Asa's First Day of Pre-K

After much searching I finally found a preschool for Asa. This is a church school that is all day and available 5 days a week. We just signed him up for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, but it is 8:30 - 3:30 all day. He is in hog heaven. He loves his new teacher and playmates. He his able to play and be busy. They do offer nap time which he may sleep by Thursday, we'll see. They are teaching the K-4 A Beka curriculum and I'm so excited about that. He will be learning to read!!!!!

Grant's First Day of First Grade!

He was so excited. He had his school t-shirt, his tennis shoes that light up (and happened to be school colors ... I've always been happy with color coordinating things) and a new backpack with a super hero on it. He couldn't have been happier.

He really likes his new teacher and is most excited that there are more boys than girls in his class and that he gets three recess times.

More Cute Pics

Baby Gobble Gobble

When we were leaving the rodeo on Saturday, we saw this mama and her babies walking on the side of our street. Yeah! I had my camera with me! They were so tiny.

Muttin Bustin

This was a new term to us, because you see this was our first rodeo. The county had their big fair and rodeo mid August and we went Thursday night for all the junior rodeo events. We had so much fun. The boys signed up for Muttin Bustin. Zane and I stayed in the stands and Boomer took them over to the shoots. Grant was all for it - he's the dare devil. Asa, on the other hand, was sitting on the sheep until the man came around to tell him to lay his belly down and "bear hug" him. Well, that was that he was off that sheep and Boomer said they just watched Grant ride. (If you want to call it that.) Now our camera is not quick enough to work for such an event. I had no idea it would go so quick! It was a riot. Anyway, both boys got ribbons and I think they had a really good time. I know I did.

Zane was sitting with all the pretty ladies. It made me laugh that they were all holding their cell phones. It made me laugh to think that everyone they knew (except maybe mama) was probably there at the rodeo! Zane was happy as long as he had his water bottle. I have no idea what that was about. Kids this age tie on the some strange things! But, hey man, whatever works, right?!?
Saturday we went back to a special show for the kids all about milk and cattle. It was really interesting and I was surprised that they wanted to stand there any watch the entire presentation. Zane and Daddy stayed at home for nap time.
We went into the junior stock show so the boys could see the teenagers showing their cows. I'm probably saying some things wrong, so you country folk, be easy on me. Grant is already planning what animal he wants to have for his 4H club. We learned he could get into that when he's 9.

Come and Play

Boomer's working on the swingset in the back of the land.

Zane wearing his new sun hat. Boomer says he's going to kill me some day for that hat. I think he's young enough for me to get away with it. :)

Enjoying our Summer

The boys missed each other so much. Here they are all coloring together. Zane is really into it and loves his big brother so much.
Zane has to talk on the phone each morning to his Grandma. He whines for me to give him the phone, then walks off to his room. He climbed up in the rocker by himself to have his conversation!

Three Little Chicks All In a Row

Boomer left the seminar about 30 minutes early to go to the airport. Granny and Pa were nice enough to fly Zane back that evening. It was his first plane ride and he did awesome! It worked out great that Boomer was able to list himself for a flight so he could get through security and meet them at the gate. They were able to catch a turn around flight and go right back home. It was perfect!

I finished the seminar and got the boys from class. They ran around the church with a little friend they had made. It was so nice to see them enjoying themselves. We didn't have to wait too long and Boomer was back at the church with Zane. It was so great to see him I almost lost it. All my little boys back with me!

Our Family Vacation (minus one)

Well, now we have the two older boys back with us, but I've left my baby up north. :(

Now we can do things that we couldn't do with a little one! Boomer took some time off work and we started our family time. Yeah!! Sunday morning we got up and drove about an hour to MacArthur Park CoC for Marriage Matters seminar. We stayed in San Antonio day school shopping and attending the seminar. They had great childcare for the boys, they had a blast.

Monday we packed a picnic lunch and drove out to Hamilton Pool, which is a spring fed pool and grotto. There is a 1/4 mile hike down to the most beautiful swimming hole I've ever seen.

Monday night we drove back to San Antonio for the seminar and the boys are making friends in their classes. They fell asleep for the ride home and we are in love with the Hill Country.

Tuesday we went to the movies to see Space Chimps. It was so cute and funny. We all laughed and enjoyed the show. They even had dollar dogs. By this time, Grant is asking why we keep letting them drink Cokes. What a sweet boy! We came back home and went swimming at the local pool. We have fish for children.

That evening we were driving back to San Antonio for Marriage Matters and the boys are excited ... we are too. :)

By this time, I'm really missing Zane. I talked to him on the phone and started to tear up. What a goober!

Wednesday morning, Boomer continues work on the playset for the boys. Grant and Asa love playing outside with their daddy. We left for San Antonio early to eat dinner out before the seminar started for the last night.

I learned so much from this seminar.

