Ready, Set, Kindergarten!

We've been discussing it all summer, well for 2 years to be fair. Counting down the days until Kindergarten started! And then suddenly it was the end of the summer...and then it was the night before.

Goodbye hug from little brother!

First day picture with his sweet sweet teacher (I already love her!)

Posing by his locker
 (moms get a little camera happy on the first day
...they are trying desperately to delay the goodbyes)

At his desk!

Video #1

Video #2 

A little word of maternal wisdom. First day of kindergarten for a mommy =

Prepare to take your heart out of your chest, leave it in the tiny kid sized chair, and walk out the door :(

I so did not understand this moment a few years ago, but I have new insight now.

Its not that I haven't been away from Caden for periods of time before, its the start of a huge new phase in his life. And a phase that is done without mommy who has been there all day every day for 5 years.

I've thought so much about my last 5 years with Caden in these last weeks of waiting for the big day. I think that is what I didn't understand beforehand. Everyone else sees this:

 

But I see this:

and this:

 and this:

and this:

So that is why moms walk away from that kindergarten room crying.

On the up side, picking him up was just as sweet as dropping off was sorrowful!

Yay Kindergarten! We made it here and we made it through the first day!

Caden rides a bull!

 Ok, so it was a sheep. But I got your attention for this very blog worthy post.
We took the kids to the Georgetown Rodeo last night which is quickly becoming a favorite tradition around here.
Caden got to enter the drawing for the mutton busting and he won a spot!
You have to check out the video below!

 Little brother decided not to compete, but did make it to the arena for the calf scramble just in time to watch the 3 calves wiz past...followed by 300 running 5-10 year olds. One of which completely decked him straight to the ground. Lets just say I had to jump the fence and do a rescue op. Thankfully, he ended up with a sherrif's badge and two dollar bills from the guy next to us in the stands. I think the cash winded up saving the moment. :)

 Dad, why are you taking my picture? My hair is all messed up ;)

 What a difference a year makes!

Yee Haw :)

Rainy Day Fun with a Tent

I pull out this tent every few weeks and the boys act like they've never seen it before. Its the perfect rainy day activity-

Bluebonnets, Boys, and Dirt

I thought it would be cute to take pictures of the boys with their matching shirts.
They thought it would be cute to goof off and never look at the camera.



 

 

We had a giant pile of dirt delivered to top dress our front and back lawns which of course was a super exciting adventure. Everyone "helped" daddy load the wheelbarrow all afternoon.

 

 

We took bluebonnet pictures at our favorite family spot, Brushy Creek Trail. If you live anywhere near NW Austin, you really should check out this trail. Of course by now the bluebonnets are gone, but it is still really beautiful. A lot is shaded and runs alongside the creek with several fun bridges, two waterfalls (if it rained recently), and lots of things to look at. It starts at the Twin Lakes Y off of old 183/Bell and goes up to the Cedar Park Sports Complex, which is where we stop and play before turning around to jog back. If you keep going it will continue past the lake at Brushy Creek Sprinkler Park and all the way to Champion Park.

I think they call that "stair stepped" :)

 

Camping!

I turned 30 last week...want to hear my birthday wish on the eve of my next decade?
Family camping trip!
Collin had never been in his whole life, and convincing him it was a good idea was what you might call a challenge. But with the pressure of a birthday wish he conceded and it turned out to be soo fun!

I couldn't imagine what the kids would do during the day, and I worried they would wander around. Nope, they spent hours wrestling in the tents and playing a hide and seek-find the rock game that Collin invented.

 Cole worked on his aerial stunts.

We stayed at Pace Bend Park just a walk from the swimming area which in my opinion is every bit as fun as the beach. The sand is just a little squishier, but the drive is 1 hour instead of 4.5. Nice.

 We also went fishing which consisted of casting and reeling in the rods about 25 times and then getting bored in 20 minutes. We didn't catch anything this time, I can't imagine why :)

 Getting ready for the camp fire and smores!
I even got homemade smores birthday cupcakes from my friend Jessica.
 

 The next morning, that blanket pile is our bedding from the night, a looong one for me and Cole. I expected not to sleep, so it was ok. Lets just say we spent a lot of time gazing at the lake view and the moonlight from our tent window. The older boys did great, so the good news is in a few years our camping potential will get even better!

 Early morning view of the lake from our site.

 Can't imagine a funner way to spend a birthday weekend than with great friends and all my boys!