Swim Season!

Bring on Summer!

Celebrations

The school year is wrapping up, which means all sorts of events!

Lydia's Preschool Graduation

I can't believe my baby girl is going to be in Kindergarten next fall. So proud of her and how far she's come this year!

Celebrations of Learning

Ethan has had such a great year and I'm so proud of him! He's doing so well in so many things and has really enjoyed his teacher and new friends! Garrett's first year with TAKS testing, which he pretty much blew out of the water. He's such a grown up kid. So proud of him!

Our teacher gifts this year: We had some pretty incredible teachers that helped all three of our kids have really great experiences this year.

Spring events

Pre K Muffins with Mom

Ethan's 1st Grade Reading Cafe

Garrett's Spring Soccer Season

He was named the team "sweeper". This kid LOVES soccer. He may be small, but he is fast and is right in there with the really big kids! He could go wherever the coach needed him and deliver...way to go Garrett!

Ethan's 7th Birthday

It wouldn't be a birthday of Ethan's without a lot of chocolate...

Can't believe you're already 7.

Happy Birthday, E!

back to school

backpacks. lunch boxes. new clothes. teacher gifts. back to school party.

And with that...

They're off.

(and next year I'll take pictures BEFORE we brush teeth,

as to avoid the water drips down the front of our shirts)

It's just me and you, kid.

the catch

One of my 2009 resolutions is to catch up.

Catch up on sleep, catch up on reading, catch up on cleaning, catch up on scrapbooks, catch up on home videos, and catch up on various other organization projects and craft.

And as much as I'd like to get my blog caught up on all that has already transpired in 2009, I can't. I'm throwing the last few things in our suitcase, searching for the missing snow hat, and running out the door to catch a plane. Ethan and I are taking a trip to see my sister and Carter. We are so excited. Ethan's been counting down for weeks.

Then I'll come home and catch up.

today is a big day

4 became 5.

This boy couldn't have been more excited. He's asked if it's his birthday yet practically everyday for the last 3 months. Here's how most of the conversations went today:

E: Mom, tell me happy birthday.

M: Happy Birthday, Ethan!

E: WOW! THANKS, MOM!

The idea of gaining a whole year in the matter of 1 day is rather perplexing, isn't it? He kept asking if he's really 5 now and if he's taller than he was yesterday. It's true, my boy, you're really 5. Now please stop growing up!

Happy Birthday, my sweet boy! I love you!

the project that never ends

I came across these pictures a few days ago, and I just couldn't resist.

I love how little and adorable my boys look.

I love the piles and piles of leaves.

I love the memories of our days at Wymount.

I had some spare time last week so I bravely revisited my quest to scrapbook (Wikipedia uses it as a verb, so I can use it as a verb) the lives of my kids and my family.

With the addition of these pictures, our family scrapbook is now up to November 2004.

Considering I've done a year and a half of Garrett's book and haven't even started on the other two, I'm over 16 years behind, cumulatively.

That's just downright depressing.

It's not that I don't like to scrapbook. I really quite enjoy it, especially when I've got a good Jane Austin flick playing that I can half listen to while I'm in my zone. I've tried a myriad of methods and I've got my system down, now I just need a good year with nothing else to do...at all.

round two

A quick forced picture and off he went,

Out of the car, never looking back.

Go get 'em, Big E!

Back to School Weekend

It's finally here. We are so looking forward to the stability and routine that is a natural byproduct of school being in session.

With one last trip to the community pool,

(is that an awesome community pool or what?)

...and a Back to School Celebration Dinner

(another great idea courtesy of NieNie)

...complete with a Tuxedo cake

(Ethan wanted Double Chocolate, and Garrett wanted Confetti Coconut, so there you go)

...along with back to school shopping, haircuts, prayers and blessings, I think we're ready to go.

Garrett starts tomorrow, Ethan starts next week.

Bring on the sack lunches, homework, and a little extra piece of cake for Mom during the quiet hours of the elusive afternoon nap.

(really this picture's sole purpose is to show off my new dessert plates from Luiz Salvador Ceramic Shop in Itaipava, Brazil. I love them.)

almost all packed up

extra curricular activities

I am so happy my boys both have passions in their lives.

Garrett's is futebol. He eats, drinks, and breathes the sport. He spends all week anticipating soccer practice with his Brazilian soccer coach. He does a pretty good job keeping up with the rest of the kids and following thePortuguese instructions!

Ethan's passion is music. Passion is probably an understatement. His whole life pretty much revolves around his music. He seldom goes anywhere without his MP3 player in his pocket. He's been going to a weekly music class that he loves. He now wants to play the violin and the guitar when we get to Texas.

Ethan and his music teacher, Claudia

Ethan "hooked up" to his music

And just for fun, the boys talked Matt into taking them to a nearby skate park. They had so much fun. I don't know how long I'll go along with the skateboarding thing, but they sure looked cute.

More from the trip

In addition to visiting Matt's old stomping ground, we also attended the temple in Sao Paulo. Among other things I am learning not to take for granted, is proximity to the temple. Like many members of the church outside America, we traveled the equivalent of a 6 hour drive to the closest temple.

A really fun part of this trip was taking Ethan along with us. My mom volunteered to stay home in Rio with Garrett and Lydia so Ethan could have this special weekend with Mom and Dad. I love spending one-on-one time with our kids this way. It was so good for Ethan, and so enjoyable for all of us. Garrett and Lydia had a party weekend with Grandma and had a great time too.

Our friends from California, the Hutchings, moved to Sao Paulo shortly after we moved to Rio. Their son, Elden, was in Ethan's preschool and one of his best friends. Ethan was happier than I've seen him in a long time as he spent an entire day playing with Elden!

We went to a nearby mall for dinner, and the boys insisted on wearing their superhero costumes. They certainly drew in the crowds as they marched around the mall holding hands and singing Jingle Bells. It was so cute.

Ethan can't wait to go back to "Elden's Brazil"