Cupcakes and Turtle's

Is anyone else tired this week?  We have NOT adjusted to going back to school this week.  I have yet to get the boys to bed on time this week, which has made them tired and fussy!  The weather is so nice here that it is hard to make the boys come in, eat, take a bath and go to bed!  We went to visit friends Monday night by bike, had baseball and Matt's birthday dinner Tuesday, Matt left for Atlanta last night and tonight we had baseball again and then the boys and I went to eat since I was not about to cook something at 6:30.  I will try to do better next week. 

Cal had ALL of Spring Break to decide what he wanted to take on Monday for snack bucket and for show and tell.  His options were any of his art he did Monday, Tuesday or Wed., pictures from the nature center, or the turtle we found in the garage (after we got home from the nature center).  He wanted to take the turtle, but I had to ask his teacher, since there is a rule about "no live animals" for show and tell.  BUT it seems another little boy had brought a snake a few weeks back.  I talked to his teacher and she said as long as it was contained he could bring it.

His new home for Friday night

His new home

Cal REALLY wanted to take a snack that no one else had brought yet.  He wanted to make a cake.  I talked him into cupcakes.  From there, he wanted "orange".  I found these cute sunshine cupcakes.  He thought they were a great idea.

We will call these "You Are My Sunshine Cupcakes"!

Matt turned 37 on Tuesday.  Brady and I met him for lunch at Panera then Matt's mom had us over for dinner.  We had Mexican for dinner and yummy cupcakes for dessert.  The cupcakes were yummy!  Key Lime and Dark Chocolate Cherry.

Yes, he is trying both flavors out and saying "this is good"!

"Daddy, are you going to buy ME a Lego set with your birthday $$$$?"

Look how happy Brady is here, he falls backwards out of the chair right after this.  Cal wanted to get Matt binoculars(to replace the pair Brady broke).  I tell Matt this.  He says, "you know why he does don't you?"  Me, "NO."  He wants my golf range finder and thinks if I get binoculars, I will give him my range finder so he can be an "Army Snipper." 

Happy Birthday honey!

We are headed to meet Matt in Atlanta tomorrow after lunch.  Happy Weekend to All!

Our "Staycation"

I think that is what everyone calls it these days.  The boys had Spring Break last week, but we did not leave Montgomery.  With the time change at the beginning of the week, I was glad we were at home relaxing because it took us all a few days to adjust.  The boys started off the week with an Art Camp called Abrakadoodle.  Several of our friends were also doing the camp.  I picked them up from art on Monday and they had their faces painted like lions.  We went to Chappy's for lunch with our friends the Roth's.  After lunch, Cal's friend Tate came over to play.  Here is a picture of them watching Star Wars from inside their Star Wars tent.

On Tuesday I picked them up from art and we went to lunch with our friends the Gulledge's.  After lunch I took the boys to get their hair cut.  You see a few days before I got Brady out of the bath and pushed his hair behind his ear and he did not recognize himself in the mirror.  I explained that it was him, just with his hair behind his ears.  He announced that he wanted his hair cut so he could "see his ears"!  I could cry!

So here he is......ears and all!  The before and after pictures are on my phone camera.  He was a lion again today during art camp (He rubbed most of his lion face off during lunch and I don't know why he doesn't have on a shirt).  Cal was a pirate.  Tuesday night Matt and Brady went with another dad and son to see the Auburn and Alabama baseball game.  Since they did not have a ticket for Cal, Cal and I went over to hang out with Mrs. Jenny and Emory.  Emory and Cal both love boiled shrimp and chocolate!  I brought the dinner (and wine) then after dinner Mrs. Jenny let the kids make cupcakes out of a book Emory had checked out from the library called Tina Cocolina.  Chocolate cupcakes with chocolate icing, no boxed cake mix or canned icing tonight!  They had a great time.  They watched Romona and Beezus until the dad's returned home with the little boys. 

Wednesday was our first real stay in bed morning.  Originally, we were going to Birmingham on Friday, but then decided not to go, so the boys still "needed" to spend their Lego Store money.  We loaded up and went to Toys R Us then went to get KK donuts.  Cal was going to an art class at the museum with Matt's mom at 1:00, so Brady and I played outside while we waited on Cal to get back.  Our old neighbor's were coming over at 3:30 to play then Cal's friend Taylor was coming over at 5:00 to play and eat dinner.  Matt was having a guys night.  Cal's friend Taylor left around 8 and that was the end of this day!  WOW!

