The Hood Family Blog

My Sweet Boys

2012-02-10T16:06:00.001-06:00

One Month old!!

2012-01-31T13:09:00.000-06:00

Emma is one month old today!! Wow! Time has flown by since she was born!! At her one month, here's what Emma is doing:
- feeds every 2-3 hours during the day
- goes to bed between 6:30-7:30pm and sleeps for approximately 7 hours straight, feeds, goes right back to bed for another 3-4 hours
- has 2 night feedings on average and gets up for her day between 7-8am
- is tracking people and objects with her eyes
- recognizes mommy and occasionally smiles
- starting to coo, but gets startled by her own voice
- takes Axid for her reflux twice a day (which is very well controlled right now--yea!)
- really only cries when she is hungry, sleepy, or wants a change in position (ie, "get me out of this bouncer mom!")
- loves when her brothers sit in front of her bouncer and talk to her
- is an overall happy baby!!

Newborn photos of Emma

2012-01-30T07:57:00.007-06:00

These are the newborn photos taken of Emma while we were still in the hospital. We were very happy with the result! She is a beautiful little girl and we are so blessed to have her in our family. (We also had newborn photos taken at home during the first week, hopefully I will be able to share some of those soon too.)

Wordless Wednesday

2012-01-25T08:21:00.001-06:00

3 weeks old!

2012-01-24T20:23:00.001-06:00

It is hard to believe that 3 weeks has already past! Emma has molded into our family beautifully. We are definitely settling into new routines, schedules, and norms. Emma was started on reflux medicine a little over a week ago, and she has shown a lot of improvement and appears to be a lot more comfortable. (Both of her brothers suffered with reflux, so its not too much of a surprise that she has it too.) Emma is sleeping great. She usually has 1 or 2 really good naps during the day in her bed, has a lot of "cat naps" in her bouncer, and goes to bed for the night between 8:30-9:30pm. Once she goes to bed, she sleeps 5-6 hours before waking for a night feeding, then goes back to her every 3 hour feeding schedule. She gets 8-9 feedings a day, and is quickly out growing her newborn clothes! Her cheeks are filling out and even has a double chin. :-) I love seeing the "rolls" develop on her arms and legs. She is a very good baby and has a very happy demeanor. And I am loving my time at home with her and the boys.

2 week check-up

2012-01-17T17:46:00.001-06:00

I took Emma to her 2 week check-up today. Evidently, this little girl is eating very well! She was well above her birth weight (7 lbs 9 oz) and weighed in at 8 lbs 12 oz!! Wow! And to think I was just hoping to get her back to her birth weight! She has also grown to 21 inches (up from 20.25 in). So, overall, she is in the 60th percentile in weight and 75th percentile in height. She is unequivocally growing like a weed!

Happy Baby

2012-01-17T17:06:00.001-06:00

Today was unseasonably warm in San Antonio. It was a beautiful warm and sunny day (high of 79!)---so after Emma's afternoon nap, the boys and I took her outside for some fresh air. The boys played in the backyard and Emma thoroughly enjoyed the sights and sounds of the outdoors.

Gran Love

2012-01-16T07:09:00.001-06:00

My dad has been suffering through a cold for the last couple of weeks and has not held Emma much at all---until last night. He brought dinner down last night and while we ate, he graciously volunteered to hold her so we could eat uninterrupted. :-) Emma fell fast asleep and Gran got some really good snuggle time. I think they were both happy as could be.

Caught her awake!

2012-01-12T12:00:00.001-06:00

First Days Together

2012-01-11T14:01:00.001-06:00

Our first days home together have been spent doing a lot of...

this...

...and this...

...and this.

Emma is a very good baby. She eats every 3 hours and sleeps in between feeds. I am cherishing all of the snuggling, napping together, and cuddles while I can. I absolutely love having a newborn in the house again and am not taking a moment for granted. These babies grow up too fast.

Welcome Home Baby Girl!

2012-01-11T13:56:00.001-06:00

Emma was not excited about getting in her carseat and going home. She cried until we got onto the highway---and then was lulled to sleep. Thankfully, most car rides since then have gone smoothly!

And when we got home, her brothers (and Bonnie!) were anxiously waiting on her and were excited to greet her home.

Emma's 1st bath

2012-01-11T13:38:00.001-06:00

Here are some pictures from Emma's first bath in the hospital.

She has very long toes!!

All snuggled up, smelling good, and sleeping soundly after her bath.

Meeting their Baby Sister

2012-01-11T13:20:00.003-06:00

Randy and I were so excited for the boys to come up and meet their new baby sister. They were both very excited too. Logan was the first to get to my bedside and reach for his sister to see her. He had the biggest smile on his face. I will never forget it.

They both took turns holding her---Ben was an 'ole pro!

Logan needed a little help---but to this day, he loves holding his baby sister. He has even coined his own name for Emma. He calls her "Baby Rose". No one else calls her that---we think it is so sweet.

My whole heart is in this last picture...and it is very full.

Emma's Birthday, 12/31/11 at 11:03am

2011-12-31T15:30:00.000-06:00

The first pictures of our sweet baby girl, Emma Rose Hood. Our labor and delivery went so smoothly. My sister Kara was there--she even said that it was "abnormally normal"---and that she (as a labor and delivery nurse) hardly ever gets to see such an "uneventful" labor and delivery process. I had wonderful nurses taking care of me and we just love our obstetrician. Randy and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. We feel so blessed to have had an uncomplicated, healthy, and happy delivery. She weighed in at 7lbs 9oz and 20 1/4 inches long. Welcome to the family Emma Rose!

One very proud Daddy.

We are so happy with the newest addition to our family.

Aunt Kara with baby Emma---Randy and I were so happy that she was with us for the big birthday moment.

A group shot, with my obstetrician, Dr. Mark Thompson (he has delivered all 3 of our children).

Another normal morning in the Hood home

2011-12-30T07:31:00.001-06:00

Ben lost his 1st tooth!!

2011-12-29T19:00:00.001-06:00

Ben lost his 1st tooth today!! It has been loose for weeks, and after a lot of wiggling, it finally came out! We are very excited to see what the tooth fairy brings tonight. :-)

Wordless Wednesday

2011-12-14T11:36:00.001-06:00

Breakfast with Santa

2011-12-11T12:35:00.002-06:00

This morning, we went and had breakfast with Santa. The boys loved it. Ben took Santa his list (that he wrote himself!) and Santa read it (deciphered it) well. :-) They wouldn't let us take our own pictures in the room with Santa---thus the hazy picture below, that I took of the actual picture!

After pictures, we headed over for a wonderful breakfast buffet. We had a fabulous family outing and morning together.

Little Late, Better than Never...

2011-12-11T11:42:00.005-06:00

We had Logan's 3rd birthday party the weekend after Halloween. We had a big bouncy castle in the backyard, a piñata, and lots of wonderful friends over to help us celebrate. Here are some pictures from the big day!

Kindergarten Pow-Wow

2011-11-27T08:02:00.001-06:00

The kindergarten classes put on a "Kindergarten Pow-Wow" the week before Thanksgiving. They recited poems and sang songs of the pilgrims, Indians, and the first Thanksgiving feast. Afterwards, we all went back to the classroom and the children read poems out of the poetry notebooks to their parents, grandparents, etc. Ben had quite an audience: Mommy, Mimi, Gran, and Colonel. We were very proud!! Ben did great!!

Logan's 1st dentist visit

2011-11-27T07:56:00.001-06:00

Logan had his first dentist visit this last week. He did great! He sat still and let the hygienist clean his teeth, take Xrays, and then followed up with the dentist consult. They said his teeth looked great! I was very proud of my little boy!!

Arghh!

2011-11-19T09:29:00.001-06:00

Playing pirate!

Baby #3 Update!

2011-11-16T07:02:00.001-06:00

Well, we have hit 32 weeks and everything is going great! I am feeling good---I get pretty tired at the end of the day, but I guess that is to be expected with 2 little boys running around and working full-time! Randy has been wonderful picking up my slack at the end of the day; he's such a good Daddy and husband.

Randy and I decided to keep the gender a surprise until his/her birthday, and we have quickly found out that choosing names is a lot harder when you have to choose one for each gender! We haven't decided on any names yet...we have asked the boys for suggestions and they are no help---they want to name the baby after a "Backyardigan", like, "Pablo", "Uniqua", or "Tyrone". I have nixed those names quickly. :-)

I'll keep ya posted on our progress and will post some maternity photos after we have them taken in a few weeks.

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Trick-or-Treat!!

