Kiddie Mia's and The Mystic Bond

We had an eventful weekend.  Since it was raining all day on Saturday, Neil had the bright idea that we should go to Kiddie Mia's.  It was a great idea because the boys love the place.

Henry got to ride for the first time!

Lots of tickets...so many it was even taller than Bennett!

Racecar game!

I played a game where you put quarters in and try to knock quarters over the edge.  You get 15 tickets per quarter that falls over the edge.  Well, I put a quarter in and about 46 quarter fell over the edge.  The tickets never came out.  I wasn't too worried about it, but Neil was.  He has been talking all weekend about how he Bennett could have gotten something really great with the 1,000 tickets we would have had!  Maybe next time, Neil.

...

Andrea, a collegiate Sigma Kappa has been doing lots of leg work to get the Shreveport/Bossier Alumnae chapter going once again.  This is the 4th time that I know of that it has tried to get started and they have all been failed attempts.  We are hoping that this is not another failed attempt!  Andrea is so organized and has been working so hard.  I was shocked at the turn out because she said she was only expecting 10 people!

We discussed different ways of making it last, special interest groups, and philanthropic ideas.  I am proud to announce that Amy is going to take on the role of Vice President of Philanthropic events!  For those of you that don't know...Amy has a BIG heart.  Thanks for stepping up, Amy!

That Mystic Bond really binds the Sigmas. (Andrea is on the end in purple.)

Using our Swingset

Special Guest

My students and I had the privilege of having Amanda visit my classroom today. She joined in on our lesson about adoption via Skype. She told us all about being adopted and her wonderful, inspiring story.

It is so cool to have my friend join our class all the way from Indy!

Thank you, Amanda!

5 senses week at school

It was 5 senses week at Bennett's school this week.  It was Bennett's turn to bring snack for "Fresh Fruit Tuesday" and "Fun Food Friday."  He had fun making binoculars out of toilet paper tubes, painting with his nose, tasting all types of foods, feeling different textures, and listening to fun sounds.

Bennett with his pipe cleaner glasses

Since it was our week for snack and it was 5 senses week...what better way to celebrate "fun food Friday" than with body part cupcakes??  I thought they turned out so cute!  I was worried that they were going to look a little creepy, but I don't think they did at all!

5 senses cupcakes by Aly B's Bakery.

First Priority Gala of Hope

I don't know if I have mentioned this or not but I am a faculty sponsor at school for First Priority club. It is a student led, faith based club that I am excited to be a part of.  A committee of about 7 of us have been planning a HUGE gala as a fund raiser to benefit First Priority.  It was football themed and we even had guest speaker, Deanna Favre, the wife of NFL football great, Brett Favre.

me, Deanna, and Neil

The decorations crew really outdid themselves!  We had 32 tables each decorated with a different team in the NFL.  We were seated at the Falcons table, the Saints big rival. The event was a huge success raising $9,000 the night of the event!

I wish I had better pictures of the awesome decorations.  

Henry at 13 months (a week late)

Henry!  You are 13 months old now!  I cannot believe it!  What are you up to these days?

• You wear a size 4 diaper
• Size 12-18 month clothes and a size 1 shoe
• We call you our "human garbage disposal" because you eat EVERYTHING.  We haven't found anything you won't eat.  You eat with intensity like you have never eaten before.  Most of the time you eat more than Bennett.
• You are into everything...your favorite thing to do is open drawers and cabinets

You love the rice maker bowl and lid

Just like cymbals...maybe we have a future musician?

• Your favorite place to play is Bennett's room.  You LOVE being in there.
• Your wave looks like a wet fish flopping in the bottom of a boat...it is so cute!
• You have said "buh buh" while waiving...Carolyn witnessed it for the first time.
• You just love Gloria...

• You think Bennett is the bee's knees.  Anything he does is hilarious to you.  We can tell that you already look up to him.

• You are trying to walk. We know you can do it on your own, but you would rather be held, crawl, or hold on to something.  You take about 5-6 steps here and there each day.  You like the crawl because you are so fast with it!

• We had you screened for a communication delay yesterday.  I was just concerned about it because your ears were so bad for so long.  Turns out, you are fine and dandy.  We just need to work on a couple things like imitating and identifying objects and people.
• You are loved by so many people!  The main comment we get about you is "he is sooooo sweet!"  We love hearing that about our baby boy.

We love you to the moon and back and are so proud of you!

Grandparent's Day 2012

We celebrated Grandparent's Day today.  Grandparent's Day was actually last week, but Neil was out of town so we chose this Sunday.  Our kids have some pretty amazing grandparents.  They have 4 people that just love them to pieces and would do anything for them.  So we celebrated those 4 people along with Mamaw, Papaw, and Carolyn!

Here is the invite I made.  I hand-made each one and the entire time I was saying to myself "I am insane, I am insane!"

I was thrilled that Mamaw and Papaw (Nana's parents) were able to make it to Shreveport for the event.  We hadn't seen them in a while so it was nice to have them over.

My theme this year was "thank you for helping us grow."  I just got it from any teacher appreciation week idea list but switched it to grandparent's day!  I didn't get to carry out my theme as much as I wanted...I just ran out of time!  I already have next year's theme in my mind and from the looks of (it in my mind) it's going to be SUPER!

the banner says "grandparent's day"

Bennett loved seeing all his grandparents!  Here he is reading with Gammy.

Bennett and Nana playing iPhone

The dessert was going to be so adorable, but gravity had to kick in and all the icing fell off the "flower" of the flower in the pot. 

