Picture Time Picture Time

Ok faithful friends, we are finally settled into a house and able to upload pictures again!!!! I have a bunch from this summer, I'll give you a tidbit and work my way through them. The kids are growing so fast. Sophie looks so different just from the beginning of the summer. Our lives are busy, moving quickly, but packed with fun. For the most part, the kids get along really well and love playing together. I love listening to them play and have "deep" discussions about the toys they are playing with. Sullivan has been in a bit of touble in kindergarten. He apparently is a little Romeo and has a problem keeping his lips to himself. He is learning though. It is amazing what missing a little recess and a few ice pops will do. He loves school, its a wonderful school, and is learning so much. I thought he would be totally bored in kindergarten, but now I am afraid we'll never get him to want to move to first grade!!!

Sophie loves her school as well, its much better than I ever imagined. Last weekend, she got mad at us for telling her she couldn't go to school because it was Saturday. She tells us all about her friends and how she bosses them around. She is really getting a little drama queen attitude. She can cry in the middle of a sentence for dramatics and adds the lip quiver for extra attention.

Alright, more later, but for now, here's a few pictures to prove my kids are alive and well.

Sophie enjoying a blue snowball on a hot day.

He doesn't think he's too big for this car he had when he was 6 months old.

Mother's Day- before I lost 27 pounds!

Sullivan laying next to a REAL dinosar bone.

Daddy's first attempt at pigtails. You should see him now, his look 50 times better than mine.

The girsl are playing house with dinosaurs. Just proves that girls will be girls.
Notice the cape, we wear it everywhere (except school because you have to wear a uniform and folow dress code, otherwise ....) Oh yeah, they are digging for dinosaur bones.
Sophie found a ballooon!
Sullivan explaining that they aren't real bones, someone just made them look that way.
Kids posing before the party at our FIRST Baton Rouge house.

The above pictures are from a dinosaur party we went to in May. The kids had an absolute blast.

So, we got a new house, and while I was unpacking , I thought it would be a good idea to let the kids try out the new bathtub. It has jets, so I figured it would make bubbles ok. I put some water in, a tiny bit of soap, threw in the kids, and turned on the jets. They were having such a good time, then the bubbles took over. Well, I should say, they kept having a great time. I had to grab my camera. Of course, I had to shower the "clean" off of them after they were done.

Hello There

Hello, I can't believe we are almost to the end of August. NUTS. Sorry for the lack of posts, you'd understand if you knew our life right now :) So, updates-

Sullivan started first grade last week. He hated "sitting in a boring desk listening to a boring teacher talk for two hours" and was having some emotional adjustment challenges. So, we made the decision to enroll him in my school and let him do kindergarten. HE LOVES IT. He begs to go and has such a blast. He loves every minute of it.

Speaking of love, apparently Sullivan has found his true love. I went to pick him up yesterday and was informed that "we need to talk" by the teacher. She said that he and another little girl are very close and seem to love being together and playing (which I already knew- they were in summer care together during my orientation- the little girl cried everytime I picked him up). Anyway, she says that Sullivan told her that K kissed him and was telling because he knew the rule- "you can't touch anyone else without asking." Apparently K didn't ask for the kiss :) So, the teacher pulled them both aside, talked about spreading germs through kissing and how its a bad idea. She explained that we save kisses for our mommies and daddies. Sullivan tells K that they'll have to wait until their wedding day to kiss again to which K gets very excited by the idea that Sullivan is planning on marrying her. HELLO THEY ARE 5!!!! Anyway, his teacher said it was by far the funniest thing she has dealt with and reiterated to her why she is a kindergarten teacher.

I asked him about it later, he told me K is his girlfriend and he REALLY loves her. I told him that he is too young to really understand love to which he replies- "Mom, this is TRUE love". OH BOY. He also told my mom that K tells him what to eat at lunch. Mom asks if she controls him and he said "sort of".

