Trampoline Fun

Our next-door neighbors, the Woodens, became foster parents a few months ago and one of the rules for foster families is that you cannot have a trampoline.  Well, the kids all play on it so often that they asked if we would mind having it in our yard.  We didn't mind at all and have loved trampoline-sitting for them!

My nieces, Julia and Ally, and Cooper and Danielle all decided they wanted me to take a picture where they were all in the air at the same time.  

A few up...

Nobody up...

We gave up on Cooper, but got the girls up!

We have had so much fun with the trampoline and, now that we've moved, we're strongly considering getting our own.  It is great exercise!

Blueberry Picking

My sister, Christy, called a while back (that's how behind I am in blogging...) and asked if we wanted to go blueberry picking with her. We had a free day, so off we went!

It was seriously hot that day and the plants are shorter than they have been before, so we didn't have much shade at all and there were bees everywhere. But, the kids had a great time picking and we had lots of talks about how the bees won't chase you so just leave them alone, etc.

Josh picking--it was quite bright out!


Julia and Christy. Not the best picture of Julia, but it was the only one I got...


Some goofy kid at the blueberry patch... Not sure who he belonged to... *grin*


Randall showing off some of his few blueberries in his basket. He kept eating his, which isn't a problem, but he said he couldn't stop himself, so he started putting his blueberries in my basket so he wouldn't eat them.


We both got 5 pounds, I think, and some local honey, too.


On the way home, we passed a vegetable stand, so we stopped and I bought the most delicious and biggest canteloupe I've ever had. I also got some perfect peaches and a big, juicy watermelon.

All in all, a very successful morning!

Randall's Kindergarten Graduation

Since today was the boys' "and-a-half" birthday and I have over 150 pictures to go through from that and then next week, we find out if we're having a boy or a girl (Yay!), I decided I ought to get on the ball and post about Randall's Kindergarten Graduation! Shame on me for not doing it sooner! I knew there would be so, so many pictures, that I just put it off.

This has been a very, very good year for Randall. ACA was a perfect fit for his needs and personality and we have seen maturity in areas that we wondered if he (and we) would survive. This was our year of watching him and waiting to see if we felt he was ready for Hudson PEP. Starting at the beginning of the year, we decided to just play it by ear. As the year progressed, we had no doubt that he would do great academically, but we were uncertain how he would do emotionally with the stricter atmosphere at PEP. However, by the end of the year and in answer to our prayers, we decided that he was ready. Not that it will always be smooth sailing next year (or in the years to come), but we do think that he will be able to keep up and enjoy Hudson PEP.

There was a graduation and then school-wide program. Ms. Margaret, the teacher that helped Ms. Brenda a few days a week and Ms. Brenda welcomed the kids on the stage.


Ms. Margaret, Randall and Ms. Brenda.


Julia looked so sweet with her hair all curled and her big smile.


Then the kids took off their caps and gowns and got ready for their songs. Julia took time out of her song preparations to pose.


She got to sing a solo, too. (Not sure what Randall is doing here, but he did it the whole night. He kept wiping the sides of his mouth. He always has something that he is doing (popping his ears was the last habit) and it's always random.)


Randall decided to jump in and sing his heart out! (Actually, Aunt Christy, the photographer, just snapped him in a very unusual pose, but it cracks me up.)


Maybe Jack is asking Julia if he can have a turn with the mike. (I'm telling you, the kids were all so wiggly and fidgety, we have tons of hilarious pictures like this one that need great captions.)


Jack has decided that if he can't sing a solo, he will hang himself.


Finished the first song, getting ready for "Surfin' ACA"


Julia is wondering why Jack decided to stand on the risers...


Okay, everyone is mostly ready. *grin*


At one point, they all jumped on their boogie/surf boards and they did such a great job looking like they were surfing! Look at that Julia--she obviously has surfer blood in her from her Florida-raised Daddy.




Done! And they did such a great job, singing and surfing!


All the classes (baby up to Kindergarten) got together to sing the school song.


Kindergarten Graduates (That's how Randall smiles whenever we tell him to smile...)


The proud Rineharts


The proud Hollwarths


Whew! It was a fun evening and we were so proud of both kids. And, we are very excited because both Randall and Julia will be joining Russ and Josh at Hudson PEP next year. Both tested in! Everyone will be at one school--yay!

Where, oh, where has my little blog gone?

Wow, it's been almost a month since I last posted! Busy and lazy, those are my excuses.

I think I'll just do a quick recap of the last few weeks and then try to get back on track.

* Had my sonogram and found out that we're having a peanut. An alien peanut. And only one alien peanut. I meant to upload my sonogram pictures to FB, but after I scanned them, I couldn't find them and I was too lazy to do it again... But, I have now found them!


Cute little alien peanut, don't you think?

* Met with my doctor a week later, had a great appointment and a great chat with her, and she confirmed that my due date is November 16th. Which, basically, means that a week or two later, we ought to have a baby. Pitocin is not my friend.

