Thursday, November 18, 2010
Out of the mouth of Mitch
Mitch had his friend, Georgia, over to play this afternoon. She's in his class, rides his bus, and lives 4 houses away, and they can't seem to see enough of each other! Today while she was over, Jake was following them around driving them crazy. Mitch comes out of the Bonus Room, and says, "Mommy, Jake won't leave us alone. Me and Georgia need to be alone for a little while." What?!? Did my 5 year old honestly just tell me that? It took all I had not to laugh. In case you were wondering...request DENIED! :)
Sunday, October 31, 2010
It's Time for Kindergarten!
My baby started Kindergarten in August! Can you believe it? We have full day Kindergarten here, so he gets on the bus at 8:00am and gets off at 4:00pm! He loves it, though. His teacher his wonderful (and is even a Bama fan), and he already knew people in his class. There are 2 girls from our neighborhood, and 2 boys from his baseball team in his class. There's even a boy whose little brother was in Jake's Kindermusik class last year!
Starting school was about a 3-day event here, in case you are wondering why he has on 3 different outfits.
They have a great way of introducing the kids to school here. Each kid has a "small group day". They go for a partial day with only about 5-6 kids from their class. It allows the teachers to help them learn about the school, the classroom, and lunchroom procedures on a more individual basis. These are pictures from his small group day...
Outside his school
Walking to his classroom. He looks so tiny in that big hall!
In his classroom before I left my baby for his first day of Kindergarten! He was so completely "Mitch"! No tears, no hesitation...just "Bye Mommy!"
Picking him up from his small group day. Jake was VERY excited to see his big brother. He missed him!
Then there was his first full day with his whole class!
He begged to ride the bus, but Gary and I wanted to take him to his first full day
Mitch with his teacher, Mrs. Conway
My plan was to wait a few days before letting him ride the school bus, but he drove me crazy asking to ride it, and I just gave in. He rode the bus on his second full day of school! Here is my little guy waiting for that great big school bus to pick him up and take him to school.
Getting on the bus for the first time
He made it!!!! Here he is coming home! That's Emma (our neighbor) with him. She's in 2nd grade, and helped him find his class for the first few days.
He's about 2 months in now, and he's doing great! He still loves school, and is learning so much! He knows and can write all of his letters, both upper and lower case, and he knows all of the sounds that they make. He is starting to read. He recognizes a few "sight words" and is doing great at sounding out words. He can count to 100 and adds some small numbers. He recognizes patterns and knows all of his shapes. He gets along well with all of his classmates, and follows directions well. He enjoys doing his homework, but we definitely need to work on his handwriting. We'll working on it though!
Starting school was about a 3-day event here, in case you are wondering why he has on 3 different outfits.
They have a great way of introducing the kids to school here. Each kid has a "small group day". They go for a partial day with only about 5-6 kids from their class. It allows the teachers to help them learn about the school, the classroom, and lunchroom procedures on a more individual basis. These are pictures from his small group day...
Before school photo shoot
Outside his school
Walking to his classroom. He looks so tiny in that big hall!
In his classroom before I left my baby for his first day of Kindergarten! He was so completely "Mitch"! No tears, no hesitation...just "Bye Mommy!"
Picking him up from his small group day. Jake was VERY excited to see his big brother. He missed him!
Then there was his first full day with his whole class!
Mitch eating breakfast before his first full day of school
He begged to ride the bus, but Gary and I wanted to take him to his first full day
Mitch with his teacher, Mrs. Conway
My plan was to wait a few days before letting him ride the school bus, but he drove me crazy asking to ride it, and I just gave in. He rode the bus on his second full day of school! Here is my little guy waiting for that great big school bus to pick him up and take him to school.
Getting on the bus for the first time
He made it!!!! Here he is coming home! That's Emma (our neighbor) with him. She's in 2nd grade, and helped him find his class for the first few days.
He's about 2 months in now, and he's doing great! He still loves school, and is learning so much! He knows and can write all of his letters, both upper and lower case, and he knows all of the sounds that they make. He is starting to read. He recognizes a few "sight words" and is doing great at sounding out words. He can count to 100 and adds some small numbers. He recognizes patterns and knows all of his shapes. He gets along well with all of his classmates, and follows directions well. He enjoys doing his homework, but we definitely need to work on his handwriting. We'll working on it though! Monday, October 25, 2010
2010 Lake Days
We had another great summer on the lake! We spent almost every weekend out on Old Hickory (except for when it was closed because of the flood). The kids are becoming real water boys...all 4 of them!
