First time down the slopes

We just got home from a great family trip to Angel Fire, NM. Sweet Emily did not make the trip with us. Instead, she got a special couple of days in Waco with Mimi and Bapa and a couple of days in SA with Sha Sha and Babs. She was thoroughly spoiled and got lots of one on one attention.

So, we road-tripped our way up to Angel Fire. We had great intentions (or crazy misconceptions) that we could make it the first night. No such luck- at 2:30 am, we pulled our sleepy selves over and stopped for the night. It was a smart move! The next morning, we woke up bright and early (as usual)and made the last several hours in no time. We got there in time to check out the condo, play in the snow, rent our skis and make a run at the grocery store.
My boys!



The boys did ski school on Saturday and loved it so much that they did it again on Sunday. So, Chris and I got TWO full days of skiing in together. It was lots of fun and Chris is an awesome skier. I felt accomplished just keeping up with him! It's funny, but the older you get, the more you really weigh the pros and cons of doing the really hard stuff- I'm kind of a scaredy cat! By day 2, I was a little more confident and would tackle some of the harder runs.

After their 2nd day of ski school, we had purchased tickets for me and boys to do the tubing. It was an absolute blast! I hope being a mom doesn't mean you don't get to do things like that because I will not be playing by that rule. I was just as excited as the kids. Chris made the sacrifice to stay at the bottom of the hill to collect the boys when they came down. Then, we would ride the Magic Carpet back to the top and do it all over again.

By the time we had our fill of tubing, it was starting to snow and ended up snowing us in that night. We made do with the food we had and snuggled up. We laughed because we could hardly make it to 9:00 at night we were so beat from the day's activities. The boys were begging for bed by 7 usually!

The next day was our last full day to be there and I really wanted to ski with the boys. We had gotten 7 inches of new snow the night before and it was pretty cold.
My car was covered!
There were 40-50 mph winds gusting but it was beautiful as it had been the past 2 days. So, we ate an early lunch and headed out to do a 1/2 day of skiing with the boys. Boy were we impressed with what they could do. Hunter even did a blue with us! Blake did awesome too! He had done a Three-Ski program that was more like daycare with an hour of ski instruction. For what he had learned, he did GREAT! Chris and I would switch off with each kid and ski for a little bit with that one. It was an ideal day! So fun to ski with your kids!


That night, we packed and got ourselves organized for a FULL day of driving home the next day. It was just a wonderful and special trip! So fun to see our boys in a new place doing something so fun that both Chris and I love. We can't wait to go back again and next time see Miss Em on the slopes. Angel Fire will never know what hit it!

1st is the worst, 2nd is the best....

Poor Blake- being in the middle kinda stinks sometimes. You aren't the first and you aren't the last. My little red head firecracker, he makes me smile so big. Blake is the first to tell you he loves you and come up unprovoked to hug or kiss you. He's just a little lovebug.

Now we are in BIG trouble

Here she is the morning after her first night in the big girl bed.

Our little girl has decided to be BIG this past week. As I posted before, she has figured out the crib and can escape with ease. So, after researching the crib tent option, we decided to try the Big Girl bed out. Out came the bedrail and we set it up as cozy as we could.

Aside from getting out a few times each night as we try to put her down, she is doing pretty good. I cannot really wrap my mind around the fact that she is no longer in a crib- it happened WAY too fast for me. Last night, I was laying in the bed with her and asked her if she was a big girl in a big girl bed and she nodded her head.

And they call the thing a RODEO

Our very own cowboy had his first ride in the San Antonio Rodeo this weekend. He was chosen late last fall to do the Mutton Bustin' event and we have been eagerly anticipating this weekend for months now.

The idea of riding a sheep was really exciting to Hunter, especially since his cousin, Ryan, did the very same thing last year in Fort Worth. So, we decided to prepare him from a couple of rides on our backs and watching a few rounds of it on YouTube.

We checked in, he chose to put on the #10 vest and off we went.

Unfortunately, the ride was super fast- so fast that it was nearly impossible to get good pics or video and watch at the same time. Thankfully we get a video through the rodeo and really professional and up-close pictures.
Here he is getting loaded.

And dumped.

The top score was 83 and Hunter scored an 80- the 2nd highest score. His sheep was a fast runner and Hunter held on tight as could be. He shifted to the side all the way to the belly before he dropped into the dirt.
Here he is on the big screen getting his trophy.


