Brock turned the BIG 4!! We celebrated with the family(his party is soon to follow) & he picked out everything...cupcakes, plates, candles & gifts..haha. I have to tell you all this, because this is just Brock. I was searching around the house everywhere trying to find where I put the candles for Brock. I even missed him opening up some of his gifts, because I felt like a goofball not remembering where they were(we had a house full of family)?? So, ancient time later....to heck with the candles- lets sing Happy Birthday!! Before we could get the first note out, Brock shouts, "Hey mom I know where my candles are! I will be right back." He had taken the candles up to his room! Go figure with Mr. Brock Davis. I should have known Brock knew where they were.

Cleaning Out!

The last couple of days I decided to tackle Miss Lilly's closet & clean OUT!! I started with three boxes...one for resale shop(friends), another for garage sale & then to the toys I want to save for my grand kids one day. I came to the conclusion that I was saving everything....when I looked over at the keepsake tote. It was ridiculously overflowing with cute little baby toys & the forgetful playtime memories. Some(most) of the toys started with Bryce, then survived all the way down to Lilly(don't know how the toy managed to stay together). Those were for sure a keeper- w/o a doubt! I just didn't want my children to grow up & think I did not save any of their favorite toys. Now, they will probably think I saved EVERYTHING!! Here goes my obsessive compulsive behavior again. In the end I was amazed how much Lilly had outgrown her clothes & shoes(she just outgrew her last years fall clothes). Pants still fit around the waist, but she is definitely flooding in the length department-poor baby. So, needless to say, Lilly needs some new winter clothes. Watch out stores here we come!! Lilly is like her mom & freezes where ever she goes. She wears fall clothes to school, because she feels like an ice cube every time I pick her up. Thanks Bryce, Brock & Lilly for swaying mommy to keeping almost all your toys(you tell them we are going to get rid of it & they act like they have been searching for that particular toy forever)!! You can explain to Daddy when he can't move about in the attic!!!!

That is My Brock Davis!!!

Might have to look close to see!

Today, I told Brock to get dressed since we were heading out. If you don't know, Brock changes 3-4 times a day & stripes down when we get home. Our rule is you wear drawer clothes for playing & hanging clothes for school. So, I told Brock to hurry & get dressed. This was the outcome- shirt & shorts from drawer, but the shirt was inside out, polo socks w/ on the wrong feet Transformer shoes & a huge melt your heart grin. He didn't know why I was laughing so hard. I pointed these things out & we laughed again together. These are the good times & remembrance of why we love Brock Davis so MUCH!!! Love ya Buddy- you did a great fast job getting dressed!!

Soccer Players!

We are getting into the whole scheme of what it means to have a routine & commit to it. With all the kids having different schedules, there isn't anything left, but to have a day-by-day schedule. I will have to admit, I really like it also- kids in bed by 8:00!

I can now say I am officially a soccer MOM. I have the car(mini van) & now the kids. This weekend was the first weekend both boys conjoined & played soccer on the same day, but different places & times. These are the times when you wish you could be two places at once. Can't imagine when Lilly starts having weekend activities. I guess then it would be three places at once!! Mercy! Bryce did an awesome job of working his ball into the goal(Mommy wasn't there to see, but heard)!! Brock was a little more overwhelmed with all the swarming of parents & kids. However, Brock did get going the second game(yes, Brock played back to back) & played his little heart out. For the first time I can honestly say he was...... exhausted! This is very unusual for him. Then, after a great morning of watching soccer, we got to enjoy Shane's company over lunch. It was a very special, but needed treat for all of us, since we have not gotten to eat with Daddy in a month. It felt wonderful, but that was pushed aside when I thought about him only getting a couple hours of sleep that day(he got up early to watch the boys play) & then having to return back to work in a couple of hours. Shane is my bear, he could HIBERNATE forever! So, him not getting much sleep really thru him off. However, this Saturday Shane will FINALLY get a day off. YEAH!!!! He will return to his normal shift on Tuesday. The kids & I are so excited to have some Daddy time. The kids are going to probably think Shane lost his job, when he doesn't leave the house before 5:00.-too funny. Well we are so grateful & thankful for him & can't wait till Saturday. I also wanted to Congratulate my sister-in-law Kim, who received her Aggie ring-WHOOP!

Don't Blink!

Daddy, gone in the blink of an eye, is what the past week has been like. The kids & I miss him terribly; however, he is the one who is indwelling all the sacrifices. I am at home with the kids & he is out there w/o us everyday! Poor guy, when is the city going to let up? I guess I would be alittle more understanding if the city didn't bring in herds of cops from every surrounding city. I know they are here to help, but help these HPD officers who need to go home & live a normal 24hr life. We only get to spend a few hours with him, then he is off to work-AGAIN! I don't know how I am going to manage- both boys soccer practice & games? I know Shane would take my place in a heartbeat, so I better quit complaining. I will say this, when Shane does get some time off(if the city would stop adding more wks of work) we are going on vacation! Shane has worked more than 100hrs of overtime! Can you believe that - Insane!