Thursday was the most beautiful day and St. Patrick's day.  I forgot how to use my camera a few days of the break :(  Cal's friend Will had made it home from skiing, so we picked Will up, went and picked up McDonald's and went to the park for awhile.  They came back to the house and played then went over to Will's for a bit.  Matt picked them up on his way home and we headed to the batting cages for the first time.  I am guessing this is the first of many times I will say batting cages from here on out.  Cal is doing machine pitch and it has taken him a little bit to get used to the ball flying at him.  Brady and I went in one cage and Matt and Cal were in the other.  We left the ball fields to eat Mexican.  It was a little cool, but we sat outside.

Friday.......the boys and I were going to visit friends in Birmingham and go to the Lego store, but Cal wanted to do something different.  Matt was getting off work at noon, but Cal had practice at 5:00.  Not a big window to do something.  Our choices were the zoo or the nature center.  We may do the Atlanta Zoo next weekend, so Lanark Nature Center it was.  The boys and I had been once with Matt's mom, but Matt had never been and was looking forward to going with us.  I packed a picnic, but Brady and I ate on the way to Matt's office and Matt and Cal ate on the way to the nature center.  So, no picnic pictures.  When we arrived at the nature center the man at the desk told us about an area where the boys could get in the creek, and to go ahead and go becasue the Spring Break campers would be coming later.  

Sidenote: Brady walked right in shoes/socks and all.  Both boys ended up soaking wet, but they dried out while we walked/hiked. 

Not sure what they are looking at?  Not long after this they tried skipping rocks.

This sign is before you get to Turtle Crossing Pond, where we did not see any turtle's.  Brady loves turtle's and was sad to not see any.  We had a map and this is where Brady wanted to go after the creek.

This was Cal's pick "Tree Top Walk".  Tree Top walk was not easy to get to and it was not as exciting as Cal had hoped it would be.  Matt and I carried Brady most the way up and them both most of the way down. 

Up in a tree

One just becasue I like it picture.

We had a great time and it was just how the boys wanted to end their Spring Break.

Cal had ball practice, I found a turtle in the garage (more to come on him) and we ended up hanging out with our neighbors.  Funny thing is Matt and our neighbor were both grilling hamburgers with blue cheese on top. 

Saturday was just baseball for both boys, yard work for Matt and I and Brady played with his friend Garrison and Cal played with his friend Bennett.  We had steaks for dinner.

Sunday, REALLY OUR LAST DAY NOW....................We went to church and lunch then the boys went fishing for a bit before they went to play golf.  Cal's friend Bennett from across the ditch found a little fish bed.  They had caught several before I came with the camera and caught another 4 or 5 within a few minutes.  They were using hotdogs to fish with and the turtles were coming from miles around (it seemed).  It was funny to look out and see all the turtle heads. 

Brady left his pole with Matt over in our yard and went over to watch the big boys

Turtle trying to get the bait before the fish

This is the nasty drainage ditch my children cross to get back and forth from Bennett's yard to our yard.  I pretent the "run-off" doesn't freak me out and try not to think about the fact that in a month or so there could be a snake sitting in there.   

Now back to school for 9 more weeks.

 

From Rainy Wednesday to a Beautiful Weekend

We had a full day of rain here on Wednesday.  Before I took Brady to school, we looked out the window to see ducks swimming in our neighbors yard.  Brady thought this was the funniest thing EVER!

They heard us coming, so they got out of their "pond". 

The rain did not stop our crazy female red bird from coming to visit.

She is right above the bushes, flying into the window.  I facebooked about our crazy red bird.  It appears that we are not the only family to have ever had a crazy red bird.  She starts at 6:30 a.m. flying into our patio doors. From 6:30 until about lunch time she alternates between flying into the patio doors and the kitchen window.  We were told she is protecting her territory!  The male sits in the tree to the left of the window and watches her.  We were also told that she will go away, but may come back next year.

Here is my baby finally getting to go to his first t-ball practice.  He was so sad last Sat. when they were rained out, but was excited if not a little nervous when it was time to go on Thursday.  He also had a practice yesterday morning and had so much fun.  Because it had rained so much on Wed., it was cold and the fields were nasty!  I wish I had taken a picture of his pants when he got home.  Thankfully this pair was a pair of Cal's old pants.

The weather this weekend has been perfect.  Brady and Cal both had ball practice on Saturday morning then Matt played golf.  A nice start to our Spring Break (oh, I forgot to mention it is Spring Break here). 

OH, MY GOSH....., could they be any cuter?  I don't think so!  Sunday afternoon's have been really fun for the boys recently.  We have lots of friends who also have boys, so Matt and another dad have either been taking the boys out to practice ball or play golf.  They are doing golf today because Cal had ball practice Friday and Saturday and needed a break.  