Little Miss started preschool this week. She really loves it. She cries a tiny bit when we go. Wednesday her teacher asked her why she was crying and she cried "because I WUV school." It was really sweet. She talks about her friends and how they play babies. She tells us that she eats nothing but crackers there. Overall, she is having fun. She brought home her first school work Friday with a packet of what she had done all week.

They are really growing up on me quickly. I'll post pictures soon!!!

Funnies...

Well, life as we know it is kind of sucky right now- just pray for us if you get a minute. But, rather than give you a sob story, I thought I would share a few funny things the kids are doing.

Sullivan now wears his batman mask when swimming. It looks really funny to see that black ears poking up on top of the water when he is under. The other day, someone at the pool said "look it's batman!" To which Sullivan quickly pulled off the mask and matter of factly pointed out the obvious, "No, its just me- Sullivan, I was wearing a mask."


I just brought Sullivan to Vacation Bible School, Sophie was NOT happy about leaving him. She told his teacher "Dat's not fair!!! I AM big enough to go to school. I am two and a half!"

Sophie still tells the same knock knock joke over and over and is still thinking its funny. Three months of the same joke is not funny, but the monotony of her thinking its funny is a little funny. "Knock Knock- who's there? Orange, Orange who? Sit in nanny's lap!" (Are you laughing?)

Sophie is a little spit fire. She WILL not be fun to deal with in the teen age years, trust me. Anyway, perhaps she will :) So, the other day she tells me she needs to poop. I put her on the potty, she tells me to "close the door and turn on the vent". I assume its gonna be pretty bad, so I do. A second later, she comes running into the living room. I ask her if she pooped, she says "no, just tee tee". I ask her if she's sure, because I need to wipe her hiney, "nope just tee tee." I tell her I can go look in the potty. She runs in the bathroom, flushes, comes running out and says in her little two year old voice "now you can't check."

EDLD 5363 Debrief

I am currently taking a multimedia class in my search for a masters degree. We had to complete a PSA in a group of four. Here is the link for the one that my group produced.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9VV98sfFeo&feature=channel

I feel we worked really well as a group. It was quite difficult at first trying to figure out how four people in totally different areas were going to complete a project that included videoing clips and editing them together to form a great end product. We started collaborating using a wiki. It turned out to be a VERY useful tool in this project. We started brainstorming ideas about what topic we would create the PSA about. This took a few days, we all threw in ideas about what we wanted to do. In the end, we decided on the booster seat law in Texas.
After deciding on a topic, we started brainstorming ideas on what we would do. The wiki was great, as everyone could throw an idea out there, and we could all see it and add our own thoughts. I really learned the value of wikis with this project! Once we had some basic ideas, we started to develop a script. Once we had a basic script, we had to decide on shots that we would need. The online collaboration was totally made possible by the wiki. It proved to be invaluable.
Once we had a well developed shot list, I started taking video of Sullivan and the different shots that we had listed. It turned into about 4 different times that I had to go back and collect more shots that we liked. I rought edited the shots on my computer since the footage was so large, then I would upload them on to youtube, and the different members of our group would download them and edit them on their own computers. One member was solely devoted to the sound editing and creation. This worked out well for our group.
We posted the work we had and made comments, finally coming up with an end product that we all liked. Overall, I think we worked well as a group. I thought we should have more special effects on the video, which was not the group concencus. I learned to "go with the flow" a little more. The quality of the video was low because of all of the uploading and downloading we had to do. But, overall, I am proud of our work.

Daddy

Some people didn't have a great example of a father growing up. I did. I had a daddy. My earliest memories are him having tea parties with me, taking me on rides at Disney world, building me a playhouse and then PLAYING in it with me, reading stories with really funny voices, and telling me funny jokes. I remember him teaching me to skate and ride my bike. I remember him listening to me when I whined or threw fits. I remember wanting to run away and him carrying me back kicking and screaming all of the way. I am so fortunate to have had a VERY active daddy in my life. I am even more fortunate that he is gonna stick around a while so my kids get to enjoy him in their lives too. He still reads stories really funny and uses great voices. He still gets down on the floor to build lego structures and plays baby dolls as if its really for him.

