T-Ball

T-Ball has started. Despite my thoughts that Max was actually excited to play, he cried most of the 2nd half of his game. Poor little guy. His game was at 10:30 and Matt thinks maybe he got too hot and hungry. I think it was his reprise of his roll last year of crying every game except the last. I don’t get it. He LOVES practice and gets so involved and excited but when it comes to the game he “just wants to yeave and go home”
I was able to get some of the happier pictures from the game.

Max and another little boy just before the game. Max is the one in baseball pants.

 Max getting some instruction from daddy.

 A little clowning around going on

 Love this little guy!

 This one ended up being a great hit!

 Max running home

On a side (and completely random) note. I received a Pottery Barn magazine the other day that had silver metallic pumpkins on the cover and it gave me a great idea. I have been trying to decide how to decorate up the center of my table for the fall season and these metallic pumpkins were just what I needed. Since I didn't really want to spend near $200 for a centerpiece, I went with the economical route, cheap foliage from Walmart, some fake autumn colored fruit, a borrowed plate and candle holder from mom, small pumpkins from the store and some metallic gold and silver spray paint. All that and a little creativity, made this. It was fun, easy and quick to do too!

One Busy Weekend!

What a busy weekend! Unfortunately my memory stick for my camera went MIA. I lugged it all the way to Calyn’s Girl Scout pajama party on Friday evening only to realize the memory stick was gone. I did a quick search for it Saturday morning but realized very soon that I had left it at work.
That said, my pictures are limited to what I took with my iPad. So the quality isn’t awesome but at least you will get the idea.
As mentioned before, Calyn had a pajama party on Friday. A bunch of Girl Scouts (177 of them to be exact) filled the sanctuary of the Presbyterian church with their sleeping bags, blankets, pillows and stuffed animals to watch a movie (Brother Bear) and eat popcorn. Some lucky girls even got their name drawn out of a hat and won big boxes of candy. Calyn was one of those lucky few. She won Milk Duds (YUM!) While the girls watched their movie, the moms from Calyn’s group sat around in the lobby and talked. It was great to get to know some of these ladies. She has a really great troop! The party lasted 2 hours then we headed home.

Calyn and her best friend, Audrey

Calyn and some girls from her troop

Saturday morning Max was supposed to have his first t-ball game of the season. I had received an e-mail around 7 a.m. informing us that the games had been cancelled due to the copious amounts of rain that we had received the day before. I made myself a cup of coffee then went out in my back yard to enjoy the cool (no humidity) weather and listen to the trickle of our rock fountain. After a few minutes the back door opened and out came Max with his little baseball helmet on.

I thought he was going to be pretty sad that he didn’t have a game. I do think he was disappointed but he said it’s ok I will get to play next time.
Saturday we cleaned house, then Matt took Calyn to the driving range to hit some balls. she has decided that she wants to try golf. We are taking baby steps and having Matt take her out to hit balls first to make sure she likes it before signing her up for lessons.
 When they returned we went to the costume store and picked out the costumes for Halloween. Calyn is going to be Rapunzel and Max is going to be Captain America. Both were really excited with their costumes. Now we just have to find Calyn a wig that isn’t $20. Once we get this we will be set.
Sunday was a busy one. We started the afternoon with lunch for Papa Charlie’s birthday #65. His choice was Golden Corral. I hadn’t been there in forever. It was good and the company was nice.
Shortly after lunch we went to birthday celebration #2. The kids had a great time at Haley’ party. They had a magician, Kona Ice which is a snow cone truck (much like the ice cream truck) and swimming in the back yard. After that party we then headed to birthday celebration #3 for Hannah’s birthday. It was at Bouncin Bears It is a big room full of bouncy houses. The adults even got involved in some bouncing. The kids had a blast and were completely worn out by the time the day was over.

Here is a picture of Max being the magician's assistant at Haley's party. I stole this picture from Stephanie's Facebook post. 

Yesterday was back to school and work as usual. I am exhausted and ready for this Friday off and a three day weekend.

