Let’s go Raingers!

We have been to 3 Rangers games prior to last night and every game has been delayed for hours because of major rain.  So yesterday when our drought streak in DFW was broken with rain during the day, of course I was not surprised!  However, the rain stopped and the weather was amazing!  From 18 100+ degree days in a row to a nice low 80’s temperature for game time was awesome.

Trever and Susan treated us to their free awesome Rangers tickets and the seats were great.  One time last year we sat about 20 rows up behind home plate, but these seats were down the right field line and only row 5, and I think I liked this view even better.  Being on the same level as the team they seem “life size” and it was a great game (the parts that I paid attention to!)

As I have mentioned, Cole loves the Rangers and literally asks us EVERY SINGLE DAY if we can go to a Ranger’s game.  So last night when Mommy and Daddy left him to go to a game, a huge sad fit was thrown.  We didn’t tell him where we were going but I am sure our Rangers shirts gave it away…  Poor Buddy has not cried when we left him somewhere in like two years.  But he just loves his Rangers.  Aunt Anna took great care of him though- thanks Anna!  We had a wonderful time despite leaving him home with a broken heart…and we came home with FOUR tickets for Sunday’s game just for him!  He is very excited about it!

 

Thanks Sus and Trev ;)

Our boy

Last night at bedtime, I was thinking how blessed we are to have kids who are sometimes usually mostly good at bedtime.  After we watched our bedtime show (Little Einsteins) and brushed our teeth, Coleman walked right into his room and I lifted him up into his top bunk.  It was a night with no crying and no fussing.  As I was turning out his light and turning on his music, he said, “Bye Mommy,” before I could even tell him goodnight or kiss him.  Such a big boy!  But it made me sad- for he is a big boy!

So 30 minutes later, as he walked into our room with that shy little grin that said, “Yes I’m still awake” – and Daddy got up to take him back to bed – I stopped him.  I said, “Wait Daddy.”  Jeff knew just what we needed.  We needed our boy cuddles.  So the boy happily giggled and crawled up next to me and we cuddled and watched the Rangers game.  On the day when our baby girl started kindergarten, I knew the days of “staying up too late” and knowing they’ll get a nap the next day are numbered.  I knew that I couldn’t be selfish and keep him up for cuddles and night-time “I love you Mommy”s and “Let’s hold hands Mommy”s for too much longer.  He has 2 years and they will certainly fly by in the blink of an eye.

So, last night, I kept my boy up too late so we could watch his beloved Rangers with him…so he could lay between his Mommy and Daddy and ask us to scoot over so he could have more room in our plenty big king size bed…so he could cuddle every inch of his body to me throughout the night…so I could keep him little for as long as I can.  As his big sister slept all night in her own bed. 

This is our happy boy.  He makes me SO happy.

I Trust You’ll Treat her Well

Tears Disclaimer: Nonnie do not read in front of your class. :)  I hadn’t shed a tear all morning till I read this.

 

 

I Trust You'll Treat Her Well

World, I bequeath to you today one little girl in a crispy dress.. with two blue eyes...and a happy laugh that ripples all day long, and a batch of light blonde hair that bounces in the sunlight when she runs. I T rust You'll Treat Her Well.
She's slipping out of the backyard of my heart this morning and skipping off down the street to her first day at school.
And never again will she be completely mine...
Prim and proud, she'll wave a young and independent hand this morning, and say goodbye and walk with little-lady steps to the nearby schoolhouse...
Gone will be the chattering little hoyden who lived only for play, and gone will be the delightful little gamin who roamed the yard like a proud princess with nary a care in her little world.
Now, she will learn to stand in lines...and wait by the alphabet for her name to be called...
She will learn to tune her little-girl ears for the sound of school bells, and for deadlines...
She will learn to giggle and gossip... and to look at the ceiling in a disinterested way when the little boy across the aisle sticks out his tongue.
Now she will learn to be jealous...and now she will learn how it is to feel hurt inside...and now she will learn how not to cry.  No longer will she have time to sit on the front porch steps on a summer day and watch while an ant scurries across a crack in the sidewalk...
Or will she have time to pop out of bed with the dawn to kiss lilac blossoms in the morning dew.  Now she will worry about important things...like grades...and what dresses to wear...and whose best friend is whose. Now she will worry about the little boy who pulls her hair at recess time... and staying after school...and which little girls like which little boys...And the magic of books and knowledge will soon take the place of the magic of her blocks and dolls.
And she'll find her new heroes.  For five full years I've been her sage and Santa Claus...her pal and playmate...her parent and friend.  Now, alas, she'll learn to share her worship and adoration with her teachers (which is only right).
No longer will her parents be the smartest, and greatest in the world. Today, when the first school bell rings, she'll learn how it is to be a member of the group...with all its privileges, and, of course, its disadvantages, too.
She'll learn in time that proper young ladies don't laugh out loud...or keep frogs in pickle jars in bedrooms...or watch ants scurry across the cracks in a summer sidewalk...
Today, she'll begin to learn for the first time that all who smile at her are not her friends. That "the group" can be a demanding mistress... and I'll stand on the porch and watch her start out on the long, long journey to becoming a woman.
So WORLD, I BEQUEATH TO YOU TODAY ONE LITTLE GIRL in a crispy dress, with two blue eyes, a happy laugh that ripples all day long, and a batch of light blonde hair that bounces in the sunlight when she runs.
I TRUST YOU'LL TREAT HER WELL.

