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.