First day of Pre-K

On Wednesday Matt and I sent our little baby big boy Max to school. On the way, I asked Max if he was ready for school? He said "yeah but you are going to be there." I told him that I wasn't but he could play with his new friends and Mrs. Ono.  He then said " well, if you cry, then your mommy gets to take you back home." I explained to him that it doesn't work that way, if he cries he still has to stay at school. He just said "oh" then didn't say another word until we got to the school. You could tell he was nervous but still excited. I am happy to report, he didn't cry and when we left he seemed very content playing at the water table.

After mom and I picked him up, we went to lunch and tried to pry some information about his day out of him. We learned that he colored, played with play doh, read a book with Mrs. Ono, played on the playground ( he said this was his favorite part of the day) and had a snack of Goldfish.

I asked Max who he played with on the playground and he said "no one wanted to play with me." shortly after that statement Matt and Merrick just happened to walk into the same restaurant as us. Matt came over and asked how his day was. When Matt asked him who he played with that day he told him he played with Carson on the playground.  Hmmmmm.....

As the day went on we found out more about his day. The only thing that still has us puzzled is the boy named Teddy that he played with on the playground. Why does this puzzle us? You might ask. It puzzles us because according to Max Teddy is 26.  I assure you that the playground is very secure with only 4 year olds and teachers and no creepy 26 year old guys named Teddy. 

So in all I would say Max's day was a success. Let's just hope that tomorrow we have the same experience when I drop him off for his second day of school.

Max had just woken up on his first day.

All dressed and ready for his first day

Max and Daddy

Mommy and Max

Melt my heart! I love this picture!

 Max and his huge Batman backpack

A kiss from Grandma Chebs

I love this one of Max and the blue fish locking eyes

Feeling a little nervous, perhaps?

Max playing at the water table. This is how we left him that morning. Matt stood at the window and watched him for a little while (some of us weren't tall enough to see through the window). Matt said he briefly looked around the went right back to playing. I really wanted to peek in the door and watch but I knew if he saw me he probably would have wanted to go with me so I just had Matt give me a play by play of his actions.

Classroom Orientation and Emory, TX

Yes, I am squeezing two posts into one.
Tomorrow is the big day! Max’s first day of Pre-K. I can’t believe he is old enough for school! He will be going Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9-1:30. Originally he was in the Manatee class but for some reason they had to change rooms so he is now a Zebra Fish. I am still trying to figure out what I am going to do with myself this Friday (my day off) while he is at school. Do I go to the grocery? Clean? Sleep? Get a pedicure? Sit on my rear and do nothing? My options are endless. In the end I imagine I will do something constructive. I just don’t know what yet.

This past Friday morning Max got the opportunity to go to his classroom to get a feel for what school might be about. He seemed to have a great time playing, coloring and exploring. I don’t think he even cared if mom and I were there. We will see if that changes when we actually take him to school tomorrow and leave him there.
Max if very familiar with the school and the halls here. We have been so pleased with it in the past! The teachers are all amazing. They teach and develop skills through active play so I know he will enjoy it.

Max's favorite stop at the school, the fish tank

 His teacher had a check list of things to do to familiarize the kids with the room. One of them was to read a book in the reading center "Don't Eat the Teacher" was the one Max chose

 Testing those fine motor skills in the water feature

 Ah playdoh... this can entertain Max for HOURS! Look at that concentration!

 Max and the old Zebra fish mascot (this was the one they used when Corry was in the Zebra Fish class) The one his class will use is different. 

 Putting his artistic touch on his portfolio

 Checking out the block station

 The kids in Max's class

 This is one of Max's favorite wall hangings at the school. It is a 3-D piece of art. He is petting a puppy

 Max just being cute

After the Calyn got out of school on Friday we headed up to Emory, TX to visit Matt's Grandma. We came back on Saturday afternoon.
Great Grandma Silks recently had back surgery and was in a nursing / rehab center for several weeks. She is now home and pain free. She is really getting around well. We hadn't seen her in quite some time (last Thanksgiving, maybe?) so we knew we were overdue for a visit.

Calyn in the car and ready to go

 I am pretty sure this is Max being more interested in what is on the TV in the car than me taking his picture.

 The beautiful sunset

 Max and Great Grandma

 Calyn and Great Grandma

 and finally, the kids and Great Grandma

We had a great visit. We went to lunch and caught up on all the things going on in our lives as well as everything new going on with Grandma. As always it was great to visit.