That's In My Book

halloween 2012

Today I am looking back at Halloween 2012. To be honest with you, this Halloween isn't shaping up to be very photo worthy. For starters, monsoon rains have hit this area, complete with flood and tornado warnings. I mean, some nearby school districts have even cancelled school for the day or delayed their start a couple hours. Plus, this year, my kids seem to have outgrown the fun photo taking parts of Halloween. Sam has chosen not to dress up at all and wants to pass out candy to the "little" kids instead. Josh has to work. So he will be slinging snow cones all evening. And Little Helmut is off at college taking part in whatever Halloween college shenanigans they are offering.

So, back to last year...Little Helmut's Crossfit class was dressing up for their Halloween workout. He chose to dress up as a nerdy marathon runner (which I am sure had nothing to do with his Dad).

Sam wanted to be something scary, so we attempted the zipper face. I was SERIOUSLY regretting agreeing to it about halfway through. Of course it wasn't easy at all and Sam was super picky about how it was turning out. And then the darn zipper kept coming unglued from her face. But, we went with it and I think she liked it in the end. Plus she and Parker's Cereal Killer costume looked great together.

 

 

fifteen

A few quick pics from Josh's birthday. His fifteenth birthday, that is. I realize he is now 17, but who's counting.

 

dug up

I came across a few photos that have been lost in the shuffle. They were sitting in my Stomped! file, which means they are completely internet ready. All I had to do was post them, but somehow that didn't happen. Lazy. Nuff said.

These are pics I took of Sam Easter of 2011. I CAN NOT believe how different she looks just a couple years later.

 

These are some pictures I took of Samantha and Lucas on my last visit to my childhood home, sniff. Circa fall 2011.

 

 

 

best brother in the world

On a recent trip to Florida, my brother and his family stopped by on the way home to spend the weekend with us. I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to take some family photos of them. Lucas wasn't super into it (like most 9 year-old boys), but we still got some cute ones.

 

 

 

 

thanksgiving 2012

Last Thanksgiving, we traveled up to Conneticut to spend the holidays with our friends the Varvels. The weather and scenery were such a nice change from Texas. We had an amazing Thanksgiving dinner, strolled down the streets of downtown Greenwich, saw Newsies on Broadway, toured the Credit Suisse building in Manhatten, had our first experience with the Shake Shack and enjoyed our time with dear friends. We can't wait to see them again this Thanksgiving for the wedding of their oldest daughter (where does the time go???!).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a job well done

Sam finished up elementary school in June and she was VERY ready to be done with elementary school. She had outgrown the lining up to walk in a line to go...well, everywhere. She was ready to move on to middle school where she would be afforded a bit more freedom and personal responsibility. 

At her 5th grade graduation, she was thrilled to receive the Moore Elementary Academic Excellence Award for getting all A's and outstanding conduct for K-5. I was just relieved it was over. She found out about this award in the 3rd grade and lived in constant fear of getting a B. She was also worried they wouldn't give her the award since she lived in Holland for K-2nd grade. So I knew she was thrilled when they called her name (even though she was sure not to crack a smile. Don't you know, showing emotion is for babies, not for 5th grade graduates). We were super proud of her for her accomplishment!

 

 

senior prom

I am playing major catch up here, but I am on a roll, so I had better keep it going.

Senior prom was an interesting experience from the perspective of the mom of a boy. I definitely encouraged Helmut to go to his senior prom. He didn't have a lot of interest, but I just felt like it was an experience he would regret not having. So he was the dutiful son, took his mother's advice and asked someone to prom. I think he ended up having a good time, but it is definitely different for boys than girls (I can only really speak for the 3 boys that live in my house, but they are definitely sympatico on this subject). They do not enjoy the formal dance/date concept. They do not look forward to dressing up in fancy and uncomfortable clothes. They loathe the picture taking. They hate the added pressure it seems to bring with it. But he sure did look great!

 

 

 

 

 

summer wrap up

And when I say summer, I mean summer of 2012. I have a few more pictures from our trip to the Catskills that I want to make sure I post. So that's what you get today.

The kids were obsessed with making bows and arrows with sticks that they found in the yard. Sam loved making use of the awesome new pocket knife she picked up as a souvenir. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Catskills is an adorable area. The scenery was beautiful with the mountains, rivers and small towns. So many unique family owned businesses and restaurants. I loved all the roadside farmer's markets.

 

 

 

homecoming 2013

It's homecoming season here in Texas. Josh asked his friend Paisley to the dance, so we ordered up the traditional mum. In this area of Texas, seniors have special mums (heaven forbid they not feel special). At Josh's school, instead of the traditional school colors of crimson and gold, the senior mum is white and gold. I actually like the mum tradition. I grew up with it, so it means something to me. It means school spirit, fall is coming and football season is in full swing...three of my favorite things.

 

 

 

 

middle school

Sam started middle school this year. I can hardly believe it! My baby girl is in the 6th grade. She grew up way too quickly in my opinion. The worst part of her starting middle school...I wouldn't be there to help her through her first week. I was faced with a serious Mom Dilemma. Taking my oldest up to start college fell on the same week Samantha started middle school. And my little Sam is quite the worrier. She can worry anyone I know straight under the table. She is an expert at coming up with very rare scenarios and then worrying and stressing about them. 

I was able to stick around long enough to get her on the bus on the first morning...and then I left it to her Dad to take over. She survived. She actually did well. She came upon some of the stressful situations she had feared and she figured out ways to deal with them. She just might be ready for middle school after all.