Is it Christmas Yet?

The big day is almost here and it can not get here fast enough for my house. Yesterday, Luke and I went to see the Rockettes and it was such fun. What a great show. Santa was his favorite part and he was so excited to see him in Tulsa.

Today, Luke woke up and came downstairs saying "Merry Christmas". Then he said, "Did Santa come?" OOOOOOHHHHH. Too cute but I had to let him down and remind him he comes tonight after we go to sleep. He is so excited. We have written letters, drawn pictures and come up with many a random thing that he should be bringing us. We also went over to Juju and Paki's for a yummy brunch and some play time with our cousins. What a great way to enjoy family, start a fun day and expend a little energy!

It is precious and cute and the excitement is fun to watch. During all of this though, I keep thinking about Jesus being born. I  can't imagine giving one of my children away and that is exactly what happened. And when I think that God knew the horrible death he would suffer, I really can't fathom. I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and enjoy every minute of it, but let's try to all remember what we are really celebrating. I find that when I can keep that in mind, it makes every minute more special. 

Days of Christmas Fun

We have been gearing up for Christmas around our house and it is getting exciting. Saturday, Gigi came and we celebrated Christmas with her. It was so fun and really my kids first taste of what is to come. Luke was so excited to open a present. And you should have seen your face when he got handbells from Gigi. Luke saw these in a catalog and I think they have them at school, but he was so excited. It sounds a bit like the Salvation Army around our house, but he was overjoyed! And then, Jason gave him a present and Luke was shocked that he got 2 presents! I am sure by 10am on Christmas Day, he will be long past this innocent response, but it was so sweet. Luke got a couple of games like Candy Land, which we have played numerous times since Saturday. What a fun day.

Sunday, Papa came and took Jack and Luke to the Nutcracker. I think it was a fun day for everyone. I asked Luke once he got home what his favorite part was and he very excitedly responded....."UMMM....my favorite part was finding our seats!" We all got a little chuckle out of that.  Upon some further digging, he did have some parts he liked but that was the best response all day. It was a fun day for both of them and I am sure it was fun for Papa to watch with the boys.

Monday, the Herrolds arrived in town and to Luke, Emma and Jack, this was as good as Christmas! They were so excited. Luke came to my bed at 4:45 and said, "Mom...Ellie Grace comes today! Wake up!" Lucky for me, Luke fell back asleep, but that is a precious memory. He was so genuinely excited. They played that day and all the girls spent the night. What a fun treat for everyone.

We are blessed to have so much family nearby and that will come and visit with us. Each one makes this time of year extra special.

A Little Tea Party

A picture is truly worth a thousand words. I can say nothing to describe how precious this was. Emma was playing and feeding her baby doll. She said, "We're having a tea party!"

This was late this afternoon. But this morning, on our way to gymnastics, Luke is talking about wanting a Woody doll for Christmas and I comment that hopefully Santa will bring it. And I tell Emma I bet Santa will bring her a pink Bible. She breaks out crying and says, "I don't want a pink Bible, I want a baby!" UHHHHH...hmmm. you better tell Santa because I am pretty sure that a doll has not been requested to date. Then I came home from running errands and saw this...I promise I will put in a good word with the big man for the baby doll because this was priceless.

Luke's Christmas Party

Today was Luke's Christmas party at school. This was his first real party and the first time parents could come. He was so excited today. I loved it. But what I loved was that he was just so excited to have me in his classroom and playing with him. We moved from table to table doing every activity. We made an ornament, did a picture, decorated a Christmas tree,  played Mr. Potato Head, did puzzles. You name it. They had cookies and Sprite and Luke hardly ate because we had so much to do. It was so sweet and melted my heart that he was so excited and proud to spend 30 minutes with me in his class.

The big finale was all the kids singing the tooty ta ta song. It was so cute and Luke loves it. Next time you see him, you should try and get him to sing it for you.

At the end of the day, the teachers gave the kids a little plastic cup with a straw, pencil, some rings and candy in them. Luke loves it. So much joy has come from this little cup. It reminds me that it is not the number of presents, it's the act. Isn't a child's perspective a great reminder for everyone as we go into this next week? Thanks Luke for making my day and letting me come to your party!

