Life with My Guys

Minor League Twins Baseball

2011-06-17T15:15:00.000-05:00

Heard and Seen Around Our House

2011-05-02T13:21:00.002-05:00

Cade: Mom, I just hurt my chin.
Me: On no, what happened?
Cade: My blankie pushed me off the couch.

Ridge: Lay "wi" Me, Mom.
Me: Okay, (few minutes pass) Time for me to get up.
Ridge: Mom, Dad lay "wi" me.

I took Cade his milk the other morning while getting ready. This conversation followed...
Me: Here's your milk, Cay Cay.
Cade: I don't want that milk.
Me: Okay...Why not?
Cade: Because I want you to have pants on and you to dry your hair before you bring it to me.

Our boys love "The Jesus Movie" and want to watch it every time we get in the truck. It is so funny to hear them talk about it.
Cade: Reid, who are you going to be?
Reid: I'm Jesus. Who are you?
Cade: I'm Peter. Ridgey, who are you?
Ridge: Peter.
Cade: No, I'm Peter. Do you want to be Joseph or Pilate or Judas?
Ridge: Joseph.
Cade: I want to be Peter because he's bad.

Reid: Hey Mom...I hope we get to stay in the laundry room again tonight. That was fun!
Said after waiting out some storms in our area off and on for a couple of days...

Ridge: Get my fwankie, mom.
Me: Sure. (get the blankie)
Ridge: No, I do it. (throws blankie behind his bedroom door, takes a few steps away from it, then goes back to get it). Got my fwankie, Mom.

Cade cleaned the entire playroom by himself this morning after he got up. No one asked him too; he just did it. Believe me when I say this was a huge undertaking. It would have taken me 30 minutes to do it myself. SWEET boy!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

2011-04-17T14:20:00.003-05:00

Baseball season is here! Ryan is coaching both boys teams this year, and they are both on the Twins! Reid had three games last week, and Cade had two. We are living at the ballpark these days!

Season so far...Every player from Cade's team last year requested to be on Ryan's team again this year, plus we picked up several other friends. Cade is really into it this year. At this age, they are so cute to watch! He has made several outs at pitcher and first base in the first two games that we played. He really LOVES to hit and wants to hit it hard to the outfield every time. He is also really good about running through the bag at first base.

Reid is on a new team this year. He is playing with several of his good buddies, which makes the games and practices even more fun. Reid's team is 2-1. He is playing shortstop and has thrown out several players and tagged out a runner trying to steal. He has also hit a home run, hit a couple of doubles and a triple so far. Their league is pretty competitive but that makes it a lot of fun! They are really expected to know a lot about the game.

I can't wait to see how much they grow during the season! Go Twins!

Day 16-Sweetness

2011-02-02T11:31:00.001-06:00

"I hold you hand, Cay-Cay."

Day 15-Take That, J@ck Nicholson!

2011-02-01T14:05:00.006-06:00

(Insert cool and totally obnoxious story about getting to sit on the VERY FRONT ROW here.)
Yes, I kind of thought I was hot stuff.
Yes, I realize it was just UALR vs. ASU.
But still, I was practically the Eva Longori@ of the game.
Except that whole married to an NBA player part.
What? They broke up?
Whatever. I was still cool.

Day 14-Game Face

2011-02-01T13:30:00.007-06:00

Basketball season is here! Reid is on the Bears this year along with his best buddies. I could end it there because that alone makes for a great season, right? BUT they are also a really good team! In the league where we play, the score is not kept. (but they are 3-0, shhh! Don't tell anyone!) The Coopers have some great video, and I have some really good pictures, so I see a bball movie in the very near future!!! Woot! Woot!

However, check out the mouth on my boy. This is Reid's game face. I have a feeling we will be seeing this face throughout the season and beyond...

He does not get this from me...

Actually, I have no idea where he gets it from!!!

...Oh wait, yes I do...

Show Day!

2011-01-24T13:50:00.004-06:00

Cade took a Sports Class last semester at The Little Gym with his best buddy, Jake. He looked SO forward to Thursday afternoons! After months of learning about basketball, football, bowling, soccer, etc. with a little gymnastics thrown in, the last day was upon us. The last class of the semester proved to be the most exciting one by far-show day!!! They get to show off everything they learned during semester with a performance for the parents. My little man did not disappoint. I have said many times that his motto in life is "go big or go home". And that is exactly what he did...

They begin the class with their song, then each boy does a trick. Most boys ran really fast in a circle, but Cade tried something different. He ran and jumped straight onto his head. He basically did a dive into the mat.

I love his teacher's reaction!!!

Then they sat with their parents while their teachers called them up one at a time to go through the different stations for their performance. Cade was up second. He started out kicking the soccer ball around the cones then gave a big "umph!" as he kicked it into the goal. Then his teacher passed him the basketball, he dribbled it, then made a shot. Next, he walked down the tape, did a tuck jump and a back bend over a round mat. Then he did a donkey kick, a straddle jump (see below) and a straddle roll.

Next, was bowling. STRIKE!

Then he got into a football stance, his teacher handed off the ball to him and he tackled the cheese mat! This was by far my favorite part!

Next, he walked on the beam, did a roll, and a cartwheel off the end!

Class picture! An energetic bunch, I must say!!!

Our little champ! Way to go, Cade!

Day 12-Papa's Surprise

2011-01-12T14:19:00.000-06:00

TJ was a gift from Papa. He had found him on the farm and knew of 3 little boys who would just LOVE to have a little turtle as a pet. TJ was so tiny then, just a little bigger than a quarter. Now his shell is about 6 inches across! For a while, we weren't sure if his name was CJ or TJ (couldn't really understand Cademan), so we called him CJTJ. Now he's just TJ. I have to admit, I love this turtle. If a turtle can have a personality, he's got one! He gets excited and paddles his little legs really fast! He'll follow my finger around the tank, up and down. He spends his days sunning on his little landing, swimming and digging in the rocks.

Ok, I just re-read this and think it's pretty lame to have so much to say about a TURTLE, for crying out loud! But I'm going to post it anyway...

Day 11-Dilemma

2011-01-11T15:21:00.003-06:00

As they sit in a neat little stack on my desk, I am once again confronted with the question of what to do with these little lovelies. Do I toss or keep? In the past, I have stuck them in a large manila envelope and written the year on it. This begs the question, one day, am I going to have 30 years of Christmas cards (that I have never looked back on) collecting dust and taking up valuable attic space? What should I do?

Day 10-Marathon Beauty

2011-01-11T15:12:00.004-06:00

Ryan and I ran the 2010 Chic@go M@rathon last October. It was everything you would expect a m@rathon to be...exciting, hard, painful, exhilarating, rewarding, and hard. And painful.

Steps away from the finish...

And because I have an ounce of pride...AND I just don't want the above image to be burned into your brain forever...

Day 9-Willn't

2011-01-11T15:08:00.002-06:00

Me: Cade, when you go outside, do not step one foot in the street, okay?
Cade: I willn't, Mom, I'm just goin' to play in the grass.

Day 8-I Heart My Supper Swap Girls

2011-01-11T15:01:00.002-06:00

Every week for the past 2 years (plus some), these girls have cooked dinner for my family. They are one of the biggest blessings in my life, not only for their cooking ability (yummy!), but their friendship. LOVE my "cookin' girls"!

Day 7-Retouch, My New Best Friend

2011-01-11T14:42:00.005-06:00

As I was looking through our snow day photos, I came across the following picture. OH. MY. WORD. THE WRINKLES!!! I'm going to blame the drying out of my skin on the unfamiliar arctic air that we were blasted with over the last few days.

I promise you will never see that dried out old lady again. My friend, retouch, can guarantee you that!

Snow Day 2011

2011-01-11T09:17:00.000-06:00

Day 6-A Week Ago

2011-01-07T08:45:00.002-06:00

I'm one of those people who has a difficult time moving on from a good time. Whether it be a great vacation or time with family/friends, I am always reliving the fun we had. For example, for the past couple of days, I've been reliving our short Disney trip from a week ago. I'll think, "oh, a week ago, we were (fill in the blank). I do this for a week or two, then I can finally start to move on. Last night at dinner, I was telling the boys, "guys, a week ago, we were walking through the countries at Epcot. I can remember it so vividly, how am I not there right now?"

I know, weird, right?

By the way, a week ago, exactly right now, we were on Pir@tes of the C@ribbean. Ahhhhhhh....

Day 5-Tent Nap

2011-01-06T16:20:00.002-06:00

Sometimes when you just "go with it", it pays off.

Day 4-15 Minutes of Fame

2011-01-06T16:14:00.002-06:00

Well, my fifteen minutes of fame lives on...

I watched the Barbara Walters 10 Most Fascinating People and interview with Opr@h a few weeks back, and there was that clip...

you know the one...

Christmas Celebration #1

2011-01-04T13:54:00.003-06:00

The week before Christmas we drove to Newport to celebrate Christmas with Ryan's grandparents. We, along with Ryan's parents and brother, met them at a restaurant for dinner then drove out to their house for dessert. Their house is always wonderfully decorated for Christmas, and we love to hear the stories behind her decorations. This year there was a dancing Frosty that my boys loved. Ridge danced the night away with "Frosty No-man".

The table looked beautiful...

Choices, choices...

Day 4-Happy Anniversary! and Go Hogs!

2011-01-04T13:22:00.003-06:00

14 years ago today, I married this guy and have never looked back!!!!

This picture describes how I feel inside today...I wish I could fast forward to 11:00ish tonight! Woooooooo, PIG SOOIE!!!

Day 3-Ridge-iano

2011-01-03T08:00:00.000-06:00

"All De-board! I ride da choo choo chain to see da Micka Mouse."
I think we may have some Italian blood running through this little guy.

Day 2-Brothers

2011-01-02T20:00:00.003-06:00

These two are inseparable. I LOVE watching them. Listening to them play and talk is one of my favorite things to do. Of course, when they notice I am listening and/or watching, it turns into a knock down, drag out. Ha! This morning we were in a random hotel in Birmingham, and I woke up to the sweetest conversation between them.

