Field Trip and Fire Fest with Friends

Today's post is brought to you by the letter F.  For those of you that know Sesame Street, you catch my drift.  Anyway - this past week has been Full of Fun! Friday Carter took his First Field trip to the animal clinic. Mom watched Cole so I could volunteer as a chaperone.  It was selfish of course, I just wanted to take pictures of Carter :)

He is really coming out of his shell lately.  At the vet he was the first to ask or answer a question, or to volunteer to do something.  He's come quite a way from a year ago when his teacher asked me if he could talk :)

Here are some friends from his class last year.  All the 3 year old classes went to the vet today so he got to see some "old" friends.

Looking in the microscope - he was the first to ask to do so.

And a few of his classmates in a large breed dog kennel.  I'll leave out the obvious jokes.

Carter listening to the dog's heartbeat with the vet's stethoscope.

And when we go to the surgery suite, they asked for a volunteer to help dress the tech.  Turns out they dressed the volunteer!  And as I said earlier, he was the first to raise his hand to help out.  It's so much fun to watch him grow up.

We're missing 3 kids, but here is his class.

More "F" fun was at the Cy-Fair Fire Fest.  We've gone the last few years and didn't want to miss it even though Carter had a soccer game that morning.  The kids were hot, tired and sweaty before we even arrived but they had a great time.  We met up with some friends there as well.

Carter, Luke and Awbrey on the Life Flight Helicopter

Cole on the helicopter.  He had a great time while we were there.  Whatever exhibit we were on, was his favorite and he wouldn't leave with out serious disapproval.

Caroline, Luke, Carter, Awbrey, Claire and Cole on the Fire Engine. They are all smiling, just in different directions.  I'll take all smiles any day since posing any number more than 1 is difficult, much less posing 6!

"Help! Carter and and Awbrey are in charge of the tools! Get me off this aparatus" says Cole.

Brian stood in a long line to hold a place for Carter to spray a real fire hose.

He's spraying out the windows, you can see has good aim

Cole was not happy that he didn't get a turn on the fire hose.

Soccer time!

Carter had his first soccer game today.  He was so excited.  He's on the Columbus Crew with other 3 and almost 4 year olds.  Man was it hot out there today.  The game was at 2pm and it was blazing hot.  I considered leaving and driving Cole around the neighborhood in the car so he could get some shade and air conditioning.  But he really enjoyed running around exploring.

Here's an action shot of Carter kicking. 

Here is the coach telling Carter not to use his hands.  He looks like he's paying attention.  But as we would find out after the first play, that rule is easily forgotten.  He and a boy from the other team were at the goal and when the goalie went to pick it up, so did they.  They dove at it like a fumble on a football field, both holding onto it like a jump ball in basketball.  The ref is blowing her whistle and neither would let go.  Finally, she got them to get up and release the ball.  She told them to shake their hands.  Both boys looked at each other, put their hands in the air and shook them like the sign language clapping sign.  They literally shook their hands.  I just wish I had it on video.  It was hilarious.

The is the "can it get any hotter look"

Cole huffing and pufffing, he was SO hot.

During the second "quarter" Carter had to sit out and take turns.  He stood on the bench the whole time just waiting for his turn.  He didn't want to sit out.  I'd say he enjoyed himself :)

Running through the parent tunnel at the end. 

Out and About

As you can imagine we are out and about around town all the time.  I love my digital SLR camera, but it is so cumbersome to drag along when you have to also control two little boys.  So I'm in love with the iPhone that Matthew gave me.  It has a much better camera on it than my BlackBerry did.  So I have a few pictures of all the fun we've been having lately.

Cole's new favorite thing to do - drive.

I actually didn't take this one, it was saved on my phone and when I imported my pics, it came over.  But I'm proud of it anyway.  This is the newest Shelton boy - Cody.  He was born on the 9th of September.  And Nan got to go to Oklahoma for the birth.  He is the first Shelton baby (of this generation) with dark hair.  And he has lots of it too. 

This is Carter sleeping on his floor.  He said he didn't want to sleep in his bed.  I told him he had to go to bed, so we compromised with the floor.  Of course, I moved him after he was asleep. 

