First Days of School (again)

Sammy had his second first day of first grade yesterday.



We went in a little after classes started so I could enroll him, then walk him to class. He was such a big kid, going into a new classroom, with a new teacher and new kids, new nearly everything, and it nearly broke my heart to leave my little boy there all by himself. Somehow he (and I!) made it through the day and when I saw him get off the bus, running at me with this big smile and doing his happy dance I knew he was going to adjust just fine.

He met a boy that lives in the building next to us, and by the luck of it, this boy, Jeremiah, is in his same first grade class. Having a friend already helps, and he's already asked me if we can make his birthday party this year and boy-and-girl party because some of the girls in his class are cool, too. He can't remember any of their names yet, but he has a suggestion for his teacher that they should all wear name tags (lol, like he could read the names anyway!).

Sammy's class is small - maybe 18 kids? - big difference from his Minneapolis class last year at 30 and this year at 28. The teacher is young, originally from Minnetonka, MN (small world!), and loves to send emails. Plus she was sweet to my boy. I like her already :)

We loaded Sammy up onto the bus this morning at 7:06 (eeeek) and literally saw an armadillo cross the road right behind his bus. I'm going to assume that is a good omen here in Texas :)

Today (Tuesday) was Freddie's first day of preschool. I forgot to take a picture of him. I'll take one tomorrow. For now, here is a picture of him in the outfit he wore today. In his "Dude" shirt.

I walked him in this morning to make sure he got to his classroom okay, and to deliver paperwork to the office. He sat right down at one of the little tables and got to work on the play-doh. He just fell right into place. Like, "okay, this is preschool, I know what to do here." Then later he walked out to the car at the preschool's drive through pick-up (yeah, it's awesome and very well run!), sweaty, confident and happy as could be. He rattled off a bunch of stuff at once, lots of different topics - including several mentions of the fire drill they had and how they couldn't play on the monkey bars, and i would have never known this was a new school many miles away from home.

I can't get over my big boys. I thought they would cling to me and maybe even cry, nervous of all the change and newness. But I guess it's me who is heartbroken and unsure (for what we left behind and for how they will react to this life here), and they are the brave confident ones. I am constantly amazed by these little creatures in my life and so very grateful for them (even the moments when they are all such a handful!).

A tour around our new home

After Sammy returned home from school today the boys and I headed out on a walk (wagon ride for Jack) and to play. We stopped at the Clubhouse to see if we'd received any packages (we hadn't) and so Sammy could refill his water bottle. The boys love visiting the Clubhouse - it has two kitchens, a movie theater, a gym, two living spaces, and, their favorite, the office with the girls who work there. Taylor helped us lease our apartment and Sammy thinks of her as a friend. He and Freddie are constantly inviting her over to our apartment for the "Super Mario Bros. Super Show" in which they wear their Mario and Luigi Halloween costumes and jump around like Mario (or like total spazes) and sing inharmoniously.

After that we walked around to the mail boxes to check the mail. On the way back Freddie and I walked through a dip in a grassy area where the sprinklers must have been working overtime and we both ended up with soggy flip flops. He's wasn't too keen on wearing wet shoes.


We made it back to our building and it's backyard. Here is a shot of our building.

Our patios are the ones on the left, second floor. The big main patio we have decked out with chairs and drying towels; the other, which is covered by the tree leaves is smaller and leads off the boys' bedrooms. It's empty anyway and not very exciting.

Here is our new backyard.


Jack was crawling around, went to check out the pool, and got something stuck to his foot. He's showing me.


He's just precious (and I can remember that in these moments when he's not squealing...).


Why walk? Crawling is so much faster!


Here they are all piled into the wagon. There is no way I could pull this.

The big kids were very amused. Jack was not.

FYI I took a few pictures of Sammy but he was non-cooperative with the poses and I just couldn't post those pictures. He is such a silly BOY sometimes!! (love you, Sammy! obviously or I would have posted those super embarrassing weird-faced pictures of you!)

Arrival in Grapevine, Texas

Our moody brood made it to Texas. It was a long haul down here from Minneapolis, but we arrived late last Sunday and spent the night in our empty apartment.

The boys slept on sleeping bags in their room



Jack slept in a pack-n-play in his room, and Jacob and I crashed on the EZ Bed I stuffed into the trunk of the Swagger Wag thinking it'd save us in sanity and hotel fees if we could stay at the apartment rather than a hotel while we waited for our belongings to arrive on the North American truck.


We had these dressers, too, as I'd found them on craigslist about a month before we moved and Jacob and a co-worker went and bought them while the boys and I were still in Minneapolis. They are Harbor Town from Young America and in such great shape. HUGE score! :D


Jack, our first morning in Grapevine at the Waffle House. He'd just had a chocolate chip waffle and loved it.

I have fond memories of eating pecan waffles at Waffle House my very first morning in Texas, after my mom, Nan and I relocated from Baltimore to Southeast Texas when I was 11-years-old. I might have been trying to recreate that moment for my kids, and Jacob and boys were willing to go along with it, even though I'm not sure they'll remember it like I will.

Luckily, we were last on and first off the truck and we only had two nights roughing it without stuff. Side note: empty homes and three small children makes for a very loud residence!

Our stuff arrives in Texas!


Then we found the local Target. That's a must. Target is like lifeblood. While at the small Grapevine Target my eyes caught sight of a lone Missoni hand towel. Yay! I love it.


Inside the Grapevine Mall.