My kids are super fortunate too, because they get to have just such a dad in their lives. Aaron is a fun dad, the kind that wrestles with them on the bed and sneaks them little treats when mommy isn't watching. He is the kind of daddy who sits on the floor and plays dollhouse with Sophie as if he is a two year old girl and will read books until his eyes hurt. He loves playing with "Sullivan's toys" that he buys for himself to enjoy. He climbs at the playground and slides down the slides, he tries out the toys before the kids do- just to be sure they are safe :) He is passionate about being a father, which makes him a daddy.

I am blessed to have had two great daddies in my life. Happy Father's Day Dad, Happy Father's Day Aaron.

Video Editing Project

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fcvCcqCwGQ

For my class I am currently in, we were practicing with basic video editing skills in order to prepare for a big project we will be working on during the remainder of the class. The link above is my project. I chose to do a motivational video for teachers with an emphasis on the fact that our kids now learn everything digitally. I wanted to point out that kids feel trapped when they sit in a classroom listening to a lecture for 30 minutes when they are used to playing video games and watching tv all of the time. I am learning alot in the classes I am taking about the changing minds of the kids growing up today. Their minds basically are built differently than ours are, and they learn in different ways. This is why I chose this theme for my video.
The video was fun for me to do, but I had GREAT difficulty finding videos to include. You had to find already taken video and stills on the internet to use in your own compilation. The trick was, they had to be free use- not copyrighted and royalty free. The music was simple to find, but I spent about six hours routing through websites (searching the creative commons) looking for anything I could use that pertained to my theme. The video came out ok, with more time it could have been great. I enjoy editing and attempting to be creative, so I suppose I enjoyed myself :)

Anatomy of a Good Swim

So, this week, we went to Beaumont for a while to spend some time with my parents. My best friend, Tiffini, moved there from College Station about a year ago, so it was a convenient excuse to let our kids play again. We hung out at my mom's pool ALL week long. The kids had such a blast, and it was so wonderful to get to visit with her like in the good old days while the kids played.At the beginning of the week, Sullivan was swimming, but not very brave. We have gotten him private swim lessons for the past two summers, and I was terrified that he was going to have to learn everything again (which was really scary as the swim lessons involved ALOT of tears). So, finally, I enticed him to swim by bascially throwing him in (I was there to help him). Once he saw that he could swim, he was a FISH!!! He began getting very brave. He swam everywhere- so exciting. Then, he started exploring with his "dives". He has perfected the cannon ball, and I'll show you his latest invention- the "sun dive." Sullivan "walking on water". If you ask him about this picture, he'll inform you that he can't really walk on water, the camera just makes it look like he is. (Just so you know.....)

This is the knees bent cannon ball. You must yell "knees bent cannon ball" while performing the stunt, or your score doesn't count.

Yet another walking on water picture, I like the look on his face- I am about to enter!!!

This is the traditional cannon ball. This apparently is a move like Sonic the Hedgehog makes, and you must pretend to be him while performing the stunt. (or your score does not count)

This is the sun dive. In case you would like to perform it, here are the steps (according to Sullivan):

1. You must be five AND a half (otherwise, you can't walk in 3 feet water).

2. You must turn around backwards and look up into the sun.

3. You must jump backwards.

4. You must hope your back doesn't hit the water, because that WEALLY hurts!!!

This is the sun dive with the feet entering the water first as opposed to the back. This is what is performed after a few unsuccessful attempts at the sun dive and a back that is "red and stingy".

This is just fun. You jump and say "AHHHHHHH". It's fun.

Miracle man? Just saying...... he's pretty good at walking on water. But, seriously guys, its just the camera making it look like he can walk on water.

SPLASH!!!! I hope you are enjoying your summer as much as we are!!!

