Winter is here! (At least for a day)

I can finally say that winter has come to Houston. It's so nice to actually USE a hat on Brennan. Yesterday it was 39 degrees. Tomorrow's forecast? 74 degrees. Sigh.....it was nice while it lasted.



Brennan is doing so well. I don't know if you can tell with the hat on, but he's turning strawberry blonde. He's sitting all by himself, pulling himself up in his crib, and even clearly said "HI DAD!" to Sean yesterday. I am sure it was by accident, but it was fun to hear actual words coming from that cute pudgy face. My little guy is growing up so fast, already 7 months old. Where's the "pause" button on life? I'd be pressing it all the time if there was one.

My Newest Niece

This is my newest niece, Tabitha. I love newborn babies, and having a neice is so much fun since we are a little short on girls on the Mathis side of the family. She was born on Halloween and weighed a little under 6 pounds. What a cute lil' peanut! I forget how TINY newborns can be. Both Connor and Gavin were under 6 pounds...funny how I don't remember them ever being this small!

In comparison, here is my brute baby. He's topping the scales at 19 pounds. I cannot believe how big he is and he's just turned 6 months! He's so dang chunky and delicious.
What would we ever do without you, Brennan?

(Sleeping babies are so sweet!)
Lori and Trigg are in the process of moving from San Diego to San Antonio. Lori will be staying at my inlaws until Trigg can find a place to live. Having to move and just having a baby...wow. You guys are awesome. Not everyone can do that and remain sane.

I miss childhood. I remember (vaguely) how to turn an ordinary box into an extraordinary toy. My boys had lots of fun playing in the "peanuts" today. One would hide and scare the other (or me) and then laugh until they had tears in their eyes.
Anyone want a couple of nuts shipped to them for Christmas?

I LOVE Adobe Elements!

I have found a new passion and it's name is Adobe Photoshop Elements!
I cannot believe how easy and fun it is to create really cool effects and scrapbooking pages, greeting cards, etc. with this program. I was just playing around a little bit today for about 45 minutes and cranked out 8 or 9 sample pages. It was sooo easy. I dread scrapbooking. I love the effect, but it is so terribly time consuming, (and expensive) so I have purposely neglected my kid's pictures after the first year of their lives. Not anymore! WOW. You don't get the same texture and cute 3D effect of real scrapbooking, but it takes a FRACTION of the time and looks just as cute in my humble opinion. (These pages are simple, no graphics. The program has a ton, but I try to highlight the photo without clutter. Not that there is anything wrong with that! :) ) I bought my copy of elements for $90. What a bargain. Best program ever!
Ok, Ok, I will stop talking endlessly...take a look for yourself.
(Mindy, I hope it's ok I used a sample photo of Emily. She is just so darn sweet in this picture.)

Texas Snow

It's funny how I miss little things like building a snowman.
My kids have only seen snow a handful of times and wonder why it doesn't snow here in Southeast Texas.

My friend Audra came up with a solution to the snowman dilemma. We went down to Galveston yesterday, and spent the day at the beach. Audra and her family thought up the idea of a "Texas Christmas" card and asked me to take her family's picture in front of a sand snowman. It was a brisk 64 degrees and windy, but otherwise beautiful. The kids had a blast building a snowless snowman.

Today we are a little sunburned, but it was worth it.
Here is the fruit of our labor.....

Connor and Gavin barefoot in the sand. I tried to get a picture of all three of my boys, but Brennan was NOT cooperating. We sure had fun making our sandyman. (Hidden pictures...do you see the kite surfer?
The oil rig platform?)

This is Audra and her family. She has been one of my dearest friends in Texas. They are moving to Highland Park in Denver, Colorado at the end of the month. Lucky!
They'll get to make real snowmen very soon!

These photos are rough drafts of her Christmas cards...
Cammie and Kayla looking so cute!

