So far so good

Well, we have been homeschooling for 2 weeks now and everything seems to be going great! We have been learning about weather, nutrition, and of course math! Today is library day. I think we will start learning about the human body. We'll see what great books we find today!

This weekend was very busy even though my photo shoot was canceled. We spent Sat. being lazy around the house because of the nasty rain. However, Sun. we took advantage of the sun peeking out. We went out to the park and played for quite a bit. Caiden really enjoyed himself and I think Kyle found it funny watching me squeeze through all those child sized tunnels trying to keep up with him! Oh well, we all had fun and that is what matters!

Happy new year

We wanted to wish everyone a happy New Year from our family. This new year has brought about many changes in our household. For starters, Tyler is now being homeschooled. At first I was a little nervous to say the least, but after the first day, I'm sure we'll do great. I really enjoy the extra time with him; and, he and Caiden have more time together as well to enjoy the really important things in life.







For our first lesson, we decided to use the book "Cloudy with a chance of meatballs" as our theme. We were able to incorporate weather, news reporting, nutrition, community service, and recycling all into that theme. He has thus far enjoyed homeschooling. We are both really looking forward to the culmination of this lesson though because I have bought the movie to celebrate!

As for Caiden, well, he has some news of his own. Caiden is officially potty training. He was so excited about his potty that he got for Chirstmas that he couldn't wait to start using it. We have been using it since Christmas. But the past couple of days, he has actually been telling me he needs to go. Not every time, but I try and take him in between his frequent requests. He has decided that diapers are for babies and he won't lay down to put them on. So I either had to physically hold him down to put it on, let him run around naked, or put him in pullups. Hmmm, tough choice, but we went with the pull ups. He loves being able to put them on by himself and they even had monster trucks on them, an added bonus for a truckloving boy. Hopefully he'll be trained rather quickly as potty training is my LEAST favorite part of caring for children.

Long time no blog...

So, I haven't been the best at keeping up with my blog, but I am going to try to do better. I love that family far away can keep up with us online.

So what's been happening lately? Well, for starters, we had a wonderful Christmas. Kyle's parents came in around the middle of the month. We had such a great visit with them.






The boys really enjoyed their early Chirstmas also. I thought once Caiden got into the gift opening, he wouldn't stop. But, to my surprise, he never touhed the gifts under the tree.






We got to celebrate Grandma's birthday with her this year. What a treat. The boys loved being able to be with her on her birthday and the cake was delicious too!





Then Tyler and grandma had some special time together making gingerbread cookies. Tyler really enjoyed rolling out the dough and cutting out the cookies. Caiden and Tylelr had fun decorating, but I really enjoyed eating them.





Christmas eve, we celebrated at my dad's house with my family. Once again, the boys had a blast and enjoyed seeing all of our relatives. Then of course we ended the night with the reading of Twas the night before Christmas, putting out cookies for Santa, and sprinkling our reideer food outside.



Caiden really enjoys playing with his Paw paw. Don't tell anyone, but I'm pretty sure his Paw paw enjoys it too!

Tyler is such a cutie. He was really excited about the visit from the big man!

My siblings and I haven't had a good picture in a long time. So we decided to "get it over with" tonight. The only problem is that the man behind the camera, my dad, should have jumped in this picture, but with everyone rushing to start the festivities, we didn't get around to it. Well, guys prepare to take another one in May when everyone is in town for Kim's graduation.

Christmas morning the boys were so funny. I think Santa really got it right this year! Tyler got a skateboard from Santa, and of course elbow pads, knee pads, wrist guards, etc.... He is really enjoying learning how to use it.



Caiden got a "tractora" which he can't get enough of. Everytime we pull in the driveway, he starts calling for it! When we took our Christmas morning pictures, he wouldn't even get off of it, so we just posed him on his tractor right int he middle of us all!





Kyle and I really enjoyed seeing the boys so happy.









