a few more photos from our trip to texas.

we had the best time in texas with our cousins.  they kept us busy with so many things to do.  we went to the lake, to the water park, rode quads (four wheelers) through the trails in their backyard, played some sand volleyball, got all dressed up like cows for some free food at chick fil a, watched some late night movies, played an all day game of phase 10 (probably the longest phase 10 game i have ever played), and so much more.

eden and ava adore their older girl cousins, addie and bailey.  i would often find them up in their room doing hair or hanging out or huddled under a blanket watching a movie.  they were hooked to their hips for a week and a half.  jack is and was all about his cousin zach.  jack would beg him to play video games with him and sweet zach always would.  jonah on the other hand, was obsessed with nobody, his obsession was with something, "the ride", aka the quad.  that boy could think about nothing else.  he was your best friend as long as you were giving him a ride.

we were sad when we had to leave but there were other adventures that lied ahead.  this was only the beginning of our summer road trip.  i loaded up everyone on a saturday morning and pulled out of mansfield, tx all by myself with four kids 8 and under.  jason had bailed on us a few days before because he had to get back to work.  so, we were off, headed for wyoming to visit friends.  our goal was to make it to colorado springs...about a 12 hour drive.  stay tuned to see if we made it!  spoiler:   (just in case you are wondering, we did!)

first day of school 2013... (and preschool too).

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the first day of school for the big kids was three weeks ago today. wow, the time has flown by.  i'm going to say, i was more than ready for school to start this year.  i think it may of had something to do with this almost month long road trip that i went on with my four kids mostly solo.  i really did have the best time and saw and experienced so many things with my kids and i wouldn't trade that trip and those memories for anything, but i was ready for a break.  i don't know how single parents do it.

my kids were ready for it too.  ava, my school lover, was especially ready.  jack was slightly nervous going into the third with a new teacher that was new to the school herself.  she seems incredibly nice and after the first couple of days jack was talking her up like she was something special.  i think it's going to be a good school year.

eden started her second year of preschool a couple of days after the big kids started their school.  she was very excited to be returning to her same montessori preschool with her same teacher, miss sheri.  eden is growing up so fast, just like her siblings, and i can't believe i will be sending her off to kindergarten next year with her big brother and sister.  that will be so weird having three kids in school.  poor jonah will feel left out, i am presuming.  or maybe he will secretly like being an only child while everyone is gone at school... only time will tell.

jack's 9th birthday.

jack celebrated his 9th birthday about two weeks ago.  it was on a saturday and usually a saturday is great day to have a birthday because both mom and dad are home but our dad had a work thing that day which was actually a dodge ball tournament that he just "had to go to" (no, he really did) so we decided to have an early morning birthday celebration.

jack had previously requested what we wanted for his three meals on his birthday.  for breakfast he wanted french toast.  so, jason and i decided instead of birthday cake, which he had the night before at his birthday party with friends, that we would create a french toast cake.  we stacked pieces of french toast on top of each other making a giant tower and then topped it with strawberries, bananas, raspberries, powder sugar, and syrup.  it was by the far the best idea for a birthday cake yet.  most importantly, jack thought it was cool.

after the traditional birthday song and blowing out candles, it was the traditional time to open presents.  this year, jack got hot wheel cars, a lego book, and a lone ranger lego set that he had been eyeing.  he was very excited for all three gifts.

now that jack is 9 years old, i am officially feeling old.  i told jason on his birthday, that i couldn't believe we have a 9 year old.  it just feels old.  i think especially because i can remember back when i was 9 and in the 3rd grade.  it's like a flashback and i know the years are going to start flying by.  we only have 9 more years with jack and then he's off on a mission.  putting it that way, he is already half done with us and that makes me very sad.  they really do grow up fast.  (where's that pause button?)  being that he is our oldest, his birthdays always seem like reality checks.  yes, you are getting older and yes, so is he.  anyway, he is a great kid and has so much personality and we love him to death.

happy birthday kiddo.... hope your last year in the single digits is a good one.

fossil rim.

one of the days we were in texas we went to this place called fossil rim.  it's a wildlife park that you drive your car through and get to have up close and personal interaction with animals.  we had some bags of food to lure the animals to our car and before you know it, there they were eating right out of our hands.  it was really cool but gross at the same time because after feeding them, your hand was covered in animal drool.  a few times, i thought some of those antlered guys were going to jump right into our car with us.  they would get their entire heads into the car.  they weren't shy at all!  midway through we stopped for a picnic lunch and then stopped at the petting zoo to say hi to the little goats and pigs and turtles.  jonah really enjoyed that.

it was a little warm that day, so we had some kids with some red faces but we saw and fed some really rad animals.  it was a great little adventure and the kids were completely wore out by the end.  so wore out that everyone crashed on the way home :)