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Johnny loves Kindergarten.

Here is my "Chick-a-Chick-a-Boom-Boom" tree right off the bus!

Cute idea for all my teacher friends out there.

Once September hit, baseball started again.

Here is Johnny after he got his cast off going to his first practice!

He was so excited!

We went to Johnny's practice first, and then afterwards headed up to Curtis' baseball tourney.

Bubba wanted to be JUST like his brothers.

It was our first tourney here in the south and we were defiantly rookies. As you can see, every family that goes to games has a sun shade to sit under. We were sweating our butts off, and a family of a team that was playing after our game set up their tent for us to sit under. Guess what I'll be buying next time I'm at Dicks Sporting Goods?

Curtis plays catcher and loves it!

Here he is on deck.

Between games... little league fields down here are AWESOME!

After the tournament we went to Mc Donald's and Curt-Dog was pumped up that if you were in uniform you got a free ice cream cone! He like's what Uncle Kyle said, "You should wear the uniform and go to Mc D's EVERY DAY!"

Had to capture a pic of Bubba after he fell asleep in the car the other day!

This is what happens when two crazy kindergarten kids get together for a playdate!

Lots of battles, play fighting, and silliness! (:

The kids LOVE catching tree frogs on our deck.

Curtis caught this big tree frog last night!

I hate to admit it, but Johnny likes the Carolina Panthers. Today, I told him I was going to disown him and without missing a beat he replied, "That's OK, I'll just go live with Aunt Ann Marie!"

His big brother thinks his outfit and behavior is worthy of a swirly!

Erik and I did nothing to stop him! (:

"Mom of the Year"

Johnny brought home his FIRST ever homework assignment in Kindergarten. He had a book bag, and we needed to put his name on it and decorate it. So, off we went to Michael's Craft Store. We bought iron-on letters and puffy paint. It didn't take long for me to win the "Mom of the Year Award" at school this year....now did it?

Happy 6th Birthday Johnny BOY!

Six years ago today I delivered an almost 10lb middle child! I remember sitting in the hospital room, and holding him, and watching the Notre Dame vs Pitt home opener. Now, as I write this, I'm sitting next to a kindergartner watching the ND home opener again! Where did the time go?Our weekend started off with the birthday treat at school, and a special lunch with Mommy in the cafeteria! The lunch ladies let you order treats from school, and let me tell you they were the BEST! Cookie Cups! Lefty came home to some presents that came in the mail. He got this kick butt electric guitar with an amp from my in-laws! (Yes, apparently they don't like me anymore! LOL!) This combined with the drum set that we got him = ONE CRAZY MOTHER! (I DON'T know what I was thinking!)

Today, started out with a party bright and early at his favorite place, the Sports Connection! First we played laser tag! HUGE hit with these kids!

The birthday boy's team!

While the big boys did that, the little ones at the party enjoyed the bounce house room! Bubba was a HUGE fan!

Next it was on to BUMPER CARS!

Lots of laughs and giggles there!

After that, the kids got to play in the arcade! Bubba found it easier to play skee-ball standing on the game!

Finally it was pizza time! Well deserved after a morning of running around and fun!

Johnny wanted a Pokemon cake so bad. The stores didn't carry them. So, I had to whip one up! (OK, who am I kidding...thank goodness for box cake, and frosting that comes in the cans with tips on them already!)

I had to share the BIRTHDAY song, as it was one of the loudest I've heard! And to think just one year ago, he was crying because he had NO friends to celebrate his birthday with! Look how far we've come! What a GREAT day!

Question for Bubba...

So, last week when Johnny headed off to school, it left me with Bubba all by himself. This was a BIG change for him, as Johnny went to school in the afternoons while he napped last year. So he really was never alone. I asked Bubba what he wanted to do to celebrate and he said, "Go to Target and just LOOK at the cars!" So, we did it...I got a coffee, and we sat looking at cars for almost an hour. He must have said 30 times..."Dis is what I want for my Birthday! Mom, can I have dis for my Birthday?" He was one very happy boy!

Does it look like this kid has ANY fun at the ball park while his brothers practice? We have to do hose downs on the DECK when we get home...as he is FULL of clay!

Last Friday night the American Red Cross was setting up in the parking lot of the baseball fields getting ready for Irene. Not the sight you want to see near your house!