Hunter LOVES that trophy- he even took it to school Monday to show his kindergarten class. The entire day was a blast! Such a blast in fact...look who was wiped out!

A Certain Toddler has our Number

And currently, that number is 12:00 AM- as in Midnight. We are contending with a smarter-than-we-are little girl who has all of a sudden realized her amazing climbing skills can propel her right out of her crib. The last several nights have been a battle of wills with her being able to get right out of bed at any moment. Chris and I have had to laugh as we hear the pitter patter of her little feet as she comes our way. We can hear when she stops off at the pantry- she brought a box of Cheezits to our bedside once. We hear when she stops off to play with a toy left out. We hear when she pulls on the back door handles and says what sounds like, "Go ou-side." Uh, not at midnight. Tonight, she even walked back to the boys' room to announce that they all, "Go ou-side."

We are tired and weary and unfortunately, at this point in the day, your parenting skills are a little lacking. Once my head hits the pillow, my very selfish and tired self wins out and often we are letting her be sandwiched in between us. It's not the best sleep when a toddler shares your pillow.

This to shall pass I assume, as all things do. I will laugh at how at this young age of 19 months, she was so agile in lifting herself over the edge of the crib and lower herself down, dropping the last couple of inches from hanging. Whew! At least she's my third and not my first. I'm a little more at ease knowing she can obviously handle it. I'm thinking it's time to ask my friends who has a crib tent in storage. We most certainly need it...now!

Middle Man

Blaker Boo- We cannot let you be overlooked, so here is your update. At 3 years and 3 months you are rocking the potty-trained thing. You really became potty trained at the beginning of the school year when you were still 2, and have done SO great (compared to your big brother who was tough to potty train). My little red-head, you are too precious for words. You wander most nights with pillow and blankets in hand to our room to sleep in between Daddy and I. I know it's not a forever thing, so I'm not too worried about it. It's kinda sweet to hear you suck away on your poppy (pacifier) and see you cuddle into your Daddy. You're a little snuggle bug and I LOVE it!

You LOVE your teachers, Ms. Christy and Ms. Dana and they adore you back. You go M/W to school and talk only about Luke, your best bud. You two are a force to reckon with and don't delve out much. This being your first year of school, you have done great! You take your lunch both days and stay for nap on Wednesday. You come home that day with definite nap hair so I know you sleep hard on your nap mat. You are still ADDICTED with a vengeance to your poppy and your night nights. You and Hunter share a room and do SO well being tucked in at the same time. I love hearing you both giggling and talking sometimes after we do prayers and say goodnight.

You are SO talented at certain things- you can ride a razor scooter like a big kid. Your ability to balance is incredible and you can even ride lifting up your other leg. It's truly amazing. You also have riding a bike down and have the same size bike as Hunter. Yours has training wheels but still, it's pretty incredible to see a 3 year old have such control over a large bike.

You love to watch Marmaduke, ET, Batteries Not Included (you call it Robots), Night at the Museum (you call it Museum), Curious George, you just got into Finding Nemo, Scooby Doo, and you think it's great fun to watch things on your movie player.

Let's see...you love to ride your bike, play outside, play cars, make tents, watch movies and cuddle up, bring out all pillows and blankets and make a huge pallet, play on the pogo swing, play out front, ride the riding toys... You are busy and so fun and so incredibly precious. Your favorite thing to wear is your "Bay-lo jersey" and your "run-around pants." Run around pants are little cotton sweat pants that I told you were just to "run around" in and the name stuck! I love it!

Fun things you say..."Last night..." Everything happened last night in your world.
"Al-de-gator" "No ma'am Emi-wee" or "No Sirs dogs" "Hunter did it" "I wanna take a baf" (bath) "Am I going to school today?" "I not do that, I'm a big boy" "Her not do that"

Growing TOO fast

At 17 months old, Emily is a mile a minute. She seems far beyond her age and can do most anything in keeping up with her big brothers. Blake, my little policeman, does his best to keep her in line and if often overheard saying, "No ma'am Emiwee."