2011-10-31T19:41:00.001-05:00

The boys were Angry Birds for Halloween and had a great time!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-30T18:58:00.001-05:00

We carved pumpkins ~~with~~, err, for the boys tonight in anticipation of Halloween! The boys drew pictures of their pumpkin faces and Randy and I carved, cut, and cleaned out the pumpkins. They turned out really cute!

We hope everyone has a Happy Halloween! I will post pictures of the boys in their costumes tomorrow before we trick-or-treat. Sure to be fun!

Too Good to be True...

2011-10-28T19:28:00.000-05:00

I made these...

...and they turned out too good to be true.

I originally made them for my Bible study group snack this last week, but was unable to go because Ben was still sick (4 days of fever progressed to 9). So, I was forced to eat them at home...
My new weakness is called Buckeye Pretzel Bites.

4 days

2011-10-21T17:10:00.001-05:00

Well, Ben made it through the first 8 weeks of school without getting sick...then the 9th week hit, and so did the fever and illness. We held out as long as we could, hoping things would clear up, but 4 days of continuous fever later and 2 doctor visits, he has an upper respiratory infection and very congested lungs. Since this is his first illness in quite sometime, the doctor wants to see how he will respond to antibiotics and delay IVIG infusions for now. Ben missed most of the school week, and really missed his friends, teacher, etc. Hopefully he will begin to feel better over the weekend and be well to return to school Monday.
Here is a picture of Ben today while at the doctor...you know your kid doesn't feel well when he asks to lay down on the exam table "to rest".

Happy Friday!!

2011-10-21T06:55:00.001-05:00

Trip to Dallas

2011-10-21T06:52:00.001-05:00

Last weekend I was blessed to fly up to Dallas for the weekend and spend time with one of my very best friends, Meagan. She recently moved back to Texas from Colorado and had a new baby! This has been a very busy time in her life! We had a wonderful visit and I got some quality time with her beautiful girls too: Lauren, 2 1/2; and Julia, 10 weeks. I hope that we may get to see each other a bit more often now that she is back in Texas. :-)
Here is a picture of me and Julia:

Bike Rodeo

2011-10-12T19:56:00.001-05:00

Ben participated in his school's Bike Rodeo today. He was one of very few kindergarteners that did not have training wheels---and he had the biggest bike of all his grade level too. We have been riding without training wheels for about a month now---still a little shaky, but he is progressing great. I was so proud of him today. He fell a couple of times, but got up and kept going without a hitch! My mommy heart swelled with pride.

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Ben's Kinder Class

2011-10-01T08:13:00.001-05:00

The Blattman Kindergarten class of 2011-2012 ordered class t-shirts this year. Here is a picture of Ben's class with their new shirts. (Can you tell how much taller Ben is, compared to the rest?? He's in the back row and at least a head taller than them all!) It's a cute group of kids!!

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No Training Wheels!!

2011-09-17T11:24:00.000-05:00

Logan's Bike Ride too

2011-09-17T11:20:00.000-05:00

Rock Star!!

2011-09-17T08:46:00.000-05:00

Bonnie playing with bubbles!

2011-09-17T08:45:00.000-05:00

Labor Day Weekend

2011-09-11T21:17:00.001-05:00

We spent a really nice, quiet, relaxing weekend in Port O'Connor with my parents. We always love going down there...especially on long weekends. We ate too much, took naps, read outside on the porch, watched the kids play in the pool, and of course, fished! We are looking forward to our next trip...

Ben loves using the net and bringing in the catch!

Logan didn't have his sunglasses, so he wore Gran's. So cute!

Logan was very proud of his catch!

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Grandparents Day

2011-09-11T20:55:00.001-05:00

Last Friday was "Grandparents Day" at Blattman Elementary. In Ben's class, the Grandparents were invited to the classroom to read to the students. My mom was excited to attend---and being a retired 1st grade teacher, she had an arsenal of books to choose from! She finally settled on 2 of her favorites, Leo the Late Bloomer and Chrysanthemum . Ben was so happy and proud that his Mimi was in his class. And my mom was just as proud and had a great time. I think she is "hooked" at volunteering some extra time in Ben's class.

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Baby Hood #3

2011-08-23T11:31:00.004-05:00

Randy and I got to see Baby #3 today during our 20 week check-up and sonogram. We decided early on that we were not going to find out the gender of this baby and leave it a surprise. Good thing, because this baby really wasn't cooperating to see his/her private parts! However, he/she looks beautiful and complete. We were beaming just seeing the baby move around and counting all of his/her moving body parts. So in a short 20 more weeks (give or take), we will find out if the baby is a boy or girl! :-)

First day of Kindergarten

2011-08-22T16:24:00.001-05:00

Today was Ben's 1st day of Kindergarten!! I can't believe how fast time has gone...it seems like just yesterday he was born. But alas, he is 5 1/2 years old and very ready for "big" school! He had a great 1st day and was all smiles when I picked him up this afternoon. Here are some pictures of this morning:

Proud daddy!

Proud Momma!

Sweet brothers!

Ben and his teacher, Mrs. Odanovich (aka, Mrs. O).

Sitting in the cafeteria waiting for the 1st bell to ring and to go to class.

Lining up! Going to class!

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The Trials and Tribulations of Potty Training

2011-08-21T10:50:00.001-05:00

We have been potty training Logan for approximately the last 4-5 months. He wears underwear most of the time (unless we are going out in public) and has overall done a great job. He will not consistently tell us when he needs to go potty---however, he has done this, so we know he can! And for some reason recently, he has regressed...insisting to wear pull-ups, soiling his underwear, crying when we put him on the potty, etc. So this morning, Randy wanted to run an errand to Lowe's with the boys. We told Logan to go potty, or else he could not go...he refused with crying and throwing a sobbing fit---but there was no way this momma was going to back down from the ultimatum (even though I have a serious weakness for this kid). So I told Randy and Ben to go on, and told Logan that he was going to stay home with momma. He proceeded to go upstairs, find his pacifier and lovey and came back to pout on the couch in my room. Since I was not indulging his mood, I left and came back a few minutes later to this....

This sweet baby had pouted his way into so much grief, that he fell asleep crying... I feel horrible that he fell asleep crying...but to what extent will he learn to use the potty??? Oh, the trials and tribulations of ~~potty training~~...err, parenting!!

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Sleepover

2011-08-19T15:53:00.001-05:00

The boys had a sleepover with my parents last night---and they slept in the same bed!! They have never slept in the same bed before, and they thought it was just tons of fun. (They were even caught talking to each other at 2:45am!!) :-)

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Back to Blogging

2011-08-13T12:52:00.001-05:00

Well, I am back to blogging...sort of. I am still having Blogger problems publishing posts with pictures and I cannot figure out why! (argh) So I set up a WordPress account, but it is really foreign to me, and I cannot figure it out (at this point, I would pay someone money to set it up and teach me how to use it! Any takers??). So for now I downloaded an app that allows me to blog from an iPhone, iPad, etc. It is not nearly as convenient, but at least I can upload posts!!
We have been very busy around the Hood home! We are getting Ben ready for his 1st day of Kindergarten---starts a week from Monday!! He is very excited; and his momma is nervous! (I wish I could stay with him all day on his 1st day!) But I know he is going to do great and absolutely love school.
Logan is also returning to Parkhills Preschool the beginning of September. I think Logan will have the biggest adjustment to Ben starting kindergarten. He will miss his best friend tremendously. However, we are expecting Hood #3 at the beginning of the year (!!), so he won't be "alone" too long.
I also started a "new" job this summer. I am back working for Santa Rosa hospital full-time, serving as their lactation nurse, as well as one of their designated nursery nurses. At our facility, we do not have a staffed nursery, but if we have a baby that is ill or at delivery is compromised, I am pulled to help care for the baby. Since I have neonatal experience, I am one of the most qualified nurses on our unit to care for some of the most sick infants. So far, it has been a great transition back to hospital nursing. I love the unit and women I work with, and I have a very supportive manager. I have been very happy with my decision to go back to the hospital. (I will miss several friends I made in the elementary that I served, but ultimately this has been a great decision for me and my family.)

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Angry Birds

2011-08-13T12:07:00.002-05:00

The boys love playing "Angry Birds"---much to my chagrin. And this morning, they decided they were going to build their own Angry Birds games and use their new Angry Bird stuffed characters to knock down the castles/obstacles/construction sites/etc. They had so much fun! I would much rather them play this version of Angry Birds than be stuck on the iPod for too long!

Blogger problems...

2011-07-12T08:15:00.002-05:00

Despite popular belief, I have not completely neglected my blog. I have actually tried uploading posts since June, but I have been having major "blogger" problems. And after my friend Stephanie admitted the same problems (inability to load pictures, etc)---I thought, "okay it's not just me!". For the longest time, I thought it was me, my computer, the internet connection, etc....

