Heitz Happenings

Pops' House

2008-08-23T13:55:00.000-07:00

Sitting on Pop's lap

Fishing in Pop's garage- their favorite activity

Still Fishing

A picture with Grandma Bev

Our vacation up North went great. After a couple of days of driving (18 hours total), we were all relieved to finally stay in one place for awhile...unpack and relax. We all had a fun time visiting Pops, his dog Reba, my Grandma Bev, all my aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. We had a couple family parties, went to the parks, did some fishing, and just played outside a ton since the weather was so wonderful. It was so pleasant, my dad didn't even have the air conditioning on. Ummm, I think we've had our air on in Houston since March. Nothing like cool, crisp nights and throwing the 'ole sweatshirt on.

Last day of Pre-school

2008-06-11T14:01:00.000-07:00

Oh my gosh. I have had every intention of getting on this blog and writing an update on how we're doing but each time I look at my computer, I can't bring myself to do anything with it...except google people I know or look at other people's blogs. Nonetheless, here we are. We're ALIVE!!!

So Andrew had his last day of pre-school on May 23 and it was a bittersweet day for me. I was choked up saying goodbye to his teachers and they were teary eyed as well knowing that their students wouldn't be back next year. I had this voice in the back of my head reminding me that Grace will be there next year and so I'll see many of the faces again. But still, it's hard knowing that this small part of Andrew's life is behind us now. We're faced with "real"school, homework, a gazillion other students some which may be mean to Andrew. Thinking about it now makes me want to cry but I also know that he'll grow each year and become stronger and more independent and in the end, that's what I want as a parent. The sad fact of life is that he's going to have to get pushed around or called a name or two in order to really understand life and how to deal with the not-so-good experiences we all have to face one time or another.

And some of these pictures are of Andrew and Tomas, his best friend from school. Those two are a riot watching them converse (Tomas is from Columbia and although he knows English, it's a little broken at times) and laugh at each other's jokes. I'm glad he's learning what good friendship is. So here's to my little graduate...I love you Andrew!

Muffins with Moms

2008-05-13T19:50:00.001-07:00

Our last "Muffins with Moms" was held at Andrew's school this past Thursday. The kids baked muffins for us, served us special punch, sang us mother's day songs, and presented us with hand painted pots with flowers in them. It was so bittersweet as this is his last year at pre-school and last "hurrah" with regards to these sort of celebratory things. Once school starts there will be no in-room birthday parties or special holiday celebrations. There were a couple moments when I was thinking, "don't cry, don't cry." When they were singing I definitely had some tears that were ready to bulge but I held back. But that's just the fact of life. Your kids grow up so we just have to deal with it you know.

And Grace was so cute this mother's day as well. She must have sang me "Happy Mother's Day to You" (goes to the birthday tune) at least 10 times. Out of the blue she would just look at me and start singing it. Matt and the kids made me breakfast that day and also a special steak dinner. I honestly did not do one thing productive. I made it a goal to not rinse a plate, put one load of laundry in, make one bed, etc. To just really have one day off from doing anything around the house. We just relaxed and played outside all day. It was perfect.

Sweet Nothings

2008-05-05T20:18:00.000-07:00

A future David Beckham?

Okay, long time no blog. Here are a few cute things that Andrew and Grace have said lately:

Andrew: 1. Last week while putting him to bed, the two of us were lying with the window open, staring at the dimming night sky. We were cuddling and it was silent. All the sudden he turns to me and asks about the "crafts" he makes at school. Do I throw some of them away? Honest as I am and scared perhaps he's seen me in action at the trash can, I say, "Yes, I do throw some of them away." He says, "Why?" OKAY, my heart is breaking and I want to cry. Then he says, "How do you decide which ones to throw away?" So I have these really cool portfolios that I got at Aaron Brothers and I keep most of the kids' art work in those. But I can't keep everything. I just don't have the room for it. Oh man. I explained this to him but I felt like such a bad mom.

2. I was running the other day. Grace was in the stroller and Andrew was biking. Grace had been a little whiney and was bugging Andrew. As we were finishing our last mile, I reminded Andrew to let me know when he needs a break. He told me, "Ya, I need a break." I said okay, EEEERRRR. Stop. "I need a break from Grace and her whining." I had to buckle over I was laughing so hard!

Grace: 1. She can recite almost the entire Chipmunks movie now. Her favorite saying is, "Dave likes to wear dirty underwear, dirty underwear." Oh, my polite little girl.

