Happy New Years Eve!

Tonight is NYE and boy how things have changed! We don't have ANY big plans tonight other than to hang out with the fam. After the Christmas festivities, I think we are all excited to get a little R&R around here. Looking back on 09', I think I am pretty excited about the year. Things went really well for us. Our fam was happy and healthy for the most part and Corey and I have made it through another year of parenting. (I was surprised we made it through year 1, now we are 5 years in!)

Christmas was a blast for the boys this year. Logan really is getting the whole Santa gig. We were very blessed with all of our gifts. I just tried cleaning out a few of Logan's "old toys" (aka Happy Meal toys and other toys he hasn't played with in years) with no avail. Reminder to self for next time: no help needed from LT. I watch the show "Hoarders" and Logan has some of those similar behaviors. Also, if you haven't watched that show - please do, it is quality television at it's best :)

School is about to start up after the break and I am a little sad for LT to go back. As much as he and Brody have been at each others' throats, it is nice having him around full-time. (Now is when I get all boo-hoo-ish about him going to Kinder next year...)

We had a family filled break with lots of surprises. First, we helped throw a surprise party for Corey's mom's 60th birthday. Next, we flew Corey's Aunt Phyllis in on her birthday to really surprise her. Finally, we threw Auntie Em a graduation party to celebrate her getting her Masters Degree - THEN my Aunt Peggy flew in for the shin dig. Can you believe all of that has gone down in the last 3 weeks??? I can't! We haven't been around our house much with all of the celebrating, so again, we are looking forward to hanging at the house tonight! For all of you partying like rock stars - Happy New Years! Have fun and be careful tonight!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas here at the Trent house. In fact, it probably looks more like Christmas here than it does in the majority of places. We LOVE to have any and all lights on while we are home. ALL the time! Logan and Brody are just loving the Christmas lights . We have been out a number of times just checking out the lights in our neighborhood and this weekend Grammy and Pa took the boys out to Joe Pool Lake to look at the monster light scene. Corey and I headed to a super fun Christmas party during that journey.

Both boys have been to see Santa already. Logan got to see him at our Christmas party at church, and then Daddy (or Daddio as Brody likes to call him) took the boys to get their picture snapped at Bass Pro shops. The first visit was a smidge traumatic for Bear, but the second time, Brody was willing to get his pic taken. In fact, since Logan had already been to see Santa - during the Bass Pro visit, Logan didn't even ask for additional toys for himself. He decided to vocalize Brody's wishes to the big guy. How sweet is that???? (Sorry, please let me relish in the sweetness of this act, because things like this need to be recognized around here!) I will try to scan the picture of the two of them in and post it soon.

Additionally, last year our Aunt Peggy and Uncle Tom were nice enough to give us an Elf on the Shelf. That "elfie" has been quite busy. He goes to the North Pole every night and moves his location every morning. Phew, he has a tough job!

Will the fun ever stop?

Seriously, just after having Corey's surprise shin dig...we truly celebrated with a family party last Wednesday. Then last weekend we headed for the desert - as Logan likes to call it - to visit my Nana, Grandpa, Aunt Donna, and Aunt Elaine. I have to give a serious shout out to my fam for helping with 2 hours of diversion tactics on the plane ride out to Arizona. After getting there, the boys enjoyed every inch of my Aunt Donna's house...she had tons of fun stuff to enjoy, which was super helpful to Corey and I. We also appreciate you allowing us to demolish your house just hours before having a chili cookoff with 30 of your closest neighbors. (Do I have a nice family or what???) I think the highlight of the weekend was going out to see my Grandpa's horse, Expo. Logan was brave enough to ride with Great Grandpa and then manhandled the horse all by himself. (With Great Grandpa as the guide.) Brody wasn't having any of the horse attraction. AT ALL. Seriously, my Great Grandpa is still riding his horse for 2-3 hours a week.

We got home just in time to celebrate Bear's birthday on Monday. He is a big ole whopping 2 years old now. I swear he turned two and since then has been terrible. No, not really...well, kind of, in the nicest way! He is hopefully just teething so I am sure this terrible-ness will soon pass. (Right?)

Surprise!

We had yet another family nap this afternoon and it was GREAT! All parties in our household took a fat nap and woke up in a much better place. (including myself!) Last night was pretty eventful around here...I surprised Corey with a poker night for his birthday. He came home and a number of his work friends were here to take his money. Unfortunately, I was hoping he would be the big winner, but not so much. He was definitely surprised and super excited to have a night with the guys. I organized the shin dig, bought the beer and was happy to head over to my mom's after the guys started playing poker. I was exhausted after a long run and getting prepped for the par-tay. Corey's birthday wasn't last night, it is on Wednesday night...but I thought we could start celebrating a smidge early. Happy early birthday honey!

