Fitting, isn't it?

Had to get out the old Tigger costume that Zachary wore a couple years ago to see if Ashley might wear it this year. What do you think?


"Please, Mom, can I keep it?"


Struttin' her stuff on the "cat" walk.


"I'm not fat. I'm fluffy! Wait, I'm not Fluffy. I'm Tigger! Good thing you can read, because I'm definitely not a Cheeto with black stripes and a tail..."


P.S. Tiggers like popcorn, too!

Zachary's Movie Matinee

This afternoon, just after I put Ashley down for her nap, Zachary actually asked me to cuddle with him. How much longer I will be able to do that with my little boy, I don't know, but I will relish every opportunity I can get before he outgrows this adorable stage and no longer thinks it's cool to even be seen with me.

After snuggling up and reading Bear Snores On TWICE, he asked if he could watch a movie. That gave me a great idea! While Ashley takes her naps in the afternoons, we can have Zachary's special movie time...complete with popcorn and drinks. I prepared his afternoon treat and brought him a pillow and blanket, and voila! Though Zachary SHOULD still be taking naps at his age, I can definitely settle for a couple hours of quiet time while he feasts on the Disney classics that I, too, enjoyed as a kid. Today's special is Toy Story: "To infinity and beyond!"

"The Hottest, Coolest Time in Texas" / Hunting for Crocs

Grandma and Grandpa invited me and Chris and the kids to join them on a trip to Schlitterbahn this past Saturday. Someone that works at the same school where my mom works had 4 free tickets that she was trying to give away because she wasn't going to be able to use them before the park closed for the season. Mom was the first to email her back, so she got them and we all got to have fun without the expense of having to buy our own tickets.

This was Zachary and Ashley's first trip to Schlitterbahn, so I really could not let the chance escape me to take pictures of this momentous occasion. I did take our digital camera, but for fear of ruining it, we left it in our locker and ended up taking pictures with waterproof cameras that Grandpa bought at the gift shop. I will have to develop the pictures and scan them later so you can see the great time we had.

Zachary LOVED Schlitterbahn! Of course, I had been preparing him for this trip early on by dumping cups full of water over his head during his baths from the time he was just a baby and saying, "Schlitterbahn--woohoo!" He also enjoys sliding down the side of the tub into the water, which he calls the "Schlitterbahn Slide." Silly times...

The water, at first, was pretty cold. The longer we stood around waiting to go under for the first time, the more we realized we were just going to have to bite the bullet and just do it. The only one who really couldn't get over the cold water was Ashley. She was NOT happy at all! Grandma offered to stay with her while the rest of us went on our first ride, the Hillside Tube Chute. I was slightly nervous about how Zachary would do, but he did GREAT! Of course, both kids were equipped with lifejackets and mesh-bottomed child safety tubes, so that did keep me from worrying too much. I still expected, however, that there would be some rough water that may toss Zachary out at some point. I was prepared to have to abandon my own tube and rescue my little boy somewhere along the way. I was amazed at how stable his tube remained the entire day. He didn't fall out even once! He really enjoyed floating around in the tube and going over the bumpy hills and down the slippery slopes of the tube chutes. While he might have gotten a little nervous seeing the bigger drops along our routes, he didn't seem scared. He later said that his favorite part of Schlitterbahn was the "water tubes".

Grandpa watched Ashley so Grandma could go with us down the Hillside chute the second time. Meanwhile, Ashley enjoyed the snacks immensely. There is nothing like a trip to Schlitterbahn to give us an excuse to load up on the junk! After our ride, we ate lunch and headed over to the Kinder Lund for some of the kiddie attractions and waterslides. Ashley had a blast there and got over her initial upset at being stuck in that cold water. The water in the kiddie area was warmer and she RULED that park! Grandma enjoyed splashing around with Ashley there while Grandpa and Daddy and I took Zachary down the Whitewater Tube Chute. That one has a very steep drop right at the beginning, and I thought Zachary would really be afraid. Once again, though, he proved himself to be brave as he plummeted down the huge slope. It was really a sight to see! I tried to get some pictures, so hopefully the ones I took will turn out well.

