Christmas

Preparing for Santa

Christmas Eve was filled with excitement. At the church service, Austin sang with his choir and Aidan wanted to know when he could have Easter bread again (what he calls the communion bread). After church, Ed and the boys made cookies - halloween sugar cookies, from a pack they never made in October! Austin wanted to leave 16 cookies for Santa, and the boys ate the rest. We let them open gifts from Aunt Kathleen and Uncle Kirk - which resulted in Austin wearing a hockey jersey over his Christmas pjs and Aidan hanging a race car parking sign over his bed.

I've got you in my sight

Christmas morning started at ~6:15am. I heard the boys in the living room, discovering the gifts and then assigning wake up duties - Austin had Mommy and Daddy while Aidan had GG and Poppa Sid. Austin was like Paul Revere delivering his message "Santa was here! Santa was here!" at the top of his lungs. Then we all met in the living room for hours of gift unwrapping and toy assembly.

Awesome!

Some of Aidan's favorites are the AI Tech racetrack, a light blue Chargers Jersey and Wall-e the video game. Some of Austin's favorites are his army fatigues and gun, his police helmet and pixos.

Reindeer Games

We had a great day eating and playing. Oh, and Austin learned a new song (to the tune of London Bridges) and it went like this "Underpants are falling down falling down falling down..." and every time he sang it he laughed and laughed and laughed. And in addition to his performance making us laugh, his pants were falling down and we could see his underpants!

Halloween

Well the grand holiday of masks and jack-o-lanterns is behind us. The boys had a fantastic time and Aidan whined all day Saturday that he wished it could be halloween again! We started the festivities with a block party on our street. The kids ran around playing hide and seek, street hockey, etc. and only occassionally came over to ask when we could go trick or treating. The parents served up mummy dogs, mac & cheese, pizza bagels and strawberries - definitely this year the pizza bagels and the strawberries won out. The parents were happy eating the mummy dogs.

Costumes:

• Austin was a Skeleton Pirate (instead of the planned gladiator). His pre-k class made these for a parade earlier in the day and he didn't want to take it off, not even for a helmet and sword!
• Aidan was a Star Wars Clone Trooper (new in the animated series), but to those old schoolers among us, it looks remarkably like a Storm Trooper.

Austin & the nightly street hockey event

Aidan, again playing street hockey (as the sun sets)

Eat your veggies boys, grow big and tall

Boys in Tuxedos

Silly Boys

Practicing where to stand

Waiting to Perform

This weekend the Wevodau boys were in our friends' wedding (Mark & Tambi's). Aidan & Austin served as ring bearers and Ed was a groomsman. Austin caused a few snickers as he walked down the aisle with his shoulders hunched over, the pillow at his knees - as if the pillow weighed 20 lbs! The wedding was fantastic and fun - even the boys enjoyed the reception with all the toys Tambi had at the kid's table. And Austin did manage to wear his bow tie even though he didn't want to since "bows are for girls".

September Update

Oops – it’s over.

September that is. We didn’t miss it, we just missed you. It was a busy month as we got into the routine of school and extra-curricular activities again.

Aidan is learning to ice skate, play the piano and has joined tiger cubs. Aidan and I were talking the other day on our way to school. He had to think of a 4-line story that morning (as he does every morning) because they apparently write a story every morning in 1st grade. I asked if he wanted to write about skating. He thought about it and then as an aside mentioned that he was glad he didn’t have to wear his bike helmet to skating lessons anymore (Ed required it at the first lesson but after seeing no one else wearing one, Ed decided we had gone a little overboard.) Aidan did then mention that he would like to have a helmet for his bottom. So I asked if he would write about that. He declined but offered it up to me as a story option if I go back to 1st grade!

Austin is playing soccer and really seems to enjoy it. He is a natural midfielder, using his speed to score or to cut down the angle while defending against the other team (see him in the red and black shoes below). He is a bit bashful with the parents & coach, but easily loses that trait when he is on the field. Austin is getting accustomed to pre-K. He likes math and coloring – but especially using scissors and glue. While he does wish every day was Saturday, he doesn’t want to miss Fridays at school as he can choose his own outfit (instead of the uniform) and he takes things in for show and tell.

