Family Matters

Kirk and his cousin Bella went to Disney on Ice in Charleston on Saturday, February 24.  Kirk and Bella had a great time watching some of their favorite characters skate on the ice.  Kirk was a "little bit scared" of the Genie from Aladdin (because he came out of the lamp with a big bang of smoke) and he didn't like the "big shark on 4 legs (because there were 2 people skating inside it!) that chased Dori and Marlin (from Finding Nemo).  He thought Pumba from the Lion King was hilarious on ice skates, and he of course had a stroke when the Toy Story characters came out.  He was really good, and sat in his own seat most of the time.  He was even a trooper through the super crowded mall afterwards.  He has been pretending to "skate" around the house, and makes me "take a seat" to watch him.  He is so funny!  

Does he look excited for the show, or what?

I promised him a treat if he used the potty the whole day and stayed dry.....so this is him smiling very hard with his $12.00 Nemo snow cone, which was the messiest thing I think I've ever tried to help him eat.  I tried my best to talk him into the cotton candy, but it didn't work!

Kirk and Bella focusing on the show....

Kirk was waving and screaming his guts out at the end of the show when all of the characters came out together!  He kept saying, "Hello Buzz, Kirk is right here!"  Haha!

We met Kirk's cousin Holden and his Mommy Chanda at Billy Bob's on Sunday, February 25. Kirk and Holden are only 1 day apart in age, and they are definitely both too big for their britches right now!  They were both insistent on trying things that were way too big for them, but it is so hilarious to watch them try.  Kirk and Jeremy are playing a game in the picture above, and how funny is the picture below of Kirk on the motorcycle?  Why is it that boys love to drive anything?

Watching them in the ball pit was hysterical!  They were both so crazy and loved it so much!  The picture above was taken when they first jumped in, and they were both screaming their heads off and jumping all around.  The picture below is so funny....they were sinking and laughing so hard they couldn't get up!  I love boys!

Holden loved the basketball game, and he even made a few baskets with his Mommy's help!

They both had a great time.  

Kirk had a fun weekend playing with his cousins.  We're so thankful to have them around and to get to spend time with them.  It's so fun watching them all grow up together!

A busy week....

I had to include a picture of some of the Valentine's Day things I made for my school kiddos.  I made a background with a banner and took their picture in front of it holding a large white tube, and when I printed the pictures, I put a sucker at the end of the tube.  It looks like the kids are holding a HUGE SUCKER!  They turned out so cute, and the parents loved them.  I also put their pictures (the each held a sign that said "I love you")  on a heart shaped doily, laminated it, and put a magnet on the back.  They turned out adorable!  I love out doing myself each holiday with crafty ideas!

I also had to post a picture of the very BEST Valentine box that any of my kiddos has ever brought in to class.  Each year, I send home a note explaining to families that the kids are supposed to help make a box for their Valentine cards from their friends.  It can be anything they want, and I encourage them to be creative.  My little 3 year old Connar lives on a farm and is a good ol' country boy....so why wouldn't he bring in a barn to put his Valentine cards in?  It was great, and the barn doors opened so his friends could get his cards inside.  It was so cute, and so creative!  Way to go Connar and his family!  I loved it! *Notice Connar's blue stained face......we had cupcakes with blue icing.....note to self, NEVER get cupcakes with blue icing!  Ha!

Jeremy and I went to the MU Quarterback Club of Charleston's Valentine's Day Dance on Saturday, February 18.  We had a great time hanging out with our friends and showing our support to Herd football.  The picture above is a super cool MU logo that was reflected in the lobby of the Marriott.  I took the picture from the balcony above.

How cool is this football helmet ice sculpture?  We loved it!

Jeremy is wearing his new MU cuff links that I got him for Valentine's Day, but of course you can't see them!  I had to go get him a french cuff shirt to go with them as well!  Ha!

We had a great time at the dance!  Jeremy watched some of the new recruiting video and we got to hear the coaches speak about our upcoming season.  I'm excited to welcome a Lawrence County Bulldog to the Herd team this fall, and I'm hoping for some HERD wins!  We got to see a lot of our friends (that we typically don't see between tailgating season!) and we were glad to get out and support MU.  It doesn't take much to get Jeremy all excited about football season....he's already talking about the spring game!  We're gearing up for another busy week with two MU home basketball games.  We're hoping we can pick it up and win the rest of the season!

Happy Valentine's Day and GO HERD!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Kirk wasn't too fond of wearing his "mustache" for his Valentine card pictures!  I made the best of it and used  the best of the worst pictures!  They turned out cute, though!  He laughs every time he looks at them!

I am so proud to have two boys to call my "Valentines" this Valentine's Day.  When I think about this amazing little boy and how it all started when "two people fell in love," I get a little lump in my throat.  I still remember how quiet (shy) Jeremy was when I first met him, and I can remember sitting across from him during our first date (at Applebee's.....hahaha!) and how nervous I felt!  I knew quickly that I liked him a lot and I loved how his eyes were so deep dark blue and his eyelashes hung over them.  I thought I'd date him for the summer (of 2000...a long time ago!) and then move on.  Little did I know that he'd steal my heart, and give me a precious little boy with those same deep blue eyes and matching lashes!  I know people are mushy about finding their "soul mate" and I roll my eyes at stuff like that all the time, but Jeremy Walker truly is my soul mate and the best man I know.  He may not shower me with romance, but he'll cook dinner for us after he's driven 6 hours that day, he gets up early with Kirk on the weekends and lets me sleep in, and he'll go out in the cold to fill the gas tank in my car or scrape my windshield free of ice in the morning.  I love him with all my heart and I can't imagine taking one breath without him by my side. I have fallen in love with him all over again watching him become a father to our son.  I am so thankful that our home is so full of love and respect.  Happy Valentines Day to everyone, and I hope you're feeling loved today, too!