Christmas Cookie Memories

So, since we have had a few days at home, we decided yesterday was the day to make Christmas cookies. Now, if I had been prepared, I would have made the cookies ahead of time, but that would have made too much sense. Anyway, we finally go to ice them after dinner last night and my kids loved it! Emma's favorite was the red sprinkles. And let me tell you---she LOVED them. I have never made cookies before when we have used a whole bottle of sprinkles. There were red (or pink as Emma called them) sprinkles everywhere. And Luke loved the whole thing. Icing them was his favorite (I think in part because he got to use a knife to spread the icing). Jack was a huge help and helped to ice a bunch. This was very nice because Jack does not even like icing. It was a fun activity that we will get to enjoy for the next few days.

Amanda wrote on her blog today about being busy over the holidays. I agree. I tend to feel busy and stressed out over December, but there is nothing I would want to give up. Emma has now unwrapped about 4 presents. And while it may annoy me a little bit, I remind myself that this is part of the fun and excitement for her. The cookies was borderline stressful, but really just tiring but it was a great memory that I have with my kids for years to come. I am reminded that all that I do over the holiday season is for my husband, kids and entire family. We are blessed to have them all, so next time I start to complain, someone remind me! It really is the little things that count and it is the memories we make today that we will cherish for years to come.

All I want for Christmas is...a pink Bible???

This weekend we took the kids to Branson. Silver Dollar City has a big Christmas festival with a huge tree, light parade, train rides etc. So Friday we loaded up and went to Silver Dollar City. The kids loved it. It was a nice weekend with just the 5 of us that included the big SDC outing, some shopping and just hanging out in our hotel, which is about 60% of the fun for the kids. 

Friday when we got there, Santa was our first stop. Emma wanted to see him from a distance but Luke could not wait to talk to him. Luke told him he wants a Woody doll and Emma announced that she wants a pink Bible. 

When Luke was an infant, we did baby dedication at church. I never did with Emma, partially because the first few months were rough with her pooping etc. And it was just hard to get there with both of them. So, by the time the next one came around, I thought she was too old and we didn't do it (but we are dedicated to raising her that way in our hearts!!). Anyway, my Mom and Dad gave Luke a little blue Bible at his dedication. They found this not too long ago and love it. We fight over it all the time. The Gideons came to Jack's school and he scored a little orange Bible (and it being orange, of course he didn't want it really), so he was nice enough to give it to Emma. And she loves it. We carry it in our purse and sleep with it and take it with us everywhere. We even took Bibles to Branson. But all she says is she wants a pink Bible. So by golly, I hope Santa brings a pink Bible!

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble

This is speed blogging, but I am catching up! The week of Thanksgiving was fast and furious. Mandi and her kids were in town so we tried to spend time with them. My kids were so glad to have them back home. Luke and Emma played with them all day Monday and then on Wednesday we all went bowling--glow-bowling at that. It was fun! Even Emma bowled and let me tell you, she was going to get the purple ball (because there were no pink) even if it weighed 10 pounds and no one was going to help her push it down the ramp. We came back over here and played for a while and even did some crafts (it makes me laugh to say we did crafts, but the kids loved it).

Wed night, we got to meet up with Scott's brother Jeff and his family. They were also in from Houston. So, they came over for pizza and to hang out. It was so much fun. The boys all had a great time playing and Emma was so fascinated with Charlotte (even though she was asleep because she didn't feel well).

On Thursday, we went to my parents for the morning and then to Lon and Mary's that afternoon. It was truly a great day just hanging out with family and counting our blessings. We are truly blessed to have such great families. After a big meal that evening, we walked to Utica Square for Light's On. Luke and Emma really enjoyed seeing all the lights and it was their first glimpse (from a distance) at Santa. They are fired up for Christmas and it is fun to watch it through their eyes. Here's a cute pic from Light's On!

Thanks to Mom, Dad, Mary and Lon for a great Thanksgiving. And thanks to all of our cousins who drove in from Houston. We love spending time with you!

A Trip to OKC

The weekend before Thanksgiving, we went to OKC to visit Ginny and go to the OU/Texas Tech game. Ginny was gracious enough to watch Luke and Emma so that Jack, Scott and I could go to the Tech game. It was a night game so we were able to tailgate with my family that afternoon. Mandi and Daniel were in town so we all crashed the tailgate of my parents and Kristie & Kurt. And boy, do they have it figured out. The food was delicious and the company was even better. A great way to spend the day before a fantastic Sooner victory!

On Sunday, Jason and Jamie came to OKC so we could celebrate Thanksgiving and Jason's birthday with Ginny. It was a great day and Ginny prepared a fabulous meal. All the kids had a wonderful time and the adults enjoyed catching up and spending time with Ginny and Joe. Thanks Ginny for a great weekend!