There have been many events and happenings occur in the Hood home since my last blog post in May, and I look forward to sharing them with you---and I currently researching the best way to do that. (Stephanie converted to WordPress and is having success with the new format...I may do the same...) But for now, please don't give up on me! I will keep you posted!

Pony Rides

2011-05-20T06:58:00.002-05:00

Popsicles on the porch

2011-05-20T06:56:00.002-05:00

Too Cool

2011-05-04T09:00:00.000-05:00

Preschool Mother's Day Brunch

2011-05-03T16:59:00.003-05:00

Ben's preschool hosted a Mother's Day Brunch this morning. I took a 1/2 day off at work and really enjoyed my time at home with the boys, getting them ready and taking them to school, and my special time with Ben. The fellowship hall at the church was decorated so nicely. There were pictures of the kids lined along the walls and the stage was set for a singing program. I was so proud of Ben! He sang great---and we enjoyed a fabulous brunch together.

Tuesday's Treasure

2011-05-03T07:04:00.004-05:00

Ever since I had children, I have been more focused on providing a good, homemade, nutritious meal for my family. And while dinner time can be a stressful time in a young family (kids whining, playing with food, refusing to eat, etc)---I have never underestimated the power and importance of my family sitting down together to eat a meal. An important lesson that I have learned is that if I don't plan a menu ahead of time, my family eats out more and eats what we can find in the pantry in a "grab and go" style. And obviously, this ends up costing my family more money and less time together---exactly what we don't want to do! So, I started planning meals on a calendar; charting the weeks menu and basing my grocery list from the menu I had planned. The problem? Variety! Easy meals for a busy mom! I found myself repeating the same menu every month---and I got bored!

The solution? E-Mealz! I came across E-Mealz from Dave Ramsey's website. Anyone who is familiar with Dave Ramsey knows that he is a proponent of cutting excessive spending, sticking to a budget, and simplifying your life. E-Mealz provides a weekly menu, the corresponding grocery list. The menus are concise and easy; and the grocery list is separated into sections, corresponding to the area of the grocery store that you will find the item. They also designate the meal associated with the grocery item, so if I don't think I will make a certain meal, I can cross the grocery items off the list easily! There are a lot of meal plan options: Low Fat, Low Carb, Gluten Free, Portion Control, Vegetarian, and Regular meal plans for 2-6 people. I started the E-Mealz plan in the month of April, and my entire family is happy! ALL the meals that I have prepared are delicious!!

If you are looking for an easy way to organize your family's dinner, and make your menu planning less stressful, I highly recommend E-Mealz! This has definitely been a treasure to me and my family---Happy Dinner Time!

Stitches

2011-05-02T19:00:00.002-05:00

Logan received his first set of stitches last week. Logan and Ben were playing with their dinosaurs in the living room, when Logan tripped and fell onto a wicker basket. The basket had started to fall apart, and there was a piece of wicker that was exposed and Logan fell straight onto it. I saw it all happen, and I saw how deep it went in....classic puncture wound. The wound only needed 2 stitches, but almost went directly through to his oral cavity. Poor baby, he was so brave. Never cried while he got the stitches---he was "still as a soldier" and was rewarded with Chick-Fil-A afterwards. Mommy was just so glad that his wound wasn't farther up on his face...it's quite scary thinking what could have been wounded (and lost). He is healing nicely and got his stitches removed this past Saturday.

Easter Weekend 2011

2011-05-01T21:31:00.005-05:00

We had a fabulous Easter weekend. My sister Kara came into town on Thursday and stayed through Sunday. Her husband, Paul, came on Friday afternoon after he got out of work in Corpus Christi. Kara and I enjoyed a Thursday "Sister's Lunch" at the Bistro in Nordstrom's and a little bit of shopping afterward at La Cantera.

Obviously, the big event for the kids (besides playing with Uncle Paul and Aunt Kara!), was Easter day with church and 2 egg hunts! We started the night before and let Ben dye some hard-boiled eggs. He had never done this before, and thought it was great. :-)

After church on Sunday, the Easter bunny had visited Mimi and Gran's house. The boys got to hunt the eggs at their house and then we enjoyed an incredibly delicious Easter lunch that Mimi had prepared. She went all out---china, silver, and fine linens. It was marvelous. We ate so much we could hardly move! My mouth still waters at the thought of the ham she made...yum!

Here are some pictures of the boys hunting eggs at Mimi and Gran's house.

After lunch, we walked home to find that the Easter bunny had come to our house while we were at church!! He left goodies on the porch and lots of eggs in the yard. Each of the boys got a scooter---and they haven't stopped riding them since! They were a hit!

Parkhills Preschool FIESTA Parade!

2011-05-01T20:48:00.002-05:00

Also in April, the boys' preschool holds their Annual Fiesta Parade! This was the first year that I haven't gotten to attend, but my mom and our great neighbor "Colonel" went in my absence. Ben was so happy to see his "buddy" at his school and parade. He was beaming the entire time. Logan didn't actually participate in the parade, but sat on the sidelines, shaking his "maraca" that he made in class.

This year, Ben got to ride his bike during the parade. We decorated it the night before. And despite my efforts to make it an authentic fiesta bike, Ben said "absolutely no paper flowers mom". Broke my heart...but he's a boy....and there's no way there will be flowers on a boy's bike!

Ben and with his "buddy", Colonel.

No posts in April???

2011-05-01T20:38:00.002-05:00

Where did April go??? I can't believe I didn't have one post in the month of April!! Well, maybe I can, because the Hood family was VERY busy! This is the first of my "month of April" posts...sorry they are a bit late!

We spent a weekend in Port O'Connor. Just the Hoods. It was extremely windy, but we enjoyed our time together. Randy and I relaxed on the porch, the boys played in the pool, we grilled fresh gulf shrimp, and took the boys to the beach to hunt for seashells and hermit crabs. We had a really good, relaxing time.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-23T18:27:00.002-05:00

Spring Break

2011-03-21T19:24:00.005-05:00

This Spring Break, the kids and I had some crazy fun...at home! We thoroughly enjoyed our time together. We stayed at home and made the most of our days. We spent nearly every waking hour outside---the weather was gorgeous! Here are some of the things we did over Spring Break...

We played dinos... Made some new friends...

Played outside (a lot!)...

Drove the gator...

And jeep...

Played frisbee...and got too close where big brother was throwing....and got a boo-boo on our "fore-noggin"...

Swung on the tree swing...

Played in our playhouse...

Dug for fossils in our backyard....

And found some!....

I took advantage of the warm, spring weather and started potting some flowers...

And admired the ones that were already blooming....

And took particular awareness of our beautiful Japanese maple tree in full color...

All the while, I read books! I completed 2 books over the break. Both are great books, and I highly recommend them.

So that was our Spring Break in a nut-shell. It was relaxing, fun, and enjoyable. The boys and I enjoyed our time together and made the most of it. Happy Spring!

Spring Bridal Shower

2011-03-19T17:20:00.006-05:00

My sister-in-law, Sarah Ann and I hosted a bridal shower for Randy and Andy's half-sister, Maggie. She is having a spring wedding around Easter. We hosted an intimate gathering of friends and family for her special day. Here are some photos of the nice afternoon.

The party was from 2-4pm, so we had a light food selection. Chicken salad on white rolls, a beautiful fruit tray, mixed nut and mints. For dessert, we had a chocolate cake, filled with chocolate ganache. Everything was very good! A close up of the cake. Maggie's wedding theme is centered around cherry blossoms. So, her cake was decorated with cherry blossoms. It was a beautiful cake. (And delicious too!)

A beautiful display of wonderful fruits!

Fresh white rolls, chicken salad and swiss cheese. Yum!

The sparkling fruit punch was a big hit! It was easy and delightfully light and crisp. The fresh torn mint and strawberries really added flavor! You can find this wonderful recipe for the punch here .

There were beautiful spring bouquets for accent.

Who can have a party at tea time without serving tea? A selection of teas complimented the cake.

The guests, enjoying conversation...

Here is a picture of me, Maggie, and Sarah Ann. Sarah and I had a wonderful time hosting the party for Maggie. We look forward to her wedding day, and hope that her wedding is as beautiful and special as she has planned.

