Winding down... sort of!

Well another school year is coming to a close. I am starting to get emotional on a daily basis as I am realizing that these kids that I have become so attached to are going to be all over the city now, and it is possible I will never see some of them again! I never knew you could love a child as much as your own until I entered the world of pre-school. We only have two weeks left, filled with a field trip to Kenny's Corral, and a end of the year Luau next week- grass skirts and all! Two weeks left of being with my little guy on a regular basis, eating lunch with him everyday, and peeking in anytime I want!

Ty will be going to kindergarten next year which is really weird, yet exciting. So far I am not emotional about that but who knows how it will be on the first day! We had registration a little over a month ago now where we went to the school, met the teachers and then the kids went to the classrooms while the principle gave us the 411 in the cafeteria. I was more than impressed and think Ty is just going to love it! His school is three blocks south of our house, beautiful, and consists of nearly entire Christian staff lead by a Christian principle! We have friends who have already experienced this school and mammas who have encouraged us about going there. It makes it easier knowing that they are looking for guidance in the right place!

We are also closing on our first season in Western Little League. It has been a good experience and surprising in a lot of ways. I will say we have a coach that is not a yeller, as opposed to several that we have played! I think Ty has learned more from Trent than his coaches but he has enjoyed it. Every game, with the exception of two, however have been not enjoyable weather! Temperature is always considerably lower on those days and of course windy and drizzling the last two!!! It is MAY!

Our church had a Father/Daughter Sunday afternoon where they made a growth chart together, a flower pot, and ate their self-made 'sundays'! Trent and Olivia had a blast. It was actually a small turn out but I think it just made it all the more fun.

Ty had his end of the year program and did great! They sang for one hour! The States song, states in alphabetical order, The letter song, Jesus you are wonderful to me, I want to stop and thank you God, all songs in sign language as well and many more I cannot remember! I really was impressed. I cannot thank God enough for leading us to this school and the unbelievable program they have going.

Trent's season closed and his 'first' players graduated! That was a little weird too, to think he has been there that long now! He has had only the men's team this last season and will continue to do so from now on, which has brought SO much more balance to our lives and a lot less drama!!! We are loving it! Trent is here a lot more and is so flexible. He is also working in the finance dept. of a large corporation part time which has been really good too. God has blessed us TREMENDOUSLY this year.

Had a great Mother's Day. My parents came the Thursday before and were able to go to a practice and game for Ty's team. We had a nice day at church and then went to Red Lobster to eat. Every restraunt in this town was crazy! We came home and had a nice restful afternoon. Ty made me a garden stone with his handprint in it, and Olivia made me the cutest polk-a-dot (thumbprints) flower pot complete with flower! The card from Ty was an interview about me and is hysterical. I will have to post that sometime but I am keeping it forever!

Trent is currently on a guy's golf trip in Alabama living it up at Robert Trent Jones with B-diddy (Brian Davis) and the crew. What a nice end to the semester! We (me and the kids) have three birthday parties in two days along with two baseball games! The crazy continues....

Lots of things coming to end, some sad, some good but we are ready to hit the pool and the lake! I will post some end of the year pics for my two readers (Mom & Dad) in the next week! We will see you soon and love you so much. Thank you for making the trip out and all your time with the kids. Its so neat to read back on here now, I have been blogging for almost four years now! Neat to look back and see what was going on at this time in the past or see how things have changed. What a neat way to record!

Easter

Egg Hunt at Calvary and Spring Snow!

Ty and his friend Laura Franklin

They had to find only the eggs with their number on them, Ty was 8. It was so cute how they were all helping each other! Here they are discussing who has what, Hallie, Ty and Winston.

This was from the last Friday in March, earlier that week it had been in the high 80's!

Western Little League

This is where most of our evenings are now spent... three practices a week and usually a game or two. Ty is LOVING it and so are we. He has learned a lot more this year and hit all base hits his last game!