Shhhhh

Shhhhh! We are all taking a family nap. That's right, a family nap - the entire crew lays down and the house is as close to quiet as it gets during the day...all bodies are asleep. After last night's party, you too would be sleeping if you were a member of my crew. Whew! We had a great time!

First, we had a big ole' Halloween shin dig in our cul-de-sac and the entire neighborhood joined in. We had chili and Corey grilled out tons of hot dogs in addition to loads of other yummy food items. (I know, this is probably making your mouth water!) Our good friends Amanda, Cody, and Luke also came to join in the fun. After eating way too much we headed out to get our share of the candy in the hood. The group did pretty well. The younger boys were a little slower in the execution so there were two distinct trick or treating groups, but everyone was pleased with their earnings...especially Mom and Dad! For those people who think all of that candy goes to kids, you must be crazy! I have been on a sugar high for about a week now - thank you Costco and trick or treating efforts. Below is a picture of the boys before trick or treating - Luke is Curious George on the right:

Corey and Logan after carving our pumpkin:

You will note the precious costumes that were sported by my boys. Logan wanted to be a Transformer. He decided he wanted to be the "blue one" then later figured out that the blue one's name was "Optimus Prime." Brody was lucky enough to wear a costume that Corey also wore when he was two or three. That cutie little cowboy costume has been worn by two of my boys - about 29 years apart. Thank goodness Corey's mom kept that leather get-up for us to wear just a few years later :)

Butterfly Flutterby

Mimi and Grandpa got a very different gift for Logan's birthday which he has thoroughly enjoyed. They got him a butterfly pavilion. It was quite a cool process....

The caterpillars arrived in 2 cups - 5 caterpillars per cup and they were tiny! There was food in the cups for the caterpillars to survive on...which was super nice, because we didn't have to do a thing! (No clean up either!) Every day they grew quite a bit in size, enough for Logan to notice a difference when he checked on them in the morning. Eventually, each caterpillar hung itself on the lid of the cup and became a cocoon. After turning into the cocoon we transferred them into the butterfly pavilion so that they could become butterflies. Throughout this process we were truly blessed because each and every one of our butterflies survived the process and more importantly survived living in our house with two small boys. I can't imagine how those things felt when being man-handled by my boys in that springy and flimsy pavilion. Yesterday was D-day for our butterflies and we let them go into the wilderness. This was an excellent choice I thought since they would far prefer being outdoors than in the pavilion, right? Well, unfortunately for the butterflies, the skies opened up yet again and we received another few inches of rain today. Hopefully, hopefully, they survived??? If you want your own butterfly pavilion you can go to insectlore.com

Recovering...

Well, holy buckets, this month has been JAM PACKED! I would say that I might still be recovering from the fun we have had in September. I have been in denial about ALL of the fun things I need to blog about. This is going to be one FAT post so get ready...

Well, first and foremost the boys now officially have an Uncle Archie. Auntie Al (Or Tal as Brody likes to call her...I'm sure you see it - Auntie and Al mixed together makes Tal???) officially tied the knot on the 19th. We were all in mourning after the festivities came to an end. I must say that I have the most fun extended family. We partied for a full week to celebrate their marriage and I didn't want to stop. Now, I am sure you were wondering where the boys were during all of this partying...well, they were in attendance for some of the events.

LT was a ring bearer at the wedding itself. He was incredibly handsome and did a fantastic job walking down the aisle. After doing the walk is somewhat of a different story. He got to the front and LAID out in the front pew. Truly, legs in the air...the whole bit. Don't mind the fact that the flower girl was perfectly well behaved...but that is the difference between boys and girls, right? Seriously, doesn't he look precious?

During the rehearsal dinner and the reception, the boys were having some fun of their own. I must give a "shout out" to Miss Leah, one of Auntie Em's friends who watched the boys. She brought all kinds of fun with her: new books and movies. The boys had a blast and we enjoyed some grown up time without having to chase the boys around during dinner. It was such a blessing knowing they were in such good hands.

Finally, the other whopping event this month was LT's birthday. I know, I can't believe it either. This little man is growing like a weed, right before my eyes. We of course celebrated all month long. Seriously, I think we sand the birthday song 5 times....at 5 different shin digs. Of course he doesn't mind, he is just like me enjoying a whole month of partying for his big day :) Below is a picture of him blowing out his candles with his Pa.

Seriously?

School days, school days, good ole' golden rule days!  School is back in session for my big guy. He started Wednesday morning in the 4 year old class.  Next year he will start kinder - - - WHAT?  I know, I am getting ahead of myself...but seriously, when did this happen???  

We gave him chores to start off the new school year.  He is responsible to get himself dressed, brush his teeth, (I know minimal hygiene - this is even difficult stuff around here!), eat breakfast, clear his dishes off the table, and finally - make his bed.  Wednesday morning he ROCKED the new chores right on out.  I have this strange feeling that the "rocking" won't continue forever, so I should probably be uber-thankful.