Hill Country Getaway

2011-03-06T17:23:00.003-06:00

Towards the end of February, my mom, cousin Kimberly and Aunt Barbara all met up for a girls weekend in Fredricksburg. We had a great time. Kimberly and I had this idea when she visited back in September to have a "Barbara Reunion" weekend. Growing up, Kara and I would spend a week (or longer) every summer up in Burleson visiting, playing, and hanging out with our cousins, Kimberly and Angela. Kelley even joined us a couple of times! We always had a great time. Barbara was the coolest aunt ever too. She would let us stay up late...eat whatever we wanted (whenever we wanted!), took us on awesome trips (Galveston, Six Flags, Water World, Fort Worth Zoo, etc), let us stand up through her sunroof and sing at the top of our lungs through the country (our favorite song to sing was Bruce Springsteen's "Pink Cadillac")---come on, who doesn't want to sing their heart out to that song??? :-) Anyways, on these excursions with Barbara, she paid for everything. She hardly ever allowed my parents to give her any money while we stayed at her house---and Kimberly and I had this idea, that we should honor her---and take her on an excursion---paid for by us! Unfortunately, Kara couldn't join us due to her work schedule----and we know Angela was with us in spirit----and my mom joined us to help celebrate the awesome woman Barbara is. We had a great time in Fredricksburg. We rented out the top floor of a cute bed and breakfast, shopped the streets of Fredricksburg, and drove to Center Point and ate lunch at the Camp Verde General Store.
Kimberly and I had our picture taken on the bench of the front porch of the Camp Verde General Store. Our Gran-Gran grew up in this area and would pull tricks on an elderly couple that would sit on this very bench to eat ice cream on Sunday afternoons. We all agreed that our "reunion" weekend occurred way too late---so we decided that we should try to do this at least every year or two. We're hoping that when Kimberly and Steve move to California, we should have our next reunion out there! Kelley and Kara---are you in? And while Heather and Laura Lea never participated in our summer extravaganzas, wouldn't it be fun for all of us, girl cousins, to have a reunion? :-) Think about it...

Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T18:26:00.004-06:00

This year for Valentine's Day, I made some new treats to give out to friends---White Chocolate and M&M Popcorn---and it turned out a big hit! I bundled them in clear cellophane bags and found some cute *free* Valentine downloads to tie on.

Here is the recipe to the incredibly yummy popcorn! It is super easy and super quick to make!

White Chocolate and M&M Popcorn

2 bags of light butter popcorn, popped

1 1/2 bag of Nestle white chocolate morsels, melted

1 1/2 cups of M&Ms (holiday kind)

Combine all three ingredients and toss lightly.

Be careful not to stir too hard, you will break the popcorn.

And make sure the M&Ms are evenly dispersed throughout the mixture.

Enjoy immediately or package to give away!

Let's Rodeo San Antonio!

2011-02-14T17:32:00.003-06:00

This last weekend, we took Ben to his first Rodeo. We had a great time. Ben loved seeing all the animals, and knew exactly what was going on during the Rodeo. He kept asking for the "bucking broncos", "cow wrangling", "bull wrestling", and "cowboys". We had a great time together.

Here is a picture of Ben and his friend, Nolan.

Ben looks silly in this photo, but his facial expression is a perfect example of the fun he had!

Ben even had his first taste of cotton candy....

...he LOVED it!!!

I look forward to taking him to his first "country" rodeo---in an outdoor arena. The kind that I went to a lot growing up in Dripping Springs! Those rodeos are still very fun, but a different kind of experience. We'll have to catch a schedule and look for one this spring/summer. :-)

Snow Dust

2011-02-14T17:22:00.004-06:00

On February 4th, San Antonio had a "snow day". School was cancelled due to the snow and ice on the ground. (Oh my Colorado friends/family, I hear you laughing at us "Texans"!) But, in our defense, the roads were dangerous, and we are not equipped to drive in such inclement weather! After the boys woke up and had breakfast, they dressed warmly and headed outside for their first taste of "snow". The amount of snow we had was like a "dusting", but the boys had fun, and we shoveled enough together to make snowballs. Ben got his Gran with a good one! :-) Randy and I are looking forward to taking the kid to the mountains to see REAL snow someday. But for now, here are some photo of our "snow dust" day.

Best Buds

2011-01-16T17:59:00.001-06:00

Winter Comfort Food

2011-01-15T18:53:00.004-06:00

On this dreary, raining day, I made this soup for dinner: Chicken Corn Chowder with Sweet Potatoes. Yummy! It was super easy (I bet you have most, if not all, of the ingredients in your pantry/refrigerator!)---and super delicious. I served the soup with a side of garlic breadsticks. The recipe makes a lot, but even better for left-overs! I promise this recipe will not disappoint!

School Nursing

2011-01-15T08:50:00.003-06:00

I have been working as a school nurse now since November 1st----and I really like it. I find that every day is different. The stories that I hear from the students are never the same....and some of them get quite comical. Just ask me about the kid who told me he "electrocution shooting through his body" and then proceded to throw himself on the floor because the "electricity was so strong". (I think I should nominate him for an Oscar winning performance!) I have a great clinic assistant, Jennifer. She has been working at the school for 8 years and as the clinic assistant for 5, and she is more than great. She can triage those kids in and out of the clinic---and she knows them by name, their parents, their family history, etc. She has been a wealth of information coming into this new environment. My job is pleasantly not stressful (most of the time), and the kids really are great (most of them). :-) I have met some great people that work in the school and I am happy to have joined them.

2010: A Year in Review

2010-12-30T06:53:00.006-06:00

Here is a glance back at the Hood family highlights from 2010! I can't believe we are embarking on 2011 in a just a few days---times seems to be slipping by so fast. Randy and I are in constant awe that our "babies" are growing up so fast and getting bigger and bigger by the day. We had a lot of great memories from 2010---and we are all looking forward to 2011 to be even better.

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

The Hood Family wishes everyone a very

Happy and Safe New Year!

Hey Blogger friends, what has your 2010 looked like? I encourage you to make your own "2010: Year in Review"---so I can see your highlights from this past year!

One more Christmas celebration...

2010-12-29T09:19:00.002-06:00

The day after Christmas, we all met at Lana's (Randy's mom) house. Uncle Andy (Randy's brother), Aunt Sarah, and the girls, as well as Randy's half-sister, Maggie and her fiance Jaime, were there. Randy's mom has been very ill during 2010. She doesn't get out of the house much at all, so we took brunch and visited for a few hours. Unfortunately, I took my camera, but didn't take many pictures. We enjoyed the food, conversation, and company. And as usual, the little cousins had fun playing together.

Christmas Morning

2010-12-29T08:52:00.003-06:00

Christmas morning was really fun. Both boys were giddy with excitement going to bed on Christmas Eve, with anticipation of Santa Claus. They woke up around 6:30am and had to wait at the top of the stairs until Mommy and Daddy were ready with cameras and coffee in hand. My parents rotate years where they spend Christmas (since all 3 siblings live in different parts of Texas), and this year happened to be the Hood year. We were happy that my parents were able to join us for Christmas morning, and experience the boys excitement as they saw what Santa brought them.

Here is a cute, bed-head picture of the boys, waiting to go downstairs!
Inspecting Santa's gifts...

Logan helping Gran open his present. Logan loved tearing the paper off of the gifts this year!

Ben helping Mommy open her present that he made at preschool.

Santa brought Logan a ride-on Jeep for Christmas. Santa must have noticed the boys arguing over Ben's gator, and thought it was time for Logan to have his own. Logan is still learning how to drive/steer his Jeep (he's crashed a few times into trees), but give him a couple of months and he will be a pro!

After gifts, we all had a wonderful Christmas breakfast together. And then my mom and I put together a scrumptious lunch. Around 3pm, we were all tired and ready for a nap. My mom and dad left to travel to Dripping Springs, and our little family laid down for a Christmas siesta. That evening, we had snacks in front of the TV and had a family movie night---flick of the day: The Incredibles. We had never seen this movie before---it is now one of our favorites! We had a blessed Christmas and are so thankful that our boys know the true meaning of Christmas too. We are blessed that God gave His only Son, Jesus---We praised Him on High---because without His birth, we would not live.

We hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve

2010-12-29T08:40:00.003-06:00

We spend Christmas Eve with the Hood family. Randy's brother, Dad, and Step-mom gathered at our house for a lunch and gift exchange for the kids. We all ate too much, and the kids loved their gifts. Ben's gift was the hit of the day---his very own paleontologist kit. Complete with tool box, tools, recording and cataloging guide, and box (a heavy one at that!) filled with treasures, fossils, etc. Aunt Sarah had a great time putting together Ben's gift.
This is Laura (9) and Evan (6)---our sweet nieces.

Everyone outside, playing with Ben's gift.

Logan even had a good time looking for fossils and other treasures.

