Spring Break

Here's a list of things you can do if your kids are spending Spring Break with family out-of-town.

Go to the movies
Go to the outlet mall twice
Shop for bunk beds
Organize three closets
Watch TV
Never go to HEB all week
Eat out every night
Never load/run/empty the dishwasher
Shoot guns at Red's
Go see a film at SXSW
Do favors for people
Hang out with friends late into the night
Talk
Pop into places
Eat Asian food
Never care what time it is
Read an entire magazine at once
Sleep until 9:15
Make only one thing for breakfast
Eat Taco Cabana in bed whilst watching the Amazing Race

Things your kids can do if they are spending Spring Break with family out-of-town.

Eat pancakes for supper
Eat waffles the next night for supper
Have a picnic everyday
Visit the Dallas Arboretum
Learn about birds at White Rock Lake
Skip naps
Visit a small airport to watch little planes take off
Sit in a cockpit (After which Jackson mused: "This day is a dream come true.")
Ride the DART to Ft. Worth
Visit a chocolate factory
Spend the whole day at the park with cousins
Visit with Uncle Jim
Go to Burger Island
Give up on potty training
Watch The Sound of Music (During which my Dad observed: "The Captain and Maria are falling in love." After which Luke wondered: "Why are they falling in the mud?")
Make worm boxes
Go to Target to pick out a toy
Visit the library
Watch the space shuttle launch over and over
Find some rocks and save them for Mommy

It's been a good week for all of us even though we've missed the boys a lot. We're leaving in a few hours to pick them up, and we're looking forward to the trip - listening to our own music, not having to stop, talking without being interrupted, not having to share our snacks, reading books. No, but really we have missed them, really.

Capitol Day

Mat spent a lot of time at the Capitol getting ready for a shoot we did last month for one of the documentaries that we're working on. (This is from the day of the shoot. Opera singer Barbara Conrad performed in the House chamber and the Rotunda.)



He decided that the boys would think it was a fun place to visit.







We spent the morning there on a recent Saturday, and we all had a good time looking around.





Sam Houston has a sword...cool!




Davy Crockett!



All boys love cannons.



Lukey was afraid of all the "polices" at first, but after we rode the elevator with one he realized they weren't too scary. Our Quote of the Day comes from Luke: "Why is that lady holding an ice cream cone?"



Finally after all that exploring and talk of ice cream, we needed a little treat.

Two Boys

Recently, I realized that Luke has spent almost every waking hour of his life with Jackson. They spend more time together than they do with Mat and me since they are together while we're at work. The other day (before the realization) I had to take Jackson to an appointment at a Kindergarten, and I was surprised by the fact that Luke was beside himself with grief/fear/sadness the entire time. "Mommy PLEASE turn the car around and go get Jackson. Please don't leave Jackson there. Mommy please can we go and get Jackson back. I don't want to leave Jackson by himself at that place. Please mommy." This went on for an hour until Jackson was safely back in the car.

Then last weekend Jackson spent Saturday afternoon over at his friend Daniel's house, and we went through the same thing again. I finally got him settled down enough to take a nap, but within a few minutes he was sobbing again for Jackson. I was rocking him and trying to talk through it. I said, "Lukey, Jackson's getting older and he's going to be doing some big boy things by himself now like going to Kindergarten." His reply, through a river of tears was, "But then we won't have two boys anymore!"

So sweet and sad. I assured him we would always have two boys. Their relationship will be longer than any other relationships they will ever have - longer than their spouses, and sadly if things go naturally, longer than even us. I hope they always stay best friends. Two boys forever.

Back by popular demand!

Your favorite American Idol singing in the tub!



And now for an encore!



That one still needs some work, but he's got a good teacher...

So long old friend...

It's been two weeks since Lukey has had his "papi" (pacifier). It's been a long road. We were sure we'd get rid of it when he turned two. Then when that didn't happen, we scaled it way back so he only had it when he was in bed. A few weeks ago he was really sick, and he got hooked on it again big time. Then he had an accident while playing with Jackson and one of his front teeth got knocked loose. That night I decided not to give him the papi because I didn't want the tooth to come out while he slept. And it was just time to get rid of it! Everybody who told us "Oh it'll be easier than you think" was wrong. It hasn't been easy at all. It's been extremely difficult to get him to sleep at nap and at night, and the first 10 days or so he was waking up a lot, crying for it, wanting it in the morning, etc, etc. It's better now, though, and he hasn't mentioned it in days. So that's one more baby thing that is over for us. Time to get serious about potty-training, I guess.

Oh and BTW, the card for my camera is messed up and so that's why I've been slow about posting any new pics or movies lately. I hope to get it fixed soon because I've got some good movies of Luke singing. Stay tuned...

Jackson's 5th Birthday Week

Jackson had a lot of opportunities to practice blowing out candles last week.

First, last weekend we celebrated with the Fosters. Be sure and check out my Flickr page if you want to see the crazy people who are responsible for the nurture part of my nature.



Next, a stack of biscuits covered in sugar and honey at Babe's, our favorite restaurant to visit while visiting the Fosters. Jackson told us later he was embarrassed by all the pretty waitresses who came over to sing Happy Birthday to him.



At preschool on Tuesday.



At home with the family.



And finally at the party on Saturday. The wind was the uninvited guest, and we were barely able to get a candle lit for him. Luckily I think everyone got some cake before it blew away. (Yes, the cake DID literally blow away.)



Here are a few other fun pictures from the week.

Pirate Cake.



Choco Face.



Pirate party with Miss Amy.

For Papa and Grammy

The other night I decided to take a picture of Jackson and Luke to email to my parents wearing the new pajamas they got them for Christmas. It ended up turning into a full-on photo shoot. Jackson kept suggesting different poses, and he gave me some of his best fake smiles. So I decided to post the whole session for my dad who is in the hospital this week getting his second knee replaced. Get well soon Papa! We love you!