LT was all set for his first day with a new backpack and lunchbox.  (Transformers was the theme this year...)  He didn't quite wear the exact outfit I had picked out.  (Substitute sporty shorts and soccer socks instead of the normal/preppy stuff I had picked out...)  Anyways, Corey and I dropped him off for his first day and he was READY to get the party started.  Seriously, he might as well have said "Buh, bye" on our way out.   Although, I will take that any day over drama!  Here is a picture of our little man signing his name on the way into class.  This is one of his "responsibilities" after he arrives in his classroom.

Whirlwind weekends...

Over the past couple of weekends, Corey and I have been very fortunate to have a really good time.  The weekend before last, his parents graciously gave us a night out as an anniversary present.  They watched the boys while we went to Ft. Worth with our dear friends, Amanda and Cody for dinner at the Lonesome Dove Steakhouse.  (The food was delicious!)  Anyways, from there we headed to the Renaissance Hotel in Sundance Square and enjoyed a very quiet evening at the hotel.  Here is a picture of downtown Fort Worth from our room.  We slept in the following morning and then headed back to Corey's parents house to get back to reality!

Last weekend we had a big ole' night for Allyson's Bachelorette party.  Many doubted my bachelorette partying abilities, but I am proud to say that I was one of the few left standing at the end of the night.  The evening went something like this: hotel pre-partying, Pete's Piano Bar, then City Streets to dance the night away...and boy did we do some dancing!  We were all out and about until approximately 2am then had a late night snack prior to bed.  Saturday during the day we went to have lunch at Joe T. Garcias, had manis/pedis, then topped the day off with a trip to Target.  Mom made us a delicious Miller dinner at her house of chicken marsala with fetuccini alfredo.  Yum-o!  Corey and I were fortunate enough to get a night out with one of our favorite bands...DEPECHE MODE.  Oh my heavens, it was fabulous!  That band totally dates me and I don't even care!  

Make sure to check back on my blog soon, I hope to have a summer recap...a suggestion to one of my blog consultants (Auntie Em and Auntie Al).  Here is a pic I like of the boys recently...both of my spidermen :)

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil...

So, I should definitely be going to bed instead of blogging.   Tomorrow night is Allyson's bachelorette party!  Woo hoo!  I already have my party pants on and I am wicked old and out of practice on the bachelorette scene.  I plan on rocking it out :)

Anyways, I thought I would quickly blog about a scenario that played out the other day here at the Trent house.  Brody and Logan had finished breakfast and I was still enjoying my quiet meal in the kitchen.  They were both in Brody's room "playing."  Logan yelled out to the kitchen the following VERY frightening statement...

"Mom, don't listen to us and don't come in Brody's room."

Well, I feel as though I know my boys pretty well, and the above statement is reason enough to move in a dead sprint back to Brody's bedroom.  Yes, they were doing something they weren't supposed to.  Logan had hoisted himself into Brody's crib.  This behavior is completely not acceptable.  Brody's bed is just for him - for little people only.  Logan clearly knows this - although I was somewhat relieved that no limbs were broken or there wasn't any permanent damage.  I had to try hard not to start laughing, especially since there wasn't a real serious scandal playing out...

Come one, come all, to the greatest show on earth...

Last week was a busy one at our house. See, it was Auntie Em's last week of summer. You all know the feeling - the feeling of the walls closing in, the classroom all day, and being cooped up in your desk all day long? Well, that is how she felt I can imagine. Last week we kicked off the "Auntie Em Goodbye Summer Campaign" in style.

Sunday we celebrated with birthday dinner for the Gruninger girls approximately 1 month late. Mom had quite the spread for dinner and she made LOBSTERS! I know, we couldn't believe it either. Yum-o!

Monday we left bright and early for a trip to the Fort Worth Zoo. Although we were there for a couple of hours, we didn't cover very much ground...maybe we were moving slower than normal? Either way, we had a great time.  Below is a picture of the boys with a GIANT snake.  Additionally, we took pics on the train JUST before it broke down.  Bummer!  At least we got to ride on it through the tunnel - which is Logan's favorite part :)

Thursday we went to Going Bonkers for a friend's birthday party and partied it up all right!

Finally Friday, we went to the Greatest Show on Earth - Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus! It truly is the greatest show on earth...motorcycles, elephants, horses, tigers, trapeze, clowns - what more could you want in a show???

The bathroom remodel is officially complete. That's right, we have our bathroom back. I honestly have thought about sleeping in the bathtub because I have been enjoying the bathroom that much, but I thought that might be a bit out of control.

Wedding planning is almost done, we are getting geared up for Allyson's bachelorette party in a couple of weeks, then just a couple weeks until the big day! We bought Logan a little outfit to wear and we are hemming the bridesmaids dresses.

