Our Mighty Mustang

Ben was named Mighty Mustang this morning. I was a little worried about Johnny, he has been wanting to be named Mighty Mustang since the first day of school (after three years of watching Ben get it, he is ready for his turn). I didn't know if he'd be jealous or not. To my surprise, he wasn't in the least bit jealous. He was just REALLY proud of his big brother. It was cute to see both Ben and Johnny in the assembly, participating in the pledges and songs, etc. I almost teared up. Hard to believe that next year all three will be there.

We are proud of you Ben. You are doing an awesome job this year in 3rd grade!!

Cub Scout Ben

Ben had his first cub scout pack meeting last week and received his Bobcat merit badge. It was a lot of fun watching Ben lead the flag ceremony and participating with the other scouts. It brought back memories of going to my brother Randy's pack meetings as a family when I was younger. Johnny and Natalie seemed to enjoy it just as much as I did as a kid.

The School Year Has Begun

It is hard for me to believe that the summer is really over.  It came and went too quickly for me, on the other hand my children were all really excited for the school year to begin this past Monday.  It is a big year for us, Johnny started kindergarten at McNeil Elementary, Ben is a big 3rd grader at McNeil, and my sweet little girl Natalie started preschool.  You can just imagine all the anxious energy at our house the few days leading up to the first day of school.


Here are Johnny and Ben ready for their first day.  They both woke right up, ate breakfast, brushed their teeth and got dressed with no arguments.  They were excited!!

This is Ben and Johnny walking up to the school.  This was way cute for me.  This is the first year I have two going to elementary and it touched me how kind they were being to one another; Ben making sure Johnny understood where and what he should be doing and Johnny just adoring and looking up to the great role model Ben is.  I am a lucky Mom.  I have two wonderful little guys.

Ben at his locker.  Funny, but this year he really didn't want any photos once we were in the school.  I couldn't have been embarrassing him?  Okay, I was, but it really isn't too much to ask for right?  He knew I had the camera and he was forewarned.  I only took three and they all pretty much look like this.  I guess 3rd grade is when stuff like this isn't cool anymore.  Last year he didn't seem too put out by it, he even wanted photos with his siblings.  This year was a different story.

My Johnny.  What can I say, but that I can't believe the little, frail baby I brought home from the hospital is now this big, strong little man (however, he still is a sweet, considerate, sensitive little guy).  He told me that he was a little nervous about kindergarten, so before we left for school I drew a little heart with a smile face on his hand.  I told him that every time he started to feel nervous, scared or sad to squeeze his hand in a fist and it would be like giving me a hug and that my heart would feel it.  It would be our little secret.  This seemed to help.  When it was time for me to leave, I peaked back into his classroom to see if he was okay.  He was sitting there squeezing his hand.  It touched my heart and I had to work really hard not to tear up and run back in there to give him a hug.  He is such a cute, sweet little boy.

And here is my Natalie.

She is a funny little girl. As you can see, she was a wee bit done with the picture taking.

I just love her (and all my kiddos)!

Here she is walking up to her preschool.

And, this is her with her teacher Mrs. Tamra.

She had a great first day. Her teacher gave her a cupcake when we picked her up that had a little note attached reading "The first day of school was a piece of cake." Natalie LOVED it :)

I can't believe that they are all in some type of school this year. They are all doing great - so far so good. Johnny seems to be adapting to kindergarten well and wants to go everyday, Ben loves school as always, and Natalie loves going to preschool. Seems like the only one crying is me - I miss them.

San Antonio

We were lucky enough to find a great deal for a trip to Sea World and headed down to San Antonio in July for a few days.  We dropped Newman off at his "hotel" and hit the road.  We arrived around noon and headed strait to the park.   Sea World has a new Sesame Street themed area for the kids.  They have kid sized rides and everything.  Johnny was so excited to see Cookie Monster - he just loves him.  I think he was a little star struck, it was really cute. Natalie loved it all too.  Ben, on the other hand wasn't too excited about all the Sesame Street hype (although I do think secretly inside he was loving it).

This is the Sesame Street Pirate Show........

.......and this is Johnny's face the entire time he was watching it.  He was just in awe of it all.  He LOVED it!

That night, after we checked-in to the hotel and got cleaned up, we headed to LuLu's.  I had seen it on Diners, Drive-In's and Dives and wanted to try one of their 3 pound cinnamon rolls.  Let me just say, the restaurant was a dive.  I don't think they have ever mopped that floor - it was super dirty, but it smelled like cinnamon.  Here are some pictures of us with our dessert.

Doesn't it LOOK good, well it didn't taste too good.  I was majorly disappointed.  It was dry, yeasty tasting and just not what I was expecting.  I was completely let down.  I guess I've just been spoiled all my life with my mom's yummy cinnamon rolls.  Hers win over this one easily.

Here we are the second day feeding the dolphins.  I've always wanted to do this and I had a great time, not sure anyone else enjoyed it as much as I did.

This is Natalie next to a baby sea lion.  There were a bunch of babies and Natalie just loved it.  Johnny saw this one from across the way and said "look Momma, they even have a dead one".  Nice, huh.  We had to explain that it was just sleeping, he didn't seem to care.  Natalie had to rush over to the other side to see it and have her picture taken next to it.

Fun at the Sesame Street splash park.

The third day there we went to the Alamo.  As soon as we got there Ben and Johnny wanted to head straight to the gift shop.  They weren't really interested in looking around - yet.  Johnny kept saying "Where's the buy shop?  Are we going to the buy shop now?".  

So we did go to the "buy shop" and bought the boys play guns.  While I was taking Natalie to the bathroom Thomas opened them.  Not sure what he was thinking and if it was really politically correct, but the boys had a good time running around the Alamo grounds pretending to defend it.

Oh ya, and also everywhere else in downtown San Antonio.  I finally had to tell Thomas that we better put them away before we get into trouble.  Ben's is a cap gun and he wanted to fire it, not the best idea in an urban setting if you ask me.

On our way home we stopped by the state capital. 

Johnny is looking at one of the pictures depicting a battle here (not unlike the pictures hanging in the government building in Parks and Rec, if you've seen that show).

Good times, good times.  I love being able to spend this time, and make these memories, with my wonderful husband and three amazing kids.  What a special time in our lives.  It goes by so quick and I want to take advantage of every opportunity I have with them.  They enjoy spending time with us now, not sure how long that will last - hopefully forever, but I'm sure there will be a time in the teenage years where it's not the case.  Never could understand people who want to take vacations without their kids, they'll be gone soon enough living their own lives.  Luckily for me, I married an amazing man who feels the same way.