First Day of Pre-K…

 

Another milestone… last first day of daycare a-k-a Pre-K!

Erin was super excited this year because she moved up to the big kid class.  Her new classroom is upstairs where they have the Private kindergarten and the after- schoolers go.  We are excited to know that this is the last year we’ll have to pay for full-time daycare!  We get a raise next year and we’ll only have to pay for after school care! Woo Hoo!

I let her pick out her outfit this morning and we packed her backpack with a change of clothes and her lunch.  She took one of her Minnies to nap with and her Frozen blanket.  I even bought her a new mat to lay on.  

Most of the time, she’s a little toot when I try to take her picture, but she was all smiles this morning.  We got a good one of me and her and some silly ones with Daddy.

 

 

 

 

 

William’s B/day Take 1…

 

William will be out of town next weekend for his birthday so we had our own little party.  The plan was to go to Rob Flemming splash park, but Erin’s ear infection threw a wrench in the works.  The Mizes took a pass but the Ammermans and Wistners went full steam ahead.

William had a great time.  They took a picnic lunch and played for a couple of hours.  I forgot to ask if it was crowded!  Probably not since they went early and school starts on Monday.

They came to our house afterwards for cupcakes and presents.  As always, Erin was thrilled to see him.  They played pretty well together, but towards the end they were both so tired that they started getting cross.  William had no nap and Erin still isn’t 100% from the Strep throat and ear infection. Team WAM chilled for a while letting the kids play and do presents.

Mom and Daddy left and the Ammermans and Mizes went to eat.  We decided on something close in Old Town Spring, we ended up at Wunsche Brothers.  It’s the old Spring Cafe.  Matt picked it because they used to go there when he was a kid.  As with most stuff, it was somewhat like he remembered.  It has been expanded and some of the stuff inside is different, but I think he had a nice time flashing back.  He took some pictures for his sisters and Mom.  The kids did super once we separated them.  They wanted to sit together but that turned ugly quick.  I swapped with Erin and they were angels the rest of the time.

Here are a couple of shots I got yesterday.

He parties on with a celebration next weekend with the Ammermans at the ranch.

  

 

To Cruise or Not to Cruise…

 

We have vacation fever, okay, I have vacation fever.  I’m ready to book another one.  Stephanie mentioned the Disney cruise out of Galveston the other day and I’m seriously considering that one.

I did my research yesterday and it is a lot more expensive than a Carnival cruise but I think well worth it in the end.  Erin would be 5 by the time we go and we’ve always said that was the magic cruising age.  We agree that at 5 she is old enough to decide if she wants to go to the children’s camp and I can’t imagine a better kid’s camp than on Disney.

The itinerary is from Galveston to the Bahamas and Key West.  We’ve been to these ports before but there is a trip to the Disney private island one day too. 

Tommy thinks another trip to FL would be more fun for Erin since she loves the water so much.  We will have to decide which we want to do since we would not being doing both next year.  I think she would enjoy the cruise as much.

We’ll just have to wait and see.

Three Mizes + Four…

 

Well the Hermit Crabs are doing well.  I bought them a “crabitat”.  We got a 10 gallon aquarium with a couple of inches of sand in the bottom. 

After doing research on them I realized they needed a bigger house.  They love it from what I can tell.  I put the heater under the sand like I read about and put some toys in there too.  These $5.00 dollar crabs have cost us about $100 bucks!!

Erin loves them.  She checks on them when she comes home in the afternoon.  I also placed some new shells in there because they’re supposed to like to “change clothes” often.  I saw one of them investigating this morning but he/she didn’t make the change yet.  I think it was too big for that shell.  I’ll have to find a bigger one for him/her.

Tommy was not happy with the new set up but even he has to agree that if it makes Erin happy it was worth it!

Sadly, We’re Back…

 

You know vacation is over when you have 6 loads of laundry piled up in the hall.  It was an incredible trip.  We had so much fun.  I would go back tomorrow with this crew.  Of course, we would have to wear dirty clothes but I would still pack them up in a heartbeat!

I have to brag on the kids.  Yes, there was moments when they argued, but overall I think they did terrific.  Three is an odd number and maybe in the coming years Erin can bring a friend with her, or Cousin Reese!  She gets along great with the boys but they just have different interests and I think a little girly companion would be nice.  (And no, that companion does not come in the form of a little sister!!!)

I’m getting ready to start on my scrapbook.  I love doing them digitally now.  I just drop the pictures in and add some digital bling.  Easy Peasy!

The trip home went much easier.  We left at 4:03 and pulled into the driveway at 1:33.  It was perfect timing, and I’m not making up the times either!  We only stopped 2 times on the way home to stretch our legs and go potty.  I think it was much, much easier because Erin knew what to expect.  She still asked if we were back to Texas about a dozen times, but was cool with it otherwise.  She watched several movies and played on her iPad.  I cannot imagine what travel must have been like before the electronic age!!! 

I watched my iPad most of the way home too.  It’s amazing what an iPad and a wifi hotspot can do to make a trip seem sooooo much shorter!

We’re thinking about doing the Disney cruise next November, so we might take a break from Destin next summer.  I don’t even like to think about that!  It was so much fun watching Erin have such a great time.  She loves, loves, loves the water and you literally have to pull her out kicking and screaming.  She and Luke played in the waves like a couple of dolphins.

We did manage to bring home a little piece of FL in the form of a Hermit Crab box complete with Florida sand and 2 Hermit Crabs.  Kristen and Caney came home with us.  Thanks Nanny B!!!  LOL.  Tommy and I both wonder how long they’ll actually live.  Some sites on the internet claim they will live about 6 months.  It will be interesting to see….

All in all, a great vacay!

Random Pictures from Destin…

 

 

 

Jumping Waves and Hunting Crabs...

Erin and Luke again. Hunting crabs and jumping waves.

We’re Jumping Waves…

 

Erin has never been afraid of the water.  She is truly a water baby.  If I was into Astrology I would guess that being a Cancer (crab) is part of the reason!!!  She is like a little mermaid. 

We’re made her put her floaty on in the Gulf but let her go without it in the pool.  Yesterday was the calmest the water has been.  Luke and Erin went out beyond the wave break and were jumping the waves and racing.  I put on a mask and went hunting for Hermit crabs.  The more the better.  They really liked the ones I grabbed that were very active.  They liked it when they were out of the shell and they could see them.  They were manhandling all of them and couldn’t imagine why the crabs weren’t coming out!! 

While we were out there, the kids had a great time jumping over the big waves.  Neither of them likes the saltwater in their eyes.  So, I had the idea of bringing a rag out there with us.  Before they kept going back up on shore to wipe their eyes and then coming back out.  The problem with that plan is that they had to have an adult go in and out with them because of the rough wave break.  I thought that if we had a rag out there they might not have to go back in.  It worked.  Tommy put it in his pocket and would wring it out when they needed it.  I’m not sure it did any good what so ever, but they felt better.

I caught this video while we were out there.

 

 

The mask was a little too tight so I ended up looking like the Joker out of Batman!