Pacers Family Fun Night

For the second year in a row, we’ve thoroughly enjoyed the tickets that Upward provides to all families. I know we only go to an NBA game once a year, but man. These things are quite the production! Specifically, the grand entrance that the players make. Let me set the stage.

First, the lights go out at Banker’s Life. Music starts blaring through the speakers.

[the kids faces get all worried-like…..”Did something just happen?”]

Cue the pyrotechnics. I mean. Wow. Flames throwing high to the rafters.

A music video comes up on the megatron. And by “music video,” I mean a video of player intros. Which is totally a rap music video.

It’s awesome.

We had a great time. Love my fam!

Daddy-Daughter Sweetheart Dance

I think we may have encountered our last Daddy-Daughter Sweetheart dance this past year.

Why?, you ask.

Well, because our precious little petunia is too “cool” to get all dressed up in a pretty, little outfit and be the sweetheart that we know she is.

HA!

I can’t even type that with a straight face.

Valentine's Day 2015

You know the drill.

I’m “that mom” who hand-makes my kids’ Valentines.

So sue me.

I like love to do these kinds of things. I mean, they’re only young once. And…it’s been very hard for me to digest the fact that I won’t be having any more…so these handmade gifts are a special treasure for me.

Drew's Mid-Year Progress Report

Words cannot even begin to express how happy we are with Drew’s Kindergarten teacher, Ms. Habig. From the beginning of the school year, we knew there was something “special” about her…she had that energy and charismatic connection with children that a parent can only hope to have for their child.

When Drew first started Kindergarten, he could care less about learning. He had no desire to write his letters, let alone his name. Teach him how to add and subtract? Forget about it. He would rather play with cars, jump in mud, wrestle his sissy…anything but sit down and learn.

But fast forward a few weeks, and he started blossoming. Within a month or two he was reciting his letters, singing them in the car. He took notice of store names as we were about and about, verses flying his airplane through store aisles. He would tell us all about the Earth; about the different parts of an apple, naming each of them as I sliced one up.

So when Andy & I saw his progress report this week, I just about cried. (Okay. Let’s be honest. I didn’t “just about”….I did. Like a baby.) At the beginning of the year he was “Below Average” on the Letter Naming AND Sound Fluency metrics. Now, halfway through the year he is “Above Average” and even “Well Above Average” in Phoneme Segmentation Fluency and Nonsense Word Fluency. We couldn’t be more proud of him, not only in his educational development, but also his mental and emotional development.

And we attribute that – in large part – to our wonderful teacher. Teachers are a true blessing from God. And I'm truly blessed to have Ms. Habig as my baby boy’s teacher.

New Year's Eve Celebration

We rang in the New Year at Jane's beautiful house. (Really. It's beee-U-ti-ful)

I was on a little wine-glass painting kick, so I made some festive glasses to help aid in our celebration. It was a fun, little time. Lots of wine, lots of laughter, and a little bit of mischief!

Oh yes. The tuba was brought out!!

And not to be outdone by all the tuba playing, Brad showed off his drum-playing skills.

Cheers!

The wine glasses I painted. They turned out so cute!

Christmas 2014

Emma's Wish List
Keyboard
Guitar


Drew's Wish List
Skylanders Trap Team
Lego's, Lego's Lego's

Setting out the reindeer food

So magical!

Love these two kiddos!

Santa's mik & cookies

One of Drew's lego sets

Christmas mess...

...and all it's glory

He loved his Skylanders Trap Team game!!

Love this pic of Drew, off to Grandma's for more Christmas goodies!!

Mini-Me, Christmas edition

Dr. Suess Day at School

Back in December, the Kindergartners spent a week celebrating the magic that is Dr. Suess. The week was tapped off with the kids dressing as a character from their favorite Suess book. Naturally, Drew chose to dress as the dog from How the Grinch Stole Christmas. And the teachers outdid themselves by dressing as The Grinch (Ms. Habig) and Cindy Loo (Mrs. Gbur).

Whoopie Cushion

Ahhh, the joys of having a boy. 

After a loooong day, hard at work, followed by a longer evening taking the kids to and from different activities - not to mention preparing dinner - I go to lay my head down on my oh-so-comfy pillow....

...just to hear a huge "fart."

Well played, Drewbie. Well played.

Cross-Stitch Ornaments

I love making little Christmas gifts for all of the kids' classmates. I started the tradition with Emma, when she was in Kindergarten, and now that both kids are in school, it's A LOT to take on.

I had this crazy idea that I'd cross-stitch little ornaments, customizing them with their name on each one, for every. single. kid. in their classes.

Yeah.

After #20, I was sooooo over it.

So by #44, I was seriously questioning my sanity!

Note to self: start these in the summer!!!

Elmer the Elephant

Drew got to take home Elmer the Elephant last December. Elmer is a character from the book "Elmer the Patchwork Elephant." It's a stuffed animal that each Kindergartner gets to take home for the weekend, going on different journeys with each family. 

And Drew - who loves all things cuddly - took him everywhere.

Even to sleep with him.

Elmer at the "Technology Store" (aka, Best Buy)

"Try" by Emma and Chrissy