One July 10th Peter and I officially closed on our very first home--Wow!!! We love it! It is in a very good neighborhood. A gated community with pool, playground, tennis and basketball courts. There is even a neighborhood swim team in the summer.
We love our brick house with 1/3 acre yard and lots of trees. It is 15 years old so we are doing lots of painting and a little kitchen remodeling, so I'll have to post pictures when it's more in order. We love having our very own house!
Our new address is 4103 Antlers Lodge Rd. San Antonio, TX 78251
Happy couple signing the title
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Joey is taking after mom and dad in his love for anything chocolate. We made the yummiest chocolate cookies the other day. Can you tell he likes the dough?
I took the boys to one of our many trips to Lowe's to get some more things for our house remodeling. The boys were crazy, of course, and this time they threw cereal all over the floor while I was talking to an employee and not looking at them. They got a really big lecture about making messes, and then they spent a long time that afternoon cleaning up the house. I kept reminding them that it is a lot of hard work to clean, so they need to be respectful and not make messes, especially when someone else is cleaning up after us. I think after scrubbing down the bathrooms it started to sink in--hopefully :) We have had a few great rainstorms bring some much needed water to this drought area. I love late afternoon storms with pouring rain, lightning, and thunder. The boys love it too and we had lots of fun watching it rain and make a little stream behind out house.
This is my baby Moses who decided it would be fun to sleep in the basket.
For the 4th we went to our new neighborhood (where we were in the process of buying a house). The current owners invited us to come. We were so impressed at what a great neighborhood it was. it felt like we stepped back into a 1950's warm, friendly, God-fearing time. All the kids/families were invited to be in the parade and decorate bikes and cars. The boys loved/feared the noisy firetruck.
The families paraded down the main street and our boys loved getting the candy that was thrown!
After the parade everyone met at the pool area and it was a big potluck where everyone brought a dish. To start out the lunch we had a prayer (what, are you serious!), sang the national anthem, and said the pledge of allegiance! I totally cried. I just couldn't believe people would actually do that these days. They weren't worried about offending different people in the neighborhood, they just did what they thought was right. It was beautiful and reconfirmed to us that we had picked the right place to live. I definitely felt we were led by Heavenly Father--it just all worked out.
Two tired boys after waiting in the hot sun and 100 degree temps
waiting for fireworks at Sally's house
Kimball finally did it, he broke his bed. He jumps like a mad man in there and I was afraid he would bust through the bottom one day. We had been finding springs that he popped off over the weeks. On the 4th I went to put him down for a nap and one side of the bed fell down. He had broken the metal frame. Our handy fixerman Peter strung a little rope and fixed that bed right up. We'll see how long this bed lasts :) Poor Kimball had a bad diarrhea bug and was getting sick. It was so sad to see him sick, but the silver lining is that he is so snuggly. We have taken advantage of the snuggle time.
Kimball was not happy getting interrupted with a bright flash
Peter has started a tradition to take Joey out on a date one night a week. Joey was SOOO excited for his date with Dad. He chose to go look for animals as the activity. So Peter and Joey explored in the woods and riverbed between our house and the golf course. They came home two happy boys! They even brought flowers for mom--so sweet!
Kimball is so funny. He loves to eat. He can't go longer than 20 minutes after breakfast before he is "starving" for more food. Here's a picture of him when I caught him sneaking some cereal.
This boy has become very demanding. He either has to be eating or running around making lots of noise at all times. If he isn't doing one of these activities he gets very upset and screams and throws a fit. Needless to say taking him anywhere is VERY difficult! The store and Dr.s office have become nightmares for me.
