Wouldn't you know it?

So I (and by me I mean Daniel) found the long missing camera battery charger. Great news! But guess what. I now can't find my darn camera. Wouldn't you know it!? Typical me. I must find that thing because we are going to be celebrating Brendan's birthday this weekend and I must have pictures.

Thank goodness for cell phone cameras or I would really be in bad shape. Regardless, I think I get a D- in Kid Picture Taking. Someday my family will look back at how the photo album jumps from May to August 2011 and call it "The Summer When Mom Couldn't Get Her Crap Together But Still Loved Us And Took Grainy Pictures With Her Droid".

You will just have to envision my cuties in this post. They are growing like weeds! So big! Tear. Gulp. How did they get so stinking big so fast? I am having full on conversations with James in which he is gesturing wildly and using words like "seriously", "beautiful" and "vehicle" and phrases like "I'm as ready as I'll ever be" (<--this was his answer when asked if he was ready to leave Party City). And then there is Brendan who is looking kind of big to still be called "the baby". He alternates between giving me hugs and kisses and trying to hit me in the face when I tell him no. Is he ready for the twos or what?

Summer is ticking on along and we are staying busy. Lots of trips around town to do neat stuff. My best friend from Fort Worth, Kelli, and her little boy Jack, came down to visit this last weekend. It was great! We hit up Palm Beach and the Houston Children's Museum. We even had a Girl's Night Out to eat at Babin's (YUM!) and a movie (Horrible Bosses = Hilarious). They gave Brendan Lego Duplo blocks for his b-day and they are a hit. We have played and played with them. And let me say that Daniel sure is a pro at building stuff with them. Always neat to get new toys and I enjoy watching Brendan and James build towers and use their imaginations to make things.

Well, late and we have a lot going on tomorrow, so check back later to see if I ever find BOTH the camera and it's battery at the same time!!!

So many changes and so much to share, but lost my camera charger!

We are slowly but surely getting settled in at my parent's house. Man, are we slow. It is taking us forever to get unpacked here but I pretty much have two little munchkins under my feet most of the time. By the time they are asleep all I want to do it sit down. But you know the funny thing? I am spending so much time with my kids that I feel WEIRD without them right there by me. So we are just taking it slow and realizing that anything we are going to do it going to take longer. We always spent time with them, but if we had a big task to tackle we might attempt it while they were at daycare but now we just do it with them here. We will be living here until we sell our old house and are ready to lease or buy a new house down here. My parents are pretty much the most generous people ever. How else can you describe people who take you, your husband, your two kids and two pets into their home?!? Oh and also all our stuff? Yikes! Who knew we had to have so much junk to get by day to day.

I know it has been/is an adjustment for everyone but it has also been incredibly comfortable from the start. It is so nice to see my parents and for the boys to interact with them. The family dinners are a highlight. Everyone sitting around together sharing about their day. It just feels great. This whole thing has been difficult for James somewhat. He doesn't seem to understand that we are not just visiting. He has been having some tough days and really pushing the boundaries. I hate to bother people and even though they are my parents, I feel awful when my kiddos are not at their best because I want this to be as easy for them as possible. But let's be serious, I am mothering a one year old (for one more month! sad face!) and a three year old. Oh and they are boys. Need I say more!? They are pretty much all action all the time and we are at the ages where bad attitudes are part of the territory. I will have to send my parents on some trans-Atlantic cruise some day to say thanks!

We are settling into a nice routine and I am LOVING the homeschool experience so far. I got a ton of the A Beka curriculum on Ebay or Amazon for a very affordable price after doing a lot of research and talking to other homeschooling moms. James asks me every day if we are going to do homeschool and Brendan climbs up on my lap to see what we are doing that day. We are doing it four or five days a week (sometimes we take a break on Fridays). It is so nice to interact with my children like this and my favorite part is listening to James talk about his ideas spontaneously as we are doing the lessons. There is so much going on in that head of his! And his memory! Well it is just remarkable. I can't wait until Brendan can carry on conversations like that with me. He is saying so many words and making full sentences and commonly used phrases. I know it wont' be long until we are having back an forth complete conversations. Brendan is doing the 2 year old curriculum because he wanted to do something too instead of just watching. After the morning homeschool session we do something very hands on like play dough or stringing beads or finger painting or baking. These week I am going to brave shaving cream painting! I got some neat ideas from a Montessori at home book and from some friends who homeschool little ones.

We had a week of vacation where we went to Sea World and also to Galveston. It was wonderful and VERY much needed time together. Sun, sand and water. Three of my favorite things. Now that we are close we got a Moody Garden's Palm Beach season pass. That place is incredible. Thinking about taking the boys back this week. Also thinking of a jaunt back to Sea World in a couple of weeks. It was a nice trip and we'd love to go again. We missed Daniel so much when he moved to Houston ahead of us. It was a long five weeks without him. and we are still so thrilled to be with him. These trips were just what we needed. He was actually off for 10 days and we are going to miss him tomorrow. Luckily I was cleared to drive after four months (due to a medical issue) and now we are going to go out and explore the area. I know the boys will love going to the library for story hour. It should also be fun to meet up with my cousins' kiddos soon too. Nice to see them all running around together.

I have got to find my camera charger because I am pretty sure I have no recent pictures of Brendan and James except some no so great ones on my cell phone. I have to capture these moments. My boys are growing by the minute! :-) Off to bed. Busy day ahead tomorrow.