First Lost Tooth

Not only did my Trenton start first grade this month, he lost his first baby tooth! It had been loose for a couple of weeks, but he really did not do much about it. He came home from school and decided to have an apple for his snack. As I handed it to him, I told him to take a nice big bite and maybe it would yank out his tooth. (I really didn't think it was loose enough). So as we were sitting there talking about school and having a snack he screams, "My tooth is gone!" I look at his apple and it is not stuck in it. I told him not to swallow anything in his mouth and grabbed a napkin and had him spit everything out. I found it sitting right in the middle of it all! As I showed my cute boy his first tooth, he started to cry. I asked him if it hurt and he just shook his head no. He could not tell me why he was crying, but just kept saying he did not want his tooth to fall out. He finally said he did not want to grow up. I think that there were a lot of changes going on in the last couple of weeks, this was the tip of it all. After he calmed down I explained he should go put it under his pillow for the tooth fairy. Well that started a whole other panic. He did not want the tooth fairy to take his tooth, he wanted to be able to show it to Grandma first. We were not able to meet up with Grandma that night, so I told him that if he put a note under his pillow asking the tooth fairy not to take his tooth yet, I'm sure she would follow his instructions. He then hurried and wrote a letter that said. "Please don't take my tooth yet I want to show my Grandma." He was able to show it to Grandma the next day and decided it was okay to put it under his pillow that night.
While most kids are chomping at the bit to grow up, my cute little feller is taking his time, and not too sure about things when they happen and he doesn't have control over it. I love his tender heart and love that he enjoys being a kid. You are growing up baby, but like I always tell you, you will always be my baby no matter how big you get! Love you!

Mescetti

Over the past two years since we have moved into this house, I have had very little success with our gardening. I have had some tomatoes grow, but that is really about all. After trying to figure out what was going on with our little garden plot, I decided that it was getting too much shade. It is right in the corner of two fences, and has a huge tree in the other corner. I decided to give it one more shot this summer, but instead of planting over in the garden I did some research and learned that you could plant directly into straw bales. What the heck? It was worth a shot. I was able to put the straw bales in the most sunny part of the back yard and they were conveniently watered by the sprinklers. I promised that if this did not work this year, I was done! Well...I am not done by any means! Not only did my straw bales work, things grew so quickly it was hard to keep up with. I figured since this was my first shot I would plant tomatoes and zucchini...it's hard to kill those two things. I planted two of each in a straw bale and sat back and watched. The zucchini (or mescetti as Braxton likes to call them) grew so big they started to grow up the back of the tomato plants. Then they ran over the side of the bale and all around the grass. Needless to say Josh hated trying to mow around the things! These pictures were actually taken in July, about a month and a half after planting the small plants we bought from the store. My Dad always said to watch out for the zucchini's that would hide in the plant. Well...we lost track of a few through the season, and if you saw my plant in person you would understand why. This one that is next to Braxton actually took me both hands and all my weight to pull of the plant. After shredding it, and taking out the middle of it (the seeds were huge), I was able to get 12 cups from this one vegetable alone! We actually ended up having a couple of these sized ones thru the year, but I tried to go out and pull them before they got this big!
Because this was so successful we decided we are going to tear up some of the grass and actually build planter boxes that will fit a straw bale perfectly. Around it we will have a rock/gravel garden with walking stones between each box. I am so excited to see what we can grow next summer!

1st Grade!

My baby boy started first grade this year. I cannot say that I was excited for this to happen. It meant that he was going to be spending more time away from me than with me, and to be honest, it meant Braxty's playmate was going to be gone! But Trenton could hardly wait for this day to come. He was so excited to eat lunch at school and to see his friends again. He didn't show any fear or anxiety, and walked right into class with no problems. Of course, I can't say the same thing for me. Thank goodness for big sunglasses! I was able to watch him talk with his friends while waiting to go into the classroom without him seeing the tears falling down my cheeks. I always make sure he asks Daddy to go into work late that day so he can take him to school too. My secret, I don't want to walk away alone! Before we went outside to wait with his class we went in so his teacher could show him where to put his bag, where the bathroom was, etc. He was supposed to go with me the day before to learn all this, but of course he started puking in the middle of the night with the flu and I had to go by myself and get paperwork. So we went a little early so he could see his classroom and he was good to go!
I am so proud of you my big boy for being so big and brave! I hope you love school in the future as much as you love it now! You are such a good student and such a cute boy with an open heart. I hope you will always insist on giving me a kiss good-bye like you do now regardless of who might be watching. It melts my heart every time you pucker those lips before you leave me. I love you baby boy!

Lagoon

Grandma and Grandpa have decided that is going to become a family tradition to go to Lagoon once during every summer! Can't say that we are disappointed about that decision! It was so much fun this year to watch Trenton be able to go on most of the rides. He was so brave and was such a big help with Braxton on the little rides. Brax wasn't so sure of things at first, but after the first ride he decided he was going to have a great day! Of course right when we got there Trenton saw the dancing water fountain. Although we had not packed to get wet that day, the first thing he did was run to the middle of the fountain and plant himself in the very spot that would ensure his body getting soaking wet. Oh the things kids think are fun...I would hate walking around in squishy shoes and wet jeans all day! He was a sport and didn't complain once about it! Grandma had pity on him and bought him a new outfit to put on...she is such a softy!

Trenton was right on the line for the height requirement for most of the big rides. He was getting on anything he wanted all day. We finally made it over to Wicked and realized it was the same height requirement as the other rides. Although this ride has loops and literally starts shooting your straight up in the air, and then right back down he stood in line ready to go. I mush admit I had some Mommy anxiety going on in my stomach and heart, but Josh kept telling me I was making Trenton more nervous and to chill. Before we went on the ride, Trenton had changed into the water shoes Grandma had bought him so he could take off his wet shoes (they were giving him blisters). Because of this, he fell right below the required line and the guy at the gate would not let him get on. We tried to reason with him and tell him that he had been on all the other rides that day, but he would not budge. Trenton was broken hearted and cried as Daddy walked him past the ride and down the exit. I got on the ride and felt pure relief that my baby was not sitting next to me on this crazy ride. As soon as I got off he came to me with red streaky eyes. We quickly found another ride near by that he had never been on. Again, he walked right onto this ride, and yes, it was the same height requirement. He had happy smiles again as we boarded The Spider. He screamed throughout the entire ride and when he was done said it was the scariest ride he had been on. If he thought that was scary, I was so grateful he did not make it onto Wicked! Next year Buddy....it is all you with any ride you dare brave!

Cute

Just two cute kiddos!

Some Fun at The Gateway

We have been to The Gateway a couple of times over the years, and every time my kids love it. Sometimes there are new things to explore, sometimes there is not. But either way, they have hours of fun. We were fortunate to go have fun with the Jewkes and their pass. We spent the morning at the Museum, and then headed to the fountains for a little water play!

Over the summer they set up a new exhibit that were life sized game pieces. the kids had a blast setting up the dominoes, and then getting in between them as someone at the end pushed them all over. They even made me get in on the fun!

Of course anytime there is water involved, you can bet Trenton will be right in the middle of it. Carmie had her time in the water as well, but Lincoln and Braxton much preferred staying on the sidelines and showing off their muscles!