It's Fall...time for Scarecrows!

Every Fall Downtown Brenham is decorated with Scarecrows created by local businesses and classrooms. Mason's 1st grade class decided to create the 1st grade character "Junie B. Crow". Monday we spent the last hour of class bringing Ms. Junie B to life. This afternoon we went and put her on her specified hay bail. Once all of the scarecrows are in place the community votes. There are several categories such as Best overall, Silliest, Most Creative, Best School Spirit, etc. There is a winner for each category. The winners receive a cash award. Alex's school created a scarecrow too. We were the first to arrive at the designated spot for Junie. While we waited for the rest of the group Mason was practicing balancing one on foot!

A rare pic of Alex without his fingers and blankie in his face!

Mason getting a little exercise in (aka: showing off)!

Mason and Alex watch the girls put Junie's shoes on.

The boys checking out the progress.

Pics are a little out of order but below they were putting Junie's overalls on.

Cheese!

Yeah! The finished product! Junie B is surrounding by all of the friends that helped bring her to life. Vote "Best School Spirit" for Junie B Crow!

Mason is sweaty!! He definitely got his exercise in this afternoon! He had so much fun playing with his classmates.

I have only spent about 30 minutes in Mason's classroom this entire year, which is a HUGE change for me from last year. Although it's been tough on me not being in the classroom it's been great for Mason to not have me there. He has had a very smooth transition, he really focuses on his work and he has made so many friends. I really enjoyed watching him interact with his classmates today after school. There are a lot of really good kids (and Mommy's) in his class. I have really enjoyed getting to know some of the moms of kids in his class, especially Kristi! We have started a Tuesday ritual of coffee and shopping. I really look forward to Tuesday mornings now!

Del Rio

Well Friday didn't start off as I had planned. Mason woke up with a very sore throat. I sent him to school because he had a spelling test to take. In the meantime, I started trying to make him a doctor's appt. I will try not to go off on a tangent, but the doctor situation in Brenham is less than ideal. There are 4 pediatricians at the Brenham clinic. The first time I tried to take them to the doctor in August we had to wait an entire week (because we were new patients). By the time Mason got to see the doctor (3 hours AFTER his scheduled appt.) he had a high fever and labored breathing. Had we been able to see the doctor the day I originally called it wouldn't have progressed to that point. When I called the doctor Friday they said the earliest they could see him was Monday morning. I told them that wasn't going to work for me so I would just come in as a walk-in and wait to be seen. I pulled Mason out of school at 9am and went to the clinic to start my wait. By 9:30 we were in an exam room. By 10am the doctor was seeing us. So it seems like a walk-in patient gets better treatment than someone that tries to make an appt. and FAR better treatment than someone considered a new patient. More to come on this subject...
Mason ended up being treated for an ear infection and unconfirmed strep throat. He is feeling much better today!
Saturday morning Mason, Andy and Buddy went to one of the feeders and as soon as the feeder went off several wild pigs started feasting on the corn. Andy and Buddy both shot the pigs and Mason thought that was the coolest thing ever. Later that morning Mason took Jeanell, Amy, Alex and I back to the feeder to reenact the entire event. This is how Alex looked on our walk!

Here is Mason retelling the story! Then there is Scotty smelling for the pigs!

Views from the jeep as we rode around the ranch.

An old windmill next to a dam on the property.

A camo bunny!

More views from the jeep.

These sage bushes were blooming everywhere. It was really pretty!

A dragonfly was getting a free ride!

We ride around the ranch in this old military jeep. We always joke that we would be in a ton of trouble if it ever broke down on top of the very tall hills. Check out the mileage!

The boys found a puddle inside the building and were throwing rocks in it. Boys will be boys!

We added a new dimension to our "camping" this time with a flat screen tv and our direct tv receiver. Buddy and Andy watched the Texas Tech game Saturday night. Buddy wasn't too happy with the outcome since he graduated from Tech.

I tried to capture the sunset with the "twilight" feature on my camera. I still have to figure out my camera!

Alex pretending to drive the jeep while Mason sprayed Aunt Amy with a water bottle!

Mason came home feeling better but Andy and I both came home with colds. If only I could BREATHE!

Moth

Last night we ate dinner (gumbo-yum!!) and watched the UT game at Natalie and Harper's house. Natalie showed me this huge moth that had been on one of her plants all day. She took some awesome pictures of it where you could actually see the texture of the wings...they had fur! The legs of the moth had fur too. They looked like tarantula legs! She said they only live for 5 days because they are born without a mouth. Their sole purpose is to mate before they die. The moth had what looked like eyes on it's wings which is their defense mechanism. Anyway, this afternoon Andy found a similar type moth on our patio. This one isn't as pretty as the one in Natalie's yard but it still has neat to see up close.

Yard work

The boys are enjoying our big yard, especially when it's time to mow. They love riding on the lawn mower with Andy!