Something (Not So) Wonderful

Ok, so the big surprise has become a big disappointment.
A company approached Sean and wanted to partner with him, but the company is in Buffalo, NY meaning we'd have to move there. Sean said no-can-do. Then there were talks of a buy-out of Sean's software company instead. A very lucrative buy-out...one million dollars or close to that. So, I got a little excited, naturally. The big meeting was today, and things did not go as we hoped. The company did not come remotely close to the original figure. The nerve!
What does this mean for us? Not much, really. Sean's business is doing extremely well. We will be just fine without a buy-out, in fact it is probably the smarter thing to do in the long run. The only thing it affects is our move time line to Colorado. Instead of moving whenever we want to, we now have to wait several more months until the software project Sean is currently working on is complete....no big deal in the grand scheme of things.
Thank you all for your thoughts and good wishes on our behalf. Things always work out the way they are suppose to, so it's all good!
Next time I will keep my big trap shut so that I don't make you all suffer! Sorry. :)

Trick or Treat!

Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. I guess it's because I love to dress up and pretend to be something or someone else for a day. Thankfully, I married a very enthusiastic guy who enjoys doing the same. My kids are crazy about Halloween too! Not for the candy, though. They love to dress up and strut their stuff. Here are a few highlights of this year.....
May the force be with you, Connor jedi master!

Gavin is Jack Sparrow with a babyface.

We've come to take your candy! Mu-wah-ha-ha!

Sean ready to ride his Harley...he looks so tough with that black goatee. Hilarious!

Jenny Jr. dressed up as a pumpkin...Brennan wins the cutest costume award!

Connor and Gavin's School

Connor and Gavin go to a school that is quite different from most schools. It is a Waldorf school, which to some would seem very alternative, "tree-hugger" hippie, non-traditional, etc.

In reality the Waldorf philosophy is geared to letting kids be kids. My boys learn by doing, instead of staring at a worksheet or a blackboard. For instance, they act out plays with letters as the main characters, and when learning fractions, they bake bread and measure out ingredients. They are constantly learning through play, which is both fun and mentally stimulating. I don't know what it's like to have a girl, but boys are extremely active at this age. In fact, sitting still for hours on end is absolute torture! They get to jump in mud puddles and watch baby ducklings hatch. They wash dishes, knit, grow a garden, learn table etiquette, have field trips to dairy farms, learn about other cultures and people, and even learn German and Spanish. We feel like we've chosen the right school for our boys at this stage of their lives. What they lack in classical education now, they will more than make up for in a couple of years. The school's slogan is, "Education is a journey, not a race." The children even stay with the same class and teacher from 1st through 8th grade. Great friendships are formed...kinda like your family away from your family. The teachers must go through a rigorous training program to be "certified" in the Waldorf methodology....some serious science and psychology involved! Way cool.
We feel that the goal of primary education is not to simply teach them, but to instill a love of learning that will serve them for their entire life. A school cannot possibly teach a child everything he or she will need to know in life, so the only hope is for a child to have the ability as well as the desire to learn on their own. This is what we hope to give our children.

Gavin playing with classmates on a rainy day in the garden.

Gavin found a baby frog!

Hurricanes,Tornados, and Floods...Oh My!

Ok, let me start off by saying that Texas has some of the sweetest, most friendly people on the earth. There are always news stories of some good samaritan rescuing a family from flood waters or a burning building. Texas however, I can do without. Maybe I am generalizing the WHOLE state (and it's a big ol' state) and I should say the gulf of Texas I can do without. You see, it's hurricane season. We get pummeled by torrential rains, hail, floods, and sometimes tornados and hurricanes. For example, it rained atleast 10 inches in less than 24 hours at my house yesterday.
Recently, they have posted signs right outside the entrance to my neighborhood on I-45.
"Evacuation Contraflow" emergency signs.
My initial response was that of panic. No kidding, my heart rate doubled and I felt very anxious. Flashbacks of Rita's nightmare evacuation hit me hard. My kids ask me every time it rains really hard if there is a tornado or hurricane coming.
If it's scary for me, it has to be terrifying for them.
I don't mean to come across as negative. I tend to stress out easily. I honestly admire anyone who lives in the gulf states like Louisiana or Florida, and has to endure hurricane after hurricane, year after year. It was stressful enough just living with the threat of a hurricane.