Ben's surgery

2010-12-28T07:35:00.002-06:00

Ben had surgery yesterday. After 3 years, Ben's port-a-cath finally gave out. It is actually surprising that it lasted as long as it did---most ports in young children don't last more than 2 years, due to growth they experience in their young lives. We were fortunate to have his port for 3 years. So, while he is currently deemed "medically stable", we decided the best thing for Ben was to remove the port, and not replace it at this time. We think this is the best decision for Ben, physically, psychologically, and emotionally. He is still under close supervision for his Primary Immune Deficiency, but is not requiring infusions at this time. It is truly a medical marvel that he is doing so well, because his labs still look very poor. We just thank God everyday for a healthy, happy, and thriving little boy.

Ben did marvelously yesterday at the hospital. There was a little crying and the constant request to just leave and go home, but overall, Ben did really good. His surgery was postponed until nearly 1pm---but he pulled through surgery great. His recovery was the easiest one yet, and as soon as he sat up, he was asking for popcicles. We were so glad to take him home. We laid in our bed together and watched a movie; and then went up to Mimi and Gran's house to eat dinner and pick up Logan. The surgeon allowed Ben to keep his port, and he has been so proud to show it off to everyone, like show-n-tell.

In pre-op holding...the wait was almost over.

In the elevator, going home.

Oh!

2010-12-27T20:55:00.001-06:00

Do you see what I see?

2010-12-22T22:45:00.002-06:00

(To the tune of the famous Christmas carol, "Do you see what I see?")

Said this mommy to bloggers everywhere,

Do you see what I see?

Hiding in the bush, little man

Do you see what I see?

A child, A child, playing in the yard

May he stay sweet and playful for life

Rees Christmas Reunion

2010-12-22T07:33:00.003-06:00

This last weekend, my parents hosted a Rees family reunion. Growing up, the Rees family always gathered together in Houston about a week before Christmas to enjoy fellowship and a gift exchange. And while we opted not to exchange gifts, we had a lovely fellowship with aunts, uncles, and cousins. We ate (a lot!), took a trip to Boerne, Sister Creek winery, the River Walk, had drinks by the fire at the Emily Morgan hotel, went to church on Sunday and just enjoyed catching up with everyone.

The picture is a little small, but here are the family members, from left to right:
Back row: Michael Rees, Bill Rees
Front row: Kristen, Randy, Logan and Ben Hood; Paul, Kara and Stretch Ford; Dick and Melinda Rees; Deanna Rees; and Mary Jane Magill.
And if you look closely, this picture is different! My brother and his family surprised my mom and dad by driving down to San Antonio on Sunday morning. They followed us to church and joined us for the service! My mom was so surprised! Uncle Dick, Aunt Melinda and Michael had already left for Houston, but we took another family portrait.

And here is my mom and dad with all of their grandchildren:

Logan (2), Ben (5), Becca (5), James (8 mos) and Jack (8).

Polar Express

2010-12-22T07:29:00.002-06:00

This year, my parents bought the Polar Express train to run around the base of their Christmas tree. The boys love going over their and taking turns being the conductor.

Ben's 5th Birthday

2010-12-22T06:44:00.005-06:00

We held Ben's 5th birthday party at a local bowling alley. We hosted about 13 kids, ages ranging from 2-11, and everyone had a great time! Here are some photos of Ben's big day!

A dinosaur cake, of course!

Ben with a few of his best buds: Owen, Cooper, Drew and Ben.

Randy and I had a good time helping Logan bowl. They had a really cool "guide" to help Logan bowl---which lasted about 2 rounds. When he saw how the "big kids" were bowling (without the aide of the guide) he wanted to do it like them!

Logan and his buddy Oliver, loved hanging out at the ball return. They would elbow each other out of the way to be the first to catch it!

We were so happy that Paty (our nanny) and her girls (Evelyn and Montserrat) joined us for the birthday party! The girls were very good at bowling!

After an hour of bowling, we all enjoyed some pizza in the party area....

...And then it was cake and ice cream time! Ben loved blowing out all of his candles!

And as Ben was unwrapping birthday gifts, Logan was snatching them and hiding away under the tables to start playing with them! Sneaky little guy...

Ben had a wonderful time at his birthday party. Randy and I are so blessed to have such a beautiful, intelligent, and healthy 5 year old. We can still remember like it was yesterday, heading into the hospital on a cold and drizzly winter evening in labor with him. Unbelievable to us, it has been 5 years! We have loved every day and look forward to watching him continue to grow and develop. We love you Ben!

Ben's Christmas Program at Parkhills Preschool

2010-12-21T07:14:00.004-06:00

Ben's preschool performed a cute Christmas program on Dec. 10th: "The Lowly Beasts". Ben was a camel, and sang a duet in one of the songs. Ben did great and we were so proud of him! Here are a few pictures of the special event.

Updates

2010-12-21T06:36:00.003-06:00

Well, I quickly learned, after starting my new job, that there are somethings that fall to the wayside, in order to stay healthy and sane. Unfortunately, my blog was that "thing" that gets neglected. So let me update you on the events of the last few weeks with the Hoods:
1. I started my new job as school nurse at Thousand Oaks Elementary---and I love it! I have always known that I wanted to be a school nurse, at some point in time, however I always envisioned it being a little later in life when all my kids were in school. But when I learned of a school nurse opening close to home (and at a great school!), I jumped on the opportunity. And I am so glad that I did. The job is not stressful (but have sent 2 kids to the hospital via EMS for respiratory distress!), but in no way boring either! Every day is new and different, and I have learned a lot in the 7 weeks that I have worked! I have a wonderful clinic assistant, who has taught me a lot about the processes and logistics of the way the school setting works. She is phenomenal at managing and "triaging" the students as they come in---and has been instrumental in making me feel welcome in this new environment.
2. I hired a nanny, Paty, to stay with the boys while I work. She has been so loving and dependable---the boys just love her! She is wonderful at keeping up with the boys, offering craft activities, encouraging healthy eating, and just giving them love when their mom isn't home. Randy and I feel so blessed to have found Paty. Paty works with Ben and Logan Monday-Wednesday and Fridays. She will occasionally work Thursdays, but has another family she works with too. My mom (Mimi) helps with the boys on Thursdays, taking them and picking them up from preschool.
3. Logan has really started talking! On average, Logan has had about 2-3 new words every week since I started working. (Funny how that has happened!) We have been very happy with his speech progress, but also knows he has a long way to go to catch-up with his age-level. Occasionally when Logan says a new word for the first time, his eyes pop open wide, almost in surprise, that he actually said a word! He is so funny; we have been having a good time watching his speech develop.
4. Ben continues to do well and is medically stable. This is always a good thing during the cold/flu season. In fact, the last time we were in the doctor for a blood draw and port flush, we learned his port is no longer working properly. Ben's port was surgically implanted when he was 2, and since then he has grown tremendously. His port has manuevered its way out of his subclavian vein, and is no longer functional. Ben will be having surgery on Dec. 27th to have his port removed. We will not be replacing it at this time. We decided with his doctor, that since Ben is considered medically stable, and with his psychological trauma from his previous hospitalizations, that we will not replace his port at this time. We hope this decision will allow for more healing in Ben's psychological world.
5. Both boys have adjusted beautifully to me going back to work full-time. They love their nanny, Paty. Most days, I get home around the time Logan is waking up from his nap, and I love being able to get him up from his bed. It makes me feel I haven't missed too much of his day. My hours are (officially) 7:30am-3:30pm, and usually get home between 4-4:15pm.
6. Randy is still working hard at E E Hood and Sons. The down-turned economy has hit family-owned businesses hard, and he is working hard to survive the hard times. He is doing a great job and we are so proud of the work he is doing. E.E. Hood and Sons is a 4th generation family-owned business. It has been around for 94 years---and Randy is convinced and dedicated to the knowledge that it will be around for years to come. We love him so much and are so proud.

As I continue to adjust and grow into my new role of "full-time working mom", I hope that my blog will not be quite as neglected. In the meantime, keep checking in!---you never know when I may have had a few moments to update you with the Hood happenings! :-)

Riding bikes together!

2010-11-22T13:08:00.002-06:00

Halloween Trick or Treating!

2010-10-31T20:44:00.003-05:00

This Halloween was a new experience for us as a family. This was the first year that Ben has wanted to wear a costume for Halloween. If you have followed Ben's story with us for awhile, you know that Ben has had a phobia of costumes; in the past he hasn't liked anyone to wear them and he has never wanted to wear a costume either. BUT this year, I asked him what he wanted to be for Halloween---and he said a "dinosaur"!! I was excited about the potential that he would wear a costume, so we looked online and found a costume that would be perfect for him. Wearing a costume is a very big step for Ben, and Randy and I were so proud of him. So, here are our sweet boys dressed and ready to go Trick or Treating!

