Last elementary field trip!

Tanner's last elementary field trip--science days to the Methodist Church Camp.  I was so glad that I got to be there with him--next year I'll have ANOTHER middle schooler?  I just can't believe how fast things are moving.

Tanner's 3rd Grade Wisdom

Be sure to conserve wood by not breaking everything you have made out of wood. :-) oh, and if you know how many golf balls are not yellow, I guess you can figure out how many are yellow.

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A Creative and Manly Valentine Box

Todd and Tanner worked through the afternoon to get it just right .

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Tanner made this after school...

Tanner's Day

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Since I'm posting anyway...

I might as well include some Fall Baseball & Tball pics.  None of my softball pics came out because most of our games were in the middle of the night.  Hopefully the spring will give us daylight games, and better pics!

This was Grady's second season in Tball, and Tanner's first season in kid-pitch.  We were a little nervous to move up to "real baseball" from machine pitch, but the boys surprised us!  They can actually throw, catch, pitch, and hit balls!  Tanner was a little frustrated with the transition, but hopefully by the spring we can work out the kinks in his "mental checklist."  This last Saturday we played in the playoff bracket, beating the hated Bandits, and coming in second for the championship!  Tshirts and trophies for everyone!  Pretty good for a team of bad news bears that had only won one game in the regular season.  :)

Go Scallywags!!

Tanner's First Confession

Tanner was so holy during his First Confession!  He's the holiest of all the hoodlums I think-and still says his nightly prayers.  If we had to give one kid to the church-this is the one.  Definitely.  Next year he makes his First Communion-just think how holy he will look then!

Tanner's Bday Extravaganza!!!

To continue with Year Two of the Tanner Baseball Tradition, we took a few boys to the Ranger game this sunday to help celebrate his Big Day.  And AGAIN it was the easiest birthday party ever.  I don't know if it's boys or this particular event, but it's just awesome.  We fed them McDonald's, took snacks, bought ice cream for everyone, and even lucked into a free jersey day.  The boys were all so well behaved and I think had really great time!  I almost can't wait for next year-except that Tanner will be so much bigger.  How do I stop that from happening?

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from Tanner via ipod text....

Daddy, can I please have the app called watershed extreme.

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he sunk my battleship!

Tanner is FINALLY able to play a game he's been eyeing for Oooo long!

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Tanner Turns Seven!!

Yesterday, Tanner turned SEVEN YEARS OLD!  It's crazy to me that he is that old.  He's my smashed ears baby, my "Mr. Bossy" Baby, my baby that didn't know how to STAY asleep, my baby that loved to snuggle...and now he's a kid.  But, he still likes to snuggle.  :)  To start the celebration weekend, we had the grandparents over for dinner and presents on Saturday-and Tanner chose the menu.  Pizza.  Shocker.  I think he'd eat pizza every day for dinner.  Every. Single. Day.  He scored in the present department-a bike from Gran, a library and clothes from Grandmom, a model car from Grandad, and....Wii Sports Resort from us.  He was a little excited about Wii Sports Resort.

We haven't really seen him since.

To add to the celebration, we took Tanner and his closest best friends to the Ranger Game on Sunday.  There was excitement in the car on the way there...

There was more excitement at McDonald's as we got closer to game time.

In fact, Tanner was almost beside himself with excitement.

We got to the game in plenty of time, per Todd's usual minute by minute plan, so we situated ourselves with our packed snacks, gatorades, and caprisons. Then, the boys anxiously awaited the first pitch.

Finally, it was game time.  I have to admit, this was by FAR THE EASIEST birthday party ever.  The boys sat and watched the game, KNEW what was going on, and actually, had in depth conversations about it.  I give you exhibit A:

It was a REALLY CLOSE game, and they all watched with great intent, turning their caps into "Rally Caps" for the last inning.  There was hope The Rangers would pull it out against the Cubs.

Even Fuddy Duddy Todd got into the Spirit of the Game.  Doesn't he look like he's in the Spirit?

Overall, I think Tanner had a grand time-the opening gate giveaway was a Rangers pillowcase, so all the kids went home dreaming of future games, and of future careers in the Big Leagues.  We've got Big Dreams here, Big Dreams-for a Big 7 Year Old Boy.

Baseball Season

Between softball games, we've had baseball games.  Tanner moved up to machine pitch baseball this season, and the game is much more serious.  There is actual tagging out, throwing the ball, catching the ball, and teamwork.  Tanner, and his two friends Sam and Luke trade out the catching position, and it's just too cute to see them all suited up, looking so official.  I'm sure Todd won't admit it, but he'd like to see Tanner behind that plate, the same as he was.  We'll see if Tanner gets bit with that catcher bug.  For now, he enjoys it enough, but if the ball is too crazy far away, he looks around for his "people" to get it for him.  Crazy kid.

