simplegifts

hookie: day two

On our second day, I wrangled up the boys and took them to HMNS and MFAH. Boy was it a good day! We headed to MFAH first spending about an hour, just a quick run through, browsing the Law Building and Audrery Jones Beck. Then hit Cockrell Butterfly Exhibit, and the Dinos at HMNS. We 4 had a grand time! Jeremiah talked!!! his head off the whole day.

Representin' Watoto Ba.Bee.

To say the boys enjoyed the butterfly exhibit is the understatement of the year! Thankfully, it was not crowded when we were there so they had free reign. They walked around by themselves and came running to me, "Mommy! Mommy! Come see!"

Those tiny yellow specks are butterfly eggs! How cool is that?!

I did find out after taking this photo that I wasn't supposed to be taking pictures in the Museum. Yikes.

We also walked through the Rose Garden searching for yellow and orange roses...Jeremiah's fave colors.

Love the Museum District.

 

 

the new grad

Ready for First Grade!

I think it was the cumulative effect of the last two weeks of school that led to my sheer exhaustion on graduation day. I missed it. Completely blanked and missed Kindergarten Graduation. Oh. Well. I made the slide show. But Daniel's recitation of Whistles, and his scripture verses, didn't see it. I told myself not to be late. Jeff took the morning off work. I dropped the boys off at school, re-reconfirmed the start time...10am. Promptly drove home and told Jeff we needed to leave at 10:30. ??? Then sat on the couch and stared at the wall for 30 minutes. Seriously. I did that. And decided to shower and take my sweet little ol' time getting ready since I didn't have to leave til 10:30. Made myself a nice breakfast, had coffee, enjoyed the quiet while Jeff ran his errands. Hopped in the car, drove off, looked at the clock: 10:30, and suddenly remembered that graduation started at 10. My heart sank. I missed it. I had a minor meltdown consisting of "If two weeks of insane school schedules does this to me, what the heck is teaching going to do?! What the heck am I thinking?!" Deep breath.  Not the complete end of the world, but close enough. I got to school, hustled to the sanctuary, walked through the doors, burst into tears, walked out the doors, composed myself, walked back through the doors, watched the slide show, procession, THE END. Yep. Missed it. And when I told two of my Kindergarten Mommy Friends what happened, they each shared in my sorrow and boy, did that mean the world to me. We dried our eyes, hugged. And went to the park for the school picnic. After awhile I felt better.

played hookie: day one

{photo heavy}

I've been wanting to play hookie with the littles since school started. Can you tell I like hookie more than school? I do. But I know that school is important too, I guess. I waited patiently, sort of, and the perfect opportunity arose.

Joshua and Caleb had a field trip to Houston. I took the 3 youngers out of school and we somewhat tagged along. I say somewhat because the bigs were in the school van, and the younguns were with me. We picked Caleb up from their trip after the zoo, and he spent the night with us in Houston. 

Day One. Picnic at Herman park. Houston Zoo. Herman Park Conservancy Train. We had the best time ever!

Carousel!

I am all for having a good ol day of hookie once a school year. It was lovely!

sea world

Daniel's class + their prayer partners + moms/teacher headed to Sea World this past week. When we entered the Aquarium, I wish I would have had the forethought to change my camera over to video mode because Daniel went semi-beserk. This was his first time to Sea World and considering he has lived more years in an orphanage ( a great one) than with a family, his excited then mesmerized flip out was thoroughly enjoyed by me!

Awesome shirts made by a Kinder Mom. Thanks Mrs. Weaver.

"Whas that Mom? Whas that?" Said over and over...sting ray, baby fish, coral, sharks, scuba divers, eel, Dorie... ;o)

 Yes. I spent $12.95 on Shamu. I talked him down from a $24.95 gigantor pillow with a 3D Shamu popping out of it. I was not carting that thing around all day. ;o) Plus, the Shamu he got is way cuter!

This was photo 234. Yeah. I took 404.

Happy Field Tripping to You.

track season

Both Joshua and Caleb are participating in track this spring. We went to a meet two Thursdays ago in San Antonio and cheered them on in each of their events, and some of the other kids from school.

May I say one thing? Ok. I LOVE MY CAMERA!!! I used the telephoto lens during the meet and I will hug him and squeeze him and pet him and pat him and name him George.

We sat under this tree and it dropped itself all over us, our quilt, our toys, our hair...it was sort of annoying, but it sure did it's job in the shade department. And we were glad.

Happy Tree Droppings to You.

 

the most wonderful time of year...

You know what I'm gonna say, right?

Wait for it. Wait. Wait.

Yay yuh bay bee. Snow Cone Time!

There's only one small problem. I have no budget for $200 a month spent on snow cones. I know. So I'm rethinking my addiction. But it's hard. I have people.

This one.

This one.

And this one.

+ 2 more who are now way too cool to have their pictures taken. When those 2 finally grow up and get married, and want to show their new wives their photo albums...their pictures stop at, like, 11. And then they disappear. sheesh.

Everyday afterschool forget saying Hi Mommy! It is now, "SNOWCONES!!!" ;o) To make it worse, we pass one shop on the way home. Yesterday, when I said we'd go tomorrow (which is now today) you'd have thought they'd been grounded for a week. Waiting is good though. It makes for some moments of appreciation.

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baby pomegranate.

 it's not our tree, but i have toyed with the idea of knocking on the owner's door once its harvest time.

 just sayin.

and I'm 43 now.

Cake, plant, chocolate, and pneumonia. That's how I rang in the 43rd year of life. ;o)

I Love America - A.D.

I live in a great country, America. It is a free land to worship God. Abe made the north and  south together. George was first in war and first in peace. I like America, a great land. -A.D.

Alan wrote the above at school. He received a Punctuation Champ certificate and I have to agree! Proud Mom.

Ribbit.

Daniel made it. Honest. ;o) I found some inspiration on Pinterest, however what I thought was a frog box was really a monster box so I guess this makes it an original. Lol. He brought home a cereal box from school. We downsized to a cracker box, turned inside out and painted green. I did use some unsightly packaging tape to put it back together, but I don't care and neither did he. Had the googly eyes, found a fly clip art for his tongue.  The End.