Fall Ball

Cutie Patootie! This is my favorite image from fall t-ball. His team was the River Bandits, although the majority of the season Dawson mistakenly called them the Rubber Bandits!










Dawson & Derek: Dawson making it to first base & Derek was first base Coach. (And that is Chris Jones in the background, coaching for Cam's team!)




















Dawson with Andi & buddy Easton enjoying a snow cone after a game.

Flowers for Mom

Shortly after Dawson started kindergarten, he shyly asked me if he could pick some roses out of our backyard to take to his teacher the next day. Since it was already dark outside, I told him that I would wake him up a few minutes early the next morning so that he would have time to pick some out for her. The next morning I helped him pick out a few really pretty ones that passed his 'smell good' test. When we started walking back to the house, I got a really big lump in my throat because it suddenly occurred to me that was the first time he was taking flowers to someone other than me. This was such a minor thing, but it was still something I was already having to share. It was as though Dawson could read my thoughts, because right at that moment he slipped his little hand in mine. He looked up at me & said "Don't worry Mom, I can still pick flowers for you too when I get home from school." I smiled at him, leaned down and kissed all over his face. We call them 'eternal kisses' that way he can't ever wipe them off. A funny thing occurred though when he said that to me. 10 seconds earlier I was feeling sorry for myself for having to share him, but as I walked him to the bus stop I couldn't stop smiling. I just kept thinking about how blessed I was to be the one who gets to share this wonderful little boy with others.

One of my favorite photos, a much younger Dawson bringing me flowers.

New living room

In July we got our new living room furniture! After our furniture came in, I finally ordered the canvas prints I wanted to hang on our 'great' wall. The images are panoramic pictures I took of Queensboro Lake from upstate New York in the fall. Derek & I took a trip there during the peak of fall a few years back & I had been wanting to print these since then...but, we moved across the country & it got delayed awhile. Part of this image was even featured on Oprah's website a few years back, click here if you want to see that. Click here if you want to see a few more fall New York pics from my previous post.

As soon as I hung them, I knew I wasn't totally happy...the wall definitely needed to be darker to make the images 'pop' more.

So, we painted the 'great' wall the same accent rust color that is in our kitchen. Much better.

Then, in August, we finally got rid of all the carpet & put gorgeous tile down! I LOVE having tile with kiddos. No more scrubbing stains out of light beige carpet!

Another shot of the finished living room.

Andi's first ballet/ tap class

The same day Dawson started kindergarten, Andi started dance! It was kind of nice to have such a fun distraction from worrying about my boy all day. And, Andi was SUPER excited!

Here she is about to leave, showing off her new dance bag.

Stretching at the start of class. She takes dance at Chara Christian Dance, so they start each class with a prayer. So sweet.

Sweet girl.

Twirl!

Learning to skip.

Starting tap...look how much taller she is!

tap & maracas

I took all these pics through the two way mirror, and being right up against the glass Andi could see me & she knew I was right there watching. She LOVED every minute of class & at one point, she turned & looked right at me through the window/mirror. Her expression was priceless. In one wide-eyed look it said 'WOW, this is amazing!' and 'WHY HAVE YOU NEVER BROUGHT ME HERE BEFORE???' I am so glad she loves it & enjoys the same things I do. I am sure we are in for many years of recital fun!

My baby boy starts kindergarten

Well, I don't know how 'normal' this is, but I cried off & on about Dawson starting kindergarten...for about 2 years. Totally serious. And, I am not a big crier...so that was a pretty big deal for me to be THAT emotional for so long. I think it was about two years anyway. So, since I had already had that much crying out of the way, I did pretty well his first day of school. I made it safely home before I totally fell apart...again

This was orientation night, standing by his chair.

About to leave the first morning, Derek & I both took him the first day.

A nervous Dawson with Mom...holding it together.

Dawson & Dada

I even snapped a shot of his bus bringing him home!

And...getting off the bus. I know I am a dork. Yay for a great first day!
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Dawson's 5 year pics

Last summer, I tried multiple times to photograph Dawson for his birthday. However, he has officially reached that phase where it is IMPOSSIBLE for Mom to get a decent smile out of him. All the pictures I took of him looked like he was in pain. So, for the first time ever, I wanted someone else to take his pics. When I found out Trish was doing a 'back to school' set, I jumped on board. It was perfect timing to document him turning 5 years old & starting kindergarten. I could not be happier with the pics...they turned out so adorable! My little flirt had no trouble smiling for her! I am about to cry again looking at these. Photos are so priceless.

Well, hello there!

Long time, no blog. I will spare you all of my pathetic excuses for not blogging for the last year, but I now have some MAJOR catching up to do. Since my plan is to print this blog out for my kiddos some day, I have an entire year of blogs to get on here: 63 to be exact. So, today I did a quick makeover to the blog & layed out a blog catching up gameplan. Hopefully, if I can put 1-3 posts on here per day, I will be caught up by the time school starts! Here we go!

Slip n Slidin OR Belly Flopin?

One of Dawson's birthday presents this year, was a new slip n slide. Thanks Shauna! So, we spent several days a week cooling off this way in the backyard. This day however, was the first day Andi was brave enough to actually try 'sliding' and it was hilarious!

My kids are of course matching...shocker right? I had been eyeballing these adorable swimsuits & snatched them up when they went on sale for next summer. That is why they are too big on them. But, they had just come in the mail & they were excited to wear them. I love the added touch of the temporary tattoo on Dawson's arm!




Here is the hilarous video of Andi's 'sliding'.


And, here is a cute video the the slip & slide master!

July 4th Fun

I LOVE when my kids match!

Swimming at the Morse Resort, this is Dawson's 'dive'

And, crazy girl jumping

Dawson with Granna & Granny's Dog Willy

Derek & Granny (who just turned 92!)

We ended up at the last minute joining up with the McDaniel crew to watch fireworks

Trace, Andi, Dawson & Carson

They pointed at EVERY firework & then giggled...so cute.

These two visited the entire time, like long lost friends that had been reunited. And, Andi was TOTALLY flirting. Hmmm, something to watch out for in the future!



And, snuggling with Mom after a long day.

Derek's gonna kill me...

One evening Dada had some...uhm, stinky gas issues...hehe, love ya babe! But, the funny part was that after Dawson had complained about the odor, he came running into the room with this contraption on claiming it would 'help with the smell.' Ha! You probably never knew a slinky & snorkel were so valuable.

What is that?

During our vacation this summer, this framed print was hanging in the bathroom opposite of the toilet. The first time that I took Andi to the potty in there, she just kept staring at the picture. Then she glanced over at me, then back at the picture, then over at me, and then back at the picture again. Finally she whispers at me with wide-eyes "Mom...is that...is that...is that...God?" It was so adorable.

Dawson turns 5!!!

This post is SO late, but better late than never! My sweet boy turned 5 back in June...here are the photo highlights!

On his actual birthday...he caught his hair on fire doing this!!!!

WHOOPS! Don't think he'll do that again anytime soon!

Derek & I took him to Space Center Houston for the day.

Me & Dawson

Getting sung to at LaCasita at dinner, how cute is he!

At his birthday party at Jump n Jungle with best buddy Jonathan.

The cake table with cousins & friends.

Here he is with all his presents!

And, with his new spiderman bike!

Happy Birthday sweet boy!