We still have the all-important goal of getting on base, which Tanner does seem to be able to do at least once during the game.  We're working on his running skills, because I don't think the other team members are supposed to lap you as they run the bases.  :)  All in all, it's been a great season.  The games are just a little more intense, but not too much.  I think it's breaking in the mommies for those oh-so-serious 9 year old games.  The competition is good for the kids, and I think they are all falling in love with baseball-another fun side effect.  Good job Coach Daddies!

Very First Piano Recital

Tonight, Tanner performed his very first piano recital ever.  He was very, very nervous, and I was certain he'd refuse to play in front of anyone, especially since he'd only play for me here at home.  Not Todd.  Not Madison, and certainly not Grady.  I was just a little nervous about how to problem solve our way through that.  So, we arrived a few minutes early, and stopped at Jason and Jenn's house to warm up before the big performance.  We had to talk him into it, but he FINALLY played one song for us there, and felt a little more ready to walk over to his teacher's house for the real recital.

When we arrived, we were led in a prayer before feasting on a hot dog supper.  As the guests (grandmas, grandpas, sisters, and brothers) dined on the cuisine, we were entertained by the little fine arts scholars.  Tanner was one of the first to step up to the plate, and performed both songs almost flawlessly.  His little face as he finished the second one was priceless, and tonight when I tucked him into bed, he said he was so nervous-certain people were going to laugh at him when he played his songs.  I told him over and over we were so proud of him, and couldn't wait to see where his muscial career would lead him.  He just grinned that Toothless Tanner Smile...it wins me over every single time.

Tanner wasn't the only one showcased this evening.  We were able to hear Sam's accomplishments as well; I think they love having so much of the same interests, and that friendship is just budding more everyday.

The little boys had a really hard time being quiet during the performances, acting out the music silently during the play, and erupting into violent happiness when the songs were finished.  It was crazy funny to watch them, too.  After all the official music, all the kids found their way back to Jason and Jenn's house for an impromtu front-yard baseball game as all the adults chatted the rest of the evening hours away.  Overall, a lovely evening of music, friendship, and that thing they call fellowship.  One of those truly "Hope Floats" kinds of nights. 

Toothless Tanner

Tanner FINALLY lost his front tooth over the weekend.  The incident was so monumental, I had to share it with the masses over at Mom's the Word.  Poop Fairy.  Of course Todd would say that.  Luckily, we didn't have to resort to asking the Poop Fairy to come visit; a note was good enough.

Is it majorly sappy that seeing these teeth fall out makes me sad?  The little kid look disappears with the emergence of the toothless grin and subsequent big grown-up teeth.  They begin to look like Big Kids, teenagers even, and it makes me wish for the snuggly days when they didn't even have teeth.  I guess it does make me a little sappy...but man, they work SO HARD for those baby teeth.  Tanner and I both lost sleep as they came in, as he worked his way through the fever and the drooling.  Which, by the way, doesn't seem that long ago...and now they are just falling out right and left-leaving this big kid in their wake. 

Such a Big Kid.

First Grade Field Trip

Today, I played hooky and went on Tanner's First Grade Field Trip to the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. We love the Fort Worth Museum in this family-with all 3 kids being veteran Museum School Scholars and all.  That's my Big Kid up there, but here he is on his first day of Museum School.

When we were in the baby and little kid phases, I looked forward to our weekly drive to Museum School.  I'd drop one kid off, and take the other one on a few errands, to the bookstore, and sometimes for a big fancy cookie.  After school, we'd browse through the exhibits or take a few minutes to play in the miniature grocery store.  We'd top off the weekly field trip with a picnic lunch by the water fountains or splurge on McDonald's if the weather wasn't just right.  I know my memories might be a little rosy, but I remember thinking to myself during so many of those picnics how precious those moments were, and how fast my babies were growing.  It was a time each week I made myself slow down and just be.

This last picture is a little of a cheat because it wasn't during our official Museum School Day, but I had offered to take Isaac to Museum School just because I was missing it so much myself.  So, I pulled the kids out of school for a day down at the Arts District and The Amon Carter Museum-and it was the same kind of day...the same kind of feeling.  That, and this may be the best picture I've ever taken of all three kids at once.

So, today was superfun on a few different levels.  The Museum is newly renovated, and superfancy.  We were both excited to see the new exhibits, and spend the day together just like "old times." 

His teacher gave me Tanner and three additional boys to chaperone throughout the Museum, which proved to be very....energizing!  The new Museum was amazing, with a new 4-D exhibit on Energy, hands-on physical science experiments, a new play area, and of course, the Omni.  The boys had an awesome time sprinting from one side of the Museum to the other taking in as much as possible before the day ended.

Jennifer and I signed the boys out, and quickly made our way through the Cowboy Museum upstairs (making mental notes to return with all children in tow.)  On our way home, we stopped at 7-11 for Slurpees-a new tradition, and a very much needed Diet Coke for me.  It was a perfect way to end the day, since we'd shared so many of our Museum School Days with Sam and Jenn, too.  Overall, a very superfun day...and with the possibility of super-sappiness on my part, I survived without even one tear...even as I watched the baby I strolled through those halls run and skip with his Big Kid First Grade Friends.