I have a problem...

It's an addiction of sorts. It drives my husband quite batty sometimes. I'm sure it makes some of my friends giggle behind my back. I know that the road to recovery begins with recognition of the addiction, so I am here on the world wide web to declare it.

I LOVE TO SEE MY BOYS IN COORDINATING OUTFITS!

It really does bring a smile to my face. I have no idea why. I don't usually dress them exactly alike...just same fabrics...same theme in smocking or applique. I've done it to Philip and Daniel since Daniel was born. I sometimes can't sleep at night because I'm dreaming up new coordinating clothes for them. Okay, enough confessing...I'm starting to sound a little crazy.

So anyways, I whipped up these pair of shorts for Philip out of scrap material. I bought a plain polo shirt and embroidered the crab on it. All of this was done to match two smocked outfits that I made for Philip and Daniel two years ago. I have to say that they looked pretty cute at the church picnic today!

We had a great weekend despite Chris' absence for the majority of it. We all enjoyed a fabulous meal Friday night. So nice to all eat together...no meetings for Mom or Dad! Chris had a work committment pretty much all day Saturday, so the boys and I headed to Walmart to buy a new "baby" pool!

It took me 2 hours to blow up 1/3 of it, but all three of them had a blast. Even our 11 year old neighbors joined in the fun! We pushed the pool up to the slide which resulted in some good times.

Even I tried it out...my bottom skidded the bottom of the pool and landed in the grass along with half of the pool water! Glad there are no pictures to share!

Saturday afternoon brought a wedding and then dinner with Chris and Caroline! So fun to catch up without the kiddies around...a rarity!

The church picnic today was great fun! The boys loved the jumpie...

and the food was great!

It was hot...good thing Philip brought his hat!

Chris made a run to Walmart and surprised the boys with this...

We have plenty leftover, so stay tuned for our watermelon popsicles! More time in the pool and then early to bed for everyone!

I have to tell the truth....I'm off to sew some coordinating bathing suits...we have a pool party on Tuesday and let's just say Daniel's hand-me-down bathing suit is just a little too big...

Summer is Here!

WARNING: This one is picture heavy...sorry, I couldn't help myself!!

Well, it's official...summer is here. Yea, yea, I know...summer doesn't start until late June, but in Mobile it's summer. The boys are out of school and it is HOT!

Our end of the year parties started last Saturday. Daniel got invited to an end of the year splash at his classmate, Sydney's, house. They had a jumpie and an inflatable water slide. They had bubbles, water guns, snow cones, chicken nuggets, pizza, juice boxes, fresh lemonade, etc. A little boy's dream!

Daniel had a good time, but he stayed pretty close to Mom the whole afternoon. I was excited to go and have this time with Daniel and his classmates. I know Philip's classmates and their parents pretty well and simply did not feel that way about Daniel's, so it was good to have the time to introduce myself!

As mentioned earlier, Daniel has a little fear of water, so he did not get on the inflatable slide. He did have a good time jumping and shooting the water gun! I think he missed Philip, but it was good to force him to socialize without big brother!

On Wednesday, the boys both had their official end of the year party. The parents got a jumpie for the kids to enjoy!

I started in Philip's classroom visiting while they ate their lunch.

Then, William and I picnicked outside and helped the control the jumpie. Daniel came out for a jump first. He seemed a little hesitant at first, but eventually he and Cam got the hang of it!

We then enjoyed a picnic with Daniel's class.

When Daniel wasn't looking, William snuck over and stole this off of his plate....

Next Philip came out to jump. Daniel had to get back in and join him...

William did not have to want for company...he had Charles and Mia to keep him busy!

Of course, the highlight was a special visit from Daddy!

It was a great day and I was so happy to sit outside and be there with the boys. I missed the capital campaign final report that I desparately wanted to hear, but I felt that being with the boys was more important (and fun).

Unable to let the real last day go unnoticed, I invited Philip's class to join us at Midtown playground for an ice cream sandwich and a little running around time. We had a blast.

Philip and Daniel enjoyed their ice cream sandwiches. They did a fairly good job at not making a mess.

On their first attempts at least. The second sandwich (that another parent gave them!!) did not go so well for Daniel...

