Okay, so I'm trying to get back into the blogging again. Things have just been so crazy around here. We finally had a nice weekend where we were able to go visit some good friends we made in Virginia. Madison was so excited to go see Lily - that's all she talked about for weeks. She went to school today and told her teacher all about it.

Here's a few pictures from Lily's Fancy Nancy birthday party...

Just arriving, Madison can't stop smiling!

Playing dress-up before the party starts

James trying out his pirate stuff - Takes Wendy & Bryan for the boy goodie bag

Madison & Lily getting fancy for the party

He of course wanted to look cool too!



All the girls - man that cake was so pretty!



Time to leave.... :(

Well we had a decent trip home...much better on the way there LOL. We actually got stopped for about an hour for some sort of horse parade. Madison didn't care how long we sat there, she loved seeing about 200 horses...me on the otherhand....I was about sick of horses LOL.

Well it's been a bit since I been able to really sit down and blog or think for that matter. It's been horribly busy this month and very stressful. So I figured I'd finally try to get caught up.

Here's Madison after getting all ready for her Fall school pictures, I think they took them the last week in September. She was so excited to go to school all dressed up and really enjoyed the fact I actually let her wear a tiny bit of lipstick to school. She said "Daddy would be mad" and I told don't worry he'll never know!

All dressed up but can't take her eyes off of the TV LOL.

Well Madison got to attend her first birthday party for someone in her class. I'm sure after this one there will be many more to attend this year. It was actually her first time skating also, so it made for a very interesting day. Of course she couldn't wait to put the skates on however once they were on she decided that she would rather have me do it with her. I tried so hard to explain to her that I will walk with her because mommy hasn't been on skates in about 15 years. However she was not letting up so I just hoped that even though it's been a while, maybe it would be one of those things you never forget how to do. Well, it so happens, it all came right back to me so I took her around the rink a few times. After taking a short break I finally convinced her to take a try on her on and she did great.

Madison and one of her classmates hanging on to the wall before getting a bit brave

Taking a break or as I called it - trying to get enough bravery to try alone

After a slow start - she's off!

I have to say, I was a bit worried as most of you know my children are very clumsy. However she only fell once the entire time we were skating. The next morning I felt like I was about 90 years old....man I forgot how many muscles you work skating that you don't work as hard when you walk. I hurt for the entire next day and agreed that I am getting too old to skate LOL.

Well I was not having another weekend alone with the kids in this house doing nothing. So I did some research and found a festival going on in a nearby town so I decided we'd head to that. Sadly we didn't have anyone that wanted or was available to go with us but we still managed to have a great time with just us three. Here's a few pictures of the kiddos having a blast.

This was James's first time to ever ride a ride so his first go round on the horse carosel was not a good one. Most of the time he just stood by me to watch Madison until he finally got brave to give it another shot. They had a blast and it would have been much better if it would have been a bit cooler as we were sweating like crazy!

In another note - only 54 more days and Avery will be home for a few weeks!!!!!

I think we are finally trying to get back to normal

Well it's been awhile and been an extremely stressful month so far. First Hurricane Gustav which luckily we avoided much damage, just damaged the budget from evacuating. Then comes Hurricane Ike and let me tell you THAT WAS DAMAGE to the budget! We spent a week and a half away because of damage and no power. The poor kids are so exhausted from traveling. Sometimes I wander what was I thinking moving down here before hurricane season was over. Then I remember "yes we will make more money apart" NOT! Seems since we have started making more money more things seem to occur. First Avery lost his wallet in the middle of these dange hurricances - so up went the stress level to cancel cards. Then of course back-to-back evacuations took a toll of the newly earned income. Then it wouldn't be complete without something else going wrong since things come in three....Avery's truck breaks down. Yep more money out of the pocket. So therefore, we have yet to enjoy moving down here so far. Hopefully October will be a brighter month for us all LOL.

On another note, Madison is so sad she hasn't returned to school yet, thankfully that changes on Monday when they open back up. Poor James is not used to the daycare anymore so he cries every morning that I drop him off there. As far as my job, sometimes it feels as if I never left there; it sure was nice to get my first paycheck finally though (even though it disappeared as quickly as I got it LOL).

Well just thought I'd update everyone on our not-so-wonderful month of September. Also hears some pictures from this month too.

My kids playing around and acting so sweet

One of the many hotel nights LOL

Back home but with no power yet so what else to do but go for his first 4-wheeler ride!

The worlds worst driver telling James how to drive LOL

Don't you just love the weather here in Texas - HOT & STICKY

Chillin out in Paw Paw's chair with nothing better to do

Back in the Gulf for sure

Well we are really back home...it's already that time when we have to evacuate from the hurricanes. We watched this one very close and since it kept moving it's path we decided it would be best to evacuate. Well of course we do and it doesn't do anything to us so that was money down the drain. At least my dad brought his laptop for the kids and they played on Noggin.com quite a bit.

Madison playing on Noggin while James watches

Well I had my first day back to work today. It was like I'd never let other than the few new faces everything is the same. I was pretty busy today so it made the day fly by so I was thankful for that. All day I kept thinking about how I miss my kids so much! James started daycare today and it's the first time he's ever been to one. When I dropped him off this morning there were only three kids there and he ran straight over to them. When I went to tell him I was leaving he ran over and kissed me and said "bye mom" and ran back off. He didn't even care that I was leaving. When I went to pick him up he told me bye again. I explained to him that we were going home and he could come back tomorrow. He had so much fun there today. He even went down for a nap without a problem for them. Hopefully tomorrow goes just as smooth!

Well until anything new happens love ya'll!

She made it through a whole week...

