collages we made for school

weekend

We had a pretty nice quiet weekend.  Got a lot done around the house and just a lot of fam time.  It was nice.  Friday night we just hung around here with the neighbors for a bit.  Sat we had a bday party to go to.  It was at our old neighbors house.  Weird being back over that way but the party was so fun!!!  Sat night J and I both had plans to go out.  I had mine first going out with the girls for Missy's last night in town.

They come home every summer but live the rest of the year in Japan.  J had his fantasy football draft so he had to go.  So we got a sitter.  I indulged a little too much at the dance a thon we had going on.  Thankfully J is a great hubby and father.  He took the girls during nap time today on a hike and then to get ice cream.  They had such a nice afternoon with their daddy.  I napped with E.  Then J left to fly to Houston so I took the kids to the pool and the park.  We had a very nice time.  Look what C learned to do.

She's pretty amazing in the water!!  She's not even 4 yet!  She figured these out all on her own.  Although mommy had done quite a few on vacation!

E says NO to school

So far E is not the biggest fan of school.  He just finger cries the whole time.  Poor thing.  I think it has ruined him. hehhe He now is very clingly to me and if a stranger talks to him in the grocery or something he just screams.  He cried all though the hour of jplay this am too.  Poor guy.  Marci got to the kids first today after our workout and she grabbed him.  She said he didn't stop crying until she left the jplay room.  By the time I got there she had both of our E's and he was fine.  Silly boy.  He has become a full fledged toddler in the last 2 weeks.  Very moody and has a big time temper.  If you tell him no he just smiles at you and does it more.  Soooooo hard not to laugh at him.  I really think he's trying to manipulate me about this school thing.  He's just trying to get his way.  I hope he gives up soon!!!  He talks in full sentences at home and can count to 8 but of course he will not show off his skills at school.  All he does is cry and make everyone pity him.  I know better!!!  They called me halfway through the day on Thursday.  At first when I saw the schools number I thought oh no.  They just wanted to tell me he was doing better and not all out crying, just whimpering.  I was at Av's school doing orientation things and had completely forgot I had left them with a crying almost 2 year old.  I figured it was their problem bc that's what I pay them for.  heheheh no I am not heartless, he's just #3 and I've been there done that.  He will live!!!!!!!  And I do love the snuggles I get when I pick him up!!!!

Big girl day!!

Av and I had a big girl day while the littles were at school.  We went to get donuts, shopped for school supplies and then had a make over done.  All with her bff Caroline.  It was a great morning.

She got her nails painted, hair done and colored pink and purple with glitter, the headpiece put on, eye shadow and lipstick.  I think she was most excited about the lipstick.  Then they went to the littles school and walked the hallways in this beautiful look!!!  They had a fun day!!

First day of preschool

C in the 4 day 4s
E in the Bright Beginners

E got on the car with his backpack on.  He said, "take life jacket off" when he was getting in his seat.  hehehhh

C had a great day!!!
E cried for 3 hours.  Hopefully Thursday is better.

SGI-part eight the drive home (Sunday)

Then Sunday was the dreaded drive home.  UGH.  I HATE driving.  I HATE road trips.  Hated them wo kids and I still hate them with kids.  We FLEW everywhere as a kid so I think that is why.  But you have to do what you have to do and it was sooooo worth it.  We made it home in 11.5 hours and that includes just 2 stops.  One at a very nice park in Montgomery and one at dinner.  The park was very nice.   Huge had 6 different playground areas.  We could have stayed for hours.  The girls are great in the car.  The boy on the other hand, well lets just say staying in a car seat is very hard for a very active toddler boy.  Here we have pulled out all the stops to make him more happy.

He was still sitting backwards in the car until our park stop on the way home.  We turned him around.  It made him happy for a little bit but then back to his unhappiness.  Which I knew would be the case and why I hadn't done it.

As I said when I started it was a perfect trip.  The 4 big kids slept all night every night we were there in their bunk room.  We didn't hear a peek from the in the middle of the night.  The babies were in our rooms in the start of the trip.  Ugh (they had told us the closets would be big enough for pack and plays).  Not the case but by the 3rd night we figured out the masters baths were.  Ours was perfect for him.  Had a great knook for it.  We couldn't use it at night of course but we had another bathroom on the floor.  Of course I checked for anything harmful he could reach before I left him in it for the first time.  Not thinking about the door.  Oops he could reach the lock and at nap once locked himself in.  A butter knife solved that problem quickly thankfully!!!  Crafty kid.

We are sooooooooooo lucky to have the Shumans in our lives.  We love them dearly and are so thankful they would want to spend their vaca with us.  We can't wait for many many more in the future.  The kids were alll soooooooooooo great.  S and C had one major fight and that was all.  It was almost a cat fight by the pool one night.  It was one of the funniest things I have ever seen.  Wish we had it on video but otherwise they got along great!  The babies never fight even when E thinks its so funny to push Emi over.  She laughs too most of the time which makes him do it more of course.  Vacations are the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SGI-part seven (Sat)

Saturday started out HORRIBLE.  We woke up to lots of rain and a very bad looking radar for the rest of the day.  We didn't know what to do.  It felt like we were just waiting to leave bc we were leaving the next day.  Didn't know what to do.  Tried to go to the little town to see the lighthouse but it was just raining too hard.  We got back to the house and decided to leave.  Soooooo sad.  We packed the cars.  As we were packing we decided to try and wait it out though.  No one wanted to leave. The radar still looked bad but the sky didn't look too bad.  Sooo glad we stayed after we got packed up it cleared up and we had a great time.  It was even better bc we were all packed and didn't have that looming over our heads.

Wasn't really warm so the girls did crafts by the pool.  Then they decided to decorate themselves.

The whole gang in the pool!!!!

                 Much warmer in "the bath tub"

            The girls on the top floor of our house

 We went back to the Blue Parrot for dinner that night bc we loved it so much the first time.  After that we took our last walk on the beach.  Had to say goodbye till next year!!  We took our usual "Hoekstra Family Vacation" 2012 written in the sand pic we always take.

We found this on the beach and it entertained them for a long time.  I got across it!!!

  We had taken pics of ourselves with all the kids alone except me with C and J with Av so here they are.

              All the girls!!

                       The boys

Then we had a big big surprise for the kids when we got back to the house.  We had saved the BEST for last!!!  This is what they come home to.  The pool!!!

Glow sticks in the pool.  Over 50 of them.  They loved it.  Jackson and Av got a bunch and then dived over and over for them.  C just hoarded hers the whole time.  hehehe

They all slept with their glow sticks but when we went in to check on them after the adult hot tub time C was still clutching them all in her chubby little hand.  Those hoarder tendencies are hard to let go.