First Day of School 2012

Last Tuesday we started the new school year.  While a lot of mom's across our town were fighting back tears, I was very excited to send my children off on a new adventure.  Is something wrong with me??  I mean, I love my children to pieces, but I also have no problem watching them grow and go off on new adventures.  Maybe it is because I loved school sooo much that I get all giddy at the thought of school supplies, books, learning, etc that it overrides my sadness as a mom watching her children getting bigger by the moment.  Don't get me wrong, I do have moments of realization that take my breath away but when it comes to sending my children off to school I don't.

Anyway, before we loaded up to head to school we tried to take our yearly first day of school pictures.  We tried our hardest to get a good picture, but most of the time the children, especially Shelby, were more interested in being silly then serious.  At first this was rather frustrating, but then I said to myself, "Hey, if she wants to be silly, let her be silly.  What better way to capture their little personalities then when they are being goofy."

This first picture is actually the best one we got but most of them.....

were like this

or like this...

Then we moved onto individual pictures. 

JP's first day of kindergarten.

(Don't ask me what the leaf was about.  They both decided they needed a prop to pose with.)

Shelby's first day of 2nd grade.



Okay, now I am ready to cry:(  Where did the time go and I miss my babies!!!! 

Can I get a Witness?

JP is actually listening...well, sometimes....

Sunday at church during the children's sermon Pastor Bill asked the children what was the only way to Heaven?  The children (at least most of them) quickly replied, "You die."  Of course we adults got a huge kick out of that.  We knew the answer that he was looking for, but children are quite literal so they gave him an incorrect correct answer.  As he went on to explain more about Jesus and what he did on the cross and through is resurrection so that we could spend eternity in Heave with God he asked the children where Heaven was and my sweet, shy JP who never speaks up said, "Straight up."  I was unaware that it was him until the end of the service so you can imagine my surprise when Rachel told me.  What a stinker!!!

Monday morning Shelby was walking around the house pretending like she was dead, but she could walk.  I think that she might have said the word zombie but part of me can't believe where she would have heard that word so I am not sure.  At any rate, she made a comment about walking around dead.  JP said, "Everyone walks around dead."  So I told JP that there was no such thing as dead people walking around.  And without missing a beat he said, "Yes mom, we are all dead in our sins."  HOLD UP!!!  Did he just say that?!?!?! was the response in my head but what I said was, "You are right JP; you are so right.  How do we become alive?"  He replied, "God makes us alive."  Then I asked him what God did so that he could make us come alive.  And he said, "Jesus died on the cross."  Bingo!!!  So impressed that he seems to be getting it:)

All this time I supposed everything went in one ear and out the other, but somethings are actually sticking.

So, About the Rest of July....

So what did the rest of July look like??

Well, we sent off our cousin back to Argentina in style.

The kids and I enjoyed some pool time at Grammy and Papa's house.



I braved our first sleep over while Pratt was away. (In case you are wondering, it went off without a hitch.  The children had a great time and stayed up way too late, but that is what you are supposed to do at a sleepover.)

We played tourist for the day with our friends, the Dalzells, complete with a day at the beach and a trip to Coligny Plaza where we found Sweet Carolina Cupcakes, Frosty Frog, and The Frozen Moo.



The girls tried to take down Uncle Matt when he came to visit.  I think it was a tie.

JP went to camp at school and the theme was Circus.  My sweet little clown!  I mean, it doesn't get much cuter than that<3>

Shelby also went to camp at school with her bff and our neighbor Neely.  The girls had a blast and Shelby really enjoyed showing Neely her school.

All in all it was a great month and it flew by.  After June seemed to drag on and on I just can't wrap my head around how fast July came and went.  We are now at the one week count down for school to start and fall activities to begin.  Shelby is super excited about Tumbling class and we are hoping to get JP some golf lessons.

It's Pinteresting

Have you heard of the insanely addicting website called Pinterest?  Well, if you haven't then don't go there!!  Consider this your warning.

In an effort to keep track of things I thought that it might be fun to blog from time to time when I try new recipes.  Lately my obsession with Pinterest has ignited in me a desire to try new recipes so here is my first post. 

This morning I was going to try Blueberry Oatmeal Bake but was out voted 2 to 1 by my children who thought that the Pancake Muffins.  The deal was that I had to have all the ingredients in the house and sure enough I did.  Well, I actually went out on a limb and modified the recipe just a tweak and thankfully they were a huge hit!!!

My recipe for Pancake Muffins:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Line muffin pan with liners (I always try to use liners when cooking muffins because it is such a pain to try to clean a muffin pan!)

Mix: 1 cup of Bisquick, 2/3 cup water (I think the next time I am going to use milk), 1 egg, 1/2 cup syrup

Fill muffin cups about half full

Sprinkle chocolate chips/blueberries/whatever topping you like

Bake for 13 minutes

Enjoy!!!

Two happy campers at breakfast!!!

Other recipes I have tried and the result:

Quinoa Cakes: they were all right, the recipe I tried called for tons of pepper and let's just say they turned out extremely peppery!!  Might have to try that one again.

Oven Fried Zucchini chips: very tasty!!  Definitely have to put this one on the rotation to break up the steamed veggie train we ride in this house.



Happy 4th

Fourth of July is always so much fun!!  It is about spending time with family and celebrating our country and our freedom.

We swam with Grammie on Monday.  JP is definitely becoming very brave and agile in the water. 

He also had his first driving lesson with Uncle Matt. 

"Look Mom!  No hands!!"

Okay, so we have some work to do (thank goodness he is only 5).

Fourth of July is also about wearing matching t-shirts!!  We almost looked like twins except for the whole eye color, hair color and skin tone thing.

 Happy Fourth of July from our family to you!!! 

Lakehouse

Last weekend we enjoyed an amazing, relaxing weekend at the lake house.  This place is very special to our family and never disappoints in fun and memories! 

As soon as we got there the children put on there suits and headed out back.  JP spread out this towel beside me and as he was laying down he said, "I just love days like this."  I said, "Days like this?"  And he replied, "Yeah, just relaxin' and..."  He got distracted by something mid sentence and ran off.  I laughed out loud!  What five year old boy says he likes days just relaxin'???

Even though the rope swing was broken, the children (and adults) had fun swinging on the rope that was left.  Pratt was amazing at it I must say.



Pratt and Gerrit thought it would be great fun to throw the children in the lake with their clothes on.  The children thought it was the best idea ever.  JP is still talking about swimming with his clothes on.  They giggled and laughed and had a ball!

It is hard to believe how much these two girls are growing up.  We have a picture of Shelby and Neely when Shelby was just a few days old and Neely was a few months old.  They are propped up next to each other on our couch.  Now look at them!!!!  Practically adults:(





Sawyer and Sienna

On May 16th, 2012 the Arquez family grew by two.  Pratt's sister Suzy and her husband Patricio along with Sebastian welcomed their newest members into the world.  Sawyer and Sienna were a little early and a little itty bitty but they were healthy and we are so thrilled to have them.  Sawyer weighed in a 3 lbs. 6 ozs. and Sienna was 4 lbs. 5 ozs and every bit of them is precious.

Shelby can't get enough of "Sianna" (a true southern girl always elongates syllables:).  She asks everyday if she can hold her.

JP isn't quite sure what to make of these tiny little beings, but he humored me long enough to capture this pictures.  He is pretty content with a quick glance and then runs off to play boy stuff with Sebastian.



Uncle Pratt and Sawyer getting in some guy time.  I can't even begin to describe how little these sweet babies are.  What a blessing!!!