2. We were cuddling the other night (she loves to be spooned) and she rolls over towards me, puts her hands on both sides of my face and says, "I love you so much. I love you all the stars in the sky." OOOHHHH. This is something I usually say to her and here she was, out of the blue saying it to me. Talk about melting my heart.

Don't forget Earth Day Tuesday!

2008-04-17T17:44:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder to "think green" not just this Tuesday, but every day. Whether you're more cognitive of your showering length or what you throw in the trash can versus the recycle bin, it is your responsibility to take care of not only your own personal surroundings but those that might affect you or your children later in life. So here are a few things I do, and that I teach my children to do to be more aware:

Buy snacks in bulk packaging, not little individual packages.
Use reusable Tupperware type cups with lids for snacks.
Use less paper towels and more washcloths, towels, etc.
Pick up after your pet poops in public places.
Put soap on hands, wet hands and turn the facet off until rinse time.
Buy reusable water bottles for travel, the park, etc.
Try to run errands on one day, or to those places furthest from your house.
Shower together! :)
Plant native plants, shrubs, trees.
Eat less processed food and more fresh food.
Eat organic when possible.
Buy local produce at farmer's markets. This supports all the "little" guys who grow their crops locally.
Use reusable bags for groceries, mall trips, etc. Our grocery story sells them for $.99/each. What a deal!

And like I said, it's about being more aware. Teaching your children to recycle and turn the lights/TV off when not in use. Teaching them about and exposing them to nature and how to appreciate it. That's where it all begins.

Recipe Tag

2008-04-17T17:25:00.000-07:00

Recipes, Recipes where do I begin? I LOVE recipes. I may not try all of them but I could sit and look at a cookbook for hours. Just imagining in my hungry, food loving little mind how every item would taste. BUT, here are a few of my favorite, EASY recipes:

Chicken tacos:

Put 2-3 frozen chicken breasts (depends on how many are eating, however leftover chicken is great on salads) in a crock pot. Cover with a small can of diced green chilies, petite diced tomatoes, and 1 packet of taco seasoning. Add some water to cover the bottom of the pot. Put on low for 8 hours, high for 4-5. Then, put in soft or hard taco shells with all the fixings. So easy!

Grilled Mozzarella, tomato, basil sandwich:

Take 2 slices sourdough bread, spread pesto on one slice. Fill the sandwich with sliced, FRESH mozzarella, fresh basil leaves, tomato ( I sprinkle with salt and pepper) and then grill with butter like a grilled cheese. I grill on very low heat and I cover the frying pan with another frying pan to trap the heat inside and melt the cheese to perfection. OOOOOHHHHH yummy. You can also dip your sandwich in marinara if you'd like.

KU WINS CHAMPIONSHIP

2008-04-09T05:13:00.001-07:00

This particular post is dedicated to my Jayhawk loving Dad, who after 20 years can finally celebrate another National Title win with his Alma mater. After years and years of wearing his numerous, and I mean numerous, Jayhawk shirts, hats, shorts and jackets he can now wear them with renewed pride. And to my brothers too, who are also fanatic KU fans, this is for you. GO JAYHAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT?

2008-04-07T06:30:00.000-07:00

Grace and Andrew: "We're playing 'Hit Dad With the Socks' game." Okay... Note Grace in Andrew's "Cars" boxer briefs. She wears his underwear at least once a week. And in the first picture, does it look like we've used some computer program to put Andrew's head on another little, skinny body? The way he's leaning forward with his head, it looks like it's 10 times bigger than his body. Funny!

Matt's project

2008-04-07T06:06:00.001-07:00

So we've (Matt would say, do you have a frog in your pocket?) been talking about building a sandbox for the kids for some time now. One minute it sounds like a good idea, the next minute we've completely forgotten about it or feel it would be too time consuming/laborous. On the side of our house, where the yard gets a lot of shade, the landscapers put all these little rocks instead of grass and vegetation and it's a perfect spot for the kids to play. They have a ball playing with the rocks, scooping them into buckets and dump trucks. However, the rocks end up in the grass making it hard to mow . So anyway, last weekend Matt informs me that he's heading to Home Depot and the kids and him are building a sandbox (a neighbor had offered us several loads of leftover sand the night before). So sure enough, I left for a couple hours and I came home to our newest toy! It's great and the kids will spend an hour or so just playing away in the sand. The only problem I'm running into is that it's a pain in the butt to clean up and keep them out of the house until I've hosed them down. I've got sand just about everywhere and I find that I have to vacuum every night so not to ruin our floors. But, oh well!