School Starts

Today we officially have a pre-kindergartener and a 1st grader. Austin and Daddy headed off to Primrose and Colleyville-Heritage after a fruit smoothie and a little bit of cinnamon toast (with no crust). Austin was sporting his required uniform and Daddy was sporting a tie. Aidan and Mommy headed off after the same fruit smoothie and some apple jacks cereal. Aidan picked out his American flag t-shirt to wear (he is really into the flag with the last few weeks of Olympic games) and we packed his lunch with Spongebob mac & cheese, a granola bar and doritos. Then we headed off to school on our tag-along bike, both wearing backpacks to carry all of Aidan's required school supplies. And for anyone who hasn't heard me whine about it - next year I will not miss the opportunity to pre-order Aidan's supplies through the school!

Nice Pic

Hugs & Kisses

(moments before this they didn't even want to touch each other for the picture)

Silly Pic

(followed by the question from Austin, "Mommy, did you see my tongue?")

Pictures that could have been

Well, my camera spent the weekend in my desk drawer at work, so no pics this weekend. But, if I had had the camera, this is likely what you would be seeing.

1. Family shots in the pool with Mom & Austin graciously losing to Aidan & Daddy in the soon to be Olympic sport of water basketball
2. Aidan watering the potted plants around the pool in his birthday suit. (Let me explain - the boys take off their suits before heading inside to avoid wet slippery floors. After Aidan exited the pool and took a quick clean off shower at our outdoor shower, Ed asked if he would water the plants - and he did, after he took off his suit).
3. Snacks to share at the pot luck at the first night of Vacation Bible School - Austin made "strawberry sticks" which consisted of strawberries, big marshmallows and 1" squares of rice krispy treats threaded in a pattern onto a wooden skewer. Aidan and Austin made Krabby Patty Cookies which consisted of 2 Nilla wafers for the bun, 1 thin mint/grasshopper cookie for the patty and green, red and yellow icing for the lettuce and condiments. These were all big hits at the pot luck.

Next time I will have to have my camera!

THE BOYS ARE BACK!

After a 5+ week visit in Mechanicsburg, PA and all surrounding friends and relatives, Ed and the boys have returned home! They did everything - camping, pinebox derbies, visiting the Crayola factory, attending dino camp, going to the Baltimore aquarium, storytime at the library, learning to play video games, seeing wild animals and riding bikes.

I met up with the boys in Arkansas this weekend. We spent a day in and around Hot Springs, visiting a science museum, an aligator farm and a state park on beautiful Ouachita Lake. Notably, at the science museum the entire family attempted to crawl through a "mine exhibit". It was very dark and somewhat tight (at least for adults). Aidan lead the way and I apparently didn't follow closely enough. About 1/2 way through, Aidan took a right and I didn't see it/couldn't see him and took a left. Now according to Ed, "anyone who could read" would have known not to turn to the left as it was marked as an exit. In my defense, it was dark, I saw an arrow and followed it... At any rate, Aidan got separated from us due to my wrong turn. This is really the first time he has gotten lost (although let me clarify that we knew exactly where he was and could hear him, but he was scared). I crawled back in one of the early exit slides (opposite the flow of traffic) to try to relocate Aidan. While climbing up some purple netting, with my foot going through it on every other step, Ed shouted that Aidan was back outside the mine with him. Eventually, I also made it out and we were reunited as a family. I only relate this story as it seems to have been a very traumatic event for Aidan. He insisted on talking about it and only it for 2+ hours after the incident.

Being Silly with Cousins Marvin & Kayla

Grapevine becomes Hockeytown

After seeing a hockey game this spring and watching virtually all the NHL playoffs, the boys wanted to try hockey. Our local rink offered a free program where they loan you all the hockey equipment and let the kids out on the ice 4 nights. Our boys had great fun just putting on the equipment! And while getting all that stuff on takes time, it takes far less time than it did in my day because the skates have buckles instead of laces!