Pulling up to my house...there she is...IRENE!

We really lucked out as she hit about 3 counties to the east of us!

Counting our blessings today! All we got was humid, windy, and cloudy weather.

Love this pic....Curtis and Bubba watching tennis before he takes off for practice. Bubba is sure going to miss having his brothers around this year! On the other hand, I'm really looking forward to time alone with JUST my baby!

Live, Laugh....

I had to post these videos of my Lil' Hubba Bubba! It's hard not to love him...

Back to School

Last week we started school down here!

Here is Curt-Dog on his way to 2nd Grade!

I can still remember teaching second grade, while being pregnant with him. I thought it was SO far away for him to go to second grade. Now it seems like yesterday when he was a baby!

The following day Johnny had his first day of Kindergarten.

Nothing like heading out to Kindergarten with a broken finger!

All the boys at the bus stop!

Seems like yesterday this kid was a CRYING, SCREAMING, INCONSOLABLE baby. I would have done ANYTHING for him to go to Kindergarten back then. Fast forward almost 6 years later, and he's on his way. I had a really hard time seeing him go. He was such a fun, nice kid to have at home!(Once he turned two)! I'm really going to miss him! On the other hand, he was very excited and ready to head off on the bus!

Last Weekend of Summer

This past weekend is officially the "Last Weekend of Summer" for us down south! I'm a little sad for school to be starting, so you know that's a sign of a great summer vacation! We decided to take a trip to Asheville, NC, one of the 10 most beautiful places in the US to visit according to Good Morning America and Travel Magazines! It's only a two hour trip for us, and is well into the mountains! We LOVE it there!When we got into town, we went to the North Carolina Nature Center. We heard it was a great place for the kids. They weren't lying! The boys LOVED the petting zoo, as their Mom took pics from outside the gates!

Bubba kept talking to the goats like they could hold a conversation with him!

Johnny even helped comb their hair!

If you notice, he has a splint/bandage on his right hand. He was "bob sledding" down the hallways on a pillow last week and didn't quite stick the landing. He ended up breaking the base of his pinky and his growth plate! I tell you...it's ALWAYS something with these boys!

These "Egg-Stra" Special boys "CRACK" me up!

By the turtle exhibit!

It was a very non-traditional Zoo type place!

Just beautiful!

After the Nature Center, it was off to the Asheville Tourists game where our favorite Minor Leaguer, Tony Mueller was playing. He plays for the Rome Braves, and had an away game in Asheville! We've gotten to see Tony play for EVERY team he's ever played for...something the boys think is pretty cool!
Since Asheville is a mountain town, the stadium was put into the mountain. Here is the side of the stadium. I thought it was pretty cool!

Tony is 4th from right in this picture.

Totally BUSTED looking up at us!

Here he is again!

The boys wanted to sit on the top row of the stadium.

Doing "We Will We Will ROCK YOU!"

Curtis stood up here most of the night waiting for a foul ball! He wanted one SO badly!

Getting tired towards the end of the game!

Bubba loves mascots!

After the game Tony gave all the boys a ball. Between this and the free backpack give-a-way when we got to the stadium, Bubba thought he was TOP DOG!
After the game we took Tony out to grab dinner and he came back to the hotel to swim with the boys. Here he is throwing them! Not too many kids can do cannonballs and get thrown by a Minor League Baseball Player! Then again, not too many Minor Leaguers come as nice as Tony Mueller! Was a great night and fun to catch up with Tony again!
Sunday morning we woke up and went to the North Carolina Arboretum. We visited this place last time we were up in Asheville and LOVED it so much we wanted to go back.

They have PERFECT hiking trails for kids.

It's part of the Pisgah National Forest.

We did a little over two mile hike, and the boys had fun stopping and skipping stones in creeks along the way.

And walking in the creeks as well!

Bubba kept calling this the JUNGLE!

The hike ended at the Education Center where there is a place for kids to explore and a Cafe for eating. I found this pic on my camera when I uploaded them today. Looks like the boys had a little fun stealing my phone during lunch! Makes me smile because they think they are SO funny!
It was a great way to end the summer! I'm sure we'll head up there again in the fall to see all the changing colors! For now it's time to head BACK to school! Can I get a WHOOP WHOOP!