All Good Things...

...Must Come to an End!!!

I am doing the happy dance that I have one 1/2 day left of school -- waaahhhooo!!!  The kids are done, and I am d.o.n.e for the year.  It was a GREAT year and I just loved my class.  LOTS of energy but sweet, smart and funny.  They are going to be very cool and energetic adults someday.  Their families were just fabulous and I was showered with lots and lots of sweet hugs, gifts and notes today.  I am blessed!

It will also be the end of Grady's Pre-K year and Cole's first year at Mrs. Stephie's house.  Cole will be back to sweet Stephie's in the fall, but for G this is a b.i.g. d.e.a.l.  He is on to KINDERGARTEN.  I can barely believe that my baby will be in Kinder (at my school) in 3 months.  It's just surreal... so we'll try not to think about it for a while!  Another post, for another time...

Here are some pictures from G's end of year party today.  Richard went and he said the kids had a great time.  The rain came at the wrong time so they didn't get to have the picnic outside as planned, but he didn't think the kids card at all! 

Here is Grady with his two main teachers this year.  

He really loves these two and he will really miss them!  

(Mrs. Bevolo and Mrs. Doucet)

 

Here is Grady's report card.  LOVE my little smart boy!

We are pretty proud parents, although we'd still think he was perfect even if these weren't.     

 

It's been such a good school year for us both,

and I'm sure R is happy to have "summer Laura" back again!  

Can you fit a golf ball in your mouth?!?

Well, the great news is my 14 month old can!  Ladies and gentlemen, we have found his talent. 

 That little stinker kept running away from me so I couldn't take it away...

and like a good Mommy, I ran for my camera and then let Daddy be the bad guy! 

 Such a disgusting proud moment...

Then he started eating dirt.

I prefer the golf balls now that I think about it.  

G has taken quite an interest in golf. 

Too bad our backyard isn't any bigger...

I have a feeling we might lose a few balls! 

 A mini-lesson from Dad!

 After we finally got the golf balls away from Cole and kept him from eating dirt, he decided to start playing with the dog water bowl.  Nothing is easy and simple at this age my friends...  When he finally started to drink out of the dog water bowls I made him his own bowl to drink out of.  Take a guess at how long this lasted?!?

 7 seconds later and the bowl got dumped. 

Back to dirt and golf balls.  

I'm okay with it...

Side note - remember our tomatoes...?  

Looks like we've got some picking to do! 

 I thought it would be so cute to get a picture of the kids eating popsicles in the backyard on a lovely evening.  You know, like all the adorable pictures of kids perfectly posed in matching red, white and blue rompers, smiling from ear to ear and loving each other.  

Yeah, here's my "perfect" picture... 

 and another...

 "Please Cole, come sit on Grady's lap for one picture..."

 Awesome, never-mind. 

 See ya!

BTW - I think I will love these pictures more than any perfect ones 20 years from now.

AND...

I know that I love my babies even when they're stinkers, half naked, drinking dog water, eating dirt and sticky with popsicle juice running down their chest and onto their too full and saggy diapers...

I LOVE my BOYS!

It's becoming a pattern...

We seen to have found something both the kids LOVE to eat and do... and it's only 15 minutes away!  Today we had an early lunch at Blue Goose and then played in the fountains.  Now I call that some good-family-fun!!!  It was 95 here today so anything involving the water sounds good to me! 

 Cole and Grady love them some Mexican food... and Daddy & Mommy(although I prefer the liquid form of yumminess at Blue Goose...) too!

Grady, you usually order a side or steak fajita meat and eat chips and salsa.

Cole, you eat fruit and veggies from home and then eat a little off of all of our plates.  

You LOVE the rice and beans though!

 Cole, you kept trying to drink the water... odd child!

Does G look so grown up?!?

He just had to have these glasses that are just like the ones Uncle Craig has...

Daddy may have a pair just like them now as well... 

and I LOVE this because it reminds me of Top Gun....  

Did I just age myself?!? 

Just Hangin' with Dad and Chillin' at the Pool

I feel like with that title I could write a rap song...  or a country song...  

Anyway, Sunday was a very relaxing day!  After saying goodbye to our guests, we pretty much just rested and played. 

 My boys LOVE their Daddy! 

We watched the Ranger game and then headed to the pool for an evening swim.  This was the first trip to the pool this year and we had a super time!  Grady started right where he left off and was swimming like a fish.  He just loves the water!  Cole started out rather irritated.  He was fussy and wanted to sit on my lap, clutching my fingers constantly for the first 20 minutes or so.  He had some trouble walking in the water without falling forward(he did smack his head on the side and now has a lovely bruise right between his eyes)... and now that I think of it G did too at this age.  They have trouble adjusting to the difference in resistance... at least that's my scientific explanation for -- having to learn how to walk in the water!  So, I decided to feed him some dinner.  Well, food fixes everything!  (not really, don't worry)  After dinner, I plopped him in the water, took of his life vest and he played for the next hour, happily!  I did have to put him back in the pool about 35 times but after that, he realized we were NOT going to run around the pool deck and he splashed and played in the baby pool.  He also drank TONS of pool water - gross - so much so that he filled his diaper last night and even leaked through to his pj's.  A little chlorine never hurt anybody, right?!?  Goodness!

 Doesn't he look so cute with his belly hanging out over his swim suit?!?

If you think that's cute, you should see me!  Kidding!  

Why are chubby babies so cute but chubby adults, not so much?!?   

After our fun evening at the pool, it has confirmed my thinking that this will be a challenging summer for me, by myself, at the pool with both kids.  Grady wants to swim in the big pool, but is not old enough yet to be left without being watched closely in my opinion.  Cole needs to be monitored constantly in the baby pool.  Two pools, one mommy.  I think we'll be taking turns and learning the fine art of compromise... that, or we'll wait until evening and take Daddy to the pool with us!  HA!