Sentamental Moment

Excuse me, I am having a very sentamental moment. Seriously, its killing me. I was looking through pictures this morning for a few good shots, and I saw my two newborn babies. How in the world are they 2 and 5 (and a half, please don't forget the half- its the part that lets you stand and walk in three feet water, without the half, you drown). I mean, Sophie just came running in the kitchen yelling at the top of her lungs "Brother!!! You can not come in Sophie's room. Brother, you play in your room, Sophie plays in Sophie's room." Sullivan curently has on some princess shoes, is clanking them on the hard wood floor asking me if I think he looks like a "handsome prince."

Sullivan is reading anything and everything he sees. My mom told me he read the titles on the back of a cd case the other day when he got bored. Its kind of dangerous knowing that he can read everything now. Sometimes I think he is so grown, then he says something REALLY dumb, like "I yelled really loud in my room yesterday, so we shouldn't have any monsters in there for about another week", and I realize just how young he really is. He is still my little sweetheart. Don't get me wrong, he gets into plenty of trouble, but he just has the sweetest little heart. He is very into figuring out relationships of all of our families, and currently, he is trying to convince Aaron and I to get a divorce so that he can have step parents like his daddy does. He so doesn't get everything that goes along with the actual divorce, but hey, he wants to be like his dad! The other day, we had him tested for a gifted and talented program at school. As the teacher who was to test him was walking out of the room with him, I reminded him to use all of his manners. He looked really worried, and asked, "If I use all of them, I won't have any left, and that wouldn't be very fair." "Alright buddy, just use most of them," I replied. Honestly, perhaps he shouldn't make the gt program? ;)

Oh yes, and my lovely little Sophie. She is a stinker. I am not kidding. I know I probably complained alot to you when she was a baby about her crying, but I think she was born with a naughty streak. She is currently into swimming, she wants to swim all of the time. All she can think about is swimming. If we aren't outside swimming, and she thinks about swimming, she says "Raise your hand if you want to see Sophie swim!" She loves for us to raise our hands for everything. She LOVES doing everything that Sullivan does, which is how she learned that he isn't allowed in her room. Lately, we have been spending a lot of time at our friend Doug's place called "Skate Galaxy" here in Baton Rouge. If you haven't been, you need to, its great!!! (Skategalaxy.com) Anyway, Sophie has discovered that she LOVES Dance Dance Revolution. She dances her little heart out and really gets down. Its a little disturbing to watch her dance. Honestly. She loves her aunts and uncles, and her nanny and pawpaw. She got a bobo on her face the other day and had to go to urgent care because we thought she needed a stitch or two. She went crazy until they found her a purple "bambam" (bandaid), because that's how she could get better! Oh, if she is that worried about a bandaid, can you imagine what she will be like at 12?

Other than that, life is moving along fine. I recently found out that we will probably have daycare at school next year, and am really excited about the possibility of having both of my kids with me at school. I will be teaching three-four periods and working with teachers on coordinating technology into their curriculums the rest of the time. We'll have a brand new fabulous building, and a new mac laptop for each kid from pre-k to grade 12!!! Right up my alley!!! Alrighty, I must go try to corral Sophie down for a nap. Sullivan has a movie date with one of his cousins, and then we'll just try and enjoy summer a little longer. I realize the days of having little ones is fleeting, and am really trying to enjoy every moment. The fighting is getting more intense between the two, and I can honestly say I am sick of hearing about how angry someone is that the other on looked at them, BUT life is great and I wouldn't trade it for anything!!! I am going to try and post more regularly for you, my loyal fans, so thanks for putting up with me during the move!

Saturday the way they were meant to be

Have you ever had a Saturday where you thought it just couldn't get any better? This Saturday was absolutely wonderful. Seriously. I mean, I have never heard either of my kids laugh as hard as they did for as long as they did and be so happy.

It started with a double birthday party for my longest best friend Jamie's two girls Reese and Kate. It was at a jumping place called "It's My Party". It was absolutely wonderful. The kids had TWO forty minute jumping sessions and then a fun pizza party. Sullivan would like bragging rights and for you to know that he ate FOUR pieces. It was a princess party, and he had no problem sporting the princess hat and rings that were passed out. He even let his picture be made quite a bit, oh the poor boy when he reaches his teenage years.

