Blogging Break is Over!

Hello all...I have been on a blogging break. I was not planning on taking one but once the boys started school I really got to start working on some projects that I have been waiting to do. My goal is to have Ben's scrapbook of his first year done by May. I have also been catching up on our Christmas album from 2008, our family album and Will's 2nd album. It has been great to get the time to do it.

The boys have been enjoying school. Ben is sitting at the big table at school and not table with built in baby seats. He walks right in his classroom like a big boy and hands his teacher his lunchbox (which he has to carry in himself). Will loves school and has been learning to write letters. He likes showing me the letter they have learned that day. Will is also enjoying Spanish and has learned most of the color names.

The pic posted on top of the blog is from when we when to the Botanical Gardens to see the Galaxy of Lights. This is our third year to walk through it. The big change this year was that neither one of the boys were scared of Santa!

New babies, activities, etc....

I first want to congratulate my cousin Jessica and her hubby Brad on their newest addition Alexis Joy born on August 24th. She weighed 6 pounds and was 19 inches long! Jessica was going to be induced that day but her water broke at 3 AM with a 120 mile drive to the hosptial. (They live in a small town in Montana.) Jessica was a pro and delivered the baby in the back of their mini-van at mile marker 169 on Hwy 20 west! Mom and baby are doing great!

Will started choir this week and did great! I have signed up to help and usually he is clingy when I am around but he paid attention to everything his director said! He has also started Spanish at school and has learned several color names.

We are having new countertops put in next week so Chip and I are excited. When we purchased our house 4 years ago it was a seller's market...hard to believe now! Our old house sold in less than 3 days! We had just found out we were expecting and we wanted a quiet street, 4 bedrooms and a nice flat yard...well white cabinets and countertops were a "sacrifice." We are still going to have white cabinets but we are super excited about our new countertops and sink. Chip is going to tile the backsplash, get rid of the wallpaper and then we plan to glaze the cabinets...but not all at once (so don't be looking for before and after pics anytime soon....it will be a work in progress).

Nice Weather!

The boys have had special company the past 2 weekends. Last weekend Papa Lee came to visit and he went to the Kiddie Carnival with us. He always brings Will his tractor/construction magazines to look at. This past weekend Meme, Pop Pop, and Nanny came to visit. They brought some nice surprises for the boys. Will and Ben loved playing outside with them. The weather was so nice they spent almost all day Saturday and Sunday outdoors.

On Sunday August 23rd it has been 2 years since Will's last IVIG treatment!

Congratulations!

I wanted to tell Daddy congrats on recieving his 10 year anniversary award from ADTRAN today.

We also wanted to wish Gigi and Pop a belated Happy 36th Anniversary!

First day of school!!!

Today was the boys' first day of preschool! Will and I walked in his room and put his lunchbox in his cubbie and hung his backpack up. He then went right to playing with toys. When I picked him up his teacher told me he was the line leader and did a great job! Will informed me that he sang a song for his teachers....I asked which one and he told me "The Monster Mash". I hope they have a good sense of humor because Will has quite a personality at times.

Ben was very proud of his lunchbox and wanted to carry it around. We dropped him off at the door and Ms. Katrina took him straight to the baby table with built in seats for a snack. When I picked him up he started to get fussy but they said he was a happy little guy.

We just returned from a nap ride because both boys were quite tired and cranky so one trip up down the road and they were both out!

School starts tomorrow!

Today we took the boys to open house at school. Will's new teachers are Ms. Lisa and Ms. Stephanie. There will be 14 kids in his class. They were both very nice and Will had lots of fun checking out all the new toys. It was neat to see all the "big kid" circle time stuff...like all the classroom "jobs". It looks like Will is going to be the bell ringer the first day. I think he will enjoy that job.

Ben was not so sure because he thought we were leaving. He even tried to climb back into the stroller. His teachers are Ms. Luann, Ms. Angel and Ms. Katrina (who he knows from Sunday School). Ben will have 10 kids in his class. I think he will have fun once we leave the room! Both boys got balloons and played outside for a little while. I will definitely take some pictures tomorrow!

Happy 5th Anniversary!

Today is our 5th anniversary! It has been an eventful 5 years! We are looking forward to a nice dinner without kids at the new Melting Pot restaurant on Saturday. It sounds very yummy!