Reid: We should just call ourselves the B Boys.
Cade: Or we could be the B Brothers...
Reid: Ooooh! Yeah! Let's be the B Brothers.
Cade: Reid, what does n-o spell?
Reid: No, that's easy!
Cade: I know! What does C-a-d-e spell?
Reid: That's you!
Cade: (proceeds to spell everyone in our family's name with lots of encouragement from big brother)
Reid: That's good, Cade! What about dog?
Cade: d-d- "d"
Reid: Yes! dog (stretching out the sounds)
Cade: d-o-g
Reid: That's right! Let's try "cat".

Day 1-Happy New Year!

2011-01-02T17:23:00.004-06:00

Who makes spur of the moment trips to Disney? We do! We do! We're crazy like that...

HAPPY NEW YEAR! YAY FOR 2011!

365

2010-12-22T09:42:00.004-06:00

I am hereby committing to become a better blogger. There are so many things that I have missed out on documenting over the last few months and that makes me sad. I'm thinking about doing the 365 thing next year. The idea of a short little snippet each day is intriguing to me and not AS overwhelming as, say, an entire post on______ (fill in the blank). I think that will help me catch those little moments each day that become distant memories really quick. Soooooo, if anyone even still checks this blog (Mom? Deb? Sis?), get ready because 2011 is going to be the year you officially get sick of me. See you soon!!! XOXO

SDC Christmas 2010

2010-12-22T08:54:00.004-06:00

Last minute trips always make for some of the best trips! We decided a few weekends ago to make a quick trip up to Branson for the weekend. We got up bright and early Saturday morning, made the drive up to Branson and arrived just in time for "Lunch with S@nta". The sun was out, but the wind was blowing hard. Once the sun started to set, it got cold in a hurry. So being the cold weather wimps that we are, we headed on out!

Waiting for Lunch with Santa to begin...

After going through the buffet, one of Santa's Elves led everyone in singing Christmas Carols. Yes, it was cheesy.

Trying to conceal his inner Bieber.

"HO HO"

After lunch, it was time to hit the rides...
Reid's favorite is Thunderation!

Had to go to Grandpa's Mansion for the Cade-man.

Really, Mom?

Surprisingly delightful Frosty show! We loved this!

Waiting on the train! That's Ridgey's favorite..."chooooo chooooo, chhhhh"

Ok, it's getting chilly, time to head out!!!

Big Boy

2010-09-23T22:28:00.002-05:00

It is so important for our little Cade to be recognized as a big boy! Yesterday, Cade, Ridge and I were eating our lunch. Cade ate all of his chicken and said to Ridge, "eat all your chicken, brother, and you will be a big boy like cay cay!". We made a big deal out of feeling his muscles and talking about how far he would be able to hit the ball next spring in t-ball.

Fast forward to nap time...after attempting to fall asleep for over an hour, Cade came to me crying.
"I don't want to take a nap, Mom".
"What's the problem, Cade?"
"I'm too big for naps!"
"Why do you say that?"
"Well, I ate all my chicken!" he cried.

This just cracked me up! I'm sure his little wheels were just turning when he was trying to go to sleep. I am sure going to miss this big boy when he goes to school next year.

Basketball Camp 2010

2010-08-30T14:34:00.003-05:00

One of Reid's favorite summer camps is basketball camp. Once again, he went with his buddies, and they learned a lot and had a great time. They practice different drills for dribbling, ball handling, and shooting. Each day they have a free throw shooting contest. On Tuesday, Reid won out of his group, so he got to go to the Circle of Champions to compete against the other group winners. He won! What made it extra special was that it was featured on a news segment that night! On the last day of camp, each day's winners compete against each other for the overall free throw champion, and can you believe it...my baby won! He received a trophy and the "scroll of champions"! We were so proud for him!!!!

His nerves were starting to get to him...poor guy!!!

Woo hoooooo! Celebrating with friends!!! Colin, Eli and Brock were just as (if not more) excited as Reid!!!

Receiving his goodies from Coach Shields...

Brock, Reid, Colin, Cole, and Eli

Disney-Day 8

2010-08-30T14:23:00.002-05:00

Our final day, which happened to be the fourth of July, was spent at Magic Kingdom. We hit some of our favorite rides, and then started the journey back home. What a wonderful vacation! Our boys were so much fun; yes, we had our meltdown moments, but I can hardly even remember them now. We are such Disney lovers and are already thinking about when our next trip can be...

Disney-Day 7

2010-08-30T13:35:00.006-05:00

We started our day out at Hollywood Studios with a character breakfast at Hollywood and Vine. We then got in line and got fast passes for Toy Story Mania, saw Woody and Buzz, rode Rock-n-Roller Coaster, rode Tower of Terror, saw Beauty and the Beast, Indiana Jones, Spectacular car stunt show, and Muppets 3-D, grooved along with the block party parade, hung out with the power rangers, got faces painted and watched Cade and Reid duke it out with Darth Vader. What a great day!

Uh-oh, look who's warming up to the characters...

3-D glasses...check!

One of the BEST parts of the entire vacation...Jedi training...

Block Party!!!

Cade getiin' down! (or just swaying)

Ridgey loved it! He just waved and waved!

Transforming into power rangers...

Reid conquered Rock-n-Roller Coaster, not once, but twice!!! LOVE this ride!

Dinner at the Drive-In

Disney-Day 6

2010-08-30T12:44:00.006-05:00

Helloooo, Epcot! On our second trip to Epcot, we headed over to see Turtle Talk with Crush (one of my favorites), ride Test Track, and then spent the rest of the day touring the countries. The boys made masks and then checked in at each country to add to their passport. This made the countries more enjoyable for them! They loved that!

Oh, Canada!

So dignified and sophisticated in France...

Morrocco

Reciting the pledge of allegiance in the USA

We had dinner in Mexico...

Ridge watching the fountains...ooooohhhh!

Disney-Day 5

2010-08-30T08:41:00.007-05:00

Oh, Animal Kingdom, how I love you! For some reason, I feel like there is more of a laid back attitude when we visit Animal Kingdom. That is a little bit ironic since it is the largest of the Disney parks, and therefore, a lot more ground has to be covered during the day. The excitement began on the bus ride; Ridge threw up EVERYWHERE! It had been a little bit longer of a bus ride, and Cade had laid down complaining that his tummy hurt on the way. We are thinking they both got a little carsick. Ridge and I were both covered in vomit, so the minute we got to AK, I bought a little dress at the gift shop, changed Ridge's clothes, and we headed over to Tusker House for a character breakfast.

During the day at Animal Kingdom, we rode Dinosaur, Triceratops Spin, Expedition Everest, Kali Rapids, Kilimanjaro Safari, saw Bug's Life, and The Nemo Musical. We walked through the different animal exhibits and rode the train. We rode the train at the end of the day, right as a torrential downpour started that lasted the next hour or so until the park closed. We got soaked!!!

Reid was ready to ride Expedition Everest this year, and he was not disappointed. He loved it!

On the bus, prior to the big vomit...

Tusker House

Goofy snuck up behind Ridge for a pic with all three boys!

Safari!

The boys loved birdwatching!

Hippo, where are you?

Triceratops Spin

Reid and Cade in front of the Tree of Life

Train Ride; here comes the rain!

Soaked!

Disney-Day 4

2010-08-29T16:50:00.005-05:00

Magic Kingdom never disappoints! We caught the ferry from our resort over to Magic Kingdom and hit the ground running!!!
After experiencing bits and pieces of each "land", we had dinner with Pooh and Friends at The Crystal Palace Dinner and stayed for the Electrical Parade. It had changed quite a bit since the last time I saw it (when I was about 7)!

Cade and Reid marching with Eeyore!

Oh Tigger, don't talk to me!

Sweetness!

Reid, Cade, Ridge, Walt and Mickey

Our little cautious fellow usually had a hand on one of us just in case...

No surprises please!

Lots of stroller naps...

Disney-Day 3

2010-08-29T16:25:00.004-05:00

We visited Typhoon Lagoon on our third day at Disney. I didn't even take my camera! We had so much fun there. They had a great little kids area. Reid rode on every ride. He wasn't even a little bit afraid! Who else was fearless? Cade man! He rode every ride he was big enough to ride including a super fast tunnel slide! I was so proud of my brave little guys! That night we got back to our hotel, cleaned up and went to eat at The Whispering Canyon there at our resort.

There was a neat sitting area in our hotel lobby with old Disney movies playing, so we hung out there while we waited to eat.

Impromptu photo shoot around the hotel...

Ridge slept right between mommy and daddy every night! The little stinker!

Bunk beds at Wilderness Lodge...huge hit with our boys!

Disney-Day 2

2010-08-29T11:09:00.003-05:00

We got up and headed to Epcot the next day. We stayed over in the Tomorrowland area and had a great time riding Soarin', Spaceship Earth, Mission: Space, Journey into Imagination, and Nemo.

That afternoon we rode the monorail over to the transportation center and caught a bus over to Hollywood Studios. We had dinner at the Prime Time Cafe, which is so much fun! We rode the backlot tour, The Great Movie Ride, Star Tours, played on the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids playground and saw the Playtime Disney show.

Disney-Day 1

2010-08-29T08:57:00.004-05:00

We arrived in Orlando on Sunday afternoon and checked into The Wilderness Lodge. Ryan and I had stayed here during our honeymoon 13 years ago. So it was fun to go back and take our boys!

We walked around and visited the gift shop and children's room.

After giving ourselves a tour, we got ready, hopped on the bus and headed over to Hollywood Studios to see Fantasmic.

Let the Disney madness begin!

