First Communion

At long last, or so it seems, Isabelle is celebrating her First Communion. A special right of passage for 8 year olds or older in the Catholic faith. She could hardly wait until it was her turn. After celebrating with Gabby two years ago. She was able to share her special occasion with her grand parents and Aunt Penny, plus her crazy brothers. After four months of planning and learning her day had finally arrived and she was ready. All her preparation was well used when the day finally came and she was able to have communion for the first time. She was pretty excited about this right of passage, and could hardly wait.

Decllan's First hair cut

Now I know that most little kids don't like to sit still and do one thing for very long but this was just ridiculous. Decllan was terrible upset about the entire experience, and screamed or cried the entire hair cut. What kid does that? He was so traumatized by the whole experience that I dread taking him to get it done again. How will he react? Will he scream or be peaceful? At least he did not do anything malicious to the hair dresser, like bite or hit her. It was just crazy! But alas he looks so much more like a big boy now that he has his hair cut. His little baby face is slowly melting away as he gets older. I can already see a difference from when we took pictures in late November to, today. My baby is getting so big. I know he won't be the baby much longer, but I still want to be able to savor these last few weeks before he becomes a big brother. Well at least now he looks the part, with his fancy first hair cut. At least I did not wait as long as I did with Isabelle to get his hair cut. They have the same type of hair, that's why I say that.

March a Month in Review

March opened up with outdoor sports starting, spring break and Easter all in one. With outdoor sports starting we are going to be very busy this Spring season. We will have three kids playing five sports. You might ask, how are you going to manage that, I'm just not sure. No just kidding it will all work out, not all games will be on the weekend and I'm sure practice will change from time to time. So here is a little preview of what a busy week would look like.

Monday - Girl Scouts for Isabelle and T-ball practice/game for Cooper
Tuesday - Baseball for Barrett

Wednesday - Soccer Practice for Isabelle

Thursday - T-ball Practice for Cooper, Soccer practice for Barrett, and/or Softball game/ practice for Isabelle


Friday - Soccer practice for Isabelle

Saturday - Baseball game & Soccer game for Barrett, T-ball Game for Cooper (one weekend Isa had softball games as well)


Sunday - Soccer game for Isabelle, Baseball Practice for Barrett

Whew what a week. And that is just our sports schedule. That does not include homework and projects for the kids schools. I know we are crazy but we love it. The kids all have a blast playing their sports and really enjoy bonding with their teammates. Isabelle is starting to really get to know the girls on her soccer team and develop relationships with them. Same with Barrett and his baseball team. Cooper loves to have Ben out there with him on the field. Sometimes we have to divide and conquer but it all gets done.

I really don't remember much from Spring Break, but I think at least one kid went to a grandparents house, maybe two of them I'm not really sure. I don't think I did much, but hey I can do that.



Easter on the other hand was great. We enjoyed Easter dinner and an egg hunt out at my parents’ house, where the kids played outside for hours and really loved every minute of it. I really want to move out to the country. I think I took a nap that day too, which I did because I can. It was a very nice day and everyone had a great time.

February a Month in Review

Well all of my days are starting to run together and I'm very behind on my blogging. I know I should try harder but there is just not enought time in the day. So I'm going to do a little month in review.

Let's see what did we do:

Basketball for Barrett, this is was much better year than last year. He played well and was not an airplane too many times on the court. The coaches, Ben and his buddy Durwood did a great job of trying to help all of their players score at least once during the season. I'm pretty sure only one player did not score, no matter how hard they all tried to help him out. One of the shortest kids on the team did the best job, and was a little spit fire on the court. I think they had a blast.




Isabelle and Ben attended the Arlington Classics Academy (ACA) Father Daughter Dance again this year and had a blast. While I took formal pictures for the event. It was actually nice this year I could see more of what was going on and got to share in the experience a little bit better since we were are all the same floor. Last year the venue was two stories. She also played indoor soccer this winter and really started rocking it in goal. She is turnig out to be a pretty good little goalie. It almost seems pretty natural for her.