We have started to get some of the landscape cut back and had the front yard cut.  Due to the rain, we still have not had the backyard cut and it is going to take forever as thick as it is.  Still have several stages to go to just thin out, trim and get some pine-straw.  Here is another situation.  We have 2 back beds that are out of control.  Have had one recomendation to just dig them out with a backhoe.  Here they are, what would you do?

Right bed: mostly dead other than the rose bushes.  You will see that it looks totally different than the left bed.

I hate this "grass".  Only thing I would like to keep, might be the rose bushes at the top of the bed?

I look at these beds as dead and possible snake beds. 

Here is a look at the roses that are starting to open all over the rose bushes (in both beds).  Only saving grace for either of the beds.

The boys are doing an Art Camp for part of Spring Break and we may go to Birmingham one day to visit friends and go to the Lego store.  Going to let the boys decide what we do.  We have a trip planned for Atlanta in 2 weekends where we are staying in a hotel with an in-door pool, so that is also going to be part of their Spring Break.  Will let you know what Spring Break brings, Cal is just excited that he gets to sleep late for a week.  Me too, except that I can hear our crazy bird at 6:30 every morning!  

 

Things The Boys Like To Do

I realized as I was loading pictures that the boys have done some of their favorite things over the past week. 

Eat Candy!  They are having nerds, so I made them eat them outside.

Candy makes Brady happy!

They made a fort Sunday morning before church.  Our power was out, so no T.V., but they had fun in their fort!  I am looking down from upstairs.  They love a good fort!

Play with FIRE!  They LOVE to light candles.  They do know mommy or daddy have to be with them.  Cal can actually light the match alone, which he thinks is so cool.  They also had to make a wish.

I can't remember his wish, I want to say it was to play with more fire????

Cal's was to play college football :)

Baseball started this past weekend.  Cal had practice Friday night and Sat. at an indoor facility.  Brady's t-ball practice was cancelled Sat. because of rain.  He was so upset.  I will get his picture Thursday before his first practice.  Not sure of their team colors yet, but I let them each pick out a "practice outfit".  This was Cal's choice.

And last, but not least, just plain old guy time..............

I love that Luigi is sitting there looking out at the water too.  Matt had a beer, Cal had a root-beer and they were just discussing their day.  The sky really did look cool this night.

It was just blue then started turning orange.  You can see in the picture of the boys how orange it was by the time the sun set.

Playing Catch Up

I am going to have to play catch up with my post.  Guess I will just lump them into one..............
First, Cal decided after dinner last Wednesday that he wanted to read a book to us.  He is getting more and more confident in his reading.  This was really the first time he has asked to read to us.  He ran upstairs and came back down with Yertle the Turtle. 

Then Brady wanted in on the excitement, so he practiced writing his name!

Last Friday I had two friends from high-school come visit.  Alicia was on Winter Break and Mary is actually living about 20 minutes from here this year while her husband is in school.  All together we have 9 kids!  It was beautiful here, so the children were able to play outside and inside.  It was so much fun to visit and see the children play.

All 9 kids (I only have 2, Alicia has 3 and Mary wins the award with 4)

Yes, we all 3 drive a minivan

My 2 and Alicia's kids being silly! 

I will end with the fun race we went to Saturday morning.  Cal's school put on a 5K race and fun run to raise money for the PTA.  This was the first year and it was a lot of fun.  The 5K was first.  Matt ran with his friend Bubba (both Trinity grads).  I ran alone and only when it was all over did I realize I had placed 3rd in the 30-39 division.  I might have started out a little faster had I known I could "place"!  Ha! Matt's parents watched the boys while we ran then it was Cal's turn to run the 1 mile Fun Run.  He had a group of his buddies to run with and they had a great time.  Their teacher was cheering them on as they got to the finish line.

Matt and I post-race/Cal pre-race

Will, Taylor, Cal and Brady

And they are off.......Cal is somewhere right behind the girl who fell.  Hoping she is fine.

Almost to the finish line.................That is his teacher in the background

Mrs. Hallford is so proud of them!  There were 3 or 4 little girls from their class who also ran.

Funny story:  Cal asked me the other day "Can you get a fancier car?"  What do you mean, mommies minivan is not fancy?  I had no clue what he meant.....:)  So I say, "like what?"  He says, "like that car without a roof over there."  I look over and see a new, bright blue Ford Mustang.  Oh, a convertable is what he wants.  Funny thing about this story is Matt also likes the convertable Mustang, so I tell Cal to call his daddy and tell him.  Maybe one day he and his daddy will have a fun car, until then he is stuck with his mommy in her minivan!  But, they did have this red Mustang at the race, so he needed his picture taken with it.