Easter

2008-04-07T05:52:00.000-07:00

Easter was a good one this year, although a little chilly for around here. I think it was 55 degrees or so that morning. What is it about Easter that it always seems to cool down on that particular day? I had a sleeveless dress for Grace to wear to church that morning...which by the way she wanted to wear sans cardigan throughout the entire service so she could show off her dress. She said she looked like a princess and didn't want her sweater on. Nonetheless, the kids had a fun morning, finding their eggs and hidden Easter baskets, and fininshing the day off with a ham dinner shared with our close neighbors.

I've been tagged!

2008-04-01T12:23:00.001-07:00

So under the comments section of my last post, my friend Kijuana tagged me and asked me to list 10 things people don't know about me. This one is tough, given that I really don't hold back anything about myself, my family, friends, relationship, etc. In fact, I find that perhaps I tend to say a little TOO much. But, at least you don't have to guess what I'm feeling, where I'm from, my past, or anything else for that matter.

1. I swam competitively growing up and in high school and have some trophies/metals to show for it...as well as some monumental pics of me in a swim cap and tight speedo. YIKES! (This one is quite funny because Andrew just barely found out I used to swim on a team. My father-in-law asked him if he's seen my trophies yet. Andrew was amazed, "My mom has trophies? WOW!" So last weekend, while cleaning out some boxes, we came across them. He decided to put some in his room along side his t-ball and soccer trophies. Too funny!

2. I went to college to study veterinary science. However, after my first 2 years of average grades and going up against kids who lived on farms and ranches their whole lives, I realized I was not going to get the grades possible to get into vet. school. I wanted to study, but I also wanted to have a great time.

3. I hate to shop. Unless I have a trip or special occasion planned. Otherwise, I do it for the necessities.

4. I'm somewhat of a perfectionist, although I've gotten better.

5. I gave birth to Grace in a jacuzzi tub in a birth center.

6. I love to bake and I think it would be fun to make and decorate cakes for a living.

7. Sometimes I care way too much about what people think of me.

8. I've lived in 6 places: Owatonna, MN; Prairie Village, KS; Austin, TX; Ogden, UT; Logan, UT; Houston, TX.

9. I think my biggest fear is losing a loved one.

10. I like to fish and camp (yes in a tent).

A few pics of the kids:

Houston Rodeo:

Grace's first time ordering from the ice cream man. She got some kind of Dora the Explorer ice thing. After being charged $2/item (Andrew got a spider man one), Matt suggested I become an ice cream driver myself. Just look at that truck. Disgusting. God only knows what his freezer/coolers looked like inside. I don't even want to think about it.

Mom's night out at the Rodeo

2008-03-27T12:32:00.001-07:00

My friend Michele and I decided to hit the Faith Hill concert at the Houston Rodeo a couple weeks ago. We had a blast! It felt so great and relaxing to be out on the town, no kids in tow. And Faith Hill, well what an amazing voice. We jammed along to the songs we knew and I found myself blaring out a word or two.

Michele and I met here in Houston and I'd have to say she is my closest friend here and will always be a close friend no matter where we end up down the road. I'm so fortunate to have met her and her wonderful family. Her husband Ron is a riot and after hanging out with the two of them, Matt has one or two "lines" that Ron has said and has to be repeated because it was so funny! He just gets a kick out of him. They are just the type of friends that would do whatever they could to help you out if you needed it, or to make you laugh when you need a good chuckle. I know I don't tell her enough, so Michele if you're reading this, thank you very much for your friendship and for everything you do for me and my family.

Grandma and Grandpa's House

2008-03-27T11:45:00.001-07:00

Along with our great couple days of skiing, Andrew and Grace enjoyed every minute of their stay at "Grandma's" house. Sorry Kent, no disrespect to you but I'll tell you what, all those kids think about is Grandma. When we come to visit, it's nothing but play, play, play. And treats too of course. I mean, what would Grandma's house be like if you couldn't get away with 1, 2 or 20 things you normally can't at home, right? That's what going to grandparent's houses are for. And Kathy (Matt's mom) spoils those kids like there is no tomorrow! I LOVE it! Just seeing how much fun they have is worth every minute to me.

They enjoyed going to Fat Cats arcade and glow-in-the-dark mini golf, having sleep overs with their cousins, visiting their cousins in Toele and going bowling, and sledding in the snow every day. And Matt built a snow cave for Andrew, which he thought was pretty cool. Overall, our trip went way too quickly, as always. We can't wait to visit again.