A Trip to Biz Town

When I started this blogging thing, I thought, "this is great...I can do it". But since it has been weeks since my last entry...I may have given myself too much credit. Anyway, sorry for the delay in info. I think Thanksgiving and the break from school had me sidetracked.

So, let's back up. I had the privilage of going 0n a field trip with Jack to Junior Achievement's Biz Town. Basically, the 5th grade did 14 lessons leading up to the field trip on check books, running a business, sales etc. Then, they went to Biz Town and they were the city for the day. It was precious. There was a town hall, Reasors, Wal Mart, Arby's, Bank, property management company, insurance etc. They got paychecks and had to pay for everything with checks. They had to have insurance and vote in elections etc. They had to set the prices for their good or services and then pay back the loan to the bank that they had to start the business. Jack loved this project the entire time leading up to it so he could hardly sleep before we went. Even today (weeks later), he told me it was the best field trip ever. Jack was the sales manager at Reasor's and let me tell you...he was selling like crazy. All the parents were talking about what a salesman he was! Here is a pic of Jack and the product manager for Reasors, Katrina. It was a fun day and a memory we will not forget!

The X Ray

Here it is... It hurts me to look at it. He his holding his hand up so you are seeing a side shot. yowzers! Kind of hard to see, but you get the idea.

All Screwed Up!

Today was a first for me. I got a call from the school that Jack was at the nurse and they thought I should come. Turns out, he fell at recess and landed on a screw and it was stuck in his hand. So, by the time I got there, he was very worked up, they could not get it out and had wrapped it up ready for me to take him to the doctor.

So, we ended up at the Urgent Care. My nice Mom came and met me so I did not have to endure this all by myself. As most of you probably know, Jack is not a fan of needles, pain or blood so this was not going to be a pleasant trip. But he did great!! I am so proud of him. I know the screw really hurt, and then he had to get a big shot to numb it. He was so brave. I am telling you, it hurt me to watch it so I know it had to really hurt if it was in your hand.

The doctor was great and was very good wtih Jack. They got it out and all is well. I told Jack, it is going to be a great story now that he has survived! Here are our souvenir pics! Notice the piece of shingle attached to the screw by a big bolt. And this thing was flush against his hand--all the way in. He was very brave!!

THIS JUST IN---Jack and Scott are home and the screw measured 1 inch long! We are working on scanning xrays for you all. I am sure you are on pins and screws waiting for them.

Trick or Treat!

Halloween is finally here! Luke woke up and was ready to trick or treat by 8am. But we made it until dark and everyone was so excited. We have a great neighborhood and met up with all the kids on our street and all went together. Scott's Dad came for a bit and we picked up my Mom and Dad along the way as well. It was so crowded! I can not even begin to describe the number of people there were in our neighborhood, it was crazy!

Emma hit the houses on our street and then decided it was better to ride in the wagon and play with the candy. She was precious in her costume and had a blast! She is all about the candy and just holding it and knowing it is hers. Jack was a great Indiana Jones and we even had another one on our block. He lasted longer than the little two but kept on with some neighbors. He had a great time. Luke loved it. This was really the first time he understood and actually wore a costume. He was having a great time and was so genuinely excited after every house to see that he got candy! It was fun to watch the night through his little eyes. He was doing so well until we took a big tumble down a driveway and whacked our forehead. It was one of those where everyone heard him hit. I felt so bad for him but after a few tears he rallied. He wasn't going to get too far ahead and no more running but he made another block or so with a big egg on his head.

After we went, we came home and handed out candy. It was so nice so we just sat outside and handed it out. Jack and Luke loved giving the candy out so it was fun to watch. Emma was not so sure why we would want to give any of our candy away but she stayed calm and just kept taking some for herself! Juju and Paki and our neighbors were all around and everyone just hung out. It was a very fun night and I have some very sugar high, sleepy kiddos!

Patriot Football

This year, Metro elementary entered a new football conference. Everyone said at first we would be outmatched, but our boys have done great! Our biggest problem is the other schools have more players therefore more depth but they are much larger schools, like Union. It has been trying because it is the first time since 1st grade that our boys have not won all their games and have had to face defeat. It has been a really good lesson for them all and they have really risen to the occasion.

Tonight was the first night of playoffs and our team did great! On to the next game Saturday. Go Patriots!

Pumpkin Carving Party

A silly face, a he or a she...What will you carve your pumpkin to be??

Friday night we had a pumpkin carving party and it was a blast! We ended up with about 8 families over with about 20 kids. It was organized chaos, but everyone had a great time. We had pumpkin decorating where the kids could all decorate little pumpkins with foam stickers. Jack headed this up and was so great! He made sure every little kid got a pumpkin decorated. Look at this pic and you can see a pirate and a cat. He was great!

