thoughts on the first week

here's my random thoughts on the first week of school...

me
my classes are small. 2nd period only has 10 kids in it. two of my classes are special ed. that is going to be tough, simply b/c i'm not good with low expectations and that is what we're expected to do for them. i do have a good co-teacher this year for my sp.ed. kids so that will be a great help. one my students is autistic, very sweet and polite, but hard to know when to let him talk and when to politely interrupt him and get on with the lesson. i genuinely like my students. i love getting hugs in the hallway from my former students who are now seniors and ruling the school. FCA starts this week and i am feeling excited yet overwhelmed about that since i am the only sponsor this year. feeling emotionally drained with all the smiling, hugging, asking questions, being kind and polite... ready to get on with the year so i can be less outgoing. that doesn't sound how i wanted it to, but i know what i mean. our pastor preached a sermon that was just for me on sunday... matthew 9: 9-12... to paraphrase, he called matthew to follow him then went to eat in matthew's house with all the tax collectors and sinners. the pharisees weren't having that and passed judgement on Him. Jesus told them it isn't the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. now go and learn what it means that I desire mercy more than sacrifice. God spoke to me through that. I have been so used to my Christian friends all summer with playdates and bible study, etc, that is has been a bit of an emotional shock to get back to the world of "sinners" and all the things that drag people down. I needed the reminder that Jesus ate with sinners. He didn't preach at them there, he just sat and ate a meal with them. That is good stuff. It is a blessing to have non-Christian friends... some people don't have a one.

brian
being such a good sport with volleyball season. teaching two upper level "K" classes this year. also the world history team leader at his school. wondering if this might be his last year coaching/teaching (we're praying he can get an assistant principal job next year). he has good classes too. when he comes home, he & avery have been building some pretty inventive railroad tracks for her trains. changing the poopy diapers at night for me... God will bless him. puts all three girls in our shower each night and hoses them down before he puts them in their PJs and tells them a story. i sometimes forget what a great dad he is because we are both so busy completing all the chores that go along with having three little blessings... he is a blessing to me and i am so grateful for his laid-back, patient personality that makes my crazy, easily stressed personality more stable.

avery
you wouldn't know she started kindergarten last week. she is so laid-back (just like her daddy). she had a great week, but could only tell me about it if i happened to ask the perfect specific question. today she told me about the class bunny "patches" and she went on for 10 minutes about it, so i guess you just have to pick the right topic. we did have homework this past weekend, it was to find out the special meaning/history of her entire name. so that was a fun project. avery means "wise counselor", elizabeth means "consecrated to God" and kratky is the czechoslavakian word for "short", which is kinda funny b/c brian's dad is 6'4" and he and his brothers are all over 6 feet tall. anyway, her top left tooth has been hanging by a thread for a week now, but she will not let us pull it. that is the one thing she is not laid-back about. right now the two little ones are napping and avery is playing with her trains. she is having a conversation with thomas the train and tinkerbell. she is also using a british accent right now and she occasionally breaks out into song. she is very creative... when thomas came to a place in the tracks where they weren't connected, i wondered what thomas would do? well, avery grabbed tinkerbell and sprinkled fairy dust on thomas so he could fly over the broken track and get back to firm footing. i could not help the chuckle that came out. she is a unique creation and a gift from God.

tatum & laney
they both start T/Th preschool this week so i don't really have an update on them since they haven't started, but i think they both will love it. they will go to the same school that avery is going to for kinder, so i think they will all enjoy being down the hall from each other. i met their teachers last week and they are great. God bless them for teaching these little ones... i'm pretty sure i couldn't do it.

oh, and the littlest one is due to arrive around march 20, 2011! we praise the Lord for the gift of another baby for our family. if i can just make it through the next week or two, i'm hopeful that the yuckies will be gone and i will be a happy preggo mama again!

First Day of Kindergarten

My big girl started Kindergarten today. I have so many things I would like to write about this, but my eyelids are not agreeing to stay up long enough to write them tonight.

I am so proud of you, Avery!

Kindle Visit

We had so much fun hanging out with our sweet friends, the Kindle's, the last couple days. Jennifer and I met in a tennis class my freshman year at Texas A&M. Who would have thought that 12 years later, our seven kids and two husbands would all enjoy each other so much!