-Dan Valentine

Shelby Goes to Kindergarten!

Last night we asked Shelby to choose where she would like to eat out, for her last night before she started Kindergarten.  She chose FUZZY’s (we may or may not have known that would be the choice!!!)  haha

Such a big girl…

Shelby’s kindergarten list specified no backpacks, but instead they are to use this tote bag.  Ms. Story told us to decorate it however we wanted so yesterday morning we bedazzled the heck out of it!

You might notice she has some new bangs since getting her beautiful haircut…that’s because she cut some herself last week when our babysitter Heather was cooking lunch.  There was a small little chunk so I decided to just even them out all across, after trying to keep them back was unsuccessful.

Still cute :)

 

This morning when I woke her up she had to get some Mary cuddles in first, of course.

After she got dressed she insisted on feeding the dogs breakfast, so she fed all three dogs and got them fresh water. 

When she sat down at the table I kissed her left hand and drew this little red heart in there- Aunt Jan sent her The Kissing Hand in the mail last week and we have been reading it and just love it.

Then she got herself Froot Loops from the pantry and fixed it herself.

Then we were all ready and headed outside to the “picture area” :)

Of course, Shelby had to stop the dog-walker to pet his dog first.

   

Then some smileys.

 

 

We parked a block from the school to walk her up.  She was READY to go!

The kindergartners were to meet in the cafeteria but we stopped as we passed her classroom for a couple of pictures.

The proud, non-boohooing parents!

We followed her through the hallowed halls to the cafeteria:

While waiting to go to her class, she was a little cuddly and clingy- ok maybe I’m holding back tears here.

But when it was time to go, she went up to her friend Kailey, who she met on Thursday at Meet The Teacher, and said, “Can we hold hands?” 

So we followed the new little friends off to their class as they held hands the whole way.  Kailey’s dad said, “Ok we know they’re gonna be best friends forever now!”

Inside she found her hook and hung her bag.

Then Mrs. Shapiro asked the boys and girls to go to the carpet and read books.  Shelby said, “Bye Mommy and Daddy!”  She gave us hugs and walked off to the carpet, never looking back. 

So we were off.

   

She is excited and she is ready.  Our big, smart, beautiful baby girl!

S&C’s last Monday with Daddy

This was the week before Jeff became a 5-days a week, 2-day weekend worker!

He is such a good, brave Daddy.  He ventured out with THREE dogs and TWO kids to the dog park all by himself!  Of course, because he is calm and cool and fun, all went smoothly.

Shelby is just in her element at the dog park.  Maybe when she’s older we’ll just drop her off there to play instead of getting a babysitter when we need one ;)

Cole loves doggies but loves sticks and dirt even more. 

As I was looking through these pictures I noticed a trend.  I think their little personalities and differences show in the pictures Daddy took!

Shelby with a doggie:

  

Coleman with a stick:

 

Shelby with a dog:

Coleman with a stick:

Shelby loved this dog named Nala:

 

And I would guess that Nala loved her too!

Coleman loved the dirt:

And because no trip to the dog park is complete without hiney-sniffing, I give you

Roxxy:

 

and Rusty:

And Mary-dog, who stays so close by her people even in the dog park. 

   

This picture is just cute- A comfy Daddy-made pallet for rest time and a happy boy!

Where a (Girl) can be a (Girl)

Shelby was very excited to be invited to a birthday party for a friend from TCC.
These 4 girls had no time lost once they saw each other after being apart all summer.  It was all hugs and giggles and hip-shaking from the start!

They are SO girly.  We were cracking up- after Chuck E placed the crown on Jaylee’s head and the medal around her neck, all 3 girls ran right over and began to help her primp.

Linnea un-stuffed her hair and foofed it for her,

while Shelby made sure her ribbon and medal were on straight.

Then I found a couple of things that would really be nice to have around the house:
Something that Shelby and Coleman can share together and play together nicely with:

    
And then something when Mommy needs everyone including Daddy still and quiet! :)


Yet another fun trip to Chuck E. Cheese.  Where a kid can be a kid.