Then, we moved onto knives and goo. It was funny to see who was serious and who was grossed out! Everyone did great. Jack got to help Scott with ours and I think this was his first time to pretty much do all the carving. Luke and Emma had fun bouncing and playing with all the other kiddos. Everyone was very excited and very tired at the end of the night. We need to do it again next year! It was a fun night for our family and lots of our friends.

Emma turns 2!

Emma turned 2 on the 16th! What a fun day. That was the day we went to the pumpkin patch and then we had a family party that night. I think Luke was more excited than Emma all day. He was so worried about party hats, blowers and balloons. We got them all and were ready to go that evening. I don't think Emma really understood until we got into presents and broke out the party hats! But all she wanted was a "pink woo woo" party. That translates to a pink poodle. Emma is all about the pink poodles. We have pink poodle stuffed animals everywhere. We had a pink poodle cake and she LOVED it! Emma got a vanity and she adores it. She loves to brush her hair and apply make-up. She had a great time and really got into the opening presents. It was too cute!

Pumpkin Patch

Today is a big day at our house. It is Emma's 2nd birthday and we got to go to the pumpkin patch! Ginny came in town this morning and was brave enough to venture to the pumpkin patch wtih me. The kids were so excited and have been begging to go so today was the big day. She helped push a giant wheel barrow around and chase kids. There were animals to feed, a maze, camels, pony rides etc. You name it, they had it and everyone loved it. Jack was soley focused on the selecting of the perfect pumpkin (which he did a great job), for Luke it was a giant playground that he could climb on and he got to ride a pony so he was happy. Emma loved it at first and then decided who needs a pumpkin patch when I can just play in my Mom's purse and try to find lipstick(of course). So, that kept her entertained towards the end.

After the pumpkin patch, we met Ginny's friend Sue for lunch. It was fun to catch up with her and she was also a trooper with my kids! Now we are back at home and just counting down to cake, ice cream and presents. Thanks Ginny for a fun morning!

Our Pirate Meets the Savior

Yesterday Luke wore his halloween/pirate shirt to school. It is black and has a skull that is dressed up like a  pirate on it. He loves it. That morning, he kept telling me his head hurt, so I finally suggested some medicine. Luke laughs and says he just needs his eye patch! So, off to school we went with our eye patch on. Now when Luke is a pirate, sometimes he wants to be Captain Luke and other times he is Arrrggh (he thinks that is what you call pirates, not what they say). His teachers said he was so proud of his shirt all day and that he was a pirate all day long.

As we are leaving school, he starts yelling "Jesus!" I am not quite sure what has moved him so but am thinking it must have been a good chapel. Well, as we near our car, I see a bearded man and Luke is yelling "Hi Jesus! I'm Captain Luke". It was so funny. I had to explain that just because he has a beard does not make him Jesus. It was so funny! I am not sure the man ever caught on to what was happening but I was really chuckling.

Emma's First Haircut

Emma got her first haircut! I have held off because she needed it trimmed but I also needed it to be long enough to pull out of her face. But, now that 2 is approaching, I thought we were there. She was such a trooper. She hated that we buckled her in. I think she thought I was going to leave her but once she got a lollipop she was fine. Hey, I am not above bribery! The guy who cut her hair even braided it all up for her so she could look like a princess and let me tell you---she loved it.

We got home and Luke kept telling Emma she looked like Cinderella so they decided to put on their skirts (yes, even Luke) and he ran to my closet to get shoes for both of them. It was so cute! I know his days of dressing up like this are numbered so I had to take a pic. He was so cute and was so excited that they both looked like Cinderella.

The place we went is for kids, which is great because Jack and Luke were also entertained. Luke immediately found a Buzz Lightyear toy, which he was quick to tell me, was cooler than the one he has. Needless to say, once Emma was done, it was meltdown city trying to get Luke out of there. So, I escaped on the promise of getting our Buzz Lightyear costume over the weekend. Today, we went in search of Buzz and Luke thinks he won the lottery. We have been wearing it all day. I may regret that we bought it this early. He even fell asleep in it which is not going to happen tonight so I expect a big battle at bed time and for school tomorrow (say a little prayer for me). At least Scott is home so I have forewarned that he gets to be the heavy:) As I said in my last post...Luke has his favorites and we are going to wear and play with those things until something better comes along!

A Few of My Favorite Things...