One positive of all the rain? My grass and flowers look amazing!
Today is beautiful...all scrubbed fresh from the rain.
So there! I have said my peace.

I guess this is a bee, we grow strange bugs down south.
(Don't get me started on the bugs down here.)

This one has hidden pictures...
can you see a ladybug? A moth?
(Expand photo to see them.)

Mystery Game!

I thought it might be fun to play "Guess What's On Brennan's Face" Mystery Game!
You might be asking, "Hey, how do you play?" Well it's simple...guess what's on Brennan's face! The winner gets a brand-new car! (Hotwheels or Matchbox). You also get the honor of winning which is enough for some people.

So, for the car.......What's on Brennan's face? (Hint: It's a food. Not something found in a diaper).

We adore Brennan, if you can't tell. He has brought so much joy to our family. He's definately a morning person and will wake up giggling and squealing. He is a master spit-bubble blower; going for a world record I suppose. It's funny how I don't remember a lot of Connor and Gavin's babyhood...thank goodness for video cameras because my memory stinks! I am really trying to "soak it in" with Brennan since he is my last baby. I will stare at him sleeping and tell myself over and over, "Never forget this!" I hope I never do! :)

My Three Sons

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever expect to be the mother of three boys. If anything, I thought I'd have all girls. Boys are what I was given and I could not be happier. My boys are very rambunctious, smelly, funny, and surprisingly tender and sweet.
They are the light of my life.

Connor is 6. Handsome boy! He is my mechanic. If you ever need anything fixed, he's your man. He is also an incredible driver! Just ask him to drive you around on the golf cart sometime. He is also very sweet. He loves to give foot rubs, and help out with housework. He loves to sing and paint and ride his "June Buggy" around the cul-de-sac. Some lucky girl is going to win the jackpot of a husband someday.

Gavin is 5. He is a cutie. As you can tell from this photo, he is my comedian. He loves to make people laugh. He will carry on a conversation with just about anyone who will listen. He knows the make and model of every car on the road. (Enthusiast like Dad.)
He loves being a big brother and is extremely affectionate. He's the kid that picks me flowers or tells me "You look beautiful Mom".
What a charmer!

Last but not least is Brennan. He's almost 5 months old. It's hard to say what his personality is like quite yet, but he is the sweetest baby on the planet. Anyone can make him smile. He enjoys being a part of the crowd, and gets frustrated if everyone leaves him out. I sense he will be chasing after his big brothers very soon. He is a wonderful "Caboose" to our family and we are blessed to have him in our lives.

A Good Idea Gone Terribly Wrong....

Anyone who knows me very well knows that I am not the most graceful person on the planet. I tend to stick my foot in my mouth, or stub my toe on a daily basis. For instance, this week was the "Great Peanut Butter Blunder". I am really trying to cut sugar in my kids' diets, so I have switched to natural peanut butter, whole grains, organic milk, etc. The problem with natural PB is that it has about an inch of oil on top that needs to be mixed in order to spread properly. I have drained the oil before and it was like spreading wet sand on bread. I hate mixing peanut butter by hand...it requires a whole lot of muscle, so I thought..."Why not use my hand mixer?" Sounded like a good idea at the time.
As I stuck the mixer into the peanut butter, a little bit of the oil splashed out over the rim and got the side of the jar a little slippery. When I turned on the mixer, the mayhem began. The jar was so slippery it just whipped around in my hand as peanut butter and oil was flung 10 feet in every direction. When I tried to turn it off, I accidentally bumped into the jar of strawberry jam, sending it flying and then crashing to the tile floor. (Imagine sticky glass explosion all over the floor).
Every inch of my kitchen was covered in oily, sticky, sharp goo.
Connor and Gavin cautiously looked at me; I am sure they expected a string of curse words out of me, but instead I just started laughing....almost to the point of tears. I can only guess how totally hilarious the scene must have looked to anyone who saw it. The kids started laughing too, and even helped clean up the mess. And it was a MESS! I am still finding globs of peanut butter on the blinds.
Lesson learned: PB and mixers are not friends.
I went and bought a jar of JIF.

