The Little Trees That Could

Last year, which was a really, really, really, really, really, really long time ago (it seems), we went to the Main Street Flower Market at the Goodman-LaGrand house.

It was a beautiful day to shop for flowers and support the city of Tyler.

In addition to our purchases that day, kids were able to plant their OWN seedling tree, courtesy of the city.

March 2012

The boys planted little Mexican plum trees in what seemed like a VERY BIG bucket for such a small plant.

Our instructions were to leave it in the pot until January 2013, a really, really, really, really, really, really long time.

So we did, watering and feeding as necessary. They grew about two feet each, and started to sprout pretty green leaves.

Yesterday, we planted them in the front yard (yes, I know it's MARCH, I was waiting until, uh, the ground was softer. Or something like that).

March 2013

And we can't wait to watch them grow for many more years.

The Incredible, Shrinking Suitcase

How is it that I packed an ENTIRE WEEK'S worth of clothes into this suitcase for vacation last summer, but I can't begin to get Curt's belongings for three days of camp into the same vessel?

I'm going to blame the fact that it was summer and the clothes are smaller. And that he didn't need two bath towels, a rain jacket and fleece pajama pants on vacation at the beach.

Scary thing is, I haven't even packed the three pairs of pants, three shirts and a jacket that the checklist calls for yet.

And while we're talking about camp, I will readily admit I'm not liking the idea very much.

I mean, it's a GREAT OPPORTUNITY for Curt and he's going to love it. The entire fifth grade gets to go to the Camp Tyler Outdoor School for three days this time of year. Don't worry - they go by classes. The camp isn't overrun with a thousand stinky, hormonal fifth graders at the same time (bless their hearts).

Curt's class goes Wednesday and comes back Friday. Two nights and three days.

Two VERY LONG nights and three days, I might add.

He's going to love it.

Remind me of this Wednesday night.

Week in Review - Jan 27, 2013

I'm tired.

And feeling lazy.

And I'll be honest: I don't want to get up and iron. Or vacuum. Both of those things have to be accomplished before my head hits the pillow tonight.

So I was just sitting here thinking about the week - how busy - and how GREAT - it was.

It started last Sunday, with a baby shower for a very special friend.

I get to be there when baby Stella is born. I've never gotten to see a baby born (my own do not count) and I've always wanted to. It's on my bucket list. And the fact that this baby's mama is very special to me makes it all the better. I can't wait! I'm so excited. I've offered to take all the middle of the night feedings. Oh wait...

 I took Monday off. The boys had the day off of school *AND* it was Curt's birthday. WIN/WIN. We didn't do a whole lot (my idea of going to Tyler State Park to hike the bike trails and grill a picnic lunch was immediately shot down after the Birthday Boy received a certain electronic he was blown away by) but we still had a great day. Where, oh where, did 11 years go?

Then we got our new couch for the freshly dubbed "Family Room." I love that they call it that. It's where we go after dinner to read (and use electronics). But point being, we all pile onto the couch. Together.

One of these kids didn't want their picture taken.

Tuesday and Wednesday passed in the usual flurry of work deadlines, a few extra special sections and karate.

On Thursday, the school nurse called, just as I'd gotten settled into my desk, some 24 miles away from school.

Thank you to the Brookshire's pharmacist who suggested the allergy meds on Day 2 of the Crud. We didn't even need the cough medicine, which I'm leery of to begin with. Curt is feeling much, much, MUCH better and he doesn't sound like we need to check him into the first sanitorium we encounter.

Saturday was GIRL POWER. Our second event of the year, Girl Power promotes positive self-esteem, a healthy lifestyle, leadership and volunteerism among 6th grade girls in Smith County. Let me just tell you: 6th grade girls squeal. A. LOT. But I'm glad they had plenty to squeal about. Kids in the Kitchen facilitated the morning's festivities. The girls talked about topics from exercise to puberty to acne and nutrition, made healthy snacks, did zumba and yoga and squealed. A. LOT. The highlight of the event is always The Meg Show. Thank God for women like Meghan Goade, the middle school girls' minister at Green Acres Baptist Church. The girls. LOVE. HER. Hey girl. 

At the end of the rainy day, it was good to come home to the boys, some homemade chicken noodle soup (I was determined to kick the crud's butt and I won!) and the Family Room.

It was a most excellent, and exhausting, week.

 

Wordless Wednesday

01212002

January 21, 2002

8:31 p.m.

7 pounds 15 ounces

Infinite love.

Happy birthday, Curt T.

Hello...Puberty???

I knew it was coming.

But no matter how much I told myself it was coming, I wasn't ready.

I had a pretty good inkling after the Great Car Line Incident of 2012. You see, Curt was too embarrassed to get out of the BACK SEAT of the car in the drop off line one morning at school. Apparently only BABIES ride in the back seat. So he refused. to. get. out. of. the. car. He was too EMBARRASSED.

Guess what is even MORE EMBARRASSING than riding in the back seat? 

When MOM gets out of the car and opens your door for you, in the drop off line at school.