Carter didn't want to go to school one day.  He had a hard time understanding he had a new teacher and not all of his friends were in his new class. He's doing better now.  But on this particular day I had to bribe him and distract him.  I told him he should spike his hair up and show all his new friends.  It worked to get him to school.  But by the time we got inside, the hair spray didn't last and his teacher just assumed he was having a bad hair day.

We were running ahead of schedule one day and I drove past Crave cupcakes.  Just too irresistable to keep driving.  So I treated the boys to the best (and most expensive) cupcake they'll ever have.

Cole doing another one of his favorite things, sliding down the big blocks.  Those blocks are one of the best toys we have.

Carter riding the hand pedal train at WonderWild.

Cole yelling at me to come get him down.  He can do it, he just prefers to boss me around.

The Jetta finally died.  Brian tried to drive it to work a week ago and it just wouldn't accelerate fast enough.  We knew this day was coming, as we've dodged the bullet several times.  But when the mechanic called and said the turbo needed to be replaced (around $2000) we said, "No way - we're buying a new one." So Brian is thrilled with the purchase.  And Purple Heart came today and took the Jetta. We decided to donate it and let them auction it off and get the money, we'll get the tax right off.   

After church on Sunday, we took the kids to Itz Pizza.  They have games, pizza, movies, all kinds of fun stuff for the kids.

Carter on the Monkey Jump.  I kinda wanted to ride it too :)

Cole enjoying his brownie for dessert.

Okay, I think that covers it.  I promise to update the blog more frequently.  Especially now that they fixed the upload photo feature - it's much easier.  Not so daunting.

Playtime

Oh do we have some fun at our house.  The boys are playing real well together and we're using our imaginations more.  This is what having siblings is all about :)

Cole finally got to ride in the bike trailer.  Carter wasn't happy about sharing it, but we convinced him how big a boy he is since he gets to ride a big boy bike.  He's about grown his current bike, so I have a feeling Santa will be bringing him a new one.

These are shirtless ship captains with paddles

Another shirtless driver - he's a train conductor and yes, that is the "steering wheel" I put on the horse nose. Hey, yo do whatchya gotta do.

 

Those are some cute lawn guys ...



First Day of School

Carter started preschool on the 1st of September.  He now goes 3 days a week (MWF).  He wasn't happy about being in a new class (without last years teacher Mrs. Hewitt), but is finally happy to go to school.  He is very proud to now be allowed to go on the "big kid playgroud."  They have a playground for the 3-5 year olds and last year he was on the two year old playground. 

The first day was a busy day.  But I managed to get a few photos before we left.  Brian went with us to school.  He had a long day the day before, he drove down to Zapata County (border town) and didn't get in until after midnight so he went in a little late the next day so he could accompany us to school.

I love his school. I'm so fortunate it's as close as it is. People drive 20+ minutes just to go there, and we only drive 3. Happy Mommy! Cole and I are spending nice quality time together while Carter is in school. We're working on talking, though he pretty much likes to point and grunt still. He understands everything you say, he just can't seem to put his lips together and tell me he's thinking. He'll get there one day. I'm not in a hurry for him to grow up, that's for sure.  Here he is playing with some blocks.  He squeezed them together like a circle and looks through them. 



Road trip

This was the summer of the wedding and road trip.  In June we went to Colorado to see Ross & Christy get married and then visit Matt & Alli.  Then in late August we went to Indiana to see Nan & Pee Pa and then stopped in St. Louis for the weekend for Erica and Jake's wedding.  We were lucky that these out of town weddings were near long distance families.  Two trips for the price of one. 

One of the most favorite things the kids did in Indiana was play in the backyard with the dogs.  I love this picture, but you have to know the circumstances as to why I took it.  Brian was throwing his golf discs across the yard and Otis got one and wouldn't return it.  Keith, Brian and both kids were chasing him around the yard.  It was hilarious.  And here is Carter with his hands on hips, so frustrated that Otis kept running away. 

I was corn shucking and Cole kept taking my corn.  It wasn't cooked, but he loved that Indiana sweet corn.  Can't say I blame him.

Carter coming down the stairs in Pee Pa's snow shoveling shoes.  Wrong size, wrong season Carter - but still cute as ever. 

Leftover pizza makes great breakfast on the patio

Carter was Pee Pa's shadow while we were there, particularly as it relates to yard work. 