Ben, as a Dinosaur
Logan, as Buzz Lightyear We packed them into the wagon and started walking down the street for some treats!

At our first house...Ben was a little shy to say "Trick or Treat" very loud, but as we went along he started feeling more comfortable.

This is the best side-shot of Ben; can you see the dinosaur tail behind him and the dinosaur feet on top of his shoes? :-)

We went to Ben's "buddy" Colonel Green across the street...

...and he surprised Ben with his own costume: a baseball hat with a wig underneath! He looked like someone out of Wayne's World movie, and Ben just wasn't too sure about his "buddy" in a costume. He told me as we were walking away that "Colonel was so weird dressed up as a rockstar!"

Cutest Buzz Lightyear you've ever seen!

Of course we stopped at Mimi and Gran's for some yummy treats too!

And at the end of our trick or treating, the kids dumped out their pumpkin baskets and started counting their loot. Look at the excitement on their faces!

We hope everyone had a safe and Happy Halloween!

Logan's 2nd Birthday Party

2010-10-31T09:24:00.006-05:00

We celebrated Logan's birthday yesterday, October 30th, with a pumpkin painting birthday party at home. The weather was gorgeous and absolutely perfect for an outdoor birthday party.

This was the first year that I made the birthday cake/cupcakes for my kids. (I'm almost embarressed to admit that, but I have always opted for professionally decorated cakes because I didn't think I could make the cake taste as good, or look as cute.) But!, I am proud to say that Logan's cupcakes turned out really cute! Maybe I will try this for Ben's birthday in December too... ;-) Logan's cute cupcakes! (I found the cute cupcake toppers on Etsy; they were personalized for him; and very reasonably priced! I am a new-found Etsy lover!)

Logan's party was over lunch; so we set up a nacho bar! Everyone seemed to love the idea and there weren't many left-overs!

The pumpkin painting tables...

A cute bat balloon...

The pumpkin painting was a hit! The kids really had fun decorating their pumpkins to take home.

The littlest of the party, Logan and his friend Piper, getting some assistance from their Daddies with their painting.

Logan, working really hard at making a "masterpiece".

Ben was very proud of his painted pumpkin!

The kids had lots of playtime...on the trampoline...

...and on the swings.

The Moake boys their pretty mama, Tiffany.

Ben and Logan, searching for fossils...

Me, with Carly Reed. Carly is the daughter of my very good friend Jaime. She was decked out in her Halloween outfit with matching bow---adorable!

We all sang "Happy Birthday" to Logan and he loved blowing out his candle!

After eating cake and ice cream, we all went back outside so Logan could open his presents. He didn't need much help opening them this year! He knew what to do!

We appreciate everyone coming out and helping us celebrate Logan's 2nd birthday! It is always so nice to have good friends and family join around us for special celebrations. Randy and I can hardly believe our "baby" is 2 years old! I never truly understood or appreciated the old saying that "time flies when you're having fun", until I had children. And now sometimes, I wish time would just slow down a little bit, because our babies are growing up so fast...

It's Official!

2010-10-28T18:37:00.002-05:00

Well, it's official! I am a Northeast ISD employee! I sat through employee orientation today---wow, was that boring; haven't had to sit through an orientation for nearly 6 years! And boy, do they waste a LOT of paper for that orientation! I report to work on Monday, November 1st---Logan's 2nd birthday. I'll let you know how it goes. :-)

Smores in a Jar

2010-10-26T12:59:00.001-05:00

I found this simple, cute, and cheap Halloween gift idea for the boys preschool teachers and decided I couldn't pass up the opportunity! In total, each jar cost less than $4.00 to make and they turned out really cute! If you'd would like to know just how easy these "Smores in a Jar" are to make---let me know! I'd love to pass on the recipe. :-)

Sunday Funday

2010-10-25T08:05:00.002-05:00

The boys are really into hunting for dinosaurs in the backyard. They will perch themselves in trees, their playhouse and run around to find the perfect hunting spot. In this particular photo, I think they were hunting a pack of Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Fishing with Daddy

2010-10-25T07:58:00.002-05:00

Recently when I was in Colorado, Randy took the kids to the coast for a weekend of fun and fishing. Both of the boys are really enjoying fishing and get very excited about going to Port O'Connor!

Here is Logan: he's got his fishing hat on, snacks in both arms(Pringles)---he's ready to fish!
Ben and his Daddy with one of his catches of the day.

Upon returning home, Mimi had lunch ready and the boys enjoyed a picnic lunch on the porch.

A cheesy picture of the boys, just hanging out on the porch.

Pumpkin Patch Kids

2010-10-22T07:32:00.010-05:00

A couple of weekends ago, the Hoods and the Crippens traveled out to Medina, Texas to visit the Love Creek Orchards Pumpkin Patch. It was a very fun place for all the kids, with a lot of activities. There was a hay maze....can you see Ben? :-)

Bean bag toss games...

Cut-out picture opportunities...

Horseback riding... (Yes, Ben's horse decided to stop and take a whiz! He thought that was sooo funny!)

Logan was a natural, and really enjoyed his ride.

My cute cowboy.

We took a hayride around the orchard...

Fed and pet some animals at the petting zoo...

And then we stuffed all of our (very big) children into one barrel on the tractor train ride---we were all kind of shocked they all fit together!

...and they loved the ride!

We hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween!

Yes, I have been a bad blogger...

2010-10-21T17:04:00.002-05:00

...but have some good excuses!

The last 1/2 of September and the entire month of October has flown by at record speed for the Hood family. We have been very busy! Here are some of the things we have been up to:

I traveled to Fort Collins, Colorado for 8 days for a nursing lactation certification conference at the end of September. While there, I was lucky enough to stay with my beautiful cousin Kelley and her husband Ross, and their most adorable 6-month old, Emerson. It was so nice to stay in their beautiful and comfortable home and spend some quality time with them. I fell in love with Emerson instantly---he is a very happy and fun baby. Spending time with him, made the distance between my own very beautiful children much more bearable. Here is a link to my cousins blog, and a few pictures while I was visiting. For the last couple of days while in Colorado, I traveled down to Littleton to visit one of my best friends from college, Meagan. We spent Saturday at a lovely outdoor craft and antique sale. I loved seeing her sweet little girl, Lauren. Lauren and Logan are about 6 weeks apart and it was so fun to play with her---and notice the differences between boys and girls. :-) Here is a link to Meagan's blog, so you catch how cute Lauren is.

Upon returning back from Colorado, I was busy from day 1. I served as a Community Helper to Ben and Logan's preschool. I visited with about 130 children, ages 2-4, and spoke to them on the role of a nurse, importance of hand-washing, what germs are and how they spread, and how to keep their bodies healthy through various means of nutrition, cleanliness, and exercise. I had SO much fun talking to the kids and really felt a passion for a young child's health education in the little time I spent with them. Wish I could do that for a profession...hmmm, maybe I can? Keep reading...

Also, in the last 2 1/2 weeks I have spent over 30 hours in continuing education and certification classes. Last week, I spent 2 days in a Childbirth Educator certification course. I have been teaching childbirth classes for over a year, but never was certified. I am so glad I took the course, because I really feel I learned new things and can contribute new and exciting information, activities, games, etc to the classes that we offer at Westover Hills (the hospital that I teach at). So hopefully, in a couple of weeks I can say I am a certified Advanced Nurse in Lactation and Childbirth Education. Really cool. :-)

Ben has really been loving preschool. He has been really focused learning his letters, numbers and starting to read. He is constantly asking how to spell certain words and when he is coloring, he is trying to spell words by himself, phonetically. Randy and I have been amazed at how intelligent and smart he is. Of course, we expect nothing less...but have been amazed at how quickly he picks up on things. We feel very blessed how smart and how much he loves learning. He is at a great age and we are loving every minute of it.

Logan has continued his speech therapy in the home. While I was gone in Colorado, he experienced the most progression in his speech in the 6 months we have been recieving therapy. The therapist said this was great, and almost expected because I was not at home with him, anticipating his every need and want. Therefore, he was forced to try harder at talking. He has about 7 words in his vocabulary now. The therapist said I really shouldn't get anything for Logan and to stop anticipating his needs unless he verbally tries asking for something (how can a mother do this???)---so that he has to try to speak more often. I find this to be very hard and almost impossible to do as a mother. We know what they want even before they ever ask for anything... Since Logan is turning 2 in a mere 8 days (!!!), and he has not progressed very well in his speech, we have started the transition for more services that would eventually lead to him going to a preschool program within the school district when he turns 3. He still has one year to "catch up", but we have to start the transition now to ensure the documentation is in place when he turns 3. Until then, we are adding another appointment with a speech therapist every week. So, he will have 2, 1-hour sessions every week for speech therapy in the home. Hopefully this will help him even more. I'll keep you posted.

