March Update

March is always such a fun month, and we had plenty going on this year!

One of my favorite times of the year at preschool is our petting zoo! The kids absolutely love getting up close with all the animals, and it’s always so much fun to see their excitement. Definitely one of those preschool days that I look forward to every year!

I also got to head to the Houston Rodeo with a friend and see Creed perform. This one was especially fun because Creed was actually the second concert I ever went to back in high school. I had their CD, and it actually got stuck in my CD player in my first car.  Never could get it removed and probably still remained there until my cars dying day. It brought back so many memories. I love that the Rodeo has the concert at the end of the rodeo, it makes for such a fun night!

Brad got a new car this month! He bought it through Carvana, which made the whole experience even more fun because we got to watch his car come down the “vending machine.” He loves his new BMW! It was definitely hard to let go of his old car after having it for so long, but it was time for an upgrade, and he’s pretty happy with the new one.

an adult kid with his candy machine coin!

I also did something impulsive and got a helix piercing. Probably a midlife crises decision, but it does look pretty. Even though its taking forever to heal.

Chandler came back into town and introduced his fiancé to the bike club, so it was fun getting everyone together again.

We also made it to an Astros game with the kids! It had been a long time since all of us had gone to a game together, but when the tickets are only $11 each, you really can’t pass that up! ⚾️

Last ortho checkup!  Just a followup after getting his braces off earlier this year.

And then there was my most unexpected March encounter a gator on my morning run! I haven’t seen an alligator in that pond since Tanner was little enough to be pushed in a stroller. This one was just hanging out and looked like it was about to eat an egret. I couldn’t watch, so I kept running! 😂 When I came back around, the egret was nowhere to be seen, I like to think the egret flew away...

I know a lot of people find March long and boring, but with 2 birthdays in our family, spring break, and a whole bunch of other activities, March always seems to fly by for us!  And we all know that as once spring break is over, the school year just seems to fly by! Before we know its summer!

 

February Update

Other February happenings that I want to remember. 

Since I do the yearbook for Logan’s school, I spent a LOT of time there this month getting things ready for an upcoming deadline. But honestly, it was pretty fun getting to be around school so much and watch Logan in his element.  I've gotten really close with some of the teachers and staff at the school this year, and its been very fulfilling. 

Logan had a Special Pal this year! High school students come over once a week for about 30 minutes to hang out and play with the elementary kids. Logan absolutely loved his buddy, and the two of them got along so well. They played all kinds of games together, and we’re so thankful for the time and attention he gave Logan this year. 

I also got to be there for Logan’s art and music classes. His music teacher even pulled out the instruments especially for me so I could get some good pictures. I loved getting to hear him play and see a little glimpse of what his school days look like. 🎶🎨

One of my favorite school events this month was the Mother-Daughter Dance. Since I only have boys, I’ve never gotten to experience anything like this, so I was excited to tag along and soak it all in. The theme was Anne Frank, which definitely brought back some childhood memories! It was such a fun night. 

A few other February favorites:
📸 A picture of Tanner that Carson took that I absolutely love.

🚲 Chandler came into town, so the boys got together for a ride.

💃 Girls’ night! I went to my VERY FIRST CLUB and had an absolute blast! Definitely planning on more clubbing in the future!

February can be a month that drags on, but these were just a bunch of ordinary moments that helped make the month a fun one. 

January happenings

January is always a long month. Fortunately it was filled a little bit with fun activities and a few proud parent moments!

Carson kicked off the month with his UIL District Orchestra Ensemble performance. His group performed a beautiful piece by Mozart, and it was such a joy to hear all of their hard work come together. There’s something special about listening to live music, and the performance was absolutely lovely. We are so proud of the dedication he puts into orchestra and all the hours of practice that go into events like this.

I also had the chance to take Logan to tour the junior high as he prepares for registration next year. It was exciting to walk through the school, learn about the different programs, and visit all of the extracurricular departments. Logan especially enjoyed seeing the fine arts area, I was hoping he would want to do art or choir, but Logan decided he wants to follow in his brother’s footsteps and play the cello. It was fun to see him getting excited about this next chapter and beginning to think about all the opportunities that await him in junior high.  I can't believe my baby will be going to junior high!

Logan also participated in his very last Pinewood Derby as a Cub Scout. He put together a creative entry called the "Temu Batmobile," and it ended up winning Best Superhero Car! He was absolutely thrilled.  Logan's favorite part was the display trophy that his Scoutmaster made with a 3D printer. In fact, he said it was even better than winning a real trophy!

Brad also took the two older boys to a Houston Rockets game for a fun night out. Before tip-off, they stopped at Rodeo Goat for burgers, where Carson declared he had just eaten the best burger of his life. The game itself had an unexpected surprise when the cast of The Sandlot made an appearance. I was honestly a little jealous that I missed that part!

"You're killing me smalls!"

Since Logan wasn't interested in attending the basketball game, we took advantage of the opportunity to have a mother-son night. We started with dinner at Texas Roadhouse and then headed to Activate to play interactive games together. We laughed, competed, and had an absolute blast. As much as I love our family adventures having one-on-one time is always so special.

January may have been a quieter month compared to others, but it was filled with music, scouting, sports, and quality family time—the kind of moments that end up being some of the best memories. 

Lately....

Life lately,

The end of summer wrapped up with one of the best concerts — The Offspring and Jimmy Eat World! Such a fun night and they were amazing live.

I’m now in my 7th year teaching preschool at Grace, and honestly, this has been the easiest start to a school year I’ve ever had. After last year being my hardest, this one feels like such a blessing. I can already tell it’s going to be a great year.

For a girls’ night, we did an escape room with a haunted hotel theme — hands down the best one I’ve ever done! At one point the lights went out and a skeleton popped up behind the reception desk — the screams and looks on our faces were priceless. They even had a table shake and a Ouija board where the pieces actually moved. It was so well done and seriously awesome.

On the home front, Tanner is back playing football this season! Last year he had to sit out with a broken arm, so it’s been extra fun watching him out on the field again. 

Logan is back in soccer, and I’ve been spending a lot of time at the elementary school because — right before school started — I was asked to be in charge of the yearbook. I figured since I’ve made plenty of Shutterfly books, how hard could it be? 😅 It’s been keeping me busy and was a bit overwhelming at first, but now that I’ve found a rhythm, it’s totally manageable. The best part is being at school often and getting to soak in Logan’s last year of elementary.

Logan is also doing Read Deed Run, a program where 5th graders read 26 books, do 26 hours of community service, and run 26 miles during the school year. I might have signed him up mostly to make him read more — but he’s enjoying it because his friends are in it too, so it’s a win-win!

I sat outside with my friend to watch the kids do their run after their first meeting.  I brought my cowbell just to embarrass Logan.

Back on Valentine’s Day, I lost the diamond from my ring and was so heartbroken. Looked everywhere for it and thought it was lost forever. A month later, I couldn’t believe it when Brad found it buried deep in the carpet of our bedroom, it felt like a little miracle! I finally got it fixed and it looks so pretty all shiny and new. I keep catching myself staring at it like I did when I was newly engaged.

And since the haunted hotel escape room was such a hit, we did another girls’ night — this time a Harry Potter–themed escape room. It was fun (and easier), but didn’t have quite the same cool effects as the haunted one, and with a bigger group, it was harder to get involved. Still, it was great spending time with friends.

All in all, it’s been a fun, busy, and really good start to fall. 🍂