Cooper was just Cooper, he is gearing up for T-ball to start in the spring and testing my limits on what he can and cannot do. Some days it's trying while others it is a real joy.



Decllan is growing up so fast. He is almost a year and half old and just keeps learning more and more new stuff everyday. He really loves Cooper, and follows him around and does pretty much everything he does. It's kind of cute and a little bit worriesome. He misses his company when Cooper is at school but at least he has Mommy. Decllan is really starting to talk and sign more each day and picks up new signs everyday, I just love it.

Happy 4th Birthday Cooper

For Cooper's 4th Birthday we held a Super Hero party at the house. He had so much fun with his friends and family being a super hero and putting their mad skills to the test. Ben made up a little super hero training course for the kids to participate in and they all did wonderful. It is truly amazing to see our kids move around and how their gross motor skills differ from kids their own age. Everyone made it through the course with flying colors and had amazing fun, playing, jumping and just being kids. We even made cards for the real heros out there who serve our country every day, away from their families.

I tried to make it fun for the adults as well, by labling all of the food something different than what it actually was. So I had x-ray bites, and speed enhancer balls, and so much more. It was actually lots of fun trying to come up with names for the food to match the party. My little batman did not really care but I sure did. Plus the food was all a big hit, I'm not sure why people insist on giving kids unhealthy stuff to eat at parties, all my party goers ate like real super heros food that will help their bodies.


We did have cake, which I would normally been happy with but the red frosting looked pink. I told the girl why not use green then. Oh yeah we could have done that. Duh! Sometimes I wonder how people function. Of course the color of the frosting did not make a difference to the kids, they still ate the cake which was the point. They loved it! Overall I think Cooper turning 4 worked out great.

Bear's Concert

Shortly after the kids came back from Winter Break, the kindergarten classes held a little concert for the parents. Bear did great. He paid attention, knew all the words to the songs, and had a blast. His concert was much better than the last one Isabelle's class held. Either way, it was great to see him perform and really enjoy himself. He was a little envious of Isabelle because she had done two performance and they did not done any. Now he has and is a happy camper. He has such great tone, that I'm glad he enjoy's singing and does well at it. I hope we get to hear him sing again before the year is out.

Chinese Lantern Festival

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In January we all visited the Chinese Lantern Festival at Fair Park. It was so cool! The exhibit, it was freezing outside, everyone was bundled up and ready for the weather. I had been looking forward to this exhibit for months, I purchased discounted tickets from Groupon, well before the event started, and waited and waited, then the day finally came. So instead of me talking about what we saw I shall give you a highlight of a few of the lanterns.

The Big Surprise

It may come as a shock to some of you who have not received a Christmas card, that we are expecting number five (5). That's right something went wrong in the process and here we are again expanding our family by one more. Needless to say this has been quite a shock to me and I still don't think I have my mind wrapped around the idea of another child. I know I only have so long to get ready for this and the baby will be here before we know it.

The real stinker is that I had started getting rid of baby stuff once Decllan had reached a certain point. Mostly baby clothes, smaller diapers and things like the floor play mat and high chair. The good part, I guess, is that I still have the big stuff like the crib, dresser/changing table, car seat and stroller. I did give away every stich of maternity clothing I owned mostly because who wants to keep that around as a reminder. There has been some adjustments that have needed to been made, but I think we might make it.

The funny part was the kids did not even believe us when we told them. Since we had previously told them that we would not be having any more kids, they were like, Mommy's not pregnant she said no more. Well at least they listened to me on that.

For our big reveal on the gender I had the idea to keep it a secret from everyone and create a box that the kids would open and balloons would fly out that are the color of the gender. Pretty clever; except my kids always fight over balloons.

So this is what we did. It was pretty fun, for them, but Isabelle cried for 30 minutes, and was almost inconsolable. Pour girl, she will be one among four (4) brothers. She prayed really hard for a sister but it was just not meant to be. Bear was excited, and Cooper still thinks the baby will be a girl. Too funny!If you look you won't even see her behind the box, she is crying already.