So, I know I have said that Luke LOVES his jeep, but good golly! He really loves it. I am learning that Luke at age 3 really has some opinions. When he has a favorite, it is really his favorite. So, green is Luke's favorite color. We went shopping for some fall clothes and HAD to have a green shirt, which we found. He wants to wear it every day. And not just wear the green shirt, he wants to wear it with his green shorts and green shoes. HMMM, well, that is not going to happen but try explaining why a green jumpsuit isn't going to work to a 3 year old. We typically settle on one piece of green a day. Lucky for me, I have been able to convince that olive can count as green.

And when we went shopping, we bought him a new sweat jacket for fall. There was no green so we settled on red (like Jack has). Luke had to wear it right then and there. Every time he sees it he wants to wear it. So, nevermind that it is 85-90 degrees outside...Luke will probably be in a long-sleeved green t-shirt and/or a red jacket.

Yesterday we had to ride our jeep and I went out and he is zipped and hood on etc. He was bright red because it was so hot but he did not care. He insists it is cool so..whatever works for him. But I chuckled because Emma will ride next to him in her sundress and is also so hot and he is dressed like Winter Wilma. It was really cute and he thinks he looks so cool!

Now, Emma will ride next to Luke in the jeep but only for a few minutes. She is very much a "I Do It" kind of girl. So, we pretty much go through every scooter, bike, big wheel etc on any given day. Who cares that she can't pedal, she is going to scooch all the way down the street. She can hang and I love that about her!

Cher!

Today I had work meetings all day. The meetings were good but it was one of those where I had 50 people all asking questions and I was trying to answer them without making any of our top exhibitors mad and keeping them all happy. So, I think I did a good job of dancing  around the tough questions and managed to survive after 8 hours completely unscathed but ready for a drink! Even they were laughing at me by the end and were trying to take it easy on me. I felt like a Secret commercial "Never let 'em see you sweat" (or Arrid Extra Dry or Dry Idea or whatever it is..not the Secret commercial where the girl walks around high fiving strangers in NY--I can't stand that one). 

Tonight, we took them all to see Cher. I like Cher but I would never pay $150 to go see her myself. It was FANTASTIC! She had a gazillion costume changes (someone said 17) and sang for 2 hours. The dancers were fantastic and the show had so many videos of her younger years (she's 62), clips of Sonny and Cher etc. It truly was worth the ticket price. And let me tell you...she still looks amazing! If you get the chance, go see her. 

Meanwhile, back at home, Scott had Mr. Mom duty and did great. He got them all to school and picked up and then even managed to make it to Jack's back to school night. I was pretty impressed. And yes, I do it all the time and it shouldn't be different for a man, but no matter who you are, if you aren't the one doing it all the time...it takes a lot. I at least have plenty of practice. Anyway, he was walking into Metro and Luke wets his pants. Uh oh. So Scott calls and says, "Please tell me you have a change of clothes in the car because this was not an oops, I need to pee, it is a oops, I went". Well, long story short, the change of clothes is in Luke's bag and he brought Emma's so...he had to reload everyone back in the car and go to Wal-Mart to buy pants for Luke, then back to school for all the festivities. I totally feel his pain which I think is why I am writing about how great Scott is and how much I appreciate what a good Dad he is. 

On the note of this blog. I have no idea why some paragraphs are space and a half and others are single spaced. I am sure it is in the html coding and I have seen the coding but for some reason now that I am trying to fix it, I can't find it. So...just ignore it and know I do realize it is messed up but a girl can only do so much and this is waaaaayyyy down on my list:)

Tomorrow I head home and am really looking forward to some hugs and kisses!! I have enjoyed the break and it is good to get away but there is no place like home!

Viva Las Vegas

It's been a few days since I have written so I am sorry. Saturday morning Scott and I boarded a plane for Vegas. I have a work meeting here on Monday and Tuesday so Scott and I came to Vegas for a few days of an adult vacation! it was much needed and went way to fast! Saturday we just watched football, played and went to Rao's for dinner. It was fantastic! Sunday, I went shopping and we spent the rest of the day watching football, playing and just running around Vegas. We went to dinner on Sunday night with some of my co-workers and I think it may have been the nicest restaurant I have ever been in! It was fantastic, off the strip but at another big hotel/casino I had never heard of. Michael's was the name of the restaurant and it has apparently been in Vegas for years and frequented by some of the biggest names in Vegas and beyond. Our dinner captain (and yes, we had a captain), had many stories to share with us. When we were finished, we saw Flav a Flav--and if you know him, then you will appreciate that he was wearing his clock! He's a famous rapper and has a reality show on MTV. Someone tried to take a pic with their iphone and Flav says "if you don't have a flash, I won't show up". I died laughing. That was really funny to me!