Corey gets a gold star

Well, Corey often times gets a gold star around our household.  He is truly a #1 dad in many respects.  Tonight, he is really being a trooper.  Logan was wondering if he could go camping - truly camping - in our backyard.  Much to my surprise, Corey agreed...to do so TONIGHT???  We have a tiny little junior pop up tent which we won in an auction through Logan's school that they assembled then took off to sleep in for the evening.  This is shocking for many reasons.  Reason 1 - it is 100 degrees here during the day.  Now, it has cooled off quite a bit tonight, but it probably isn't really cool in that tiny space.  (Even with the 2 fans Corey purchased prior to heading out to the tent.)  Reason 2 - it is a "school night" for Corey, he has to work tomorrow.  Reason 3 - I thought for sure that Logan would be scared of the dark and not last 5 minutes out there.  (So sad for Corey - Logan was LOVING this experience!)  I suggested bringing Logan inside to sleep, Corey declined.  He and I are texting each other just feet away, but he is outside enjoying nature and I am in the AC :)  Below is a picture of Corey putting up the tent with Logan's "help."  It did turn out to be bigger than this - but I didn't get any good pictures of the finished product.

***Update: both boys came inside at 2am for a bit of "normal" sleep.  Thank goodness!  I was worried about them out there!****

Quick update...

So I thought I would quickly update you on the "picnic" plan yesterday morning.  I am sure someone out there is wondering if this might just work at their house.  Well, it worked at mine!  Woo hoo!  Corey and I slept in until AFTER 7 whopping o'clock yesterday morning, and woke up all by ourselves.  I know, it is hard to believe!  (Probably more hard for me to believe than anyone else.)  Logan was psyched about the big boy activity and wants to do it daily.  Seriously, God is smiling on me - this is my payback after the stomach bug incident.  

Additionally, my hubs is quite the contractor.  You might need to watch out, myself, Emily, and Corey might all be hired out in your neighborhood.  Corey took on the baseboards today.  I was a little nervous based on a previous chair rail project about 4 years ago, but things went really well.  We have "saved" all kinds of money on the bathroom project - just ask Corey :)  Anyways, I am super excited because my bathroom is no longer covered in plastic, it is starting to look like a fun, new, and swanky bathroom.  I think I might have a 'sip and see' after things are completed to show it off.  Thanks again for your contribution hon!  To be continued...

Birthday bliss...

I am officially the big 3-2.  Things have been going really well thus far entering into this new year.  Corey got me some flowers and a SUH-WEET pedi on my birthday.  On Auntie Em's birthday, we went on a birthday adventure to a petting farm.  Things went really well - it has been abnormally nice outside and all have been trying to take advantage of it.  Tomorrow is Auntie Al's big day, and we are going to start things off with a birthday breakfast at Mom's house.  She is making all of the old breakfast favorites from my childhood, including crepes!  Yummy!  Here are some pics of the petting farm, please note Logan's sporty socks that he insists on wearing up to his knees:

We are still in the midst of the bathroom remodel - mainly because I have been taking my time painting and texturizing the walls.  I have to send out a serious shout out to my sis Em.  She is on her summer break and has been in the bathroom that we have so kindly given the name "sweat shop" for a few days now.  Seriously, we were texturizing and painting morning/noon/night.  I must say that things really look TOTALLY different in there.  I am psyched about the end result of our efforts.  We have just a few details to take care of prior to the big reveal.  If we were dedicating our bathroom like you dedicate libraries - we would have to dedicate the Trent master bath to Auntie Em for all of her hard work.  Thanks again Em!

There has been a dark cloud of sickness that has seemed to loom over 1808 Sumac Dr.  Initially, it started with Logan having a cold - which randomly took a turn into a stomach bug.  Next it was Brody - who also had the same symptoms, except his seemed to last quite a bit longer...1 week of a cold, then another week of stomach issues.  Seriously, it seems as though poo was everywhere.  At one point during church it was on Bear's shorts, the floor, the changing pad - oh, heavens!  Now Corey is finally trying to shake the end of the funk.  I am praying for my crew to get well and stay well.  I am so thankful for our typically healthy residence!  

Tomorrow I am really hoping to sleep in.  Now, some of you might think, no way!  Logan consistently wakes up between 6:30-7ish and Bear sleeps in until 8 or so.  I set up a "picnic" of cereal and milk for Logan to get out all by himself.  We are also going to set up the TV so he can watch his show when he wakes up...fingers crossed...no whammies...come on 8am!!!

Are we having fun yet?

Last week Mom and I had the pleasure of trying to educate nine 4 year-old boys all about God. We had Vacation Bible School last week and it was a treat! By the last day my mom made the comment that Friday was the worst day times 10! She also mentioned that even her grandson was a challenge. (Which was warranted on her behalf!) I think all of the boys learned a little something and Mom and I had a number of laughs!