And finally, have I told you that I love health education and working with children? Well, recently, with the down-turned economy, and living through hard-times for EE Hood & Sons, I started to look for a job to supplement our family's income and provide a stress relief to Randy. I absolutely LOVE staying at home with my boys, but the older they get the more comfortable I get with the idea of returning to work. SO, even before I went to Colorado, I had applied for a school nursing position at an elementary school that was less than a mile from our home. (It was too good of an opportunity to pass up.) And while, I did not recieve that job, I was called for a job intervew at another near-by elementary school. And in a matter of days, I sat through 2 interviews and was offered the job! I will be the new school nurse for Thousand Oaks Elementary school for Northeast ISD---starting Nov. 1st! The pay is really good and I will be able to carry my entire family on their provided healthcare insurance, for over 1/2 the cost that Randy pays now for our family. I am excited about the opportunity---however it is very bittersweet at the thought that I will be leaving my boys for work everyday. The boys will remain in their Tues/Thurs preschool program and my mom has graciously volunteered to help me with them every Tues/Thurs. She will take them and pick them up from school. (Thank you Mimi!) And I have found a wonderful nanny to come into our home Mon/Wed/Fri to care for the boys. She came very highly recommended and after interviewing her and seeing her and the boys interact with each other, it seems like a great fit. My work hours are from 7:30am-3:30pm, so by the time Logan is waking up from his nap, I will be getting home from work. I think the work schedule, location of the school, quality of the school, and the great child care I have been able to find for my kids is perfect. Randy and I are continuously amazed that no matter how hard things become, there is always a silver lining, and our Lord continues to provide. AND I get to continue my passion for public health, health education, and young children! (And having the summers, holidays, and weekends off with my kids is a major perk too!)

So, I am incredibly sorry for being such a BAD blogger lately---I know I have disappointed one of my loyal followers (my Uncle Dick!)---and I promise to try to keep up better. :-)

I will keep you posted on our new adventures---seems to be a lot of change in the air!

Flying L Ranch

2010-09-20T08:35:00.012-05:00

Last weekend, Randy and I took the kids on a "stay-cation" in Bandera, Texas to the Flying L Ranch. We had a great time. We were packed with activities from the time we arrived. Here's a look at our great family weekend.

We started off our arrival with dinner and then a wagon hayride to the river to feed the fish. The boys loved feeding the fish!

And every night, including Friday, there was a campfire, s'mores, and cowboy songs by the resident Cowboy Buck. The boys loved making s'mores and listening to the cowboy sing.

Saturday morning we woke up to an array of Children's Activities planned for Ben and Logan. There were pony rides for both, target shooting with BB guns, and the waterpark.

Ben was old enough to help saddle the pony. He thought that was really fun!

Then it was Logan's turn to ride the pony. We didn't know if how he would react once he got on the pony---you know things are scarier up close, rather than far away---but he did great and loved it!

Then we were off on another ride to the creekside, where they have target shooting. I was surprised, they let Logan shoot the BB gun too! (Of course, his daddy didn't leave his side!) The boys loved shooting the guns.

Ben had some safety instruction and guidance from Cowboy Jeff.

After target shooting, we were off to the waterpark. It was a fantastic waterpark. Absolutely perfect for our young children. I never felt nervous about the water. None of the areas were that deep. Ben could walk in the water everywhere. We spent about 4 hours in the waterpark---resulting in 2 very tired amigos.

There was a great water slide that Ben loved going down!

And I took Logan down it too! (Note his screaming face at the top!) He ended up loving it and smiling all the way down. :-)

In the middle of the kids' area of the waterpark, there is a big bucket that fills up with water and then dumps it out over an area of the park. Randy and Ben decided to get some chairs and wait for the "dump". Logan and I just watched from the side...

Here they are waiting for the bucket to fill...

Here it comes!... Ambushed by a downpour of water!

After a good nap, we headed to dinner. The ranch had set up a bar-b-que down by the river. It was a wonderful dinner, with a wonderful view. We couldn't have asked for a more peaceful and serene backdrop. Here's Ben enjoying his meal----with his sunburnt cheeks. (No matter how much sunscreen we put on Ben, he still managed to get burned. Poor Ben. It was his first sunburn! His mommy felt horrible...)

Daddy and Logan sharing a smooch at dinner. So sweet!

The backdrop of our Saturday evening bar-b-que dinner. Beautiful.

We shot basketballs everyday too. The boys thought that was really fun.

The Ranch had nice playgrounds for the kids to play on too. We took advantage of them every evening after dinner.

Here is one tired, sunburned cowboy---from a long day playing!

Sunday morning after breakfast, we took advantage of the ranch's 18-hole putt putt course. They boys loved playing putt putt! Ben turned out to be quite good at it too! He beat his Daddy! And Mommy only beat Ben by 1 point! Do we have a golfer on our hands? :-)

After putt-putt, we were going to go to the waterpark again; but after Ben had an exhaustion-induced meltdown in the condo and Logan just laid on the floor during the commotion, Randy and I looked at each other and decided they were just worn out, and decided to head home. It was a good decision. Logan was asleep before we even left the Ranch's driveway!

We all had a great time and it was a perfect getaway for our family. Fun times at the Flying L!

Flood of Hermine

2010-09-20T08:05:00.004-05:00

Tropical storm Hermine flooded the San Antonio area badly. Turkey Creek rose higher than we have ever seen it since we have lived here. The road was closed in front of our house for a couple of hours. The boys and I were a little nervous watching the water rise higher...and higher...and higher! Here are some photos of the flood. Unfortunately, my photographs really don't do the water justice. It was high and flowing fast. The majority of our backyard was underwater...really.

A close up shot of the flood gates. In front of that big oak tree is usally a large rock pile---which you can't see any of, because it is completely under water! The water was at least 2 feet high at the peak.

Ben's 1st Hunt

2010-09-20T07:44:00.003-05:00

Ben went on his first hunting trip over the Labor Day weekend. Randy hosted some family and co-workers for a dove hunt at one of the family ranches in Yancey, Texas. Ben was SO excited to go! Randy got him camo to wear and Gran gave him a BB gun! (Well, let him borrow his 1st BB gun. The BB gun was given to Gran when he was 6 years old!) Ben had a great time. Randy said he talked the whole time while hunting (no surprise there!), but had a great time. Since then, Randy and Ben have been watching hunting shows on Saturday and Sunday morning. Ben is looking forward to deer season! :-)

Playdate with Leslie and boys

2010-09-20T07:30:00.003-05:00

I hosted another DS playdate on August 31st. Stephanie and Mary Ann were supposed to attend also, but at the last minute they were both unable to attend for various reasons. Leslie and I had a great time together. I was able to meet her newest little boy, David Wallace Eden. He is such a good baby! Happy, content, sweet, and beautiful. Ben, Tyler and Logan had a good time playing together. I had two different inflatable pools set up, a slip-n-slide, and a splash rocket for them to play with. While the kids played, Leslie and I got to catch up on the news of our families. Leslie is a kindred spirit, and when we get together, our conversation is easy and comforting. I loved having her and her sweet boys at our home. I hope we get to see each other again very soon!

Brotherly Love

2010-09-19T21:28:00.002-05:00

With 2 boys, every day is different.

You never know if they will love each other, or pick on each other.

On this day, it was love.

First Day of School

2010-09-19T21:17:00.002-05:00

Two weeks ago, Ben and Logan started their new school year at Parkhills Baptist Preschool. Logan is in the toddler room and Ben is in one of the Pre-K classes. Both boys are doing great. They love their new rooms, teachers, friends, etc. Ben is so confident, walks into his classroom without a hitch, puts his things away...all the while I am still at the door, wanting him to come back and give me a kiss! Such a big boy now... And last week, Logan didn't even cry when I dropped him off at his room. His teachers have told me that he is the most agreeable, friendly, fun kid! :-) Here is a cute picture before leaving for school, on the first day.

Playroom Mural

2010-09-19T20:30:00.005-05:00

When Randy and I were trying to figure out a theme for the boys' playroom mural, we asked ourselves, "what do Logan and Ben love to play with?". Dinosaurs and Trains, of course! So the playroom now has a "Dinosaur Train" theme. For those mothers out there, whose children love to watch the PBS show, Dinosaur Train, we did not copy, nor did I want the playroom to look like the TV show---nothing wrong with the show; my kids love watching that show; we just wanted something authentic from Kimberly. And she did an awesome job!!! The boys love their new playroom and we have gotten so many compliments from friends, family, etc. Kimberly went above and beyond and really did this room right! It's fabulous!