Scott left yesterday and I am still here working. Tonight we are taking a group to see Cher, which should be fun. I hear she has 17 costume changes--WOW! My parents helped with the kids and we left them with a sitter one night (that was a first). Everyone did great and without Whitney and my parents help, we could not have come so we appreciate that! Scott is playing Mr. Mom today and tomorrow until I get home and I am sure he is doing great but bet he will be glad when I get home! I am enjoying the break from home but sure do miss my kids and can't wait to get some hugs and kisses! Maybe tonight I will strike it rich, but I'm not betting on it!

There's a Sharpie on the loose!

So last night I was helping Jack with a book report and science project. I checked on Emma and Luke often because one never knows what they'll get into. But, we finished printing so I walk into the kitchen to find Emma sitting on the countertop with her back to me. As I approach, I see that she has taken the lid off of the glue and poured it everywhere. Emma thinks this is great and she says "Look Mommy!" All the while, smearing the glue about on the granite and rubbing it all over her cute dress and once clean hair. So, I strategically wipe up glue, pick her up and horror of all horrors, I find a Sharpie lid. HMMMM...there is Sharpie on her hand, there is Sharpie all over the glue bottle, but there is no Sharpie anywhere in my kitchen. Now Emma is a climber but once she gets up that high, she can't get down. So, Jack and I search high and low and no Sharpie. 

Still no Sharpie. I am sure it is bleeding somewhere in my house but at this point my only hope is that it dries up quick! If I were smart, I would have taken a pic of her, but at that point I was in recovery mode and not thinking of the blog!

Family Fun!

Labor Day weekend in Houston was great fun and lots of fun with family. Friday night, Amanda found a sitter and all the adults went out. We went to a great steak house and out for drinks. Fran picked the wine and it was fantastic although Jerry might have wished she didn't go for the waiter's first suggestion:)  The kids all just loved playing together...and taking baths together. I love this pic and am pretty sure there are some of the Carona girls and Altimores that are very similar laying around somewhere!

Saturday, we spent so time with Jeff, Kate, Sean and Charlotte and that was fun. We went to their house for swimming and cook out.  Jack and Sean had a great time and

 got to spend the night together. We were able to give Charlotte a birthday present in person (which has not ever happened before) and we just all hung out and played. For Luke, the highlight came when Aunt Kate and Uncle Bobby said he could have Sean's old jeep. Luke was in hog heaven! When we got it to Mandi's, he sat in it for hours. It couldn't drive because it was charging but he didn't care. He just sat there in the heat and smiled and pretended to drive. He was so excited because it is green and that is his favorite color. Scott says we'll see this again when Luke gets his first real car.

Sunday, Mandi had a party at her house. It was all of us visiting from Tulsa, Aunt Raini & Eric, Jacque and Steve (who was very nice, BTW), Jarod, Katherine, Jeff, Sean and Charlotte. The kids swam all day and Paki smoked a brisket and turkey. It was fantastic and a great way to end the weekend. Just food, fun and....(take a guess and listen to the music)...you guessed it, family.

And you know what they say about house guests and fish. I am pretty sure we started to stink by Sunday night. We got up early Monday and made the voyage home. We enjoyed every minute and were so glad we got to spend time with all of our Texas family! We look forward to seeing them all again over Thanksgiving (if not sooner, hint hint!)

Houston, We Have Landed!

Today I loaded up the kids and headed to Houston. Well, Sugar Land if you want to be exact. I braved the open road with the 3 kids and I must say, we did pretty well. Jack was a huge trooper as he had to constantly find binkies and sippy cups for Luke and Emma but he was great! Luke and Emma did awesome as well. I just kept saying it would take ALL day. Finally, about 5pm we pulled into their driveway after listening to the Moo Moo song for about the 100th time. I don't know who was more excited, the kids or me and Mandi! Our kids all were in the pool within about 5 minutes of being here and never looked back for me again. So much so, that Daniel even let Mandi and I sneak out for a little girl time. She drove me around and showed me the area (fabulous!) and we had some drinks and appetizers. It was nice to have a little break from the kids after the long journey.

We have missed the Herrolds in Tulsa but my kids are so excited to see them. Right now, there is a giant slumber party upstairs (except for poor Emma who was all too happy to climb into her pack and play). Who knows what tomorrow holds but I am sure it will be fun. A long drive yes, but I am confident this weekend will hold many memories for our kids.

More Later from Texas!