The funniest thing happened when we got to the end of our ride down the Whitewater chute. Zachary and I were the first in our group to make it to the end. I helped Zachary climb out of his tube as Grandpa came cruising toward us. He asked where Chris was, because it appeared that Chris got held up somewhere behind us. We finally spotted him from the walkway where we were standing, and as we waited for him to complete the course, a little man with a thick Spanish accent started pointing at something in the river on the other side of the fence that separated us from the river. He was saying something about a shoe and a baby while pointing at Zachary. I thought he was trying to tell me that the shoe in the river looked just like the kind of shoes Zachary was wearing. It took me a minute to register that Zachary was wearing only one shoe and that it was HIS shoe floating down the river. It had been swept off at the end of the ride, as I was helping him out of his tube, and the current had sucked it through the gate where the water drained back into the river. It was completely beyond our ability to get his shoe, and at first I thought we'd be saying "Adios" to that shoe. However, the man, in his broken English, pointed as if to tell us that there were some employees in that direction that might be able to help with this search and rescue effort. I quickly began walking that way, thinking that I'd surely lose sight of this shoe before I found someone to help me, but the shoe stayed afloat and could be spotted several feet downstream. When I finally arrived at the point where the employees were tossing tubes that had been rescued from the river back into the fenced holding area, I saw no way to communicate with them. There was a mountain of tubes separating us, not to mention the end of another waterslide. Chris followed behind me, and I was just about to give up when he decided to ask the lifeguards at the end of the slides if they could ask the men in the river to drive their powered "boat" to where they could rescue Zachary's Croc. In a moment of sheer victory, the men drove right up to the shoe, which had almost got caught in some branches along the shore (still separated from us by this fence between us), and one of the men leaned over the side of his cruiser, pulled the shoe from the water and threw it over the fence so we could take it back to Zachary, who, I'm sure, was afraid he'd never see his prized Croc, a much-loved present from his Favorite Chia Wendy, ever again. It was an amazing rescue!

No sooner had we celebrated this shoe that was lost and then found, then we had another incident of a missing Croc. I took Zachary to meet Grandma and Ashley at the Kinder Lund park, while Grandpa and Chris took our tubes back to our picnic table. We were all going to meet up and get on the tram to Surfenburg when the guys returned, but in the meantime, Ashley was not ready to leave the kiddie park. I decided to take her down one of the slides. Zachary went down one slide, with Grandma waiting at the end to catch him, while Ashley and I teamed up down the adjacent slide. We had a great ride and then made our way to the other side of the pool to the Bullfrog Slide. It wasn't until I was pushing Ashley down the frog's "tongue" that I noticed she was only wearing one of her bright pink Crocs. Arrrrgh!!!!!! I retraced our steps and didn't see it immediately. I was just thinking that our luck had perhaps run out on us when I spotted the shoe "glowing" from the other side of the pool. It had fallen off during our trip down the slide and someone had found it and placed it up next to a tree on the pavement. As Zachary would say, "Whew! That was close!"

On the tram ride to Surfenburg, Ashley fell asleep. After all, it was naptime, and so she and I dozed in a chair the shade while everyone else enjoyed cruising along in the brisk current of the Kristal River. This area is Grandma's all-time favorite part of Schlitterbahn. Eventually, when Ashley woke up, we joined her and Grandpa for a few spins around the circle. It was really great. Our time there ended when Zachary needed a diaper change, so we headed back over to Schlitterbahn West and took care of that before Zachary and Chris and I made our final trip of the day: an encore performance down the Whitewater Tube Chute.

What a fun day we all had!

Zachary's Second Day at the Little Gym

Zachary went to his second day of gymnastics yesterday at the Little Gym, and I didn't even have to twist his arm. ;) I forgot to mention last time that each class will have a different theme that the teachers work into that day's activities. I'm sure there's a reason they do that, but I just haven't figured out what it is yet. Anyway, the theme of the day this time was "Good Manners", so as the kids paraded around to the different stations, the teachers had them practice saying "please", "thank you", and "excuse me." Zachary is already great at saying those things anyway, but a little positive reinforcement never hurts.

