A Day Of Mourning

Today is a day I have been dreading for over 11 years.
Today is a day I want to forget.
Today is a day I don't want to get out of bed.
Today is the last day at home with my 3 boys before they all go to school all day long.
My "Stay-At-Home-Mom" Days are over.
It's worth a good cry, don't you think?

The last 11 years have brought me more happiness and joy than words can express.
Today I am reminded of many of those moments....

Davin's birth - no drugs
Davin using me as his Binkie
Nursing every hour for 16 months
Davin's love for his mama's belly button
Davin getting his hair cut
Davin sleeping though the night for the first time
Davin's love for his green, blue, red, and purple guys
Davin's love for cereal in a baggie
Davin's love for his mama's belly button
Learning how to swim and ride a bike in the same week
Davin's fears about going to Kindergarten
Exploring Dillon Nature Center
Snuggling with Mom after taking brothers to school
Davin's love for "Boomer" the dog
Davin going down the "big" slide for the first time
Davin asking to get baptized
Davin's love for his mama's belly button
Davin climbing in the front yard tree
Painting the sidewalk with water
Davin letting daddy pull out his front tooth
Davin's love for his mama's belly button
Holding hands

Deion's full head of hair
Deion's itty bitty teeny weeny fingers and toes
Deion's infectious giggle
Deion sleeping though the night
Sucking on his toes
Deion's love for taking out the pots and pans and pounding
Deion's giggle
Deion falling asleep in my old doll bed
Deion's first big boy underwear
Wearing Papa's cowboy boots
Deion's contagious giggle
Deion's love for his first scooter
Deion falling asleep in Davin's baby car seat
Front two teeth getting pulled out
Deion's love for his Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Pittenger
Deion's love for basketball
Deion feeding the ducks at Annenberg Park
Deion talking in his sleep
Deion's giggling
Deion's chomping is food
Deion's love of the movie "Space Jam"
Deion's hugs before bedtime
Deion's smile

DaMare's lost Binkies

DaMare's love for mashed carrots

DaMare's first birthday cake all over his face

DaMare's Binkies

Stopping 5 times in one hour road trip to nurse DaMare

The way he fearlessly jumped in the pool at 1 1/2 years old

DaMare's love for his Binkie

DaMare putting on adult shoes and flexing his muscles

DaMare's love of horse books before bedtime

DaMare's love for digging

DaMare running through the Topeka Pumpkin Patch

DaMare's love for Sheridan's Custard

DaMare's love for his Binkies

Climbing GG and Papa's tree

Exploring the MANHATTAN letters

DaMare eating cotton candy and corn dogs at the Riley County Fair

DaMare learning how to ride his bike in GG and Papa's backyard

DaMare's first day of Kindergarten at Bergman Elementary in Manhattan

DaMare's first Afro

DaMare's tears the night before moving to Hutchinson

DaMare staying up until midnight reading Tree House Mystery book series

DaMare singing in the shower

Lord have mercy! Can you imagine what I'm going to be like on DaMare's first day High School or Deion and DaMare's first football game together or the worst of all, Davin's last day of High School. I hope Jesus comes back before that date.

Three Boys One Cousin Summer Fun

Nothing better than a campout... in a tent... in the basement!

Have I said, "I LOVE these faces!"

And these faces too...

Oppps! Same faces

Dillon Nature Center

Dillon Nature Center is the perfect place to take three brothers and one cousin to on an 85' Wed. afternoon. All the creapy crawly things were out today...

First we ate our sack lunch...
Then brother D and cousin Z braved the Bee Crossing!

I made them all take this picture, the eagle just screamed, "Take a picture with me!"

Cousin Z was so excited about this waterfall he let out a little squeal.

At the top of the little waterfall was a small pool of water. What boy can resist putting their sticky hands in this pool of water?

Have I said I LOVE this boy...

And have I said I LOVE to cuddle this boy...

Walking along the trails we counted birdhouses.

Have I said that I could not live without this boy!

This boys likes to look at creapy crawly things only when they are behind glass...

We made water tornados....

We looked at fossils...

We peaked over into a glass pool of water....

And the flowers, how could I not take pics. of the flowers...

Long time coming...

I know, I know, it's been way to long since I blogged last. I will do better in this new year. Many things are happening in our lives and I will try and update the best I can. Lets start with Deion, he is playing MAYB basketball and loving it. Of course, he has lots to learn although has improved greatly from the beginning of the season. Deion is doing good in school and will take the Kansas State Assessment tests this year. He likes to read the Tree House Mystery series, but still claims to like P.E. the best. The picture is of Deion when he was in Kindergarten (3 1/2 years ago, it was a western day). Deion can always put a smile on my face.

Deion turns 9!

DaMare was so proud to give Deion his gift.

Daddy and the boys!
Deions favorite gift was a Nintendo DS, the other brothers thought this was a gift that kept giving and giving.

Deions first time down the Alligator slide.

He's getting a little crazy, folks.

Dodge Ball was the favorite game at the Olympic Birthday Party, although in the 100' weather it turned into sprinker Dodge Ball.

I tried to make the Olympic Rings out of cupcakes... not to shabby.

Susan and Jena got a little crazy, as well. Someone please call the chiropractor.

Deions birthday was a success, we are so proud of him, can you believe he is already 9!

1st day of 3rd and 5th grade!

DaMare is in 5th grade and Deion is now a 3rd grader. We think they are so handsome. Davin will start Kindergarten on Monday. Jena is now working at the same school all three boys attend in a behavior resource room or formally known as an ED room.

NOW PLAYING: Lillies Purple Plastic Purse

Deion was the mouse narrator in his class play, Lillies Purple Plastic Purse. He did awesome and had 13 performances the last week of school. The last day of school his class took a field trip to Exploration Place in Wichita, KS. Deion is looking forward to a summer of swimming, playing tennis and joking around with his brothers.

Deion loves to climb!

First thing Deion does when he gets home from school is eat. Then Deion can be found in the front yard tree. Deion climbs as high as he can and sings his heart out (usually the birds are listening). After getting his alone time in the tree, Deion can usually be found eating again.

Deion says, "No blogging for me."

Well Deion does not want the world to read about him so I said he could pass on this part of the blog. (But mom will fill you in on Deion's life.) Deion had a great Spring Break, the first three days felt like Spring so we were outside most of the day the last two days were overcast and rainy. Deion had one of his best friends over, they played flag football for hours and giggled the entire time. Deion's laugh is still contagious to all of us, once he starts laughing the rest of the family follows. One of Deion's favorite parts of Spring Break was playing at the indoor waterpark. Monday, Deion will be back at school and working hard.