Sasha & Sophia

We are lucky to have some of the sweetest cats on the planet...not to mention the prettiest. Even if you are not a cat person, you'd love these cats. We bought Sasha and Sophia from a breeder in Dallas who has on average about 20 cats at any given time, mostly show-quality full bred Silver Tabbies. She does however sell her pet quality cats to loving homes. We bought Sasha last year and were so happy with her that we recently got Sophia. Both cats come when called, can fetch an object, greet you at the door, lick your hand when you pet them, and play well with the kids and eachother (kinda like dogs). They are very athletic and can jump really high! Some can even be trained to do tricks. We really haven't done much on training them, because they are so much fun already. Sophia is a little firecracker...so funny, speeeedy, and curious. She nearly trips you every morning because she tries to lay down on your feet. When she meows you can barely hear it... almost like she has a broken squeaker. Sasha is quiet and sweet, greets you every morning with a string of meows that end in a question mark, rolls over on her back to have her belly rubbed (another dog-like trait) and loves to eat a lot. Sasha loves playing with Sophia and will endure anything the boys can dish out. She is awesome. Well enough chatter, on with the pictures.
After all, a picture is worth a thousand words! :)

Sasha sitting pretty in the sun.

The girls look sleepy, time for a catnap.

Sophia can beat you every time in a staring contest!

Sophia yawning....she's lost almost all of her baby teeth.

A good picture of Sophia's markings. Ain't she sweet?
My sister-in-law Jenny Mathis (yes, there are two of us) thinks these cats look like a black and white watermelon. Can you see it?

My Budding Artist

My oldest son Connor has become quite the budding artist. I am really impressed with his watercolor talents, seeing as watercolor is by far the hardest medium to work with in my opinion. I think they turned out beautifully! Go Connor!

My personal Favorite is this one called "Baby". Connor painted this one for me when I was days away from delivering my youngest son, Brennan. This was his interpretation of the baby still in the womb.

"Autumn Wind"

"Butterfly"

Groundhog Day

Ever see the movie Groundhog Day? Well, that's my life in a nutshell at the moment....everyday I wake up, do the same thing I have done a million times before. I am a mother of three boys ranging in age from 6 to 4 months old. Three kids are tough, and at this stage in my life, three very active boys are murder. Cleaning up after three crazy boys, (well four actually if you count my hubby) adds to the "Groundhog Effect". ( By the way, what's the deal with laundry? It takes on a life of it's own!)
Am I complaining? Maybe a little. Just once I would like to shake things up a bit....you know, wake up in some glamourous place without dirty diapers and runny noses. No dishes or spending hours in the car chasing back and forth and back again. Someone to say, "Hey, I can see you and your husband REALLY need an overnighter, let me watch your kids with no strings attached!" Ahhhh, heaven.
The funny thing about Groundhog Day however, it IS my life. If you suddenly took away my kids, I know I'd be lost. I'd miss the poopy diapers and runny noses and giggles and soft kissable cheeks. If I had an overnighter with my husband, I'd probably keep him awake for hours talking about the latest thing the baby did, or what was on sale at Kohl's. So don't feel bad for this stay at home Mom. Groundhog Day has moments of sheer bliss and beauty, mixed in with all the mundane. I am happy to be stuck here...and maybe someday I will look back on this time in my life and miss it terribly. The lesson that I have learned from all of this is to enjoy what you've got while you've got it....because all too soon it is gone.