Update

Especially since mine is riddled with anomalies, the human body fascinates me.  For those of you who don't share that interest and didn't want to see my guts, sorry.  Scroll quickly past the 1st picture.  Or I hope you aren't eating...

I have always been grateful for my miracle babies, but until I got pictures back from my surgery I didn't quite grasp how truly miraculous they are.  I knew my septum contributed to my infertility and preterm labor issues but had always envisioned it as just a thin wall dividing my uterus.  This picture shows how wrong I was.  It was massive.  It defies logic that I was able to carry 2 healthy babies...meanwhile, I've spent the past 2 years whining about not getting another one.  *facepalm*  My heart is drawn out in gratitude for my boys, and for an amazing doctor who was finally able to get rid of this obstacle.  As usual, Heavenly Father was pouring out more blessings on me than I was aware:



I love it when Pamela flies back to run the Hot Chocolate race every year:

So does everyone else!  Girls Night:

 I wonder what inspired us to wear orange and blue to church on Super Bowl Sunday...Go Broncos!:

Cutest little old man on the 100th Day of School.  He has silver spray paint in his hair, make up wrinkles, and a pvc pipe cane Autrey made him.  Love the tennis ball.  Sad I couldn't find the fake glasses to complete the get-up:

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Digging in the dirt:

I get home from my workout and see this little muscle man:

I need to do whatever those exercises are.  Haha:



Exploring by Grapevine Lake...that's waaaaay  higher than it usually is:

The Minecraft card Dylan wrote to TAMMY.  I couldn't resist:



Tommy had his party at a ninja warrior course/trampoline park:

Ms. Marissa...Molar Woman...at Play to Learn during Dental Health Month:

Dylan: "The knightly plan of the bad guys."  He was proud of his castle:

The stuff we came home with from Three Little Pigs fun with Ms. Marissa. I loved the chocolate pudding finger paint 'mud' for the pig.  And, yes, that is a strawberry cream cheese bagel pig for snack time.  The Parents as Teachers program in NISD is the best!



Our awesome neighbors moved.  I already miss Nick, Melinda, Trey, Mason, and Gracie.  It's so hard when dear friends move away.  We've been swapping babysitting since Trey and Dylan were learning to walk in Euless.  And Halloween definitely won't be the same.  *sigh*  Can't wait to hear about the Hecht's adventures in North Carolina:

 I got to blend my 2 loves, teaching kids and being a mom, by spending the day teaching the Junior Achievement program lessons to Dylan's class.  So fun!  He said his favorite part of the day was having me be his teacher.  Teacher's Pet: 

 I was frustrated the other day that I had lost a few pounds post surgery, then gained it back once I started working out again.  That's just how my body works.  Proof: This picture was taken Feb 2011, ironically with my high school athletic trainer, after having a baby and NOT working out for 1.5 yeas (due to my high risk pregnancy with Dylan/preterm labor/bedrest, C-section recovery, nursing issues, stress of being a working mom with an infant).  My muscles had atrophied so much that I was 15 lbs less than I am now, and 10 lbs less than when I graduated high school.  I kind of miss those skinny legs.  But I love my muscles and being healthy and strong more.  I'll probably never fit those pants again, and I think I'm ok with that:

  Mom asked me to find her Sunkist shirt from high school the Unified Studies members each had.  Found it!  It as blue paint from when she wore it to paint our kitchen cabinets in the 80s, a little hole (possibly from when I wore it to Girls Camp), and tiny food stains from its tenure as a "spaghetti shirt" during the 90s to save our clothes from splatter.  Regardless, it will always be my favorite spaghetti shirt!

"Mom, take a picture of me with my Legos!"

 Last night Dylan's group presented their Thanksgiving project at the district Techno Expo with Miss Hunter.  Only 10 projects from the entire school were able to go:

  Dylan:

*"See that allergy eater?" (algae eater in a fish tank)

*Dylan read 7 BOB books from Collection 1 by himself.  He is reading so well!  He tested at a DRA 4.  He is to be at a 5/6 at the end of the year.

*He knows all 35 sight words they have learned in Kindergarten so far, and sounds out many others.

*He asked to make his own PB and H sandwich for lunch and also cut his own strawberries.  I am learning to give up control and let him do things for himself.  It's hard for me, but necessary.

*While G-ma was here she made Egg McMillers.  At breakfast one day he ate 3 of them, along with 4 "light saber" omelet slices.  Then he said, "I'm full of it."  Yeah, I'll say he was!  I was full after 1.

*Dylan wasn't really thrilled about playing baseball for a while.  He told Aut, "I know I should practice, but I don't really like baseball."  I'm sure Aut died a little inside, but he had a great poker face.  But since we've been practicing more and got his uniform he likes it now.  Whew!  We went for FHE this week and played a long time at the field near our house.  (Colt on the other hand always wanted to play all day long.  Funny how different they are.) 