Tyler did a little shopping on his own. His school hosts a "Santa shop" where the kids can buy gifts for family or themselves. Kyle and I usuallly take Tyler shopping for each other, so we just gave Tyler a few dollars and told him to get something for himself. But he really got into the Christmas spirit and bought Kyle and I each keychains, and a beanbag lizard for his baby brother.

Caiden got his potty for Christmas. He was so excited about it, it makes cool truck and tractor sounds when you potty, that he wouldn't get off of it. He actually finished opening presents on his potty.

Mommy's Little Man

Caiden is growing up so fast sometimes I just can't believe my eyes. He is now feeding himself successfully with a spoon. I just had to share these pictures of him eating grits!









It is so amazing watching him grow into a toddler. He loves to run around the house and dance. He'll dance to anything, even my singing, HA! He also talks alot, don't know where he got that from? He has over 30 words now and uses them correctly. He names parts of his body (toes, mouth, nose and eye), things around him (ball, dog, moo, tar-guitar, car, book), and he even tells me what he wants to wear, (elmo, choo choo, and shoes) Every time I blink, he is doing something new!

Back to school

Summer ended way too soon. But now that school is back in, we are that much closer to another holiday season, which starts in a month and a half!!! Tyler wasn't very excited about starting back to school, and was a little diappointed on the first day. However, his week shaped up by Wednesday. Thursday and Friday weren't so bad either. I think he is beginning to enjoy it a bit. He has made some new friends in his class and his teacher lets them play legos on Friday. He has a really great teacher and I think this year will be awesome. Here are a few pics of the the 3rd grader before his first day!

Eight years ago, I couldn't have imagined all of the wonderful adventures Tyler and I would have. It seems just yesterday that mom fainted in the delivery room as the doctors tried to get Tyler to breath on his own! What a little miracle he's been, and I am so thankful for him every day!

Tyler may not be your typical child, but he is certainly the sweetest and most entertaining one! (ok, maybe I'm a bit biased, but I think anyone would agree that he is very sweet and always entertaining.) Tyler had a Transformer birthday party this past weekend with my family in Gulf Shores. We nearly burned the place down. (Note to self...don't place trick candles close together. And definitely never try them in a condo with a sprinkler system!) No, we didn't set off the sprinkler, but I was worried we would. The flame from the candles stretched out across the cake and almost caught the paper decorations on fire!




Tyler really enjoyed his birthday party. He finally got a Nintendo DS that he has been wanting as well as a new scooter, some games, some new rain boots, and a spy gear watch.





Then we went to play in the ocean for awhile. We had a blast, but Tyler decided he likes pools better. After drinking a little too much fishy water, he was ready to get out!



Afterwards. We went to Lamberts for dinner and Tyler caught a roll thrown from way in the back of the resturant. (Actually, the guy nailed him in the gut, but we won't go there) He also got to stand up as they wished him (and about 50 others) a happy birthday!



Since his actual birthday was on Tuesday, we took him out to eat at Cheeburger Cheeburger for his birthday. They also announced his birthday to the resturant, and he got a free ice cream! Afterwards we had another birthday cake, (Because you HAVE to have a cake on your actual birthday) and he got a few small gifts to open. His favorites were definitely the batman utility belt and the cool spiderman camera. Now he can take pictures like mommy!

Kyle's family is coming in this weekend from Houston, so they are bringing him gifts from them and another cake! Wow, I am seriously going to gain 50 pounds from cake alone!

Easter 2009

We had a wonderful Easter. We dyed eggs Sat night. Tyler spilled the blue dye before we started. But we had a good time anyway. The boys woke up Easter morning to find their baskets filled with candy cars and little people figures. Caiden was more interested in Tyler's cars than his own toys. Then we went outside to find the eggs the Easter bunny hid in the yard. Caiden wasn't too concerned with the hunt, but he did like to open the eggs in search of chocolate. Tyler on the other hand really enjoyed the hunt. He actually found all of the eggs, I think. There was only one egg that he had a hard time with. The funny think is that it was sitting right on the windowsill. He was looking all around and in the bushes. But he eventually found it. We celebrated Easter at my dad's house then came home for a nap. The boys really enjoyed themselves and they looked super cute.