Celebrating Read Across America

March 2nd is Dr. Seuss's Birthday. In honor of that Thomas' class is participating in Read Across America this week at school. They are doing lots of fun activities all week long. Monday was colorful shirt day, Tuesday wear green for Green Eggs and Ham, Wednesday Crazy Hair Day, Thursday Crazy Socks for Fox in Socks, and Friday is Crazy Hat Day for Cat in Hat. Grandmom and Grandaddy bought Thomas his hat for Crazy Hat Day and he can't stop playing with it, he absolutely loves it!

And he loves having everyone else try it on as well.

His homework each night this week is for us to read together a book of his choice...Last night he picked Great Day for Up and he ended up reading the whole thing to me, I only had to help him with very few words. He was amazed that he could read it so well. And let me tell you his mommy was very proud too!



The Love Bug Strikes...

I think my 6 yr old has been bitten by the love bug! It's Kindergarten Love at our house....and it's very serious! It all started last week when Thomas says..."Mom, I need to write a letter" I tell him ok and continue on about by business. In a minute as he sits at the kitchen table he says "Mom how do you spell Love" I told him and moved on, then he says "Mom how do you spell Layla" at this point I realize he isn't writing a love note to his momma...I told him but then said..."What are you doing?" he explains he is writing a letter to his friend Layla because he really likes her alot. It was in his best handwriting and he drew and colored a very detailed picture of the two of them holding hands and he even drew a bow in her hair. When he got done he asked me where he could put it so he didn't forget it. We decided to put it in his pants pocket for tomorrow, since we always lay out his clothes the night before. When he laid down for bed he kept tossing and turning and wasn't going to sleep. I told him he had to get still and go to sleep so he could get up the next morning and he said "but Mom I just can't stop thinking about my note" and then he asked me to get him up early the next morning so he could do one more thing to his letter that he forgot. I assured him I would and he finally got to sleep. The next morning when I got him up for school instead of the normal whining and not wanting to wake up, he jumps straight up and says I have to go work on my letter. So he works on it while he eats breakfast. Turns out he forgot to draw them shoes in his picture so he couldn't neglect something so important! So when I pick him up from school that day (it was my off day) Titus was with me too and so when he got in the car I ask him how his day was then I say "Did you see your Friend today?" he immediately starts shushing me and cups his hand over my mouth(He didn't want his daddy knowing anything about this apparently). Titus and I were taking him to lunch to spend time with him before Titus had to go into work bc he was working stand-by last week...So as soon as we get to the restaurant Thomas thinking he was being real sneaky takes  me to the bathroom to tell me all about his note and his day. He said "Mom she loved it...and she wants me to give her one every day" Then he proceeds to tell me that she is his girlfriend bc he asked her and she said yes. This saga has continued all last week and now into this week. She has also given him a note and each day he has something new to tell me about her. Over the weekend we were driving in my car and he asked me if he could take her on a date. I asked him what he planned on driving. He thought for a minute and then said "well maybe I could drive the four-wheeler" I told him he would need to ask his Daddy about that. He immediately told me nevermind he would just wait till he was 16. Now he has decided the best place to put his daily note is in his lunch box. So I catch him in the fridge at night sticking his notes in his lunch box for safe keeping. I keep asking him why he won't tell his daddy and he told me its because he will laugh at him or make fun of him. I promised him I would make daddy not do that but he isn't budging on the issue. I am sure I am forgetting all kinds of funny things that he has said and done regarding this but these are most of the highlights I don't want to forget.

I hesitated to even post this bc it was just a secret between me and him for a while but he is now telling pretty much everyone. Except Titus of course so I figured it would be ok.

DISCLAIMER: If you are reading about this....DO NOT MENTION IT TO THOMAS! We don't want him getting upset!

But I figure since I print my blog each year as a sort of journal of our lives. This is something I definately don't want to forget. The picture below is a quick snapshot of one of the most recent love notes. I wish so bad I could have taken a pic of the first one bc it was so perfect...and as this has continued he is starting to get more sloppy and putting less work into them but this one is still cute as can be!

Happy Valentine's Day

This is the first year Thomas wrote all his own Valentine Cards. He did a great job. Here he is finishing up...

Tyler is helping him with moral support!

It was a Valentine Tradition that my parents alway gave me and my brother books for Valentine's Day so we are carrying on that same tradition with our boys. Here they are with their new books.

Tyler's 1st Valentine's Day

And a little Candy too!!

We hope everyone has a very Happy Valentine's Day!

Our Weekend

We spent almost the whole weekend at home but on Saturday night we met some friends for dinner at The Brewery, one of our favorite places to eat.

4 Months Old

On January 22nd Tyler was 4 months old. At his 4 month check up he weighed 16lbs and 2oz and was 25 in long. So far his accomplishments this month are learning to roll over and eating cereal for the first time. He still isn't a pro at eating with a spoon yet but we'll keep working on it. Also this month he was sick for the first time and took his first antibiotics.

And this is what my nights look like...

When I come home from work Thomas has almost always already had his bath and is in his pj's ready to love on his momma and do a little homework. Titus does such a great job of taking care of the boys till I make it in.

Thomas is entertaining himself with his DS while I give Tyler a bath.

No matter how grouchy Tyler might get from time to time, as soon as you start giving this kid a bath he is all smiles. I love bath time with a baby more than anything, they are sweet and soft, and smell so good!! Hopefully this means he will love the water like the rest of us do. I see lots of swimming and water play in his future.

After bath its time for a little lotion rub down and some kisses for momma!

Here are the boys in pj's after baths, I love to be in the floor with them!