Utah Trip- Skiiing

2008-03-27T09:14:00.001-07:00

Talk about spring skiing. This was the best time I've had in a long time of skiing. The weather could not have been more perfect. We were down to ski pants and long sleeve shirts! AAAAHHH! Both Andrew and Grace did such an awesome job and we were really surprised that Grace kept it up for a good couple hours. She didn't whine or complain hardly at all, which is pretty amazing given the fact that this was her first time and I think it's hard for little ones to understand that their pretty much tied down to the ground with those skis on. Nonetheless, Andrew did such a great job, wanting to go down the hill over and over again. The second day skiing, he wanted to go up on the gondola and ski down. So sure enough, that's what we did. Although we all had a few tumbles, he kept getting up and doing it again. At one point, Andrew and I are riding up the chair lift and I'm thinking, this is a vacation. Feeling the warm sun on my face and spending the day in the mountains was fabulous...and with my whole family at that. It's nice that Grace is to the age that she can participate in a lot of the things we do, which means both Matt and I can as well.

And lastly, can I tell you how patient and fun Matt was with the kids, teaching them how to ski. He never lost his cool and was constantly telling both of them what a good job they were doing. He even came up with this cute song for Grace: Put your hands on your hips and make a big A, make a big A. Go skiing all DAY! The "all day" part has to be sung VERY low and monstrous. She laughs every time they sing it. And not only that, Matt is such a good skier. I was completely enamoured with him, watching him cruise down the mountain, going on jumps, and taking on the black diamond runs. It was pretty HOT!

Wearing Mommy's "Shirt"

2008-03-27T09:01:00.000-07:00

Okay, some of you might be offended by these photoes, but Grace asked me repeatedly to "wear Mommy's shirt" so I put it on her and she thought she was the most gorgeous, awesome, girl ever! Just look at the smile in the bottom picture. Could she be any more happy? I just couldn't resist posting it. Too cute!
Lately, that's all she wants to do. Put on makeup ( she has to use her plastic barbie set), put on my shoes, wear my headbands, do whatever I'm doing. She has become my little shadow and I LOVE it, most of the time. I hope to introduce her to soccer and sports here shortly though before she gets too prissy for my taste. I don't know about the whole princess thing. I was such a tomboy growing up that I wasn't really into barbies, or tea parties or dress-up. Oh well, if that's her thing, that's her thing right?

Lions and Tigers and Bears, OH MY!

2008-03-12T07:08:00.001-07:00

We visited the Houston Zoo mid-February and had an absolute blast! The weather was in the low 70's....AHHHH! And the last time we were there, Andrew was a little 2 year old and I was pregnant with Grace. Just where does the time go? It was surreal seeing a couple of spots where we had taken Andrew's photo, a good three years ago. Honestly seems like yesterday.

This was Grace's FIRST trip to the zoo and she couldn't believe all the animals! Some of her favorites were the giraffes, elephants, and orangutans. I think we sat and watched the monkeys for a good 1/2 hour. What is it about those animals that is so intriguing? Is it the fact that they are an animal most similar to humans? Perhaps so, but this was definitely the highlight of our visit. Watching the baby monkeys cling to their blankets, or eat fruit with their hands. Just amazing animals!

Andrew loved playing at the kids zoo, sliding down the slides and pretending to be a prairie dog. The highlight of the zoo for him was seeing the monkeys and elephants. He couldn't believe how big those animals are in reality. And the way they use their trunks to eat and drink. Almost like an arm of sorts. Too cool!

Party On!

2008-02-09T15:16:00.000-08:00

We hit a fun party last week at Pump-it-Up and the kids had a ball jumping on all the inflatable equipment. What is it about that place that brings out the kid in all of us? I mean, I can't wait to slide down the slide and jump around the circular jumper. And what a workout! The kids and I always have such a great time at this place. And in case you're wondering, the gentleman in the last pic is not Matt, it's a good friend of ours Ron Martere...all the boys were attacking him. Poor guy.

On another note, can I tell you how much I love living in Houston in the winter time? While both Matt and my families are shoveling out of their cold domains and bundling up to go anywhere, it is 75 degrees here and I'm sitting listening to my kids and the neighborhood kids laugh as they play hide-and-seek. The dads are sitting on my neighbor's driveway, somewhat monitoring things, having conversations about basketball and the upcoming Rodeo. I have my windows open and my house smells so fresh and clean. My neighbors over and behind us are swimming today and I can hear them splashing around in their pool as they listen to top 40 music. I'm just giddy inside. AAAHHH! As much as I am homesick in the fall and those months leading up to Christmas yearning for some cold, crisp air, it's in January-April that I just love this deep south weather. You can't beat 70 degrees in February. And to anyone who needs a winter get away, you're always welcome here.

