KiNdErGaRtEn!

The 1st Day of School

More pictures at:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1483519392#!/album.php?aid=2074821&id=1483519392

Jack's 6th Birthday

Our little man is 6 years old!

Jack wanted a Robot/Outer Space party. We designed robots, made "flying saucer pizzas", played "Robot Says", and enjoyed robot cake!

For more pictures of the festivities, click here:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=2072577&id=1483519392

Jack is such a lovable, happy boy. He is so much fun!

His favorites things right now are:

Playmobil toys, The Cat in the Hat, spaghetti, popsicles, superheroes, planets, playing baseball, drawing & coloring, robots, the color blue, Texas Rangers baseball, Mizzou football, watching sports with daddy snuggled on the couch, Legos, Wendy's chili, Washington D.C., swimming, getting the mail, telling riddles, tickling, having made-up stories told to him, Motown music, going to the Library, running fast, teasing & joking, OT Bible stories, playing games on the computer, making up songs, having daddy put him to bed, and reading books with mommy.

We love him sooooooooooooooo much and we are so very blessed to have him!

Happy Birthday, Jack!

I might not hate blogger anymore

Okay, I might be back. :)

I hate blogger

I don't know what has happened to my blog! The design got messed up and I don't know how to fix it! (You know I can't continue blogging if it isn't CUTE!)
It is taking forever for my pictures to load and I'm about to throw in the towel!
Any suggestions?
Otherwise I might be through with this blogging thing!
Signed,
A Crabby Blogger

Happy Birthday, America!

Swim Lessons

Our 2nd summer of swim lessons with Ms. Leslie... Jack jumped right back in and was ready to go! He has learned so much and just loves to swim!

Possibly the real reason he loves Ms. Leslie so much: Ring Pops at the end of each lesson!

Jack & his swimming buddies Julianne & Mary

Buddies

What can I say about these funny little friends? They have a "love/hate" relationship just like brothers. A little heavier on the "love" than the hate, thankfully! Jack & Jake have so much fun together!

May in Missouri

Shawn, Jack & Emma just relaxin'

Playing baseball with Grandpa at the school


Making breakfast at "Grandma's Cafe"

Sister Bridget & Niece Brooke getting ready for a Mother/Daughter day on the town

A road trip within a road trip! We packed up a carload of kids to visit sisters Mindy & Portia & nephew Trent in Jefferson City.

Feasting like kings!

Shawn enjoying a drink in style!

Manicure time with the 2 Emilys. I just love doing "girly things" with her. Such a departure from my usual life with a little boy!

Watching a movie at the hotel. These kids just love staying in hotels! Between the big breakfast, swimming pool, and the ELEVATOR they were in heaven!

They really wanted to take a picture in front of the hotel so they could remember it.

As we were leaving, they were saying "Goodbye hotel! Goodbye bed! Goodbye couch! Goodbye rocks!..." all the way out the door. :)

Little sister Portia & her fiance Jason. Wedding next March! Woo Hoo!

Small Town Baseball

One of the many perks of small town life is being able to WALK to your ballgame!

Baseball Buddies Jake & Jack

I was kind of sad to see the baseball season end. It was so fun watching all the boys learn & grow. They definitely improved over the season and we ended up being a pretty good little team. Jack was thrilled with his first TROPHY. It is a treasured & prized posession! We are looking forward to playing again in the spring.

Hooray for BASEBALL!

Jack & Poppers

Poppers came for a visit in May. As usual, it was FUN, FUN, FUN for Jack! Jack absolutely adores his Poppers and we are so thankful for him and what he means to us!

Jack & Poppers at the bowling alley.

Poppers never runs out of energy!

The Little Graduate

Our little man has graduated from preschool! Jack went 2 days a week at North Texas Christian Academy this year. It was his first preschool experience and he really loved it.

And I really loved my Tuesdays & Thursdays! It was the first time since Jack was born that I have had several hours to do whatever I wished. Ahhhh, it was nice!

getting ready to go on stage...

getting his diploma from "Miss Diane"

Miss Diane was "no nonsense" and I really liked that! :) She had a lot of sweet things to say about Jack. I know this is hard to believe, but Jack can be really shy & reserved in a new setting. She was very helpful in getting him to "come out of his shell" at school.


the proud graduate!

And now it's time for the next chapter...KINDERGARTEN!

10 Years!

10 years ago today we said "I do!" We still "do!"

This is Justin's gift to me. The 10 year anniversary gift is tin or metal. Isn't this the best use of metal for a gift for me? I am so happy! I have been wanting one of these for a long time. It is sweet to me because I can just see us celebrating anniversary after anniversary, year after year, side by side on this glider!

We enjoyed a fun daytime date while Jack was at his last day of preschool today. We went to Dallas & just strolled around uptown. I think our favorite shoppe was a toy store with fun vintage toys. We picked up several neat things for Jack's birthday. :)

We ate lunch at Bubba's. That was some gOoOoOd home cookin' ! Justin lOvEd the homemade banana pudding. We drove around and admired the fancy -schmancy homes on the beautiful tree-lined streets of Highland Park, and then made our way home to pick up Jack from school.

It was a fun, fun, fun time with my honey! I would much rather have a day of simple fun than a fancy night out. I think that is why we are so happy together...we are both pretty laid back and low maintenance! We don't have extreme "highs" but, by the same token, we don't have the "lows". We are simple, even, content, and HAPPY!

"Aliens"

Spring has Sprung!

Here is a sampling of what is blooming in my yard right now.

Ahhhhh, Spring....

Spring bouqets fresh from the yard!

One of my five precious peonies that bloomed this spring!

Roses tumbling over the fence...

My back fence is covered, top to bottom, in these sweet pale pink roses

My Little Mailman

BASEBALL! ...and Letting Go

Our little boy is playing baseball! I remember when he was just a baby, Justin & I talking about how fun it would be when this day would come. Well, here we are! Jack comes from a long line of baseball players & baseball lovers. I just wish his Great-Grandpa Knowles (my grandpa) and his Grandma Martin (Justin's mom) could be here to see him play. They were both big baseball fans and I know they would have loved to see little Jack on the field...

Heading off to the ballfield for his first game. Number 9 was my grandpa's number when he played ball! :)

Playing his favorite position...Pitcher. Even though it is Coach-Pitch. :)

After the game with his best bud, sidekick, and teammate Jake.


I can't believe how tense it can be watching these little guys play! You just want them to do well so badly but, bless their little hearts, they don't know what's going on half the time! :)
The parents holler out from the stands trying to help, but really these little guys are on their own. That first game really struck me as one of those "letting go" experiences of parenthood. You practice & practice, but when it is game time you step back and they are left to do their best on their own. My "Mother's Heart" has a hard time letting go, but this is just part of the journey of parenthood. I know this pales in comparison to the greatest task of parenting and that is "Train a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6 I hope I'm ready for this journey of gradually letting go of my little guy! (sniff, sniff)

Easter Sunday

The hunt is on!

The last treat was hidden in the back of Daddy's truck...

I think he is pleased with his loot!

Happy Easter!