sorting

Without any verbal instructions from me, Solace figured out this sorting game. There are tons of small pieces for this game, with coordinating boards to sort them into. First he pulled out all the pieces (of course - a mess had to be made at some point or I would have thought that he actually had some help). Then he started making groups on the floor. Most of the little fruit pieces were separated out, and all of the transportation pieces were also separated from the larger pile of things. Then he put them into the coordinating areas on the correct board.  The airplanes in the cloud picture, the trains on the train track, the cars on the road, and the boats in the water. I sometimes forget that he's 2 and1/2 because he hardly talks at all, but he sure is a smart little boy! I'm always impressed with him.  He did this early one morning while the big kids were eating breakfast and he had zero help. 

friends

Every once in a while, I get asked to watch one of the preschoolers before preschool in the morning, like if their mom has an early doctor appointment or something. I'm always happy to do it because I have the best preschoolers ever. This one particular early morning, Sofia came over and had a tea party with Solace and Lullaby while I set up the preschool room. Everyone loved it, even me, since I was able to get everything set up withOUT helpers - they were all busy with their tea. :)

purple hair

After several weeks of washing my hair, the purple comes out and turns into a silvery blue color on some on the strands. I love it when my hair is exciting, I get bored easily.

favorite things

One of my all time favorite things is to put cranky babies to sleep. It is so rewarding to have a sweet sleeping baby in your arms. Thank goodness I have so many friends with babies! :)

lost and found

One day after I picked Matix up from school he said, "Mom! Guess what I found in my backpack today at school?! Dad's wallet!" Thankfully he knew not to take anything out of it, or lose it, and so I sent Paul this picture in a text. He hadn't realized it was missing yet… 

just because

Just because they're the cutest together. I love my babies. :)

Children's Museum

The weather outside is perfect for playing in the water stations at the Children's Museum. The kids really love playing here. I know this picture is focused on Lullaby in the foreground, but please take note of Sully climbing on TOP of a little structure in the background. That child has insanely good balance, and no fear. 

The big boys love these huge foam blocks to build things with. They made a cage for Hawken since he's a lion… Rawr!

On the days when Paul meets us at the museum, he will often drive the kids home and I will drive his car home. The kids love any daddy time they get, even just driving in the car. But one day when I got back after them, this is what I saw outside. :) I think you forgot something on the porch! :)

tired

More pics of the sleeping babe. Sully sneaks into my bed and puts himself to sleep. It's the cutest thing. Here's how I initially found him. Twisted up in the blanket. 

After a while I heard some playing noises, and went back in to see him passed out again. Pillows and blankets were moved around a bit.  Poor thing. He plays SO hard and crashes so hard. I love this sweet baby boy.

love letter

Who wouldn't love their little boy if they got these sweet love letters from them all the time. Matix is seriously good at writing love notes. And check out that picture. I even have purple hair, and our hearts are connected. So sweet. I love you Matix man.

"Dear Mom and Dad, you are the best parents in the world. Do you remember the time that I made love notes. I will always be near your heart. I will always be your sweetheart. I love you because you snugle with me. Thanks you for sending me to this wonderful school that has one butieful teacher.  Thank you for bringing me to target and geting me toys. You are the only mother and father I will only care for. You are as bright as a rainbow shignning through my heart. Thank you for taking care of me.You will always be my little heart. I injoyed going to disny land and LEGO land together. I love to snugle together. You are butieful. Love, Matix"

haircut

Matix needed a hair TRIM recently. He still wanted it long, but he needed it to look less like Lego snap on hair. I just cut some off the back so it wasn't hanging down so far back there. Here are the before pics:

And the afters. It's cute. I feel like I always do a great job cutting his hair because he has waves in his hair that hide my mistakes.  What a handsome and silly boy I have.

school work

Matix and Hawken make the cutest things at school. Here is one of Matix's latest. "My favorite form of transportation is a tank because they are green and my favorite color is green. They also have a weapon that shoots bullets. The tanks are really cool to me. They drive super slow, but a little fast. Tanks are full of people." "My favorite form of communication is art because art is colorful. Art also is like coloring. Art is fantastically wonderful. Art is when you paint on something. Art can be pictures sometimes. Art is a picture about someone or something."  This boy is definitely related to Grandpa Chuck, tank and art.

Hawken wrote this: On a rainy day I can seek first to understand, then to be understood by "koleeng (calling) my kusen (cousin) and koleeng (calling) my Grama (Grandma) and Grapu (Grandpa)."  I love how he's sounding out words. So exciting!

stickers

When the kids are good at the grocery store (and sometimes when they're NOT, they're given these stickers at the checkout. Solace especially loves them. 

friend party

Matix's friend Quillan had a birthday party at a bowling alley and invited Matix. Matix had never been bowling before and he really loved it. Thanks Quillan for the great day, happy birthday!

Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss had a birthday celebration at Longfellow and the kids got to dress up as Dr. Seuss characters if they wanted to. Hawken was the Cat in the Hat and Stella and Olivia (friends from his class) were thing 1 and 2. Kindergarten can be so much fun!

lost and found

Solace loves to find little areas to hide/rest. So when we're doing something particularly boring, like talking to the guy at the bike shop, he sneaks away to find a nice place to rest. On the floor under all the bikes was the right place, and thankfully he didn't fall asleep, so when we called for him, he answered and we found him. Stinker.

Go Texan Day

One of the things I love most about Texas is their PRIDE. They LOVE that they live in Texas and have all kinds of holidays to celebrate.  Like "Go Texan Day" when all the trail-riders come into town from all other parts of Texas to kick off the start of the Houston Rodeo. The kids are encouraged to wear their best cowboy or cowgirl getup to school (and everywhere else). It's so funny to see all the kids running into school with these outfits on. Only inTexas.

Sleepy Sully

Sometimes during preschool, Solace will go into my room with a few toys and put himself to sleep. He loves preschool and having kids come over, but it's also exhausting. Poor thing. I love that messy sleepy face.