It's cold in Kansas City

2008-02-07T12:20:00.000-08:00

Let me start off by thanking my mom and dad for having us a couple weeks ago. The kids and I had such a great time visiting Kanas City and being able to spend time with my family. Andrew and Grace love Mima and Papa's house, especially their two dogs...yes, they do love their 14 year old schnauser mix, Rachel, who snaps at Grace on occasion and Shelby, well, who couldn't love Shelby (she's pictured with Grace above). I think that's all Grace cared about was those two dogs. Had they eaten, did they want a treat, did they need to go outside, sleep, etc. She followed them around like she was one of the two of them. That girl just loves animals and I see myself in her because that would have been me as well.

As for Andrew, he loves to play with Ryan and Kevin as often as possible. Usually Star Wars figures or wrestling figures. And skateboarding and basketball if it's nice outside. It was so funny though because my brother Ryan had over this cute girl one night and they ended up going downstairs into the basement to hang out. Well, here's my two kids opening up the laundry shoot every couple minutes asking Ryan if she was his girlfriend and asking them what they were doing down there. Oh, man, he took that for only so long before he came up to ask us to leave him alone. We were all laughing so hard. Are we immature or what?

I think what I love most about visiting my family is the time I get to spend with everyone and the time I get to do other things like playing with my kids, reading a book (which I almost finished while I was there), and just taking time to slow down. I don't have to do laundry, answer the phone, be anywhere, make dinner, etc. It's nice to just be out of my house and away from my day-to-day responsibilities. AAAAHHHH!

Another thing I love about visiting home is spending time with my mom. We always take a day (my dad watches the kids- THANKS DAD- YOUR WONDERFUL) and we head up to Atchison, KS to a boutique called Nell Hills. They have fabulous home furnishings and decorations. The only problem is that I wished I lived closer so that I could buy more and get it home. But we enjoy sharing ideas and my mom always pays for my purchases, no matter what. She's so generous to me and I really appreciate it. Then we mosey over to this cute, little cafe located in this old post office building, which is so unique and quant. We usually share a large order of fries (this time we added a pork tenderloin sandwich) and a piece of their homemade pie. Yum, Yum! It's just become our traditional fun day together. And I love it. Thanks so much mom for your friendship and company. I really miss you!

Just venting!

2008-01-22T12:32:00.000-08:00

We were back to school last week, but we did get a long weekend this past weekend due to Martin Luther King Day. I just love having Andrew (and Grace) home and not having to be on any particular schedule as far as getting dressed, having to be somewhere at a certain time, etc. Sometimes, Andrew wants to be in his pajamas all day and I say, "Go for it!" And we make cookies, play games, and just veg out. And Grace is in such a better mood when I don't have to shuttle her in and out of the car all day.

You know, I really do consider myself lucky to be able to say home with my kids these first few years of their lives and watch them grow into little people. I love having the opportunity to take them to the parks, the museums, their music class, etc. and to just be able to enjoy the little things like rainy days and making brownies together. I know there will come a time when neither one of them will want to spend an evening with me cuddling, or be seen with me at the park or mall. I know they will get their advice from their friends and I'll have to twist their tongues to find out what's new in their lives. Right now, my kids would not want to be anywhere or with anyone other than with me, and that just makes me feel like a million bucks! Now this changes from week to week, liking my job that is. I mean, it's a hard job, unbeknown st to many. I think people think that as a mom I just stay home, watch TV, take a nap, etc. I do none of that. It is by far harder than any job I've ever had. At the same time, it's the most rewarding.

The reason I say this is because I live in a community where the majority of the women stay home with their children. And I was at the gym yesterday attending a kickboxing class and the instructor made some comment about kicking as hard as you can. She goes on to mention that the kids are home from school today (AAHHH) so kick like you mean it. And a bunch of the moms yell, "Yaaaaahhh". You know what, I hear that a lot. There are women who stay at home and would rather be anywhere than with their kids. Or they're constantly looking for an escape from their kids. We all have our bad days and we all want an escape at some point. But overall, I look at it that we only have one life and we all need to take advantage of every day, doing what makes us most happy. If you want to work, by all means get a job. And don't feel guilty about it. You shouldn't worry about what anyone else thinks. It is amazingly tough to have a career, be a mom, and run a household. Or, if you want to stay home with your kids, don't feel like you're not contributing to society because you are. You're raising those little ones to be strong, independent adults. And that's amazing work too!

