7 is heaven

Birthdays around here are affectionately called Birthday Hanukkahs because they go on for several days and nights...and this year was no exception.

Friday night we celebrated with just the four of us.  The Mayor chose Mexican as his meal of choice...again, no surprise there.  It was nice having a quiet meal before the fun chaos of the weekend started.

After the Saturday morning ride/run on the greenway, The Mayor and D brought donuts home for everyone to enjoy.  The afternoon flew by and before we knew it, The Mayor's friends were being dropped off and it was time for the birthday celebration to begin.  D and Love Bug were going to have a fun daddy/daughter night and The Mayor and I took off with his three best buddies.  We went to an indoor trampoline park for the boys to jump for two hours.  The boys had an amazing time but I learned a couple of lessons: 1.) don't take four 6-7 year old boys to an indoor trampoline park on a Saturday afternoon by yourself.  The park was too crowded for my liking especially since three of the four boys didn't belong to me.  Thankfully it cleared out after the first 30 minutes and I was able to relax a bit without worrying I was going to lose one in the crowd and 2.) two hours is a really long time to jump.  The plan was to go get pizza after we jumped, but they boys were too tired they wanted to just go home!  So instead of pizza, we ran to Five Guys and ate burgers and fries.  No lie: we were in and out in less than 20 minutes.  Those boys were ready to get home.

the boys jumping

love these boys...great friends

After a quick dinner, we came home to open presents, eat cookie cake and hang in the basement for movie night.  They did find a small second burst of energy and had pillow fights and wrestled around but believe it or not, those boys were soundly sleeping before 10:30.  Success!

Sunday morning everyone was up around 7:00 and we had breakfast, got dressed and headed to church where the sleepover officially ended.  After church was lunch and then home where the kids played with some friends for a few hours while I cleaned the house from the weekend.  At 5:00, my family came over for a little family celebration.  We kept it super easy...pizza and lots of fun playing with our cousins.  The weather was perfect so The Mayor, Love Bug, Bennett and Walker played outside, J and D got to enjoy football and Meega, PopPop and I got to visit.

Turning 7 is heaven...for The Mayor and all of us.  It was an amazing weekend!  We will still have one more family celebration when we get to see MeMe and Big Daddy!

the Sunday night family celebration

the mayor is 7

Today The Mayor turns 7...eek!  I am 100% confident I say it every year, but 7 seems really old.  I still remember the day he was born so well and to think how far we have come in 7 years just boggles my mind.  This cutie lost two teeth and got eyeglasses for his 7th birthday...it has been a big couple of weeks for him!

A few weeks ago in school, they did vision and hearing tests on the 1st graders.  I was surprised when The Mayor failed his vision test twice.  I chalked it up to lack of focus and playing around but decided I would take him to an actual eye doctor.  We were shocked to find out he is near-sighted with his vision being 20/60 and is red/green color blind!  We left with a prescription for glasses and came back several days later to pick them up.  I met him at the bus stop with his new glasses and when he put them on, his response was "wow!  I can see!!" I felt terribly guilty but all is well now and he loves his "seeing glasses".

The Mayor and Love Bug both tested for their new karate belts last week.  Love Bug is a Tiny Tiger blue belt and The Mayor is a big kid/adult orange belt!  D and I tested as well since we started and we are both orange belts too.  The family that kicks together sticks together :)

Last week The Mayor finished up his soccer season...by scoring his first goal of the season and the only goal of the game.  Our team won 1-0!  I was the obnoxious soccer mom screaming for him...the look of pride on his face was priceless...all season he has struggled with offense so he has played defense.  He is great at protecting the goal but not overly aggressive when it came to scoring.  Well, last Saturday was his time and he scored.  It was amazing...I only wish I had captured it on video but I know I won't forget it.

This morning The Mayor and D went to the greenway for The Mayor to ride his bike and D to run.  They went 5 miles!  Pretty impressive.

D completed his second Ironman a few weeks ago!  It was amazing and I am beyond proud of his accomplishments.  A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into preparation for that race and I cried tears of joy when he crossed that finish line.  I love watching D race!

