to one day take our kids there.  We moved away before having our kids, but we came back to visit when Isaac was 2 and Luke was a baby, so we brought them to the patch then.  It was fun, and a memory I still treasure.  4 years ago I never would have guessed that we would one day be living just around the corner from there!

 

Isaac's bus goes by it everyday, so all through the last weeks in September he would come home and give us the updates on the patch.  The kids could not wait to go!!!  October 19 we had a quiet morning, with no plans, so we decided to get out there early and try to beat the crowds.  It was perfect!  The weather could not have been better and the crowds were not too bad.  The kids loved it!!!  We took pictures with their favorite character (cut outs), jumped in the jump houses, went through a hay maze, climbed on the haystack, and took a tractor train ride.  It was a special family time!

 

 

Hannah with Caillou and Rosie, two of her favorite characters on TV.

 

I locked them up in jail!

 

Isaac and Hannah

 

We did get a picture of each kid in front of this, but I had to share this one.  Luke has been growing like crazy in the last few months, he is getting so "tall" (that's relative, but for our peanut he is tall).

 

The boys loved climbing to the top of this haystack...

 

and of course Isaac had to jump off!

 

Slides, obstacle course, and jump houses...such fun!

 

Hannah with her favorite princess, Ariel.

 

 

Tractor Train Ride!

 

 

My heart!

 

Luke getting in his work out while searching for the perfect pumpkin!

Gumby's Birthday Weekend!

Our move to north Texas has been an adjustment for everyone, the five of us, but also for our parents, friends, and family.  Thankfully, we have been blessed with many visitors, which has helped everyone adjust to this new life.  Unfortunately, Gumby is still undergoing cancer treatment and his doctor is in Dallas, which is hard on them.  For us that means that our kids get to visit with their grandparents every three weeks when they come up for his treatments.  One of his treatment trips was scheduled for a couple of days before his birthday, so we decided to take advantage of that and celebrate his day with him.  We are so thankful for our Gumby and all that he brings to the family, so we were thrilled to have a chance to do something fun just for him!  Aaron, Ana, and Marija were able to come up and join us in this celebration, so that made it even more fun!!!  Gumby has always enjoyed trains, and obviously we all know that my boys love trains, too, so we thought it was a perfect opportunity for a train ride!  Isaac had a soccer game that morning (a random September cold front blew in the night before, so it was a cold morning), it was fun to have Emmy and Gumby there to cheer him on!  After the game we grabbed a quick lunch then headed to the train station to meet up with the rest of the gang.  We boarded the train in Grapevine, took the 1.5 hour ride to Fort Worth where we got to play in the Stockyards for a couple of hours.  The ride there was great, it was slow at times, but everyone enjoyed the scenery and just being on a real train.  Another great addition to the day was that Emmy's sister, Debra and two of her girls, came to meet us in Fort Worth, so we got to visit with them and get a nice tour of the stockyards from them.  Then we boarded the train and made the trek back to Grapevine, where we then enjoyed a nice Texas dinner at a true cowboy restaurant.  It was a special day celebrating a remarkable man!  We love you, Gumby!!!

 

 

Hannah and Emmy take such good care of Hannah's baby dolls.

 

I'm not sure what they were discussing, but it sure looks like a serious conversation.

 

Go Isaac!!!  First game of the season!

 

The boys could not wait to check out the train!

 

They even got to climb up into a real steam engine and get a lesson from the Engineer.  All three of our train enthusiasts loved this!

 

On the train!

 

Luke really enjoyed the train, he was mesmerized by it all!

 

Trying to keep the kids entertained and under control towards the end of the first leg of the ride.

 

Isaac saw this longhorn, and he had to get on him, with absolutely no fear he climbed right up!  I was more scared than he was, but it was so fun to see him enjoying himself.

 

Aunt Ana and Isaac walking through the Stockyards together.

It's been a GREAT week!

It's been a fun week around our house!!!  Some of the highlights revolve around the kids...

 

 

Yesterday, Isaac came off the bus just beaming, smile from ear to ear, and a blue ribbon on his shirt.  He received the Citizen of the Week award for 1st grade!!!  They announced it on the morning announcements for the entire school to hear!  Wow, what an honor and such an encouragement for him!  He was beyond excited, and we are so proud of him for all of his hard work!

 

Luke had a teddy bear picnic at school yesterday.  He said it didn't have to be a bear, and I could tell he was a bit concerned thinking he didn't have a bear (none of his favorite stuffed animals are bears, but we have plenty of bears to choose from).  He found one in his room and was thrilled to take it to school!  He even named it Ironman!  (Isaac was not happy when he heard this, as he says that's his bear and his name is Brown Bear...ha!)  He had fun taking him to school, they shared a snack picnic in the room...this week's letter is B.

 

Hannah had her first gymnastics class this week...she LOVED it!  There were only three kids in the class, one was only a one year old, so she was pretty distracted and did her own thing, and there was another 2 year old, who was not happy and did not follow direction at all.  So Hannah soaked up the coach's attention, did all she asked, but also snuck off for some of her own fun on the trampoline and the beam.  At the end they played in the pit and went down the big tunnel slide...she loved that!  At the end of class she told me, "I stay here at gymnastics, it's fun!"

