back to school photo shoot!

The evening before his first day of kindergarten we decided to head out to the neighborhood golf course for some great back to school pics and here's just a few that I wanted to share...

Seems like he was my baby boy not too long ago and now he looks like such a big boy, especially in these pics!  He's my handsome boy that helps me around the house, his baby brother is his biggest fan, he's a Daddy's boy but loves his Momma, he's a snuggler, he loves to be outside-sometimes he's outside from sunrise to sunset!  I love you Jake, I'm so happy that your first day of kindergarten was such a success.  You met friends, told me your favorite part was recess and that lunch was in a big cafeteria...LOL, maybe you'll learn some stuff too!  Ha!  Love ya my little tough guy :-) don't ever forget it...love ya to the moon and back!

I have a lump in my throat...

First Day of Kindergarten 

He started school this morning, and he seemed so very small

As I walked there beside him in the kindergarten hall

As he took his place beside the others in the class

I realized how all too soon, those first few years can pass

Remembering I saw him, as he first learned how to walk

The words that we alone made out, as he first began to talk

Oh how I long to stay with him and keep him by my hand

To lead him through those places that he just can't understand

But he must have his chance to live, to work his problems out

The privilege to grow and learn what life is all about

And I must share my little boy with friends and work and play

He's not a baby anymore, he's in kindergarten today 

-author unknown

So yea I actually took the 1st day pics the evening BEFORE the first day but that's because tomorrow I'll be a complete mess, sobbing and whining to all of my family and friends about my baby growing up!  

So we had a little rehearsal and took some super cute pics that make me cry EVERY time I look at them...

Let's hope I can get through tomorrow without completely losing my mind :-(

To all of you teachers out there, have a great 1st day changing the lives of our children!  We more than appreciate your hard work and dedication, even if sometimes you feel UNDERappreciated.  

And to all of my family and friends that have kiddos going back to school, may they have a happy 2012 school year!

our house is reflecting...

on our SUMMER 2012,

lots of BIG catches from Jake at our fish pond!

lots of football practice...

too many late evening golf cart rides...

lots of brotherly love time...or fighting!  mostly BOTH!!

and TOO much time hanging out in our pj's!

Can't believe summer has come to an end.  :-(  it's bittersweet.

My big boy starting kindergarten and little man's first year of preschool...

these first few days Momma is gonna be a mess of emotions!

We've sure enjoyed our summer, let's take a look back;

• our baby boy turned 3
• our unforgettable trip to DISNEY WORLD!!!
• Jake learning how to ride his bike without training wheels
• perfecting our family basketball game in the evenings, (all four of us!)
• Jake and Justin learned how to catch fish 
• experienced camping with our new travel trailer and we LOVE it!
• met new friends while camping,
• Jake learned how to swim and jump off the diving board
• watched the Olympics as a family,
• several trips to Jellystone with friends,
• Made TOO many trips to Bass Pro Shops
• several trips to the beach with friends
• ...and we're looking forward to MANY more during the school year!!!!

What was your most exciting and happy memory from this summer??

last beach days of summer!

I would say he's being buried in the sand, but this is more like mud!  But he loved every second!!!

I say it every summer, but I don't think we spent enough time at the beach this summer!  Although it's Galveston and not the most beautiful beaches in the world, it is still THE BEACH and it's relaxing and so much fun!  Our boys had a blast running, playing, building and exploring...oh and a little boogie boarding too!

Go Houston Texans!!!

Thanks to Aunt Liz and Uncle Moe, we were able to go watch our Texans play some football!  SO MUCH FUN!  The boys loved it and although it's still pre-season, our Texans pulled off the win!  WooHoo!!!

LOTS of fun and hopefully we'll be able to bring the kids back soon :-)
Is everyone excited about football season??   WE SURE ARE!!

is it over?

Soaking up the last weeks of summer...

 and that always means lots of funny and silly faces...

...and lots of muscle flexing too!!!!

Hope you're taking advantage of the rest of your summer too :-)

am I ready for this?

2007 9 months old, headed to daycare while Mommy was still teaching...

(he was at full time daycare until Justin was born in 2009 when I quit teaching)

2009-First Day of MDO Tuesday-Thursday

 2010-First Day of Preschool Tuesday-Thursday(3 year olds)

 

2011-First Day of Preschool, Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday(4 year olds)

I think I've cried for every "first" day of school so far!  

I was a complete mess dropping him off at daycare each day while I went to work.  I did better for Mother's Day Out and Preschool HOWEVER, I'm not sure how I'm going to keep it together for the first day of kindergarten.  

It's only a few weeks away...we have our kindergarten close up (meeting with the kindergarten teachers) this week!  

I'm a nervous wreck.  

Jake keeps laughing saying he's going to wave goodbye to me the first day and his Mommy will be sobbing in the car rider line...OMG, he's SO right!!!  

He's SO excited!

He's ready to see all of his buddies from preschool-thankfully there's quite a few attending the same school, so they'll all know each other!

This is "real", five days a week, full day of kindergarten!!!!

and while I'm so happy that my boy is growing up into such a handsome, polite, mature young boy...I can't help but think, where has my baby boy gone??

Let's hope I can keep it together that first day of school...and if not, hopefully there will be other kindergarten Mommies sobbing right along with me :-(

Go #22!

We've officially been through almost two weeks of practice and Jake is really loving it!  

He LOVES the helmet-thinks he's super cool and tough!  

and of course little brother has to get in on the action too :-)  
yes, he has a mouthpiece and helmet too!

and randomly we spent the other evening at the Kemah Boardwalk having a great time with PawPaw!-and the boys had to break in their new school shoes!  

and nothing like ending a post with a super cute picture of our girl, Dixie with her buddy Justin!!  They love having her home...she's finally sleeping upstairs in Jake's bed and he thinks that's sooo cool!  

Christmas in August??

We went to Bass Pro the other day 

and the boys decided on what they'd like for Christmas this year,  

This Arctic Cat...

This Under Armour camo hoodie...pretty cool!

...and a boat!

I talked it over with Santa and he thinks he can make the hoodie a dream come true...

we've been hit...

with the tummy bug :-(

but we're all better and thankfully Justin and Daddy didn't get it (so far!)

I hate that dang virus and wish there was a way to NEVER, EVER get it!  With Jake starting big boy school (kindergarten) in less than a month, I'll happily take any tips and suggestions on how to avoid it this coming school year too!  You'd think me being a former teacher, eating healthy, exercising every day, I'd have a pretty darn good immune system right?  Obviously NOT!  Ughhh, 

but in better news, before we were hit with the dreaded bug, 

we were having some fun here at home and in the neighborhood...

little brother, Justin hanging out at Jake's football practice...

evening golf cart rides on the course...nothing like 'em!

and our new favorite fishing hole, right in our neighborhood!  Woohoo...look at those fish!!!

Justin even reeled in his own catch the other day, he was SOOO proud and so were we!

and Jake's catch might be his biggest yet!  It was HUGE!
It's nice to find a fishing hole, loaded with catfish to allow my husband to teach these boys the basics of fishing, this way when they head out to other areas, these boys know how to do it like little pro's!