All Tired Out...

After a busy day of water-sliding.  Once we got home, Steven and I were smart enough to assign 5-minute timeouts for various insignificant behavior infractions.  It was enough to put everyone to sleep and consequently, in a much better mood.

First Day of School

The first day back to school this year was on Monday, August 27th.  

Steven started 2nd Grade...

 And David started 1st!

 

Jake wasn't 100% sure what was going on here, but dangit, he was getting his picture taken too!

They had a pretty uneventful but fun first week, though it's like pulling teeth trying to get information out of them about their days.  They seem to have very nice teachers and both have several friends from last year in their classes. 

And as for me, well I won't lie.  This has been the most restful week I've had in quite some time.  Jake, Grace and I had a lovely time just spending time by ourselves for a change (though I do miss the big fellas during the day.  I'll survive, though.)

YEE-HAW!

A few weeks ago, the boys found this old cowboy hat and put it on Gracie's head.  They started running around her in circles crying out "Oh no!  It's the Bad Guy Cowgirl!"  We had a good laugh.

David's Ninjago Party

This is a monstrously long post.  Just a warning.

David decided he wanted a Ninjago-themed party this year.  Unfortunately, there's practically nothing out there on the market yet because it's such a new phenomenon.  Luckily, Pinterest provided me with some great ideas (I bless and curse you simultaneously, Pinterest!)  It was also the first party where I let him completely choose his own guest list, which was a little sad for me.  I get much more excited about a party when I can just invite all of my friends.  Oh well, so it begins, I suppose.

I was able to do this party for next to no dollars thanks to already having most of the supplies on hand.  It did, however, take a little more time than I've spent in the past.  Decorations were streamers and these adorable little Chinese lanterns (see tutorial here--she is amazing and I got most of my ideas from her) with Ninjago angry eyes added to them.

I also made a simple banner from red and black cardstock, yarn and computer printouts using my Bonzai font.  (My husband was spectacularly uninterested in any of the details of making the decorations, so of course I had to brag a little here---my only recourse).

I made headbands for all the kiddos using an old white sheet and some leftover transfer paper with red circles and the Japanese symbols for 'ninja' printed on them.  And yes, I actually SEWED them!  Me!  Sewed!  Until my sewing machine realized what was going on and refused to work anymore.  Regardless, they came out really cute and the kids loved them!

David insisted his be blue instead of red. 

Our first activity was decorating some ninja stars that Steven folded up for the kids.  I just laid out crayons and markers and let the kiddos go to town.  They seemed to enjoy tossing them around the house trying to injure one another.

The pinnacle of the party was truly when Sensei Wu came to instruct all the ninja trainees.  (My husband is such a champ.  I made him a hat, but completely dropped the ball on the white beard.  He improvised, as you can see.  I almost wet my pants when I first saw him).

Yes, that's shaving cream.

He gave them some basic ninja training (complete with questionable accent), and they absolutely ate it up.  "Sensei Wu" was undeniably hilarious.

Afterwards, the ninjas-in-training were put through an obstacle course, which consisted of crawling under a gate, balancing on a beam, jumping some noodle hurdles, stepping through a string maze, running through some agility cones and finally crawling under the balloon table.  They loved it and it was practically free!

The ninjas were finally ready, just in time, too.  Inside the house, skeleton warriors had already invaded.

The boys made short work of them (seriously, it got kind of Lord-of-the-flies-ish in there.  Just look at David's face!  I was glad I wasn't a balloon).  

Finally, refreshments!  Steven tried to teach the boys how to eat their pizza rolls with chopsticks.  Many just resorted to stabbing it with the sticks and then eating it like a kabob.

Our cupcakes were supposed to resemble a white ninjago ninja.  Unfortunately, I still 'take the cake' (if you will) for world's worst cake decorator (thank you...thank you very much).

At least it tasted good.  David had a great time opening his presents.  (As you can tell by his face).

Such a fun time.  It was outrageously loud the entire time, and many times several children came close to breaking limbs, but we had a great time.  David looked sad after it was all over and said, "Mom, can't my party be longer next year?"  Seriously, kid?  2 hours with 11 little boys is probably the limit to anyone's sanity.

But honestly...I'd do it again.

David is 6!

Gorgeous, isn't he?  Eat your heart out, 6-year old girls everywhere...

DAVID'S BIRTHDAY INTERVIEW - AGE 6

1. Who is your best friend?  Garrett Carelton from Mrs. Travis' class

2.  What is your favorite thing to do?  Play video games with Stevie

3. What is your favorite color?  Blue and Green

4.  What is your favorite food?  Pizza and cheese

5.  What do you like to do with your family?  Sleep downstairs on a Friday night with everyone (what now?..this almost never happens)

6.  What is your favorite toy?  My Ninjago stuff

7. What do you want to be when you grow up?  I want to work like Dad does.

8.  What makes you happy?  My birthday party!

9. What makes you sad?  Having to brush my teeth and clean up the floor and wash my face and hands and get into my jammies (bedtime stuff)

10. What is your favorite show to watch?  Ninjago

11.  What is your favorite book?  Ninjago, Masters of Spinjitsu Handbook (obviously we're big on the classics around here)

12.  What do you love to learn about?  Nothing, I already know everything (errr....hmmm)

13.  What was the best part of your birthday?  When we get to open presents! (DUH!)

14. Where do you like to go?  To Bodin's house

15.  Who was your teacher last year?  Mrs. Travis (LOVED her!)

16.  What is your favorite treat?  Tootsie rolls (errr....what?)

17.  What do you think about before you fall asleep?  Being scared because I really am scared of the night.

18.  What was your favorite birthday present?  My Ninjago stuff (Beginning to notice a theme yet?)

19.  If you could meet someone famous who would it be?  The Power Rangers or the Ninjago Ninjas

20.  What is your nickname?  Day-Day, Lil' Dade, Dave

Sweet little David, I love you so much!  You are just a ball full of hilariousness.  You really like to be right and have your own way a lot lately.  But you also love to give big hugs and kisses and just be together as a family.  You love to wrassle and tease your brothers.  You are AMAZING!  I'm pretty sure you're the best 6 year old in the world.  (and I'm not biased...really).

