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Joyful Memories Christmas Card

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Cheater

One of Corry's school assignments!

Election Day

Corry and Drew voted at school today. Corry voted for Romney because she doesn't want the government taking all her hard earned money and spending it on people who don't want to work hard to earn it.

Drew voted for Obama because he only has $10 and wants more. He doesn't really want to have to work hard to earn it.

These two are like night and day!

Arthur

Corry is very proud of her Arthur she made in school today! Picture below. Also, a great report card! 100%s in language and science, 99% in social studies, and 98% in math. All Es in art, music, and PE, and comments of "hard worker." So very proud!

Drew had a great report too, but he doesn't get grades yet!!

Halloween Prep

We are prepping for Halloween at the Dautrich house with our annul trip to a pumpkin patch and the purchasing of costumes!

Flu, fire, and Legos!

Corry's finally over the flu, and I think I feel safe in saying the rest of us managed to avoid it. Don't know how we managed!

Last night we had our inaugural fire in the outdoor fireplace. I'm so glad we decided to put it in. We are looking forward to building another fire when the family gets here later this week!

Drewski is still into his Legos. Tonight he built a set that is for kids 8 & up. Not gonna lie, there were some tears and hateful language, but he persevered!

Painters

We had a fun weekend of kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom painting followed by back to back birthday parties this weekend!

Crazy Proud!

Corry got promoted to Gold Fins tonight at swimming! She's only been in her Silver Finds a few weeks, but she's mastered that level so she's moving up! She's so excited. The parents were ooohing and ahhhing over how well she's doing after only being in swim classes for 4 months! They said she looks like a little mini-adult swimming. It was a little sad because Drew didn't get promoted - I think he was a little disappointed that he didn't get to move up to Silver Fins. Corry was in Silver Fins for 3 months before she got moved up, so I'm sure Drew will have his chance soon enough. We're just so excited she's found something she LOVES! Horray Corry!

Entertaining Conversation Night

Jimmy had to start commuting to Greenspoint today. His company just acquired another company. They are remodeling The Woodlands office, so Jimmy's department is being relocated to Greenspoint during the remodel so they can bring the new company up to speed on the "Jones & Carter" way of business. He's going to be commuting until December. None of us are real thrilled about it, but I'm especially bummed because he missed out on some great conversation this evening. The kids both have homework which started today. When we got home I told them they could play for a little bit, but then we had to focus on homework....they both wanted to work on their homework immediately, so we sat at the kitchen table and got started. Instantly Drew said "Do I really have to do this crap?" Thinking it's going to be a looooooong year if we're already balking at practicing writing the letters "A" and "B." Next the kids & I started discussing how Garden Ridge is "Now Hiring." Corry suggested I quit my job and get a job there instead. I explained to her that my job pays a lot more money than I would make if I went to work at Garden Ridge, so I probably would not be applying for a job there. She asked why my job pays more than Garden Ridge since the new Garden Ridge building is looking "pretty fancy." I explained that at my job you have to have a college degree or a lot of experience to get a job, so they pay more. At Garden Ridge you don't even have to have finished high school to get a job, so they feel like they don't have to pay their employees as much. She asked how long I went to college and how long Daddy went to college. I told her I was in college for 4 1/2 years and Daddy was in college for 6 years because he got his Masters. She said, "so you spent all that time in college, and all you do is sit in an office, write some stuff on papers, and then put it in your recycling?" I said, "is that all you think we do?" and she said, "No, sometimes you go to meetings." Our last memorable conversation was on the way home from buying new underwear at Kohls. She asked me if she is an African American. I told her she was not. She asked what an African American is. I explained that Morgan and Ashlynn are African Americans. She said "Oh, so dark people?" Then she told Drew he used to be an African American, but he took so many baths that all his dark fell off. He had to ask me if that was really true. They were just full of it tonight! Can't wait to fill Jimmy in when he gets home!

Student Achieving Excellence

Today I got an email notification for a Student Achieving Excellence award from Powell Elementary. Immediately I assume it's for Corry. Wrong-o! Mr. Drew got the award for being Kind, Well mannered, respectful, and helpful in class. Go Drewski!! He LOVES kindergarten, and 3 mornings of 5 has been up before me wanting to know if it's time for school yet. Such a relief.

Corry also had a good behavior report this week. She got an Excellent for behavior and her teacher said she was a great helper (she was assistant teacher this week).

Overall, a very successful start to 2nd grade and Kindergarten!

First Day of School!

Testing

Testing

School is starting soon...I'm vowing to be more deli gent on this poor, neglected blog. Does anyone still have faith in me???

The final report card of 1st grade

Promoted!

Corry's 7th Birthday Video

Here is the video to watch Corry's past year of pictures! Please note she chose all the music herself! Great job as always, Aunt Deachi!

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
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Last Day(s) of School

Since I have been a slacker on the posting I thought I'd kill 2 birds with one stone - Drew's last day of school was last Thursday, May 24, & Corry's was today, Thursday, May 31.  I'm happy to not have to pack lunches and fight about homework for the summer, but am a little sad about the end of another school year. 