I was applying for health insurance the other day and the application asked for my profession. Since not having a job, I have cringed at this question. AARRGGG! I'm scrolling down and I see chauffeur, housekeeper, manager, cook, sales, child care, medical assistant...all these jobs that I'm coming across, I do on a daily or weekly basis...Then I click "homemaker". Can't they come up with SOMETHING better than that?? ;)

HO! HO! HO!

2008-01-08T19:39:00.000-08:00

Christmas here at the Heitz household was relaxing and fun. We decided to stick here in Houston so the kids could wake up in their own beds (we didn't have to answer questions about Santa finding us) and we could start some of our own traditions. It's such a special time and I love more than anything getting to share my excitement with Andrew and Grace. I want them to have memorable Christmas' like I did. And let me tell you, hearing Andrew's squeal that morning and the look on Grace's face when they saw that tree...ahhhh it's worth every minute of preparation. Which leads me to say, here's to all the women out there, and especially the moms, who work so hard to make sure that presents are bought and wrapped, shipped out if needed, food is planned/prepared, p.j.'s bought, house decorated, etc... The list could go on! And I want to let my mom know how much I appreciate everything she did for us growing up to make sure that we had an amazing Christmas. I mean everything was always perfect! Because it's a LOT of work, and I really had no idea until this year. Thanks mom.

Oh, and I'll have to take a picture of myself in the present that Matt got me...Roller Blades! Yes, folks that's right. I put them on that morning and roller bladed around my dining room table. I felt like (and probably looked like) a 10 year old who just got her first roller skates. I LOVE them. I probably use them at least 4 times a week. But it was a few days of wobbly knees, and almost spills. In fact the first day I went out on my own Andrew said, "Don't bust your head open mom." OKAY! I'll try not to. ;)

Hanging in Biloxi, MS

2007-12-30T19:09:00.000-08:00

Matt had several weeks of work going on in Biloxi toward the end of November and after several trips on his own, he asked us to join him (he was feeling a little lonely). We drove over to Biloxi and spent 3 nights at the Hard Rock Hotel right on the Biloxi coast. The kids had a blast playing in the pool and walking the boardwalk along the beach. But you know what, we could stay at a Holiday Inn up the road and the kids would still have a great time. They just love staying in hotel rooms and swimming in the pools. They always have a blast jumping from bed to bed (which of course is off limits at home) and eating out at the hotel restaurants. Andrew went "hog" wild over all the rock-n-roll memorabilia.

Something interesting though, that I was not fully expecting or prepared for, was that the area is still so torn up and damaged from Hurricane Katrina. There was tons of sand and debris a block or two from the beach, and the sidewalks were completely torn up. There were no gas stations or restaurants on this main coastal 2-lane highway. And apparently pre-Katrina, there were beautiful 100+ year old homes all along this highway, looking out into the gulf waters. Now, there were maybe 5-6 still standing within 10-12 miles. So sad...and several trailers, with swimming pools (that apparently made it through the storm). It was definitely depressing for me to see all this devastation and 2+ years after this horrendous storm. That is just crazy to me. No matter how much you read about it or see it on the news or in pictures, it doesn't really register until you see it in person. And again, this is 2 years after. I can't imagine driving through there a week after that storm!

Trick-or-Treat

2007-11-11T11:05:00.000-08:00

First off, does anyone need a pound or two of candy? We've got it coming out of our ears and I've about had it with, "Mom, can I have another piece of candy?" Finally, this past Thursday (a week after Halloween) I told Andrew and Grace to eat any and all the candy they wanted because come Friday morning, it would be GONE! So the two of them downed every "good" piece of candy there was...Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Starburst, Skittle Packs. So that they had their fill and there was no whining or crying when the candy bag had disappeared Friday.

Andrew and I started the day off with a fun "Pumpkin Day" at his school. The kids played games, ate candy, and wrapped their teacher up as a mummy, with toilet paper. We enjoyed black cupcakes, a "Haunted" Story and scary songs. Later that evening it was time for trick-or-treating with their friends. They both looked adorable...Andrew went as Darth Vader and Grace as a princess. It was really great to see them trick-or-treating, running from house to house, gathering as much candy as possible. They had a ball!

Matt's Surprise

2007-11-11T10:12:00.000-08:00

Matt suprised me for our anniversary this year by getting photos done of him and the kids. They were done by a good friend of mine, Jamie Werner, and they turned our beautifully. I was absolutely shocked that Matt had bought outfits for the kids, scoped out a spot to have the pictures taken, and met with Jamie, all without me knowing it. On top of that, he had several pictures put into gorgous photo albums and picture frames. I was so surprised and felt a little "left out" that I wasn't in these amazing pictures. But I'm so grateful and elated that Matt did this for me. I love you babe! Happy 7th Anniversary!