 

 

Rain

If you didn't already know, my husband is obsessed with rain.

Specifically thunderstorms, but generally any sort of rain with do.  He likes to introduce a love for rain and thunderstorms at an early age to our kiddos, making it sort of a special occasion when the lightning flashes and the thunder roars.  It's nice because they end up treating thunderstorms like a wonderful adventure rather than something to fear.

He's already started with the littlest one...

At the Beach (finally)

It's true...I haven't taken my kids to the beach all summer.  And I practically live in Galveston.  The shame!

I finally broke down and went at the suggestion of a friend.  Apparently there was a cute little beach just a ways down from me in a little bay.  It was very quiet and uncrowded and overall lovely.

The waves were very small and gently lapped up on the beach, which must have been much less intimidating to Jake because he charged right in with his older brothers.

To my dismay, however, this beach was teeming with hermit crabs.  While I was interested at first, I was less than thrilled when the boys begged me to bring a few home.  And for some asinine reason, I agreed.  What is wrong with me?  Now I have two petrified hermit crabs living in a tank in the boys' bathtub until I can find a spot for them (if they don't die first).  Let me tell you, the smell is...odoriferous.

After enjoying the water for awhile, the gentlemen went to work digging enormous holes and then filling them with water.  (They then put their hands in the water and pretended they had "phased" into another dimension--their words, not mine).

This is the fantastic lady I went with.  I had an absolutely wonderful time talking with her about everything under the sun.  She made me promise not to post this picture on Facebook but I made no such promises about my blog (mwahahaha).

What you don't see in this picture is how absolutely caked in mud Jake was at this point.  The lighting was apparently forgiving, but if you look closely, you can see dirt eyebrows with a matching moustache.

Grace was an absolute peach the entire time.  I just wore her in my sling and she was happy as a little clam.  That is until she realized she hadn't eaten in 90 minutes...that's where things started to get ugly....(believe me, that sandy strap-cover she's gnawing on wasn't cutting the mustard).

Lovely, lovely day.  Will definitely have to remember that spot.

Blood Pressure

I went to the doctor today.  As the nurse was checking my vitals, she mentioned that my blood pressure was higher than normal.  138/90??!!!  I was really upset, since I usually have pretty low blood pressure..  Especially since I've been working really hard to have a healthier lifestyle (harder workouts, better eating, etc).  I've actually lost almost 25 lbs!  How could my blood pressure be worse?  I know that both of my parents had high blood pressure, and I started to worry that maybe genetics were going to catch up to me regardless of my new healthier habits.

I was so worried about it that I peppered my doctor with questions as to what could have been the cause.  She told me that some people get "white coat syndrome," where they get nervous around doctors.  I was pretty sure that wasn't the case since I only had Grace with me, and was therefore MUCH calmer than usual.  (Sorry boys).  I eventually wheedled another blood pressure check out of them just to make sure.

114/68.  Phew!  I feel better.

There was another mass shooting in Wisconsin this week.  This time at a Sikh temple while people were worshiping and preparing for a communal feast.  6 people were killed.  Some mad man...

Of course there's been much media attention.  I was listening to the radio the other day to a Sikh representative talking about a few tenets of his faith.  He spoke of the turban that Sikh men wear, and how it was symbolically a uniform.  If you see someone with a turban, he explained, you know that it's someone you can go to if you need help or service.  Also, he spoke of it as a way for the Sikh people to stand out from the crowd.  They believe that they should stand apart as examples of love and justice. 

I was so touched by this man's description of his religion.  So much of what he said fell right into line with my own beliefs.  And I'm moved by how many people are standing by their community like brothers and sisters in sympathy and prayer during this horrible time for them---people (like myself) who may not have known anything about their beautiful belief system. 

It just makes you realize that God can make something good out of anything.  Even when something as sickening and tragic as this happens, the adversary will never win.  God just finds a way to bring us all a little closer together. 

Fourth of July

I was reading a friend's blog about how the 4th of July snuck up on her this year, and I have to say it was the same for us. It came out of nowhere! But nonetheless, we scrambled together some plans last minute and ended up having a great day.

In the morning, we headed out to Kemah to watch the parade with some friends. The big boys were definitely not thrilled about being there, until they started throwing candy---that changed their minds pretty quickly. Jake, however, never quite got his spirits up.

Afterwards, we headed out to the League City Citizen Appreciation Day that they throw every year.  Free hot dogs, cotton candy, face-painting, bounce houses and even pony rides!  I love this town. 

 

After cooling off a bit at home (and cooling off tempers---Jake's and Mommy's especially), we decided to go watch the fireworks in Nassau Bay.  Since we moved here four years ago, this was by far the best fireworks experience we've had.  Plenty of space, not over-crowded at all and a beautiful view of the fireworks over the water.  The weather had even cooled down to the high 80s! 

My Yankee Doodle Sweethearts

I spent a good part of the evening convince the boys not to jump off the rocks into the water.

Bubby and Sissy

All my babies lying on the blanket waiting for the fireworks to begin.

My super-cute husband being goofy with me.

Some nice little kids came up and offered us some glow necklaces.  The boys were thrilled!

All-in-all, not too shabby of a Fourth.  I think we'll probably repeat all these activities again next year (though Steven had the excellent idea to bring delicious foodstuffs to the fireworks.  Brilliant!  Why didn't I think of that?)