Baby Miller Goes to School

Today was sweet baby Miller's first day of "school".  He's going to our church one day a week this year.  I may have waited and started him next year, but Aiden's favorite teachers from when he was 2 are the teachers for this class and they really wanted Miller, so after some coaxing, I agreed.  Truth be told, I could use some time to get some stuff done!  Let's just say that Miller's favorite things to say right now are "Hold you!" and "NO!".  That combo doesn't allow much time for me to get stuff done:).  I was a little worried about how he would react to me leaving him.  My fears were totally unfounded, to say the least.  Miller was excited about going to school and he was workin' it for the camera!  But first we had to take big brother Aiden to his school:

Then it was off to South Tulsa Baptist for Miller's first day.  I told him mama wanted to take his picture in front of his school and he replied, "GO!".  That's what he says these days instead of saying yes when he wants to do something.  "Miller, do you want to go play?" "Go!"  "Miller, do you want to go outside?" "Go!"  "Miller, do you want to read a book?"  "Go!"  So precious.

I put his backpack on him, which he was really excited about and he stood there in front of the church posing for pictures for at least 5 minutes.  Both of my children are hams for the camera.  I have no idea where they get that from. 

 After I got several shots of him in front of the church, I told him it was time to go inside.  He started walking in like he owned the place, so I decided to just roll with it--taking pictures all the way.  He walked straight in and went right into the classroom that we go to every week.  He didn't understand when I told him this wasn't his class!  But, I told him to follow Ms. Staci (one of his teachers) and he went right into his room.

I stayed for a few minutes and he let me leave without so much as a single tear.  I guess the crying on the first day is for the mamas.  My little baby is growing up.  I am so happy and sad about that all at the same time.  It is such a joy to watch, but I know there will come a day when he won't need me so much anymore.  And I just don't know what I'll do with myself then.  I love you Bubba!

much love,

Gina

Back to School Blues

It was a beautiful morning.  The sun was shining, the birds were chirping and the air was the perfect temperature.  I woke up, casually got dressed, fed everyone a nice family breakfast, got them dressed and off we went out the door to Aiden's first day of school.............NOT EVEN CLOSE!

I woke up to Scott telling me "we have a problem".  The problem was that the torsion bar on our garage door had completely broke in half and my car was trapped inside the garage.  Fortunately for us, he had gotten his car out to go to the gym this morning and it didn't break until he tried to open it when he came home.  So, we tried to get the door up and it was not going to happen.  On to plan B.....switch the car seats to his company car, throw clothes on the kids, beg and plead for Aiden to eat breakfast (who promptly throws it in the trash as soon as I turned my back), throw everything together while literally running through the house trying to get it all done, force my child to pose for pictures, then put them in the car as fast as we can and off to school.  It was at this point that we got behind a person on Yale who was going TWENTY FIVE MILES AN HOUR!!!  Oh my.  My dad always, and I do mean always, used to say to me "pre-planning prevents a poor performance".  Well dad, I pre-planned, then I re-planned and then I planned again and sometimes life just creates chaos when it's the most inopportune time.  Especially when you have small children.  So, I didn't get all my fabulous first day of school pictures that I wanted and the only one I got of me with Aiden was the one I took myself of us hunched down next to the car right before we got in it.  But I was there.  And when I forgot to hug him goodbye because I was trying to hurry for Scott to be able to get to work, I went back.  I hugged him tight and told him to have the best day and that I couldn't wait to hear all about it when he got home.  And it made him smile.  That was all that mattered.  So here is our crazy morning in pictures, although I'm sure you can't tell by looking at them all the chaos that was going on.  And I hope that sweet smile at the door is all I remember of this day in twenty years when I tearfully look at these pictures.

much love,

Gina

A Warm Home

We had a house warming party after we finished the project in our backyard.  It was a crazy two months of construction right outside our bedroom door every morning at 7 am, but I think the end result was worth it.  (More on that later because I PROMISE I am going to take pics tomorrow and post them asap!)  Back to the party......have I mentioned how blessed I am with wonderful friends?  Well, I am.  They are the best friends a girl could ask for.  Most importantly, they are always there for me in good times and have supported me through some bad times.  Here are just a few pictures from the party.  I am so sorry for those who I didn't get pictures of!  But I did want to share the pictures I had:

 And I had to include on of my brother, Michael.  He was the first friend I ever had!

I have so many blessings to count right now that I don't even know where to start.  Thank you so much to everyone who came to the party.I know there were a lot of you who I didn't get pictures with.  I was a bad host and didn't take any pictures.  So, the only ones I have are ones that other people took.  I hope you all know how much Scott and I truly appreciated you being there!  It meant a lot!

much love,

Gina

I Was Running!

I am most definitely NOT a runner.  So when my friend Stacy called me in July and asked if I would run in the Bedlam Run with her, I was terrified....and excited.  I made myself a promise when my dad died that I was going to challenge myself to do something that I would have thought was impossible and then I was going to do it.  The thing I came up with was running a 5K.  I have been going to the gym, but I hadn't been running because it completely wears me out.  Again.....I am NOT a runner....at all.  So, when she asked me to do it, I immediately agreed in an effort to force myself out of my comfort zone.  In doing so, I proved to myself that nothing is impossible.  And not only did I finish the race, but I finished in the top half!  120th out of 306 runners.  Not too shabby for my first time.  I hope my kids will read this one day and see that even if you try to set what you think is an impossible goal for yourself, not only can you meet it, but you can exceed it!

 Me, Stacy and Missy:

Thank you so much to my sweet husband for coming out to support me.  Just having you there helped me so much!  Thank you also to my amazing mother-in-law for staying with the boys so he could go with me.  I can't wait for the next race!

much love,

Gina

Like Father, Like Son

Two little peas in a pod.  That is Scott and Aiden.  They crack me up when they start posing for pictures together.  I just had to include these pictures that I took one Sunday before church.  I was hoping for a sweet father and son shot and these are what I got:

 And one of me, thanks to Aiden.  I swear that boy is the only way I get my picture taken!



Love my boys.  How lucky am I?

much love,

Gina

Fourth of July

We had a pretty low key Fourth of July this year.  We took Aiden and bought some fireworks and set them off in the cul-de-sac.  The boys had a great time watching the pretty colors and Miller wasn't afraid of the loud noises at all.  He yelled "Mo!" (more)  After it got dark, we put Miller to bed (because I am such a sleep Nazi with my kids) and Grammy J came over so we could take Aiden to see a fireworks show.  Grammy's house backs up to a golf course, so we just parked in her driveway and walked out onto the course.  We followed the cart path until we were close enough to the club house to see the show.  We all sat down in the grass.  It was dark.  It was quiet and it was peaceful.  Once the fireworks started, Aiden was cuddled up with his head on my stomach and his legs across his daddy.  It was such a beautiful moment.  And then the sprinklers went off and shot me straight in the face.  Oh well....it was beautiful while it lasted!

I hope you all had a fun Fourth of July.  Thank you to all of our men and women who have and are serving our country.  It is an amazing sacrifice for our freedom--and freedom isn't free!

much love,

Gina