Then, we all came home to nap while daddy prepared the backyard for a splashpark and barbecue. Some of our new neighbors came over, and a bunch of our families. We had a GREAT summer afternoon grilling and watching the kids play. I have honestly never heard Sullivan laugh as hard as he did for as long as he did. They just had the best time ever.

And, if that couldn't be enough, my parents took them to a hotel to spend the night. Aaron's brother and his wife stayed while we watched a movie KIDLESS (which is obviously the way to go), while the kids ended their day with MORE swimming. It honestly was perfect!!! So much fun!!! I LOVE BATON ROUGE!!!

Photo Story

For another masters class I am taking, we had to create a photo story of an important or life changing event in our life. I chose to create mine on the week that Sophie was life flighted with croup to Temple's Scott and White Hospital. Take a look and let me know what you think I should change. It's not due until Monday, so you can tell me what's missing, too long, or short, etc. I had a horrible time with the microphone (but you use what you have available), so you probably have to turn your speakers up kind of loud. Thanks friends!!!!

I enjoyed making the personal story. I used Microsoft's Photo Story 3, which can be downloaded for free. It took me a while to decide what I would create my story about. Once I decided, I used an index card, and wrote all of the important things I wanted to say about that week. Of course, I could have filled four or five index cards!!! I then came up with a "script", but had to revise it about ten times because it was really long!!! I finally decided that the important part was to emphasize the point that that week had changed me forever. It still haunts me everytime I see a life flight helicopter in the sky!!!

The software is pretty easy to use. The only problem I had was recording on my microphone the voice overs loud enough. I ended up turning the background music down as low as possible, and realizing that my microphone just isn't that great. The video is produces is pretty big, so I ended up having to post it to youtube (which I really did NOT want to do), in order to link it here for you guys to see.

Anyway, leave me a comment and tell me what you think!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPTyNyQQzEM

An Update of Epic Proportions

What? Why do you want to take my picture when I am trying to have fun here?

I had a funnel in my car from moving, you would not believe how much fun a funnel is at a splashpad.

Sullivan at the bottom of a waterslide.

Sophie took her turn at breaking the pinata. Doesn't she look cute in a blindfold?

My parents came to town and took the kids to spend the night in a hotel. In the process, they took them to the store and let them buy anything they wanted. Sophie got a monkey to hang around her neck. It has hung there for over a week.

Uncle Charlie gave Sullivan five bucks when he saw the ice cream truck. Sophie looked like this after enjoying an ice cream sandwich in the sun.

This is how you cool off in the summer! Notice how big Sophie is, she looks like a kid now!

Hooray! I am not sure what he is cheering for, but he is excited!

We had a pinata at a going away party. Sullivan didn't break it, but he looked really cute in the blindfold.

Sophie found some stuffed animals and thought she had to carry them everywhere at the party even though they were twice her size.

Now this is gonna be fun!!!

Not sure if she wants to get wet, but about ten minutes later, we couldn't get her to leave!

Nanny let them make and decorate their own cupcakes. Sophie found them and ate the icing off of about six before we realized what she was up to.

Well, apparently being a working mom is WAY more WORK than I thought. I am definitely adjusting. The thing is, school is now out, I am home again, but living around friends and family keeps us very busy. I am trying to steadily unpack, and follow the lead of my ever growing children. In my organizationally challenged world, I have yet to unpack the camera cord. I know that technically I have lived here long enough to be unpacked, but we have aunts and uncles, grandparents, cousins, friends, and every kind of grandparent a kid could want living very close now- we stay VERY busy. Or, I should say, my children stay busy. They get taken out to eat by aunts and uncles, out to movies by grandparents, and invited to lots of parties to which we must drive. I'll fill you in more about our new lives in Baton Rouge soon, but for now, I'll share some pictures my dad has captured of the kids lately so that you can have prove that they are alive and still growing well. Oh yeah, and they are still really cute!