Braves Vs. Tigers

2010-08-27T14:03:00.004-05:00

Ryan and I had decided that this year our usual full week at the beach might be difficult because of Ridge's age. So we thought we would spend half of the week in Destin and drive on to Orlando and do a little mini-Disney vacay. Then came the oil, so we had to reevaluate. The week before we were supposed to leave for the beach we decided to ditch our beach plans and just do Disney the whole time. I'm so glad we did!!! We left on a Friday, drove to Birmingham, spent the night, got up the next morning, drove to Atlanta, and surprised our big boys with going to the Braves and Tigers game. Reid had played on the Braves in the spring, and Cade had played on the Tigers. They were so excited to be cheering for "their" teams!

Ridge was totally into it!

This child cheered for the Tigers non-stop! He was not ashamed to be rooting for his team in Braves territory!

Chipper Jones hit a home run during the game! It was so neat because at the beginning of the next inning, his team let him run out onto the field alone and the crowd gave him a standing ovation.

This is typical Reid at a baseball game. I'm not sure if he ever even blinks!

We got there when the gates opened, so we had lots of time to enjoy everything Turner Field had to offer!

My boys walking in...

Such a fun way to begin our vacation!!!

Baseball Camp

2010-08-27T13:50:00.002-05:00

Reid went to two Travelers Baseball Camps this summer. The first one was a skills camp where they worked on hitting, pitching, base running, fielding, etc. It went on for three days, but he was only able to go to two of the days because we were leaving for vacation. I asked him as we were leaving the second day if he would rather go to the last day of baseball camp or Disney World. He thought for a while and asked, "Can't we just leave after camp to go on vacation?" The second camp was an advanced hitting and pitching camp. He learned pitching technique and how to throw different pitches. He's been working on his "change up" ever since!

The player threw them some regular pop ups and then threw some where they had to crash into the wall to catch them. Reid loved that!

Little Artists

2010-08-27T13:34:00.003-05:00

Our little Cade loves to do anything artsy! He loves to color, draw pictures, paint, etc. This summer he and his buddy Jake went to a week long art camp at PA. Each day they made a couple of little crafts and worked on a surprise painting that would be sent home at the end of the week.

Cade and his treasures...

Father's Day 2010

2010-06-23T16:17:00.005-05:00

With the exception of last year (can't remember why), my family and Ryan's family have gone out to Jacksonport to celebrate Father's Day. This year was another success! Between Papa's grilled burgers and Pop's stuffed peppers, everyone ate until misery settled in! It was really hot, but that didn't slow our boys down one bit! They played hard all afternoon, which meant the daddy and the grandpas played really hard too! Us gals just enjoyed lounging around in the shade and visiting--ha! Was this Mother's Day or Father's Day? We must have been confused!

The boys each wrote Ryan a letter and drew him a picture and then we put a picture of them on their cards. They were so sweet! However, Reid could not pass this card up when he saw it! He also got an autographed baseball from three future major league players and a pair of running sunglasses.

Papa, Ryan and the boys

My daddy and me

The girls (minus my mom who was flying :()

Ridge had about 75 drinks that day! He entertained himself by playing in the cooler or trying his different drinks all afternoon.

No Bowman gathering is complete without baseball, of course!

It's Days Like Today...

2010-06-23T15:21:00.007-05:00

that make me appreciate naptime, if you know what I mean! Then while the three little darlings are sleeping, I start looking through recent pictures that I've taken and catch myself laughing out loud. They may have some rotten moments, but they sure are cute and funny!

The best part is that my gigantic leggy seven year old came down the stairs after napping, crawled up in my lap and sat there for half an hour while we laughed at old pictures. Sweet moments far outweigh the rotten ones, right?!?!

Heard Around Our House

2010-06-11T15:23:00.002-05:00

Oh, how these boys make us laugh! There have been a few things said lately that I want to remember.

Reid: Oh, I just hurt my hand ankles! (meaning wrist!)

I'm putting this one on here for Sis...

Reid: Aardvark! Yum-yum!

Reid: Did somebody wharrf?

The story behind those two is that he really wants to say the f-@-r-t word, but I told him it wasn't appropriate for him to go around saying it, so his solution is to just say words that are similar. I don't know; it drives me bonkers! However, I am getting teary from laughing just typing this! Ha!

Razorback Football Camp 2010

2010-06-11T14:13:00.005-05:00

Reid went to the Arkansas Razorback Football Camp this past Wednesday in Fayetteville. It was so much fun! The Razorback coaches and trainers led the campers through different drills and taught them so much in just one morning. They divided them into groups by age and then they rotated through the different fields, including the indoor practice facility, the turf practice field, the grass practice field and Razorback stadium (AWESOME!) After they had rotated through all the different fields, all of the campers got to run through the tunnel and then watch a highlight reel on the jumbotron. So amazing! Once the video was over, several of the current razorbacks came onto the field and gave autographs. They were so sweet and patient with the kids! Reid was soooooo excited to get their autographs. He said, "Mom, please don't ever wash this shirt!"

FUN day!!!!!

Tigers Baseball 2010

2010-06-10T14:04:00.005-05:00

Watching 4-year olds play t-ball is one of my favorite things to do! Cade had his first baseball experience playing t-ball this season. He was on the Tigers team, and Ryan was his coach. One of the best things about being on the Tigers was that his best buddy Jake was also on the team, and his daddy was the coach too! The Tigers had a great season! They learned so much about hitting and fielding the ball. They were a great bunch of little boys, so we are hoping to keep our team together over the next few years. Cade had a great season getting several good hits to the fence and even making some outs at first base. One thing I want to remember was that he was very serious about his baseball gear. Red cleats, red sunglasses, red batting gloves and usually a red batting helmet were the finishing touches to his Tiger uniform this season. He was always easy to identify on the field because of the red accessories! Ha! We are excited to have another little baseball player in the making.

Tiger Cade and Coach Daddy

Cade and his very first trophy

Cade ready to make a play at shortstop! (Or just posing!)

Coach Reid helping to get the Tigers warmed up!

Big hitter!!!!

Baseball Fever

2010-05-19T13:00:00.008-05:00

Our little Reiders has definitely inherited a love for baseball from Ryan. He is ALL about it this season! When he's not playing, he's practicing. At home. On his own. You can find him throwing against the ball return or the house or playing catch with daddy, Cade or even his 'ol momma! He constantly has the television on the MLB channel and is always watching games or highlights. One of his favorite things to do now is for me to throw him balls that he has to dive for!
He has had such a spectacular season! We could not be more proud of him. He was on a 7-8 year old team this season. It was a huge compliment to Reid to be able to play on the infield every game as a seven year old; he would be facing kids who were nearly 2 years older than him. (Can I just say there is a big difference between a boy who just turned 7 in April and one who turned 9 in May? Those 9 year olds can hit the ball HARD!) His ability to field the ball cleanly was recognized by his coaches, and they knew they could trust him to make some plays. This season he caught several pop-ups, made countless outs at pitcher throwing to first, chased a kid down and tagged him out, tagged a guy out who was attempting to steal third and more. He also got some great hits off the machine, had several stolen bases and RBI's. What a great season!

Ridgey Bear

2010-04-28T02:24:00.000-05:00

20 months have flown by since our little Ridge burst onto the scene! I can hardly remember life before this little dumplin was born. He is such an absolute joy in our lives, and everyone who knows our little man adores him.

*He is still a little thing weighing in at 22 1/2 pounds. His height is pretty average.

*He mildly in-toes, so we will be looking forward to cheering on our Olympic sprinter one day!

*He also has reflux. We are just beginning to relax about him not puking all over us or anyone else who has him.

*Ridge is a dancer! He loves to get moving in the car or anywhere else music is playing!

*He is friendly and waves to anything that has a face (people, animals, cartoon characters, stuffed animals, etc.)

*He is funny and loves to laugh and make others laugh! He'll him himself in the head and say "ow"! He'll beep his nose! Best of all, we love his mean face! Of course, Reid and Cade can always get a laugh out of him!

*He is a ball player! He throws anything he gets his hands on and can set up the tee and swing the bat!

*He loves to chase and be chased by his brothers. He thinks that is just hilarious!

*He loves to "hide"!

*He has started the classic "I'm a boy, so this is how I show love" hug til we fall down.

*He loves books and will back into your lap to hear a story. Sweetness!

*He gives great big wet sloppy kisses, which we all love! He'll put his little hands on my face and kiss me over and over again!

*He'll let you hold him or sit in your lap pretty much anywhere, but if he gets a little taste of freedom, watch out! No more confinement for him!

*He sleeps great; I can't even remember the last time he woke up in the middle of the night. He also sleeps late!

*He loves his paci and blankie! When we go in there in the mornings, all of his "stuff" (paci, blankie, pillow, blanket, etc) are in a pile in the floor beside his bed. He immediately starts pointing and "aaa-ing".

*He likes bathtime but does not like getting his hair washed.

*He can say momma, da-ey, bubba, car, book, bear, cracker, ball, uh-oh, "s" for please, "tat-u" for thank you, and "a-a-a-a's" for everything else. He'll also shake his head for no.

*He loves to give hugs!

*He's just started hitting at us but is quick to follow it up with a hug!

*He is going to be rotten because we think everything he does is hilarious!

*He is so happy and is very smiley!

Ryan and I always say that he possesses such a calm demeanor. In this wild house, that does not get unnoticed! He is our little sweetheart, and we are all totally crazy about him!

Happy Birthday, Reiders!

2010-04-07T00:00:00.003-05:00

Happy Birthday to our big SEVEN year old!!!! We love you!

Basketball Wrap-Up 2010

2010-03-25T12:56:00.004-05:00

Basketball was BIG for us this year! Reid absolutely loved it and had a great time playing with his friends on the Falcons. Jason (Colin's Dad) and Tommy (Cole's Dad) were our coaches this year. The boys learned so much and had a blast every second they were together!

Reid was REALLY into it this year and practiced all the time outside and inside the house. During the games, he took playing defense very seriously. We also discovered that he may have a future in 3-pointers because he likes to take his shots from waaay back! Even though the season is over, he is still trying to perfect his "half-court" shot!

B-ball Buddies!

Coach Jason giving out stars at the end of the game.

Ready for the game!

Fan Club!

I just like this picture because Reid is the only one in focus. I had major camera issues at all the games; my photos are either blurry or really dark.

