Chase's Kindergarten Christmas Show

My little boy had his first Christmas Program of his elementary school career. He was so cute! All the kindergarteners were up on stage (120 total) with their reindeer hats on singing Christmas music. It was so great to see him up there! Grandma & Grandpa McCoy, Aunt Jugie, Frama, Mommy, Daddy, and Madawyn (Chase's name for Madelyn) were all there to see his school program debut. He is a short little guy - so of course he was in the first row. And he didn't look all that excited until he saw Grandma Donna & mommy sneak up to the front. As soon as he saw us his face lit up and he sang his heart out!

When he found daddy, he couldn't help but stand up and wave!

The Entire Kindergarten Class

Chase is in the front row - third from the right.

Frama, Aunt Jugie, and Madelyn going to the show!

Grandma & Madelyn sharing some snuggle time!

He's the one to the left of the lady's face! What a handsome boy!

Here they come....The Holidays!

This has to be the best time of year, starting right after Thanksgiving!  I love Thanksgiving, and having my loved ones over to my home to spend time together; but the day after I really feel like it's Christmas.  I never decorate until Thanksgiving is over.  I just can't because I feel like it's cheating.  So my plan is to decorate tomorrow.  I keep saying that I will do it once my house is completely clean; but I think if I wait that long Chase might be 30 years old and way out of the house!  It is way too hard to keep it the way I want it when I have two small children.  Madelyn is now known as the "transporter" because she moves stuff from one room to another.  I have spent hours looking for my slippers, my papers, my keys, daddy's shoes, etc.  It's crazy!  If ever we can't find something, we know it was her!  I wonder if she will do that with the Christmas presents that end up under the tree!!!

I am so excited for the holidays this year.  I can't wait, though, for a year that we can spend Christmas with my dad and his wife.  It's really sad that I don't get to have everyone around me that I love and cherish.  That is the one and only depressing thing that I think about at Christmas.  

One really good thing this year is that our office is closing down and we are having a mandatory furlough - so I will be off for 11 days straight!  Woohoo!  I'm already making plans for the Discovery Museum (kids place), the zoo, the library, etc.  I don't know what all we will do, but I'm going to try not to spend too much time cleaning and most of my time having a blast with my kiddos!!!!

Home Sick

When you have kids in daycare and going to school you are bound to catch some crappy sickness.  I am sitting at home today watching MTV's True Life re-runs with my hubby.  I was actually up all night coughing and now I think Marcus has it because I was coughing all over him all night!  Poor guy!  He's going to take me to Target to go get my prescriptions.  What a good man!  He is so good at taking care of me! 

Being a Parent to a Kindergartner

Life is so different!  Ever since Chase has started school my life feels overly hectic all the time.  I'm not even sure why this is true.  I am so excited for him though!  He is learning so much, and although the first day or so was a little rough, he has excelled in every way!  I know his teacher is delighted in this change because she has told me that he has improved in his response and receptiveness in class.  I am seeing an eagerness to learn that I had not previously seen.  I've always thought he was a smart kid, but he is starting to read already!  He is just amazing to me.  I can't believe he is flesh of my flesh - what an amazing thing to watch a little person learn new things and be eager about it!!!  

Chase started school today!!!

He's all grown up!  Well, not quite, but he sure is big!

What a day it was today. 

Chase is officially a Kindergartner at Joe Nightengale Elementary school.  These last 5 years sure have flown by.  I can still remember that pudgy little baby that changed my life forever!  And now he's so big, he gets to go to school!!!  

Marcus woke Chase up at 6:15 so he could have 

some cereal before school.  I thought he was going to fall asleep in his bowl!  He was all wrapped up in his blanky at the counter; it was so cute!  Then I got him all dressed in his new outfit.  He looked so handsome.  He even had a belt - which I think could maybe cause some problems for a 5-year old.

Daddy was so eager to get out the door, we left at 7:20 to make sure we would have a parking spot.  We ended up parking about 5 blocks from school and walking the rest of the way.  Chase's teacher, Mrs. Parker was waiting for all of her new students.  Chase was very nervous, but he was also very excited; especially when he saw Kaleb. 