* Had a garage sale over a month ago and then took leftovers to a friend's for another one. Made lots of money and yet still came home with junk. How'd that happen?

* Went strawberry picking and got lots and lots of strawberries! Made lots of yummy stuff! Post coming someday.

* Went to my nieces' (Julia and Ally) dance recital, oohed and aahed over all the cute little girls, got teary-eyed watching my nieces and then thanked God that I only have boys.

* Had a decorator friend from church, Jennie, of Ooh La La! Decorating, come over to give me some tips on making my livingroom arrangement look intentional and not accidental. *grin* She had lots of great ideas! Here are a few of her ideas:

Starting with the wall that the front door is on. I got the personalized name sign pictures from DeSIGNS by Rene'. She had all our first names and even our last name!


Next, the bookshelves along the hallway wall. I'm going to get the "Rinehart" thing rematted so it matches the room colors better.


Piano area next to the bookshelves. Russ was practicing piano and Jennie (not the one that helped me decorate, although their names are spelled the same way *grin*) was listening.


Then our new TV and entertainment center and the random window seat-like thing.


And, last, the arrangement on top of the computer desk.


I have a wall that I will be putting my cross collection on once I find it in the storage shed out back. We took them down when we had our house listed so everything looked less cluttered and now I can't find them... Once I finish everything, I'll take a whole livingroom picture.

* Then a field trip to Sci-Port with Randall (had to miss my last MOPS meeting--bummer!), a field trip to the Tyler Zoo with Russell and Russell's field day. Whew! Busy week! Separate posts coming.

* Tonight is Share Night at BSF and my last night in the evening class. I've decided to switch to the day class because I can bring the baby with me and not have to worry about leaving him/her home with Slade on Monday evenings when he needs to be doing school work.

And, now we're caught up. Posts with more pictures coming soon!!

The beginning of Western Week

Western Week is apparently a big tradition at ACA and we got to be a part of it this year. Unfortunately, we didn't have anything western for Rand to wear. But, my sweet friend Dana has a son close in size to Randall and he so generously let Rand borrow some of his western wear. He even offered his favorite cowboy hat.

Randall was very excited about Western Week and about getting to dress up in his cowboy garb... up until time to get dressed. Then he began whining and saying that everything I put on him was uncomfortable. In his defense, I am sure boots take some getting used to, but everything else was just fine, the little toot.

I decided to fight the battle for the first day and then he could decide if he wanted to dress up the rest of the week. But, if he didn't do it once, he wouldn't know how much fun (or not) it could be. Strangely enough, the idea of two pairs of socks to help the boots stay on worked wonders and he wore everything and looked very handsome.

Doesn't he look thrilled to be so handsome?


There's that heart-stopin' smile.


Julia was a dancing cowgirl!


Randall and Julia together.


Hugs!


I have had a busy week and haven't gotten to see any of the Western Week happenings (I'm not even sure if other parents stayed for the activities or not), but maybe I'll get to experience some over the next two days.

Sneak Attack!

Russ, Randall and Josh discovered that the branches that were weighed down with snow made a perfect fort.




See anyone in there?


I'm not one to point fingers, so I won't point out that Grammy is the only adult carrying snowballs.


Danielle getting her ammo ready.


Russ must've sneaked out the back to join in and get Josh and Rand.


Randall cried a little because he said he had told everyone that he didn't want to be hit by snowballs. Silly kid. Luckily he got over it quickly.


We went to LeTourneau for more tubing and had a blast going down the steep slopes of the Student Center. I don't think it's called the Student Center anymore, but that's how I know it. I thought I got some pictures, but it seems I did not. We tubed and "trashed" for as long as the kids could handle it. Then we thawed out, went home and changed clothes and all went out for lunch.

The snow stayed for another day or so, but it was mostly just slush by Saturday.

Our snowman put in a good fight, but he, too, didn't last forever. Here he is bowing his head.


A few hours later, his head fell off. Oh, well. They say all good things must come to an end.

We may never see that much snow again, but we had a blast and made memories that will last forever!

A Winter Wonderland

It continued to snow all night long and when we woke up Friday, this is what we saw:






Both boys loved it!


Look at the neighborhood!



More snow than I've ever seen here! I've seen lots of snow elsewhere, but never here. Slade and I loved it as much as the kids did!

The boys' schools didn't close (although all the schools in the surrounding areas did), but Slade and I decided that they might never see snow like that again, so we were going to take an unexcused absence and enjoy it. Turns out, by 9:00, we got a call saying that parents could go pick up their kids and they wouldn't be counted absent. Oh, well.

So, my mom brought Ally and Ben over (Ben stayed inside with Slade, who was working on schoolwork), Christy brought Josh and Julia over and Allison brought Danielle and Cooper over.

First order of business, make a snowman!




The finished man with two cute girls.


Snowman and some more kids.


My cute niece, Ally, who won't look at the camera for anything...


Danielle getting ready to attack!


Russ isn't worried about getting hit by snowballs.


Next up, Sneak Attack!