New Year

WOW! It has been FOREVER since I posted. Aunt Kathy this is for YOU! A new school year! Taylor started 3rd grade and Jake started Kinder. Both love their teachers and are off to a great first week! I was so nervous about Jake but he has done great and loves going to school. Caden starts Pre-K 3 next Monday and then I will have three days to myself YIPPEE! While I enjoyed summer I was beyond ready for routine and school and so were the kids. On Wednesdays I will be taking CBS (Community Bible Study) at our church and I am really looking forward to that!

So, until next time (and I promise it won't be 8 months) enjoy these pictures from the first day of school!

Bailey Renee Bench

Last night I was in Pasadena judging a dance studio contest preview and came home to find this:

I got a new puppy!!!! My family bought me a new dog. I was so shell shocked! It was 10PM, Jake was running a 102 fever and I kept thinking I am still trying to potty train Caden!! A little overwhelming to say the least but the feelings were fleeting and I was in love with her in Oh 30 seconds! Maci is mad at us but I am praying that will pass like each time I brought a kid home from the hospital:)

Caden had his third birthday party today! Where did the time go. I remember the day he was born and oh how he took forever to come into this world:) His real b-day is next Friday but we celelbrated with friends and family a week early. He had a Aggie birthday party complete with aggie cookie cake, aggie band music and him marching around for everyone and an aggie football helmet pinata:) He had a blast! Here is a video of him marching and doing the aggie drum major "recall". HILARIOUS!!

Catch Up

The family at Santa's Wonderland

I have so much to catch up on!!! The end of 2009 just got crazy with the kids home, fitting in doctors visits before the end of the year b/c we had met our deductible and lots of family time!!

Let's start with we made our annual trek to Santa's Wonderland with my folks and wee puppy went for the first time. We all loved it. He loved the Aggie lights the most (go figure). I was scolded by the security there b/c I kept getting out of my car to take pictures! Oh well!!

Caden and Mama

Aggieland in lights (this is where we were asked to remain in the vehicle by security that appeared out of the bushes)

Jakey then had a performance at school that he actually smiled and sang a little at:)

Jake smiling and singing

Then Christmas Eve just snuck right up on us. We had an amazing service at church. Tate attended her first service and loved the message. We then get in the car and change into PJ's. Drive thru sonic for hamburgers and go look at Christmas lights. At home they each got to open one present and then lights out!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Day was so fun. Caden really got into everything and I loved watching him enjoy it. We did Christmas at our house with just the kids and then packed up and headed to my folks. After that we ended the night at Granny and Paw Paw's and then kids put on their annual Christmas shoe (thank God it only lasted 15 minutes last year it went on and on and on:)) They did a great job! The next day we went to Michael's grandmas to close out our Christmas celebration with family.

Christmas Morning

Kids and Their Tubes

In a daze

Watching his movie

Trying to show you her blinking red light.

Sweet girl

Taylor and Caden both had a procedure done today to check PH levels for severe acid reflux. This means they both had to have a tube put down their nose and into their esophagus and taped to their face. We have to leave them in for 24 hours while it monitors everything they do and eat. I have to record everything they eat and push buttons on both of their monitors when they start eating and when they stop, when the fall asleep and when they wake up, if they cough their is a button for that too. AWESOME! Tate did amazing. I was so proud of her. She was hesitant but did it like a champ. She is now staring at her throat b/c the end of the probe has a blinking red light and when her mouth is open you can see it flash. I told her she could give Rudolph a run for his money leading that sleigh! The little guy not so much! They finally had his done and taped down and he pulled it out. So, take two. He may be little but boy does he have some fight in him. I think I pulled a muscle in my left arm from holding him down. But, so far this one is and we have been home a little while. We go back tomorrow at 2PM to have them removed. I am counting down I miss my spunky little guy. He is laying on the floor watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!

SNOW!!!

Nanny got in on the snow ball fight
Loving life

Sweet kids

This boy was cold!!

Eating snow

Thawing out by the fire

Doing the snow dance

More snow dance

Maci in the snow

My boys

For a second year in a row Houston got snow. A bummer south of us got WAY more than us and it stuck longer. But we are thankful for what we got. The boys and I had a blast playing. My folks went and picked up Taylee a little early b/c I was so afraid she was going to miss the fun. So glad they did since it quit about 20 minutes before she would have gotten home. Her brothers wanted her home so bad and they had a good old fashion snow ball fight!

Thanksgiving 2009

Nana and Tate
David and Jakey (he let the kids play on his laptop)

The turley:)

Sweet girl ready to root for those Aggies!

Caden was always near David!

Our friend David came in from the Bahamas to celebrate an American Holiday tradition THANKSGIVING! We had an awesome holiday and truly had a blast with David. The kids adore him and loved spending time with him. I also fixed my first Thanksgiving Feast and made a Herb Roasted Turley that ROCKED! I was so proud of myself!!

Taylor's Blame Game

My sweet girl before she could back talk:)

Taylor had a rough little time last night (her mouth out runs her every time). Daddy was upstairs calming her down and I hear from her "Why did Adam & Eve have to eat that darn apple. They ruined my whole life!" REALLY! Only my 7 year old would blame Adam and Eve for her leg hurting (the night before) and her choice to... run her mouth. I sweetly explained they had a choice and she had a choice both made the wrong onesRead More.

She also asked the night before if God knows everything before it happens then why did he create Adam and Eve if he knew they would eat the apple when he told them not to. We had a long talk about the freedom of choice then. She obviously forgot in the heat of making fun of her brothers drawing!

Carnival Time

Across the highway a traveling Carnival popped up. Michael was totally against it b/c of "germs". But, he is out of town so her lost. It's not like my mom and I were going to drop the kids off and entrust them to the strange carni people HELLO! Here are some pictures of the night. We ate dinner at Cici's and then headed over. They had the best time. It was ridiculously expensive but so worth it. I was so proud of Jakey. He is really coming out of his shell. Not once was he afraid of a ride!