 

They had special baskets to 

put their backpacks and lunch boxes in.  Yeah, he takes a lunch. It's so cute - he's a real school kid!  I can't believe I'm old enough to have a 5 year old.  But I guess I am.  It's so great!  

Chase wasn't sad at all.  He was tired of waiting to go in to the classroom, so he went in and immediately started playing with the puzzles.  I pretty much had to force him to give me a hug good-bye.  I started crying as soon as we left the classroom, while burying my head in Marcus' chest.  He was trying to be comforting, even though he was really excited for Chase!!!

I then went to work for a few hours.  At 12:25, Marcus and I picked Chase up.  Mrs. Parker kept Chase for last, and mentioned that he had a few problems listening.  Nothing like Chase getting in trouble on the first day of school!!!  It was crazy!

All-in-all it was a fantastic day!!!  Chase loves school and he had so much fun today.  He got to play on the playground during recess and eat lunch in the lunchroom.  And he met all kinds of new friends.

Enjoy the pics!

Madelyn Played a trick on me!

The other day I was sitting on the couch and I noticed it got extremely quiet in my house.  That's when I know something is up; the kids are doing something they shouldn't be doing. Chase was at his friend's house that night, but Madelyn was being sneaky...

I called her name a few times - no response.  After about 4 times calling her name, I got up to see what she was doing.  This is what I saw when I walked into the kitchen:

And that's not even the best part of this whole story.  You wanna know what we keep in that cupboard???  The trash.  She had shut herself in with the trash can.  And she was playing peek-a-boo once she realized I was in the kitchen with her...

What a silly girl!

Quotable Quote

The other day Chase and I were shopping for school supplies, and on the way home he said the cutest thing.  Here is our conversation:

"Mommy?"

"Yes, buddy..."

"God is the important guy.  He bees with us all the time; even the McCoy's."

It made my heart melt to hear such an innocent child know that God is ALWAYS with him.  I was amazed!!!

Girls Sleepover!!!

My sister and I had a "girls night" and we spent the whole time on our respective computers just playing around on the internet.  We did have quite a few laughs with these pics!  I hope you enjoy!

I honestly don't even know how to describe these pictures, except that they are too funny!

We have our eyes on you!

Hey billy bob, what ya doin'?

Look at those teeth

Chase is the best!

Chase did something tonight without being asked, and I have to tell you all because it's such a big deal.  We've been trying to get him to do this for so long!  He actually put one toy away before getting another toy out.  Now, he's done this before, but only after much prodding and discussion of consequences for not listening.  Tonight, he made the conscious decision to put his first toy away before getting out his second toy.  I was amazed, and so was Marcus.  We were worried that he would start Kindergarten not able to do this simple task.  Now we just have to figure out how to keep our expectations down.  I doubt this will happen on a regular basis!

Madelyn is almost 18 months!

I can't believe how fast the time goes by. I still have pictures to send out from her one-year sitting. I really need to send them out, but so far I am just too busy!!! So, I am posting some so you can at least see them until you get one in the mail!

Ravine Waterpark in Paso Robles!

They are so stinkin' cute together!
Marcus & Madelyn

The girls lounged while the guys went on the slides!

We sure had fun at the Ravine!

We should do this more often!

We have a water park close to our home, in Paso Robles, CA. It's really hot up there, so it's the perfect place to have a water park. Only problem with it being so hot is that it's also really sunny, which caused 2 of us to get really sunburned the other day. Whoops! The kids got lathered up, but Mommy wasn't so smart. I ended up getting super dehydrated and had to take 2 days off of work - under doctor's orders!

Aside from that, the trip was so much fun!!!! We went with another family, the Chabot's (Sha-boe is how you pronounce it). Their dauther, Bella, is only 7 weeks older than Madelyn. They had a blast. Chase was able to go off on his own a little bit and really started to get adventurous. He couldn't get enough of the kiddie water slides but I just can't wait to take him on the big ones. I caught some major air on the way down. I think Marcus and I both caught a sink full of water up our noses!!!

Why I love my husband...

I had a very different idea in mind for my perfect man.  Turns out, I was short-changing myself completely!  This McCoy family is so blessed to be led by such a wonderful, loving man.  He does all he can to support me, our children, and our family the best that he absolutely can.  I could not ask for more in this life!