Spring Break

Aunt Mimi

Sacked out watching movies
Uncle James' harley

Aunt Margie from OR came to visit

Linnea helped the kids make their own pizza!

ValentiNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNes Day

It has always struck a real nerve with me to hear so many intelligent people pronounce this love-filled holiday with a M, its not about a TIME of Valen! I took every day as an opportunity to help my little pre-schoolers in the correct pronouciation, sure cut down on my irritation!
Well that morning my husband left and my parents arrived! We started the visit by heading straight over to sign Ty up for little league, which is now just short an act of congress! Wow, those people take their little league SERIOUS! It took me over a week in preparation to get the correct documents available! That is all I will say about that. Then we were off to Baker Brothers for a nice lunch and then running more errands which included picking up our heart pizzas from Pappa Murphy's! I think this is a national chain... if you have not tried them, you absolutely MUST! Cheap AND good, a rare combination among any item! They suggested two for three adults and two children which was poor judgement, we did not even cut into the second one and will be eating for days now! May dad taught Ty how to tie a fishing line while we waited for them to cook.. too sweet~

My parents, AKA Pop and Cita, came baring many gifts including the movie, Charlotte's Web. We watched it after dinner and baths and my mother and I were actually crying at the end, while the kids slept! I think we just started it too late, but what a great movie!

I probably have not mentioned it before, but anybody reading who knows my mother is aware of her extensive background in teaching. She is just the most incredible story teller, and since her retirement has found a place where she can use that gift. There is a group in Arlington called The Story League, where many other retired teachers also go to various schools in the district not reading, but telling stories that they have memorized. They are always stories that are timely to the season or age and involve some participation from the audience along with some added props. Ty's class, along with the other four pre-K classes at Calvary had the blessing of getting to hear one from my mother! It was really neat to hear in person for the first time and she had all the teachers joining in as well!

My Dad took Ty fishing for the first time and they had a lot of fun just messing with the lines and learning their way around a tackle box while at home! We live just blocks from a big pond which is the perfect distance to go to fish! I picture Andy and Opie walking down there only appearing more like Ty and my Dad!

We had the pleasure of 60 mph winds last night that kept us awake nearly the entire night due to someone's gate in our neighborhood opening and shutting as well as the variety of backyard items being carried around hitting the fence, our windows, etc... I have tin stars that used to adorn the top of our built-in entertainment center in our last home, now have found a new place on our back fence which may have to be reconsidered. They have only been left hanging for a whole 24 hours in a row. Mostly they somehow make it off the bent nail and are all over my yard. Its a real mystery. This town makes decorative items a real challenge. I also used to have this gorgeous huge berry wreath on my door of Valentines day when we lived in Lewisville. The funny thing is there was not a sheltered entry there, it was cut out of the roof line! Had it for two years there. The first house we moved in here, the birds thought they were real and obliterated it :( Needless to say, this time of year is not my favorite for the area we live in and almost every year I re-consider moving! The dirt about sets me over!

We have had a busy week since Valentines full of LCU basketball games, t-ball try-outs, dinners, play dates, and parties. The busi-ness continues until summer anyway. I am looking for a job that might enbable me to make more money but also be flexible. I sure would appreciate any prayers you could send on my behalf, in such a time of such bank hording money, and my field being more of a luxury than a necessity. There is so much illness all around us too, just a real yuck time of year I guess. We do have a lot to be thankful despite of it all. God continues to be Good!

Still Alive at Age 35

February has been pretty eventful around our house. It started with Ty getting the flu. He missed an entire week of school! We ended up changing pediatricians in the process b/c despite his 103 temp for TWO days, they were unable to get him in for another three! I am really dissappointed about that because I liked our doctor so much, but I guess it does not matter how great the doctor is if you can not ever get in! Trent ended up taking him to the Grace Clinic and saw a doctor who is a guy he grew up with! Apparently that flu 'mist' my kids got back in September, is only 85% effective if you have absolutely no congestion which is rarely the case with anyone! Guess we won't be doing that again! Remarkably, nobody else in our household contracted it! Olivia, Trent, and now I have been struggling to breathe this past week though due to allergies. You think it could be the dust?! We are SO looking forward to the dust storm Tuesday! Oh the joy of West Texas... just LOVE getting in the shower and smelling dirt. Another favorite is everything being coated with white calcium- YES