Every train has to have a station, right?

Kimberly was so creative. The playroom has a large window ledge, and she incorporated the ledge into the mountain range, making a train tunnel! Love it!

The "main" wall of the playroom, that has always stayed pretty empty (of storage bins, etc), and was used to really incorporate a lot of dinosaurs and train-related aspects of the mural. This wall was painted all the way to the floor and will remain open so the kids can enjoy the mural.

Of course, there had to be a Spinosaurus---Ben's favorite dinosaur!And some pteranodons flying throughout the room...And a stegosaurus...Kimberly even had the creative idea to paint the plain black clock that was hung in the playroom and incorporate it into the "sun" for the mural. Great idea!

A completed look at the playroom! (If it only stayed this clean...)

Here is Kimberly with her muses. :-) The boys and I loved having her stay with us for a week. Kimberly and I had wonderful conversation and got to catch up on everything in our lives. We talked of old times: happy, sad, and the in-between. Kimberly and I hadn't seen each other in about 4 years, but it seemed no time had past at all. We grew up as sisters, and still feel that way today. Thanks for coming Kimberly and we hope you can come down to San Antonio again real soon! (But this time, you have to bring Steve with you, okay?) :-) We love you and love all the murals! You did a fantastic job!

Nursery Mural

2010-09-19T18:56:00.006-05:00

Here are the long-awaited photos of the murals that were painted by my cousin Kimberly in nursery. I am so happy with how everything turned out. By the little information I gave her about what I wanted, she painted exactly what I envisioned!

She painted some grasses and cute bugs under Logan's big window seat. Cute little grasshopper...
And buzzy bee...
And sweet ladybug!

There is even a whimiscal "itsy bitsy" spider in his window!

Then around his book rack, there is a butterfly, a "bookworm" inching his way up the book rack, and some friendly ants and their ant mound underneath. So cute!

By far, the main attraction to the room, is the large tree she painted by Logan's crib. It is the perfect color, size, shape, etc---exactly what I wanted! The tree is sprawling, and really beautiful. I smile every time I go into Logan's room.
I told Kimberly that I wanted a single blue bird in the tree. Yes, I know it is not representative of a real blue bird, because it does not have a red colored breast---but I wanted a sweet, quiet, blue bird---and she did it! Everything is perfect---and we are so happy with the way the nursery turned out. Logan loves looking and pointed at his bugs, worm, and bird (he even does the sign for bird when pointing at the bird now!). Thank you Kimberly! We love it!!

Labor Day Reunion

2010-09-08T20:20:00.006-05:00

For Labor Day, the Rees family reunited for a weekend bar-b-que at my parent's house. My cousin Kimberly was in town all week---to visit, and to paint some fabulous murals in the kids' playroom and in the nursery. (Pictures of the murals to follow in a subsequent post!) So, when word got out that Kimberly was in town, the family flocked to San Antonio to see her! We had a good 'ole Texas bar-b-que to welcome her back to Texas (she has lived in Atlanta for several years now). We all had a great time visiting, talking of old times, and sharing our lives with each other. Here are some photos of the wonderful day.

The Big Group shot:
(back row: Jenny, Kimberly, Uncle Dick, Aunt Melinda, Michael, Randy, Kristen
middle row: Ryan, Deanna, baby James, Bill, Ben; front row: Jack, Becca, Logan)

The Rees cousins!---Kimberly, myself, Ryan, and Michael
(We were missing: Laura Lea, Win, Heather, Kelley, Kara, and Angela)

My parents with all of their grandbabies:

Becca (5), Logan (22 mos), Ben (4 1/2), James (5 mos), and Jack (8).

Me, getting some "sweet baby" lovin'. (Doesn't he look thrilled that I am smothering him with smooches?) ;-)

My sweet baby and his corny smile.

Jack and Logan, crawling through the window (aka. doggie door) at Mimi and Gran's.

Kimberly, myself and Becca

Whip 'Em Out!

2010-08-23T15:29:00.004-05:00

August is Breastfeeding Awareness month. And as a mom who breastfed both her babies, and as a RN who teaches breastfeeding classes twice a month, I know how important and beneficial breastfeeding is to both mom and baby.

The Bump published a great video, called "Whip 'Em Out", in honor of Breastfeeding Awareness month. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope that those of you that have breastfed, are breastfeeding, and those who plan to breastfeed future babies feel supported in your decision and confident in knowing that you are doing the best for you and your baby.

Rainbows

2010-08-13T20:30:00.002-05:00

I was driving Ben to his doctor appointment today---which is always anxiety-laden due to the impending task of accessing his port---when this conversation took place:

Ben: "Hey Mom, did you know that rainbows are just a sign of God's promises?"

Me: (not really knowing how to respond because I am in shock at his quite random, but thoughtful, honest, and prophetic comment)
"Wow Ben, I have never heard that before, but I think you're right."
(smiling and heart melting)
--pause---"Do you see a rainbow out there?"

Ben: "No, but there are always rainbows somewhere, we just can't always see 'em."

Randy and I have made it a goal, as parents, to raise our children as Christians, know right from wrong, follow the "Golden Rule", etc. However we are constantly amazed at Ben's insight of what Christianity means, how God acts in his life, and how much he truly understands of God's undying love. Ben has had to endure more pain and suffering than a lot of children we know, and yet, even at such a young age he knows and believes that God has a promise for him. Sometimes as adults, we get so blinded by hardship---when life and work are harder than ever imagined---that God speaks to us (sometimes through a child), reminding us that we have to go looking for those rainbows, because "there are always rainbows somewhere, we just can't always see 'em".

Baseball Fan

2010-08-08T23:17:00.002-05:00

Here is a video of Ben at the baseball game. It captured his excitement from the game. He loved every minute of it!

Ben's 1st Baseball game

2010-08-08T23:15:00.004-05:00

We took Ben to his first baseball game this Saturday. The San Antonio Missions is an AA minor league team, related to the Padres. Ben was so excited to be at a "real" ballpark. He took his glove and really got into the game. He was cheering, yelling, clapping, and asking a ton of questions to his Daddy! We also took Randy's dad and step-mom, Earl and Linda, to the game. Everyone had a blast. It was so fun to watch the excitement of Ben's first experience. And the Missions won! 10-2 vs. Frisco!

(Again, sorry for the poor resolution of the pictures. The humidity fogged up the lens on my camera! That's south Texas for ya!)

Swim lessons

2010-08-08T22:58:00.004-05:00

Logan and I have been taking swim classes together this summer---and loving it! Logan has proven he is quite the little fish. Here are some pictures of our most recent swim class. (Sorry for the poor resolution---the lighting in the swim area is horrible for pictures.)
Logan learning to "walk the wall" by himself. We sing the "Itsy Bitsy Spider" as we walks down the wall.

Logan loves going down the slide! He always signs for "more". :-)

Here he is learning to be comfortable floating on his back. He is very good at it!

Floating on his back...

Can you see my BIG smile? I LOVE my swim class!!!

The "After" Party!

2010-08-08T22:47:00.004-05:00

So after the beautiful wedding/vow renewal celebration, we kept the Crippen boys (Jordan and Christian) over night. Ben thought it was so fun to have his friends spend the night in his room! (And then---oh my gosh!---they were there when he woke up too!) He was elated; honestly don't think there could have been a happier kid in the area. :-)

So after finally getting them to bed---around 11pm!---they all slept great. We took them to Krispy Kreme the next morning and while Randy and I cleaned up around the house the boys played the Wii.

And they played outside on the slip-n-slide, trampoline, sand box, and playground. They had a great time together.

And we finished the morning off by having a picnic lunch outside.

Randy and I had a great time with them all. The boys play so well together (minus a little whining from all of them when things don't go their way...). We look forward to the next sleep over! It was fun!

We hosted a...

2010-08-08T22:30:00.004-05:00

We hosted a beautiful celebration for our dear friends on July 31st. Scott and Marisa Crippen renewed their marriage covenant and celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary with about 45 of their closest friends and family at our home. Scott and Marisa not only renewed their marriage covenant with each other, but made vows to their children as well. It was a thoughtful, romantic, loving ceremony for a thoughtful, loving family. Randy and I felt honored to serve as their hosts for their wonderful celebration.

Scott and Marisa decided to hold their renewal ceremony around our "century" tree. We have a beautiful oak tree that is at least 100 years old. It served as a perfect backdrop---and living testimony to the "roots" of a good relationship. Jordan, Scott, Marisa, and Christian Crippen

At the end of the ceremony, all of their friends and family encircled them with love and support.

The happy couple.

It was a beautiful day---and everyone enjoyed their party. We all look forward to see what the next 15 years holds for this beautiful family.