Laney - 1, Brett - 6, Kate - 2, Crew - 4, Tatum - 3,

Parker - 8, and Avery - 5

My bets are on Crew and Tatum getting married someday... can't you just see the cuteness of that little couple? I just can't say enough about this family and how much we love them. God has taught me so much through Jennifer's stand for Christ and she & Brandon making their family be set apart for Christ regardless of what anyone thinks. Brian & I always learn something good when we're around them. They always (without knowing it) challenge us in some area, and it's always refreshing to be around them. A breathe of fresh air, that's what the Kindle family is.

Crazy Hair Day

Today was crazy hair day at church for the kids so we had some fun making lots of tiny ponytails this morning. They were so proud of themselves. Tatum's Sunday school teacher told me today she is a "gem." I agree.

from killer whales to superheroes

We have had such a fun July. I didn't plan for it to be as busy as it turned out, but I'm so thankful we packed in as many fun things as we did.

Family Reunion
In late June, my brother Matthew, his girlfriend Tracie and her two sweet kids, Taylor and Jake, came to stay at our house for a night. They rented Avatar since I had never seen it, and I must say, it was one of the best movies I've seen in awhile. Then we all got up and went to our family reunion together at my Uncle Don & Aunt Sharon's house in Spring. They have a beautiful pool in their backyard and all the cousins had a blast swimming and hanging out.

This is me and my sweet cousin Sara!! She and I were the only McReynolds girls for a very long time and we taught all those boys a thing or two over the years. I love her so much and wish I could see her and her family more often.

Laney decided that MeMe's lap looked like the most comfortable one in the group, so she just climbed right up there and made herself at home. It was very sweet to see my precious grandmother and my sweet baby doing some bonding.

PawPaw was so cute talking to Laney while she just stared at him.

I love this picture Sara took of them having a little conversation.

Hurricane Alex

So on the night that Alex blew torrential rain down on Houston, we decided to use our Fajita Willies coupon for some good Mexican food. We got poured on getting into the resturant and we got poured on going back out to our car. But the food was so worth it. Then since we were drenched anyway, when we got home, we decided to get our bath toys and rubber duckies and have a duck race in the river that was our street. Not the best picture, but since it was Laney's first time to wear her raincoat and her first duck race, I had to remember this night. I'm pretty sure I saw one of our neighbors look at the window and laugh at us. Oh well, we had fun.

Discovery Green

A fun free little outing we took to Houston's new downtown park turned out to be a big hit. There happened to be a dog jumping contest there, which was so much fun to watch. We saw one golden retriever jump 24 feet into the water to get his toy! It was so amazing! The playground was really fun and of course, the girls loved the splash pad! We couldn't believe this big beautiful park was tucked in right next to Minute Maid Park and the George R. Brown. We will definitely go back, maybe right after a hot Astros game!

Sea World

This was a last minute decision, but we found a great coupon online for Sea World tickets and since we have free lodging and free babysitting for Laney (thanks Mom & Dad), we decided it would be fun to take Avery and Tatum to experience my all-time favorite amusement park! I was nervous standing in line to buy our tickets b/c I was afraid my awesome coupon wouldn't work and we'd have to pay way too much money. But they took it and we got in, and for a small second I felt kinda bad like we'd robbed them. But I felt okay again after our ONE drink cost us $8.95. That day might have been the funnest day of the whole summer. I can't say enough good things about that place. Shamu made me cry. I kept fighting back tears when I saw those gigantic wild sea animals letting the humans kiss them and waving or clapping their fins at us. It was breath-taking! We sat in the "splash zone" for every show, but we only really got wet at Shamu's show. We rode the only two roller coasters that Tatum was big enough to ride and it was hilarious. We all screamed and hollared and it was way too fun watching the girls experience that for the first time. We hung out in the waterpark awhile and did the wave pool and the lazy river. We didn't take a stroller, which turned out to be so nice. We occasionally gave the girls a piggy back ride, but they both walked most of the park all by themselves. We stayed from open to close and had an absolute blast. We will definitely try to make that a yearly tradition, if I can find that coupon again next year!!!

Brian and the girls in the Shark House

Trying to pet the dolphins - we were too cheap to buy the special dolphin food, so they didn't like us very much. But it was fun watching them swim around anyway.

Wish I had taken more pictures, but since we were getting wet all day, I kept my camera locked up in our locker most of the day. Next year, I will definitely buy a water proof camera!