They like to follow Andy on their own tractors as well.

Mason got some brand new boots this weekend. He wanted me to take a close up of them!

Ready for day #2 of the Fair!

Ready for the fair

Last night we took the boys to the Rodeo at the Washington Co. Fair. For the occasion we bought Mason some new jeans and his first pair of REAL boots! He was so excited! Here he is all decked out.

Alex was fine just wearing shorts and his favorite shirt! (Don't mind the mushrooms in the pic!)

The boys loved the rodeo. Mason said his favorite part was the rodeo clown. He had Mason cracking up (well, all of us really!) This afternoon Andy is taking the boys to the fair to walk through all of the animal pens. I am going to take a pass!

Field trip to the Fair

This morning Mason's class took a field trip to the Washington County Fair. Alex and I joined in for the fun. The first stop was a petting zoo.

After the petting zoo the class went to sample honey. That was a hit! Next we watched an American Lumberjack show. I didn't take any pictures because I was too busy holding my ears from the chainsaws! One of the chainsaws was really supped up. It had a muffler looking thing on it and the chainsaw ran 150 mph! One of the guys was a 10 time world lumberjack champion and the other was a 2 time world champion. The kids loved the log rolling they did in the water. Below is a picture of Mason running a corn on the cob piece into a machine that stripped the corn kernels off of the cob.

Below Mason and Alex pulled a chain on this little tractor and made the whistle blow.

Here is Mason's class.

We will be back at the fair tonight as a family to watch the rodeo. Giddy up!

MOPS

Today was our second MOPS meeting. I had so much fun. Every other Thursday I am surrounded by an amazing group of woman. When I leave I feel refreshed, validated, loved, fulfilled and happy. I love that I am developing friendships that I hope will last forever. I love that Alex is making friends while I am in my "mommy meeting". After my first meeting Mason asked me "Did they teach you how to be a better Mommy in your MOPS meeting today?" That was an eye opener! :) I told him it was a work in progress, but I really think MOPS will help me be a better mommy.
We are selling these really cool bags as a fundraiser for MOPS. The money helps pay for childcare for our children so we are able to attend the MOPS meetings. These bags are really cool and so versatile. Check them out online to see all of the colors and sizes that come in. www.mixedbagdesigns.com. I am going to get some for teacher's gifts and have them monogrammed. If you would like to order one let me know!! There are 4 different sizes:
Grocery store-$10
Department store-$10
Drug store-$6
Box store-$14
We are turning the orders in by 10/29. Here is my awful mini photo shoot/advertisement! This size below is the grocery store bag. It can hold up to 65 lbs!

Lunch with friends

After MOPS Alex and I met my friend Nicole and her two boys at McDonald's for lunch. Alex and Jake are 6 months apart. They have only played with each other a couple of times but they played SO well today! Nicki and I ended up talking for over an hour while the boys played on the playground. I didn't snap any pictures of them playing on the playground but this episode was so cute. I wish I would have captured the audio. It went something like this:

Alex: "Jake, this Dora movie right here is brand new. I saw it on Nickjr.com."

Jake: "Well, Alex, my sister would like this Hannah Montana movie."

Alex: "Jake, this movie is Spongebob!"

You get the idea! This went on for a good 5 minutes. It was very cute!

Update on Country Livin'

We have been in Brenham now for 2 months. I have to say it's been quite a journey. The first month was really hard on the entire family (especially Andy and me). I spent most of the time crying and feeling sorry for myself. I wanted Andy or my friends to make it better for me. As hard as they all tried I was making very little progress in the happiness department. I had no motivation to unpack or hang things on the walls. I wasn't convinced that I was actually staying here! About 3 weeks ago I went with Natalie to the Beth Moore simulcast where we spent 5 hours talking about the desires of our heart and owning our own happiness. As I was sitting there listening I was in awe that she was talking to ME! She was outlining my feelings exactly AND she was even telling me what to do about it! I realized then that only I could control my happiness. I could either bask in the pity party I had created or I could pull myself up from the boot straps (we are in Brenham now!) and go out and do some good! So I turned my house into a home (by unpacking and decorating- still a work in progress). I joined MOPS. I schedule playdates and girls only get togethers. I am joining a bunco group. I joined PTO. I make time to visit with my neighbors. It's amazing how much a change of attitude can impact your perspective and outlook on things. If you know me at all you know I am not an optimist, but I am really working on changing that. I have a list of things I want to work on (who doesn't) but I have confidence I will achieve my goals...eventually!
For the first time in 6 years (since Andy and I have had kids) I am experiencing "family time". I think the line my kids have heard the most in their young lives is "hurry up!" Everything needed to move at 100mph. Not sure why, but we always needed to hurry, hurry, hurry, go, go, go! Now, I am really trying to take time for the small things. It's during these times that we learn the most. And I think it's these small moments the boys will always remember.
Some of the things I am really working on is finding a church and rebuilding my relationship with God. I know God brought me out of my funk and I want to continue down the path he has for me. I haven't been to church on a regular basis in 10 years. I have a lot of ground to make up but thankfully I have a lot of great friends that are helping me down that path right now.
I am bringing back positive reinforcement with my kids. I had gotten to a point where everything that came out of my mouth was negative or screaming. Although I knew it wasn't effective it was a stress reliever for me so I continued to do it. I haven't yelled or said one negative thing today! Whoo Hoo! Baby steps!
Another goal of mine is to become healthier. I need to eat better and EXERCISE! I know exercising will help my stress level and happiness meter. And I live in the perfect neighborhood to take walks. Of course there are other goals on my list but these are the main 3. I know I will have a happier heart and family once those three goals are achieved. So now that I have told all of you, you have to hold me accountable! :)
Thank you to everyone that has helped make our transition as smooth as possible. We are so blessed to have such wonderful family and friends!