Jake LOVES to ride the Jet Ski. He prefers for it to be moving, but he's not picky...he'll sit on it while it's tied to the boat (with the key out of course) or even on the trailer in the garage. As a matter of fact, we are pretty sure Gary lost a brand new pair of high dollar sunglasses to Jake's love of the Jet Ski. They were in one of the cup holders on the boat...and then they weren't! It was right after Gary had gone out the Jet Ski and had told Jake he couldn't ride that time. We don't have any proof, but we are pretty sure Jake sent them for a swim! Jake also kneeboarded and tubed a few times.
Alex tried skiing a few times, but I think he preferred learning to drive the Jet Ski. Next year, he'll have his license and Jack will have to share drive time! :) He also liked to kneeboard and tube, but I think Alex's favorite thing to do on the lake is good old fashion jumping in!
Mitch is dying to try to ski, but we don't have any skis small enough for him, so he had to settle for tubing and kneeboarding. We may need to put skis on his Christmas list. He got pretty good at kneeboarding, and he thought he was great...he liked to show off and do "one arm". He loves to jump in also, especially when Alex is out there.
Jack is really our water boy, though! There is nothing that boy won't try! He is our official Jet Ski driver. He learned to ski last year and got really good at it this year. He loves to kneeboard and is working on tricks. He even learned to slalom (ski on one ski). He also helps us with the little guys when they kneeboard. He is such a big help, that I almost don't even want to go if Jack can't go with us!
Jeff and Erin (and Megan) were out there pretty much every weekend also, so we tied up with them almost every weekend. We had friends out with us a few different weekends, and we went up to Center Hill with friends one weekend. It was a great summer...one that left us wanting a houseboat! We'll see what next summer brings....keep your fingers crossed that we can make it happen! We love out pontoon boat, but it just doesn't have enough room to bring a lot of people out with us.
So, that's the verbal recap...here is the summer in pictures:
Left to Right: Luke, Jake, Mitch, Sam, Gabe
Jack and Alex on Jet Ski
Mitch and Megan and Cedar Creek Yacht Club's Memorial Day Picnic
Jack helping Jake kneeboard for his first time (at Center Hill)
Jack helping Jake jump off of the top of Ryan and Amy's pontoon boat...he only did that once! :)
Alex jumping
Jack
Jack helped Thomas jump off also
Left to Right: Thomas, Jake, Robert, Mitch as we were getting ready to head out on Center Hill
Tyce kneeboarding when he and his family came out with us one afternoon.
Christian and Alex
Jake in time out on the boat (BEFORE he threw Gary's sunglasses overboard)
Christina, Mitch, and Leroy tubing
Christian, Alex, and Jake tubing
Christina, Baby Christian, and Leroy
Jake LOVES to ride the Jet Ski. He prefers for it to be moving, but he's not picky...he'll sit on it while it's tied to the boat (with the key out of course) or even on the trailer in the garage. As a matter of fact, we are pretty sure Gary lost a brand new pair of high dollar sunglasses to Jake's love of the Jet Ski. They were in one of the cup holders on the boat...and then they weren't! It was right after Gary had gone out the Jet Ski and had told Jake he couldn't ride that time. We don't have any proof, but we are pretty sure Jake sent them for a swim! Jake also kneeboarded and tubed a few times.
Alex tried skiing a few times, but I think he preferred learning to drive the Jet Ski. Next year, he'll have his license and Jack will have to share drive time! :) He also liked to kneeboard and tube, but I think Alex's favorite thing to do on the lake is good old fashion jumping in!
Mitch is dying to try to ski, but we don't have any skis small enough for him, so he had to settle for tubing and kneeboarding. We may need to put skis on his Christmas list. He got pretty good at kneeboarding, and he thought he was great...he liked to show off and do "one arm". He loves to jump in also, especially when Alex is out there.
Jack is really our water boy, though! There is nothing that boy won't try! He is our official Jet Ski driver. He learned to ski last year and got really good at it this year. He loves to kneeboard and is working on tricks. He even learned to slalom (ski on one ski). He also helps us with the little guys when they kneeboard. He is such a big help, that I almost don't even want to go if Jack can't go with us!
Jeff and Erin (and Megan) were out there pretty much every weekend also, so we tied up with them almost every weekend. We had friends out with us a few different weekends, and we went up to Center Hill with friends one weekend. It was a great summer...one that left us wanting a houseboat! We'll see what next summer brings....keep your fingers crossed that we can make it happen! We love out pontoon boat, but it just doesn't have enough room to bring a lot of people out with us.
