Tidbits of the week.

I'm here. Honestly. I'm in the midst of moving everything over to Wordpress and I tore my eyeballs out of their sockets yesterday...

Then put them back in to watch the kids run on the Slip n' Slide because it is 100 degrees and about the same humidity.

Also, my psycho neighbors all got together on Saturday morning at the crack of dawn and ran some stairs and did some sprints. Then we turned around the next day and ran 8 miles. I swear. These neighbors are trying to kill me. I couldn't walk for two days.

I've been painting a little, but we've been having a lot of fun going to the beach and hanging out, so I haven't been searching too much for stuff, but that will pick up as soon as both Jack and Porter are in summer school. Plus, I've got a sitter coming one day a week, so I can do some stuff for myself!

We do have big news in our house. If you have been reading for awhile you'll remember that Porter (our 5 year old) has terrible stage fright. HORRIBLE. Well, his 4K program was last Friday and I did what every normal parent would do. I bribed him with ice cream. I'm not above a little incentive...

That's him in the red and gray. He stayed the ENTIRE time. NO tears. He even participated...a little.

Do you know who cried like a baby? Me. I was so proud. SO proud I could hardly stand it.

There he is getting his 4K diploma. His teachers were so impressed with him. Love it. What a great kid.

You think I would end without a little more eye candy???

Oh, wait, this isn't beautiful....yet. I picked it up on the side of the road. The drawers are shot. But I just couldn't get rid of it. I have a BRILLIANT idea. Can't wait to show you.

Now this. THIS is some eye candy. I used Annie Sloan Duck Egg Blue. I even have a more detailed post, but you'll have to wait until next time.

Stay tuned!

Indy

I've never been to a drag race. Seriously. It has never been on my list of "Things I want to do in my life".

But, we've got relatives in high places and boys that love fast cars...so off we went to some races.

Holy buckets. It was so fun!

We got in our gear.

Big ole' ear protection for the kids. And some for us too.

We watched fast hot rods and "funny cars" until our bodies shook.

We ate tons of chips and fantastic food. 

We even had our picture taken by a "fast car" (that's what Jack calls them).

And we got to meet a driver! "Fast Jack" is one great guy!

I'm pretty sure this face says it all. 
 

We had a fantastic time. We were thoroughly surprised at what a great experience it was. Thank you to everyone that had a part in this very special birthday treat for our big 5 year old!

Porter's 5th Birthday

My first born turns FIVE today. Oh, goodness.

Yeah, that's right. It was hotter than hell being that pregnant during the hottest summer ever recorded in the history of the world. Seriously, Al Gore said so. Thank you honey for documenting this moment.

I remember the day he was born. I remember waking up on his due date and having contractions at six o'clock in the morning. I wonder if this means he will be a prompt person. 

Born on his due date. I think that it happens to five percent of births. Seriously.

(My parents, aren't they cute!?)

My parents and one of my sisters were here because of the labor day holiday and my birthday and his potential birth.

How fantastic that it could all happen so perfectly. A total first born thing. 

I had an epidural with him and right after I vowed to never have an epidural again. I hated it. The epidural worked, but I didn't like not being able to move around. Or feel my legs. Or get up right after and eat a cheeseburger. Minus the burger. So, I was miserable and it was horrible. And I didn't have another one.

It was a glorious and scary day. I loved him dearly, but to be perfectly honest, I wanted him to be back in my belly. I SO wasn't ready. Can you ever be totally ready? 

 (That's my Grandma, isn't she cute!?)

No one tells you the truth about sleepless nights and the actual feeling of your body physically hurting so badly from the lack of sleep. Dear God. It's a good thing that our memories in the area of labor and newborns are so poor, because I would NEVER have had any other children if I could honestly remember how bad it was.

(Tom's parents and his Grandma, aren't they cute!?)

AND,

No one told me he was going to grow up. And go to school to have "me" time and ride his bike without training wheels and ride the bus with all his friends.

No one tells you that you will be so proud of your child you will cry. No one tells you that your heart will physically hurt for them when they are hurt. Why doesn't anyone tell you that stuff?

(That hubby sure is a hottie. And look at that cute P-town!)

No one told me when he cried, I would cry and when he laughs and giggles, I would laugh and giggle too. 

No one told me that having a baby actually meant having a child, a person that will count on you for absolutely everything...until they turn 5 and refuse to stop growing because they want to be big and become a garbage truck driver. Stupid cool green garbage trucks.

They tell you it is the greatest thing in the entire world, and you know what, they are right. They are so totally right. 


I love you dear Porter. 

Please don't grow up. 

Please tell me everything. 

Please continue to snuggle with me and your white blankie.


Fine, if you must, go ahead and get big. I dare you.

