Hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa

The week before school started Sheldon and I went to California for a vacation; and my parents came to our house to stay with the kids. I just got some of the cute pics from my parents so I wanted to post them for everyone.
Jed went fishing again and caught 3 fish. He was so excited, he called us in California and told us all about it. He caught one with a worm and two with power bait. He loves power bait!! They also had a great time climb all the trees in the back yard. Jed had to have pictures taken of him and how high he could climb. Evan couldn't be left out of the fun so she had a few taken of her climbing not so high in the trees.
Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!!!!

Jed's first day of school

Well I know I am about a week behind everyone else on this but I guess it is better late than never. Jed had his first day of school on Aug. 24 2009. Everything went really well. He is in the afternoon kindergarten so the morning started out pretty slow. Jed was so excited and was ready for school about 8:00 that morning. Luckily another mother with her inpatient kindergartner came and knocked on our door at 9 hoping that they could play. So Jed spent most of the morning playing at a friend house. Then he came home had lunch and he and his friend rode scooters to school while we walked behind. When the bell rang Jed and all the other kids went inside. I followed hoping to get a few more pics and maybe help him if I could. But I was soon reminded that I was no longer needed. He was a big kindergartner and he could do it all on his own. So from a distance I snapped a few quick shots and left again. Leaving him there wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be for me. My little (I mean) big boy and I have been through a lot together and I thought letting him go, grow-up would be harder. But it just seemed like the next logical step. It was what he needed and he was so ready for school, that it made it easier on me and all I could be was happy for him. The walk home wasn't all tear free though, as we walked away Evan kept on asking where Jed was at and if she could play with him. When it was clear he wasn't walking back with us she broke down in tears and cried "I play Jed, please!" When we got home though I laid her down for her nap and she didn't wake up until after Jed was already home from school. While he was gone the time went by pretty fast, before I knew it, I was walking back towards his school to pick him up. The report was all pretty good except all of his friends were in the other kindergartner class, but he had already made one friend that day so all looks good.
Now it is a week later and he has already changed so much. I am need for thing less and less. He has decided that he wants to ride the bus to and home from schools instead of walk with his mom. And every day the report of how his day went is "fine" or "we didn't do much." Not the little chatter box he was on the first day. But then the "growing-up" has already begun and I am just the mom and happy to have the part!!!!

Loosing the first tooth

Jed lost his first tooth this week. He has two of his adult teeth coming in behind his baby teeth. So we have been working on getting them out. His sister was the one who first to loosen it. They were playing puppy, and she ripped a rope out of his mouth and all the sudden it was loose. We worked on it for a while and then yesterday he got it so loose that all I had to do was pull a little on the string around it and it flew across the room. He was so excited and couldn't wait for the night so the Tooth Fairy would come. But then when night finally got here, he didn't want the Tooth Fairy to take it because his dad wouldn't have been able to see it. So we drew a picture and left it on the dresser for Dad to see. Dad got home late that night and I made sure he saw the tooth. Even though Jed didn't put it under his pillow the tooth fairy found it and left a dollar. So it all worked out.

Memorial

After coming here to Oklahoma every summer for the last four years we finally went to the Memorial for the Oklahoma Bombing. It was a beautiful memorial and humbling. It is amazing how just one person can do so much damage!!!
They had a spot for kids to draw with chalk, in memory of the kids that died there. Jed seemed to learn a lot from it but Evan just wanted to draw. After 14 year and all the rain we got this summer we still had a hard time finding a place for the kids to draw. You can tell the people here still hold it close to there hearts.
They also had a field of empty chairs. One for every person killed and a name carved on each chair. It was so humbling to see it all set up that way. I think they did a wonderful job with the memorial, it seem to be a perfect way to honor and remember the victims of this tragedy.

Summer Swim Lessons

So summer time means hanging out at the pool for my kids and me. We have been taking swim lessons to give me some peace of mind with all the water we are around. It has been really fun. Jed loves it and has become a really good swimmer. He can swim across our apartment pool all by himself. Evan is still working on just putting her face in the water but she seem to be having tons of fun too!! The swim lesson run for two weeks, then you can do it again if you want the next two week session. Today was the last day for this session and they turned on the slide and let all the kids go down it. I tried but didn't get a very good pic of Jed coming down the slide, I was either to late or to early with the camera. Sorry!!!! I hope you enjoy the pictures I did get though.Evan with her teacher Miss LucyJed with his teacher Mr. Gilbert

Playing in the Rain

The weather here in Oklahoma is a little crazy. The day before these pictures were taken was a sunny hot day and so was the day after. But this day wasn't one of the rainiest days we have seen here either, it was still fun though. The kids are really loving having Cortney here to play with them and I think she enjoys playing with them too. Fortunately, I am the one behind the camera so I didn't get very wet.

It is so fun to be these kids mom. I love the way that just a little thing like rain can get them so excited and having fun for the whole day. Jed is the best at it, he has such an imagination!!! While we were out playing he "turned into" rain boy who has the power to control the weather but can only breath if he is being rained on. And Evan was right behind him, I don't think she knew exactly what they were playing but she chased him around the complex, until she found a puddle that is, then she splashed with Cortney until almost all the water was gone.

Totally awesome Nunchuck skills!!

We had a few friends over to our house last night to try and finish off the extra birthday cake. One of the boys there taught Jed some totally awesome nunchuck skills and he wanted to show everyone. Hope you all enjoy!!!