Going private...

hey ya'll! i'm seriously considering making my blog private....if you want an invite, leave me a comment with your email address so I can add you!  

mandee

6 month old cutie!

This little cutie turned 6 months old today!! I cannot believe that much time has passed already!  

At 6 months, Lexie is 15 lbs and 26 inches long.  She loves attention and will yell at you until you give it to her!  She ADORES Brian and Sydnee, and she gets a bit bored while they are at school, but as soon as she sees them she lets out a huge squeal and has a laugh for her brother and sister!  She is starting to sit up alone, and is getting the "food" thing down.  She really doesn't like babyfood, but loves cheerios!  She also loves to suck on fruit! I have a special baby thing that you can put fruit in and they can suck on the fruit through a mesh pouch so that they don't choke!  She is such a great baby, and we love the sweet spirit she brings into our home! 

Our new morning ritual

Since it's only Lexie and I on M/W/F, I decided these would be perfect days to do my runs to train for the 1/2 marathon in November.  We do about 4 miles and Lexie just loves riding in the jogger stroller!  She loves that she can see everything going by, especially all the people walking their dogs!  I love it too...I'm just counting down the days until the cooler mornings.  It's so hot and humid right now, even at 745 in the morning!

The First day of SCHOOL!!

August 24,2009....Brian's first day of Kindergarten!!  and Sydnee's first day of all-day preschool!  I never imagined this day would be so difficult.  It was a bit hard for me to watch Brian walk down the HUGE hallway with his backpack on (it's practically as big as he is!), and sit down at his desk ready for the day to begin. (yes, i left the school in sunglasses so no one could see my tears)  I get nervous imagining all he will do today...eating in the cafeteria, having recess, doing work, reading, etc..etc...however, he is in heaven! He was not nervous at all-he's so excited to go to school.  I am glad for that--I would rather him say "Bye,mom!" than to have him clinging to my legs!     Sydnee was really excited this year too. No tears this time! (well, none from Sydnee anyway)  She is going all day- 730-330, and she is very happy to be in the "Ladybug" class!  I love that my kids love school, and are excited to make new friends and learn.  I'm sad, because it means they are growing up, and despite the fact that I have a quiet, calm house again, I miss them terribly!  Well, at least until 330 and they are together, fighting again! hehe   For now, I will miss them, enjoy my alone time with Lexie, and make chocolate chip cookies for their after school snack! 

Missions Game and Last swim at Sea World

Last Monday night, Matt and Charlie took Brian and Sydnee to a Missions baseball game! They had so much fun--other than being a little hot!  On Thursday, I took the kids to Sea World for one last swim before the school year starts.  We will, of course, go to their fun holiday events, but, for now, we are pretty much done with Sea World until next year.  We met our friends, Kajsa-Jaylie-and Breklyn there!  It's so much fun to go with someone!  Sydnee and Jaylie had a great time! Those two girlies click together so well!  I love that.  

Oops! I forgot to add these fun things!

How could I have forgotten these?!?!  For our 7th anniversary we took a kid-less trip to Sea World with our friends, Ryan and Nicole!  We had great fun riding the coasters--as you can see by our faces! LOL!  Afterwards, we went to Jason's Deli and had a delish dinner, then came back to our house and talked until midnight! Only with good friends can you do that!!  Thanks, Ryan and Nicole, for spending our anniversary with us! ;) 

Don't ya just love how Ryan and Nicole are both posing and matt and I look so weird?!?  It was my FIRST time on the Steel Eel!

Cutie Kids

Just thought I'd post this picture of my cutie kids!  

Swim Lessons

The kids did 2 sessions of swim lessons this summer.  They totally loved it, and are even more confident in the water now.  I will probably put them in again next summer, just to get more experience.  Brian is really getting some distance with his head under water, and can dive for toys at the bottom now.  Sydnee isn't scared of anything, and will totally go in the very deep end with just a swim noodle!  

Last day with the Clarkes

AHHH! Is it our last day already?!?!  NOOOOO!!!  It went by way to fast, and we really were SO SAD to see The Clarkes leave.  Really, I could hang out with them every single day if we lived by each other.  The kids keep saying...I miss my friends...yeah, kids, I miss my friends too.   here are some pics we took on our last night/day together.  

Goofy families

Cute!

At the park...Brian and Kaylin just kinda started holding hands....It was so cute- for now at least! 

4 little monkeys

Uhh, Britt, weren't you supposed to make a silly face too?  No? Well, I'm a dork then!

Cheers to good friends!

Bring out the cream soda!

Matt and Travis doing AB RIPPER X! It was hilarious! 

The babies loving on each other!

Texas Ski Ranch with Travis and Britt

On Wednesday morning, we left the 4 older kids with a sitter, and went up to the Texas Ski Ranch, which is just past New Braunfels.  Matt and Travis had gone before together, and Travis is a HUGE wakeboarder, so we HAD to go!  It was really windy, and really cloudy, so Brittany, the babies and I only stayed around for about an hour to get a few pics...then we headed up to the outlets!! YAY!  The boys seemed to have a great time, but were pretty sore afterwards! 

Travis

Travis

Matt

Matt

Riverwalk/Alamo with the Clarkes

Wednesday night, we ventured down to the Riverwalk and the Alamo.  We parked at Christus, and took the trolley!  The kids loved doing this!  How could you not?! The trolley is the best way to get around downtown!  It was soooo hot, though, so excuse the hot, sweaty looking people in the pictures!  

Temple with the Clarkes

On Tuesday night, we went to our favorite restaurant, BJ's, for dinner.  It has yummy deepdish pizza, homemade draft rootbeer, and pizzookies!  What more could you want?!  After dinner, we ventured over to the Temple to walk around the grounds, and so the Clarke's could see it again.  They were here for the open house, so at least they got to go through it once!  Bummer, we didn't get a chance to do a session together while they were here.  I love temple sessions with friends! Anyway, the kids were a little....wild....to say the least! You should've seen us trying to use nice, reverent voices outside the temple as the kids were yelling and running around like crazies! HA!