This afternoon The Mayor's three best buds are coming over and we are going to hit an indoor trampoline park, have dinner then come back for a movie and sleepover.  D and Love Bug will have a special daddy/daughter date night.  It is going to be a great night but I am pretty certain we will all be exhausted tomorrow.

birthday celebration in The Mayor's class...lots of October birthdays!

my sweet 7 year old...sporting his new glasses

we're back

So a necessary hiatus occurred for the last 6 months but now life is back in order and I am back blogging.  Since I last blogged a lot has happened...but we will only focus on the good...

The Mayor is now a Tiny Tiger red belt, had a successful Kindergarten year and today was his first day of 1st grade!  Love Bug is a Tiny Tiger green belt and will start PreK in 3 weeks.  My D is 7 weeks out from his second Ironman race.  His training is intense but I know he is going to be amazing and I can not wait to cheer him on.

Summer flew by and was amazing.  The four of us took a much needed trip to the beach for an entire week.  It was the best week and we can not wait to go back next summer.  Seriously, the kids ask on a weekly basis when we go back to the beach.  The kids went to two VBS's and The Mayor went to a week long karate camp.  I was so proud of him; it was Monday - Friday from 9-5 everyday and he did it!  I was a little worried he would be too young but his instructors had the utmost confidence in him and said he could do it.  He was so tired but it was good for him.

I hate I haven't documented the last 6 months of our lives through the blog so when me and the kids look back on these years from now I will be scratching my head...but if I update the last 6 months this blog post will be a novella.  So...we will just move forward.

so excited for 1st grade!

first day sparring...she knocked down her sparring partner in class...who was a boy!

orange and blue belts

At some point, I will need to write a long post recapping the last month.  But for now I will focus on today.

The Mayor and Love Bug had their belt tests for karate.  Love Bug was especially excited since this was her first test...and she was really excited to get a colored belt and an orange hair bow to match her belt.  Yes, she will be wearing matching hair bows for her belts.  She was almost more excited about the hair bow...

We were so proud of both of them.  Love Bug was one of two white belts out of 24 kids testing in this class.  The white belts tested on Wednesday but she couldn't make that test because of church so they allowed her to test with the colored belts.  She did amazing...she knew all of her forms and skills and she was really focused.

The Mayor did amazing as well.  He always knows his forms and skills but he was especially focused during this test.  This was the first test he wasn't a wiggle worm during the hour.  When he was supposed to sit, he sat and he was still.  It is amazing to see the progress he is making.

We are all excited about the weekend.  The weather is supposed to be warming up and I hope we get a lot of outside time.

getting ready for the test to start

doing her basic form

doing his basic form

demonstrating his blocks and "stranger danger" skills

demonstrating her "stranger danger" skills

demonstrating her form - songohm 1

before the test

orange belt!

blue belt!

after the test

karate and missing teeth

So a new year is upon us...it is so redundant to say...but time is flying by.  Another Christmas has come and gone, is packed up and the kids are already talking about next Christmas.  The Mayor asked if he could work on his Christmas list.  Just love it when kids have zero concept of time.

We spent the weekend after Christmas in South Georgia for a super fast visit.  It was a lot of fun packed into a very short timeframe.  Traffic was horrible Friday afternoon...what normally takes 4 hours door to door....took us 7 hours.  I thought D and I were going to snap.  The kids did great.  Thank goodness for snacks and a DVD player in the car.  We spent Saturday celebrating Christmas with the family and left first thing Sunday morning.  We just couldn't risk being stuck in traffic again.

waiting to open presents

Love Bug and Uncle Tom opening presents

so happy

love our princess

cuties

modeling her new costume...which lights up and plays music!

wearing his 3D glasses and new 3D toy

New Years Eve the munchkins spent the night at PopPop's and D and I celebrated with some friends.  It's been a long time since D and I have been out at midnight...at 9:30 I was kind of ready to be home in my PJs...but we took advantage of the free babysitting and enjoyed our night.

New Years Day we had some of our training buddies over to celebrate.  It was a fun day with lots of kids running around playing.  The kids were beyond exhausted when the day finally came to an end...I am pretty sure they passed out before their heads hit the pillow.

