It's that time again....

Tomorrow marks the first "GAME" of the spring sports season. Michael has his first soccer game in the morning, and we are ready to get the season underway. He is back with the majority of his team for several seasons now and we are excited. Mom is not so excited about the cooler morning temps as I have a zero tolerance for the cold weather these days, but I have a nice wool blanket that will accompany me in the morning :-)

Christopher is playing baseball for the first time this season. Thank goodness for backstops and nets is all I have to say! The week of March 22 his games begin and that will add "just one more thing" to our already full schedule. He seems to like it, though, so we will see if this is his sport or not. However, after purchasing a glove, bat and cleats, I may make the decision for him!

Amelia continues with her "Hip Hop" dance class and piano lessons. When she starts playing sports I will go back to work to afford to hire a driver :-)

My Slick Son

Last Friday, Michael had his first "school dance". Well, if you want to call the Pattison 5th grade Sock Hop a dance....

He dressed in his "cool" duds, and off to school he went. That afternoon all the 5th graders crowded into the gym for some good ole' fashioned Rock N' Roll, games, organized dances (Bunny Hop, Chicken Dance, the Hand Jive!!!!), Limbo and Hoola-Hoop contests, and so much more. The kids all had a wonderful time, and as you can see from the pic, mom chose NOT to dress up in a poodle skirt like so many of the other mommies :-)

Spring is definitely starting to hit the air. You mention girls around the house and a little smile will spread across this kids face. Mom is definitely not ready for that segment of my son's life!!!

The Tooth Fairy

Well, my "baby" lost her first tooth last night. Mom is sooooo not ready for her "growing up" process to begin. Now, her big teeth will start coming in, and her little face will start changing, and she won't be my cute baby girl any more. Next thing I know it will be training bras, braces, and her first crush! YIKES!

With the boys it has just seemed natural, the growing up I mean. I had no hard times with them changing from little boys to the monsters they are now :-) But with Amelia it's certainly different. I guess because she's my youngest, she's supposed to stay that way forever! No, I'm not getting baby fever or the itch for another one, trust! But, even though I'm ready for her to go to school (interpret: get out of my hair during the day) I'm REALLY not ready when it comes down to it.

Sniff, sniff.....

It's 2010???

Seriously, it seems like just last week we were enjoying Thanksgiving, and now the Christmas decorations are put away, the kids have gone back to school, and it is 2010.....

We had a wonderful holiday, spending a lot of time with Mike's brother and sister-in-law in from out of town. Being a Marine, we only get to see them once a year or so, and we treasure the time we get with them. I really wished they lived closer....they are a lot like us and I enjoy their company.

Santa brought our children "Rock Band" for Christmas, and let me tell you, I don't know who is enjoying it more, the children or the parents?!?!?! We take turns rotating through the instruments, and it's fun/scary to watch Amelia hack away at the drums. I'm really afraid one of the sticks is going to fly out of her hands and land in the middle of the TV screen or one of the windows! Michael is pretty good on the guitar, and Christopher is getting better on drums each time he plays. This is definitely a family past-time in our house now!

After family left, for some reason I went on a painting binge. I painted a couple of the walls in the kitchen, a wall in the den, the guest bathroom, and then the study. I think I'm done for now though, as I have paint permanently under my fingernails! The nails were looking nice, but I don't think a manicure could help at this point...

Routine....I complain about it's boringness during the most of the year, but right now I'm longing to get back into it.

Christmas Cards

Where do I begin to explain that they just aren't happening this year? First, I try to get a decent picture of the kids every year and I just never got around to it this fall. And, to be frank, the kids never cooperate and let it be an easy task, so "never getting around to it" can probably be equated to "avoided it". Then, I decided to just send out cards... with no picture. I actually purchased them at WalMart when I was there about two weeks ago. Cute little cards, recycled even - my sister would be proud of me. But, then I needed stamps. Proud of myself in that regard too. Went to the post office last week and stood in line like a good little soldier to purchase them. But....now it's the Monday of the week of Christmas, and unless I get out my address book TODAY and write out all the cards and address them and get them in the mailbox before the mailman comes, my chances of friends and family receiving them on time for Christmas are diminishing rapidly. So, my dilemma is now this... do I waste the cards and stamps (well, I guess those would get used eventually - like 3 years since we pay everything online now!) and just forgo this tradition and let everyone think they pissed me off and got crossed off our list this year, or do I stress about it and get it done? Another Darden Dilemma....

Bravery, or Insanity?

Christopher's birthday was last Thursday and when we asked what type of party he wanted to have, he shouted without hesitation, "A SLEEPOVER PARTY!" So, with an agreement from Mike that I could leave once all guests arrived, we sent out the invitations. We sent out 12, thinking about 1/2 would RSVP yes. Well, as you can see from the picture, sleepover parties are a hit. Come to think of it, I would take advantage of my child being gone for the night too!

So of course the day of the party it decided to snow in Houston. I mean really - what's the chance of this???? So, kids came already pumped up after an early dismissal day from school due to "inclement weather" and some even brought toys and tools to build snowmen and have snowball fights!

So, all kids arrived and chaos ensued! Pizza, popcorn, pretzels found the way into every nook and cranny of our floors (and you know how Mike is about our floors!). The Nerf guns should have been hidden before anyone arrived!!! And, Mike shouldn't have put on that 3rd movie!!!!! Nevertheless, a great time was had by all (all under the age of 10) and Christopher had the time of his life!

PS - Mike told me if I left that I better take a bag and leave my house key b/c I wasn't welcome back home :-)

Where has the time gone?

I can't believe it's been over a month since my last blog! I've thought about it a lot, but never seem to have the time to do sit down at the computer and write when I'm thinking about it....

Christopher's birthday was yesterday and he/we had a great day. He is starting to make that transition (albeit very slowly) from little boy to ... well, I'm not quite sure to what yet. He is having a sleepover party tonight, and since it's SNOWING in Houston and the kids are getting out of school early and will be all fired up, this ought to make for a wonderful party :-)

I'm really not ready for the holidays! The decorations are only half up...sorta like my attitude! Amelia wants a Zhu Zhu pet and I can't seem to find one anywhere! I was standing in line at CVS talking with another mom this morning about those darn creatures and she was telling me about her quest to locate one for her daughter and I was thinking, "Really....I'm not driving all over town like you. I'll just order mine on-line. You've lost your marbles, lady!" Well, ha ha, jokes on me....they are nowhere to be found on-line! Guess she has the right idea after all, and I'm the one with the loose marbles.