Halloween 2010

This is what she was going to wear. In fact, she wore it to her school party...but then she said she didn't like how everyone looked at her.

So, for Halloween night - she looked like this. This is my new dog niece. She loves me but she lives with my sister.

This is my strong seven year old ninja.

My two characters.

My non-dog niece and Little Bitty. Best buddies- except when they aren't.

It's That Time of Year!

Found a new pumpkin patch this year. It was awesome. Except for the part where Little Bitty pitched a big ol' fit for having to let her pet lady bug go free. I didn't capture it on film.

Our little dude and his little pumpkin.

Our little Bitty and her huge pumpkin.

Back home (actually weeks later) carving a pumpkin.

Brother planned the face. Which is nice. I like a happy pumpkin.

Happy Halloween. I'll try to get pictures of the kids - including the little one in a horse costume made by yours truly.

Happy Birthday to us.

Well, we've had a couple of birthdays up in here. First Blake and then moi. We are both a year older and wiser now. ;) I love this picture of me with my two best gifts ever. Blake made the cake all by himself. Did I mention what an awesome husband I have? I do. He can also do a mean chicken burrito.

A lovely fall weekend.

We went camping last weekend. It was perfect. The weather was amazing and we were with some good friends. Brother fished for hours on end with his buddy - and with Little Bitty and Daddy for much of the time too. Me? I don't enjoy the sport of fishing quite as much - but that's ok because I had a friend to chat with and a baby to play with. He's yummy. The rest of the time was spent roasting marshmallows, cooking out, and enjoying being outside.

In other news from the weekend - Little Bitty scored two goals during their soccer games. She's proving to be a little athletic squirrel like her brother. I'm very proud of them both. They are happy, healthy and just so darn lovable.

Are you ready for some futbol?!

The new soccer season has started and it's Little Bitty's first time playing. We're trying out a new league this year and today was the first game day. The highlights are below.

Little Bitty and her coach getting ready.

Brother getting ready.

Brother not afraid of the 10 year olds they were playing!

More action shots - he went on to score 2 goals! Yay!

Little Bitty getting ready for a kick-in, taking in the advice of her coach.

Action shot - the photos are a little heavy on the Little Bitty side because it was her first game ever. Luckily their games were side by side so I ran back and forth. I was almost as sweaty as the players.

I love her.

I love them all. For anyone who doesn't recognize - that's my niece on Brother's other side. She's on Little Bitty's team.

Bike Rides and Fireflies

Yep, she rides on two wheels. She's cool like that. Yesterday evening we took a little pajama bike ride. Mighty Boy came along showing off his fall hair do. He also got a new halter top.

The return leg of the bike ride was interrupted with some firefly catching. It was very exciting and fun...so much so that the kids kept jumping off their bikes in the middle of the street to run and grab another firefly. And then I yelled and threatened them because that's how I like to ruin a special evening. BUT - not before I snapped some sweet pictures of the event with our new camera. Yay.

p.s. Our children do own actual sets of pajama tops and bottoms that match. They do not tend to wear them that way.

Summer Chronicles of My Big Boy

This has been Brother's first summer as a school-age kid - which has meant that we've entered the era of summer camps and finding things to keep him busy. Things that don't include the TV.

He attended Basketball Camp. I hope it was more exciting than this picture suggests. He did seem to enjoy it - although - he was beginning to come down with something (missed one day due to fever).

Here he is a couple nights later in the ER at 2:30am. When your Big Boy wakes up saying he's having trouble breathing - you just take him to the ER no questions asked. It was Strep. He's has a tendency towards reactive airway disease and after a HUGE shot of penicillin and some albuterol - all was well.

This, in fact, is a short 48 hours later or so four states away in Pennsylvania enjoying the Country with Little Bitty. They spend hours searching for salamanders and other creatures in this creek.

My Big Boy even learned to ride a dirt bike by himself. I have to add...this is something that I'm quite sure I have said he would NEVER do with my permission. Someone once told me to never say "My kid will never..." because you'll always prove yourself wrong. And she was right.
We camped out. Brother is becoming very skilled at all things camping. He has a great teacher (Daddy - not me). Little Bitty is not too shabby either.
Speaking of Little Bitty, she taught us all a new and improved way of enjoying a pinata. You cut a hole in the top and carry it around, inviting everyone to reach in and grab a handful. This is a much preferred version to the old-fashioned bashing with a stick - which is both dangerous and sad when your beautiful pinata gets broken.

