The County Fair.

so much fun! so little time to report on all of it and we are only into day 1. the boys favorite ride thus far is the Tilt-A-Whirl. They rode it continuously last night. They'd get off and right back on. They looked terrified on it at times but couldn't get enough of it.

Hunter and his friend, who happens to be a very special little girl, made plans to ride the Ferris Wheel together & did! I would have loved a picture but you couldn't see their heads over the buckets. Of course it stops while they are on top & you see them climbing over the seats to look out!

watch for the video of this:

you won't want to miss it! it has BOTH boys ;)

The art of school.

So.....since no one told me about being in first grade and I don't remember all those years ago, WOW!

Talk about starting that first week off slow. Hunter had one little piece of homework each night.

Today! Reading a chapter, practice spelling test & math homework. I'm cashed!

Now, not only do I get home to rush around to get dinner ready for 2 starving kids, but I also am calling out spelling words & trying to keep Jayden entertained while Hunter concentrates. It's a hoopla around here.

And it's funny what the kids remember most about their day.

They both have mass on Friday mornings and we've been blessed with a new priest from India. He's very nice & we look foward to learning about him, but he's so hard to understand. After 2 board meetings with him, I'm still unsure of most of what he's said. So, I was anxious to here what the boys thought about him. So I asked Hunter.....

Me: Did you got to mass?

H: Yes and I was good and I saw Jayden.

Me: Was Father Joseph there?

H: Yes.

Me: Did you understand him?

H: Not a word mom. He talks so fast. Faster than you. I was lost.

Me: (trying not to laugh) Hunter, give it time. I pray we all learn to understand him.

and now on to Jayden.

Me: Did you go to mass today?

J: No.

Me: (scratching my head) You didn't go to church today?

J: No.

Me: (still confused) Hunter, was Jayden at church today.

H: Yes, mom.

Me: Jayden, where you good in church?

J: I don't remember. But I ate my lunch and played in the loft and on the playground.

so I see what's important to him at 4! and I'm guessing since he didn't remember mass at all, he also didn't get a lick out of it.

well I am off to check math homework. wish me luck.

Back to Reality.

Yes, this past week snapped us back to the reality as a life in school, sports, & work settled in.



Monday night was open house where each of the boys were able to meet their teachers, find out just who's in their class and have the harsh reality hit that summer was over. Though they were terribly excited for Wednesday to come.



Tuesday was spent with last minute preparations for the big day! Mom getting all the school supplies labeled along with snacks and studying the lunch menu.



Wednesday morning came way TOO early but we got off to school without a hitch! Hunter rushed off to his room while I spent time assuring Jayden he would have a fun day. By time I got Jayden settled, Hunter was already working hard at his desk.



Everyone just wondered what I was to do with those 3 extra hours I was going to have in the afternoon. It was actually terribly nice to walk into a quiet house and just sit.



I got to school to see how everything went. Turns out the cafeteria ladies got a good laugh at Jayden. Chicken nuggets were on the menu so I figured ketchup was going to be served. I sent Jayden with his own little Tupperware of ketchup so he would be okay. Well, it turns out since they had rice and gravy with the nuggets, ketchup wasn't served. So everyone had a laugh at the little boy who brought his own ketchup. I solved the problem with just taking a whole bottle to school for him to get on the days they serve it.



On Thursday, Hunter convinced me to drop him off at the big playground for class and he was about 1/2 way up the sidewalk when I realized he forgot his backpack. No worries. I would take Jay in and then take Hunter his backpack. I was unpacking Jayden when in flies Hunter into the classroom, his teacher following, and he was in hysterics, sobbing. Oh the poor boy. I told him all was okay!



I spent the day working at the golf course for our school fundraiser. And I must say, golf is the most boring thing ever. Though I learned alot, made some good money for the school and enjoyed being outside all day.



Hunter had his first soccer practice of the season.



Friday came way to early and way too fast. I'm so glad the kids start off with just 3 days the first week of school.



Jayden had soccer practice that evening.



Now with both schedules in hand, I'm blessed with both of the boys playing all but one game at the same time every Saturday morning until the end of October.



The fun is just starting and I can't say whether or not I'm ready. So much for sharing those shin guards!



Saturday we took off for the Greatest Show on Earth, Ringling Bros. and Baunum & Bailey Circus! The boys had received FREE tickets from the summer reading program at the library.



They had a BLAST and we are all still exhausted! I have to agree that it's great for kids of all ages. We all really enjoyed ourselves.



Here are a few pictures from the weekend:



The first day of Pre-K 4 and 1st Grade



The oh so important decision of souvenirs.

