Whew...I'm tired just thinking about it...

August was an incredibly busy month for the Roberts Family! We had our last t-ball game of the season and our end-of-the-season-party. We had our last summer playdate with Mitch's 3 year Pre-K class. Jack's band practices and band camp got into full swing. Alex football got under way. Gary and I went to Puerto Rico. Titans' football season started (preseason anyway), and this is our first year with season tickets. We spent lots of time on the boat while we still could, before school and all the fall activities got into full swing. Christy and her kiddos came to town, and we had a Girls Night Out then me and the boys spent a day at her parents' house. Mitch's soccer season started. And to round out the month, Gary's family came to spend the weekend with us!

Hmmm...no wonder I'm behind on this blog, huh? Well, I got July done tonight.... How long do you think it will be before I get August done? Any bets? I can tell you this, it won't be tonight! I'm done for the day, but maybe I'll get started on August tomorrow...check back and see!

Oh...and just because I feel like every post is more excited with a picture of cute kiddos...here ya go!

Jack's 14th Birthday Party!

Yeah...Yeah...I know, that was way back in July, but hey....better late than never, right?

Last year's party went so well, that Jack decided he wanted another party on the lake. This time, it was co-ed! :) Mitch got to join the festivities, but Jake was not invited (by me or Jack!).

Tubing...Roberts Family Style

Group Shot! (no wonder Mitch thinks he's 14)
Another Group Shot...just hanging out in the water...

Birthday Boy!

Yep...he's cool!

....and so is he!

Some of My Favorite Peeps!

By now most of you know my friend, Lindsay. For those of you who don't, here's the abbreviated version of how our friendship started. Just before Mitch turned 1, I was in the toy aisle shopping for Mitch's birthday and started talking to another mom there who had a child about Mitch's age. After talking for a few minutes, we discovered that we have children only a month and a half apart in age (and she has also has an older son, too) and lived in the same neighborhood. We became very quick friends...as did our kids (if you haven't figured it out yet, I'm talking about Sam and Gabe). A little less than a year later, we found ourselves pregnant together, both with more boys (Jake and Luke), who are 10 weeks apart exactly. So...now when we go places together, it's me and Lindsay and FIVE (yes...FIVE) boys (assuming I don't have Jack and Alex...then it's 7)! Crazy, huh?

This summer, we took all of them to zoo, and here was our first attempt at a picture of all 5 of our wonderful boys....

Front Row (L to R): Mitch (4), Gabe (4), Sam (6)

Back Row (L to R): Luke (18 months), Jake (20 months)

Hmmm....maybe next time! :)

Family Reunion

Way back in July (yes, that's how far behind I am), we had the 1st Coleman Family Reunion that I know of since I was a little girl. Josh came in town, and we all headed out to the Reunion. It was so great to see family that I hadn't seen in such a long time, and mostly to meet family that I didn't even know I had! I even found out that I have distant cousins going to the same High School that Jack is going to!

The day was a turning point for Jake, socially. Up until this, Jake had been a complete "Mama's Boy", especially in crowds. And don't even think he would go to someone he didn't know! By the end of the day, I actually overheard someone say about him, "He will just go to anyone!" What, is that MY child they are talking about? Well, apparently, he decided it was fun to meet new people, because he has never turned back!

Amazingly, we managed to get a group shot, and I think everyone except Jake is actually looking at the camera.

Here's Mom and Uncle Ed coloring with Jake, Mitch, and Reed (their cousin)

Uncle Josh with Mitch and Reed...Uncle Josh is always the entertainment for Mitch!

Jake and his new friend, Uncle Ed

I can't wait until the next one, and next time we'll take Jack and Alex!

Ahhh...Jake....

Where do I even start? He is 22 months old now...way too close to 2! I just can't believe it! He is the funniest little dude I know! All of you reading this that know him well, know exactly what I mean....It is impossible to be around this kid and not laugh. He loves to make people laugh. He just loves life! His favorite things to do right now are play outside, play at the "jumpies", give kisses, run through the downstairs hall, and eat! Yes....he still loves to eat! Hmmm...actually this sounds a lot like his 20 month update, huh?

He has turned into quite the little "Daddy's Boy". He ditches me for his Daddy every chance he gets! He still loves to be out on the lake, but the water has gotten a little cool for him to really enjoy being in it. He loves to drive the boat, though, and gets pretty upset when Gary tries to help him. Last weekend he even went tubing with Jack. He just grinned from ear to ear the whole time, and when he would pass by the boat, he would just sit up and wave as big as he could!

He is VERY independent. He will NOT let me help him get out of the car. I am allowed to unbuckle him, but that is all. If I try to offer him my hand to help him out, he pushed it away and shakes his head "no". Just today, he needed a diaper change, and came to me with his pants off and the diaper already on the floor!

He still isn't talking much. He has added a new word to his vocabulary just in the last couple of days... "MINE!" and he uses it often! Gary is working with him on saying "Roll Tide", and Mitch is trying to teach him to say "Trick or Treat". I'm just trying to get him to say anything that he will...the yelling every time he wants something is getting a little old.

I guess you could say he has officially entered the "Terrible Twos" stage. He is into everything! The other day I got out of the shower and he was covered in my mascara...even his tongue was black! Sorry...I couldn't find the camera, so no pictures to come of that one...you'll just have to use your imagination. He loves to yell while I am driving, because he knows I can't get to him to stop him. He even pulls his legs up to him in his car seat so I can't reach them to swat him when he doesn't stop. The best part, though, is the little smile he gives you when he knows he's doing something he shouldn't! It's not a "ha ha...what are you going to about it" smile, it's more of a "look at this cute face, you can't be mad at me" smile!

Mitch's First T-Ball Season

Well, I guess one good thing about being so far behind is that I can do one post for the entire T-ball season!