Slumber Party

2007-09-30T16:27:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we had our friend's kids, James (4) and Allie (2), over for an evening while our friends went to dinner. The kids had such a great time playing outside, having supper together, taking baths, and wrapping up the night watching Tom and Jerry. At one point, Andrew and James were dressed as pirates and superheros. No suprise there.

Other than that we're still sweating here in this Houston fall weather. 92 degrees today with a heat index of 96. Ah yes, there's nothing like putting out your pumpkins and lighting your Mackintosh Apple candle when you're sweating like a dog. Such is life in the deep south ya'll! Until next time...

First Day of Pre-School (4yr. old class)

2007-09-21T12:23:00.000-07:00

Here's my little skateboarder, looking slick on his first day of Preschool...4 year old class this year. And of course, his doting, adorable little sister. She wants to be just like him and looks up to him in every way. Ohhhhh, they're soooo sweet. If I could just keep them this little forever!

I must admit I've been a little down with this being Andrew's last year of preschool before the "real" mumbo jumbo begins. I am sooooo not ready for that. But Andrew loves his teacher, Ms. Chris, and loves going 4 days a week. He's made some new friends and enjoys all the craft projects they get to work on daily. They get time outside to play, music and spanish twice a week, and plenty of good old fashioned time on the playground every day. So I've seen no tears, which is reassuring and a smile every day when I pick him up.

2007-09-21T11:58:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Andrew! Don't tell me you're 5 years old already!!! Can it really be?

This year, Andrew decided he wanted a bowling party so that's what we did. And boy did those kids have a great time. It was "glow-in-the-dark" bowling, complete with bumpers and disco music (as if these kids know disco), and a great time for all. After bowling we wrapped up the party with pizza, lemonade, and a "Cars" white cake with white frosting. Andrew's favorite. No chocolate for this kid, believe it or not.

Trip to Kansas City and Minnesota

2007-09-09T19:21:00.000-07:00

Just when we got back in the groove here at home it was time for another round of trips. This time we DROVE (were we crazy) up to Kansas City to visit with my parents and brothers, then headed up to Owatonna to spend time with my dad and his family. Actually, the drives went fabulous and we all made it to our destinations with smiles on our faces. Whewwww!

Kansas City was great...although everyone else thought the weather was miserable, we found it to be quite a relief from our hot, wet, and humid Houston days. Matt and I took advantage by running every morning and playing outside quite a bit with Andrew and Grace. We were able to meet up with our friends Summer and Casey and their two boys Tevan and Luna, as well as my good friend Lisa and her little ones, Macy and Jacob.

Moreover, it was great to be able to spend time with my parents, who took time off to play with the kids and to plan a suprise family birthday party for Andrew. He was truly surprised and thought the skateboarding cake was the greatest!

My brother Kevin was also able to come over most nights and play with Andrew...definitely one of his highlights of our trip. Especially when Kevin would skateboard with him or take him up to the skatepark. He's still talking about it! My other brother Ryan was also able to join us the last weekend we were there (since he started school at KU the previous week) and Andrew enjoyed playing basketball and golf out back with him. Boy does Andrew look up to those two!

As for Grace, she loved playing with her uncles as well, although I think she probably enjoyed petting, teasing, and feeding Shelby and Racheal, (my parents two dogs) more than anything else. Racheal snapped at her fingers a couple of times, but that peristant little girl could have cared less and continued to practically maul her any chance she could. She just loves animals! And every night when we rock before bed, it's Shelby and Racheal Grace talks about.

Then it was back on the road headed north to Owatonna, Minnesota...my birthplace and home to my dad and his entire family. The kids loved playing in Pop's boat, pretending to be fishing for the "big ones". And of course, we can't forget about the infamous gumball machine, which was almost completely wiped out of gumballs by the first night...go figure. Another highlight was the bonfire we had one night. How fun is roasting marshmallows and devouring yummy smore's? Andrew and Grace definitely got a kick out of "adding" firewood to the fire. What is it with fires anyway? Lastly, we took the kids to the local Steele County fair for rides and fair food (my favorite). They really liked the pony rides and seeing the animal barns!

It was so fun to be able to see my Grandma Bev, my aunts, uncles and cousins. We all got together over at my dads house to catch up on our lives...and of course EAT! And my cousin Dale has two little girls, Dani and Abi, which are close in age to Andrew and Grace so the kids have such a hoot running around and playing together. I get such a "kick" out of seeing the little ones having such a fun time. That's what life's all about!