Bringing the ball down...

Wye Mountain 2010

2010-03-24T13:58:00.004-05:00

The boys and I headed up to Wye Mountain early this morning to get some spring pictures. We have done this every year since having our boys, and it is always something we enjoy doing together. Every year when we go it always seems like only a week has passed since we were there last. The years are just flying by!

Cade Overload

2010-02-04T13:25:00.002-06:00

Lots Cade in the last few posts...I still have two other boys! Posts about them coming soon. (using the word "soon" loosely here)

Sweetness...
Cade: Mom, when I was a baby, I didn't know how to play sports, but Reid teached me.

That just happened...
Cade: Sometimes my pee pee hurts, but when I put my hand in my pants and underwear, it feels better.

Party Like a Rock Star

2010-01-19T14:08:00.005-06:00

We celebrated Cade's birthday with a party at River City Gymnastics on Sunday afternoon. A good time was had by all...

Silly Boy!

Ridge was getting in on some climbing action.

Reid and Alyssa racing down the slides. Everytime Reid went down the slide, he randomly yelled out a professional football team, so just imagine in this picture he is yelling out, "Minnesota Vikings!"

Cade picked this cake out himself while we looked through dozens of sports cake pictures on the internet. He LOVED this one! Kroger made it exactly like the picture; isn't it cute?!

My boys in their "sports" shirts!

GERONIMO!

The Crew, minus Lauren and Lucy...

Cade opening Chase's gift...

Making their way through the obstacle course...

Coach Kyle laying down the law...

Pop, Mimi, Nana, Papa and Gigi kept up with this little ball of energy during the party!

Cade and Jake taking a break from foam-pit diving!

"Happy Birthday, dear Caders! Happy Birthday to you!!!!!

Happy 4th Birthday Cade!!!!

2010-01-17T23:28:00.002-06:00

Today is my Cade's birthday. It is so hard for me to believe that he is four! Here are some things I want to remember about him...

*He STILL says "hold you me".

*At the end of a book, he says "amen" instead of "the end".

*He is not a homebody like our little Reiders; if we are running errands, he is always happy to tag along.

*Anytime we go out to eat, he says, "I sit by you, Mom" and can't let it go until that happens.

*He goes through little phases where certain things bother him; for example, (read in a hysterical, crying voice)"turn the fan off, mom", "turn the tv off and the music off; no one is watching it", "reid didn't put his plate in the sink", "my socks are twisted", "is my hair standing up?"...

*He prefers to be played with rather than play on his own. He will play on his own if you are in the same area that he is in. I think this is from having a big brother around to entertain him!

*He is very helpful and likes to be entrusted with certain tasks. He will put his and Reid's laundry away. He will help match socks. He helps pick up toys. He ALWAYS puts his shoes in the drawer in the garage before coming into the house. If Reid's are out, he'll put his away too. If you ask him to do something, he'll say "shua!" (sure)

*He will pretty much eat anything! He'll try casseroles and love salads. He is a big drinker and consumes a lot of milk every day.

*He has the most muscular thighs I have ever seen on a child!

*He is very coordinated and can easily hit a ball that is pitched to him, throw a spiral, and catch a football.

*He loves to draw and color, although he gets very frustrated if it isn't perfect.

*He adores Reid and is always up for whatever Reid suggests they play.

*He is a great big brother to Ridge and is always sooooo excited when he sees him in the morning or after a nap. "Hey, Ridgey-bear!"

*He loves to play with action figures. He usually makes them play football. He loves puzzles and games. He likes to play any sports outside and ride his scooter.

*His favorite tv shows are Imagination Movers, Little Einsteins, and The Wiggles. He spends even more time watching ESPN with Reid. He can name all the NFL teams/MLB teams just by looking at their logo.

*He is pretty shy around people he doesn't know well.

*He takes a nap 2-3 times a week. I put him down on the weeks when I'm not doing the carpool, sometimes he sleeps, sometimes he doesn't.

*He loves to "read" and has a lot of his books memorized. I can hear him through the monitor making stories up.

*He's not too cool to sing, but he's getting there...

*He has no fear!

*He's pretty sensitive and gets his feelings hurt easily. (usually by big brother)

*He knows his colors, shapes, ABC's (recognizes most), numbers, can spell his name, and knows his address and phone number.

*He talks in his sleep! The other night he was saying, "Ridge is turning off the tv!"

*He is sweet, funny, snuggly, always ready to give hugs and kisses, a great brother, smart, creative, fun-loving, and our family would not be the same without him. We love you, our little Cade-man!

Happy Birthday, Ryan!

2010-01-04T14:03:00.003-06:00

At Reid's suggestion, we went to eat with Ryan's parents at Samurai for Ryan's birthday this year. We just love that place! Our boys are thoroughly entertained by the hibachi grill. Afterwards, we came home and had cake and ice cream. Yum-o!

Birthday Boy with his new lap tray that we made him...(back story...a few weeks back, when Reid had been sick and was eating every meal on the couch with his lap tray, Ryan said, "I sure wish I had a tray like that with a big baseball on it." Wish granted!

Blazing candles!

Sweet daddy, sweet boys...

The boys are always so proud of the cards they pick out.

We had a great time celebrating another year of our sweet Ryan's life. He is just the best, and we are all CRAZY over him!

Cade's Fall Program

2010-01-04T13:35:00.002-06:00

Cade had his annual fall program back in November at his school. He was so proud to sing his songs then take us back to his classroom to see what all he had been doing this year!

Our big boy!

The big performance...

I was cracking up at this...first of all this was the big finish to the song, second of all, you know that momma was "choosing her battles" when it came to his choice in wardrobe. Ha!

Cade showing us around his classroom.

My heart is melting..."I'm thankful for my mom." Sweet boy!

I Think I Can, I Think I Can...

2009-12-30T16:13:00.002-06:00

catch my blog up to the present...

Christmas Card Picture Outtakes

2009-12-30T15:55:00.004-06:00

One of the most dreaded times of the year...Christmas Card Picture Day. I mean, seriously, why do we do this to ourselves???? Maybe all the stars align just right for you and you get that perfect picture with perfect lighting and perfect smiles within the first, let's say...five shots. Well, at our house, it is an ordeal. I can only imagine what I look/sound like while trying to get that impossibly "perfect" picture!

I mean, really, oldest child, REALLY????!!!! There may have been yelling involved.

Oh, don't do it! Not the pucker!!!!

I. Have. No. Words.

No, look this way..just smile..normal..like a normal person. PLEASE!

And we ended up with this. Thank you, Lord, that my children survived another year of Christmas Card pictures! Can't wait til next year!

Arkansas Vs. Mississippi State

2009-12-30T15:42:00.003-06:00

We took Reid and Cade to see the Hogs play at War Memorial. It was Cade's first Razorback Football game. The boys had so much fun; Reid was really into it, and Cade was as into it as a three year old can be! He made it through the whole game! We are looking forward to many more years of Razorback football with our boys!

Go Hogs Go!

My boys (minus Ridge who was home with the babysitter-his day will come!)

Woooooo, pig sooie!

Our little Razorbacks! What a dynamic duo!

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-12-30T15:18:00.007-06:00

This Thanksgiving was a little bit different. We usually go to Newport to celebrate and stay a few days with Ryan's parents, but this year, a few weeks before Thanksgiving, Ryan's grandmother fell and had to have surgery. Since she had just gotten out of the hospital, travelling to Newport was out of the question, so Ryan's aunt and uncle hosted us all at their home in North Little Rock. It was such a fun day, but I did a terrible job of taking pictures! Here are a few from Thanksgiving Day.

Caders and Mommy (Notice the turkey that is holding the markers...Papa made those! How cute!)

Seth and Reiders

Ridge and Papa

We always celebrate Mamaw's Birthday on Thanksgiving Day. Can you believe she had been in the hospital just days before??? Beautiful lady!

On Friday we headed to Branson and met my whole family there. We went straight to Silver Dollar City, of course! It was a BEAUTIFUL day!

Josh and Casey on the pirate ship.

Mimi hanging out with little man.

Two outlaws...Josh and Reiders!

Cade-man and Poppers ready to ride the elephants.

Ryan and Reid ready to ride the little pirate ships.

We ended the day with celebrating my beautiful mom's birthday at Landry's with a strawberry cake from Mickey's. Mmmmm! . We did a little shopping on Saturday then headed home. FUN time!!!

Little Pumpkins

2009-12-30T14:57:00.004-06:00

We did our annual trip to the Pumpkin Patch this year! We always have such a great time!

My little pumpkins...and their pumpkins!

The "Crew"

Ooooh, spooky goblins!

Momma and her boys...

Our neighborhood had its annual halloween party. We played games, rode on the hayride and hung out with our friends!

Reid and Alyssa

Halloween Games

Dash, Sock Monkey (or Monkey Sock, according to Cade) and a Vampire

Cade at his school Halloween Party

70 Years

2009-12-30T14:46:00.003-06:00

Ryan's paternal grandparents celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary back in October. Yes, you read that right...SEVENTY!!!
How amazing is that??? They have three sons, seven grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. Unbelievable!!!

The whole family celebrated at a beautiful lodge outside of Searcy. They received a scrapbook that had letters and pictures from the family members and a beautiful plaque with the family tree on it.

The love birds...

Looking through the pages of the scrapbook...Ryan's grandmother is such an avid letter writer that I thought she should be the receiver for once! After any occasion that we see them, I always know there will be a letter in the mailbox from her within the following days. I love it and have saved them all!

Their "wedding cake"

I Heart New York City

2009-12-30T13:57:00.007-06:00

I posted about the Marathon a few posts back, so here are some pictures from our visit to the big apple. What a fun time!

We were able to get tickets to see the L@te Show with D@vid Letterman while we were there. After waiting in several different lines, we were told we had received an audience upgrade! Woot, woot! We got to sit in the very front row next to the unbelievable band! The show was fantastic; I love seeing all of the behind the scenes kind of stuff--fascinating! Ricky Gerv@is was one of the guests. He is the star of the UK's The Office. We are HUGE fans of the US version, so we were excited that he was there! Super fun, Dave was adorable and hilarious!

