Birthday Parties Are For Big Boys Too!!

Who says themed birthday parties are just for kids? Not this family! We have made it a tradition to ask the birthday person what kind of birthday they wanted. It kinda makes us feel like a kid again having the dining room all decorated up with a theme. This year, after shopping for Wesley's birthday, Paul saw some tank decorations. This year he got just that. Paul also requested for his birthday dinner penne pasta mixed with mushrooms, shrimp and marinara. For his cake he wanted chocolate with orange flavoring and vanilla ice cream. I originally had planned to make a simple cake but really wanted to create a tank cake. The wheels and hatch door are cookies and the barrel is a wooden rod dipped in chocolate that was chilled till set. I think the cake turned out great and Paul was really impressed.

Whoa it has been awhile, huh? Lots has happened since August 2010. Grant and Wes started a new homeschool year. They've done quite well and we're almost done! Because baby # 5 is due mid-April we decided to double up on school work. The boys have worked real hard this year and we're so proud of them.

We traveled back to Texas for both Thanksgiving and Christmas knowing we wouldn't travel till possibly the following summer. We had a great visit both times.

I've slowly started putting the baby's room together. I haven't had much motivation lately but with Pauls help and patience we've pretty much got it all done. There are still a few things that need to be done like crochet a blanket and slip cover an old bumper pad. I even got his heirloom quilt finished!

Goodbye old friend

The day has come to say goodbye dear vacuum cleaner. You have served us well from the day we bought you. Yes, we know you sat patiently on our wedding registry waiting to be purchased to be given as a gift but that day never came. We rescued you from that Target shelf and brought you home and used you well. You cleaned all of our floors with glee and even chased a kid or two pretending to suck them up. We will never forget you and the hard work you did keeping our floors clean. Be well and we'll miss you.

RIP
Dirt Devil MVP Swivel Glide 2001- 2010

Oooooo! Hello new Bissell Vacuum. It's nice to meet you. Will you provide the cleaning and dependability our old vacuum gave us? Will you keep our floors clean like our old vacuum? Will you chase our boys around pretending to suck them up? Will you work hard like our old vacuum? If so, you may be a welcomed addition to our family and provide years of cleaning and happiness. We hope that for the next 9 or so years you clean our floors with such pride as our previous vacuum did.

2010-?

some assembly required

Were our floors that dirty?

Homeschool is now in session

Summer is gone and homeschool has begun. Last year we taught Kindergarten to both Grant and Wesley. Wesley was a brand new 4 year old last year but we thought he could use a leg up learning his ABC's and 123's and such. This year Grant is now a 1st grader and Wes is repeating Kindergarten to fine tune his learning. The one thing that concerned me the most about this school year was teaching two different grades and material. I wanted to teach both at the same time so I could get it all done at one time and still have the afternoon to myself while the boys "napped". Well, being the first day and having this great concern of how it was all gonna turn out, I weeped and sobbed in the middle of school. I was overwhelmed to the max. Thankfully Paul was there to finish off school while I went to my room and bawled. I realized I couldn't do both at the same time and decided I'd have to split the boys up and teach them individually. I know I won't have the same format or schedule everyday regarding school but I do know that dividing the boys up is ok and that I'm not alone in this. Paul has been a great help and even brought home flowers at lunch and had the boys tell me I'm a good teacher.

Grant - 1st grader


Wesley - Kindergarten


Marshall - almost 3 and ready to learn too


Ray - 8 mths old today and cute as can be!!


All my precious little boys


My big school boys

Lovely flowers to brighten my day.

Childhood

We all had toys when we were a child that we loved to play with and enjoy. Some of the toys were brand new and others were from our older siblings. Well, on one of my trips to the antique store I found an old childhood toy. The Fisher Price Circus Train. Do any of you remember this? I'm hoping that my siblings will remember it and get a flood of memories like I did. Call me crazy but this was one item I couldn't pass up. I don't know how much it cost back in 1973 but I didn't care. All the pieces were there!
The boys thought I was purchasing it for them and there is no way in the world I'll let them set their little paws on that train! I just couldn't bare it if some of the stickers got peeled off or the elephants nose chewed on. I do have it displayed on one of the window sills and every once in awhile you'll hear a little Toot! Toot! I think what I'll do is pack it up till Christmas time and then set it out to bring some of my childhood back.


The full set





I don't remember the giraffe in our set growing up

Is it Fall yet???

While the kids and I were at Joann Fabrics looking for curtain fabric we ran across some new fall prints. I had the boys pick out one halloween material. I had envisioned making one quilt that would drap our couch for Halloween but each boy wanted their own blanket. I think not! That would be too much work for me. The final product is finished after working on it this last week and needless to say I'm glad it's finished. Now what will I do to keep my hands busy?


I had 1/2 a yard cut for each boy.
Marshall chose the pumpkin
Wes the skulls
Grant the ghosts
Ray/Me the spider web



The first and only pattern idea



Close up of the different sides.
I also tried for the first time using my machine to do the quilting.


Front of finished product


Back of finished product

Baseball

(to the tune of Take me out to the ball game)


Keep us in for a ball game
Keep us away from the crowd
We ate some peanuts and cracker jacks
We don't care if we ever get back
For it's root root root for a color
cause we don't care who wins
For........we.......are........patiently waiting for a real ball game. (Longhorn Football!!!!)



Well, we didn't make it to the Round Rock game here last week so we decided to have our own. We didn't care who was playing we just wanted to give the boys a baseball game experience the best we could. We didn't finish watching the game but I think the boys had a good time.


The Frisinger Boys

Get your peanuts, Cracker Jacks.

Hot Dogs! Who wants a Hot Dog?

Cotton Candy

Lemonade

Cubs vs. Cardinals