Last on our trip was having the opportunity to stop into Independence, Kansas on our way back to Houston to have lunch and visit with my Grandma and Grandpa Knuth, Aunt Becky and Uncle Kirk. We haven't been able to get together for quite some time so it was nice to catch up and take some much needed pictures. My grandparents new house was adorable and I'm so glad that they are enjoying their new "place".

Thanks to all my family for having us and all our friends for taking the time out of busy schedules to squeeze in some visits. We are truly lucky to have such great people in our lives.

Utah Trip to Bear Lake

2007-08-09T12:47:00.000-07:00

This year for our family vacation we headed to Utah to spend time at the Heitz Family cabin up at Bear Lake. And boy did we have a ball. Andrew and Grace played with their cousins all day and night...jumping on the trampoline, laughing, running around, swimming. You name it, those

kids did it! Watching them with their cousins was awesome and really brought back a lot of memories for me when I would go up to Minnesota to visit my own family. I caught myself a couple of times telling Andrew about my days catching minnows with my cousins at Mineral Springs park, having banana splits with my Grandpa at the Dairy Queen, and spending evenings at my grandparents playing "Old Maid" (Mandy, do you think you could handle to lose a few games now and then?) I only hope Andrew and Grace have as fond of memories as I have!

Some of Andrew's highlights from our vacation were playing with his cousins, eating lots of candy (of course), riding Uncle Chad's 4-wheelers, and getting to stay up super late each night. And Grace's highlights from the trip were holding her new baby cousings Miles and Tayler, AND the moose we saw right outside the cabin..."Moose huge" in Grace's words. She now has to tell EVERYONE she meets all about it!

Happy 4th of July!

2007-07-05T07:15:00.000-07:00

We sure hope everyone had a safe and fun 4th of July. We started the day off with a parade at the downtown Woodlands park. Complete with local floats and 3 marching bands, the kids had a great time watching the parade as firetrucks and policemen went by and candy was thrown our way. Grace's favorite part was the horses and rodeo queens wrapping up the end of the parade and Andrew's was the taffy and suckers (of course). I think we could have bought him a bag of "dum dums" and he would have been just as happy!

Yesterday evening was just as much fun. We barbecued at a neighbor's house, then ended the evening setting off fireworks in our driveway. What a show! Andrew kept saying, "Fire, fire." and jumping up and down- typical boy! Grace on the other hand was a little overwhelmed with all the noise and kept putting her hands over her ears explaining, "Too loud Mama, too loud." Overall, I'm not sure who enjoyed the fireworks more, Matt or Andrew. I'd have to say Matt!

Andrew Dresses Himself...YIKES!!

2007-06-28T11:26:00.000-07:00

So on days when we don't need to go anywhere, I give Andrew free reigns to dress himself however he likes. You want to wear cowboy boots? Wear cowboy boots. You want to wear sweatpants in the summer? Wear sweatpants!

Well this morning, I told Andrew to go upstairs and get dressed, and this is what he came down in...in 92 degree heat with 100% humidity mind you! Yes, that's right! Camo pants and a Trent Green, Kansas City Chiefs jersey that his uncle Ryan sent him- 4 sizes too big! Oh, and Ryan found it in the lost and found last summer at the pool where he worked. Maybe I should have thrown it away? Anyway, Andrew asked me what shoes to put on and I told him his grungy old crocks. They went well with his outfit. Matt and I chuckled and prayed that none of our neighbors would walk by.

And I had to throw in this cute picture of Andrew (the puppy dog) and Grace. I work out at the YMCA a couple times a week and the kids head to the "Kids Club" while I take classes. I went to pick up Andrew and there he was, face painted (first time) with whiskers and a pink nose. And then I made the mistake of asking him if he was a kitty cat...."Rreeer, Hissss, Hisss"!

More cake please!!

2007-06-16T13:03:00.000-07:00

Grace's 2nd Birthday

2007-06-16T12:51:00.001-07:00

It's hard to believe it but yes, Grace is 2 years old already. And we celebrated at the neighborhood pool, "Dora the Explorer" style. She had such a great time swimming with her friends, eating pizza, then finishing off the afternoon with a couple mouths-full of florescent orange and pink frosting...to match her "foo, foo" bikini! Even more fun is that we had the opportunity to celebrate with our dear friend, Allie Martere, who is also turning 2 this month. Here's to Grace and Allie!