We went next door to the Hello Deli to meet Rupert!

We did a lot of sight seeing while we were there! We took the Staten Island Ferry and got a great view of the skyline, including Lady Liberty!

Oh how I loved Central Park! We stayed about two blocks from there and just enjoyed walking through to see a few sights. We were able to see a tv show being filmed at one of the baseball fields while we meandered through...

Rockefeller Center...

The main reason for our visit...the NYC marathon!

Grand Central Station...we mainly used the subway while visiting. We caught maybe two cabs during our visit.

St. Paul's Chapel, across from Ground Zero, has mementos from the attacks on September 11th. It was amazing to walk through the very old cemetery that leads up to the chapel and see how unscathed it is, which is hard to believe seeing the proximity to what used to be the World Trade Center Towers.

Wall Street...

The two cuties I got to hang out with for the weekend! Ryan's brother lives in NYC and gave us the Grande tour while we were there.

We also visited Chinatown, walked through Little Italy, hung out in Bryant Park, saw Chicago, and ate at some AMAZING restaurants while we were there. I LOVED it and can't wait to go back!!!!

Soccer Boys

2009-11-30T21:12:00.004-06:00

Fall soccer has come and gone! Both Reid and Cade played this fall, and they both had a fantastic season.

Cade played with the Little Kickers Program on Monday nights. They played games, learned some drills and just had fun! What more can a three year old ask for! Lauren and Jake also played which made it even more fun!

Little man with some big skills!

Go, Cade, Go!

Soccer Babes

Always smilin'!

Baker Boys: Seth, Brock and Reid
Seth and Reid are in the same class!

I wish these two liked each other! They had a blast playing together!

This guy scored lots of goals this season! He is a speedy little man!

Focused! Go, Reid, go!

P-Dub Book Signing

2009-11-10T09:30:00.003-06:00

Last night, my mom and I headed to the local Wal-Marts to meet one of our favorite bloggers, the Pioneer Woman. I have been reading her blog for a few years! I believe my bff, Meredith sent me to her website on the quest for photography tips. That day and a few afterwards, I trudged through her blog, reading recipes, her love story, listening to her taped conversations with her brother, listening to her girls wail for their grandmother, etc. Needless to say, I've been hooked ever since!!! With the recent release of her cookbook, she has been doing book signings around the country. Well, last night she made it to our neck of the woods, and we couldn't resist the chance to meet her!

Mom and Me

Look who else joined us!
Nancy, Carey, and Me

Pioneer Woman

Mom, Ree, and Me; She was super sweet and very beautiful!

Marlboro Man was also there! He was just moseying down the line visiting with everyone and autographing books. And posing for pictures!

There was a GREAT turnout, several hundred would be my guess. As one lady made her way to the end of the line, she said, "What are all these people doing here? I thought Pioneer Woman was my little secret!" Hilarious!

New York City Marathon

2009-11-04T13:53:00.004-06:00

What a trip! Last Friday, Ryan and I headed to NYC in order for him to participate in the NYC Marathon!!! Several months ago, he entered his name in the Lottery (which is how they choose their participants) thinking that he would run it in the next couple of years. For NYCM if you don't get in the first two or three years you enter your name, you are guaranteed a spot the third or fourth year. Ryan knew it was something he would like to do in the next couple of years, and if he was going to do one he wanted it to be the best, which is NYCM. Who would have guessed he would get in the first year he tried????!!!! So he began his training several months ago, sacrificing every Saturday for his long runs, getting up early or giving up his evenings to get his short runs in during the week. He has been so dedicated, and it paid off last Sunday when he finished the marathon at a FANTASTIC time of 4:15:25, which was his goal!!!

Marathon Training is soooooo fun! Haha! Prior to any long runs, the bandaging up of the blisters took as long as the runs.

'Twas the night before the NYC Marathon...

The marathon began on Staten Island and made its way through all five boroughs of NYC. The first glimpse Peyton and I got of Ryan was at mile 16 in Manhattan. The crowds were amazing, especially in Manhattan. There are usually around 2 million spectators along the course to cheer on the 40,000+ participants. You had to inch your way up to the ribbon to see your "loved one". The men of FDNY were on their fire truck behind us encouraging the runners. Soooo many runners stopped to take photos of these guys!

After seeing Ryan at mile 16, we made our way over to Central Park to mile 25. At mile 16 the runners looked great, smiling, good form, acknowledging the crowd. At mile 25, not so much. I could tell that Ryan got a much needed boost when he saw us cheering him on.

My Marathon Man and his cheerleaders!!!

The following day at the Marathon Store...

The following day at the finish line in Central Park.

What an experience! If you ask Ryan, he says just that, "it was an awesome experience!" He was a little sore the next day, but considering what he had accomplished, has been in great shape since the marathon. I could not be prouder of him!

Happy First Birthday, Ridge!!!

2009-09-23T14:04:00.004-05:00

Scenes from a party...

A very special gift for Ridge from our dear friends, the McClains. All of the guests signed it for the birthday boy. One day this plate will mean so much to him! In the picture of the cake, you can see the front of this plate in the background. So sweet!

The invitation...

Four generations of Bowman men...Morris, Ryan and Ridge, and Roger

I love this picture of Ryan's mom...can you tell Nana was excited to see the birthday boy???!!!

Pop and Mimi and their boys...

YUMMY! He wasn't so sure about the cake at first. Daddy helped him out by giving him some bites, and of course, Reid and Cade were helping themselves to the cake!!!

"Happy Birthday, dear Ridgey! Happy Birthday to you!!!

Our Family...

Greats and Grands...My mom (Becky), my grandma (Glenda) with Ridge, Ryan's grandma (Belle), Ryan's grandma (Violet), and Ryan's mom (Debbie)...these women are as gorgeous on the inside as they are on the outside!

"The Cake"...isn't it adorable!?! A lady from Newport made it, and it was just as delicious as it was cute! www.sabracake.com

"Yea, it's my birthday!!!"

Where did that year go???

Oh, little Ridge, I will never forget the day we found out you existed. We had no idea the plans God had for us and you. You have been an absolute BLESSING! One that we had never planned on having. Oh, how God must have laughed as he formed you knowing how our lives would change for the better! We could never have imagined the blessing you would be to us. The joy you bring to everyone you meet is immeasurable. You are so loved by every person who has had the pleasure of being in your sweet presence. The first year of your little life has flown by. We have made so many memories, and I just can't imagine life without you. You are our precious little lamb baby, and we can't wait to see what God has in store for you. We love you, Ridgey!

Reid's First Day of First Grade

2009-09-23T13:42:00.002-05:00

Still playing catch-up! Reid has got a month of first grade under his belt, and he is doing great. First graders hold a special place in my heart since that is the grade that I taught for five years before Reid came along. He has learned so much already! His teacher is really on the ball. Every Monday he gets a "Weekly Review" in the front of his folder that tells what they are working on for the week. It tells the books his teacher is using for Shared Reading, what concepts will be taught in math, his spelling list, any special announcements, and their homework for the week. His homework consists of reading every day for fifteen minutes and recording it onto a reading log, some type of spelling practice and an occasional math practice page. He is such a good student; Ryan and I are so proud of him! Here are a few pictures from his first day.

Brock, Reid, Alyssa and Claire--we were so happy to see some of our favorite people on the way into school on the first day!

Cade and Ridge were not happy that their big brother was going to be gone all day for the next 9 months! Cade misses him terribly during the day!

My big first grader...so handsome!

Reid and his teacher, Ms. Wheeler...she is a cutie too (and makes me feel REALLY old)!!!

Destin 2009

2009-09-01T11:26:00.002-05:00

Why the lack of blogging, you ask???? It is because of this trip right here. I have been so overwhelmed by the thought of sorting through the 300+ pictures of our Destin trip and deciding which ones were blog-worthy that I let it put me in a blog-funk. So here it goes. 5. That's right, I'm just posting 5. On top of that, I picked the 5 out in about 30 seconds. So no this isn't going to be the fantastic PERFECT vacation post that I originally set out for it to be, but holy moly, we've got to move on!!! We've got birthday parties, first day of school, soccer, lizards, and just everyday life to get "on record". So here we go, folks...Destin...

We ate, we played, we caught fish and crabs, we surfed, we dug trenches in the sand, we swam, we jumped, we relaxed, we played games, we read, and we thoroughly enjoyed just being together.

We rode bumper boats and go carts...

Ridge and Daddy chillin' at the swimming pool.

My sweetheart...

My other sweetheart...

My little family...

We had a great time and miss the lazy days at the beach.

Wiggly Good Time

2009-09-01T11:05:00.004-05:00

On August 3rd, Reid was in Newport with Pop and Mimi, Ridge stayed home with a sitter, and Cade and I got to go with some friends to see The Wiggles! It was so much fun! He has been a HUGE wiggles fan for a couple of years, so I was excited to take him to see a show that I just knew he would love.

Well, he did not disappoint! He sang and danced from beginning to end! I'm not sure if he ever sat down once the show began. At one point in the show, two of the wiggles came out into the crowd. And lo and behold, Murray came up to our section. Who's Murray, you ask...well, Murray is Cade's VERY favorite wiggle. Murray has two things going for him in Cade's eyes...he wears a red shirt, which happens to be Cade's very favorite color AND he plays the guitar, which is Cade's very favorite instrument.

Murray...

"Toot, toot, chugga, chugga, big red car!"

Cade and Jake clapping and singing!

Cade with his program...

Our wiggly crew...Lucy, Alyssa, Jake, Cade, Lauren and Ava!

I had so much fun getting to spend some time with my little Cade. He is such a little sweetheart and a good brother. I'm so glad he and I got to have an afternoon with just the two of us!

