2018 Highlights

January:
- Our whole family caught Flu Type A. It was not pretty!
- Southern and Remington played basketball for the Spurs Youth League from January to March.
- We had an inclement weather day on January 16 which meant no school!
- Southern and Remington participated in Pack 163's Pinewood Derby at Dick's Classic Car Garage in San Marcos. Southern won 2nd place for the Bears with his Yoda themed car. Remington won 1st place for the Tigers, 3rd place in the pack, and the Scout Spirit Award with his Darth Vader themed car.

February:
- Remington, Everett, Lindsey, and Southern all got Flu Type B. It was much more mild than Type A.
- Southern and Remington participated in PSIA. Southern did Story Telling and Creative Writing. Remington did Story Telling.

March:
- Our whole family went on an overnight trip to Kerrville to celebrate Dustin and Lindsey's 12th wedding anniversary.
- During Spring Break, we went to a Spurs game, the boys took a karate class, Southern and Remington played pickleball, we went to the park, we went to a friend's birthday party, we saw and got pictures with the Easter Bunny, and we went to Cub Scout den meetings.
- Lindsey started a new job as a nanny to two girls from the neighborhood - Caroline (18 months old) and McKenzie (3 years old).
- Remington participated in Story Telling at the PSIA District event.
- Southern and Remington participated in the District Pinewood Derby, and Remington won 2nd place for the Tigers.
- Southern turned 9 years old! We had his party at Landa Park, and it was football themed.

April:
- We celebrated Easter in Yoakum, and Lindsey got strep throat and double ear infections.
- We went to Garner State Park on a Cub Scout Campout, and Lindsey got strep throat again.

May:
- Our family made a trip to McKinney Falls State Park to celebrate Mother's Day.
- In Cub Scouts, Southern moved up to Webelos and Remington moved up to Wolf.
- Southern's class took a field trip to the Magik Children's Theatre in San Antonio to see Aladdin.
- Remington's class took a field trip to Martin Marietta, a leading supplier of building materials, and they got a tour of the quarry.
- Remington turned 7 years old! We had his party at Landa Park, and it was Lego themed.
- Lindsey began another year with PTC as the secretary.

June:
- Lindsey and the boys went to Aquarena Springs with the Cub Scouts.
- We got to meet John R. Erickson, author of the popular Hank the Cowdog book series.
- Dustin resigned as the Seguin High School assistant tennis coach.
- Southern attended his first friends-only sleepover!
- We celebrated Father's Day with a trip to Yoakum for fishing and burgers at Dairy Treet.
- Remington and Baylor attended a week of Vacation Bible School.

July:
- Dustin, Southern, and Remington marched in the 4th of July parade with the Cub Scouts. We were lucky enough to grab a picture with Captain America (the boys' pediatrician).
- We traveled to Houston and then Louisana for a 5-day vacation where we attended a Houston Astros game with Grammy and Josh, spent a night with Aunt Georgie and visited the Natural History Museum with her and Jonna, walked along the shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico collecting sea shells, waded in the Toledo Bend Reservoir, ate crawfish, spent a night at a resort, and ate the best steak fingers at Red's Burgers near Lake Conroe.
- Baylor turned 5 years old! We had his party at the splash pad at Fischer Park, and it was Power Rangers themed.
- Baylor hosted a K18 playdate for the last time. We had his friends over at our house for backyard pool and watermelon fun.
- Dustin attended HEB Adventure Camp with SHS students.

August:
- Dustin helped instruct a week of pedal camp.
- We took a weekend trip to the coast. We stayed in Port Lavaca and went to the beach there and fished in Point Comfort. We took the "long route" home and went fishing in Port O'Connor and played/fished in Port Aransas on our way back.
- Dustin helped instruct a week of paddle camp.
- Southern and Remington participated in the Pack 163/Pack 363 Raingutter Regatta.
- Lindsey turned 33, and we celebrated with supper at Salt Grass in San Marcos followed by a dip in the river.
- Southern started 4th grade (Mrs. Sprencel), and Remington started 2nd grade (Mrs. McNeill).