Her words at this age....Mama, Dada, Mommy, walk, dog dog, No, Nooooo, bite, wah wah for water, makes growling sound for what a dog says, poppy (our word for pacifier), ba ba (bottle), bay-bee (baby), Bapa, Mimi, Baaa for Babs, Sh Sh for Shay Shay, my, blah blah (what she says when she wants something)

She usually eats right handed. She is great with a fork or spoon and has been from an early age. She is getting better and better about drinking from an open cup. She still takes a bottle (don't judge, she's my last) and will go to our drawer of cups that is down low for the kids and bring me a cup when she is thirsty. She is CONSTANTLY in the pantry, bringing out snacks and carrying around chip bags, goldfish.... I can't tell you how many times we have had to sweep or vacuum up the poured out bags of snacks. I am convinced that I need to get a lock for the pantry to keep me sane. It's getting out of hand.

Emily is down at 7 PM and up around 7 AM. She loves to sing and often sings in her room or in the car. It's precious. She loves to listen to music and will dance to beat and can shake her hips back and forth by shifting her weight from side to side bending and straightening her legs. I LOVE that! She loves taking baths and afterwards will dart off for the thrill of being naked a little longer! She loves her bunny that is her lovie- it's starting to look loved on. She still takes her poppy and she and Blake exchange them all day long. (Again, don't judge...it's survival sometimes.) She is great in the car and rides like a champ to and from the many things she is toted around to. She likes to play with her dolls, with her brothers cars and blocks, loves to read and be read to, pitters around with her new kitchen, plays outside on the playground or on the riding toys, is VERY independent and can go off on her own without a problem (at least for herself), loves the new pogo swing, enjoys being with people, has tee-teed on the potty a handful of times (yahoo!!), loves to help mommy, push her doll stroller around, sit at her table and chairs in her rooms and play, can climb most anything....

Kids say the Darndest things

A few weeks ago, I had to run to the store early on Sunday morning before church. I quickly asked if anyone wanted to go with me, and Hunter volunteered. Even though it was a quick trip for milk, I enjoyed my one-on-one time with my sweet 6 year old. As we were driving home the few blocks from the store, I started talking about memories of driving with him in his carseat as a toddler and how he would talk and talk about trucks and cars and which ones had hitches, which ones didn't, which ones had big gas tanks, which ones had "wittle" ones....Hunter loves to hear fun memories of him as a little kid and what he used to say.

I came around to open his car door and jokingly said, "I should just call you Hitch." To which he quickly replied, "Well, I should just call you, Bi#!@."

Before you go assuming anything at all, he was simply rhyming back at me and had NO IDEA what he was saying. I burst out laughing, quickly explained why I thought it was so funny by telling him that I knew he had no idea it was an ugly word to call someone and knew that he didn't mean it, but I thought it was an innocent gaffe. He was mortified that he said such a thing even though I reassured him it was totally him rhyming back. Too funny!

A New Resolution

It was April 2007 (I think) that I started "blogging." It was such a new concept to me back then and I was excited to try something so "out there." Not being a very technology-oriented person, I just played with the most simple template, added my writing and pictures and felt like I had accomplished something great. Being able to document what was going on in our lives was enjoyable and fun and having always been one that enjoys writing in a journal, it was a perfect mode at preserving family memories for years to come.

I do have 2 entire journals filled to the brim with handwritten accounts of Hunter's first couple of years. And the blog started when he was 1 1/2. Then Blake came along, so I wanted to be fair. He has one mostly filled journal and I picked up with him on the blog. The funny thing is, my boys will probably be the least to care that I hand wrote their sleeping habits as babies, their first words and when they mastered a new skill. So, along comes Emily. Three kids underfoot and doing anything but survive is a task in itself. I compromised with myself and decided I would keep a Word Document journal for her. It started out strong- lots of posts during pregnancy recording special info and things I wanted to remember. Then, the first couple of months of her life, I was pretty good about keeping it up. Honestly, at this point (17 months old), I cannot remember the last time I wrote in it. I know I have missed documenting when new teeth have arrived (she has 11), what we have been up to, her words at different months, funny things she does... And even the blog has suffered. I have often felt guilty for not getting on to update, although I know that is not of the Lord, it is fully me and my expectations. I know she will most likely be the one that will enjoy knowing the details of her babyhood and beyond.

So here is the resolution- I am going to TRY to blog three times a week. It may or may not include pictures, but it will update on life, what is going on with each family member.... At the end of this year, 5 1/2 years into the blogging journey, I am making it into a book. So please, if you read this, thanks for stopping by to see what we are doing. Feel free to shout out and remind me to keep this up. I know I will be so glad I did.