Of course, William had to partake too...

Boy will we miss this group next year!

We promised to get together before the summer is up to have a little reunion!

Where did the time go??

And why do I not have a picture of his very first day at Trinity??? Here's other first days...

August 2007

August 2008

August 2009
Tomorrow is Philip's last day of school at Trinity Church's Children's Center. I don't know where the time has gone. Philip started in the Mother's Day Out program in August of 2006. He was 10 months old and went once a week. He's been there for four years and for the most part he has loved it!

Miss Kelley was his lead teacher for the first three years. They had a special bond that began when Philip was 3 months old and we began putting him in the church nursery. Kelley commented to me the other day on how much she misses Philip since he left her class and sits through church too!

This year with Mrs. Pat has been a great one for him. He loved going to school and really liked being with her. I could tell the feeling was mutual!

In his four years, he has learned a lot. Not so much academics...I wouldn't really say that is Trinity's strength...thankfully, we work on that at home! However, at school, he has learned that...

• Mom may leave him, but she will always come back
• sharing with others is a necessity for survival
• there are people other than his family that truly care about him
• learning is fun
• teachers are people that you trust, respect, and listen to just as you do a parent
• God and Jesus are topics of discussion outside of home and church
• so many other life lessons that I hope he'll always carry with him

He's made some great friends...Mary and Pape especially. We'll miss them both next year! His friends have led to new ones for me too, and for that I am grateful. I hope that all of our friendships will continue as we venture on to different schools.

Daniel too has had a good year. It started out rough. When we began in August, he was newly potty-trained and dealing with not having Philip around in his classroom. He adjusted and though, I would not say he loves going, he does go without tears these days! Here he is on his first day this year...

Daniel too will leave Ms. Kelley to head to Ms. Pat's PK-3 class. I think the transition will be a good one for him as Ms. Pat seems to be fond of him too!

Hello, summer! We are ready for the ability to relax and not have a schedule to attend to!! I'll be back with an end of the year wrap up!

Best Buddies

I am sitting here trying to figure out when it happened?? When did Philip and Daniel become such great friends??

I remember when Daniel was born. I was thrilled to have a second boy...a younger brother to almost 21 month old Philip. I hoped that they would grow to be as good of friends as my younger sister and I are.

About this time last year, I thought that they would simply never get along. It seemed that they were fighting daily. Daniel hit Philip when he got frustrated. The hitting phase turned into a biting stage. His teachers said hitting and biting were not a problem at school. Part of me was happy that it was contained to home...the other part sad that they simply couldn't get along. Of course, there were times that they played well together...

Sometime in November/December, I found that we were having a week of cooperation and friendship between them followed by a week of complete inability to get along. It was frustrating because during a rough patch, I knew how great things could be if they played together nicely. However, I knew that the rough patch would pass. With patience, we got through it.

It seems now that they simply are best buddies. In the past two months, we haven't had weeks of arguing. Don't get me wrong, it isn't always pure bliss, but for the most part, they truly enjoy each other's company. I guess Daniel has reached the age where he and Philip can do much of the same things. They can communicate well with each other. I think Daniel has lost the frustration of not being able to keep up with Philip.

Yesterday, I got them new coloring books at Target. For hours, they sat in Philip's bed coloring away. At dinner, I asked them both their favorite part of the day. Daniel said, "coloring" and Philip said, "being with Daniel." What more could a Mom want??

I love to see the protective nature in both of them. The other day on the Chick-Fil-A playground, a little boy grabbed Philip's neck and pushed him out of the way. Philip was crying. I calmed him down and decided it was time to go. At this point, the boy was sitting at his table with his mother. Daniel walked up to the boy, put Sheep BaBa (his new friend) in front of him and said quite loudly, "BAAA!!!!" That was it...a simple don't mess with my brother!!

Then Sunday, Chris and I were cooking in the kitchen with William. We heard Daniel screaming...waited a minute to see if they worked it out...and then went to investigate. Daniel was on the porch crying extremely hard. Philip had run upstairs to his room and was hiding behind the chair...thus proving himself guilty of something. The interesting thing...neither Daniel nor Philip would tell us what happened. Daniel had some bruising on the side of his head. Clearly, Philip hurt him in some way, but he would not tell.