September:
- We took a quick trip to the Hyatt Hill Country resort and spent a lot of time in the lazy river. Also, the three older boys rode the large slide and played laser tag, and we all had s'mores, played ping pong, and played with beach balls in the pool.
- Grammy attended Grandparents Breakfast with Southern and Remington at school.
- Everett turned 2 years old! We had his birthday party at the New Braunfels Railroad Museum, and it was Elmo themed.
- Dustin turned 36 years old, and it was raining that day, so after attending a birthday party for an 8 year old, we stayed home and watched a movie and played Pictionary.
- Baylor, Everett, and Lindsey participated in "feed the firemen" for 9/11.
- Baylor started Pre-K4 CCD.
- We visited the Comal County Fair three times. Southern, Remington, and Baylor all entered the photography contest. Southern won the tri-colored ribbon for his age group. For their age group, Baylor won the tri-colored ribbon, and Remington won 2nd place.

October:
- Remington's class took a field trip to The Science Mill in Johnson City.
- Southern and Remington joined the New Braunfels Youth Flag Football League which ran from the end of September to the beginning of November.
- For the SPP Fall Festival, Southern dressed as a football player, Remington was a mummy, Baylor was Donatello, and Everett was Batman.
- Remington was presented with a cross at Mass in preparation of his first confession / first communion year.
- It was another rainy Halloween. Lindsey was dressed as Wonder Woman, Southern was a big green inflatable, Remington wore a Scream mask and brown robe, Baylor was Iron Man, and Everett was a ninja (he hates to wear masks or hats of any kind!).

November:
- Lindsey and the boys attended Cora's 3rd birthday party at The Kiddie Park in San Antonio and Wurstfest in New Braunfels during the first weekend of the month.
- We got to meet and take pictures with Jack Hanna and got front row seats to his presentation at TLU.
- We spent a cool weekend in Port Aransas where we fished, dug holes and played soccer on the beach, rode in a pirate ship, and swam in the motel's heated pool.
- We spent Thanksgiving in Yoakum. We had lunch with the Perez family followed by fishing out at Lindsey's dad's place until dark.
- We set up our Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving and got to see Santa and take pictures with him the following week.

December:
- We cheered on the Yoakum Bulldogs when they played the Edna Cowboys at Bobcat Stadium in San Marcos.
- Lindsey and a friend spent a day making several batches of pear jam. It was Lindsey's (and her friend's) first time canning. They used pears from our pear tree and limes from our lime tree that was gifted to us as a plant cutting by Poppy and DeDe over a decade ago.

Everett's 2nd birthday

Our little Everett has turned two years old!

Everett had the traditional second birthday party for our family - a party at the New Braunfels Railroad Museum. All of our boys have had their second birthday parties there. Southern's theme was "two two" (Get it? Instead of choo choo), Remington's theme was Dinosaur Train, and Baylor's theme was Thomas the Tank Engine. Well, Everett LOVES Elmo, and I was worried that he might outgrow Elmo before his third birthday party, so I wanted to have an Elmo theme for him this year. The trick was to incorporate a train somehow since we were at the train museum. I got on eBay and searched "Elmo train" and found a cute little toy train with Elmo driving it and birthday presents in the train car. Perfect! Our theme was born.

Everett had lots of fun at his party exploring the train museum, watching the model trains go, and running around all of the train cars. His party was held in the dining car, and we had sandwiches, chips, fruit and milk on the menu.

To his party, Everett wore train shorts and a custom-made-by-Mommy shirt with a large glittery 2 on the front and his name in red under the 2. The goodie bags had crayons, Elmo notepads, red balloons, and Elmo juice boxes in them. Everett's birthday cake was red velvet with whipped vanilla icing.

After the party, we came back to our house where some of our family stayed around to watch Everett open his presents.

Everett is a very happy baby and loves his mommy, daddy, bubbas, and kitty. He likes taking showers and baths. He always kicks his shoes off. He does not like to change his clothes or diaper. He loves babies and balls. He wants to do everything big brothers do. He has the cutest little accent when he says bye bye - it sounds more like "buh bye". He doesn't like being strapped into the car seat and cries out "unbuckle" as we drive. He likes books and going to the library. He likes sunglasses. He loves "milkshakes" which I make for him at home (a banana blended up with milk). He likes Elmo, Ninja Turtles (which he calls Turtle Power), Dora, Batman, and Shimmer & Shine.

Everett just outgrew his size 6 shoes, wears size 24 mo shorts and 2t pants (since the 24 mo pants are now too short), and size 2t shirts. He wears size 4 diapers and tells me "owie poo poo" when he wants me to change his diaper.

Happy Birthday, Everett!

Baylor's 5th Birthday

This year for Baylor's birthday since it fell on a Wednesday, we didn't have his birthday party on his birthday. We made the most of that Wednesday though! 