So we have a few things happening at the Trent house right now. First, there is a significant bathroom project that is in the works in my bathroom. This is going to be FAB once it is done - the during is the part that stinks. We had someone do the tile and it took about a week and a half. We have torn out our shower, tub, and sinks. The tile guy replaced the shower and tub. We are going to put in a vanity instead of our previous counter/sink set up. Auntie Em and I are going to texture and paint the walls prior to the vanity being put in. Phew, there is a lot going on in there. Needless to say, I miss having 2 bathrooms! Here is a picture of my "apprentice" helping to rip down the wallpaper border.

Second, we are in diet boot camp during breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. The boys are trying new things at each "feeding time." (I know, you thought I was talking about my diet!) Brody really doesn't like any meat or very few fruits and veggies...which just really doesn't work. My pediatrician is convinced that this kid will eat new things when the smack down is put on him. Too bad she isn't administering the feeding times! Below is a picture of Brody being sad at dinner. (Keep in mind dinner was chicken breast with raspberries and edamame...) Seriously, could you resist this face? Both boys were screaming at afternoon snack this afternoon. But hey, surely someone will find something different they like, right???

Today I was "Sporty Spice" all day long. My day went something like this...1) a 3 mile jog 2) a swim in the pool to rinse off 3) a hike with Logan and his friend Evie 4) another dip in the pool ----and this all happened before 1pm! Woo hoo - we are having a fun summer! I think I am off to finally take a shower, I think I stink!

Jammin' June

We have been CRAZY busy over the last couple of weeks.  Last weekend my mom, sisters and I took off down to San Marcos for a girls weekend.  Mom & Al needed some new outfits for wedding events and all of us could use some new things at the MOTHER of all outlet malls.  The girls and I also made time for a nice dinner, the riverwalk, shopping, a dip in the river, and a wine bar.  FUN!  We had a great time - even more fun than I expected to have!  (And we got outfits for the wedding events too!)  Pictures hopefully to come - check back soon!

Last week was also tons of fun.  We went to two waterparks as well as the cowgirl museum.  We have also been by the pool every night.  The boys and I were all tuckered out.  We have all been taking the occasional nap in the afternoons.   Logan has been going to daycamp at the YMCA this week, so again he is one tired Indian :)

I just got back from Chicago.  I was blessed to meet my bestie Joy in Chi-town.  I was blessed for two reasons...one, I am blessed to have the sweetest sista and hubs to allow me to go boy-less.  Two, I am blessed to have such a great best friend - 10 years later!  This summer marks our 10 year anniversary of meeting as consultants for AXO.  Things have changed a lot since then...husbands, kiddos, being grown up little mommas!  

We had a great time.  The first couple of days we did a lot of running around town, then we tried to squeeze some relaxing in.   We spent time at the beach, the museum, shopping, the movies, at restaurants, Frank Lloyd Wright-seeing, and also hot tubbing and sleeping too!  It was wonderful - I must again thank Emily and Corey for making the trip possible.  Sorry, no pics from this trip, neither one of us brought a camera :(

The sky is falling...

Last week there was literally a tornado right here in the Mound. Now, the tornado wasn't on our street, although if you saw my street you might think so. There are trees, limbs, roof shingles, fences - everywhere. We were extremely blessed to not have any significant damage following the storm. We all did take cover in our "safe place" after hearing the tornado sirens and seeing my backyard furniture FLY across my backyard. I truly can't imagine how Dorothy felt!

Corey and I were blessed to celebrate our 7th year of marriage together. I know, we can't believe it has been 7 years either! Auntie Em was sweet enough to offer to babysit for the occasion and we went out on a date night. We went to dinner and a movie, which doesn't often happen with kiddos. (For all of you who are preggers out there, get your movie going on!) We had a lovely evening and were so lucky to be able to have a night out sans kids! Thanks again Em!

This week has been full of adventures. Our pool was broken, which is a pretty big deal mid-June with 100 degree days. It just wasn't clean, which meant Corey and I were cleaning it with the brush and net - - - ugh! Additionally, even worse, our AC has been out for the past 3 days. The AC people have come out 2 different times to have the same result...HOT HOUSE. Mom let us stay at her house last night so we were far more comfortable than we would have been on Sumac. I think we are going to take the plunge and invest in a new unit...ours is 13 years old and has been through the ringer!

The boys have been taking swim lessons this week and have done great! I just love our swim teacher and she has truly done wonders again this year. Logan is working on his form and is now swimming on his back. Brody is also doing awesome. He knows how to hold his breath and pseudo-swim. I can't tell you how thrilled I am with the progress he has made. I was initially going to wait to do lessons until next summer, but I am so glad I changed my mind. He is truly a little fish!

