National Dress Up Your Pet Day

Today is National Dress Up Your Pet Day.  Bless Lulu and her sweet heart.  She has endured quite a few costumes over the years, not to mention loads of accessories, sweaters, dresses and jackets!  There was event a time when we tried to get her to wear doggie boots but she was not having any of that!

Friday Favorites: Bath Edition!

We've done it.  We made the jump from pajama wearing moof-muffins to functioning members of society waking in time for school, work and other commitments! 😂

Purchased on Amazon

Now that all the presents have been unwrapped, here are a few things that I purchased from good ole Amazon this Christmas season!

Book List of 2019 + Top Two Favorites

Like most things in 2019, I started off really well, then took a break and when the routines started back again it was a hang on and go with it remainder of the year!  I ended the year having read 34 books and I feel good about that! {I remembered about a Christmas one I read too!}  My original goal was 2 per month and I beat it so, woo hoo!  While the first part of my reading was really well documented, my second part not so much.  😳😂  Below my top two books of the year you will find the links to all my reviews for the first part of the year and then thoughts on what I read for the remainder of the year if you're interested!

Celebrating January National Days

You've seen them, those national holidays that it seems most of us were completely unaware of until a few years ago.  Now every day has at least one or two titles of significance now attached to them.  Some of them are just plain weird, some of them are funny and some of them kinda interesting.  

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday friends!  It's New Year's edition of Friday Favorites.  The Cold came in and took over us one by one this year.  The day before New Year's Eve I was down for the count so our celebrations the next two days were suuuuper low key.

After family nap time on New Year's Eve Day we loaded into the car and headed to Bucca di Beppo for the sole purpose of eating dinner just so we could indulge in our favorite chocolate brownie dessert!

After we got home, it was time for us to light the fireworks that Benjamin and the boys had picked up.

 No matter how old you are, there's something magical and magnetic about fireworks.

 Truman's pick of the night and his favorite was a firework box called Shark Bite.  Are we surprised? 😂

 My favorite thing about New Year's celebrations are the traditions of making and eating pigs in a blanket!  This year Truman was my sous chef and did a fantastic job!  

The next night after dinner we fired up one of our favorite Christmas gifts from last year and had some s'mores!

Truman with his s'more is a total mood and I'm here for it! 😍😂

Truman Heads to 3's Class

A few weeks after Winston started school, it was Truman's turn!  He is returning to our favorite preschool and following in brother's footsteps by being a part of the Bee class!  One of the things I am thankful for is that over the years we have had the opportunity to get to know the fabulous teachers.  Going into meet the teachers we knew the fabulous ladies who would be teaching Truman this year.   We made a quick stop at McDonald's on our way to get one of Truman's favorite things: an orange slushie!  

Truman was very opinionated about what he wanted as a backpack and lunch box for this school year.  He was on a mission to find all things shark!  I'm happy to report that our mission was successful! 😂

Truman is such a comical, passionate headstrong little human.  He loves all things sharks + monster trucks and when the two are together, hold down the fort because that kid is determined he must have whatever it is! 😂 Truman loves music.  Like loves it so much that he has his favorite songs and sings unabashedly to them in the car.  He has a great memory and loves to snuggle.  One of my favorite things he says every night is "talk me how good I be today."  And then we speak over him all of the good things about him in that day. 

And without further ado, here are Truman's answers to his questions.

How old are you?

Three!

What is your favorite color?

Orange and blue and red.

What is your favorite food? 

Chocolate donuts!
oooo!  And MOD Pizza too!

What is your favorite holiday?

Halloween

What is your favorite thing to do with Mom?

Play with Monster Trucks.  Oh, and I like to be a shopping buddy.  I'm a good helper.

What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy? 

I like to do puzzles with him.  And build Legos.  Sometimes I'm a Master Builder.

What is your favorite thing to do with Winston? 

My favorite thing is to build with him.  And to make smooshy, mooshy mud pies!

What was your favorite thing you did this summer?

London!  My favorite thing was riding in ALLLLL the taxis!

What are you most excited about this year in school?  

Doing experiments maybe and playing with my friends!

What do you want to be when you grow up? 

A dragon!  No, a knight!  I'm Sir Trumy the Knight!

What is your favorite movie?

Cars

What is your favorite toy or stuffed animal?

Moo Moo and Rocky the Shark!

Truman, may your year as a Busy Bee be full of all the fun and good things!  I pray that you will be an encouraging friend and patient student.  We love you to pieces buddy and are so proud of you!

Flying into First!

Here we are, the start of another school year!  It means new backpacks, new shoes and a rude awakening to early starts to the day filled with good things such as PE, recess and lunch! 😂 Winston is in first grade this year!  He is at the same school as last year which makes it nice that he is familiar with the layout of where things are.  

We went to meet the teacher and found out that she before coming to teach in our area, she taught in the northeast at a school where for six years she had all boys!  Her classroom is full of flexible seating.  This means there are stand desks with tiny trampolines, regular desks with bouncy ball chairs, and sitting desks where the kids can kneel or sit on a fluffy pillow.  During every subject change there is a mini break time and the kiddos can pick a different seat if they like.  It's been fun to ask Winston where he sits each day  His favorite chairs are the bouncy ball and the wobble chair.  😍

Before school started I took Winston shopping and he picked out a big kid backpack and some new kicks.  I love watching him come into his own.  He knows exactly what he wants and once his mind is set, there's no changing it!

We rode bikes again for the first day and he knew exactly how to go!

After a few first day pictures with Mom and Dad, we gave big hugs and left our little guy to take on his first day of First Grade!

A few hours into the day his sweet teacher sent an email to the parents.  💙

That night Truman curled up in Winston's bed with him and asked him to read him some Piggie & Elephant books.  Truman missed his big buddy.  It's still so sweet to see them share these precious moments together.

In continuing with tradition {that was started last year!} here are Winston's answers to a few questions.  He is just so comical!

How old are you?
Six!

What is your favorite color?

Red, blue, green.

What is your favorite food?

Chicken.  I mean, cheeseburgers.  But only if they're from McDonald's.
😂🍔🍟

What is your favorite holiday?

Haaalloowweeeeen!

What is your favorite thing to do with Mom?

Hug her.
Me:  Not reading books or shopping together or snuggling?
WAC: Ugh, fine.  Snuggle with me.

What is your favorite thing to do with Daddy?

Build Legos.

What is your favorite thing to do with Truman?

Boss him around. {starts giggling}
Me: What?  No!  Pick something different.
WAC: Stare at his beautiful eyes. {more giggling}
Me: Oh my.
WAC: Well, I do like to play with him on the avocado.  {A blow up pool toy}

What was your favorite thing you did this summer?

Visiting Legoland in London!  My favorite ride was the Ninjago ride.

What are you most excited about this year in school?  

Meeting new friends.
Me: And?
 WAC: Having fun!
Me: And?
WAC: Playing soccer!
Me: And?
WAC: Please stop saying and!

What do you want to be when you grow up?

An astronaut who studies space rocks

What is your favorite movie?

Despicable Me 3

What is your favorite toy or stuffed animal?

Fuzzbert my Porg!

Here's to a fabulous year of First Grade my buddy.  You are brave, kind and courageous!  We love you to pieces and look forward to watching you grow this year!

Winston in Kindergarten

Git Yourself to Gator Country!

For our twelfth anniversary Benjamin and I loaded up the boys and headed down I-10 for a morning filled with all things gators!