Racing to the pre-show.



Real circus costumes.


This clown could juggle and that's why he wanted his picture with him.


Hunter just couldn't believe that this elephant could paint!



Jayden had the best seat in the house for all 3 rings.

And a few highlights of our favorite acts:








Jayden was knocked out for the finale!



But he didn't sleep for long!



We enjoyed a nice dinner at Spaghetti Warehouse where a magician kept the boys entertained! Kreg spent the whole time studying his tricks and we are all still dumbfounded!

Let's pray this week is much calmer.

Happy Anniversary to us.

okay....okay....! here's a picture. not the best quality, but it will have to do:

Today is our 7th Wedding Anniversary - can you believe it? If I wasn't so tired, lazy or overwhelmed at this moment, I'd scan in a picture of our wedding day and upload it for all to see. (Can you imagine 7 years ago how many of us didn't own digital cameras ?) Ah, screw it - if you were there you remember and if you weren't there, let me hit the high points of the day:

Throw together 7 small town girls with 7 big city guys along with a bunch of German-Czech Catholics and let them go through 5 kegs of beer in 4 hours, before dinner is served.

Viola! The White Trash Wedding of the Year.

You've got bridesmaids & groomsmen sliding across the dance floor on their bellies.

Pussy Control being played by the DJ.

Karaoke. Fights. Questionable dance moves. Hook-ups.

and a few words of wisdom to those few left to get married:

Don't do bird seed. Drunk people with hands full of bird seed = A hurtful MESS!

plan a back up honeymoon. there's nothing like being stranded 2 hours from home when a tropical storm hits your island and your honeymoon is devasted. if you don't want to end up somewhere you've already been, have a back up, just in case.

get some SLEEP the night before your wedding!

ELOPE!

always remember it's YOUR wedding day. Take and make the memories you want to forever hold in your heart. It's a day you'll never get back.

the one GREAT memory: Nona & Randy. they were set up together at our wedding. and still together today with a beautiful daughter!

Katy Sweet

Our local candy factory, Katy Sweet, was giving tours today and the boys were VERY excited to go! My gosh, you would think they NEVER get to eat anything covered in chocolate.

They got to enjoy dipping cookies, teddy grahams, marshmallows, and chips! And they also got to see how all the super yummy pralines and fudge was made.

Hunter is overwhelmed already!



Notice the amount of chocolate we have here


Sprinkle Overload

Ooeey Gooey Yummy Carmely Pralines

I'd like a place to cook like this

And the best part. Taking home all those goodies

And did he have fun?

Pictures & Tales from our recent Miss-Adventures

“Life is too short not to make the best and the most of everything that comes your way everyday.”

Boy have we been busy!

It's hard to imagine 1 week from now the kids will be enjoying their 1st day of school!

They are exicted. They are ready.

Mom is exicted, ready and sad all at the same time.

I felt like summer has passed by so quickly for them.

But it will be good to get some structure back into all our lives.

And we've been living up the past couple of weeks!

I took the boys to the Rodeo @ the Schulenburg Festival. Their 1st Rodeo ever and they had a blast. I'm still trying to upload the video from the calf scramble.

We finally made a trip to Splashaway!




Needless to say, Jay was conked out

And after another dreaded 102 degree weekend & an AC that decides to go bonkers, Kreg and I took the boys to the Blue Bell Aquatic Center.
Here's Kreg trying to be a kid again:


Jay is watching too much of the Olympics. He's trying to do "Olympic moves" here

And my little character Jayden who never makes life dull

this will make you want to hug your kiddos even tighter.

The Girl in the Window.

click on it. read the story.

wipe your tears. say a prayer. hug your child.

This is such an incredible story.

She's such a beautiful little girl.

and that's one strong family.

here's........your sign.

don't we all have those oh NOT so proud moments in our lives?

so way back for Mother's Day, the boys bought me a bike. here it is, the beginning of August, a mere 2 months later, when I finally ride the thing.

Hunter and I pack up to go on a bike ride.

I was so taken aback by all the bells and whistles my new bike had. I could adjust the resistance from the pedals, allowing me to pedal faster or harder. it as so neat!

I was so proudly telling my dad about this when he burst out laughing. "Had I never owned a 10 speed bike before? That's why it's called a 10 speed."

no dad, If I recall correctly, this was the last bike I owned:

and he gave it to me for my birthday before the 2nd grade. and it proudly had purple and white pom-poms hanging from the handle bars.

and I proudly rode it until I was in high school. maybe until I left home at the age of 18!

so this,

this was quite an adjustment for me!