It’s a rare time in your life that you get to rekindle a friendship from 15 years ago!!  A few months ago, Facebook enabled me to find some long lost friends (gotta love some Facebook!!).  After some creative planning, we finally got together (minus a few other friends that were not able to come   ).  We had a great time talking, swimming, visiting, and seeing each other kids!!  I can’t wait to do it again!!!

I’m soooooo sorry!!!  I haven’t posted in a looooong time!!  Lots to go over….I try to start from the beginning of the summer and not forget anything!!

The boys started swimming lessons the week after school let out.  They lasted for two weeks.  Van loved it from the beginning.  He quickly remembered how to swim and did an amazing job!! By the end, he was swimming halfway across the pool and lifting his head to get a breath and go back into swimming.  It was awesome to watch!  Max, on the other hand, didn’t realize that Mommy was not getting into the pool with him!!  Last summer, we did Mommy and Me classes.  However, when he realized that I was not getting in….he cried the ENTIRE lesson!  We spent the rest of the day discussing how he was going to behave….somehow (probably God’s grace!!) he happily went into the pool the next day and had a great time for the rest of the two weeks!!

Baseball season has come to a close.  Van loves his team and his coach this season.  They celebrated the season with a pizza and pool party.  Van has found a little boy on the team that plays very well and he has really taken a liking to him.  If Van plays tball again next season, we are going to try to get the boys on the same team.  They are both REALLY into baseball and both play really well.  It’s exciting for Van to have someone that plays on a similar level and they get along so well.

The boys have started swimming lessons this week.  Van LOVES them and has really done very well.  He loves to swim.  Max loves to swim, but the first day was a rude awakening for him.  He cried the ENTIRE lesson.  He didn’t realize that Mommy would not be getting into the water with him.  Last year he had a Mommy and me class where I was with him.  This year he is in the big boy class with just a teacher and no Mommy.  He was not prepared for that!!  However, we spent the rest of the day talking about swimming with his teacher and his new friends, and he was more that excited to join the class the next day!!

As a teacher there are a few things that you look forward to when your children are growing up.  You can’t wait for them to recognize their name, then spell their name, then write their name, and finally, reading.  It’s something that every teacher dreams about.  When will it start, what will be the spark of excitement….it’s wonderful!!  Yesterday, as Mommy is cooking dinner, Max says “I’m going to spell my name.”  And just like that, he used the magnetic letters that have been on the fridge since before he was born (and has NEVER taken an interest in) to spell his name.  He even named the letters.  Of course, I needed to grab the camera and take a picture!!  Please enjoy….I know this Kindergarten teacher/Mama is basking in the genius of my child!!!

Van graduated from Pre-Kindergarten last Friday.  It was an awesome day!!  They all dressed in cap and gowns and filed in to sing a song.  After the song, each kid announced what they wanted to be when they grow up.  There was the usual superstar, singer, fireman, and policeman.  But my baby wants to be a construction worker!! Of course, Miguel had to add the comment “Well, he is part Mexican.”  To which I replied, ” Well, then we will have to teach him the white boy version is “architect.”  Bad, Papi and Mommy!!  The hit of the show was the little boy who screamed out “I want to work at Wal-Mart!”  Next, was the passing of the certificates and then the filing out of the room.  It was soooooo cute!!  After the ceremony, the kids had cake and punch.  When it was all over, we let Van pick where he wanted to go eat……no surprise…..McDonald’s!!  That afternoon, one of his friends had a graduation pool party.  It was so funny to see the kids talk and play.  The have a language all their own and jokes that only they understand.  I haven’t figured out if the jokes and language are because the are 5 or if they have just spent so much time together!!  By the end of the night, Van and Max (not to mention Mommy and Papi) were exhausted!!!  Thank you Mrs Kiki (Pre-K teacher), Mrs. Tammy (Jr. Pre-K teacher), and Children’s Courtyard for an amazing celebration and for taking care of my “baby” boy!!!  We will forever be indebted to you and you will hold a VERY special place in our hearts!!!

Papi went to a week long training at Ft. Hood with the SWAT team.  They work long, hard days, but had a great time!!

Do you like wind, water, climbing, sliding, slipping, jumping, swimming, leaping, fire, and TONS of mud???  Then the Warrior Dash is PERFECT!!  It was an awesome day!!  We were so full of mud and muck…it was great.  Nothing I have EVER done before…..but something I will certainly do again!!

The boys took pictures in the bluebonnets last weekend.  They looked so cute!!!

I have always viewed Max as my baby.  I still carry him on my hip.  I still TRY to hold him.  I still TRY to rock him.  Today, my sweet little baby boy is 3 years old!!  A baby no more!!  Today the nonnie (blanket) stayed in bed during the day (his choice).  Today he walked anywhere we went (his choice).  Today he played like a big boy, with the big boys (his choice).  Anyone catching my drift?????? For SOME reason, I think I was trying to keep my baby as a baby…..but a baby no more!!!!  We had a wonderful party filled with family and great friends to celebrate!!  Thanks to everyone that called, gave Max a present or card, came to the party, or prayed for our sweet boy!!  Happy birthday, Max!!!