Building together...

I ordered this great "toy" for Zach from Amazon...Snap Circuits. I look online often to try to find new books, toys, you name it that i can get him interested in. I am not always sure they will be hits, but sometimes you have to just try. So I found these and thought, they are right up Zach's alley. You basically build something using circuits that snap together following instructions. Simple? Well my husband being an electrical engineer major was beyond thrilled when this arrived in the mail. I hadn't told him about it and I am not sure which one was more excited to build this thing...it was fun to watch and listen to them work on it and to see the satisfaction on Zach's face when they completed it. They built an FM radio, and yes, it works. More of these sure to come in the future for gifts, they are awesome.

Can you tell they both were excited?

Studying the directions...
Listening to his dad explain things...
Looking at the pieces...
It is starting to go together...
Finished product...FM radio! What a fun thing for the boys to do and it was only $15.
So thankful that Zachary has a dad like Brandon...he really is so patient with him and takes the time to do the things that make him happy...he is a lucky little boy!

This and That...

We have been doing a bit of this and that lately...We had a lot of rain the last few weeks thanks to Hurricane Alex and then Bonnie both bringing the rain up to us...lots of cloudy days. We didn't do any pool things for over a week and we all missed it, so today, off we went. Yeah. It was fun and we all had a good time, ran into friends and played a lot. I love pool days. :)

The kids are both still enjoying Joy Camp. So much so that I have again made another change to Erin's preschool agenda for next fall. Yes, I know it is a bit ridiculous for a 3 year old, but after all I did and went thru with Zach, I think I owe it to her. She had been signed up to return to her old school in Schertz on T/Th and then go to a new school on W/F from 9-11:45. The new school is the one that everyone here raves about and i had to wait in line at 4 AM to get her a spot. I am keeping her there for sure. The school in Schertz was great and we loved it...her teacher was the sweetest woman and she did make some good friends there, but I never thought she was getting a ton out of it. Yes it was a toddler Kids Day Out and from 9-2 I should be just happy she is having fun. But now that she is at this other place, I think it would be a better fit for her and give her more. So I enrolled her for the fall and she will go there on T/TH instead. Hopefully this is the last drama with her and schools for a bit. :)

I am hoping to get her into a dance class too...have a few places I am looking into and will do more of that when we get home. Zachary we are switching things up a bit. No soccer this fall, we don't think it was a good fit for him. We would love to try piano lessons or even cub scouts. He will do tball again in the spring for sure. Looking for things that will be a better fit for him and his needs. His new therapist is great and I am so thankful for her...she is a mom of child with special needs and has done this for a while...I really like her a lot and Zach does well with her. Some days with him are easier than others still, so I am thankful to have the help and insight. She comes two days a week right now during the summer...

We are heading to the beach in one week, I am so ready that I am packed. Yes, you read that right! Me, the person that usually is 10-15 minutes late for everything, packs last minute for most trips, i am packed. I am excited. :)

I just finished reading the Murder's Daughters...very good read. I am loving paperbackswap.com I just swaped a bunch of books this month and got a bunch of new ones....well new to me. I love reading and this is a fun way to recycle my books and enjoy other people's too. I love to read!!!

Brandon is heading to Abilene again this week to fly (fingers crossed). Should be gone tomorrow and back Thursday night...after a year of not having him gone at all, he has been gone a ton this summer...

When we get back from NC I am hoping to get some fun things in before school starts. We really want to take the kids to Schlitterbauns but have not thought it would be a good idea since Erin is a bit timid of the water...we are hoping that after the beach we will know. It is a huge water park near us and all of our friends rave that it is a blast. I hope we can go, but if not take Zachary at least. We also want to try to explore some more places around our area...go camping up at Canyon Lake for one...They have cabins up there, so we might opt for that and bring a tent to see if the boys want to sleep in that. Just hoping to do some more fun things before school starts back up...seems like our summer has come and gone too fast!!!

I am off to get ready for bed!!!

Sister!!!

I love this dog...Sally (aka Sister). She is just a wonderful part of our family. I really do love her a lot and I am so glad that we have had so many years to enjoy her and I look forward to many more...she is almost 10! I can hardly believe it. She still looks and acts more like a puppy than a ten year old dog.

I can honestly say my heart and mind were not sold on the idea of a dog. I remember very clearly living in Enid, having no money, working two jobs and never seeing my husband (we were newly weds and he was in pilot training) and knowing the last damn thing I needed was a dog. I had no intention of getting one. None. Then we got a call.

Our friends April and Clayton called and said, "hey we have your dog over here, you should come see her". I was not amused and basically cursed the entire 3 minute drive over to their house , planning to tell them that no way were we taking in a stray dog. I was completely and totally against the idea. That was until I laid eyes on Sally.

I literally melted. Well it was January and quite remarkably cold in Oklahoma. But she stole my heart. Damn Dog. I really didn't want one...but that face looked out of a plastic igloo at me and then climbed ever so slowly into my lap and I was a goner. She was so small, sweet and scared of everything...she and I instantly were a fit and I knew if I was going to get a dog, this one was a keeper.