Today, the kids got to play a game with a giant parachute. It seemed that they all really enjoyed that. At one moment, I noticed that Zachary was running around underneath while everyone else was holding onto their piece around the outside of the circle. I wasn't sure if he was SUPPOSED to be doing that or not, but perhaps that was part of the game and I just happened to be watching when it was his turn to go under the parachute. A little while later, the teachers assisted each child across the balance beam. By the way, this is an actual full-sized piece of gymnastics equipment, so it was probably a good 4 feet off the floor. I could see Zachary's face light up when he was called over to take his turn. He is such an enthusiastic little boy anyway, but he was really enjoying his chance to try something new. Afterward, the kids practiced "monkey jumps" (hopping around on all fours with their arms and legs semi-straight so as to appear like a gorilla, I guess) and then a skill on the uneven bars (the low bar) that the teachers called "pizza legs" because the kids are supposed to make a "V" with their legs, their toes pointing upward toward the bar while holding onto the bar with their hands. Every time he remembered practicing "pizza legs", he lsughed and said, "That was fun! That sound so silly!!!"

Ashley wanted to get in on the action today and tried numerous times to convince me to open the door to the gym so she could go in with her brother. I felt sad that I couldn't allow her to have fun like Zachary, but maybe someday she'll get her turn. Not happy about having to sit out in the waiting area with me, she tried to go shoe shopping again over at the cubbyholes. As class was dismissing, I was having a conversation with another mom and Ashley wandered off. Zachary ran over to me and said, "Where's Ashley?" I turned around in my chair and saw that Ashley was standing up against the far wall with all the other kids who were lined up to get their hands, feet and tummies stamped, and by golly, she was not going to be left out this time! I never did find a stamp on her, so I hope she wasn't too sad. It's hard being the baby sometimes.

I'll have to get some pictures of Zachary at class sometime, but until then, here's a picture of his adorable little face the day he started gymnastics. :)

Just a Corny Picture

Just as I started to enjoy this piece of leftover corn-on-the-cob yesterday at lunch, Ashley decided that she had to have it. She carried it with her all around the house...over to her play kitchen, and then out to the living room...taking a lick or two here and there until, finally, she gave it back to me. (Um, thanks???) She is a little stinker, but she was being so silly that I thought it was at least worth a cute picture to post on my blog. Enjoy!

My Austin to Boston Challenge!

I have decided to start a new program to motivate myself to exercise regularly. I am calling it my "Austin to Boston Challenge". Realizing that I needed some big-time incentive to work toward, and realizing that I probably will not be able afford to visit my sister and cousin in Boston until Chris graduates in 2 years, I decided that I will just have to WALK to Boston! Yes, I will be walking the 1,946 miles between Austin and Boston over the next year to two years (or more, depending on just how lazy I may become.) When I reach my final destination, I am going to begin planning the funnest phase of this challenge: The Reward! By the time I reach my goal, we will hopefully be in a position where we'll be able to afford for me to take the kids on an exciting vacation to Beantown. If not, I'll have to take a raincheck and cash in on my prize as soon as possible thereafter. I have a feeling, though, that I won't need to take my time. If anything, I will need some encouragement from my readers along the way.

So, here's how this will work. Today was my FIRST day of the challenge for me. From this day forward, I will keep track of how far I walk and then blog about my progress on the 6th day of each month. To make it a little more exciting, I will be sending a "postcard" from whatever point I am at in my cross-country trek so you can be a part of my virtual adventure and see what new and exciting place I am visiting that month. It will be like "Where's Waldo?" Only it will be "Where's Wobin?" Sorry, I couldn't resist. :)

No matter what happens along the way, the greatest accomplishment for me will be the fact that I'm getting myself in better shape and, hopefully, as a bonus, I will reach my target weight well before I reach Boston.

Wish me luck and enjoy this adventure with me!!!

From Austin...



...to Boston!

Zachary's First Day of Gymnastics

After much discussion over the past few months, Chris and I decided that it was time to enroll Zachary in some type of preschool class that would allow him more interaction with kids his age and that would help him learn new skills and to be more physically active. After seeing Zachary get so excited about swimming lessons this summer and the way it built his confidence, we decided that a preschool gymnastics class might be a great way to encourage him further.

After doing a bit of research on classes for 3 year-olds, I was finally able to find a class at The Little Gym that didn't require him to be potty-trained or for me to do gymnastics right alongside him. After all, it would be tough for me to focus on back handsprings while trying to keep Ashley from wandering off with everyone else's socks and shoes. :)

I wasn't sure what to expect of this class, aptly named the Funny Bugs. There were 2 teachers and about a dozen kids, all 3 and 4 years old, of which most were girls. Zachary was one of about three boys. Until today, Zachary had no idea what gymnastics was all about. I still don't think he has a clue, but he sure did have a great time. He wore a smile from ear to ear that lasted just about the entire time.

