Birthdays and Baseball

Before birthdays and baseball, I took Zander to be registered and screened for kindergarten.... I can't believe he will be at my school next year!  It seems crazy that we have been doing this parenting thing for five years now!  He did an awesome job and got the highest possible score on the screening.  Having given this screening for many years, I didn't know how my own boy would do based on all the components.  He was screened by one of our teachers and I am so proud of all that Zander knew!  I guess he is ready for kindergarten! ;)

Class of 2031!... 30 years after mommy and daddy graduated high school!

A co-worker and fellow kindergarten mom! We hope our kids are in the same class!! :)

My helpers on our weekly grocery store run.... I think these weekly visits are getting harder rather than easier...... does anyone know when this no longer feels like a chore?! ;)

I took Zander to a friend's birthday party at the science center.... he loved seeing his classmates and touching some of the animals the birthday girl had picked!

Then, we got to celebrate daddy's birthday! The big 3-6!  (I didn't have the number 6 so the six additional candles count!)

The Williams and Kennedys were over for the celebration.... we get together once a month for dinner and just so happen to celebrate whoever's birthday is that month when we are hanging out!

Maddox being a big boy and trying out the balance bike!

Maddox and Mommy Selfies!

We had another snow day on Wednesday.... isn't it spring?!  Maddox was happy to see the snow when he woke up and he even got to sleep in! :)

Zander got an early birthday present from my parents.... his baseball gear!!! Practice started this past week so he had to be ready with pants, cleats, a bat, a helmet, batting gloves and a baseball bag.  He already had his mitt/glove from Uncle Boomer and Aunt Lindsey!  He has been so excited!!

I had to show you the protective cup underwear that he has to wear! It cracks me up!  Zander likes hitting the bat to the cup! haha

Zack and I were able to fit in a date night this week for his birthday... thank you Grammy!  We went out for Japanese for dinner, custard for dessert and saw "Black Panther" at a newer theater that had recliner seats!  We don't go to see movies often so I think we confused the lady behind the counter when she was asking us where we wanted to sit before we bought our tickets.... Zack even commented to the lady..."we don't get out much!"..... haha!

While Zander loves baseball and can't wait for practice later today, Maddox was not so happy! He made the most of it but he really wanted to play with his brother!  We kept him entertained with the equipment Zander wasn't using at the time and rocks!  I think Daddy and I have decided to "divide and conquer" in the future..... one takes Zander to practice and the other hangs out with Maddox!  We will all try to go watch the games though!

Zander getting ready to bat!  He prefers to bat rather than being in the infield or outfield.  Daddy says he is going to work with him on his catching skills since he already has a pretty good swing! :)

Missing my boys

Work has been crazy busy!! As in... I had four evening events last week that took me away from our home.  One event (skate night), I took the boys (including daddy) with me but other than that, it was a lot of time spent with my co-workers and little time spent with the Houston boys.  The mornings were incredibly hectic last week since things were so busy and I was going off less sleep than normal so I am hopeful that we can get back into our normal routine and I can enjoy the little moments I get with my boys.  I have been sick off and on since last weekend.  I was sick on my stomach and now have a sore throat and my ears keep popping.  I am hopeful that all the rest I got this past weekend will help me feel better soon!  I took naps both days!  Today we have a "snow day"!  I had a teacher workday this morning since the snow was anticipated to arrive midday.  Our principal sent us home when the roads started to look rough so it wasn't a bad way to start a new work week!  Here are some pictures from our week...

Maddox decided to pour his milk into his cereal bowl so he could be like his big brother! Apparently his aim was a little off while I went upstairs to grab something before we rushed out the door one morning!  He is very proud of this accomplishment! haha

Zander's Pre-K cap and gown pictures were sent to me electronically this past week.....Can you believe he will be going to kindergarten in a few months?!

 I got to meet the NC Teacher of the Year this past week and give her a tour of our school!

 Skate night fun! Both boys are hanging out with older women.... haha

 We had Book Character Day on Friday.... can you tell I am the Big Bad Wolf?!

On Saturday, we needed a day as a family after the crazy week so we went to a local park and let the boys run and explore!! We knew it would be raining or snowing for the next few days and tried to take advantage of the outdoors while we were able to!  Burke joined us for our adventures!

I love the picture above!  It reminds me of the field behind our house when I was a little girl! We loved playing in that field and the surrounding woods!  It made me smile watching my boys do the same thing!

 Zander is such a helper when we go grocery shopping!

 I took this picture a few hours ago.... the snow is still coming down as I type this!

Fun with Friends and Family!

Last weekend, my best friend, Kelly, took us to see a local basketball team!  They are affiliated with the Charlotte Hornets so Daddy and Zander had to wear the appropriate gear for the occasion!  This was Maddox's first basketball game and our first basketball game as a family of four.  The boys did great and I noticed that as long as they had something to eat they were content watching the game from their seats!

I absolutely love this picture of Maddox below! He looks so big here as he is trying to pay attention to the game!  I can't believe that three years ago today I found out I was going to be his mommy!!

We have been able to spend time with Emerson as well! The boys love playing with her in the play area at Chickfila and seeing her after church!

We tried to enjoy the warmer weather earlier in the week.  The boys had fun testing out their toys with wheels and taking them for a spin!

 Helmet hair.... enough said!

We made the trip on Saturday to visit Granny V, Paw Paw, Uncle Grant and Grannie!  The boys enjoyed watching a movie and Zack and I have decided we might actually be able to start taking road trips!  No one screamed or needed to be entertained on the trip!

Granny V made us a picnic and brought it to where PawPaw is living right now.  He has been working through memory concerns, physical therapy and speech therapy.  He looked great and the kids enjoyed seeing everyone!

 Then, we went to Grannie's for the afternoon.  We enjoyed the beautiful weather outside and celebrated Daddy's birthday a little early since we were all together!