Happy Birthday silly boy. You definitely love to be silly. You love toots and talking about poop. You love playing the gross game where we sit and take turns making up the grossest combination of things we can think of--like poop, bird poop, some underwear, a bird with a dead bird on top with poop, dead lizards, a dead bird with slimy, slimy, slim and bird poop, a tree house with poop and a dead bird and a dead mouse and a dead squirrel. (This was your most recent recitation to me). I know that it's not the most dignified or uplifting game, but you love it. You will sit and snuggle with me forever and play; and I would do almost anything to have you happy and snuggling with me--even talk about poop and dead animals for an hour :)
You have gotten very brave and outgoing this past year, especially the past few months. You are not as timid and are taking more risks and having more adventures--like the big waterslides and first roller coaster ride at Sea World. you are more open and outgoing with people too, and you love to be around friends. You are VERY headstrong and want to be in charge and have everything your way. this has been difficult for Dad and I, but I hope this trait will help you stay strong against what's wrong and not follow the crowd.
You have wonderful smile and I love to see you carefree and happy! You can be a very good helper when you want to be. You have become very helpful with Kimball and are such a great big brother. You are very smart and like to do things backwards or mixed up because the regular way gets boring to you. You have started to read and spell a few words, and you love to learn new things.We love you very much and we are so glad to have you in our family!
Joey wouldn't believe his birthday was complete until Sally and Joe came to the party. He is so happy to have them here. He LOVES Sally and wants to follow her around all the time. I have to constantly remind him to give her a little space.
Joey loved the construction cars he got and the remote control Jeep. I had to get Kimball one too because I did not want to deal with the fighting :)
Boys are so silly. I love this video because it's classic craziness from these two. Poor kids were stuck at Lowe's for 2 hours while Peter and I tried to get some of the details worked out for ding some upgrades on our new house.
my dad takes me to sea world * my dad takes me on the big waterslides with the tubes * my dad reads books to me * my dad wrestles with me * my dad plays trains with me * my dad reads to me during scripture time * my dad brings me to school in his car * my dad plays race cars with me * my dad gives me my favorite color blue cereal * my dad makes yummy cooked cereal * my dad gives me hugs * my dad goes to the pool with me * My dad goes to the store with me * I like to go places, just me and my dad * My dad is the BEST * I Love MY DAD *
(Joey's worlds of love to his hero--DAD)
Thanks for being such a wonderful dad! Thanks for taking time everyday to make your boys feel so special and loved. I truly believe a Father's love is one of the most valuable things a child can have. Thanks for teaching them in family home evening and reading them the scriptures everyday. Thanks for teaching them to be gentlemen. Thanks for always being willing to help me with whatever I need! We love you very much and we're glad you are ours!
We Went to Sea World and spent the morning in the water park on Saturday to celebrate Father's day and Joey's B-day. Joey was so excited to go down a waterslide for the first time. I couldn't believe how brave he was. He even went down the big waterslides where you ride down a huge dark tube on a raft, and LOVED every minute of it. My timid little boy is growing up. He must have known he was turning 4.
Kimball and dad had fun hopping from pad to pad
Kimball didn't enjoy the waterslide as much as Joey did
The kid area of the waterpark was amazing! The sea-saw squirts water. Pretty much everything squirts, dumps or sprays water. The boys loved it.
The tired, hungry boys taking a snack break. I was so happy because Kimball just snuggled right up to me and was totally content to just stuff his little face. I was happy he was staying so close for so long.
Happy, content Joey with his birthday happy meal we goton the way back from Sea World
Since Joey and I get a little too excited to give presents, we couldn't wait long to give Dad his father's day gifts and did them early Sunday morning. He got a bocce set and the ladderball game (in honor of our wonderful yard we will soon own--a beautiful house on a 1/3 acre!)
The boys playing ladder ball
Dad's dinner: Steak with swiss cheese and lemon-butter mushroom sauce, roasted potaoes and peppers, and homemade rolls. He was a happy boy!
Joey and dad shared a Mississippi mud pie since they shared a day. What cuties!
Joey getting his traditional pack of Birthday gum. This is in honor of our extremely poor student days when Joey got a $2 train set (from a yard sale) and a pack of gum for his 2nd b-day and he was the happiest kid ever.
One July 10th Peter and I officially closed on our very first home--Wow!!! We love it! It is in a very good neighborhood. A gated community with pool, playground, tennis and basketball courts. There is even a neighborhood swim team in the summer. 
Happy couple signing the title