*When he 1st found out: "I'm in the TEXPO EXO (Techno Expo)!"

Colton:

*"I want to be an orange when I grow up.  They're good for your body...but don't eat me!"

*(pointing to the LAUGH sign in our kitchen): "Look at the big A!"

*C: "Is God the sun?"

  Aut: "No.  He made the sun."

 C: "Oh, where does God live?"

 Aut: "In heaven."

 C: "Where's heaven?"

 Aut: "I don't know exactly."

 Dylan: "I know.  Outer space."

 C: "I miss God."

*"I decided I'm not 3 anymore.  I'm 4!"

*"My heart is talking to my head.

*Colt to Tyson: "My mom is the best mom."

*Then 3 days later, "I love you, mom.  I wouldn't trade you for another mom.  You're my favorite 5 year old."  I always tell him he is my favorite 3 year old.  Apparently I look 5 to him.

*I have 2 friends who are like me that only have 1 kid at home during school hours.  One of my friends is the Primary President and the other is going to school online.  Both are really busy and have mom guilt about ignoring their boys while they try to get stuff done while other kids are at school.  They have both called me more than once to ask if Colt can come over to their houses to play because he is a good kid, entertains their boys, and it is so much easier for them.  I could start renting him out. :)

Me:

*I started working about again with my trainer on Feb 9, after 5 weeks.

*I coached the Beehives in their basketball tournament.  It was brutal since the other team was made up of actual basketball players and my girls had a hard time catching the ball or going to meet a pass or rebounding...  Hopefully the Mia Maid/Laurel tournament days will go better!

*You know you babysit quite often when your husband calls to say he is coming home from work and asks, "How many kids are there today?"



Happy Valentine's Day!

 

 The advantage of having Halloween costumes ready for this year is that I can use them for things like Star Wars Valentine's Day cards.  It is pointless to resist...how awesome these turned out!

 

 

 

 I made 50 for Dylan to hand out to family, classmates, and friends.  We had quite the Stormtrooper army:

 

 

And our cute little Darth Vader:

 

Colton's early literacy class (pre-preschool) is small, so I only had to make 34 for him to hand out to family/class mates/friends:

 

 This is the Valentine shirt Mimi painted for Dylan a few years ago.  Dylan wore it for 2 years, and this was Colt's 2nd year.  It has been well loved!:

Valentine Rice Krispie bear:

 At Dylan's class Valentine party:

 We drove to Houston Friday night to spend Valentine's/Papa's birthday with the Duke crew.  On Saturday the boys played baseball at the park, we all went swimming (Papa heated the pool to 88*), Autrey and I took a much needed trip to the temple while everyone else went to the park and swam again, and then we met up with everyone for hamburgers at Fuddrucker's.  This was taken before church the next morning:

The best time to get everyone to smile is right before they get a slice of birthday cake.  Look at those smiles.  I think the boys were also so happy to be wearing the new pink shirts Mimi got them:

Happy Valentine's!



G-ma's Visit!

G-ma came to visit!  Not only did she bring the next size clothes for the boys (and take their small ones to Kristen's boys), she brought them these big Star Wars figures:

 Colton picked Kylo Ren and Dylan chose the Storm Trooper:

While I was sleeping in to catch up on much needed post-surgery recovery sleep, G-ma snapped this candid of the boys playing with them the next morning in their Star Wars jammies:

After they heard the click of her taking the picture they turned around for another one:

 G-ma had the GREAT idea of eating at Joe T's in Fort Worth:

 

 G-ma raided my closet and rocked my cowgirl clothes!:

Then, off to the Livestock Show:

Checking out the "pretty cows."  These cows are better groomed than most humans I know:

 

  As a dairy farmer's daughter and former barrel racer, this was so fun for G-ma too!:

 Finally, to the carnival for rides: 

 Before Colt's 1st roller coaster:

 Spinning tea cups:

Dylan went through the Ninja obstacle course too fast to take a pic, but I go this one of Colton ready to fly the helicopter:

 Always love the Carousel:

 Getting ready to ride the Ferris Wheel:

 I think they liked it! My favorite picture of the trip:

 Dylan LOVES it when G-ma comes to eat lunch with him:

Colton helped G-ma make cinnamon rolls 2 days in a row to eat and share with friends.  Yum!!!  I took a break from the no sugar part of my 100 Day Challenge while she was here.  Life's too short to pass on cinnamon rolls!:

 Awwwww:

 Lunch with Dylan right before taking G-ma back to the airport:

 We stopped on the way to the airport at the store for a few things and G-ma found these light sabers that make cool sounds.  Here they are testing them out in the dark bathroom:

May the Force be with you, G-ma (and G-pa)!  We love you both!!!