Gladiator #1 (Austin)



Gladiator #2 (Aidan)

At their first outing Aidan got out on the ice with a chair to hold on to and push around. Austin on the other hand refused to even get out on the ice. Ed spent 45 minutes trying to coax him, but to avail. By week two, Austin was excited about getting on the ice - we plopped him out there with his chair and his little legs were going 90 mph - only he wasn't moving. His skates were going back and forth on the ice, lickity split, but since he wasn't pushing off to the sides, he was "skating in place". Aidan got out on the ice and used his chair half the time and ventured out on his own the rest of the time. By the 3rd session, Aidan spent most of his time without the chair, certainly still a little shaky, but building confidence and trying to put the puck on his stick. Austin attempted several trips away from the chair as well.

A Typical Moment

Not So Typical Moment

Now and Then

Well, we officially have a first grader in out family. There's quite a contract between flashing back to the beginning of the school year and looking at where we are now.

THEN...


Things that are the same:

• - Likes trains
• - Likes black sneakers (just like his dad used to - although he doesn't know that)
• - Loves milk
• - Favorite color - red
• - Still a picky eater
• - Still gets in trouble occassionally for using a whinny voice
  
  
  

NOW...

Things that are different:
- Several inches taller
- Learned to read
- Likes to write silly sentences
- Likes more than just trains - race cars, airplanes
- Likes watching sports including baseball and ice hockey
- Plays video games NOW
- Can get his own milk (as long as the jug isn't too full)

School's Out

All the Wevodau boys are out of school for the summer. Aidan's last day of Kindergarten at Glenhope Elementary was June 4th. Ed's last day at Colleyville-Heritage was June 5th and Austin wrapped up preschool with half a day on June 6th. Ed celebrated by taking the boys to the Indy car practice at Texas Motor Speedway - their first trip to see race cars! They got some autographs (although Ed said the line was too long & the boys were too fidgety to get Dana Kirkpatrick's) Aidan was most excited about the 2 McDonalds cars, but couldn't believe it when he learned only one of the McD's drivers was from the United States. Even at 6 years old he recognizes what an icon McD's is in the US. What he doesn't know is how global they are.

Austin informed me that they had green and orange earplugs that they poked in their ears and that they saw a crash. A tow truck had to go out on the track and the driver had to go see his doctor.

Aidan had a kindergarten graduation ceremony. They made their own caps using what looks like a coffee filter, posterboard and some gold yarn and they used men's white dress shirts, wore backwards for gowns.

Our Glenhope Gator Kindergarten Graduate

Brothers in front of his kindergarten window

Aidan's favorite part of the end of school was that his teacher Mrs. Gray gave him watercolor paints. As he explained it, she was going to get new ones next year so he could have the old ones. He talked about it for days leading up to the last day. That last week he even painted a picture, brought it home and showed us what his to be paints could do.

Rainy Day

It was raining as we were heading to church this morning. Austin observed it was just raining, not thundering or lightening. I was impressed with his accurate observation and thought I'd ask the boys a few questions. Here's how it went.

Question 1) How many rain drops are hitting the car?
Aidan: 13, 067
Austin: 13
(and then debate ensued with Aidan telling Austin there were way more than 13, at least hundreds, maybe thousands of rain drops. Followed by Austin saying, "But not imfitium."

Question 2) Where do rain drops come from?
Austin: Clouds
Aidan: Clouds Crying

Question 3) Who made the sky?
Austin: God... (then when I asked Aidan, Austin must have thought he hadn't given quite the right answer and changed his to Jesus)
Aidan: No, it was a giant sun that exploded and made the sky. It was very powerful.

Question 4) Who else is powerful?
Aidan: God
Austin: And Santa!

From there the conversation spiraled into discussions about having to go to Sunday school, who had the coolest umbrella and why we didn't wear coats.

