It has begun...

Our little M.A.N. is at his first day of kindergarten.

7 a.m. and we are off to school

He went right in and found his chair.

We were the first ones there and he wasn't sure what to do...

Oh goodness he looks tired, ekk...it's going to be awhile before we get into the groove!

While his teacher was busy with other students Michael waits. He's been there 5 minutes and he already looks bored, yikes!! I hope this isn't a look into the future!

I was up at 5:30am to get showered and the animals fed before I woke Michael up. At 6am I woke him up and we cuddled for a bit then I told him it was time to get busy. I made him breakfast and started packing his lunch. I was doing fine until he came in the kitchen and wrapped his little arms around Jakes neck and started telling Jake he was going to school, sigh!! What a moment...We were ready by 7 a.m. and I had a few minutes for photos...It was a bit dark and I didn't set the camera on Auto or the tripod so most of the photos of him messing around before he got in the truck were a bit blurry, grr...Live and Learn. I wasn't sure if I would be allowed to take the camera in the classroom but took it anyways...

Michael was ready and when we got to school he went right to his classroom and his seat. He wasn't sure what to do as we were the first ones there and the teacher was away collecting students. I was tickled as it was a great photo op and took some more photos!

I stayed for a bit and helped him get settled in...He wasn't too thrilled with the coloring page laying there and had his scissors out and was starting to cut it (lol) when I caught him...Ekk...I asked him if the teacher had told him to get his scissors out...NOT!! He has two little girls on either side of him and Ms. Emily (one of the little girls) said the teacher said to either play with the blocks or color crayons...I think Ms. Emily will keep Michael in line today, lol...Poor fella!

7.5 hours and I can go pick him up...I have a list to keep me busy today! And just think I may be able to sneak in a little scrapping while I am at it...

Stay Tuned...

Tomorrow is the BIG day!!

Michaels starts Kindergarten!!

A New Chapter starts in our lives!

Yearly Fishing Tournament

Fred just before the sun came up!

Ahh here she comes! Beautiful!

Good Morning Sunshine!

Storm brewing to the South West!

For the past few years Fred and I sign up for a saltwater fishing tournament that takes place at the end of August. We've never caught anything in previous years but enjoy ourselves. The company that sponsors the tournament has a dinner, door prizes, etc in the evening and we enjoy getting together with friends after a day of fishing. We also take Michael with us to the dinner as this is a family event and they always have door prizes for the kids.

Our day Saturday started at 3am, ugh!! Thank goodness Diana and Larry kept Michael for us so it made it so much easier...We arrived at the bait stand at 5am and decided this year we were going to use live bait and we were going to catch something!! I had spoken with my friend Helen R., who has lived most of her life in Aransas Pass/Rockport area, about where a good fishing spot might be. We don't have a boat so we have to fish from shore, ugh!

She recommended (after talking to her brother) a bridge/causeway in the Rockport area. We found our spot and got everything ready...Fishing poles, bait, me and my camera (lol) and sat down to wait for that HUGE fish to take the bait....Mind you it is dark yet and if you don't have a flashlight (I didn't) you can't see anything. I moved a bit away from Fred down the shore and sat on my camp stool...I noticed a dark spot a few feet from me on shore but thought it was a piece of trash or possibly a dead fish, no big deal...I'd find out what it was when the sun came up!

Fred finally got a bite and started reeling in his line...I ran and grabbed the net and was ready to net his fish...but alas he never got it close enough for me to net it...and he lost it, lol...He was telling me to jump in the water and net it and I was yelling back NO WAY!! You jump in and net it!! So we settled back down for more fishing...Oh my the sun was coming up and the fish were biting and I was torn between the camera and fishing pole...I am sure y'all know what won! Of course the camera, lol...I got some beautiful photos of the Texas Gulf coast sunrise...it was absolutely gorgeous...Fred even managed to catch a fish, a Skipjack. I had a blast watching him get it in as that fish was fighting and even flew out of the water a few times. He caught a few more but only brought one into shore...I on the other hand was sitting on my little camp stool fishing rod in hand and gagging as I had been sitting next to a dead raccoon, Ewww....Nasty....I moved but the stench stayed with me the rest of the day...After I had moved and was quiet bored...camera around my neck, fishing pole in hand, day-dreaming...I had something hit my bait...and it hit HARD...I yelled and fell off the camp stool...LOL...Fred was laughing his butt off and asking me what I was doing...When I told him something Big just hit my bait he laughed and said it was probably a crab...I told him that was no crab!! I didn't even have time to set the hook so whatever it was got a free meal as my bait was gone, grr...So much for fishing!! LOL...I've never had much luck saltwater fishing...give me my bass pole and freshwater any day!

After the sun rose and the fish stopped biting we moved to a few other spots and still no luck...So we stopped and ate lunch and headed home to clean up and pick Michael up for the dinner...It was a very long day and even though we didn't catch any decent fish we still enjoyed ourselves...We are seriously thinking Kayaks next year!!

The rest of my photos are on my flickr site...Thank you for stopping by!