Twinkies

Brody LOVES his big brother.  Sometimes Logan LOVES Brody, but others not so much.  Brody likes to do a lot of the same things that Logan does if he can.  If Logan yells, Brody yells.  If Logan goes outside, Brody has to go outside.  If Logan spits in the sink after brushing his teeth, Brody spits...ALL OVER THE PLACE.  WHAT?  There have been a number of indicators that I have 3 boys in this house, but Brody randomly spitting just to be like his brother tops the cake.

We are trying to get Brody to "use his words" more often.  He has been able to get away with pointing or growling to get what he wants and has been pretty successful.  Our doc is trying to get him to "use his words" to try to increase his vocabulary.  Although he is talking more, there will be a day when I want him to STOP talking.  I can't imagine TWO boys in the backseat talking 100 miles an hour.  

 

We put the smackdown on a new bike and bike trailer for me.  I was in such love with the bike trailer, I bought that first prior to buying a bike.  Now, most ladies would truly appreciate the fact that I was trying to save a buck by buying one that was used, Corey was highly annoyed.  I have packed the boys up in the trailer and headed out into the wide open.  The boys seem to like the trailer and look SO CUTE in it!  They are snug as a bug in a rug in there. 

For me the ride is either super easy or super difficult with them in the back.  We are actually headed for a ride this morning prior to shopping with Auntie Em.  (Em is finally out of school and summer has started for her...woo hoo!)

Summertime, summertime, sum-sum-summertime

I just can't believe how quickly summer sets in.  Every night getting the boys in bed at a decent hour is more and more difficult.  We are outside all the time.  For instance, this morning we went to the park for 2 hours, then after Brody's nap we were pool side for an additional 3 hours.  Both boys are sleeping good at night, and aren't sleeping in additionally...now, why?  Good question, that is one of my life's mysteries!

We are currently trying to update our room.  Mom and I have been in the "sweat shop" this week and have been sewing up a storm to make a duvet cover, bed skirt, pillows and shams.  Phew!  We have completed the above projects we simply need to do curtains next.  We are also trying to get the wedding quilt done for Allyson & Archie too.  (And there are even more projects in action!)

I am also getting myself geared up for a demolition in my bathroom.  We are ripping out our tile and re-doing our shower, tub, and floor in our bathroom.  I am super excited to have the project complete.  (And we haven't even started yet!)  

Okay, I need to get to bed for another big summer day at the Trent house.  Tomorrow we have a birthday party, Aunt Betty is coming in town, then we are having another pool shin dig with our neighbors and Auntie Em.  I am sleepy just thinking about it :)

Fear of flying?

So I was about to start sewing up a storm on Allyson and Archie's wedding quilt when I thought to myself, "I should go ahead and blog it up instead!"  It has been a little while since my last post, heck, I always say that, huh?  We have been world travelers since my last post and have been gone a little while.

Have you ever been on a flight with a kiddo and been put out by the fact that they were sitting right next to you?  Well, I would like to put you in my shoes...I flew with BOTH boys on the way to visit my BFF Nichole last week.  Some might call me brave and others might call me just plain nuts.  I will tell you that it completely beats me down with the glares and sighs, not to mention the eye rolling when my boys and I walk on to a plane.  Now, I know that many might say that they might cause a ruckuss - and they most often will, but we are passengers too for Pete's sake, and I bought my ticket, just like everyone else did!  There isn't any special 747 dedicated just to children, and there isn't a kid's section devoted to a plane - although there probably should be.  Sorry, just had to vent so that the next time you fly maybe you won't roll your eyes or even think to yourself about how you wish that kiddo wasn't on your flight.  We sure would appreciate that!

Both boys and I flew to North Carolina on Tuesday and we came back Monday.  Corey joined us on Friday to play as well.  The Grahams were awesome hosts and we did quite a bit of sightseeing while we were there.  The boys and mommies went to South Carolina for a few days prior to returning to NC when Corey arrived.  I am going through some serious withdrawal from my "live in Mommy" Miss Nichole.  I think I am a much better Mommy when there is another Mom around to help out.  

While we were in the Carolinas we went to the beach, the aquarium, a drive through zoo of sorts, and an outdoor center with rockclimbing and water rafting.  Logan went rock climbing all by himself and did awesome until I said "Logan, look how high you are" - right about then he decided he was done.  Everyone was TIRED!  It was a jam packed week with all sorts of things to do.  We were sad to leave right before Jack's birthday, although he probably needed some "down time" prior to his big day.  Happy Birthday Jack!

Summer has officially started here at the Trent house, Logan's last day of school was yesterday and we have already started partying.  He had 3 friends over this morning to play and this afternoon we have had some quiet time to recover before the weekend.  Happy Memorial Day!

Mothers Day and More!