A major cold snap has hit Atlanta today.  Temperatures will be in the single digits and the windchill will be below zero.  Tomorrow was supposed to be the first day back from break but all schools have been canceled.  The South just isn't prepared for temperatures this cold.  It will be fun having the kids home for one more day!

This morning we braved the cold and went to Love Bug's ballet class.  The Mayor enjoyed seeing his sister dancing but really enjoyed the toys in the lobby and the fact another brother was there while his sister was in class.  After class we went to Meega's house so the cousins could play together.  After our playtime, we came home to get ready for karate.  But today it wasn't just The Mayor getting ready...today was Love Bug's first day of class!  She was so excited...and so adorable in her little uniform.  And I mean little...she is in the smallest size they offer and I still had to roll her pants at the waist.  I will be framing this little thing...especially if she sticks with it and becomes a black belt one day.  There were 13 kids starting today...all boys...Love Bug is the only girl.  She wasn't phased one bit.  She did awesome.  She was focused and showed no fear.

learning high blocks

While she was in class, The Mayor waited patiently for his class to begin...and decided to pull his 2nd tooth out.  Ah!  I am so not the parent who will be pulling teeth.  It made me so squeamish.  Especially since it wasn't really ready to come out...but he said it was time and he was a big boy and he was pulling it out.  And he did.  I gave him a paper towel so he would have a better grip and 10 seconds later, his tooth was in his hand.  Seriously, my teeth hurt right now just thinking about it.  But he proudly put that tooth under his pillow...he can't wait to see what the tooth fairy brings.  

Tomorrow will be a low key day.  Lots of movies, playing and lounging in PJs...and trying to stay warm.

merry christmas

Wow...another Christmas has come and gone.  And each Christmas just seems to become crazier and more chaotic than the year before...in the best possible way.  The Mayor was in our room promptly at 7:03 asking to go see if Santa came.  He wasn't very happy when we told him he needed to wait while he woke his sister.  Patience is definitely something we need to work on for 2014...for all of us!

We came downstairs to find a note from Santa!! Both kids made it on the nice list and Buddy our elf said goodbye until next year.  I tried my hardest for the "take turns opening gifts" and it lasted 3 1/2 seconds.  The Mayor really just wanted to tear into his presents...who am I to disappoint on Christmas? He was done opening his presents while Love Bug still had half of hers left to open.  While he is tearing through and enjoying each gift, she is meticulously tearing open the presents making sure to put each piece of torn paper off to the side before she goes in for more.  I love how different each of my children are...

After presents and breakfast, each toy was taken out of its packaging and played with.  We put on some movies that were received as gifts and just enjoyed the morning and afternoon together.

Around 4:00 our family came over to celebrate.  Meega, J, Bennett, Walker, PopPop and Uncle Bobby came over for dinner and round 2 of presents.  Excited and loud doesn't even describe the environment.  The kids were so excited just to be playing together and then to add more presents into the mix...it was awesome.  We finally had dinner on the table a little after 5:45 (which Meega and I made all on our own...and it was so good!) and enjoyed the company and listening to the kids playing.  Christmas is just so much more fun when you have young kids.  Everything is exciting at this age.

Love Bug actually asked to be put to bed last night at 6:30.  She was exhausted!  Everyone left around 7:00 and D and I finished cleaning, got into our PJs and were asleep shortly after 9:00.  It was a long, exciting, exhausting day and I can't believe it is already over.  Thankfully we will have Christmas round 3 this weekend when we celebrate with MeMe, Big Daddy, Aunt Nat, Uncle Tom, Trey and Luke.  Lots to get done before South Georgia Christmas starts!

putting out Santa's cookies on Christmas Eve

tracking Santa on the internet

the obligatory "waiting at the top of the stairs before seeing what Santa brought" picture...you can see how happy The Mayor is about this picture

love his sweet heart...thanking daddy for all his presents

she loves to dress up and sing...having a little concert

sweet Bennett...through all the chaos I didn't get a picture with the cousins :(