Lesson learned.

Oh there were tears (because it's embarrassing to ride in the back seat of the car, but not to walk into school crying???) and I pretty much felt like mom-crap all day, but the sheer ridiculousness of his blatant refusal to get out of the car exasperated me beyond belief.

So I had a pretty good idea that embarrassment + tears = hormones and puberty.

Ack. I said the "p" word.

Fast forward to last night.

The boys were sitting on the sofa, happily eating a small dish of ice cream for dessert after dinner.

The next door neighbor boy knocked on the door to see the boys.

Curt FLIES into the kitchen, tears streaming down his face, moaning, "Why did you give me that bowl? Why did you give me that bowl?"

I had NO. IDEA. what he was talking about, until he practically threw his bowl of ice cream into the sink.

"It's a BABY BOWL," he cried.

Sigh.

Alas, it was. Probably bought at Target in the dollar bin for a Valentine's Day in a year when he didn't think that cutesy bowls were BABY. It still hangs around because it's a good portion size for a single scoop of ice cream, and the like.

And he was SO EMBARRASSED to be caught eating from a BABY BOWL in front of a buddy.

Lesson learned.

Hello, Puberty. I hope we make it.

Saxon Returns

On Friday, while the boys were at school, Saxon returned from the North Pole to spend the Christmas season with us.

That silly elf zip lined into our house - straight from Santa's workshop in the North Pole.

He must have known that one of our favorite adventures of the year was going to New York Zipline last spring.

So that silly elf BUILT. A. ZIPLINE. IN. OUR. HOUSE.

He must have gotten his tools from Santa's workshop.

Wherever he got them, he strung that zipline from Curt's room (somehow sneaking past the security system),

Down the hall,

And into the living room.

Where he had a grand old time zipping back and forth at rates of speed up to 1/2 mph.

He even wrapped himself up in some Christmas lights for his grand entrance.

The boys were amazed when they walked in that evening.

And went straight to work dismantling all Saxon's efforts.

What will that silly elf think of next??

An Open Letter to Rice Elementary School

Nov. 28, 2012

Dear Faculty and Staff of Rice Elementary,

Please stop reminding me that my child, my son, my firstborn, is about to go to middle school.

I am well aware of this.

I was aware when we visited Moore Middle School for preview night that the sixth grade is hurtling at me at a rate I'm not prepared for.

I was aware when Curt told me, months ago, that he gets to go to Camp Tyler, for TWO OVERNIGHTS, on the fifth grade trip this spring.

I was aware when I checked the calendar for the Moore MST magnet program application dates.

And I was aware this morning when you oh-so-kindly reminded me that today's 5th grade program was the LAST TIME they'd perform until GRADUATION.

For the record, I have bad allergies; those were not tears I was trying to wipe away.

Thank you, very much, Rice Elementary, for the constant reminder that my BABY is growing up.

Thank you for preparing him to leave elementary school and for giving him the confidence he needed to navigate the buildings at Moore Middle School (without me). Thank you for helping him mature enough so that he doesn't need to hold my hand when he walks into school in the morning. And thank you very DARN MUCH for helping him get to where he needs almost NO accommodations, functions at a high level academically and behaviorally, and enjoys going to Tech  Club with other kids.

Just please stop reminding me that fifth grade is almost half over.

Sincerely,

Ms. Fingers In My Ears I Can't Hear You LALALALALALALA

The Karate Kid

Curt had his first karate class last night, Busido-Kai Karate at Colonial Hills Baptist church.

He. Loved. It.

We'd been talking about signing him up for several years, but it was time to put our money where our mouths are.

It looks like it's going to be a great group. Kids of all ages and all skill levels, tons of patient adults AND a prayer before they begin and  a devotional at the end of the lesson.

We can't wait to go back.

The First Day of School

Today was the first day of the last year of elementary school for Curt, and the first day of 3rd grade for Luke.

For whatever reason, I couldn't stop the tears. (Mine, not theirs).

Maybe it was because my fifth grader was cranky at me for escorting him into the building.

"I'm not walking you in, I'm walking LUKE in," I told him.

He wasn't buying it.

Fine. I won't walk him into middle school next year, but I WILL WALK HIM IN ON THE FIRST DAY OF HIS LAST YEAR IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, DARN IT.

Or maybe it was because Luke was majorly bummed out at the news that Tech Club isn't including third graders this year. The same thing happened to him when he tried to join chess club last year....they bumped the age right up even though it had included that grade previously.

Or maybe it's because I don't feel good today.


But if I'm being honest...it's the end of an era for Curt and I'm sad. So there.

I did walk them in.

Luke was so excited to get inside and kick off his year with Ms. Hopson.

Curt was mainly trying not to be seen with me, en route to Ms. Morrow's homeroom. He changes classes THREE TIMES as a fifth grader. THREE. He only wears his backpack on one shoulder, because that's cool, Mom, duh.

And so it begins.

Just a Few....

...of the 784 pictures I took in Virginia last week.