More Summer Fun

2009-09-01T10:08:00.006-05:00

One thing that happened this summer that was not so fun was our little Cade falling at the park and having to get stitches in his chin. Getting the stitches was a pretty traumatic experience for everyone involved! Three people had to hold him down while the doctor put the stitches in. The entire time he was yelling, "are they done, mom?" and crying hysterically. Obviously it is really difficult to sew up a chin when it it constantly moving from the screaming. Afterwards, while the doctor was instructing me on how to keep the stitches clean, etc., I was holding Cade, and he put his little hands on my face, and said, "I not do that again, Mom?" Then the doctor dropped the bombshell that we had to come back in the following week to have the stitches removed! Yikes! When we went back in to have them taken out, we had to see a different doctor. She and two nurses tried to get them out but no luck. She left the room to get a light so she could see better. While she was out, I explained to Cade that if he would lie still and quiet, we could leave and go home and see Pop and Mimi who were at our house with Reid and Ridge. When the doctor came back, she had the doctor with her who put the stitches in. Cade got hysterical, so I explained again how quick it could be if he cooperated. After that, he laid on the table and didn't make a peep. The doctor was done in 2 minutes, if that long! I was so thankful that God blessed my baby with a peace and comfort that only He can give during an otherwise HIGH STRESS situation.

Our little man is completely healed and back to his 90 to nothin' self!!!

We played in the sprinklers...
HI-YA!!!

Speaking of 90 to nothin'...

We met our Orlando friends, Alyssa and Aniston, for lunch and playtime. Sweet friends!

We went to an orchard and picked peaches and nectarines. The boys just had the BEST time doing this!

After our all-star team placed 3rd in state, we were invited to play in the regional tournament in El Dorado. There were teams from Arkansas and Mississippi. We won one game and lost two to some tough competition. It was a really fun weekend filled with baseball, eating out with good friends, and swimming at the hotel! The opening ceremonies were the first night. They introduced each player, so they got to step forward and wave their hat. So cute! They also played the national anthem before the first game each day, so the boys would line up, take off their hats, and sing the national anthem. They looked so big!

Weekend with the Little Guys

2009-08-31T16:17:00.003-05:00

The weekend that Ryan, Reid, Peyton and Mr. Roger all went to St. Louis to celebrate Rog's birthday, the little guys and I had a blast just hanging out in Little Rock. On Friday after we got them dropped off at the airport, we met Ms. Deb at the zoo and then on to Purple Cow for dinner.

On Saturday my mom and dad drove down, and we spent the afternoon downtown. We ate lunch at the river market, went to Heifer Project International, and then on to tour the Clinton Presidential Library.

Cade reading the daily agendas for President Clinton.

Trolley Ride!

Pop, Mimi, Cade and Ridge

Train ride at the zoo with Nana...

Ridge, Cade and Nana at the zoo

Summer Sports Camps

2009-08-31T14:43:00.002-05:00

In addition to baseball, Reid had so much fun being able to attend football camp and basketball camp this summer!

He went to LifeChamps football camp in June. It was held at War Memorial Stadium, which he thought was so cool. He was on the Steelers team. They would rotate to different stations and do drills and then scrimmage at the end of the camp day.

Reid tackling the dummy!

"The Steeeellllleeeerrrssss!" They ran out of the tunnel when there team was called.

Basketball camp was at the end of July at UALR. Reid had several church and baseball friends that were participating which made it even more fun! Steve Shields, the head basketball coach at UALR, led the warm-up a few mornings, and Joe Klein showed up the last morning to encourage the kids.

"He shoots..."

Check out these future stars!

There was even a slam-dunk contest to finish up the week!

Ridgey-Baby

2009-08-03T14:13:00.002-05:00

SOMEONE'S FIRST BIRTHDAY IS COMING UP!!! How can this be??? While the big boys were sleeping today, I took some photos of this precious little guy. He was more than happy to oblige!

Ridge is our tiny little lamb of a baby. He only weighs 17 pounds! Last Wednesday he wore an outfit to church that Reid had his four month pictures in. Isn't that a hoot?!

He still has the longest arms and fingers. Maybe he'll be our pianist!

He started sleeping through the night just last week! Hip hip hooray! I am a new woman. Before then he would wake up once or twice, and I would nurse him, and he would go right back to sleep. Now he nurses around 7:30 or 8:00 and goes to sleep until 7:00 or 7:30 the next morning. If we don't have anything going on, I'll put him back down and he'll sleep until 9:30ish. Isn't that something?!

He loves to eat!!! He loves his baby food still but is really into any table foods that we offer him.

He drinks juice great out of a sippy cup. Hopefully, he'll transition into drinking milk from a bottle or a sippy cup in a few weeks. He has been nursed exclusively, as in no bottle. He hasn't taken a bottle in months. I am really going to regret that in a few weeks, I believe. It really just comes down to the fact that nursing him was way more easy than fixing a bottle. Yes, I am that lazy.

Ridge-man is quite the crawler/cruiser. No signs of him walking yet. He will take a few steps while holding your hand, then he wants to crawl.

He loves bathtime and gets really excited when we start the water. He usually gets a bath with one of his brothers, and oh boy, that is exciting.

Ridge's tricks: He can wave bye-bye and says "buh-buh". He "points" to the "light". He sticks out his tongue on command! He'll give you a "kiss" by putting his mouth on your face and saying, "mmm-mmm". He can blow bubbles and raspberries!

He can say "momma" which just turns me into a puddle! Right now he is REALLY into me, and I love it.

He wears a size 3 diaper.

He gets really excited when we go upstairs because he gets to watch the big boys play.

Ridge likes to play with/throw balls. He enjoys eating tiny fuzzballs/crumbs found in the carpet. He's really into clapping two things together, like combs that I give him to entertain himself so I can dry my hair.

He LOVES Reid and Cade and likes to just sit back and let them entertain him. Reid likes to carry him around, and of course, Cade has to give it a shot. Unfortunately, Cade picks him up around the neck, so Ridge doesn't love that so much. He thinks they are so funny and will just crack up when they talk to him.

Ridge is still "the sweetest thing" ever. He is just our little angel baby. We are really looking forward to celebrating his first birthday in a few weeks. Sniff, sniff!

Happy Birthday, Papa!

2009-07-31T15:40:00.002-05:00

Today is Papa's (Ryan's dad) birthday! A few weeks ago, Mr. Roger, Ryan, Reid and Peyton flew to St. Louis for a weekend full of baseball to celebrate! It sounds like it was a weekend to remember!

They had great seats at the games. They were on the third row behind the Diamondbacks dugout. One of the players threw Reid a ball! After the game, they waited at the hotel for autographs. (They stayed at the same hotel as the AZ D-Backs.) Reid was able to get three players autographs!

The Gang!

The BEST baseball has to offer...Albert Pujols!

Little man! What a weekend Reid had! He came home with lots of souvenirs (two game balls included!) and sweet memories of his time hangin' with the guys! One of the d-backs threw him the ball that was the last out of the game after the game Sat. night. Pretty cool!

Ryan and Reid...

Happy Birthday, Papa! We hope you have a great one! We love you!

Summer Fun 2009

2009-07-18T17:51:00.006-05:00

Just a little catch-up on some fun things we've been up to...

Playing in the cul-de-sac...riding bikes, playing ball, and "chalking"

Playing with old friends...

We've had some great times with Ridge while Reid and Cade were staying with grandparents.

LEGOS! Reid is REALLY into building ships for his star wars characters.

Climbing into toy bins...always fun!

UNWANTED visitors!

Reid and Cade had gone into the backyard to play. It wasn't long before Reid ran back into the house shouting,
"Adder! Adder! Mom, there's an adder in the backyard!"
Me: "An otter, what? We have an otter in our yard???"
Reid: "No, it's an adder, or maybe a black mamba. It could be an emerald boa."
Me: "What? Huh? (Then I recognized b-b-b-boa.) Oh, hiss. Snake.
Reid ran upstairs to retrieve the source of his knowledge, "Amphibians and Reptiles", while Cade and I stepped outside to check him out. There he was under the baker's rack, hissing away at me.

After hanging around a few minutes, he slithered away. Far, far away. Never to be seen again. (Wishful thinking.)

After looking around the Arkansas snakes website, I think he was either a cottonmouth or a black pine snake. Either way, CCCRRREEEPPPYYY!

Dinner with GREAT lifelong friends!

Okay, I get the hint! Let's go to the pool!

Snow cones!

The snow cone master aka daddy!

This baby loves table food! On this night, he was chowing down on some green beans!

Fourth of July 2009

2009-07-18T17:25:00.004-05:00

We had a nice, relaxing fourth of July at home this year. We met up with Ryan's parents and grandmother for lunch and they took Reid and Cade for some downtown Little Rock fun, while Ryan and I ran around with little Ridge. We picked the boys up later that afternoon and headed to the fireworks stand to pick up some evening entertainment!!!

Reid, Cade, Nana and Mamaw at the park in the River Market. Every time they come home with a new pair of shades!

Reid and his "smoking gun"!

Ridge cracking up at Cade!

Party Popper!

Let the show begin! Okay, so maybe we just came home with the kid pack, but what's more fun for a 6, 3, and nearly one year old than POPPERS, smoke bombs, sparklers (oh yeah, those were for me!), race car and tanker, snake pellets, and party poppers!!!

Father's Day 2009

2009-07-13T15:49:00.003-05:00

What a blessing these wonderful men are to my family, in particular my boys...

Me and my PRECIOUS daddy...

Ryan and his SWEET daddy...

My boys and the daddy that adores them...

We love you, daddy!!!

Branson 2009

2009-07-13T14:40:00.001-05:00

We went to Branson at the beginning of the summer. This is one place that we just don't get tired of going to! We're hoping to make it back one more time before school starts...

Ryan, Reid and Cade "shootin' it up" on the flooded mine ride...

Cort and Reid on the flying elephants...

Laaaaaiiiidddd back....

Reid and Cade with their "prizes"...Unbeknownst to us, Cade had noticed others walking around that day with these monkeys around their necks. He purposefully chose a game where he could win a monkey!