Welcome Party

Friday night our neighborhood had a "Welcome Party" for us. There are 12 houses in our neighborhood. Our neighbors across the street hosted the party. Each neighbor brought a dessert and we ate and had a great time visiting. I met some new people and visited with those I already knew. Andy wasn't able to make it because he had to work late Friday night. The boys played with toys that our neighbor brought out for them. They played so well and had a great time. I feel so blessed to live in this neighborhood and have so many great people supporting us and watching out for us. They are the type of people that will do anything for you. They made sure we knew that the first day we moved in!

Arts & Crafts

If Alex and I were still at Pecan Street Preschool we would have started school on Friday. Alex attends preschool Monday and Tuesday this year. So Friday I decided to have preschool at home. I looked through my files for crafts I did the first week of school last year. I found this person that you could dress to look like yourself. Alex didn't want to dress the person like a boy. He wanted the person to wear a dress with a hat and bow, so that is what he did! He named it "Bossy Dolly" after the book "My Bossy Dolly", one of his favorites! After dressing the doll he wrote down some of his favorite things. He wrote "bear" and "lamb" and drew a train. That is what he is doing in the picture below.

Next we made pizza! That is what is in the pans below. After we made the pizza we played "I spy" with the pizza pieces. This idea was taken from "The Mailbox" magazine that I still receive. Love that magazine!

We had a few melt downs in the process, but we accomplished the goal of something creative, educational, and fun! We will see what next week brings!

Rain or Shine

Thank God for the rain we had this weekend. Our yard desperately needed it! As soon as the rain stopped the boys were outside on their tractors. They love riding all over our yard.

Oops! Alex got stuck in the mud so big brother Mason came to the rescue!

This is a view from our back porch.

Peeling the paint

This afternoon I decided to try to do an "Andy project" and replace the hardware (towel ring and toilet paper holder) in our front bathroom. I took the old towel ring off and some of the paint came off so I went into the garage and found the matching paint. I touched up the wall and was proud of the results up to this point. I took the toilet paper holder off of the wall and this time a HUGE strip of paint came off of the wall. It was like peeling wallpaper off of the wall. I have never seen anything like it. The picture below is the result of about 2 mins of peeling! The boys thought it was great they were allowed to take paint off of the wall!
At this point I just kept peeling. By the time Andy got home I had half of the bathroom peeled! Apparently the wall was poorly textured before it was painted. Now not only do we have to repaint the entire bathroom but we have to texture it first!
I normally would have never tried to replace the hardware myself. I would have waited for Andy to do it. But now that I am not working I decided I need to take on more responsibility at home. Also, by completing my own projects, I gain a sense of accomplishment! Somehow the potential reward of replacing the hardware myself has turned into a large project never intended for the "to-do" list! And I wonder why I normally just let Andy do these types of things!
I was afraid when Andy saw the result he would be frustrated that we have yet another project on our list. But he was very supportive of my effort to be more "handy" around the house. He even helped me peel some more paint! I told Andy I want this to be my project. I'm sure the finished product will give me a greater sense of accomplishment then what I originally set out to complete!
(btw, I refrained from posting the comments that kept coming to mind about paint peeling in a bathroom! I'm so mature, I know!)

A Big Splash

What a GREAT way to end a long and fun filled weekend. We went swimming in a brand new pool with wonderful friends, cold drinks and great food. Thank you Natalie for inviting us out to your parents house. The boys had so much fun swimming. Alex kept telling Natalie "I LIKE this pool!" Natalie's sister Nicole and her kids were there too so the boys had friends to swim with. Even as their lips were turning purple and their bodies were shaking they kept telling us how much fun they were having and that they didn't want to get out of the pool yet!

Alex is gaining confidence in the water. It helped that he could stand in a good portion of the pool!

They LOVED these waterfalls!

I love this picture. They are having so much fun!

Here we have a new version of the ring toss game. You can toss the rings onto either arm or the leg! It looks like a karate move but it's really the ring toss game!