Happy 5th Birthday little dude. We are so proud of you and everything you have done in the last 5 years! I can't wait to see what the next 50 years brings for you! You're the coolest. xoxo, Mommy



PS - Thanks for all the birthday wishes! xoxo

First Day of 4K

Yesterday was Porter's first day of 4K. 4K. It's preschool with a fancy name. Next year he will go to 5K. Does that make any sense?

So, this year is half days. Next year full days. I guess they've basically split up kindergarten into two years so that by the time they get into first grade they can read and write and do quantum physics. 

I'm crying. Tears. Big crocodile tears.I don't want him to go...Not at all...


Dear Porter, 


Please don't grow up.

Thanks, 

Love Mommy

When he woke up he didn't want to go. He cried for most of the morning. But I talked him into at least just going to check it out and he was okay with that. By the time we got there he was great. He played with his brothers in the room and the other kids started coming in and he came up to me and said, "Bye Mommy. See ya later." Then he said, "See ya, Ma. Nice knowing you. Thanks for nothin'. I'm going to class now and graduating from college and getting married and having a baby. I'll call you when the kid is born." 


Needless to say, I was sad. So I went home and made cupcakes for his class for his birthday (which is on Saturday!) and licked the spoon. Once. Okay twice. And the bowl. And I ate some frosting. But just a gigantic spoonful. I'm an emotional eater. And now I'm fat. Great. 

Jack starts 3K on the 13th. Lord help me. Give me the strength to make it through this. No, I'm not kidding. Gus doesn't even want me any more. He walks around and doesn't even pay attention to me. He's moving. And I'm not needed. Boo-hoo. I need another baby.


Enough self-wallowing. HOLY CRAP they are big. 

Oh, right, the boys are on a Halloween kick. They wore last year's Halloween costumes all.day.long. It was 80 here. With 80 bazillion percent humidity. They were soaking wet. From sweat. Stinky boy sweat. 

Maybe it's okay that they are going to school....

Lemonade 25 c

So, most of the neighborhood kids have had a lemonade stand. Well, the boys had had enough. They were ready. They wanted to do one too.

Nevermind that they can't read. Or add. Or pour something for themselves. And they often get shy around strangers....Nevermind those facts. Neveryoumind.

They asked me to make them cookies to sell too. 

They drank and ate their profit. 

But, they made a whole dollar. 

They were so proud.

Don't they look proud?

 

I even made them a sign. They were so excited!

But then, because it was so hot, we went inside to cool off. Jack decided to do this, again:

And I laughed. Then we ate this:

Ha! Look at that kid! 

Avoiding bedtime...

And so the saga of God continues....

The other night while tucking the boys into bed, we had our nightly ritual of them asking questions to avoid going to sleep and me answering their questions to get them to go to sleep. That night was a good one.

Jack: Where's God?

Porter: In heaven.

Jack: Does he drive a mocercycle?

Porter: No....there aren't any roads in Heaven.

Jack: What? That's crazy.

Porter: They are tend roads. (As he is swerving his arms around and around like he's driving on a road).

Jack: Soooo....he does drive a mocercycle?

Porter: A tend motorcycle...

T-Ball. For big kids.

I was a little nervous about what would happen with Porter at t-ball. If you remember, he doesn't do well in front of others. He gets shy and scared and cries. An ugly cry...And his face gets all mushed up, and his little chin quivers. It's terrible.

Well, we did our best to be excited about it, we talked about it, we got excited, Jack went to t-ball on Monday, and we thought that would show him it's not all that bad.

It was, all that bad.

Here he is with Tom waiting to get his picture taken with the team. Things weren't going well so I had to come in and help out. When we get the pictures back and you see my head peaking out from behind him and the coach, don't be alarmed. He wouldn't let go of my hand...would not let go.

Poor dude. It got better towards the end when he started running...his problem may be that he is drowning in his shirt. Why do they make them so big? Especially when I asked for a small...

If you look closely you can see the sad crying face in the above picture....

Oh, the pain I feel for him is ginormous. It's that fine line as a parent where I want to hold him close and hug him...but then I want to shove him out of the nest and get him to fly....

He says he wants to go back. That's a good sign, right?

Crocodile tears at the Spring Sing.

Porter's last few days of his first year of pre-school are here. They've been building up their "Spring Sing" for a few weeks and they've been practicing the songs since February....If you have been reading for awhile, you may remember that he didn't quite survive the "Critter Party Concert".

And....he didn't survive this one either.

This is where he spent a good portion of the concert.

He barely made it past the first few seconds....

His BFF's are the two little cuties in the front row. As you can see he's already starting to get shy....they hadn't even started yet! Poor little dude.

After one of his fantastic teachers tried to talk to him he came running over to me and we snuggled for a little while and I tried to get him to go back here....

But he didn't want to. So he went and sat with Daddy.

Which was just fine with me. . . Cause how can you not love seeing that?!