Jacob and the boys walked over to the mall via our apartment's hike and bike trail this morning while Jack napped. Then they walked around the mall. It's a big mall. Here there were by the end of their adventure:


Since the new job did not come with a car that was something Jacob needed to buy in Texas. While he was here without me and the kids he went and test drove cars. Ultimately he chose a Fiat. It's adorable. It's get outstanding gas mileage. And it could probably fit in the back of the Swagger Wag with the seats down. Here's the line-up:


So far we are doing okay. I am missing Minneapolis, our friends, the parks and the beautiful fall, but we are enjoying the apartment's amenities like basketball court, clubhouse, trails and swimming pools. The boys start school this week which is very exciting for all of us.

Naughty Jack

What happens to babies who cannot behave (read: not squeal at the top of his lungs) at the table while at a restaurant?

They are sacrificed at the feet of giant horse statues...

Our Texas-sized news!!

Jacob got a job offer in Dallas and we are moving back to Texas!

We are going to miss our Minneapolis "village" so much, and even Minneapolis three seasons of the year. Minneapolis, you are a wonderful, FUN, beautiful place to raise a family. Sadly, you are just too far away from our family, so it's with a heavy heart that the our family's time here must come to an end. But! You better believe we'll be back to visit. Especially around State Fair time!! We love you, Minneapolis and friends!

And some Texas sightings at the Minnesota State Fair, just for fun!







and this exhibit at the Fair called Texas on Tour:


And after 10 years away... Texas here we come!!!

The Great Minnesota Get-Together

Minnesota Sate Fair, 2011

Our family *loves* the State Fair. The past two years we've been twice. The first time this year we were lucky enough to take Grandpa James (aka "Ba") with us. Take two was on Labor Day, which is Kids' Day, so rides and games are at bargain rates. We eat lots of food: this year we tried Fried Pickles' fried pickles and giant pickles on a stick and Pronto Pups "Pail of Pups" along with the classic favorites like the bucket of Sweet Martha's cookies, Elvis sandwiches and giant A&W root beers. We ride the Sky Ride to Kid Way and the kids ride all kind of rides and go through all the Fun Houses. We check out the local radio and TV station's' booths. And we look at the new cars, tractors and sometimes the stinky animals. And don't forget the Giant Slide!!

Here are some pictures from our two 2011 visits:

Jack eating popcorn.

The first trip I forgot a bib, the second day we had him in a bib and loaded the pocket of his bib with eats and treats. At one point I was tossing cookies from my point on a wall into his pocket. Hilarious. By the end of the trip Jacob said Jack smelled like Dunkin' Dounuts. He did - he'd spilled my cup of coffee then crawled through it, and he'd eaten his way through the fair like a champ, too.

Tractor talk with James.


Leaving the tractors was hard to do!


Some guy won these huge Smurfs playing games at Midway and he was kind enough to let our boys take a picture with them.
Thanks, Random Dude!


A favorite ride


Jacob posing with the "Pail of Pups" from Pronto Pup and a giant pickle on a stick. I think you get the hat when get order a corn dog. Or a bucket of corn dogs.


Jack chowing down from the grub in his pocket.


Fried Pickles - one of our new favorite spots!


Sky Ride! one of the first things we do every time


About to leave - happy but exhausted, smelling like Dunkin' Dounuts and sticky

Freddie Rocks!

We were at MOA on Friday and strolling past a store (American Eagle's kid store called 77) and Freddie spotted this drum kit set up for kids to play. He may have thought it was kid heaven for a minute he was so happy to stumble upon this bit of awesomeness. Here is Freddie experiencing his own Pure Joy.



He's a natural drummer.

7-Day Toy Cure, assignment 3

I participated in Apartment Therapy's ohdeedoh's The 7-Day Toy Cure due to some upcoming events that require toy editing. Assignment 3, Arts and Crafts supplies was a big task that had been neglected for far too long.



Eeek. (hanging head in shame)

Organization in progress...


I know, I need an "after" photo. It's super clean and organized now. You won't even believe it! << pic soon! >>

I also cleaned up the toy area after much editing. Here's the after of that area:


Who wouldn't want to play here?!

Henry starts Kindergarten!

On Wednesday the little kindergarteners started school. Freddie, Jack and I met up with our neighbor Henry to see him off on his first day!

Here are Freddie and Henry, ready for his big day!


and again...


Here are Henry's parents - TIm and Ruth - seeing their big boy off to school! Adorable.


Freddie keeps asking when his bus is coming. Next year, honey, next year. That boy has always been so eager to grow up fast! One more year as my little (but giant :) buddy, Freddie, then you, too, get to *finally!* ride on that yellow school bus!

First Day of School - First Grade!

Here is our big first grader, all ready to go. First day clothing of choice was a Mario shirt.


Ba walked him over to the bus stop.


Enough pictures all ready! Waiting for the bus...


There he goes! My big guy! Love you, Sammy boy xoxo

Metrodome opening celebration

Jacob heard something about the Metrodome having a free grand re-opening event involving Monster Trucks. So he and the boys took the light rail up to the Metrodome to check it out.

It was a fantastic event! The boys got to see Monster Trucks, go on the field where the Vikings play, jump in bouncy houses and other fun activities that I can't remember in the Metrodome. All for free! And they even came home with a few pieces of the old Metrodome roof that collapsed during the December 2010 blizzard.

Jack at the pool - in Arkansas!

Jack at the Club pool, originally uploaded by sweetietooth.

We made a spur-of-the-moment trip to Arkansas last week - to make sure Sammy got down there for a few days this summer.

Here is Jack at the Big Creek Club pool on the 4th of July. The boys all spent a lot of their time down south in the water.

Bubble Brock Premier video

I thought our Blogger friends might like to see where it all started...

Camp Kici Yapi!

Camp Kici Yapi
Originally uploaded by sweetietooth

The boys started a week of day camp on Monday and have been having a blast!!! So many stories to tell about their camp adventures. More on this to come!