Gammy and her boys

The Lewis boys all decked out in their Saint garb

Pops and the boys

Who Dat Nation!

Each grandparent receive a hand and foot print of the boys...it's supposed to look like a flower.  Carolyn's was mailed in from Chicago from her grandson, Reid.

Mamaw, Papaw, and the boys

Bennett age 3.75

Bennett,

You have changed from a little boy into a big boy almost over night.  You seem so much different than you were just 3 months ago.  You have grown up so much.  Your teacher tells us all the time how great you are at school, how you have the best attitude, and always a smile on your face.  It makes us very proud to hear this about you.  You are obeying so much better.  Daddy and I comment on this all the time.  Lately, if I ask you to do something...you just get up and do it with a smile on your face.  I don't know if it is your new school, becoming an older 3 year old, or our awesome parenting that is doing it!?

You love people with all your heart.  You like to give hugs, kisses, and tell people you love them.  You say things to Henry like "you love me don't you?"  You love Henry so much and it just makes my heart swell to see you 2 together.  You like to make sure people pay attention to him and you like to tell people about him.

Your favorite places are Kiddie Mias, Chick-a-LAY, Nana and Grandad's house, Frozen Frog, Chuck E. Cheese, and pretty much anywhere else we take you.

You love to sit with me, dad, and Henry and say "let's have some family time."  You like to talk about your "really fun day" all the time.  If something is coming up that you may not want to go to you will say "ummmm, it's going to be my really fun day so I won't be there!"

You say the darnedest things!:

"When I grow up, I'm going to be a Grandad and then me and Grandad will be brothers."

"Pops, why do you have 2 belly buttons?" (after seeing my dad's stomach in the pool...he noticed where his feeding tube used to be)

Anytime Bennett sees a coin he says "look, George WashingTIM!"

You love to bite your nails and that is not just limited to fingernails.  ICK!!!

Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you!  You are learning so much and seem to know so much for a 3 year old.  You are such a sweet boy and we hope you stay that way forever!!! 

We love you, Bennett all the way to the moon and back...or as you say it "all the way to the moon and THE back!"

Happy 63rd, Dad!

We enjoyed birthday dinner for my dad on 9/11 (his birthday).  My dad said he wanted for me, Neil, the boys, and his friend Dwight to go with them.  I just hoped and prayed the boys would be good at the Steakhouse.  It is typically a quiet restaurant where kids don't normally go...but Dad wanted them there so we took them!  They were the most well-behaved kids ever.  I was so proud.  I just kept thinking...we just need to get through each course...the appetizer, then salad, then entree'...and we did it!

Happy 63rd!

Carolyn, Bennett, and Dad

Dad, Bennett, and Dwight

Dad loved the soap and shave balm we gave him

The crew minus Neil...he was taking the picture

Bennett picked out all of Pops' gifts. (a fake apple that "you don' t eat", a ball "so we can play catch at your house",  a "diarrhea coke" and some candy)

Bennett was a great helper

Pops and his 2 favorite boys

We just kept feeding Henry and he was fine!  He ate creamed spinach,  mac and cheese, bread, chicken, and fruity cheerios.

I hope it was a special birthday for you, Dad!  Thanks for including all of us, Carolyn!

While Daddy is away...the boys will play!

Neil took his annual trip to Lake Ouachita this weekend.  They call it CFB Island for college football island   Neil says that he looks forward to this trip every year and that it is the most fun trip he has ever gone on.  Basically 10 guys lug tvs, generators, chairs, tents, and other equipment to an island in the middle of Lake Ouachita and watch football for 2 solid days.  It's not really my cup of tea but I am glad he gets to have such a great time on THE BEST TRIP EVER!

Since Neil knows my obsession with pictures, he sent me 2 and he isn't even in them! :(  I like getting to see a little glimpse of CFB island...

front shot of the group...I guess they don't really pose for pictures.

Back shot

We have had a lot of fun of our own.  We ran lots of errands, ate at the new Rhino Coffee for lunch, and played with Gammy.

Albertson's shopping carts are a hit

Henry was pulling Bennett's hair!  They were both laughing so hard.   I think it was payback for Bennett pulling Henry's ear at the beach.

The case of the missing pump

This little blue part may not look like much to you, but it is the key part to making the water table work that my mom gave Henry for his birthday.  The grandparents asked what Henry wanted for his birthday and the main thing I said was a water table.  I mean he has a summer birthday so why not reap the benefits of all things water, right? 

Well, the night before Henry's birthday, my mom, Nana, Bennett, and Cal all wanted to put this table together.  It was around 9 pm and I just knew this was going to be too big of a project to undertake.   Well, of course no one wanted to listen to me so they got all 42 parts out to put it together.  About 3 seconds later they decided it was too hard so they just threw all the parts in the "boat" of the table and pushed it aside.

A couple nights later Neil went to actually put the table together and he got to step 4 which called for putting the pump in the table.  It was no where to be found!  We searched high and low.  The trash had already been taken out so we couldn't check the original box.  What to do!? 

I called the company that made the table and asked them to ship us another one.  It took about 2 weeks to get the part.  We finally got a new pump and Neil put the table together.  

Fast Forward to 3 days ago: Neil and Bennett were making his bed and guess what Bennett finds behind his bed???  THE BLUE PUMP!  All this to say either put things together after the kids go to bed or don't let 3 year olds help!

We finally got to play with our fun, new water table!  Henry really like chewing on the people that came with the table.

He loves those people!

They love the table.  Thanks, Gammy.

Don't take my paci away!

Both boys chewing on people.

Teamwork at the water table