Zachary's class will meet every Wednesday for an hour beginning at 11:45. There is a nice sized "gym" with several different apparatuses including a balance beam, a vault, an inflatable trampoline, uneven bars, even bars...I didn't even get to see everything. The class meets in the gym and the parents and siblings wait in an adjacent room separated by glass windows so we can all watch the commotion.

I could tell that several of the kids in this class have either had prior training or else they learn awfully quickly. As the semester started three weeks ago, Zachary got a little bit of a late start, but there is no time like the present to begin something new. This class is supposed to help the kids, among other things, improve their gross motor skills. The kids practiced their entrances and did some stretching and then split into two groups before moving from one station to the next. They did some forward rolls and climbed through "the big doughnut" and played a silly game that all the kids loved called "Smash the Cheese". The teachers would hold up a lightweight foam triangle, and, one-by-one, each kid would plow into this thing, knocking it down, and then "slide" down it. I think this was Zachary's favorite part of today's class. Afterwards, Zachary exclaimed, "I have a fun day!" And he talked about "Smash the Cheese" all evening. I really think Zachary is going to enjoy this class.

We celebrated the first day of "school" with a late lunch at McDonald's. On our way over there, I asked Zachary if he wanted to take lunch home, but he insisted that we had to go inside. I guess he has learned that it isn't nearly as much fun to go through the drive-thru, because there is no playscape at home that is as much fun as the one at McDonald's. I noticed, however, in the rearview mirror, that Ashley was close to falling asleep. She hadn't had her nap, and she needs that everyday. I didn't want Ashley to sleep through lunchtime, so I tried to keep her attention so she wouldn't nod off. I wasn't doing much good, and then Zachary jumped in to help. "Come on, Ashley! You not sleepy...you HUNGRY!!!" Luckily, we kept her awake and were able to make it through lunch and playtime without a problem. I just love how Zachary is learning to negotiate with his sister already. They are the best little playmates.

Here are a few pictures of the celebratory feast.

How Do You Spell "Fun"?

For some reason, I have felt the urgent need to relax and just have fun lately. Maybe it is because our family did SO MUCH TRAVELING this summer that I am happy just to be at home again without anything on the agenda. That does happen occasionally! And since we didn't have anywhere we had to go, the kids and I stayed indoors, which turned out to be a great idea, since it rained heavily this afternoon.

We were rained in yesterday, too, when we went to Grandma and Grandpa's house for a Labor Day cook-out with them and Uncle Matt. So after our wonderful meal, instead of taking the kids to a park, the adults played some fun games (Ticket to Ride and Scrabble) while the kids got to watch. Ever since, Zachary has been waiting very patiently for his turn to defeat me at Scrabble.

So, back to today... While we were hanging out at home, Zachary remembered that he was promised a game of Scrabble with Mom today. Well, how do you play Scrabble with a 3 year-old that doesn't understand the point of the game and can't spell? Well, I was about to find out. I divvied out the tiles and along comes Ashley, who never wants to be left out of the fun times Zachary gets to have. Of course not! So, as Zachary is lining up his tiles on the board in such a determined and methodical effort, Ashley is trying to remove them one by one. Zachary, being the more patient one of the kids, allowed Ashley to play along with him, which eventually resulted in the bag of tiles being emptied all over the living room floor. I decided it was picture time, so I hope you enjoy seeing my budding Scrabble champions-in-training.

The great part of Scrabble with a 3 year-old genius (if I do say so myself!) is the fun we had as Zachary picked up each tile, called out the letter (and was right every time) and named one thing that started with each tile's letter. I am always surprised at the new things Zachary learns to associate with the letters of the alphabet. "I" not only stands for "ice cream", but it also stands for "ice CUBES". "What the heck is an ice cube?!" is what I was probably thinking at age 3! I am so proud of Zachary and how much he loves to learn. I know he will be a great student someday, and oneday he WILL beat me at Scrabble!


Zachary: Boy Genius


"He's got the brains, but I've got all the looks!"