We had our concerns when we moved to TX and she managed to eat half of the household items on a daily basis...she even ate drywall at one point. She barked a ton and dug massive holes to China in our backyard. She steals food with such stealth ability it is actually impressive. I thought we would never be able to have children with this dog in our lives. We took her to obedience school and after blowing several hundred dollars I thought we were fools. Brandon deployed leaving me, 6 1/2 months pregnant with Sally. I cam home from work each day tired, swolled and ready to rest. She greeted me like I had been gone 7 years. She willed me to take my much needed walk...she sat with me while I watched endless shows on tv and read books with my feet propped up on 3 pillows. She laid her head right on the crease between my hip and belly and sat each night like that until I turned off the light. Each night at 10 PM (on the dot) Zachary got the hiccups and Sally starred at my stomach with confusion. I was still not sure she was suited for human siblings.

I was wrong.

Sally and Zachary were the BEST of friends when he was little. Each ear infection I learned that Sally was a great remedy for Zach and brought him tons of smiles. She walked with us daily when Brandon was gone...she always played with him gently and took his roughness without every getting rough back. She has always loved him and vice versa. Erin also has been lucky to befriend Sally. She is much more willing to tell Sally no and is more protective of her food than Zach ever was, but both kids adore her. They both love to help me feed, bathe, brush or walk her. They both love to give her treats and get her to do tricks. They both have NO idea how lucky they are that she won my heart all those years ago in Oklahoma.

I know Sally won't be with us forever and that truly makes me tear up and a lump form in my throat. I know she is a dog, but she is my dog. She has been with me for 4 deployments, 6 houses, 3 moves, 4 cities, 2 pregnancies and so many wonderful moments and memories in between. I am so thankful that this "damn dog" proved me wrong and won my heart. She has been on of the best things I never wanted in my life...I am so lucky and thankful for her! We love you Sally!!!

Pizza!

We went out for Pizza the other night...both kids agree on one pizza place, so we went there. Erin would eat any pizza from any place...she loves pizza...the proof is in the photos. Such a sweet, happy child!!! I would take her there every night to get that smile. :)

Children's Museum San Antonio

Monday we took the opportunity with Brandon off work to venture to the San Antonio Children's Museum...we hadn't been to that one yet and I wanted to check it out, but was waiting to have Brandon around...I wasn't sure of downtown parking and thought help would be a good thing to have. I am glad he came. It was a great museum, but it is in a part of town that requires parking in a parking garage, walking and then the museum is spread out on three floors...so two kids and two parents is a good ratio when they are 3 and 6 for me. :)

We had a good time and the kids seemed to like it a lot. I am glad we checked it out and we did something new. We then stopped at Panera on the way home...a huge treat for all of us...we love that place and there are only two in town, both far from our house. Zach ate his lunch and half of Erin's. He then had a therapy session with his new therapist...I love her! He had missed last week with him being sick and then she got sick...so that was a make up day. We had a great dinner and good night! Today we had a fun play date with one of Erin's best friends from school, her mom and brother who is Zach's age. It was a lot of fun and this is a family we all like a lot, so I hope we can hang out more. We had another therapy session this AM that was rough, but we are pushing him, so I know it is to be expected...therapy again tonight for OT/Speech...so a long day! I am off to bed soon...Brandon is back to Abilene tomorrow for a Thursday flight. I wish I could go too, but with the kids in school, therapies, etc, I am hanging here.

Photos!

Erin and I at the HEB (grocery store) check out...

Zach didn't shop, just did the register...
Brandon and I...
Brandon and Zach in the airport air traffic control tower...
Erin shopping...
She loves the shopping part...
Checking out...this register really worked...Zach was thrilled and Erin must have done 10 purchases. :)
Daddy checking it out too...
Doing a water project...
Engineering the water way...
Erin got into it too...
Doing the ball pressure area...a big hit!
Erin at the airport control tower...I think she knows something about good flights!
All in all another fun day, fun new outing and great memories...

Happy July 4th!

Hope everyone had a wonderful July 4th! We had a great day...Zach and I went to the pool to swim for a bit. Erin as usual said no...I wish she would just go, she always has fun once she gets there. Zach my fish had a blast. We then went to a friend's house for a great BBQ, fun times playing, talking and the kids got to make home made ice cream. We then drove home in search of the best place to see the fireworks. We knew where they were on base, but didn't want to mess with crowds and parking at the last minute, so we drove on the side of the road, like last year and got an awesome spot to watch. It was great. We didn't get in until well after 10 PM, but we had so much fun. Here are some photos of the kids and us...

Erin dressed and ready to go...

Zach and Erin sort of posing for a photo....
Erin on Brandon's shoulders watching the fireworks...
My buddy and I watching from the front seat....
Can you tell he LIKES them?
Love Erin's silly tongue in this one...
Zach and Mommy!
Sort of the 3 of us... :)
Happy Independence Day!