So, that's the verbal recap...here is the summer in pictures:
Jake's favorite place
Left to Right: Luke, Jake, Mitch, Sam, Gabe
Jack and Alex on Jet Ski
Mitch and Megan and Cedar Creek Yacht Club's Memorial Day Picnic
Jack helping Jake kneeboard for his first time (at Center Hill)
Jack helping Jake jump off of the top of Ryan and Amy's pontoon boat...he only did that once! :)
Alex jumping
Jack
Jack helped Thomas jump off also
Left to Right: Thomas, Jake, Robert, Mitch as we were getting ready to head out on Center Hill
Tyce kneeboarding when he and his family came out with us one afternoon.
Christian and Alex
Jake in time out on the boat (BEFORE he threw Gary's sunglasses overboard)
Christina, Mitch, and Leroy tubing
Christian, Alex, and Jake tubing
Christina, Baby Christian, and Leroy
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Happy Birthday, Pa!
We celebrated my dad's birthday with a bang this year...it was the big 60! He and his wife, Kathy, rented a big house in Hilton Head for everyone...and I do mean everyone! Guest list: Dad, Kathy, me and my family of 6, my brother and his family of 3, Kathy two kids and their families (6 total), and one of Dad's sisters and her hubby. We had a great pool in the backyard, and the house sat on a lagoon and the kids could fish. We had a great week! We swam in the pool, played on the beach, rented bikes, went parasailing, rode horses, and enjoyed a relaxing week!
Now, for all you really care about...pictures!
Gary getting some good cuddle time in with "Baby Becca"
Mitch on Josh, Jorgia on Jack, and Alex playing in the water
Gary jumped in the pool carrying Leah...fully clothed!
On the boat getting ready to parasail
Jack, Mitch, and me
Gary and Alex...This was Alex's first time. He doesn't look so sure about here, they were just lifting off of the back of the boat, but he loved it once they got going!
Me, Tammy, and Jorgia riding horses
Josh and Daddy hanging out on the beach
Jack and Alex boogie boarding...they even gave me lessons! I think I'm too old to learn new tricks!
Baby Becca getting her nap in on Pa (check out those rolls - aren't they just perfect?)
Mitch LOVED boogie boarding, too. He just needs to turn the board over! :) 
Pa and Baby Becca
Group shot! Kathy's son's family had already left (they didn't stay the whole week), and my aunt and uncle declined to join the photo shoot :)
My crew spent more time on the beach than the rest. Here's one of most of my crew hanging out on the beach.
....and Jake playing in the sand and water with his trucks 
"I'm ready! Let's go!"
Pa got some good cuddle time in with his youngest grandkids on this trip! Jake took a nap on him, too!
Baby Becca boogie boards, too...only she does it in the pool
Jake liked reeling in the line...as long as there wasn't a fish on the end of it!
Mitch and Alex fishing, too
...and Jack 
The view of the back of the house from the lagoon
Covered porch overlooking the pool. This was my favorite part of the house!
Happy Birthday, Pa/Daddy! Thanks for a wonderful trip!
Now, for all you really care about...pictures!
Jake had a blast swimming everyone around the pool. That little dude is STRONG and pulled Jack all over the place! (Leah and Tammy in the background)
Gary getting some good cuddle time in with "Baby Becca"
Mitch on Josh, Jorgia on Jack, and Alex playing in the water
Gary jumped in the pool carrying Leah...fully clothed!
On the boat getting ready to parasail
Jack, Mitch, and me
Gary and Alex...This was Alex's first time. He doesn't look so sure about here, they were just lifting off of the back of the boat, but he loved it once they got going!
Me, Tammy, and Jorgia riding horses
Josh and Daddy hanging out on the beach
Jack and Alex boogie boarding...they even gave me lessons! I think I'm too old to learn new tricks!
Baby Becca getting her nap in on Pa (check out those rolls - aren't they just perfect?)
Mitch LOVED boogie boarding, too. He just needs to turn the board over! :) 
Pa and Baby Becca
Group shot! Kathy's son's family had already left (they didn't stay the whole week), and my aunt and uncle declined to join the photo shoot :)
My crew spent more time on the beach than the rest. Here's one of most of my crew hanging out on the beach. 
....and Jake playing in the sand and water with his trucks 
"I'm ready! Let's go!"
Pa got some good cuddle time in with his youngest grandkids on this trip! Jake took a nap on him, too!
Baby Becca boogie boards, too...only she does it in the pool
Jake liked reeling in the line...as long as there wasn't a fish on the end of it!
Mitch and Alex fishing, too
...and Jack 
The view of the back of the house from the lagoon
Covered porch overlooking the pool. This was my favorite part of the house!
Happy Birthday, Pa/Daddy! Thanks for a wonderful trip!
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