You would think that since I don't get home till almost 7pm on the days I work I would be dead tired and want to do nothing. And in a way I am but as soon as I walk through the door and see those sweet faces I get a burst of energy and can't think of anything I would rather do than just spend time with my family. Now laundry doesn't get done, and dishes stay in the sink, and toys don't get cleaned up, and the quantity of time we spend together isn't alot (on my work days) but the quality of our time is amazing! We only have a couple of hours together at night...at best...but they are the very best 2 hours of my day.

My mornings these days...

My mornings consist of a whole lots of pre-planning so that Titus and the boys can have a smooth start to the day...

I lay out Thomas' clothes

I make sure backpacks are ready, lunch is packed, and breakfast is set out to grab and go... (yes that's chocolate milk and chocolate chip muffins for breakfast...Thomas shares a love for the sweeter things in life with his mother)

And Tyler needs breakfast too...along with his medicine (10 days on antibiotics)

And then I rush out the door so I can get to work on time!

McDonald's Oatmeal

Have you had Micky D's new Oatmeal???

My friend Crystal brought me some the other morning ...and I have to honest I would have never tried to otherwise, But I am totally loving it, It's my new breakfast of choice. Since I stop there daily for my large iced tea I have been getting this on a regular basis as well. I totally recommend it. And thanks Crystal for bringing it to me!

Cuddle Gram

I just love looking in Tyler's little backpack and finding these notes about his day. I know I have said it over and over but I am so thankful for my daycare.

My New Necklace

A few days before I started back to work, Titus and I went out to dinner while my mom and dad kept the boys. After dinner we walked around to a couple of shops in Gatlinburg and I saw these adorable charms for a necklace and had to buy them. I told Titus I will still treasure this necklace when I am old and grey! And think about my sweet little boys!!

Back to the real world....

I have finished my second week back at work, both kids have been sick already. I have been to the doctors office 4 times in less 1 1/2 weeks. And still haven't been able to get Tyler's 4 month old well check-up with shots because he hasn't been well yet! Hopefully we will to that next week. Tyler rolled over for the first time last week at day care...of course I missed it, but Thomas got to see him, it was early before he went to school one morning. I still haven't seen him do it yet. Hopefully this weekend he will show his mommy his newest accomplishment.

I really miss being at home with my boys. But I am thankful for a good job that I do enjoy. So....if I must work, and I must, I am glad to have the job that I do.

Thomas is doing great in school, he is currently working on his reading skills and he is trying to get in the 100 word club. They have 6 groups of word flashcards that total 100 words that we are currently practicing daily so hopefully it won't take him long. He is very excited to finish all 6 levels. I try and post his progress.

Titus is getting a dose of the real world too! No more home cooked dinners ready and waiting on him at soon as he gets home from work...and so much for keeping the laundry caught up daily. It's piling up quick! As for dinner its a bowl of cereal or a sandwich that he makes himself. He is taking and picking up both kids on the days I work, making sure they are fed, and have baths. He's such a great daddy though, he is doing a great job, and I appreciate him very much!!

Close Call....

Last Friday, Jan 21st, my off day for the week...I was at home with two sick children, Thomas with strep and Tyler a sinus infection, when I hear a very loud crash in the basement. Thomas and I both jumped...Then I thought oh I bet Titus is working in this area and has come by the house on his lunch break to put more wood in the wood stove that is in our den in the basement. I was holding Tyler so I told Thomas to go see if that was Daddy in the basement. He heads off down the steps then comes running back upstairs in a panic...no mommy...its NOT Daddy he says..its an emergency...the pipe fell off the wall for the wood stove he says! I jump up baby in arms and Thomas by side and run down there in a panic, he was right...I tried to call Titus, with no answer on his cell, big surprise...so then I try my Dad...after a couple of attempts I get in touch with him and he heads my way. Finally I have to call the dispatchers at his work to get him to call me due to our little emergency... Titus was able to come straight here. Within just a few minutes I had my Dad, Titus, and a several others here to help. I was literally shaking!! But somehow I held it together. There was some smoke coming out but no flames... thankfully I had neglected to put more wood in it due to a sick baby in my arms so we had just about let the fire burn down to only coals which is the only thing that saved us from having a major disaster. They were able to get the pipe put back in place until it burned totally out then later that night...Titus with the help of both of our fathers got it secured properly so we won't have this issue in the future. What a day!!!

First Official Day of Day Care

I officially started back to work on Tuesday January 18th. Here are a couple pics from Tyler's first day at daycare. I miss that kid so much!! We have grown very attached to one another. He handled me going back to work much better than I did. I cried, He didn't!! He is very happy.

At Home with my Boys....

Wow...it's been a long time since I made any blog updates. Here are a few random pics from the last couple of weeks I was home with my boys before I started back to work. I can't tell you how wonderful it was to be able to stay home with them every day. I am certain being a mommy is the greatest job I have ever had.

Tyler is about 3 1/2 months in this pic

And closer to 4 months in the following 3 pics

Thomas is such a great big brother, he adores his little brother more than anything. We have been having lots of Pajama Days...this is where we take showers and put back on clean pj's bc we never leave the house and we love it this way!!

Cades Cove in the Snow!

Yesterday we took a Sunday drive through Cades Cove to see the left over snow from last week and hopefully some wildlife. We saw tons of deer, probably the most I have ever seen. Lost count at well over 40 something and that was about half way through. We also saw lots of Turkey. Thomas took his new binoculars to use. This was Tyler's first trip through the Cades Cove Loop. We had a great day as a family!