 

Last night we went to the playground to celebrate Isaac's award!  Everyone had a blast!

Pre-K

 

Our precious peanut Luke has started Pre-K!  Pre-K, really!?!  How is that possible, that means kindergarten is around the corner!  This mama is not at all ready for that.  Okay, I'll focus on this year, one day at a time, make the most of everyday he is home with me, and the special times he has at his preschool.

 

Moving here Luke's preschool was a big concern for me.  I knew we needed to find him an awesome school, one that could compete with the amazing preschool we had down in Magnolia.  The bar was set high, so I researched and asked lots of friends for recommendations.  Since the house hunt took a little longer than we'd hoped it would we were pushing it to get him into a good school.  I was nervous.  I called two schools, both full...I was scared.  I decided to ask our wonderful realtor for a recommendation, as her grandkids are in the area, and I trust their recommendation.  I called the preschool immediately, and they had an opening for our boy!  Yay!  I said, sign us up..."Don't you want a tour?"  Oh yes, I'll come take a tour...haha!

 

He has now been in school for two and a half weeks, and he has done so well!!!  His teacher is fabulous, the curriculum so far has been so great, and the biblical focus is strong.  I could not have asked for more

 

The smile you see on his face in the first day of school pictures is genuine, he was so excited!!!  I really expected him to hesitate with going to a new school, I expected him to be sad and have a hard time, BUT he proved me wrong!  He was beyond excited that first day, he couldn't wait to get there and he came home just as happy!!!  I am thrilled and so thankful for this blessing.  He has come home many days talking about a new friend, he never knows their names, but he is happy and has a great time!  He seems to love his teacher, and feel really comfortable with her and the school.  I am SO PROUD of this boy!!!  He has handled these changes like the strong, brave boy I always knew he was.  I am excited for the fun times ahead of him this year, for the memories we'll make, and the friends he will meet!

This Girl!

Hannah will be 2 and a half in just a couple short weeks, and I think she's 2.5 going on 5!  She is talking up a storm, not just random things, but full out conversations!  She blows me away with her understanding of everything around her and her understanding when we talk about things.  She is a silly girl, she loves to tease and play jokes.  The last couple of months have brought about so many changes in her...

her swimming continues to improve, and her fear is still non existent.  She thinks she can swim, and is not afraid to try.  She is doing better, but definitely cannot swim alone yet.  She loves to jump in, go under water, and even go down water slides.

 

Since moving up here we have gone to the park or Isaac's school playground many times.  She's really enjoying that!  She thinks she's as big as the boys and tries to do everything they do - sliding and climbing.

 

A week ago Tante Soo Jin came to town and we went to a hot air balloon festival here in town.  It was so fun!  Hannah was not a fan of the balloon noise when we first got there, but thankfully she warmed up to it and loved it by the end.  She of course zoned in on the pink balloon and decided it was hers.  She still talks about her pink hot air balloon..."Can we go get it, please?"

(I love this picture because it captures her drama face...the girl has mastered the drama.)

 

Yes, she's biking!!!  Okay, I know she still has her training wheels on there, but the girl is doing great!  She's been begging to ride that bike since we moved in, but it didn't have the training wheels on it.  During one of Oma and Opa's visits Opa put the training wheels on it for her.  She got on it and immediately took off down the driveway!  She has barely pedaled her tricycle, so this really surprised me!  We headed over to the school parking lot (across from our house), so the boys could ride with their cousin, Carson, and Hannah just joined right in!  I am still amazed when I watch her ride, she is fast and brave!

 

We've spent many hours in the pool this summer...my kids are fish...they love the water!

 

Isaac started school this week, and it's been an adjustment for us all.  Hannah misses him like crazy!  He's her buddy, she loves to play with him, they pretend he is her daddy and she is a baby.  He carries her around and takes care of her.  When we go shopping and I put her in the stroller, I am not allowed to push her, only Isaac.  When walking in a parking lot I will reach for her hand, but she gets mad and will only hold Isaac's hand.  Like I said, him being gone has been an adjustment.  Today she told me, "I don't want Isaac to go to school anymore!"  And this afternoon after he got off the bus she told me, "Mama, you can drop me off, too, I'll ride the bus with Isaac."  I told her she wasn't ready for 1st grade, she had a little more to learn, to which she quickly responded, "It's okay, I will go to kindergarten."

 

She loves the new swing daddy put up in the back yard!  We laugh at ourselves all the time...we would have NEVER put our first born, Isaac, on a swing like this when he was 2!  There's no way!  But this girl, well we couldn't keep her off of it if we wanted to.  It's amazing how much you relax and change as you have more kids.

 

Doing her starfish and floating with Opa. 

Swimming on her back has become her new favorite way to swim.

 

DADDY'S GIRL!  She's got him wrapped around her little finger...can you see it in his eyes?