Merry Christmas

Well it's that time of the year again were we celebrate Christmas with the birth of Christ and Santa. I know what a combination but hey it's what has happened with commercialization. Oh well, at least the kids have tons of fun. The older two both received weapons for Birthday/Holiday and can hardly wait to test them out and practice their targeting. Cooper received a new big boy bike, free of training wheels. While Decllan received some musical instruments, he really loves music.

Over all it was a pretty good day, they kids really enjoyed themselves and had a blast in the freak snow storm we had on Christmas. We enjoyed spending time at Oma and Grandpa Don's new house. While visiting with Uncle Adam and the grandparents; it was a very nice relaxing holiday for all of us. I even got in a little nap.

Look who's 8

I'm sure that I'm not quite old enough to have an eight (8) year old. That's right 8! Yikes, where has the time gone.

Either way she is amazing. One of the sweetest most empathetic kids I know. She has a big heart and is always willing to help out a friend. But not always those brothers of hers.

Let's see some Highlights from Isabelle's year of Seven (7)

1. Started playing Academy Soccer
2. Loves Arlington Classics Academy, started 2nd Grade
3. Enjoys Music and Art
4. Currently wants to be an Art Teacher when she grows up
5. Brownie Girl Scout
6. Is a GREAT big sister
7. Loves to read
8. Went on a special vacation with Oma and Grandpa, by herself.

I'm sure the next year will be just as exciting. She is already planning her summer and what she wants to do, so get ready world here comes Isabelle.

Breakfast with Santa

I'm not sure why millions of people try to get pictures of their kids with Santa each year. And yes sadly I am one of them. Although, I can say that there has been the rare occasion where I actually paid to have pictures taken with Santa, not that it happens often. Or even once per year. After all I would hate to have that picture of the screaming kid, trying to get away from Santa. I really like the free Santa pictures.

Well this year Decllan was not so sure he wanted to sit on Santa's lap or be near him at all. Cooper sat beside Santa, never one to be a big fan. It was kind of cute and funny at the same time. Oh well at least they got to have some fun with friends and do a little cookie decorating as well.

Decllan really enjoyed the cookies, and I think he had two. This kid has a sweet tooth like nobody else. It's crazy. Oh well we love him.

Holiday Parade

Isabelle's Girl Scout Troop had the chance to walk in the Mansfield, Texas Holiday Parade, as the Grand Marshall's. The title was given to the Girl Scouts since the group celebrated 100 years in 2012. What an amazing time to be a Girl Scout.

I'm sure the organization has drastically changed since Juliete Gordon Low founded Girl Scouts those many years ago but that is a story for another day.

Isa had a blast walking in the parade and the boys really enjoyed, the chance to watch and get free candy. Which mostly consisted of candy canes since it was so close to Christmas.

I was actually surprised at how warm it was that day, Isa even rolled up her pant legs while walking. Too cute! Either way she had a blast and always asks when the next one will be.

ACA Program

The Second Graders at Isabelle's school performed a few songs for the parents the other day. I can only say that if the piece originally did not have words it would probably be best if it was kept that way. I hate to say that they did not sound good, nor could you understand what the kids were singing.

Isabelle loves to sing but this was not her best performance, and I really think the music selection and choices had a lot to do with that. If the music teacher had picked other pieces to perform it might have been different, but I'm just not sure. Of course they did not sing any holiday music for fear of offending someone, but still it was just not a good performance. I feel bad for the students, because they had to learn words to pieces that should not have words put to them.

If you want to do a "patriotic" concert then pick songs that have words already made for them and sing those not some made up pieces that sound horrible with words. I guess the only good thing that came from this performance was that Isabelle had fun. I guess that is all I can ask for.

School Program

This year Cooper has his first school program where he gets to sing Christmas songs for all of the parents. It was too cute and I'm so glad that he had this chance. He just loves to perform, but could hardly wait to get out of his "dress up" shirt. His class sang by themselves and then with the whole group, and he thought he was done after the first round. His teach reminded him that no he had to wait until the whole group performace to change his shirt. Too funny!

He did a great job and really looked like he was having lots of fun. The songs were cute and I he did a wonderful job.