Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Where to start....


I have been so bad about taking pictures the past couple weeks. Everytime I remember my camera we are usually on another lake, river or pool trip. And, really, how many more pictures of the boys in swimsuits and life jackets this summer do I need? I'm looking forward to the season change and new photo ops. Maybe you will even get to see my kids (and Greg for that matter) with shirts on! The boys and I have made several trips to the pool and went on some outings with friends. The boys have turned into total water bugs. A couple weeks ago we were at the pool. The three of us were in the big pool- Noah had his life jacket on and Wyatt had arm floaties. I was tryin got teach Wyatt how to float on his back. Noah, a little jealous I think, asked me to teach him how to swim. I told him I couldn't until he was able to totally go under water, which he has always been scared to do. I don't know what got in to him, but that very second he climbed out of the pool, shed his life jacket and jumped in. He hit the bottom (it was only 3.5') and bounced up, treading. So now he is a fish. He jumps in and out the shallow area with no flotation and jumps in the deep area with his jacket on. It is great. He has so much more fun in the pool now and I don't have to be there to catch him! Well, not wanting to be outdone by his brother, Wyatt jumped in. He has floaties but he jumps in, goes under and bobs to the surface. Now he is really fearless. So the two of them are all over the pool now, playing and I get to rela! (That is not a typo- that letter is not working on my keyboard. My computer is not doing too well but I'm determined to keep it going.) They are just as crazy in the rivers and lakes too. Greg and I are having more and more fun with them each day. They are going to be such cool kids. Sorry for the bragging. I took them to our local gymnastics gym yesterday for the second time this year. Every Monday morning they open it up to just parents and preschoolers. The boys wore themselves out. There is a huge pit in the floor filled with foam blocks over which they practice the uneven bars and the vault, etc. Noah climbed up on a platform about 6 feet over the blocks (I don't know eactly how deep the blocks go) and did a superman jump off. Again, not to be shown up, Wyatt followed. He is so small though, that he would fall between the blocks and just be totally buried. Other moms were looking at me in disbelief, and maybe a little disapproving, but the boys were having so much fun. The owner of the gym thought it was great. We'll have to go more often. All three of us were dripping in sweat by the time we left. I'm waiting to put Noah back into gymnastics when he turns five and will actually be able to be a part of a real instructional and competitive class. This past weekend we celebrated Mema's 76th birthday in Wahlburg. It was really fun to see all the family. With si little ones under 5, there was plenty of entertainment. They all play really well together. Of course I forgot my camera at a big family gathering with great picture opportunities. It was a busy day. Sunday evening we went on an impromptu canoe trip up the Blanco River from 5 mile dam. We only went a couple miles but it was really mellow, pretty trip up and down the shady side of the slow moving river. We stopped to swim, skip rocks and throw the biggest rocks we could find as high as we could and watch them KUR-Plunk in to the water. It was great. Noah begins preschool net week. He is very ecited to be a Monkey this year. So am I. Oh yeah, the pictures. The first one they are washing the motorcyle, getting it ready to sell. yep, Greg said a final goodbye to it on Friday. He also parted with the sailboat. It was sad, but he is such a good husband. He sold them so we have some money to invest and save for some land in the future. The net two pics are Wyatt enjoying the popsicle he earned by eating a big pile of green beans and the net is him unhappy about his mouth hurting from the frozen lips caused by the popsicle.

Monday, August 13, 2007

Wonderfully Made Announcements

Dori and I have gone into business together. We create photo announcements for occasions like births, engagements, adoptions and moving. So pass on our website address and contact to friends and family. We need referrals to keep building our portfolio. Visit wmannouncements.com. The site is still under construction and will continue to grow.

Sum, Sum Summertime

The blazing hot weather is finally here! That means sprinklers, watermelon and popsicles. As much as is possible, the boys and I are enjoying the fiery TX sun. A couple weeks ago we visited Landa Park in New Braunfels with our friends. We stopped by the famous Naeglin's Bakery and got some amazing cookies and breakfast pastries. Landa Park has several playgrounds, springs, pools, falls, really big ducks, a train and the Comal River runs through it. The friends we went with each had boys a little younger than Wyatt. We played, had a pic-nic and swam. It is a beautiful park and I recommend it to anyone looking for a free, refreshing time in New Braunfels. We spent a weekend at the Lakehouse . The guys hauled muck out of the lake while us girls cooked and decorated flip flops (a crazy mom idea in celebration of Dori's b-day). Last week we visited our close friends Becky, Molly and Evie in Schlulenburg. They have a couple acres in the middle of nowhere with chickens. It was a blast and really fun to see Molly and Evie. Molly is a terror- her and Wyatt get along great. Evie is sweet and enjoyed the attention poured on her by Noah. Wyatt enjoyed trying on all Molly's bracelets, necklaces and sunglasses. I think he wonders why he and Noah don't have all that cool stuff. Becky suggested getting him some 'man jewelry'. Hmmm... I think sunglasses are enough for now.
Some of you may know that Greg and Noah were in a wreck just before our FL trip. Everyone was okay but the company truck he was driving was totaled. Big mess, but the happy ending is that Greg's company bought him a new vehicle (new to us, anyway). He is now driving a black 2000 4runner. He loves it. The boys love it too. Every black SUV is now a 'cool 4runner' to Wyatt. He cries when I put him in the Rav because he wants to ride in the 'brand new truck'. It's the McDanel coming out in him. Noah is fascinated by the idea that the white truck went to the junk yard. Out of the blue I get questions like 'will the truck in the junkyard get smashed?' and 'does the truck still have it's wheels?' Noah is starting the ever-so-fun tough questions for mom and dad stage. 'Will Fluffy [the fish we had to flush last week] live again when he gets to the ocean?' 'When will you [mom] be old and have a messed up face?' 'Can I get married when I'm 15?' 'Who's bigger- God or Jesus?' I can't think off all the funny ones he has asked me lately- I need to start writing them down. The other day he asked me if we were going to Birdbath and Beyond. Of course everything he says Wyatt repeats so things are twice as funny hearing Wyatt's version.