Baylor started off the day with a giant stack of homemade pancakes with a candle on top. We sang "Happy Birthday" to him, and he blew out the candle before eating. Then we went to Landa Park where we rode the train, fed the ducks, and played on the playground with friends Natalie, Emily and Ben. We went to the library that afternoon for messy art and then went to the Landa Park zero depth pool where Daddy joined us after work. We followed that with supper at Chick-fil-a and dessert at Rhea's Ice Cream Shop - all of the birthday boy's requests squeezed into one day!

Baylor weighs 43.2 lbs (a hair above 50th percentile) and is 43.4 inches tall (right at 50th percentile). He wears size 5t or youth xs tops and 5t bottoms. He wears a size 13 shoe.

Baylor had a Power Rangers birthday party at the splash pad at Fischer Park that Friday evening. We served cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and chips along with lemonade and bottled waters. He had a bull pinata filled with dum-dum suckers, and everyone got Power Ranger goodie bags. Some of his favorite birthday gifts were his new 2DS from Josh and Grammy, his pedal go cart from D-Dad and Joyce, monster trucks from the Leedys, Batman legos from David and Sharon, office supplies from the Bendings, and Power Ranger toys from his friends Max and Kason.

Baylor's 5th Birthday Interview

1. What are some things you like to do?
play with toys


2. What sports do you like?
soccer


3. What things do you like to do around the house?
eat Macaroni and Cheese, eat cereal


4. What are some of your favorite foods?
peanut butter and jelly, popcorn


5. What do you like to wear?
power rangers shirts


6. What's your favorite color?
white


7. Where are some of your favorite places to go?
Target and Wal-Mart


8. What makes you sad?
when Daddy spank me


9. What do you do when you are sad?
cry


10. What makes you happy?
wearing Power Rangers pants


11. What do you do when you are happy?
I like to do no more stuff


12. Who is your best friend?
I like to play the most with Remington


13. What is your favorite movie and TV show?
Power Rangers and Rescue Bots


14. What are your favorite books?
Power Rangers

Remington's 7th Birthday

This year Remington had a Lego themed birthday party. His invitations had Lego Nexo Knights on them, his cake had Lego figures spelling out his name with a Lego cake topper that he built, and there were Legos and Dum-Dums in his pinata. He had the party at Landa Park after school on his birthday (4-8pm come and go). 

Since he did have school on his birthday, I tried to make the day as special as I could for Remington. He started the day off by coming downstairs to see a lit candle in his pancakes, and Dustin and I sang happy birthday to him before he blew it out. Then, I took cookies (ti-dye sugar cookies that he picked out for me to make) to his class during snacktime at 10am and lunch to him at school at lunchtime (a cheeseburger Happy Meal from McDonald's).

Remington's 7th Birthday Interview

1. What are some things you like to do?
play with my Magna Tiles, read, play in our pool, and play with our Lincoln Logs


2. What sports do you like?
soccer, baseball, golf, tennis, kickball


3. What things do you like to do around the house?
read and spend time with family


4. What are some of your favorite foods?
carrots with dip and apples


5. What do you like to wear?
pants and t-shirts (and bare feet around the house)


6. What's your favorite color?
red


7. Where are some of your favorite places to go?
Mamacita's


8. What makes you sad?
Daddy taking away my Magna Tiles


9. What do you do when you are sad?
whimper


10. What makes you happy?
playing with my Magna Tiles with my brothers


11. What do you do when you are happy?
smile


12. Who is your best friend?
Winston


13. What is your favorite movie and TV show?
Thor Ragnorak and Tom & Jerry


14. What are your favorite books?
comics and Marvel books

Southern's 9th Birthday

This year, Southern requested a football party at the park with some of his closest friends. We enjoyed the day - it was great weather! The kids played flag football, football toss, and played on the swings and playground. There was a football pinata and "tailgating food". Southern picked the menu which was hot dogs, chili, shredded cheese, cantaloupe and honeydew, cheetos, fritos, popcorn, tortilla chips, avocado, refried beans, and salsa. He also requested a big container of Gatorade like they have at football games. He asked if we could dump it over his head after his party was over like they do to the coaches on TV!