I also turned 35 last week- really weird to me. I am now officially 'middle-aged'! Should I be going through some mid-life crisis or something?! Getting a new sports car is not an option for me however I would REALLY like some of that alternative to botox that lasts a year- in my wrinkled forehead and around my mouth. I now make sure to wear a moisturizer with sunscreen in it and age-defying mineral make-up! I guess its showing a little on the outside now, but I sure don't feel it on the inside. Mostly, I am feeling just really blessed to have had 35 years on this earth in able to experience so many incredible things. I was really encouraged by some very dear friends over the week and spent most of the week just verclept! Maybe its hormones but I really felt God's love through some super special people.

I purposely made a hair appt. for that day! Oh how I love to get my hair done! Also had the pleasure of meeting my inlaws and T's grandmother at Furr's for lunch- one of my favorite places!

Trent and I celebrated my birthday, which also happened to be Friday the 13th (how fitting for me!) by going to eat sushi and then to a movie, New In Town, which was absolutely hillarious! We had the blessing of a kid free evening which was so very nice for just one night! He left the next morning at 6 AM for Phoenix. The season is in 'full-swing'!

I was able to get out for an evening with some of my favorite girls last Thursday and had more fun than is natural just painting a plate! I even went into the 'ugly' crying laugh! Now THAT is a good night! My Sister-in-law was Emmy (or Emili as she is known to most of the world) was there too but left before we thought to get a picture. She had to get home to those babies to get them put down.

I am also including some pics of Ty with his best bud, Cole. He and Ty became friends last year in Mrs. Hess's class but now Cole goes to a different school. We still get together for play dates and this was taken at Cole's birthday party the day he got the flu! There is also a pic of Olivia with her best buddy, Avery. She NEVER stops talking about Avery. She only comes on Tues/Th so Olivia is always sad on Mon/Wed! From what I hear from Brandi, Avery feels the same way!

Field Trip

Getting on the bus





On the bus with friends Airic and Winston

The best pre-k teacher EVA- Mrs. O'Guinn

Three classes from Calvary waiting to enter the Planetarium

Waiting for the show to begin with friend Aaron

Ty with his old woman!

I have mentioned before how much we LOVE our school. The Pre-K class is studying the solar system right now, they even have a 'space' room at school! Ty is able to go on three field trips a year and this was his second, which was to the Planetarium on the campus of Texas Tech. I also had the blessing of being able to attend and help. I had never been and it was really great. It went amazingly smooth for there being 42 kids!

Phillips/Glabraith play time and Liv's first REAL haircut!

January has been back to reality! We have had CRAZY weather days. Today it started at 18 degrees and ended up at a spring like 65!!!! We are doing well though. We had a fun playdate with one of my dearest friends and her precious boys this month. The Galbraith's invited us to join them at the Science Spectrum and we had SO much fun! Denise and I have hit many milestones together. Our oldests, Ty and Noah, are a month and a half a part and her middle Caleb and Olivia are just a little over a week a part! Denise and Zach moved to Lubbock just about four months after we did. We had been in the same small group at Prestoncrest so this was SO comforting to me! We have grown really close and our schedules have not these past couple of years sadly. We used to get together for our muffins and coffee every week and now we hope for once a month if that! I just love this girl regardless and thankfully, our children feel the same way about each other!

Right after we left the Science Spectrum, we ran through Burger King and then to the 'Beauty Shop' for Olivia to have her first REAL haircut! I had been doing it up until now, and it was beginning to show! Tande did not dissappoint and Olivia did such a big girl job of sitting still! I will have to post an after shot later. Its still above her shoulders but a longer look to it. She likes to be able to do dog ears too so we comprimised.