Drew's last day was especially hard because he's the last of the Dautrich children to go to Children of The Woodlands.  We have absolutely been thrilled with the teachers and staff at COW over the last several years. I just can't say enough about what a loving, nurturing place it has been for these special people in our lives.  It was very hard to walk out of his classroom last Thursday knowing that I will likely not be back, and won't see most of the familiar faces we've seen there over the last few years.  Drew took full advantage of his "transition" year and honed those fine motor skills that were giving him problems & has even started reading!  He will have a great head start for Kindergarten.

Corry's last day of 1st grade was a little sad knowing that her BEST friend will likely be going to a different school next year.  Marissa has made every day of 1st grade a happy comfortable place to be, and I know Corry is going to miss her so much.  I hope that she's able to find other friends in her new 2nd grade class next year!  We're very proud of Corry - she had all As all year long & missed only  1 day of school!

I have pictures, of course.....but I have just been informed by blogger when trying to upload them that I'm out of space and am going to have to start paying to upload the pictures.  Really don't want to pay $2.50 a month for more storage, so I'm going to try to figure out how to delete some of the old albums in Picasa.  Will try to get this resolved & get some pictures uploaded soon.  Frustrating.

Beautiful Babies

I took advantage of dressing up for a wedding to snap a few pictures of the kiddos - and they were really into it. They wanted to make up all their own poses - so here we got:

My beautiful baby girl

A serious pose

Silly pose

Time for mean faces

She's very convincing with her mean face

Kisses!

Love the new smile

weirdo

Drew really wanted his picture with this yellow flower

Such a big girl

Always happy to see Uncle Olech

A stoic little Max

Trying to get a picture of the girls, & this is what I ended up with!

Dodging kisses

A little piece of comfort

Deachi & Calyn

The groom and me

Because he's related to me....

And so is she.....

And a couple of super heros were ready to take on Aunt Deachi's birthday....

Patio Furniture

All of our patio furniture has finally arrived, and with Deachi's help last night, it has all been assembled.  We still have some clearing to do on the back patio, so the peices may not be in their final resting places, but it works for now.

Some landscaping - gardenia, lantana, monkey grass & hibiscus

More landscaping, lantana, knockout rose bushes, & queen palms

The finished the stone on the columns and installed the door hardware

The patio furniture arrived and many huge boxes which the kids have thoroughly enjoyed making playhouses, rocket ships, and mazes out of

The deep seating set arrived first - on Tuesday.  It has a love seat, 2 chairs, 2 ottomans, a coffee table & a side table.

Reese LOVES the new outdoor furniture, but not so much when a maniac invades her space.

The dining table arrived last night & Deachi helped me put it together.  It has a table, 8 swivel rocker chairs, and an umbrella stand.  Since it's under the covered patio, we don't anticipate getting a umbrella for the table, but may use the stand later on down the road to be out by the pool.  Just not in the budget at this point.

The 2 new chaise lounges & a side table.  The orange chairs were mine & Deachi's perches until the new chaises arrived.  We'll most likely leave them out because we typically have quite a few people over every weekend for swimming!

This evening we head to LaPorte for our friend Jason's wedding.  The kids are so excited to go to a wedding...hopefully they will behave!

Enticing the tooth fairy back to the Dautrich house!

It's been almost a year since Corry lost her 1st & 2nd teeth...tonight we made it number 3!  Every night after I read her a chapter of her book she gets 10 tight squeezes, 10 kisses, and 10 wiggles of whatever tooth is loose.  Tonight when I wiggled it was very evident that top tooth was hanging on by a thread.  We tried to get her to pull it out, but she just couldn't quite get it....it was bleeding profusely, so we got her some toilet paper to blot, then I left to go put Drew to bed.  Within minutes she was out of her room & shouting "I lost it!"  A whole new smile for a princess...

Take Me Out to the Ballgame!

Today was Drew's t-ball debut & Uncle Olech & Daddy's coaching debut. Our team this season is the Red Sox! We kicked off the morning by watching Max play (aka stand in the field & occasionally shed a tear or two). I didn't have any great pictures of Max because he was too far away & I didn't bring the right lens. I figured I shouldn't butt into the views of the people who actually had children playing on the team, so I mainly just cheered. I know Mom & Deachi got plenty of pictures and videos, so be sure & check for them on Deachi's blog....Deachi's pictures that is. Nobody ever gets to see Mom's pictures.

Getting ready to head to the big game!

Corry watching Max play

Calyn sporting Drew's hat & doing what Calyn does best - crossing her eyes.

Drew's game started at 9:30.  We were the home team, so he started the game off in left field

Getting some left field coaching from Uncle Olech

Getting the stance just right

What a hit!

Crossed home plate

watching his teammates bat

All done - Snack Time!

He chose Dairy Queen for his big day lunch!