Boys Night Out

A few weeks ago, a friend let Lance use his season tickets for a U of L Football game.  They were all so excited to have a fun night out with just the boys.  Because it was on a school night, they didn't stay the whole time, but it worked out perfect.  It was an extremely hot night, but they still had a great  time.  They were both so excited to tell me all about it when they got home.  We are so lucky to have a dad and husband that is so eager and willing to spend lots of quality time with us!

Go Cards!

Happy 3rd Kaeson!

Last Sunday, our adorable, sweet, full-of-life little Kaeson turned 3!  Since we had a party for him earlier in the week, we just had a simple little family celebration with his choice for dinner (pizza of course), cake, and opening presents. 

 This picture is actually from the night before his birthday when we were celebrating my birthday, but it's a cute birthday picture of my little guy.  He's mama's buddy.  He's the one I get all my cuddles and kisses from.  He's always so sweet and thoughtful and he honestly gives the best hugs any kid in history has ever given!

 Blowing out the candles on his half-eaten, left-over from his party birthday cake. He just sat and scraped all the frosting off the top and skipped the cake.

 No surprise that Macie was quick to stuff her face with cake!

 Opening one of his many awesome presents.  As always he walked away from another birthday spoiled rotten, thanks to wonderful grandparents!

 Grandma Patty and Papa gave him this microphone.  This is the only thing he would tell us he wanted for his birthday.  For over a month now, he has been asking for a microphone for his birthday.  One thing you need to know about this kid, is he LOVES to sing!  Sometimes it's primary songs, sometimes it's absolute jibberish, and sometimes he turns things he hears or is thinking about into a song.  You name it, this kid sings it!

 Katherine and Taurean gave him this awesome remote control four-wheeler.  It was a big hit for the whole family.  I'm not sure who loves it more: the  boys, Lance, or Macie!

Grandma and Grandpa Anderson gave him this 3-wheeled scooter, and he spends hours on this thing!

He is growing up so fast, and every step of the way has been a pure joy!  He brings so much fun and laughter into our home.  He's always saying and doing the funniest things.  He's super active and busy, while also being very calm and loving.  He's a great big brother to Macie, and he loves to help mom around the house.  His speech has improved greatly, but we still have plenty of translation issues!  It makes for many frustrating moments, but also a lot of smiles and laughter to see him attempt some words! We love you Kaeson!

A Party fit for a 3 year old

Kaeson turned 3 last week, so per tradition, we had a big barbecue with friends to celebrate.  This year we decided to do a little more, and had a carnival themed party, which consisted of two carnival games, face painting, hot dogs and brats, and best of all: cotton candy!  Our awesome friend Taurean surprised us and showed up at the party with a rented cotton candy machine and it was a HUGE hit!  The perfect final touch to our carnival!

 Kaeson is one happy birthday boy with his first round of cotton candy!

 Parker and Ella enjoying their cotton candy.

 The extent of my carnival decor.  A few signs for games and a little banner my friend Katherine made for the party.

 Our friend Heather was kind enough to come do face painting for the kids.  She is a very talented artist, so I was so glad she agreed to help me out, because had I attempted such a task myself, well, let's just say it would not have been pretty!

 Kaeson's token I-know-I'm-stinkin' cute/i'm-a-little-embarassed-everyone-is-looking-at-me smile.

All the kids in line for the bean bag toss.   We also did a lame little duck pond with the world's worst prizes, but I didn't take any pictures as I was too busy heading the game.

Happy Birthday Kaeson!

All Grown Up!

Well, I finally got all my summer posts up, but since that took so long, I'm behind again! I'm finally getting around to posting about Parker's first day of school, now that he's been in school for two weeks!  He was supposed to start on the 15th, but because of another city wide power outage, it was delayed two days.  After two days of thinking he was going to go to school, only to be told, "Maybe tomorrow." it was all a little anti-climactic.  But he did great, was super excited, and didn't hesitate a bit.  Kinda made me more sad that he was so happy to leave me!  He'd been counting down the days for weeks prior to the first  day, and so excited, but that morning on our way to the bus stop, he told me, "I'm actually a little scared."  I told him it was ok to be scared. At that point I began to worry he might have a hard time getting on the bus, but he didn't at all.  He just hopped right on, found a seat, plopped right down and grinned ear to ear, while waving out the window as the bus drove away.

 We went to his school, met a few other moms at "Tears and Tea", watched him get off the bus, and then followed him into his classroom.  I was sure glad I went to his room, because when I got there, there was a room full of children, minus Parker!  I kept searching and searching, but my yellow-shirted little kindergartener was nowhere to be found.  I finally told the teacher, and she went to the gym to find him. He had been taken the wrong classroom and because that teacher had a Parker  in her class, they had him come right in.  But he wasn't ruffled a bit by any of it!

 Excited to be in the right classroom!

 Here he is getting off the bus. He doesn't get off the bus until 4:45! I hate having him gone so long, but he seems to be handling the long days really well.

I know it's all so cliche, but I CANNOT believe he is old enough to be in kindergarten.  He has grown up so fast!  It seems like just yesterday he was my tiny little perfect baby!  And he a toddling little two year old who could barely climb up on the curb in front of our apartment when we moved to Kentucky!  Now look at him!  I am so proud of the little boy he is becoming and I know he will do great in this next step of life, but I wish I could just keep him little and have him home with me forever!  Our lives will never be  the same!
He is doing great in school and always so well behaved.  It's such a relief not to have to worry when I send him to school each day if he is going to misbehave or be disruptive.  On their first day of gym, he was sent home with a bright orange paper saying he had been a "super tiger" (tiger is their mascot) and commending his outstanding behavior.  At first I thought maybe all the kids got it, but then he showed me a tattoo he got in gym and said that only two kids that were really good got them .  I was a proud mama!
They also have a discipline system where they start out the day with a green light, and if they get in trouble they are in a yellow light, then a red light where they really get in trouble.  Everyday the teacher puts in his folder what kind of day he has.  And he always has a green day, or a star day-meaning he was caught doing something exceptional that day.  More often than not he has star days.  He is such a good kid! We sure love him and we miss him while he's gone all day, but are so glad he is learning and growing and behaving so well!