I hope they stay this way forever. My friend, Caroline's, late mother-in-law once told me that she prayed that her son would have one close friend in school to help get him through those difficult years. I have adopted that prayer for each of my boys ever since she told me about it. In addition to that friend, I hope that the boys' friendship will be one that they can forever rely on. Oh, how blessed I am...

The Clean Plate Club

I am not a fan of the clean plate club...never have been. I believe that children have an innate ability to only eat what they need. Asking them to clean their plate, overrides that ability.

So when Philip came home from school in January announcing Ms. Pat's new "clean plate club," I frowned to myself. He explained that each student gets a sticker on a sheet for each plate they clean.

He was excited, so I tried to not rain on his parade. I think I said something like, "That's cool, but it's okay to just eat what you feel like." We didn't really talk about it anymore after that.

Until today. He came home with this...

Can you see it?? It is an autographed Alabama football by none other than Julio Jones. Yes, Julio Jones...#8 for the National Championship Crimson Tide. The same young man that Philip loves...wears his jersey daily.

Why did he get it?? Seems he had the most stickers at the end of the year for the "Clean Plate Club."

Good thing I didn't squash the idea too hard last January! Roll Tide!!

Spring Sewing

I had a period of about 10 days when I really produced some clothes for the boys. It always seems to work like that. I can give one to two weeks of spending all my free time on sewing. After that, I am burnt out and the little things that have been neglected need tending to...things like paying bills, non-essential laundry, etc...

So what did I accomplish in those ten days...

First, a caterpillar bubble for William's first birthday.

A t-shirt and bubble swim suit for William's first trip to the beach. I made up my own pattern for his shorts and LOVE it. I am not a fan of boy's store bought bathing suits. They generally go down to my boy's mid-shin and simply are not attractive. I loved the idea of bubble shorts for a baby with some good looking thighs.

I finally finished the monkey smocked shirt for Daniel. It has been a long time coming. I think I started it last fall. I had already made pants for it, but seeing that the days are now in the low 90s I had a buy more fabric for shorts! He loves the cargo pockets that I put on them!

A linen church outfit for Philip. I saw a picture in PBJK a few months ago of a ring bearer wearing this and thought it was adorable. I am always on the lookout for church clothes for him, so I had to make it! I love the shorts on this pattern...wasn't really crazy about the raglan sleeves on the shirt though.

Finally, there were two baby gifts...one for an associate in Chris' firm and one for baby Sarah, our close friend's new cousin!

Whew...there's so much left to do. I am busy smocking some sea turtles that picky dresser Daniel picked out. I have three matching bathing suits on my sewing table waiting to be finished. Lots of other projects on my mind!

Mother's Day Weekend

We had a fabulous Mother's Day weekend. We packed up Thursday night and headed to the Gulf. (For those of you wondering, there was no oil to be seen or smelled.) Chris was presenting at a conference on Friday, but otherwise we had no plans other than to relax.


We played in the sand...

Both of the big boys loved digging, burying themselves, building castles and tunnels in the sand. Daniel loved dancing around in the sand! It was William's first time to get in the sand at the beach...he loved it. On our first trip down there, he wiggled out of my arms...ready to get dirty. And get dirty he did!!

We played in the water...


Again, William loved the water. He was fearless. He crawled from the sand into Old River without any hesitation. Philip loved the swimming pool...but it was freezing!! Daniel is much more skiddish in the water. He sat at the pool's edge with his feet in, but he did not want to get in. Once or twice, I persauded him, but he had a death grip on me the whole time. Swimming lessons should be interesting this summer...


And of course, we played Lego's.


Philip and Daniel really enjoyed sharing a room. On Sunday morning, Chris and I slept until 6:00 am. We were surprised to enter the living room and find them both on the couch reading a book. No telling how long they had been awake!


Although it was Mother's Day weekend, Daddy was the hit! He and William really hit it off. Maybe it the weaning for William or William's new ability to really interact for Chris, but William was loving all the Daddy time he got this weekend.



As always, it was nice to get away as a family. We are truly blessed to live so close to the water and to have a family place to retreat to. Be back soon with some sewing project pictures!!