After the Strep recovery and trip to the Country for the 4th of July. Brother and Little Bitty headed to Alabama for horse camp. This was (I think) the favorite camp so far. I haven't mentioned Art Camp and Spanish Camp because I don't have any fun pictures of those. And - true - this picture of horse camp doesn't do it justice but the kids LOVED it and we'll definitely try to do this again next year. Brother didn't even freak when this horse tried to eat his hair right before I snapped this photo.

The afternoons after horse camp were spent at my sister's house where Brother surprised me with his bigness yet again and started jumping off the diving board and swimming the length of the pool all by himself. He's awesome.

We're rounding out the summer with Brother's first loose tooth. FINALLY (he's been hoping for one for about a year now). He also just had his first sleep-over. It was at our house...but still...sniff sniff - my little dude is getting so big. I wouldn't have it any other way though. I love him and he's making us proud. Good job, Brother!

Little Bitty had a Party

So - our precious young one is about to turn four years old. We had a party for her at home this year - because we are always out of town for the 4th of July. We kept it pretty small with just family. Here are some highlights...

Little Bitty and her two girl cousins. These three are all within a year and a half of each other in age. I see TROUBLE in a few years. But how stinkin' cute are they right now?!!

We had a pony come to our house for the party. Little Bitty got to ride first (which, at this age, being first is apparently about as great as a pony ride).

About to dig in to the gifts.

Opening one of her gifts. I think she liked it.

Brother and one of my nephews. They are great buddies. Oh - and Brother doesn't really have a mustache already. It's juice.

Look! Baby Gus is on the pony!

This is my grandmother with her youngest great-grandchild. She's nearly 95. Isn't she sweet?

A Month in Photos

We've had a busy month. I decided the best way to catch up here is to post a few photos (blogger does well with just five). First of all - our handsome son graduated from Kindergarten! Seems like just last year he was graduating from Pre-K. Oh - it was just last year. Brother had a wonderful first year of big-boy school and I am thankful that he started out at such a great school with a teacher that he loved. I'm also thankful he agreed to a hair cut shortly after this picture.

We left from his school parking lot on the last day of school and headed to Florida for a WONDERFUL vacation. We got to see my brother for a few days at his new house in Naples and then drove across the state and spent the week at a condo on the beach. Blake's family lives nearby so we got to spend time with Zia, Uncle Awesome and Grammy and Nonno. It was the perfect combination of a Team T vacation and visit with the family. The only downside was it took me a good 10 days upon return to get back into a normal groove. Normal being disorganized, absent-minded, one-step-behind... but happy.

Little Bitty loved the beach as much as the rest of us. It occurred to us shortly before the trip that she hadn't been to the beach since she was 2 1/2 and likely didn't remember it well. She didn't miss a beat though. She and Brother spent hours boogey boarding (each in their own way), digging, running, exploring and jumping in the sand. Being on the beach with them gave me moments of pure joy where it feels like everything is completely right in the world and always will be.

More recently, my adorable little nephew turned one year old. As an aunt of three boys and two girls - I definitely LOVE them all. And I don't have a favorite. BUT - this little dude is the only one I've gotten to live by and get to know on a daily basis as a baby. Let me tell you - YUM. I could just eat him up. I want to put him in my pocket and keep him with me all the time. I can't say the same (right now) for all the other nephews and nieces - because - for example, Ethan is almost 12 years old - and that would be weird. But, I've definitely been blessed with an AWESOME group of kids in my life.

A couple weeks ago we went with some good friends to a park between here and Chattanooga to hike, swim and picnic. The hike was long but worth it.

When Blake and I first started dating he had a hobby (?) of having himself photographed naked in front of waterfalls (I know - that's good stuff for early dating). As you can see - he has apparently matured and this time just jumped off the waterfall. Our loss.

So, that's our late May to late June in a nutshell. We have a very important birthday coming up. So - more pictures to come soon I'm sure.