Daddy/Daughter Dance February 2011

Every year our church organizes a Daddy/Daughter Dance. We were going to wait until Macy was 3 before she started attending, but peer pressure from daddy's friends changed our minds, so Gary and Macy (20 months old) attended their first ever Daddy/Daughter Dance tonight. Macy's favorite song/dance was the Chicken Dance.

The Real Reason Why Couples have Kids

Gary was excited that our first 2 children were boys mainly because we were blessed to have 2 future yard helpers. Not long after Joshua started walking, Gary asked me if was too soon to teach him how to mow the lawn. Joshua has been wanting to take on the role of dog clean up for the last year. I have hesitated as I viewed it as parent job. Maybe I just didn't want to admit that my 6 year-old, first-born child, is growing up. So I told him the next time we needed dog food (at Petsmart), I would pick up an appropriate scoop and rake that he would be able to manage. Today was the day that he was able to officially take on the role of dog waste scooper. I had to take a photo of this milestone day. Nathan was eager to help with the chore, as he wants to scoop as well, but I told him he had to wait until he was 6. Gary is very excited to one less chore on his list. The past 6 years of feeding and clothing Joshua are finally starting to pay off.

Fun at the park

Macy turned 9 months old this past week. Now that the spring weather has arrived, we had a fun picnic at the park. It was actually a birthday party for Nathan's friend. Macy got to swing on the swing for the first time. She liked it a lot.

Little League

Joshua started Little League this month. His team is the SandGnats. Joshua is very excited to have his dad as the coach. He has had one game already. He was 2 for 3 at bat. His age is coach-pitch, so the coach pitches the balls to the kids.

Joshua earns the "REACH" Award

Joshua earned the REACH Award (Student of the Month) for February. His name was announced in front of the school at their monthly assembly. His picture is on the "Wall of Fame" in the school hallway.

The principal is reading the reasons his teacher wrote as to why he earned the award.

Joshua and his teacher, Mrs. Ewing

Joshua's picture on the "Wall of Fame"

February pictures

February seemed to fly by. Macy turned 8 months old and is enjoying "solid foods." I was a little late in getting her started on them. I tried when she was 6 months old, but she just cried when I spooned it into her mouth, so we took a break. Now, she's enjoying all sorts of yummy foods. She also outgrew her infant bath tub and graduated to a transitional inflatable tub. Joshua earned the "REACH" Award (Student of the Month) for his class in February. All of the recipients from each class were announced at the monthly assembly for the school. We are very proud of him.

Go Badgers!! These pictures are for my Wisconsin family. Thanks Helen and Bruce for the outfit.

Did I really eat it all?

Mom, I'm too big for this baby tub.

This is much better...Thanks mom.

My Favorite Color is Dirt

For those of you that know Nathan, you know that he loves to dig. For his 3rd birthday last year, my husband bought him 3 cubic yards of dirt (top soil) and put it in the back yard. Gary was tired of having Nathan dig up our yard. He loves tractors and shovels and playing outside. As you can imagine, he usually needs a bath upon entering back into the house. I saw this shirt at Target yesterday and couldn't resist getting it for him. Needless to say, when he put it on this morning, he went straight out back to his dirt pile to play.

The Tooth Fairy has arrived

Joshua lost his first tooth on Wednesday night. He wasn't quite sure about the whole Tooth Fairy thing, so I'm glad I started planning ahead when he first told us his tooth was loose. I went to the bank and got "Tooth Fairy" money (i.e. $2 bills and $1 gold coins) and inquired with friends about the current value of a tooth. Gary actually finally helped the tooth out as it had been hanging on by a thread all afternoon. Before bed, we decided it needed to come out. Gary only put his fingernail underneath the tooth and it came out without pain or drama. Joshua got $5 for his first tooth and the Tooth Fairy must have lost some fairy dust during her visit, as Joshua awoke to fairy dust on his pillow. He lost his bottom tooth, but you can't really tell, because his adult tooth is already practically there.

Meanwhile, my sweet 7 month-old Macy is growing teeth. Her bottom 2 teeth erupted in January. I tried to get a picture of them, but she wouldn't cooperate.

Nathan and Macy

I usually buy Joshua and Nathan matching pajamas for Christmas every year. Well tonight, Nathan wanted to match PJ's with Macy. These pajamas are actually ones that Joshua and Nathan got for Christmas 3 years ago. They now fit Nathan and Macy.

Nathan and Macy (5 months old)

Halloween 2009

Joshua was an Army Soldier, Nathan was Thomas the Train, Macy was a Little Lamb and Gary was some sort of mad-scientist doctor.

Kindergarten in the Public School

Joshua is only a couple of weeks into kindergarten and we have encountered our first episode of having to correct mis-information relating to what he is being taught. Gary and I have had the public school/Christian school discussion many times. Anyway...
For science class, they are learning about plants and that some animals eat plants. Humans also eat certain plants. And that humans are animals. What?? Please don't put me in the same category as my dogs.
So anyway, here is the conversation Gary and I had with Joshua regarding his education tonight:
Gary and I (us): Joshua, if there is anything you learn at school that doesn't make sense to you, please come home and ask us about it.
Joshua: Like what?
Us: Did you learn about plants and animals at school?
Joshua: Yes, animals eat plants and so do we. Humans are animals.
Us: No Joshua, humans are not animals
Joshua: Yes we are
Us: No, we are not
Joshua: (very emphatically) YES WE ARE DADDY, JESUS IS THE SHEPHERD AND WE ARE HIS SHEEP. Sheep are animals.
Us: (speechless). OK, Joshua, you are absolutely correct

Father/Son Golf Tournament

Saturday (August 22) was a memorable day for Gary. It was his first Father/Son Golf Tournament in which he was playing as the "father" and not as the son. It was only 9 holes, which Gary said was perfect as that was about all Joshua lasted.

Gary made sure they had matching outfits for the day

Joshua and his good friend, who also played in the tournament

Joshua pointing to the (non-winning) posting of their score of 39 for 9 holes

Nathan First day of Preschool

Where has the time gone? Nathan turned 3 in June, but his birthday came and went without much attention as (sadly) most of our attention was on his new baby sister. He started preschool last Thursday (August 20). Here are some pictures from his first day.

Nathan on the playground at school

Nathan giving Macy a good-bye kiss (so sweet!)
Nathan and his teacher

Nathan inside the classroom

Summer Swim Lessons

Joshua and Nathan finished up swimming lessons for the summer. Here are some pictures from the last day of class.

Joshua and Nathan

Nathan practicing his kicking
Nathan learning to come up for air

Joshua practicing his kicking

Joshua First Day of Kindergarten

My first-born started Kindergarten today. He is very excited to be in real school now (not pre-school).
Joshua walking to his classroom

Joshua and his teacher, Mrs. Ewing

Nathan giving big brother Joshua a hug goodbye

The Brawley Boys' Camping Trip

The Brawley Boys went camping the weekend of July 24-26.

Making smores with Grandpa

My boys

Hiking

Fishing

Joshua

Catching Up on Pictures

Macy's first play date with an older boy (Henry is one month older than Macy)

Macy at 6 weeks old