First Day of School!!!

Waking up for her big day!!!

Today was Halle's first day of preschool!!!! She was such a BIG girl--I was so proud of her!!!I was officially the quintessential "dorky" mom, and took a hundred pics of her (you will see :) even in her classroom :) she thought it was all fine and dandy until she figured out that I was actually leaving her there---then she was maybe not s0 sure! but she was a big girl and ended up LOVING it....Her teacher said the only time she had to correct her was when she was "disruptive" during nap time (i.e. she didn't want to take a nap, b/c it was WAY too early--and where was she anyway?? I can just see her w/ her little saucer eyes looking around at everyone--miss Curious George)...they let her go out in the hall with the teacher and work puzzles and read....how sweet :) Of course the pigtails I sent her off with looked like a homeless vagabond by the time she got home (as if I am surprised), and she was so tired was cross-eyed when she got home--I think she is going to sleep VERY good tonight!! The good news is that she said she wants to go back next week! YAY!!! (and mommy even made it without any tears today--last night was another story :) Daddy got to get off work a little early today and come with me to pick her up--needless to say, Halle flipped out when she heard Chad's voice in the doorway--it was so cute!! We were so proud of her!!

She was so cute with her little backpack and lunchbox!!

Since mom never makes it into pics, I tried to take a self-pic--not so successfully as you can see!!

In the car on the way, holding her Princess lunchbox!!

In her new classroom--she was the first one there! and dove right into

the dollies!!

After waking up from nap at home!!

Post first school day with wild hair (after nap at home)

Another lunch out with "the girls"

We had another fun lunch out with the gang today--Stacey, Tracey, Jen, Meredith and I all met at Chick-Fil-A and brought all the monkeys along to wear each other out (the kids, that is)--What did we ever do before Chick-Fil-A???? We had a great time, and I don't even think we know what great therapy we all are for each other (even though not one of us ever completed one sentence to the other (I don't think) and pretty much half of the kids were "misplaced" at one point or another (Uusally found in the bathroom with another one of us mommies or trying to go into the BOYS bathroom :) he he YOU GIRLS ROCK!!!

Our trip to Atlanta

So we must have been crazy, but I decided that I wanted to go visit my cousin and her family in Atlanta (who I haven't seen in 2 years, and grew up with like a sister). I know, I know--I must have lost my mind traveling with a 2 year old and a 6 month old--but I had back up (my mom) AND they were SUCH great little travelers! I was so impressed with how flexible they were, and my sweet mom and cousin gave me SUCH a break while we were there (I felt like I was on vacation!) minus the sleeping in and during the night part--but that's ok--I took what I could get! :) We had SO much fun and Halle and Cason LOVED meeting their cousins--Hunter, Hayden, Hudson and Hope. Hope and Halle had such a great time together playing dollies and Hope taught Halle how to jump on the bed :) She had a ball--we can't wait to go back! It was so great to get caught up! The kids were great on the plane both ways (actually so great that random people made comments on the way off the plane about how quiet and well-behaved the kids were....who'd have thought?? Only one meltdown from Cason lasting 10 minutes--not bad! :)




The family dinner table

Cason wasn't entirely sure what to think of Uncle Mark

Sweet Hunter playing with Cason

Hayden has no idea what a rare site this is these days! He was SO sweet to Halle!!!

Cason sat up for the very first time ever there! (in this pic)

Hope and Halle had girl time in the tub-Halle thought she was so big!

Hayden, Hope and Hudson "help" me feed Cason!

Hope got a hold of my camera one night with Halle and started taking a million pictures--it was so hilarious--these are just a few! Halle actually hammed it up and was cooperative, so I said just keep on snapping!: )

Of course the ONE cute pic of my and my little girl, her finger is in her favorite place to put it these days--SO TWO!!!

Hope, Cason and Grandmommy

Halle, me, Hope and sweet cousin Jenny

This was another one of the "random" pics taken by Hope--it was so hilariously posed--those are Mark's feet behind the doll (held up by Halle) he he

Cousin Jenny actually got Halle to eat a whole piece of bread (never happened in her life) Can she just come home with us and teach Halle to eat like this??

Hope and Halle in Hope's bed post-jumping fest!

Our crazy kids

The "mouthguard" (aka pacifier)

Our children are so hilarious :) These pictures pretty much give you an idea of an average day around our house :) Cason has had this trick since he was a tiny baby, of being able to put the WHOLE pacifier in his mouth and chewing on it. It started with the Soothie, and we graduated to a bigger, harder one, but he still did it. Then we switched to another brand altogether (the biggest size they had), but he can STILL do it....I know I probably need to just take them away (hello, I am a pediatric nurse, and it IS a choking hazard, I am sure....) but HE LOVES his pacies!!! what to do? He looks so funny--Chad says he looks like he has a football mouth guard in....

Then on to little Halle Elizabeth--when packing for a recent trip to Atlanta (blog soon to follow), we were going through her closet getting her clothes together, and she found all these different items that she thought would be cute to wear all at once (isn't that the only way toddlers wear things? all at once??) She is missing a ballet shoe (still haven't found), wearing a hat that was knitted for her when she was an infant (you see why she didn't wear it much--it's huge) and her ballet class tutu--then she is doing "arabesques" (a ballet move) on the table....I was rolling....

The "Arabesque"

Halle looks like she went shopping in a GoodWill truck

Nonny and Poppy's visit for Labor Day

On Sunday, Nonny and Poppy came to visit us for the day! They were sweet enough to drive down from Oklahoma City! We had SO much fun and the kids LOVED their special surprised that they brought for them--SOONER OUTFITS (that would be for University of Oklahoma, for all of you "non-Sooners"!!! A cheerleading outfit for Halle and a shorts/shirt set for Cason (of course Halle's is too big, and Cason's is almost too small--my random children :) They looked SO cute in them!! (see the pics) Thanks Nonny and Poppy!! We love you!! Boomer Sooner!!!!!

More pictures from Aunt Beth and Uncle Josh's visit

Uncle Josh "practicing" his baby feeding skills on Cason!

He's such a natural!!!

Uncle Josh was kicking the ball with Halle out in the rain (and of course, Halle

decided to shed those wet clothes asap (she loves running around outside in the buff--go

figure.....) This was the only half decent picture I could put on here :)
Beautiful mommy-to-be Aunt Beth
Daddy and Cason have a moment :)

Mommy and Halle have a (quick) moment (she doesn't

stop for very long :)

Halle wants to "touch the baby" in Aunt Beth's belly (she was so enamored-and

remembered when baby Cason was in mommy's tummy :)

My sweet babies

Aunt Beth and Halle