Aiden's Cheerleaders....Sorta

Sweet Gracen-Cheering her brother on

The Little Monkey

Watching Aiden

A wee bit grumpy

A bit sunny out

Aiden has 3 sisters who love him with a passion...and occasionally pay attention to his soccer games. What more could a big brother ask for?

Bend it Like Aiden

Go #9

What he does best....guarding the goal

New Friends

Go KICKS!


I think Aiden has found his sport. Well, he's only played soccer and t-ball. But he's really into soccer...more than he was t-ball. He likes to run a lot...maybe he'll do track and field or something. Anyhow, it is really cute seeing all the little kids going after the ball. I could really get into the sports mom thing. Aiden is playing indoor soccer at the Y currently (these pics are from the Fall) and Blake is his new soccer coach. I love seeing my guys out there together. Next time I'll remember my camera.

Aiden's First Sleepover

Barie giving game instructions (Can you see Ainsley hiding in the tent?)

Life Long Best Friends....Aiden and Ainsley

They have SO much fun together

They were inseparable

Aiden, Ainsley and the birthday boy, Kade


So, Aiden had his first sleepover...and NO there were no girls. Well, there were girls at the beginning of the party...but the girls left, and the boys got to spend the night and do boy stuff...whatever that is. Ainsley and Aiden were pretty disappointed they couldn't stay together...they are such sweet friends. I was REALLY nervous for Aiden to spend the night with a friend...but Kade is our pastor's son...who we completely trust. So we felt like we could say yes, AND sleep that night. The AND was a big deal. Aiden had a blast, and wanted to know when the next sleepover would be. I avoided that question. Apparently, he did not miss us much.

3 Ballerinas and a Rockstar

LOVE LOVE LOVE this picture...it's TOTALLY my kids. Gracen is causing mischief, Aiden is trying to do the "right thing" by looking at the camera, and Grier is being a total goof ball. I will treasure this picture forever.

Goofball Grier continued...in both pictures

A-D-O-R-E these feet

I'm one blessed Mama.


Halloween was really fun this year. We hung out with our new neighbors for a little while and then hit the streets. The kids did not last long...especially Gracen and Evan. So the 3 of us came back, and the baby went to sleep. Gracen and I passed out candy to the neighborhood, and chatted with our other neighbors for awhile. It was a laid back night...but so enjoyable getting to know people on our street.

Dancing Days

My Ballerinas

Have NO idea what the head cock is all about...but I blame it on Auntie JoJo...she's famous for it.

Excited about class starting.

My pretty girls


Gracen and Grier LOVE dance...I mean L-O-V-E love dance. I was under the impression that this is normal for all little girls...but overhearing moms at dance class complain about dragging their little girls to dance, I'm thinking we might have something here. I might actually have dancers on my hand...which I think is pretty cool. Gracen eats, sleeps, and drinks dance...almost to the point of obsession. This past Sunday I peeked in her room at church, b/c the class we teach is next door to hers. Instead of sitting with all the little girls during small group time she was in another part of the room "practicing her dance" as she put it. What dance? I'm not sure. She hasn't learned her recital piece yet...so I'm not sure what the urgency was all about...but whatever. Anyways, after talking to her, and explaining that there is a time and a place for dance, and that she was being disrespectful to sweet Mrs. Carla, she went and sat with her small group. But you can bet what she did when we got home that afternoon...

It's Alive....

**Note: My title has nothing to do w/ this adorable, precious picture of Evan...my now 13 month old...what is that about??

Okay, with some encouragement by friends, and most surprisingly Blake, I'm gonna start blogging again. It really is good for me to write stuff out, and of course I love the idea of family journaling...so here it goes. I'll leave you with a picture before I start a bunch of entries.

Taking a break

My sweet little dumplin
What's more fun than burying your arms in the dirt?

Going higher

Sweet Gracen is always trying to entertain her baby sister

a thoughtful Grier

We took a much needed break from school...these pictures are old since I'm trying to catch up on here...so these were early September...you can tell it was still hot in Texas, with all those sweaty heads. I forgot sunscreen that day, so we all got a little pink...or we got our daily dose of vitamin D...however you want to look at it. We love our local parks.

School

The school room (at our old house)
Aiden working hard
Gracen coloring

Grier playing w/ magnets

Grier sorting animal erasers

Several people have asked how homeschooling is going, including family. I think people are curious, and perhaps worried about how I school w/ all the littles around. Well, for starters Evan is taking her morning nap...so that helps tremendously. And Gracen does some preschool work right along side us...Grier is a bit trickier. I put several activities together for her to play with while we do school. Those are two examples up above. She gets restless pretty quickly though, and she's not an alone time kinda kid at all. She wants to be right in the middle of the action.
So she tends to interrupt us quite a bit when she's finished with her activities. But we've got our little groove going, and I think we're all even enjoying ourselves. Homeschooling is a lot harder than I ever thought in my stage of life...but I really like having Aiden with us, and the girls do too...even if they won't admit it.

Back in the Saddle Again...

Last morning in our house. We let Aiden have a sleepover with the girls.

We took pictures like this when we moved from Dallas...and Gracen was wearing the gaucho pants that Grier is wearing here...total coincidence.

Good bye house

Last time to run down our sidewalk...I was an emotional wreck that whole morning.

This is their thing...Gracen doesn't peddle things very well...but she loves to run after Aiden.

It's been a long time since I've posted anything. With our move, unpacking, and homeschooling...I haven't made blogging a priority...but I'm gonna try to slowly catch up and keep up now that we're more settled.

Caught

Here's proof that they love each other. They were watching Gracen's spring dance recital for the 100th time...and I looked over and couldn't believe they were holding hands. I snuck off to get my camera, peeked over the coffee table and caught it on camera...I now have it forever, and might just keep it handy so that I can remember there is true affection there...even if it's way down deep.

Grace Harbor

1st day of Grace Harbor

Aiden with his homeroom teacher, Mrs. Turner.

We stumbled across this program several months ago for homeschool families, and feel like we found a jewel. The name of the umbrella program is Grace Harbor. Aiden goes once a week and he attends art, p.e., music, speech, Spanish, and character building. I love that he's getting exposed to all of these different classes, and making friends. He has gone two weeks now, and his favorite class is SPEECH. I can hardly believe it. He certainly did not get that from me. I'm still haunted by my college freshman speech class, where I literally cried every time I got in front of the class. Nope...he gets that from his Daddy...who is extremely comfortable up front. And his second favorite class is art. I love that. I just knew p.e. would be his favorite class. Look at my big kindergarten boy. I couldn't be prouder if I tried.

They might just be related...

Aiden is slouching...Gracen isn't taller than Aiden. :)

There was excitement in the air on the first day of school...can you tell? The kids were unusually goofy...

First day of homeschooling

He's just a little bit excited.

My super handsome guy

Here's Aiden on his first day of school...at home. He was so excited to start. I just had to do a first day of school photo like my Dad tortured me with EVERY year...same place...EVERY year. And now, it's my turn to do it with my kids...