Huckleberry Fin and Tom Sawyer

A couple of weeks ago we spent the afternoon at some friends house. They have this awsome creek in the back yard, and Matthew and his friend Will had a ball playing in it. They caught craw dads, chased fish around, and of coarse threw rocks in the water. Matthew loves to go to Will's house and play. Thanks guys for inviting us.

That same weekend we had Matthew's first school project to do. The kindergarten classes were creating a city in the hallway outside of their classrooms and Matthew had to make the school.



Matthew had such a good time making his school. Every day since he has asked if we can do a craft. UGH!!! Not that I dont like doing crafts, I just dont like cleaning up.
Well, thats about it. I gotta go get Matthew out of the tub.

I have to brag

I have to take a moment to brag about Matthew. They did a reading assessment the other day and Matthew is reading on a second grade level. I could not believe he was that advanced. He has been reading for about a year now but I never expected him to be that far ahead. I am so proud of him and also a little scared that he may end up smarter than me by the time he is 7!!

Back to School

Well, school started for me this week. I am only taking one class, Pre-Algebra. Yes I am 37 years old and taking Pre-Algebra. It is actually a good thing since it took a little while for me to catch on Monday night. The teacher plowed through Chapter One and then handed out a take home test. What happened to taking it easy on the first night of class? Oh well, hopefully I will adjust quickly.

Busy August

Well, August started out pretty crazy. My birthday was on the 8th so like every other year my mom flew in from CT. to spend a week with us. We had a great time of doing nothing. Matthew and Nana made a cake for my birthday.

Matthew likes to cut flowers from my wild flower garden to decorate the cake. They have done this for the past couple of years. I love it when my mom comes to visit, we just hang out and talk and just relax. I don't realize how much I miss having her around until this annual visit. It is hard not having any kind of family around to do stuff with.
Later that week, my sister Tracy and her two kids flew in. Matthew adores his cousins. They are so funny together. We went to a sounds game and Matthew and my nephew got to run the bases after the game. My poor niece was too old to run them. I think this was the first time she has been too old to do something. We told her she is at the age where she is too old to do some things and not old enough to do others.




We also went to the wave pool and Nashville Shores with the kids. Matthew was going down the water slides by himself and loved every minute of it. He has become such a fish.



Oh, I forgot that Matthew decided that since his cousin's can not be here for his birthday in DECEMBER, that he wanted to have a birthday party for himself while they were here. And thank you Aunt Tracy for playing along. She actually brought gifts and everything.





Thanks Aunt Tracy for humoring Matthew. During all of this time in the water, Matthew finally decided it was time to swim with out floaties. Yes my child is almost 6 years old and was still using floaties. However, he decided that as long as he has goggles then he can swim with out the floaties.




Well, I am not sure that video is going to work. But any way, he is swimming like a little fish.
He is loving school and we started fall soccer on Tuesday and have our first game next Saturday. For the first time in a long time I feel like things are the way they are suppose to be. The Lord continues to bless us and continues to "Light our way".

2nd update

I guess the next exciting thing we did was spending an afternoon at Arrington Vineyards. It is so beautiful up there. We packed a little picnic and enjoyed a bottle of wine. Joe and Matthew threw the football around and I sat and listened to the jazz that was playing. The weather was great that day, no humidity and lots of clouds to give us a break from the sun. I definately recommend this as an afternoon out.


On the 22nd of July, Matthew started Kindergarten. I can not believe that he is that old. He loves school. The first day he was up at 5:45 am dressed and ready to go. He has 4 other kids from his Pre-K class last year in is his class this year. But the rest of them are split up between the other two classes. There are several that he misses but he will adjust.

Carmela saying good bye on the first day of school

Matthew at his desk on the first day of school

This past Saturday we had our last Tee Ball game. Matthew had a great season and really improved a lot. Now we have two or three weeks off and then we start spring soccer.

They can swing at two pitches from the coach and if they
hit them then they have to hit off the tee.

Matthew on third base

So I think that concludes the excitement for the month of July. You should be caught up. Nana (my mom) comes to visit on the 8th of August (my birthday) for a week and Matthew is so looking forward to that. Then Aunt Tracy , Haley and Jake come to visit for a long weekend on the 13th. That should be really fun for Matthew.

Sorry, its been a while.

Yes that is Joe in the tent. He slept out there one night with us. We also had both dogs in the tent with us. Peyton eventually got smart enough and went in the house but Carmela spent the whole night out in the tent with us.

Here is Peyton trying to get out of the tent.

And Carmela hanging out.

The next day was the 4th of July. We went to see the fireworks in Murfreesoboro. Ms Mary our neighbor went with us. I will let the pictures speak for themselves.



But at least we got to see fireworks. If you look closely at the picture above you will notice that Matthew has a bandage on his hand. Yes, he fell in the back yard and split the palm of his hand open. I have no idea what he fell on to cause such a deep cut. Because of where the cut was I could not just put a band aid on it, it would just fall off. So I had to put a gauze pad on it and then wrap it with gauze to hold it in place and then tape it. It was not fun. He healed up fast but has a scar on his palm.
So much has gone on over the past couple of weeks. I will keep posting to get myself caught up. But for now, I am off for another cup of coffee.

A Week in Review

A week ago Thursday Matthew finished swim lessons. On the last day the parents can go and see what they have learned and take pictures. He loved swim lessons this year and really came a long way from last year. I think we are going to sign up for another session in a couple of weeks. Here are some pictures.

Here is Matthew doing the dead man's float. By himself!

Matthew floating on him back. Thinks he needs help but really doesn't!

And here he is just hangin out waiting for his turn!!

Last weekend we had some friends over to hang out in the pool. Matthew was very excited to see one of his friends from school and his older brother. I did not take any pictures because it was so hot we spent the whole day in the pool. Except of coarse when we were eating.

On Tuesday night I had my mid term at school. I thought is was really easy and I was worried that I failed cuz it was so easy. Nope! I got a 100 on it so that really boosted my confidence. Now I just need to finish my biography paper so that I can have it proof read before next Thursday.

I had been thinking about fun, inexpensive things to do with Matthew this summer. I am working full time this year so it has been an adjustment not to be able to hang out with him. So I decided that it would be fun to start camping out in the backyard. Yes in a tent. So last night was the first time we did it. It was really not that bad. Matthew slept like a brick and I slept pretty well also. Matthew wants to do it again tonight and I think he has guilted Daddy into joining us.

Here we are leaving the house to go sleep in the tent!

Here we are in the tent. Matthew is so excited!!

And here is Matthew coming in from bed this morning!

Today we went to the zoo with friends. No without a little confusion of coarse. I woke up this morning and realized I did not have a booster seat for Matthew. Patti (Matthew's nanny) left with one yesterday and Joe left for work with the other this morning. So I had to send Matthew across the street to Miss Mary's and I had to run to Target to purchase another one. So, as I was driving back down the street, our friends were in the driveway waiting for us. I felt so bad. Anyway, we got all of our stuff together and out the door we went to the zoo. We met some more friends there and the kids had a great time.

Matthew waiting at the gate for our friends

Checking out the ducks

The boys being goofy at the Zebras.

Matthew and Mommy!

Well, I guess that pretty much wraps up the past week. If I get Joe in the tent tonight I will take pictures and post them. Have a Happy 4th.