I am glad to report that my parents just received their power back on!!! On the other hand, my mother-in-law is still w/o electricity! What a pain.

We Survived IKE!!

Tree & wind battle

the boys "Hunkering down"

Lilly slept right thru IKE


getting the cooler ready

the new band

What a long weekend it has been. It started off on Thursday, took the kids to school, went to visit Logan(my friend Addie had her baby) & headed out in the madhouse of shopping for the preparation for IKE. I was at HEB for two & ahalf hours. There was no bread, cereal, water, paper plates......CRAZY!! Friday the kids were out of school, so I knew there was a humongous chance we would be out of power for God knows how long, so what better way then to let the kids just tire themselves outside. In the meantime, Shane was receiving orders of mandatory work schedules & we were trying to get all of his things together. Honestly, it was scary not knowing when Daddy would get to come back home. He took extra clothes, uniforms, snacks, pillow & blanket. Off Daddy left around noon(he had to work 18hrs). So, Daddy was off & I was trying to get prepared, but also tire these kiddos out for the storm. I was worried about it getting hot & them waking up...basically, it could be a very long night with the kids in the dark.

We decided to "Hunker Down" for BIG Ike in our master closet. Our house is full of windows, so this was the safest place for us to be. "Hide from the wind & run from the water," was what Frank Billingsley said to do. So, we piled in our bunk around 11pm & watched DVDs until everyone fell asleep. I woke up to horrible howling noises, pitch black & walls shaking. It was scary! For the first time I didn't have anyone looking after me, but I was now in charge of these three sweet children. I grabbed the lantern & made the howling noise out to be the wind coming from the chimney. Got up at 6am to see the power was still off, but that my poor newly little tree was putting up a battle with the wind. I was ready to tackle the wind to save my little tree- pick on something else wind! The kids got up & we spent the rest of the day coloring, cutting & a lot of activities that you can do w/ no electricity. Shane got home that afternoon, but had to be back at 6pm. He has to work 6pm-6am everyday for the next month. Such a bummer, but that is his job & we have to support him, since he is supporting all of us! On Sat. we got our power back on around 4pm- thank you Lord! Our family came & stayed w/us & we had a fun time spending missed time together. We are very lucky & blessed to not have received any damage & have our power out for only a short amount of time.

My parents street looked like a pine tree was shaken upside down from the sky. Pine needle & cones covered over everything! My parents suffered from a fence falling down, but there neighbors on the other sides of them had uprooted trees! Please pray for the people who have yet to get their power back on(my parents & Shane's mom) & for Shane who is working tremendous overtime to stop criminals from stealing peoples things. Also, that Houston can come together & get things back to normal. We are so blessed! Thanks to everyone who has emailed us, called or posted comments on their blog. Sorry if I haven't called the phone lines are still tied up.

Brock & Lilly's First Day of school!

All there bags, lunch kits & nap mats ready to be loaded in the car!! I pray God reminds me to get everything every morning!

Today, Brock started preschool & Lilly started Mother's Day Out. Brock was loving the whole idea of going to school & being able to get out of the car by the teachers. He thinks he is a big boy like Bryce being a car rider! However, Lilly was not feeling the same vibe Brock was. "I want to stay w/ mommy" she repeatedly said. It broke my heart to see her crying, along with the other kids crying, because mommy left. Lilly being my third child & previously doing thru this with Bryce & Brock; knowing this is completely normal for them to go thru this. The key is to stay consistent. NO consistency is only hurting them, esp. in the long run. Say a quick goodbye & leave. Bryce & Brock all did the same thing & have managed to love school when they are there. Every morning they ask dreadingly if they have to go to school, like it is an option! I have always been a routine & organized person- eat, bath, brush teeth, play & then book in bed. Now, I am overly obsessed with a schedule. Everything has to be done & kids in bed by 8pm. If it is 8:15 I am nervous of us getting completely off schedule & worry about the kids not getting enough sleep for school. I know what it is like when they are tired in the morning- BEARS!! Heaven forbid they act like that for their teachers. The nice thing about my kids, they act accordingly to our adjustments. They still don't understand why they are in bed & the sun is still out! I just have to remind them that they are getting up when it is dark. Brock surprisingly blurred out, "What mom, in the middle of the night with all the raccoons & animal night hunters." This is why I love them so much, just full of questions & answers.