We went to the zoo while we were in Indy, but I didn't take the camera in.  We didn't bring the stroller with us and so I didn't have a place to hold my stuff - or the boys for that matter.  But man did that actually work out for the better.  School had already started up there and the zoo was empty.  The boys just ran everywhere.  They were worn out.  Carter had a blast.  He fed a giraffe, petted a shark, rode a train, rode the carousel.  And Cole just loved the freedom of going wehere ever he wanted. 


After Indiana we drove a few hours down to St. Louis.  I'm ashamed to say that I didn't take a single picture while we were there.  I carried that camera around thinking I was going to take a photo, but never did.  But after looking at the almost 700 photos that the photographer took, I guess they didn't need me:)  Though I do regret not getting a least one of the four of us since we were all clean and cute.   It was a gorgeous wedding and Erica stunning.   The reception was a great party, but weddings just aren't for kids :)

Happy Birthday Scottie

On August 7th we went out to Spring to Uncle Jerry & Aunt Lois's house for some awesome barbeque to celebrate Scottie's 30th birthday.  Cole and Carter got to play with their cousin Evan (such a cutie) and several other extended family members. 

As usual, Carter insists on blowing out any and all candles on any cake he sees.  Fortunately, Scottie obliged :)

Grandmama with Evan

Cole was so tired later that day he fell asleep in his high chair eating dinner.  Poor guy!

Shame on me

I know, I know - it's been over 6 weeks since my last post.  As every day passes more photos, stories, Carterisms, and such are created and the daunting task of posting those things becomes even more daunting.   So I'm finally sitting down and blogging about what's been going on in the last (almost) 2 months.  Instead of putting them all in one post, I'll do a series of posts with just a few pictures in each.  That will make it a little easier for me :)

Here goes nothing.

I scream, You scream, We all scream for ...

ICE CREAM! On Thursday, Mom and I took the boys to Brenham to take the Blue Bell Creamery tour.  It was really neat to see how they make the ice cream.  It was how I imagined it, but to see an active assembly line was impressive.  Their ice cream sandwich machine makes 120 sandwiches a minute.  The tour lasted about 30-40 minutes and at the end we got a big scoop of any kind of ice cream we wanted.  Instead of a scoop, I got Cole a popsicle.  It was huge.   I was bummed that I wasn't allowed to take my camera along.  But at the end I pulled out my phone and took a shot of the boys in their paper hats eating their treats.   Cole wanted his AND Carter's.  Super sweet.  The boys AND the ice cream, that is.

After the tour we went across the street to the Blue Bell Aquatic Center. What a great family recreation area. They have a beach entry pool with a decent amount of shade. A Banana Split slide, floating Popsicle obstacle course, Ice Cream cone water fall. They boys loved it.  This picture is of me chasing Cole in the pool, his favorite thing. 



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The video is of the boys (and a random girl) sliding down the sundae slide. 



The entire way home Carter kept saying "I don't want to take a nap in the car OR at home." He just repeated it over and over again.  He did eventually fall asleep and then came home and tried not to fall asleep again on the couch.  See picture to find out if that mantra worked.

Some funny things he said this week -

While getting ready Thursday morning for the ice cream trip, Brian asked Carter if he was going to take Puppy with him (that's his snuggle puppy he sleeps with).  Carter's response "No I'm not because my hands will be busy with ice cream."

While riding in the car the other day Carter, out of nowhere, tells us "I want a guys night."
Me - Ha, Carter, do you even know what a guys night is?
Carter - yes, it's when you leave and I stay with Daddy.
I then told Brian I was happy to accomodate that request at any time. 

Carter is in the "why" phase.  He asks at least 500 questions a day and 450 of them are "Why ..." Just so you know, the other 50 are "Can I have a popsicle."  Anyhow.  He'll ask "why ..." even if he already knows the answer.  So this morning when I he asked where Daddy was I asked him "Where do you think he is?"  His response, "In Oklahoma with his girlfriends."  He meant guy friends - Brian is in OK with some old Navy buddies :)

Another why question came yesterday when he asked me why we were going to Bella's house. 
Me - Bella wants to play with you
Carter - why does she want to play with me?
Me - I don't know, why do you think she wants to play with you?
Carter - because I'm fun?

Anytime I'm looking for something Carter always responds, I'll find it - I'm Superman.  He doesn't have a clue who Superman is, but apparently he thinks he has a super power of finding things.