Mitch has been dying to play Baseball since he saw some kids at Sonic in their uniforms over a year ago, and this summer he finally got his chance...and he did great! Just ask him, he'll be glad to tell you all about it! :)

Here are some pics from his very first practice. He was really good at hitting...had some of the best hits on his team throughout the year!

And throwing...again...he was really good! The coach kept telling him he would be a pitcher some day. He was really excited when he found his Uncle Matt used to be a pitcher.

And fielding the ball...well, he can't be great at everything...then you would just think I was bragging! :)

Here are some from his games! Yes, he is missing his hat! We got ready to leave for the first game and I couldn't find his hat anywhere. I never did find it. Almost a week later, Jake came walking into the living room wearing it. I'm convinced he hid it somewhere! (At least it was easy to figure out which one was him!) We finally decided to keep it in the car, so that we would always have it with us.

This is one of the team and their coaches/helpers after their last game.

And...finally...here's Mitch getting his trophy from Coach Heath. Of course, Jake didn't like being left out of the action...he wanted to know where his trophy was!
Of course, the most important thing was that he had a blast! He loved going to practices more than he did the games because he got more turns. He did what the coaches asked of him, and he always played the whole game (as opposed to picking flowers in outfield).

It truly was a fantastic season...the kids were great, the parents were great, and coaches were amazing! We couldn't have asked for a better first T-Ball experience. We will definitely be playing again in the spring!

Much Needed Update!

It seems like I'm saying this alot lately, but I am WAY behind on updating my blog! I didn't put the kids in any kind of Mother's Day Out or Preschool for the summer, so my computer time has been limited. They start back next week, though...and none too soon! It has been a wonderful summer, and, surprisingly, I haven't at all regretted my decision to keep them home with me this summer, but I'm ready for my weekly break now! :)

I have so much to catch you all up on! I am not OCD about many things (unlike my wonderful hubby), but I CANNOT make myself update this blog out of chronological order... So...I'll start WAY back with Mitch's first T-ball season! I don't know how long it will take me to get caught up, but check in often for my newest updates...I promise lots and lots of pictures of some cute kids, a few of me and my skinny hubby!!

Road Trip!

Last month, Mitch, Jake and I loaded up the Honda Accord and drove the 8-9 hours to visit our friends in Michigan. Christy, her hubby, Mike, and her 3 kids lived in our neighborhood until about a year ago when they moved for Mike's job. (See this post) So, while Gary was gone to Leader's Conference, we went to visit them! It was so wonderful to be able to spend such good time with good friends! And the kids did amazingly well on the drive! Of course, you know the trip is best told in pictures...

Kendyl, Mitch, and Kaitlyn hanging out in their PJs on our first morning. The girls were asleep when we got there, so this was the first time they got to see each other!

For any of you who know Christy, you know she had our week planned out well in advance! Our first day there, Christy and I went to the zoo with our 5 combined kids, and met her friend, Mandy with her 3 kids and her sister. We all had a great time!

The zoo there has a place where you can feed the giraffes!

Mitch and Kaitlyn...Those two sure do love each other!

Jake and Luke looking at the monkeys. They are only 3 weeks apart!

Our attempt at a group picture of all of the kids! FYI, Mike and Mandy's hubby kept ALL of these kids one night so we could go out for a Girls Night Out! What troopers, huh?

Luke, Jake and Christy

Jake and Luke

The next day, we went had a play date with a couple of Christy's friends and their kids. We went to the mall and walked around for a little while. Then ate lunch. Then went to "the jumpies", as Mitch calls it.

Kaitlyn, Mitch, Christy, Kendyl (I had the stroller with the babies)

Mitch and Kendyl were walking ahead of us, and this was our view! Isn't it the cutest?

Then Kaitlyn wanted in on the action...Mitch is going to love these pics some day!

He's going to be crushed when someone tells him he is going to have to choose just one sister one of these days! :)

The kids had a great time at "the jumpies"...especially Jake! He learned how to climb up and go down the slides (the smaller ones) all by himself! Kaitlyn taught him!

After "the jumpies" we went back to Christy's and the kids had a little "rest time". (The babies napped.)
That night was Girls Night Out (the night the guys kept all 8 kids!).

Sad to say that I think this is the ONLY picture EVER of just me and Christy!

Here we are at dinner (and drinks, of course)! Leave it to Christy to have this many girlfriends after only living there for a year! She amazes me!A few of us stuck it out for the Wine Loft for after dinner drinks (and desert for some). We had a fantastic time, and it was so awesome to get to meet so many of Christy's new friends!
The last day there...PAJAMA DAY! We stayed home all day and just played. Christy has a full funished basement that is the kids' playroom. It was awesome!!!!

Here's our rather unsuccessful attempt at a group photo!

Jake and Luke spinning around in circles together
Mitch and Kendyl (aka Mommy and Daddy) pushing their "babies" in strollers around the basement. Yes, Mitch's "baby" is his "night-night"!

And...I saved the best for last! The kids (except Luke, who was asleep) had all been playing downstairs in the basement for a couple of hours. It was a wonderful break, and Christy and I got to just sit and visit with no interruptions...what a concept, huh? Then we heard Kendyl cry, so Christy went to check on her. The next thing I heard was Christy, "Nicole....Come down here...and bring your camera!" This is what I found! Jake is NOT going to like this picture some day...but I do! My rough and tumble all-boy boy dressed up in a princess dress...complete with tiara! Gary says I'm not allowed to go back! :)

4 Year Old Logic

Me: Mitch, it is not okay to "blah blah blah"

Mitch: I didn't mean to!

Me: Just because you didn't mean to doesn't make it okay.

Mitch: I wasn't trying to make it okay, I was trying to not be in trouble!

Well...there you have it...4 year old logic!