I learned:

... the devil doesn't create anything, he only messes up good stuff

... marriage's need maintenance check-ups just like cars

... Jerry and Lynn Jones are a gift from God, using their God-given talents to help people

... reciprocal love is not healthy or Godly

... anger is unmet expectations

... if it's not immoral, illegal, unethical or hurtful, I have to change my expectation

... an emeshed family is not healthy

We have been blessed to attend this seminar.

Zane's Vacation at Granny and Pa's

Yeah, Zane and I finally get to see Grant and Asa!!!!!!! It was so beautiful to see the three of them hugging eachother when we walked through the door at Boomer's folks house. Zane had missed them so much here at home. He would point upstairs for them every morning when he woke up. I let them play together for a while, but I was anxious to get the drive behind me so we left after about an hour. Zane stayed with Granny and Pa while I took Grant and Asa back home with me.

Here are some pictures of Zane with his cousins while he was on his little vacation with grandparents.

This is Zane and Bo. There's about 9 month's difference in their age. What a cutie! Bo, is Susan's grandbaby!

Zane and cousin Jennifer with their UT shirts. That would be great if they both went to Texas!
Our son, the climber, on top of Granny's coffee table!

Zane's Visit with Grandma, Papa and Aunt Lou

By this time Grant and Asa has been gone for two weeks and I'm really missing them. I mean, I'm thankful that they got to spend time with both sets of grandparents, but it's time to come home. So, Zane and I drove up to my folks to spend a couple of nights there. That gave them some time to spend with him and me a chance to use my massage gift certificate from Boomer!

Here Zane is playing with Aunt Lou. I love pictures of them together.

We may have to invest in a piano. Zane just helped himself, pushing back the lid, crawling up on the stool and started to play. He was too cute.

So Far Behind

I'm so far behind on my blogs. I'm sorry, but I'm going to try to catch up today ..... so hold on tight!

The wheel on the truck go around and...flat!

by Boomer

Here's the story of how we got a flat on our land. This year for the boys birthday, we decided they needed a swing set. So, we asked the family members to contribute as a group to their "big" birthday present--and yes several family members (and you know who you are), also thought those "poor" boys, they need a swing set. So, after gathering up the monies to buy it, we finally decided to find "the place" on the land to actually put it together.

During the "big break" (when Grant and Asa went to their grand parents) Sonja, Zane and myself decided one night to go drive around the land and find "the spot". So instead of hitching up the four wheeler (thanks Uncle Bill & Aunt Susan) to the trailer (thanks again Uncle Bill & Aunt Susan) and lugging the family around, I thought--well we now have a truck (we bought from my cousin Mickey' s estate), we can ride around in style with the air conditioning blowing on us to keep us nice and cool--the max air setting is a little cantankerous, so we just had to go with the 'normal' setting. Well, it did it's job of keeping us cool and we had a really good time just driving around the three of us. Zane was walking and crawling all around the cab during our drive in back 40--he had so much fun! When we came to "the spot", I decide to drive a little closer so Sonja could get a better view of it--after all, the sun was sitting...then all of the sudden, out of the blue we hear this BIG \'hiss'/ from the front of the truck and it just collapses to one side.

Well, as it turned out, when I turned the wheel to drive a little closer, (so that my sweet wife Sonja, wouldn't have to get out and walk in the heat), the sidewall hit a stump...which must have had a sharp point on it, and it sliced it's way thru the sidewall as we moved forward. As you can tell, it sounds like it was all her fault, but of course it wasn't...it was mine...yes, I know I was wrong for once...so go ahead and mark it on your calendar. So instead of making my wife and young child walk from the back 40 to the cabin, I drove the truck up to the goat barn, yes Papa the one with "ant hills" and parked it there--for a couple of days, until I could change the tire in day light. And by looking at the picutre you can tell, I was NOT able to change it in full day light, as I did it one night after I got home from work. It got dark so fast, that I had to use the camping lantern to light the "subject" just to finish THE changing.

So..that's the story of the flat on the land...not that we own flat land...

Summer Vacation Continues

After spending a week with my parents. The boys went to Boomer's folks to spend the week. This is Boomer's old farm. and some dominoes his father made.

If you look close, you can see Jerry Lewis and Lewis Hipp (my grandfather). I think Asa is actually wrinkling the same side of his face as Dadaddy did?!?

Trip to Chuck E. Cheese.

Granny wanted the boys to experience recycling cans. They had fun and got "two big monies".

Then Granny and Pa took them and cousin Jennifer to Possum Kingdom Lake to play. Here they're playing at the beach down from Boomer's cousins place.

Tommy's dock at the Cliffs, Grant caught his first fish!

Floating ... cooling off at the dock. I think it's pretty deep there.

To Grandmother's House We Go

The two oldest boys spent a week at my mom's house. They are so tan ... you can really see the indian blood that runs in both our families. They played outside with the neighbor kids in the water and went to play putt-putt for the first time. They had so much fun. It was super weird being here with just the baby. I got to watch Good Morning America again!!!!!!!!!!