Where to next, guys???

The One about Baseball

2009-06-30T15:06:00.003-05:00

This is the post where I write about baseball. And how it has consumed our lives over the last few months. And how much we lurve it. Seriously, I have become completely sucked into this game, which is good considering Ryan played and still loves it, Reid loves it, Cade already loves it, and Ridge, well...time will tell.

Reid played for the Cardinals again this year. He had the same coach as last year, and Ryan assisted again this past season. Many of the same kids were on the team from the last year or two, so that makes it more fun because you get to know their families. Half of the team goes to church at PV with us, so that was REALLY fun. This year they hit off of the pitching machine, which was new. They got three or four chances (depending on time) to hit it off the machine and then hit it off of the tee. It took a couple of games for Reid to find his groove with the machine, but once he did, he took off. He really did great on the infield as well, he played pitcher (which was his favorite), 2nd base and 1st base. He even made two double plays this season, which was really exciting! We were so proud of him this season. He loved it and was really sad when his season with the Cardinals was over. He is now playing with the six year old all stars. He was chosen as an alternate for the team, so he gets the benefit of the extra practice and goes to the tournaments when he is needed. He played in one over Father's Day Weekend, but it looks like we'll have this weekend free!

Pictures from the season...

Playing with your friends makes it more fun!
Reid, Eli and Colin

Cade loved getting to go out on the field at the end of the games to tell the other team "good game". Reid's teammates were so sweet to Cade!

Bring it on!

Playing 1st...

My Cardinal!

Sweet friends...Reid and Brock

The Cardinals 2009

Cute bobblehead trophy that they received at our end-of-the-year party.

Reid at pitcher

These sweet little brothers were such troopers during the season. Most of the time Cade would just sit beside me and have a snack or play in the dirt. Sometimes sweet big sisters like Abby would take him to the playground to play.

This little guy was passed around to just about every family on the team. One of many good things about having your friends on your team is their parents are always happy to lend a hand. I love this picture of Ridge and "Mr. Jason".

Heard Around Our House...

2009-06-12T21:00:00.002-05:00

Life just gets a little more interesting when I have all three of my boys home during the day. Having Reid home makes my house a whole lot noisier (more noisy??), but honestly, it helps because he is Cade's sole source of entertainment. Over the last few days, Reid has said some things that are worth posting just so I don't forget!!!

Over the monitor, I heard this conversation take place...

Reid: Ooh, ooh, I'm going to be an eel. What are you going to be, Cade?

Cade: Ummmmm, I'll be a shark.

Reid: No, you be an octopus, because eels eat the tentacles off of the octopus, and then he grows a new one.

Cade: Okay, I'll be an octopus.

Today at the pool...

Reid: Mom, I have a mosquito bite on my um, uh, um, my thigh-pit.
(aka the back of the knee)

When Reid and Cade are tucked in at night, the conversations heard through the monitor are priceless. They will sing, talk about Star Wars, or just fuss with each other!!! I hope they continue to love sharing a room. These "late night" talks between these two brothers are just too precious!

First Trip to the Lake 2009

2009-06-09T15:05:00.003-05:00

We went to the lake a couple of weeks ago with my parents. They had gone to get the boat cleaned up, and we showed up later that afternoon ready to "play".

These boys were ready to swim!

This guy was ready to "chill" with Mimi and Mommy.

Pop and Mimi bought a new tube this year, and we were ready to try it out...Ryan and Reid...

Pop and Cade...

These two were worn out after a day of fun!!!

Summer 2009

2009-06-09T14:54:00.002-05:00

is starting off with a bang! "Quietly playing upstairs" isn't necessarily a good thing. Ha!

Field Day 2009

2009-06-01T17:02:00.005-05:00

We were blessed with the most beautiful day for Baker's Field Day last Friday! I LOVED field day when I was a kid, and I even loved it when I was a teacher! It is a great way to celebrate how hard the kids have worked and just let it all hang out! The little boys and I went up to Reid's school that morning to watch, and Ridge and I went back in the afternoon to help. Cade had Mimi all to himself, so she took him to the zoo! (Maybe she'll blog about it, hint, hint!)

When I pulled in at the school, it looked like a circus and sounded like a concert. FUN! There were games going on everywhere and bounce houses, face-painting booths, snack booth, dunking booth, etc. There was a DJ that was playing GREAT music, which made it even more fun. If there is anything more fun than watching kids dance...it's watching the teachers get their groove on!

Bounce house fun

Ladder ball; looks so fun! We're going to have to get one of these sets!

Face painting with Ms. Stacie! He was a cat! Some of the boys in his class got a mustache and beard. HILARIOUS!

This hottie was working the three-legged race!

Some kids from Reid's class cooling off in the shade!

Horseshoes!

The day ended with the annual kickball game...teachers/volunteers vs. the fifth graders. When one of your best buds is the PTA prez you get to participate, like it or not! Luckily, Ryan represented our clan by playing. Of course, he was awesome with two homeruns, but the highlight of the game was when my friend was making her way back to 2nd base. In true Jill fashion, she added a little flair by doing a roll mid-run. I'm hoping I caught this on my video, because if I did, watch out!!! As we were making our way back to the school, her baby girl, Claire, said to me, "Did you see my mom trip on her mini-skirt?" FUNNY!

Splashdown!

2009-05-29T00:34:00.004-05:00

What a way to end the school year! Every year Reid's school finishes kindergarten in a very special way. They celebrate the end of the year with a day full of luau activities and then have a splashdown.

This morning I was able to get a babysitter for our two little guys and go up to Reid's school to help with the festivities. All of the kindergarten classrooms were decorated with a Hawaiian theme. In Reid's class, his teacher had buckets at each seat stuffed with fun summertime "gifts" including a DVD with kindergarten memories on it. I love that! The kids were decked out in leis and sunglasses. When I came in to the classroom, Reid's teacher had him put a lei on me. The kids started their fun day out by going to different centers to decorate hats, autograph books, frames, and fish. After the centers, they went outside to bust a fish pinata. SOOO fun! When we went back inside, they used cheerios to make a starfish. After lunch, the class made ice cream sundaes. The little boys and I went up this afternoon for the splash down. The kindergarteners all put on their swimsuits and the fire department came up to their school with their water truck and basically just sprayed the kids for thirty minutes! They had the best time! Reid just loved it and had the biggest smile on his face the entire time.

What's going on here?

OH YEAH!

Staying warm in the towel with Lauren is way more fun!

That smile just says it all!

PUDDLES!!!

Time to dry off and head home!

I just loved today! This was just the perfect way to end kindergarten. Tomorrow is field day!!!! Gotta love those last days of school!!!

Home

2009-05-22T14:11:00.003-05:00

Cade is home and hernia-free! Thank you for your thoughts and prayers!

"I like da goofy juice."

Cade

2009-05-21T14:32:00.003-05:00

Our little man is having an operation tomorrow morning. Please pray for everything to go well. If all goes well, this time tomorrow, he will be hernia-free!

Sweet Boy

2009-05-14T23:27:00.003-05:00

One morning last week as I was finishing up getting ready, I checked on Ridge who was "playing" in my bedroom floor, and this is what I saw. He just laid on the carpet for a good five minutes while I grabbed my camera and talked to him. SWEET!!!

Muffins with Mom

2009-05-08T12:45:00.003-05:00

Today I got to spend the morning with this handsome big boy! (okay, so maybe we need to get a haircut!)

We had "Muffins for Mom" at Reid's school. All of the kindergarten kids performed Mother's Day songs in the cafeteria. You could tell they had practiced a lot because it was super organized, and the kids REALLY knew the songs.

After the performance, we headed back to the classroom. It was decorated so cute with all of the things the kids had made for us moms. According to Reid, I'm 33 (correct! i think i was the "oldest" mom in the class! all of the moms around me were 11 or 14! haha!) I weigh 36 pounds! I like chili pie and hate worms, and he loves me because I take him places. So fun; I love those mom questionnaires!

Then it was time for the muffins!

Me and my sweet big boy! I'm so glad I got to hang out with him this morning. If you're reading this, Carey...THANK YOU for watching my little ones! You are a saint!

Mother's Day Tea

2009-05-07T13:40:00.004-05:00

Lucky me, I got to have tea, cake and cookies with this gorgeous little man this morning.

The table was decorated so cute! Each child had made a huge flower with statements about their mom glued to it. They had also made a flower pot with their little hands as the flowers and a very sweet poem on it. According to Cade, I am 3, have white hair and brown eyes, my favorite color is red, my favorite food is bread, and I like to play ball with him.

Me and my "tea" date...

"Spike"

2009-05-06T18:13:00.002-05:00

"Your baby's hair is standing up."
"Your baby has spiky hair."
"Oh, look at that hair."
"Can I touch your baby's hair?"

After seeing Ridge, not many people pass him by without making one of the above comments. His new "do" has a mind of its own. I'm hoping with a little length it will lay down, because if it doesn't ... oh boy, what a battle I will have on my hands. Come hither, gel and hair spray!

From the front...

The back...

And the side...

Speaking "Cade"

2009-05-02T14:32:00.001-05:00

Our little three-year old is difficult to understand sometimes. It's like he is speaking another language. A language we call "Cade".

For example...
"tomonnow" is tomorrow
"cat-oon" is raccoon (as in the one who checked our attic out as a possible nest recently)
"monkey-o" is Pinocchio
"danny yon yegs" is daddy long legs
"yeh-yoh" is yellow (he's got the "Y" sound for "L" going on)
"yahren" is Lauren
"yuhv you" is love you

The list goes on...

Lots To Blog About!

2009-05-01T16:26:00.005-05:00

My crib babies!

Ridge is pulling up on EVERYTHING!

Baseball has begun!

We celebrated Pop's birthday by replacing that 'ol Longhorns hat with a Razorback hat!

Cade got new rain boots; yeah, he likes them a little bit!

Elizabeth came over to play! She introduced Cade to "Mommy's shoes"!

We continued our Disney "high" by going to Disney on Ice! Very cute!