So Madison has made it for a full week of school. She's now riding the bus in the morning and afternoon. The third day of waking up early got to her and she was very cranky. Saying everything on her hurt so she couldn't go to school anymore. Once I told her she could ride the bus that morning she was all better of course. She comes home and tells me all about her day and how much fun she's had. Each week a different student gets to be "weather kid" and she got picked first. She gets to look outside and decide what the weather is and hang up the magnet that says if it's sunny, rainy, or snowy (like that one would ever happen lol). Of course everyday this week it's been 100 degrees and sunny but it was still a big thrill for her to be able to go to the board and put the weather up.

Waiting for the bus and still half asleep LOL

Running to get on the bus

Well poor James has been extremely bored during the day without big sister around. He spent a few hours with his cousin yesterday and was so excited about that. He looks forward to waiting for the bus in the afternoon. He starts daycare on Tuesday and seems excited. I've brought him up there everyday this week with some supplies each day to get him used to the staff there. He actually cried today when we left lol.

Waiting on the bus to drop off Madison

Such a BOY!

Well we have hurricane Gustav heading our way, so we're keeping our eyes on it. Hopefully it goes more east and we'll be okay.

There growing up too fast...

Well these past few weeks have been busy getting school supplies and clothes finished up. I took Madison to get some tennis shoes for school since they have PE one day a week she needed tennis shoes for that. Well as we were there James spotted a pair of shoes that he was not leaving the store without. Poor thing, he's got such fat feet that they would not fit him and the only way they would fit is by getting two sizes too big; but he doesn't seem to mind.

James's new car shoes

James has really had a growth spurt lately in more ways than one. He is much taller now and has been losing his baby belly. He has also began to speak even more and now tells us little sentences about what he wants. Of course he is still coping ever word he hears so he can repeat it and learn it so we have to be careful as to what we say around him.

This week my dad, who is a major golfer, decided Madison needed a set of her own. I assumed he was talking the little tykes set or something. Nope, I was wrong. He spent a crap load of money on a real set of golf clubs for her. I was hoping so badly that she would at least seem excited to get a gift but of course she looked at each of them and said "there all pink but what do I do with them" and then she left as if they were nothing. So he is going to take her soon to play and hopefully it will get her a bit more excited. I told him she was too young for them, but he insisted she have them. Well since he got her those he didn't want James to feel left out so stopped and bought a truck for him. James has yet to stop playing with it. He loves it. It goes back and forth and bounces. Every morning he gets up and says "ruck ruck" and takes off. It's too cute.

James and his truck

Madison checking out the golf clubs

Well the day came today for her to start school. I know she was in "school" in Virginia. But that was a school located in the daycare and was only a few hours a day; and she could miss whenever without a problem. Now she is in actual school! She can't miss without a doctor's note and she will actually start riding a bus soon. She was so excited that the day had finally come, but I have to admit...I kept tearing up in the truck. It's just sad to think that she is in school now and there's no stopping until at least the year 2022 LOL. I walked her to her classroom and showed her the way that the bus would drop her off and where she needed to go. When we got there I gave her a hug and she said "mom can you please go, my teacher is right here and you need to leave". It made me laugh and think gosh she's already 4 1/2 years old. Where does the time go? So anyways, we made it there and I'm going to let her ride the bus home (only because it's her grandmother driving lol) and then I'll bring again tomorrow morning and then I'm going to let her go on her own. James starts daycare next week, so I'm sure that will be another teary day for me LOL.

Had to get a photo with my big girl!

Ready and extremely excited!

Finally getting in a routine...

Well we have finally begun getting into a good routine again. Bed time is still not as easy as it was up in Virginia. They are still trying to adjust to being in the same room. I have begun making them get up early since school starts next week. Of course that is helping with them acutally wanting to go to bed at night LOL.

Well my sister finally sent me some pictures from my birthday last week. Madison helped her make me a cake (it was sooooo goood!) and James could care less what was going on, just as long as he got to play outside. However after a very short time outside he realized this Texas heat sucks and came back inside all sweaty.

Madison giving me a great big hug before she told me I was old because I had to candle numbers and not one LOL!

My sweaty boy wanted a picture too; he put his hand under my chin to pull me close - he's so adorable!

This week was also my nephew's birthday. Trenton turned the big 4 and gets to start school this year too. When we arrived you would think Madison had never left his side. They picked back up on that great family friendship as if they never parted. Poor things had to be torn apart to get her leave that day. She is having a blast with Trenton, but still says she misses her Lily and her Stevie. She tells everyone down here about her friends in Virginia.

Madison & Trenton on his Bday

Well, in somewhat exciting news....James pooped in the potty today! He has gotten really bad about taking his diaper off quite often. So this morning when he riped it off, I figured he could run around for a few minutes as I was in the process of picking out his clothes for the day. By the time I turned around he was squatting on the floor beginning to poop. I yelled "Please stop!" so he freaked out and stopped; so quickly I grabbed him and placed him on the potty just so I could clean it up and when I returned he had finished pooping in the potty. He was so happy he was clapping and screaming. Guess I need to get him a little potty and start working with him a bit. Maybe he's somewhat ready? Madison was not ready at that age but maybe he is. The daycare that he starts in September told me that he's in the potty training class so all I have to do say I'm ready for him to start and they will work with him. I think I'm going to give him a few weeks to adjust to the daycare first and then maybe I'll see if they'll sit him on it when they do the other kids.

Anyways, other than that we are doing well. Of course we miss Avery and that really sucks being apart. He's been back in Virginia cleaning the house so he can move out. We get to meet Mdaiaon's teacher on Wednesday and she starts school on Monday. So until I have some more news - Miss you all!