PS - This music will make many Sooner fans cringe, but it was fitting for our day! Boomer Sooner!

First Day of Preschool

Okay, so I finally got a new header--how do you like it? My mom says it is perfect--a little wild like my life! I have to agree. Before I talk about school, can I show you this picture of Emma. She is so into make-up. I walk into the living room yesterday and she has pulled my purse off the counter, grabbed my make-up bag and opened up some lip gloss. "My Make-Up" she says. Yikes...she is really into it. I am having to hide my purse because she is obsessed with it. Pretty cute but a little messy. Look at what a great job she did putting her lipstick on!

Today Luke and Emma started school. This is Emma's first year of preschool and she was so excited. All morning she walked around saying "school". I thought I would be so good and get a "first day of school" picture, but as you can see, I had a hard time getting them to look at the camera at the same time.

I think Emma felt so big walking in. She insisted she carry her lunchbox and backpack (which combined probably weigh as much as she does). She just walked right in and didn't look back. I was so proud of her. I am excited for her to make friends and have fun at school all year. Luke knew half of his class and acted like this was old hat. I think he had a good day but in typical boy fashion, when asked what he did today, he said they really didn't do anything. I had to chuckle.

I really enjoyed the first day back. While I have loved summer, it was nice to have a few hours to myself. I got to play tennis, go the book store, run a few errands and come back and enjoy the quiet of my house for a little bit. I am always glad to pick them up and miss them when they are gone, but it sure is nice to have some me time every now and then. People always say the first day of school is the most wonderful day of the year...I don't know about that but it sure was nice!

The End of Summer

Well, I haven't blogged in a few days because 1) we've been busy with a lot of nothing and 2) I haven't had too much to say. Saturday I got my hair cut. It was great. Why is a cut and color can change your whole outlook? I felt much better. But, it didn't really help the "I feel fat" syndrome I have working. It really isn't a syndrome when your pants are actually too tight but it makes me feel better to say that. So...I joined a new gym. We have belonged to a small gym around the corner that is great, but they don't have child care. And, when you have to find a babysitter to go the gym, you always think of something else you should do while you have the sitter. So...I managed to talk myself out of going a lot.

The new gym has childcare and it is great. I really like it. Everyone told me to try this cardio class they have. I scoped it out on Monday and it was packed. I was a little worried if I could make it since I haven't been in so long but thought I would try it on Wed and position myself towards the back so no one would notice if I had to fake a few steps or oh, I don't know passed out. So, on Wed, I roll in and wouldn't you know it...it was me and the teacher only! I had to explain how I was out of shape and hadn't been working out lately, blah, blah, blah. She basically tells me I can't hide at the back if it is just me and her. Oh brother. It was a tough workout but fun. i really enjoyed it. I am sure I was entertaining as some of the steps through me off balance a bit. Oh--and my boobs were bouncing ALL over the place. it was so bad I had to make a joke about it because I was laughing at myself. And yes, I was wearing a sports bra but apparently it wasn't heavy duty enough for the twins. When the kids start school, a new bra is first on my agenda! Anyway, a lot of sweat, and a few chuckles later, I survived the class. It was fun and I am sure to be sore but I made it! I was pretty sure I was on candid camera though.

Oh, I also went to Norman this week for Bid Day. My niece, Kelsey, went through rush and so we went to see her. It was great. After a very long week and a lot of stress (not on Kelsey's part but those of us at home), we all survived. She pledged AOII and I think she is happy. A lot has changed since we were there and I do not recall rush being like that, but she was so great and resilient and flexible. I was very proud of her and think they are lucky they got her. I know she is going to have a great year and thrive!

So, the last few days of summer have been all about planning ahead and making changes. It will be interesting to see what I am doing in December!

Back to School

Tomorrow marks the first day of school for Jack. It is a weird day. It is the first day of many firsts in 5th grade, and it sort of marks the beginning of fall (well, at least fall activities). I am looking forward to getting back into a routine, but am sad to see summer pass. We enjoyed our summer so much and while there are pros to going back to school and getting in a routine, I will miss the lazy days of summer.

Jack had the best summer. I don't think he knows how lucky he is. Jack's summer consisted of our family trip to Florida, he went to New Life Ranch, Camp Loughridge, Vacation Bible School, Golf camp at Holland Hall, golf clinics all summer, trips to OKC and Norman to visit grandparents, a trip to the lake, a trip with Merv, Jan and the Burr clan to Sea Island, Georgia, Great Wolf Lodge and more. Jack knows how to pack in the fun over a 10 week period.