Southern's 9th Birthday Interview

1. What are some things you like to do?
read and play video games and play sports


2. What sports do you like?
soccer, basketball, tennis, football, baseball


3. What things do you like to do around the house?
read and play video games


4. What are some of your favorite foods?
chicken alfredo


5. What do you like to wear?
shorts, shirt, and crocs


6. What's your favorite color?
silver


7. Where are some of your favorite places to go?
Torrey Park, Jason's Deli, Mamacita's, Rainforest Cafe, to the Spurs game (AT&T Center), and the library


8. What makes you sad?
no video games or no reading


9. What do you do when you are sad?
read


10. What makes you happy?
playing video games and reading


11. What do you do when you are happy?
play video games and read


12. Who is your best friend?
Konner


13. What is your favorite movie and TV show?
The Secondhand Lions and Mario


14. What are your favorite books?
Percy Jackson and the Olympions, Rings of Fire, Big Nate, Weird But True

Everett 19 months

Our littlest Wyatt baby has grown so much! He has his own little personality and is such a sweetheart (most of the time!).

Everett loves bathtime and will want to hop in with any of us when we take a shower. Sometimes, he'll shower twice a night, one shower right after the other, just hanging out on the shower floor enjoying the water flowing over him. However, he is the only Wyatt baby who has not liked wearing hooded towels. He usually doesn't even like to be dried off with a towel!

His favorite toys are balls. He loves balls! He will walk around clutching a little ball all day, and he has a great throwing arm.

He loves to sit on the counter to get a better view and to get into the action. He helps out in the kitchen when I'm cooking. He helps Baylor unload the dishwasher. He helps unload and load the washer and dryer. He helps Daddy work on projects.

His favorite words are dada, mama, bubba, ball, and bye. He says bye with a little hick accent (baah). He loves to wave, and many mornings are spent standing on the porch waving to Daddy as he drives off to work. He also loves to give kisses.

He likes to do anything his older brothers are doing. He can run around in the backyard with them for hours some days, and other days he just wants to be held by Mommy.

He still isn't a fan of riding in the car seat, but most of the time he's much better about it.

His favorite foods are bananas, bars, waffles, yogurt, sandwiches, chips, popcorn, strawberries, blueberries, corn, crackers, and Mommy's chocolate Shakeology.

Everett wears size 18 month and 24 month clothes, size 4 diapers, and size 5 shoes.

He loves his kitty! Dracky meowing will catch his attention no matter what he is doing. He has learned to slow down and to wait for Dracky to come to him rather than chase him. He knows how to pet softly and enjoys cuddling up with Dracky. He likes to feed him his kitty treats.

He still hasn't had a haircut. We love his baby curls, and I can't bear to cut them off just yet. There is nothing cuter than him right before bathtime running around the house happily screaming with his naked behind showing and those little curls bouncing.

Everett is such a joy. We are so very blessed to have him!!

 

Remington's 6th Birthday

Remington's 6th Birthday Interview

1. What are some things you like to do?
I like to play soccer and I like to play water balloons and I like to play Legos and play Hot Wheel Legos.

2. What sports do you like?
Kickball, soccer, and swinging.

3. What things do you like to do around the house?
Play Batman with Baylor and play tag and play flag football. Play with Southern's fidget spinner. Playing with big Pokemon toys with Southern.

4. What are some of your favorite foods?
Cantaloupe

5. What do you like to wear?
I like to wear Pokemon pins and I like to wear school pins and I like to wear different pins and I like to wear Pokemon belts with PokeBalls on them and Pokemon toys in them.

6. What's your favorite color?
Yellow and red and black and blue and pink

7. Where are some of your favorite places to go?
Peter Piper Pizza (but I don't like the pizza), Jason's Deli, and Mamacita's and that Mexican place where we went with Grammy in Yoakum

8. What makes you sad?
Southern pinching me and Southern holds me upside down

9. What do you do when you are sad?
I cry and I go tell if I'm hurt

10. What makes you happy?
Mommy getting me a hug and a kiss and Mommy feeding me sometimes and Mommy helping me dress

11. What do you do when you are happy?
I'm like "Mommy look at that cool Lego set!"

12. Who is your best friend?
Henry and Ryder

13. What is your favorite movie and TV show?
Monster Trucks / Batman and Scooby Doo and all the super hero shows and Mario and Pokemon

14. What are your favorite books?
Flap books, flipping books and how to make paper airplanes book and science books and project books (like you can do things with them and it's in them) and shark books that come with tooths and crab books that come with crab shells and I Spy books and Lego books

And Remington wanted to add another question:

15. What's your favorite kind of instrument?
guitar