Thank you Tia Anana & Uncle Larry

Fred and I had a fishing tournament Saturday and thankfully Tia Anana (Aunt Diana) and Uncle Larry were able to keep Michael for us. I want to thank them both for watching him as it was really nice to be able to fish and not worry about Michael...But then I also want to tell Tia Anana that buying a lego toy that is meant for a 7 to 12 yr old was NOT a good idea, lol...Pay Backs will be in place...Michael was so excited with is Exo Force Lego toy that even though I had had only 4 hours of sleep in the last 24 hrs we were going to put it together before going to bed Saturday night, ugh!! Sleep was a distant dream and so was Michaels 9pm bedtime, ugh!!

We didn't get home from the fishing tournament until 7pm and at 8pm everything was finally taken care of and Michael was bugging me to put his lego set together...I was dreading it as I remember when Grammie Gerri bought him the lego helicopter and after 2 hours they were still working on it, ugh!! So being how much I adore my son (and am really ready to hurt Tia Anana) we sat down to assemble it! I got the book out and we sorted through the parts...By 9pm I am completely exhausted, Michael is perched on the table trying to help, and...the Exo Force critter is starting to resemble the picture on the box...by 9:20 it is finished, YEA!! Michael is thrilled and none to happy as I tell him it is bedtime, lol...Very mean Momma!! But I was whipped...I managed to get a few photos and after looking at the photos I can tell I am not the only one who is exhausted...poor baby!! He's so tired but so thrilled as we managed to get the critter together and it looks good too!!

Thank you Tia Anana!! Thank you very much!!

I cannot even imagine...

Then what should I find on Helen's blog this evening but this....

Helen you are such a dear sweet friend and I cannot ever imagine where I would be today without your friendship!! You have been a blessing to me...You inspire me!

We have had so many memories together...look how much we've grown artistically and photographically together!! Look at how far we have come...Tears, laughter, joy, sharing our thoughts and feelings, venting (he he he), ideas, blogs...There is so much that you have taught me; inspiration, patience, love, digi scrapbooking, endurance need I go on...You ROCK!! I love you and cheers to many more years together...aww heck a lifetime if I have anything to say about it, lol...Thank you HELEN! Thank you!

After the tears stopped and I started staring at the layout...I started laughing!! Here is her photo and she is sober and beautiful and here is my photo and if anyone knew about this past weekend I was completely and totally inebriated...another words completely snookered!! Such a good friend to love me no matter what condition I might be in....ha ha ha!!

MWA to you Helen!!

(Credits: everything by Sue Cummings & available at Oscraps:52 week inspiration - week 34 "today". Frames - 52 week inspiration - week 4 - "discover". Date stamp - From My Notebook - Memories No.1.)

Lifes greatest blessings are smiles like yours...

What should I find this Morning on Helen's blog but this....

Helen loved this photo and made this wonderful layout...now she tells me it was simple but not to me! It's absolutely beautiful and was made with love...that is not simple!!

Thank you Helen!! This, as all your layouts you make for me, is priceless and will be treasured for always!! You ROCK woman!!

(Credits: all Nina Scraps & available at Oscraps. Template: smoochie freebie unique template "life's greatest blessings" (Nina's blog). Word art: Say it Simple Vol.1.)

Michaels day aboard the U.S.S. Lexington

Oh Goodness!! What more could a boy ask for on his Birthday:

Big ships, Jets, Cockpits, Cobra Helicopter, HUGE artillery guns, more cockpits, more HUGE artillery guns...Michael was in heaven!! He even asked me tonight if we could go back tomorrow, lol...Maybe it's time for a membership?

The first thing he spotted after we boarded the Lex was the cockpit they had set up for visitors to climb in and play with...Sigh!

We couldn't get him out of it...

I wandered off for a bit and left Michael and Daddy at the cockpit and I took some other photos...like the Jellyfish you see above! There were hundreds of them in the water surrounding the Lexington, ugh!!

Finally we got Michael out of the cockpit and up on the flight deck...He was thrilled!!

Then of course we got stuck at the Cobra helicopter for the next 30 minutes, lol...He had to tell Daddy about the missiles and guns and where they were all at...

Oh Goodness then we found the Big Huge Artillery guns, Yikes!!

When Daddy told him yes he could climb up on them there was no stopping him!!

He looks like he belongs up there, Yikes! I always thought he'd be a fighter pilot but I have my doubts...Fred yells Marines!! Momma yells Airforce...Michael may prove us both wrong and join the Navy, lol...

Here he is with Daddy, pleased as punch! Of course he is staring at the Artillery guns too!! LOL

Oh goodness another Big GUN!! He had to have his photo taken as we were leaving and then he kept posing for me!!

He didn't want to leave....

But we splurged and let him get his own aircraft carrier...he is just tickled! Of course if we knew it made as much noise as it did we might have waited until we got home before letting him open it!! Yikes!!

We headed back to Victoria to Daddy's dentist appt. and I was totally shocked. My husband had no cavities, ugh!! He makes me sick!!

Then off for cheese and chips at a local Mexican restaurant where who should we meet but Trey, Cindy, Angie and a few of Cindy's family members! Trey and Cindy had just had their civil wedding ceremony and were officially married!

It's been a long day and little one told me he had sooo much fun!! I think this will be a birthday he'll remember for quiet some time to come, Yea!! Nothing like making memories!

There are more photos on the flickr site...