Over the last week or so we have really been doing some Mother's Day celebrating around the Trent house...and of course, I like it!  Logan had a Mother's Tea in his class last week which was PRECIOUS!  Seriously, I was almost teary it was so cute and sweet.  They sang songs, we ate some yummy snick snacks, they gave us gifts and we read a couple of stories.  Here are some action shots from the songs that Logan sang:

After already feeling super lucky, we had our garage sale this last weekend.  We had lots of help from the Aunties and had great luck getting rid of tons of STUFF.  I feel much more cleansed in general.  The house is at least 50 lbs. lighter :)  

Mom and I have been quilting up a storm over the last month or so.  We have made a couple of practice "signature" quilts prior to putting one together for Allyson and Archie's wedding.  I have included a picture of the second one we completed which has the couple's last name at the top and the year of marriage at the bottom.  

On Saturday night we had the first of festivities for Allyson and Archie's wedding in September.  The party was a huge success and my Aunt Betty and Uncle Ken even made the trek our way to help christen their new home.  

Finally, Sunday was Mother's Day.  I wasn't super well rested because we had been out late the night before at the Stock the Bar Party, but I had a fab day even so...we went to church then breakfast at the Local Diner.  Then we took my mom shopping for new clothes.  If you haven't seen Mimi lately, she is quite the diva.  She has lost 30 lbs.  and has a lot more confidence about herself...as she should!  We went shopping for 2 hours before dinner and did some serious damage.  Emily was in the dressing room with mom, Allyson was hanging up clothes, and I was the runner between the dressing room and store floor finding new sizes and new things to try on.  It was quite the production.  Mom even got a new "little black dress" for her anniversary trip to Las Vegas with Daddy.  She purchased a lot of trendy choices and they all look great on her!  Such a successful trip!  Congrats Mom!

To swine or not to swine...that is the question

So LISD is closed. What does that mean for the Trents? Well, not much thus far. Logan is still going to school, Brody is going to the nursery at church, and we are still living our regular life. Auntie Em is hoping the swine hits her school for a paid vacation. I have been using the hand sanitizer a smidge more than normal, but for the most part - life goes on. (That is, until we are hit with the swine!)

We have been extremely busy over the last couple of weeks. Things have been a blur really. Corey and I were blessed with a weekend away from the boys...thanks Mom and aunties! I think all had a fab time during their weekend away. Corey and I were able to have tons of fun in Seattle with our friends. We saw the market, Pioneer Square, the aquarium, Puget Sound, and lots of other things! I was thrilled with how much we were able to see and do. Thanks to Pat and Claud for hosting! Am and Cody - we'll travel with you again anytime!

Logan and Brody had just as much fun as we did. They had slumber parties over at Mimi's, went to the children's museum, and got to go to Andy Brown park. Brody was especially glad to see me when we got home - which I love!

Logan had his Spring Sing at school on Friday. He did especially good and his school sang for about 20-30 minutes...far longer than I would have thought possible by a group of 3-4 year olds. This age is so cute. During the "show" one of Logan's friends was literally petting his head for about half of the program. Logan was very focused on singing and didn't seem to notice. They even sang a couple of Spanish "numbers!"

We are getting geared up for Auntie Al and Archie's Stock the Bar Party this weekend. It is going to be a blast with good company & food! Sorry Logan and Brody, this shin dig is for adults only :(

Brody is quite the bruiser these days.  That little sugar takes a good tumble about 3-4 times a day at least.  Shoot, today at the park Brody had 3 pretty significant spills.  (2 of which were face plants!)  Last week we were at our friends' house and Brody fell, much like he always does, since he started walking, and about 1 hour later Brody looked like this:

What the freak happened?  Well, that is what I am still wondering today.  People have asked me all week long - and I have no clue, other than the fact that he fell.  Call me a bad mom, call Brody clumsy - just call me clueless!

Logan has had a couple of rough days getting back to normal after Easter.  I have called it an Easter behavior hangover.  Logan's teacher said that the whole class was in time out today at recess.  He has had a tough time listening since Sunday...some of that is fatigue since the big day, the rest I don't know...maybe too much sugar?  :)

Logan has been so funny lately about bedtime stories.  He likes a good story right out of our head before he goes to sleep.  Thus far, Corey and I have been pretty good at pulling a stories out of our heads - but recently Logan has started making "suggestions" on what should be included in the nighttime story.  For instance, tonight it was kind of like a Mad Lib - he gave me 3 things to incorporate in the story: blanket, crab, falling into my throat.  So the story went something like this:

Once upon a time there was a little boy who was playing on a blanket at the beach.  He was having such a good time he lost track of how long he had been there - then he had to leave really quickly to go home to his Mommy & Daddy.  He shook out the blanket and out popped a crab that went flying into the air.  The crab was swirling, the crab was twirling, RIGHT into the boy's throat!  The boy started coughing and spitting and the crab flew out and learned never to play in a blanket again.  The End 

Take that Dr. Seuss!  HA!