Jeremy and I on our honeymoon (Dominican Republic) in June 2003....we hope to go back there next year for our 10th anniversary!

Busy Boy

     Kirk's play at home now involves crazy scenarios with runaway trains, crashing and exploding towers and of course, Buzz Lightyear saving the day.  I took this picture last Saturday morning after I had "helped" him assemble his Lego Toy Story train, build a tower and a bridge out of alphabet blocks (notice it "exploded") and he set up his Lego zoo over on the side, "so the elephants wouldn't stomp on the train."  He played for about 45 minutes with all of these toys, and the story line would have made a really great action movie!  His ability to pretend play amazes me, and sometimes he lets me add to the story, and sometimes he just wants me to play along.  Thank goodness we had the "real Buzz" to save us all from destruction!  To infinity and beyond! 

Happy birthday to Brady!  Kirk encouraged Brady to "eat your cake!" at his birthday party on Saturday, January 28th.  Kirk had a great time celebrating with Brady, and he loved all of Brady's Thomas the Train decorations!  He went along the table cloth naming all of the trains, and he was very "patient" (or so he said) while he was waiting for his own piece of cake.

Kirk enjoyed his cake, ice cream, and of course his party hat!

Kirk LOVES party horns!

      This is a quick video of Kirk shaking his new "giant glow stick" at the Marshall basketball game on Wednesday, January 25th.  Kirk loves to "go crazy" cheering for the Herd and wave his glow stick in the air when the lights go out at the beginning of the game.  He even knows now that the video clip at the end will be Coach Herrion saying "Go Herd!"  He won his first Gino's pizza a this game and he was super proud of himself!  The people that sit around us were so proud of him for winning his pizza and they always tell Jeremy and I how impressed they are with how Kirk enjoys the games and cheers so well!  We are definitely raising a little Herd fan!

Our first "school" pictures!

     Kirk had his first "school" pictures taken at Cross Roads Child Care on Thursday, January 19.  He practiced his smile for days and we talked about how to take a "handsome" picture.  I was SO NERVOUS about him taking pictures away from me, but they turned out great!  They look even better, when you consider that just a few minutes after he got home from school that day, he started throwing up and had an awful stomach bug!  He is posing in the picture below with his teachers (from left to right) Miss Jessie and Miss Judy.  He loves them very much, and talks about them every day. 

      I cannot put into words how thankful I am for them and for Cross Roads!  They take care of my most precious possession every day, and I know that he is happy and safe.  He has learned so much and enjoys playing with his friends each day.  Anyone who knows me knows how critical I am, especially about Kirk's care.  I cannot thank these ladies (and all his other teachers) enough for what they do for our family each weekday.  Kirk loves his "school" and we do too!  

Kirk's 2 year old class, January 2012

Crafty Christmas

I usually only blog stuff about Kirk, but I had to put a few pictures of my school kiddos from our Christmas program at school.  I made all of their snowman shirts....aren't they cute?!  The girl shirts had little bows on them and I made Christmas hairbows for all of them to wear as well.  I thought they all looked so cute, and I was pretty proud of my craftiness!

  

What precious little girls!  Thank goodness I have some girlies at school that I can make hairbows for!  I'm lucky to get Kirk to stand still long enough for me to put some gel in his hair at home!

Our class performed "I'm a Little Snowman" and "Frosty the Snowman."  The kids did a great job singing and dancing on stage.  It was a lot of work, but it turned out to be a great show!  I'm a little crafted out for a while, though.  Well....until Valentine's Day, anyway! 

New year, new bed, new moves...

Jeremy and I finally admitted that it was time to deal with converting Kirk's crib into a toddler bed.  It was a sad day for me, because it means my little baby is growing up so fast!  Jeremy changed the front out on New Year's Eve, so Kirk slept his first night of 2012 in his new "big boy" bed.  He loved it, and kept saying "I love this hole!"  (meaning the opening to get in and out).  He wants to get in bed all by himself, and of course, all of his "friends" (his stuffed Woody, Buzz, Bullseye, Blue, and Rex...I know, it's ridiculous that he sleeps with so many toys....pick your battles, right? )   like his new bed, too.  Kirk's always been a pretty good sleeper in his own bed, and he's slept every night since without any problems.  He even has a big boy pillow, and lets us use a quilt to cover him up instead of his blue baby blanket.  It's been a year of big changes....new bed, no pacifier, new classroom at day care....he is growing up, and I don't think I like it too much!

Kirk is singing "Just Like a Rock Star" by the Fresh Beat Band.  They are on Nick Jr., and one of his favorite shows.  He has been singing this song for a while now, and it seems that he puts more and more into his "performance" each time.  I had to catch a few minutes on video so everyone could see how crazy he is, and how passionately he sings, "Just like a rock star....hey, hey, hey!"