Neighborhood Egg Hunt

2009-04-13T21:34:00.005-05:00

Our neighborhood had its annual Easter Egg Hunt last Sunday. There were SO many kids there!!!

We stuck around and visited with some friends and ended up being the very last people to leave the park!!!

Our kids had a great time on the playground. Lauren, Alyssa, Reid and Cade...not sure who the little guy in the middle is...

I was waaayyy more scared of the Easter Bunny than Ridge!

Playing in the bubbles...

Our boys with the Easter Bunny...Somebody get that guy a new costume!

Getting our Easter tats!

Reid gathering eggs; he REALLY wanted to find the golden egg!

Cade gathering his eggs!

Ridge and Daddy

Lauren, Reid, Cade, and Alyssa...LOVE these girls; they are little sweethearts!

The Par-tay!

2009-04-13T13:51:00.003-05:00

We celebrated Reid's 6th birthday by having a party at Jump Zone. It was so fun; we had the place to ourselves! Star Wars was the theme, so we did it up right with Star Wars tees for all three boys, Star Wars cake, and Star Wars party favors...

The cake...Reid said he wanted "17 clone troopers with Anakin leading them." He settled for four!

Cade shooting some baskets!

Eli, Reid and Brock

The birthday boy

Colin, Reid and Jake

Opening his presents...

Even Ridge got in on the fun!

The Big Day

2009-04-08T16:19:00.003-05:00

What a birthday! We started his sixth year out right with Krispy Kreme donuts for breakfast!

Sis surprised us with a visit, so we picked up McDonald's for lunch with Reid at school.

Colin and Eli joined in the fun with Purple Cow for dinner.

Another song, another wish...

Reid had told me during a recent trip to Toys-r-Us that he wanted four things for his birthday...Power Rangers Operation Overdrive movie, Star Wars Lego Kit, Clone Trooper Blasters, and Star Wars; Clone Wars video. He got those things plus a surprise or two.

Funny story, Cade, Ridge and I ran to Stein Mart the other day to pick up a couple of shirts for Reid (I like to get his Polo shirts at SM and TJMaxx--I think I'm gettin' a bargain!) Well, they have a few toys that Cade always likes to browse through. Of course, he found a little PlayMobil Pirate Ship that he liked, and he turned to me and said, "I get tis for Ree's birtday, Mom?" Um, absolutely! So after Reid opened it up, Cade was so excited to get out "Reid's gift" and play with it; he's played "pirates" all day today!!!

How Can It Be?

2009-04-07T00:00:00.001-05:00

The boy who made me a mom is six today!!!

Happy Birthday, Reiders! I LOVE you like crazy!!!

Cade

2009-04-02T22:14:00.004-05:00

Fantastic at Dot Art...

Master of puzzles...

Has me wrapped around his little finger...

You. Stop. That. Right. Now.

2009-04-02T22:12:00.001-05:00

Why, oh why, is this baby growing up so fast???

33

2009-04-02T21:53:00.004-05:00

So I turned 33 on Sunday. Wow. I do love the celebrating that surrounds a birthday. My parents grilled out for me while we were in Newport, and Ms. Debbie and Mr. Roger took me out for lunch. Ryan and I were able to go out on a hot date to Bonefish Grill last Saturday night. My friends Carey and Nancy had a little celebration for me yesterday at lunch. The fun never ends!!! LOVE it!

Spring Break 2009

2009-04-02T21:07:00.006-05:00

Wow, spring break has come and gone! We just had a nice, easy laid-back week. It was so nice!

We started out with having lunch with Nana and Papa to celebrate Nana's birthday. Nana, we hope you had a fantastic birthday! We LOVE you and are so very blessed to have you in our lives!!!

Reid had been asking for a couple of weeks if a few of his little buddies could come over and play during spring break. We had Brock, Colin and Eli over on Monday. These five guys played hard for hours. They had so much fun and were so sweet. Cade thinks he is as big as they are, and the boys are so sweet to let him hang out with them. I just love watching these boys grow up together!

After the boys left on Monday, Reid went to Newport to spend the night with Pop and Mimi. Cade, Ridge and I drove up on Tuesday and spent the night and were able to see Nana and Papa on Wednesday.

Papa and the boys at the park...

Gigi and Ridge...

Ridge and Nana...

Cade and Mimi decorating cupcakes for my birthday!!!

Reid, Cade and Pop taking the golf cart for a spin at "Pop's work".

On Wednesday night, we had a campout in Mommy and Daddy's room. The boys were very excited to sleep in our room, sleep in their sleeping bags, play with their flashlights, etc.

On Thursday, we just took it easy, went to Barnes and Noble for some new books and Toys-R-Us for some new puzzles.

On Friday, we had a follow-up appointment at the ENT for Cade (everything looked great), went to see Monsters and Aliens (ran into Carey and Jake--fun!), got new shoes, picnic lunch and played at the park. FUN day!!!

Wye Mountain 2009

2009-04-02T20:27:00.002-05:00

The Friday Reid got out of school for spring break, my mom and I decided to make a last-minute trip out to Wye Mountain. We grabbed their Easter outfits and a hairbrush and hit the road.

Ohhhhhh, this was a trip to remember! First of all, what I thought was the lens on my camera was shattered (turns out, it was just the protector--hooray!), but I was determined that we were going to get some good pictures, shattered lens and all!!! My boys had a different idea. It was memorable all right!!!

Reid and Cade crawled through the daffodils pretending they were tigers. Here's my little "crouching tiger"!

My mom managed to get this shot.

Oh boy!

Oh dear!!!

What shattered lens???!!! You can hardly tell, right????? haha.

Last Day...

2009-04-02T18:11:00.003-05:00

On our last day at Disney, we decided to head back to Magic Kingdom. There were some things we still wanted to do, and a few things the boys wanted to do again.

Seriously, I know he's mine, but how cute is this little guy in his Mickey Mouse ears???

An attempt at getting all three boys...This is as good as it gets, folks!!!

Reid and Mimi on the Carousel...

Nana, Papa and Cade on It's a Small World...

Ridge at dinner...

Buzz, Reid and Cade...

Carousel of Progress...

Our last day was pretty relaxed just hitting a few things we hadn't seen. There is SO much to do at Magic Kingdom that I'm not even going to try to list them all. However, I do want to remember a few things...

Space Mountain--Ryan, Pop, Reid and I rode this...remember that each cart has three seats, front, middle and back. You aren't able to sit right next to your little one on this ride.
Splash Mountain--Reid was a little nervous but ended up liking it.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad--I think I squished Reid a few times being jerked to the side!
Haunted Mansion--Cade and Reid LOVED this ride; they are still talking about it!
Fireworks are EXCELLENT at Magic Kingdom!!!!

Of course, we could not leave without souvenirs. Nana and Papa got each of the boys their own Disney beach towel. Pop and Mimi got each of the boys a Disney t-shirt. We came home with mini-blinking light sabers, a buzz lightyear gun, Woody and Bullseye figures, pirate swords, and mickey ears, of course.

Overall, our Disney experience could not have been better. From the flight to Disney's Magical Express, our hotel, transportation, the parks...The weather was PERFECT (high 70s/low 80s during the day)! The boys were great; I was a little apprehensive about their ages, but it was perfect for them. Reid was tall enough to ride nearly everything. Cade was completely mesmerized by it all, and Ridge was just along for the ride!!! Our parents were INCREDIBLE! I'm so glad that they were there to experience this all firsthand with our boys. They were an unbelievable help to us, and I think they enjoyed it as much as, if not more, than we did. We have talked about it constantly since we got back, and Cade still says in his prayer every night, "God, thank you that we go to Disney to-monnow." Wishful thinking???? We all feel the same way...

Hollywood Studios

2009-04-01T10:24:00.006-05:00

We had an absolute BLAST at Hollywood Studios. It was my FAVORITE park (can I say that about them all????) The last time Ryan and I had been there, it was MGM Studios. That was on our honeymoon! So much had changed in 12 years!

As usual, the pics are in reverse order, and frankly, I'm too lazy to reverse them, so here goes...

Dinner with "Auntie Claire" at the 50's Prime Time Cafe....we had a blast! She was so much fun, calling the guys "skippy, spike, junior, and sparky", and the girls, "missy and angel cherub (that was my mom, she was her favorite). The food was good and the setting/theme was so much fun!

I am embarrassed to admit how excited I was to see the Power Rangers! I counted the hours until 4:30 when they were to arrive! I guess it would be the equivalent of a little girl wanting to see the "Princesses". They did not disappoint!

Ryan and the two big boys at the "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" Playground...

Cade and I at the best ride EVER...Toy Story Mania...Ryan and I and the big boys stayed until they shut the park down riding this ride again while the grandparents took Ridge back to the hotel.

Ridge-man ready to call it a day!!!

Cade LOVED the Indiana Jones show!

Ryan, Pop, Reid and I went to ride Tower of Terror. Did I really put my five-year old on this ride????!!! He and I screamed like little girls and held on to each other for dear life! BUT...he survived and has the smile to prove it!!!

Reid, Cade and Rocket at the Playhouse Disney show...

SUPER FUN day...

Playhouse Disney Show--too cute; our boys really liked it!
Tower of Terror--personally, I HATE drops, this is the scariest ride in all of Disney to me!!! Reid says he liked it and is still talking about it.
Beauty and the Beast Show--The kids and Nana, Papa, and Mimi went to see this and LOVED it while Ryan, Pop and I rode...
Rock-n-Roller Coaster--FUN!!!!! Wish we could have ridden this one again!
Indiana Jones -- of course, Cade REALLY loved this one!
Jedi Training--neither one of our boys wanted to participate but loved watching
American Idol Show--GREAT!!!!!! We all LOVED this one!
Block Party Parade --- FANTASTIC!!!
Star Wars Ride---Ryan and Reid rode this and liked it; don't remember it's official name
Toy Story Mania---BEST ride in Disney!!!! LOVED it!
Great Movie Ride--Fun for everyone!