Brian has his M.Ed

Brian graduated from Lamar University with his Masters in Administration! He didn't actually walk the stage, but we did celebrate his hard work and accomplishment. Here he is celebrating with a Tatum-smile for the camera!

Galveston oh Galveston

We made it out to Galveston last weekend. We just spent a few hours on the beach, just playing in the sand, having a "mud bath," collecting pretty seashells, etc. Laney was fearless, running out into the waves. Last year when we went, she was still a baby so this was her first real experience in the ocean. We stopped at Freebirds on our way back home and had some Ben & Jerry's ice cream for dessert.

Power-Up VBS

So our new church is really really big on VBS. I've heard that the head pastor became a Christian at a VBS when he was a little boy, so he puts alot of effort and resources into making VBS great. Well, it was amazing! It was all about the Superheroes, Captain Zirk, Zing, Zap and Zoink and their battles against the "Posers" (the anti-superheroes) to teach them to do the right thing. Hence, we all have superhero shirts with "Z" on them. There was also a Jump team of high school girls that do really fun dances to all the VBS songs we sing. Again, I was blown away. I helped out in the Kindergarten room, so I got to be with Avery and all her little friends each day. It was fun to observe her in that setting and meet all the sweet little kids that are in her Sunday school class. Tatum and Laney got to come too, since I was working it, and they got into the Superhero spirit too. Brian even came with us on Friday because we just had to let him see it all for himself. It was an exhausting week, but definitely one of the best of the summer! Power Up!

Gramps Camp

My parents took Avery & Tatum to San Antonio for five days for their 1st Annual Gramps Camp. They have been planning for months all the fun things they wanted to do with the girls, like Kiddy park, riding the Breckenridge Eagle (train) the Children's Museum, etc. I don't have any pictures, but I know they had a blast. And Brian and I had only one child for five days. It was crazy. We kept saying to each other, "Do you remember when we just had one child and we thought it was so hard??? This is SO easy!" Laney was in hog heaven. Brian and I had so much fun just lavishing our attention on her. We also accomplished my 18-month-old goal for her... only giving her the paci at night and naptime. She took to it really well. Now when she wakes up, she takes the paci out of her mouth and throws it down in her crib and is ready to go. Yeah!

Thanks, Mom & Dad, for giving all of us such a thoughtful and wonderful gift. We all can't wait for Gramps Camp next summer!

New Family

Brian's brother, Brandon, and his fiancee, Adriana, are expecting a baby boy due around Christmas 2010. This is an exciting time for our family, with their wedding in September and the arrival of our first nephew in December! We are so happy for them that they are starting their lives together and we are looking forward to having Adriana and their sweet baby boy in our family. I must admit I am excited to have an excuse to shop in the boy section in all the cute kids stores now too!

Buffy Me

Not really, but for a month now, I've been working out three mornings per week at 5:15 AM. Brian's cousin, David, recently opened his own gym and I've been wanting to try it for awhile, but I only just got the nerve a month ago. There's about 5-6 women that meet, including his sweet wife Melissa, and he is our personal trainer for an hour. We don't do "women" work-outs. We do power lifting. We push his Tahoe across the parking lot. We use sledgehammers to hit huge tractor tires. We push a prowler across turf like a football player. We never do the same thing twice. You never know each morning when you walk in what form of pain you will experience that day. But it's always good pain. I am so thankful he gave me a good deal so I could be a part of it and I'm so thankful to get to experience muscle soreness like this. As an ex-athlete, I LOVE the feeling of soreness. It makes me feel like I accomplished something. It makes me feel like I'm making strides in my attempt to be a Proverbs 31 woman...

"She girds herself with strength, and makes her arms strong." Proverbs 31:17

Ruth

Our women's Bible study has been so encouraging to me too. I am so thankful God put this opportunity before me to be a part of this summer study with the ladies He has brought together. I have learned so much from Ruth. She is amazing. God is amazing how He orchestrated Ruth's circumstances and helped her have faith even when she was unloved. She went from being a foreigner in Israel to being the mother of Obed, who was the grandfather of David! Who, of course, is in the same line as Jesus! I love that God took this Moabite woman and gave her a greater future and hope than she could have ever imagined because she took refuge under His wings.