I love their special relationship, Hannah truly loves her daddy and really misses him when he's gone.  It's a precious relationship, and I am so thankful for their love.

 

Hannah has always shown an interest in gymnastics, but after taking the kids to watch at a local gym (in an attempt to help Luke feel comfortable enough to try a class again), Hannah's interest has grown even more!  She loves to wear her leotard around the house, and when I put gymnastics on TV she cannot take her eyes off of it!  While she watches she says, "Mama, I do gymnastics, I do that!  I do that, too!!!  Mama, will you watch me do gymnastics?  Can I be on TV and do gymnastics?"  I think it's time to sign her up...and I'll admit, I am as excited as she is!  We will start with a mommy and me class in a week or so!

 

2 years old has brought with it the typical 2 year old behaviors...the girl can throw a fit with the best of them.  But it has also brought so much fun!  I am enjoying the interactions, the sweet play time, and watching her develop and grow.  It's amazing how every child is different...she challenges us in ways the boys never did, but she also fills us with a new kind of joy.  I'm so thankful the Lord chose to give us this sweet and sassy girl...we LOVE her!

1st Grade for our Big Guy!

 

Getting on the bus!  He was so ready, he didn't hesitate for even a second!  Luke was out waiting with us, and when the bus pulled up he gave Isaac a big hug and said, "Bye Isaac.  I love you!"  Oh how I'm so thankful for their sweet relationship.

 

I cannot believe he's in 1st grade...wasn't he just born!?!  I am denial that he's getting so big, but everyday he reminds me that he is growing up by the way he acts and handles things.

 

One day this will fit...I am excited to have a picture of him wearing it every year!

 

I gave in and let him get a new backpack this year...he loves it because it lights up.

 

He insisted on a picture with his sweet buddy, Tex.

 

And he wanted a picture in front of the mailbox, too.  Haha!

 

I'm so proud of this guy!  I was a nervous wreck, so anxious about him going to a new school...he was totally chill like it was no big deal.  Wow, so thankful for The Lord's strength in him.

 

He has a locker in his classroom!  So fun!

 

Waiting to get started...

 

And he's home!!!!  Oh how they missed him while he was gone!  These three are precious...Isaac is Luke's best friend, and Hannah adores Isaac.

 

So HAPPY!!!

 

So leading up to this first day of school I was pretty nervous...I mean starting at a new school where he does not know a singles person and nobody knows him.  That's hard to handle as a mama.  Thankfully we were able to go take a tour of the school and meet his teacher one day last week.  That definitely helped me, and I know it helped Isaac so much!  He was a little nervous when we first got there that day, but by the time we left he was talking to everyone and skipping down the hall!  On the morning of the first day (yesterday), he was completely relaxed!  I was a nervous wreck (on the inside), but trying my best to be calm and normal for him.  He was so chill, just getting ready like it was any other school day back at his old school.  He was so excited to get out to the bus stop...our driveway!  And as that bus pulled up he just walked right on!  I'll admit, I was shocked by his calm demeanor!  After he pulled away I ran in, got my keys, and jumped in my truck to head to the school.  I got there after him, but was able to help him get his bag in his locker and get a few pictures of him.  I got a picture of him and his sweet teacher, too.  Then after a few kisses, I reluctantly left.  Haha!  Really, I was the nervous one, he was fine!  I could sense a little uneasiness in him at the school, but not much at all, he was happy.

When I got home Hannah came running to me, "Mama's home!  Isaac's home!"  I had to tell her no, he's at school.  She did not like that answer.

It was a long day, but we all survived, and I think Luke really enjoyed his one on one time with me while Hannah napped.  As soon as Hannah woke up from her nap she asked for Isaac.  She wanted to go wait for his bus immediately.

We got out on the driveway a little early due to our anxiousness to see him, but also because I had no idea what time to expect the bus.  After what seemed like forever the bus finally pulled up.  Hannah and Luke could not contain themselves, they both ran up and gave Isaac a big hug!!!

Isaac came off the bus all smiles.  He had an awesome day, and I could tell that right away when I saw his face.  My heart felt so much better as I saw his joy.  I didn't get a lot of information out of him, but he did say the bus was really hot this afternoon.  Heehee.  He made two friends on the bus, but he didn't know their names.  And he said they didn't do any work.  He was also pretty bummed that they have to walk or run two laps on the track outside before they can play at recess.  I like that...way to get them moving!  I didn't get much else out of him, he just wanted to play with his brother and sister, not talk about his day.

 

Day 2, today, went great as well!  He again left without any hesitation.  Luke was funny though...I told Isaac to go put on his shoes, and Luke looked at me so confused, "Why?  Where is he going?"  I said, "School."  Luke then so sadly replied, "No, not again."  The poor guy sure loves his big brother, even if they don't always act like it.  Isaac came home happy again, full of energy, and excited about his day.

 

To say I am proud of him is an understatement, this boy has amazed me!  He has always had a shy and timid personality, and I thought this transition would be so hard on him.  He has handled it all so well, and truly was so brave as he started this new chapter.  I hope this is the start to an amazing  year for him!!!