Easter madness

Well, it is about the time of year for the Easter bunny to make his appearance.  We have already been blessed to attend 2 hunts this year!  Brody is enjoying the fun, and although I should have pictures of these events, I don't.  The first hunt, I was helping to put it on, and things were a little crazy prior to the actual hunt.  Let's just say that I have serious respect for the big bunny and I can only imagine what it would be like to put out about 300+ eggs for 30ish kiddos.  Logan was so excited that initially he said "I'm excited" and then shortly after asked if he should be scared.   I just think he was trying to find another word to express his excitement.  It was a beautiful afternoon enjoyed by all.  

The second hunt, wasn't nearly as much of a success.  We got there right in the nick of time for it to start and at that VERY moment, Logan decided to turn into a cling-on.  He wrapped himself around my legs and started being shy...which doesn't work well for the egg hunt atmosphere.  They said "on your mark, get set, go!"  and Logan just looked up at me.   I encouraged him to go get the eggs and even went with him and we were able to pick up 5.  To some this might be a victory, but we were supposed to get 15 so Logan burst into tears.   The wind was blowing like a hurricane and since Logan chose not to wear a jacket, he was also freezing to add to the drama of the hunt.  At that very moment we decided to "take it to the house" and call it a day!   Even if Logan hadn't had enough - I had!

I headed out to the ranch this weekend to play with the girls.  I went out with the sisters and a couple of their friends.  I giggled quite a bit this weekend and had a blast.  We played board games and went fishing.  I caught 3 fish with 2 casts - seriously.  Just call me Jimmy Dance - or whatever that famous fisherman's name is.  We ate all weekend and also enjoyed some adult beverages as well.  We even made time for a quick stop at the Ghosttown museum in Thurber, TX.  Did you know that Thurber had over 10,000 people in it's population at one time and now the population is 5?  Strange, but true :)

Have a great Holy Week!

Have you ever?

Have you ever felt like you "stuck out like a sore thumb" in a situation?  Well, that very thing happened to me this weekend.  I woke up bright and early to head to the YMCA for "Instructor's choice" class at 8:15 on Saturday.  I thought I was doing myself a good thing, when in fact, I had no idea I was stepping into a whole other world all together.   Have you ever heard of "around the world, the charleston, a kick out, over the top?"  Well, I hadn't either - and apparently it is like a secret language among this select group of individuals who attend Step class on a regular basis.  I really felt like I was in a drill team, and everyone else knew the routine but me.  I guess that either I am highly uncoordinated - or I need a tutorial class to get me up to speed on this stuff.  Just when I would finally understand how to do the charleston while using the bench, she would move on to the next method of torture. 

During the class the instructor had us run a few laps around the track which I completed pretty quickly.  I was briefly proud of myself then realized I should have more energy than the rest of the class because I wasn't doing any of the step aspects of the class.  After my hour of humiliation the instructor asked if I would be staying for the next class - SERIOUSLY?  There are people that subject themselves to not only one but TWO hours of that?  Needless to say, I will not be attending "Instructors Choice" again any time soon!

Spring Break

Is Spring Break ever really a break?  I guess it is a break from school for some.  (Like my sister Em who is partying like a rock star in Rome right now!)  Our fam went in a number of directions for Spring Break this year.  Logan went with Grammy, Pa, Stacy, and his cousins to Fossil Rim park on Monday and got back on Wednesday.  Corey went to join them to enjoy fun in the sun with the dinosaurs.  All had a great time and everyone is going to bed early tonight...including Corey and I.

Mimi, Brody, and I trekked it down to Austin/San Marcos from Monday thru Wednesday.  We did swing by the LBJ Library on our way down to get our "tourist card" punched.  Then the shopping began at the San Marcos outlets.   If you haven't been before, these things 

are SERIOUS.   It is like 3 malls in one...and our favorite White House/Black Market always pleases our crowds.  Mom and I kept the place in business.  

Then tragedy struck on the way home from Austin...I got yet another TICKET.  I was going 81 in a 70 and he gave me a ticket.  Can you believe that???  I clearly cannot!  This is my 2nd ticket in a 6 month time period.  Boy it sure makes me grouchy!  Corey was so glad we were home that he wasn't even mad about it.  What a sweet hubs I have!  I will also add that we saw 10 cops on the way home though, so I was in good company :)  I am in a better place about the whole thing, really.

The drive from San Marcos to Dallas is about 4 hours long.  After about 2 hours, Brody was just about done with the whole "passenger" thing.  Additionally, the portable DVD player has been on it's last legs over the past couple trips we have taken.  The DVD player "bit the dust" as Daddy would say on the way down to San Marcos.  Mom and I took drastic measures

 to get home and swung by Best Buy to get a new one. (Hey, we would need a new one anyways, right?)