That about wraps up our July. Brian started volleyball this week, so his summer is officially over. I've got about two and a half weeks left. Ouch, that hurt me to type that. But it's okay. Again, God has given me peace that I do not understand, and I know He has a good purpose for me again this year. But I can't deny I have LOVED every minute of this summer being off and spending such great times with my three little blessings. Summer 2011 is not that far away, right?

Park Day

The ducks at Copper Lakes were hungry today. They met us at our car and swarmed around us. Thankfully we were prepared with a little bit of bread and ritz crackers.

After we gave them everything we had, we decided to go home and get the new loaf of bread I had just bought and some old bagels that we were never going to eat and some old Doritos that had gotten stale and we went back and gave them to the ducks. They were so happy to see us come back. Avery even got to where she could pet a few of the babies. Tatum was afraid of them because they were so loud with all their quacking, and Laney just stared at them.

My little cutie going down the big slide

I cannot express how happy this curly hair makes me each day.

Typical Tatum smile

Tatum's knees have had a rough week. Once they scab over, she falls again and opens them right back up. I think it's because she always wears her shoes on the wrong feet and it makes her trip alot. I guess her mama ought to teach her to put them on the right feet!

Avery my goofball

Such a poser... she loves to model for my camera.

I just had to add a couple more pics from the dance recital.

Not really sure what I want to write about, but I feel the need to update the blog so I'm going to write something. What have we been up to lately? Well, Brian is still teaching summer school. He's home by 3:00 everyday so that is really nice. I am completely loving being home all day with the girls. We are staying busy, but not too busy. We usually have a playdate with Avery's school friends once a week, which has been really fun. Several of them have younger sisters that are Tatum's age and a few littler ones Laney's age, so it is fun for all of us. I have enjoyed getting to know the mama's too. It's funny how simply having a 5-year old gives you so many endless topics of conversation.

We also still have our kids' Bible study once a week. My dear friends, Bethany, Jeannine and Devon, and I have been doing this for almost 2 years and we have almost made it through the entire Old Testament curriculum from "Children Desiring God" with our kids. We rotate hosting and teaching the Bible lesson each week and it's been such a blessing for our kids to grow up together and learn more "in-depth" about the Bible with each other.

We are still enjoying our new church so much and loving being able to be involved in so many activities now that we live so close. I am hosting a ladies Bible study every other week through Beth Moore's Siesta summer bible study. We are doing "Ruth" by Kelly Minter and it has been so good. I just finished week one today. I don't know why, but I get so excited about being with other girls and discussing life and God's Word together, so this is super exciting for me. I am already so excited for our next meeting!

I am also doing some online professional development, which is kindof a drag but I know I will love myself next May when my hours are due and I don't have to cram them in in the midst of the busyness of spring. I have to get 25 hours per year and I already have 16 from the past few weeks of online classes! Wahoo!

Laney is finally done with bottles. I know that is pretty bad that it's taken me this long, but she refused to drink milk from a sippy cup for the longest time. She was fine with water or juice from a sippy, but would only take milk from a bottle. Well, I finally got to put the bottles away last week and we are all on sippy cups now. On the same note, I tried to give her an open cup (without a lid) several days ago and she was a pro at it. I'm pretty sure I didn't offer Avery an open cup until she was close to 3 years old. But Laney at 17 months old is totally in control of it. It's amazing how fast they can learn when given the chance.

Avery's 1st Dance Recital

I would be lying if I said I was excited about this day. I have felt completely awkward during this whole dance experience for Avery. I am so NOT a dance mom, but for Avery's sake, I have tried really hard to get into it and learn from the other moms how to do it right. She has enjoyed it, but thankfully she hasn't fallen in love with it. I'm planning for us to try gymnastics or something else besides dance next fall. Anyway, today is finally here... the dance recital! We got up at 7:30 to take her to get her hair done. Then dress rehearsal at 9:00 am. I didn't even know I was supposed to bring make-up, that's why she's the only one in the picture without make-up. I'll bring some for her tonight. These pictures are from this morning's rehearsal. I must admit, it was pretty stinkin' cute. The show starts at 6:30, wish us luck!

Avery, my precious princess, I love you so much. I will support you and do the best I can to help you in whatever activity you decide to fall in love with. For me, it was basketball (my poor mom). For you, it may very well be dance. And that's okay. Just seeing you enjoy yourself and learn new things (like doing a tondu, which I had never heard of until you taught it to me) puts a big smile on my face and makes me so proud to be your mama! I can't wait to see you on stage tonight!!