But throughout all the fun, I have also seen Jack grow this summer. He is a great big brother to Luke and Emma. Always willing to entertain them outside, build another train track or play kitchen with them upstairs. His fears seem much more in control as he gets older, which is a huge answer to prayer. Of course he still has some, but even then, he has learned to handle them better (as we all are, he is a work in progress). We are so proud of him for this. He has also grown! I can't believe how tall he is getting and he has outgrown all his clothes and shoes from last school year. I know the growing isn't going to stop and the independence is just going to keep coming. I hope that as he gets older, he sees me as a friend and parent, rather than just a parent. I look forward to all the fun things we will get to do in the next few years but wonder--where is the little boy who did the 3 Piggy Opera?

My niece is leaving for college tomorrow and it reminds me how fast the time goes by. It won't be long and Jack will be driving and then heading off to college himself. So, on the days we are clashing or I am annoying him, I try to remind myself that it is just a season of life and he is trying to grow up and be teenager. I need to remember to let him usurp that control over his own life and just try to enjoy all this time, because it is going to fly by. I married Scott when Jack was 4--that is 8 years I've been around and only about 8 until he goes to college. How weird is that? When I think how fast this 8 years has gone by, it makes me realize how quickly the next 8 will go too. Now I know what my Mom meant when she kept telling me to slow down and not grow up so fast.

A Visit to Great Wolf Lodge

This weekend, we went to Great Wolf Lodge with Scott's mom, his brothers Jeff and Jason and Jeff's family. It was such a great weekend. If you have not been to this place it is worth a visit. From the minute you walk in, you can see the indoor waterpark. It is something to see.

My kids enjoyed getting to play with their cousins and uncles. Jack and Sean rode every ride. After they conquered the water park, it was on to a scavenger hunt type game, called MaqiQuest. It kept them entertained and running around the hotel for hours. Luke loved every slide they would let him go on. He enjoyed getting to be with the "big boys" and ride all the slides. I think Emma enjoyed being around Charlotte. Any girl that is older is automatically cool in Emma's eyes. My kids are very blessed to have to uncles that are also big kids and are just as great to my kids as Scott. In my last blog, I wrote about my sister moving and how different it was going to be. This weekend, I was reminded of how important it is to take the time to get together with family that does not live here. Seeing my kids play with their cousins is great and I know it brought Ginny great joy to have her whole family together. I hope that we will all get together again soon and more often.

Saying Goodbye

Today is a sad day for the Foster house. My sister, Amanda and her family are moving this weekend and today is the last day we will see them. The rational side of me knows this is okay, that we will still be close and talk just as often as we do now, but I am sad and know it will just be a different norm.

I have been very blessed. My whole family lives in one square mile. We like to call it Walton Mountain. Some people think we are crazy, but it works for us. Our kids can play, or ride bikes to an aunt's house or to Juju and Paki's anytime they want. So, for us, it is very strange to have the Herrolds leaving the mountain.

Amanda and I are only 18th months apart and she is one of my best friends. She was there when I got married, and there when I found out I was having a boy, there when I cried because he was going to be stuck in sailor suits(which are cute if you like them)! She was there when Luke was born, there when I freaked out because my kids were going to be so close and there when Emma were born . She has been a great friend and support since I decided to stay home and has helped to provide much sanity to me and many playdates for my kids! Our children are best buds. We have tried to cram lots of memories into the last few weeks and have done a pretty good job I think. Amanda and I will stay close, but I hope we can keep our kids as close as they are now.

So as we all enter the next chapter of our lives, I reflect back on how fortunate we have been for the time we've had together and celebrate all the great memories we have and those we are going to make in the future.

Fun at the Waterpark

Today we loaded up all the kids and went to Muskoge to visit the waterpark. It was the last outing for the Foster and Herrold kids and was a great day. We met some other Tulsa friends there and all of our kids had a blast. It was the last day for Jack and Hannah to spend together and they had a great time. He is really going to miss her.

I think the pics speak for themselves on this fun outing.

Blog with me!

My sister Amanda started a blog and it is pretty cute but she keeps telling me I need to do one too. "Everyone is doing it!" I just started Facebook because she got me in on that and surprisingly, I really like it...so, here we go. "Who will read this," I ask? I am pretty sure it will only be family that reads it and hopefully we can be entertaining for everyone.

I saw on another blog that blogging is a good way to hold onto the every day memories. Anyone who knows me knows I have a horrible memory so maybe this will help preserve some of them for my family.

I laugh at us all the time. Sometimes I laugh so I don't cry at how chaotic my life is. But..it is fun. So, have fun with us.