Earring our Ears at Disney

At Chef Mickeys with Grammy

We spent a fun-filled spring break at Disney World with Ed's family. We all met in Orlando and stayed in Ft. Wilderness in a couple of cabins (a great spot for familys). We had dinners and lunches with characters, rode every ride we could if you were 40" and 44" tall, and even had our Easter Egg hunt in between our cabins.

No Cabin Fever for the Wevodaus or Bordlemays

We took the Ft. Wilderness shuttles to the boat dock or the main bus pick up each morning. We got to take the boat to the Magic Kingdom and buses to each of the other parks. The kids liked the boat and bus rides almost as much as the park attractions.

It doesn't get any better than this!

At Epcot, Aidan rode Test Track with Uncle Kirk and Daddy and Austin rode the Nemo ride 3 times with Grammy, Mommy, Aunt Kathy and his cousins Adam and Neve. We ate at the Coral Reef restaraunt and the kids got to watch the goings on in a huge fish tank the entire time. Aidan liked the giant sea turtle and the sharks the best.

Do I have to ride this? (Aidan)

I gotta be me!!! (Austin)

After our first day around the park, I started to wear a motion sickness patch and that allowed me to ride everything from the Carousel and Tea Cups to Space Mountain and Everest. Austin's favorites were seeing Mickey and Minnie's houses (although he wished he could see Pluto at Mickey's house). He also loved the Winnie the Pooh ride and the big kid rides like Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain and The Tower of Terror. Aidan loved Space Mountain (which he rode 5 times in one day), the Tomorrowland Race Cars and Buzz Lightyear's Adventure. Ed even kept Aidan out one special night where the Magic Kingdom was open until 3am! They ran around the park hopping on as many rides as they could. They loved it.

Swimming at Ft. Wilderness

A SPECIAL THANKS TO GRAMMY!!!!

Start 'em Young

Dallas Stars "Water Boys"

We had a surprise opportunity on Thursday to go to a Dallas Stars game. So, I am pleased to say we took the boys to their first ice hockey game (my favorite sport). After racing home, getting the boys to chow down on a pizza Ed picked up (note that Austin refuses to eat cheese so Ed had to remove cheese from some slices), we were off to battle traffic to get to the American Airlines Center. On the way, while in slow traffic, our lane was moving a bit faster than others and we passed a police car that was also in traffic. Aidan spotted it right away and asked if I was glad I was following the rules when I drove passed the police car - and of course, I was glad.

We paid $15 to park at the arena, right next to the train station. As we got out of the car and pointed out the trains to the boys, Ed wondered outloud - Why didn't we think of taking the train?!

Getting to our seats on the 3rd level of the arena meant riding two very large escalators - this was probably the highlight of the trip for Ausin. Once we located our section and seats, the boys were facinated with the game. Aidan asked question after question, as did Austin. Sample questions from the night:

"Do all hockey games have ice?"

"Do they test the ice with a hammer to see if it cracks?"

"Is #88 in time out again?" (the penalty box)

"Where did the peppa go?" (that would be the Chili Pepper mini blimp floating around the arena)

When I asked the boys who they were rooting for, here's what I heard:

Aidan said, "I hoot for the Dallas."

Austin said, "I hoot for both teams."

(I love how they say "hoot" instead of "root").

Austin was amused by his theater style seat. He announced several times that his chair was eating him and at one point clarified it really was - his feet had gone through the folding part of the seat and when he leaned the seat back into it's normal sitting position, he was stuck!

Bikers

Grapevine Bikers

Last weekend we took the boys out for a bike ride around Lake Grapevine. Aidan rides on two wheels (no more training wheels) and Austin was on our tag-a-long bike attached to the back of mine. Austin enjoyed the outing, but Aidan got frustrated with the occassional hill and not always getting to be first in the line. Also, the off-roading we tried was too much and we had to walk our bikes back to the paved area. The boys did find one particularly fun stop. On an off-shoot of the path, there was a pile of old asphalt. They had fun running up and down the pile and finally decided it was a buried alligator. Of course, while that was an exciting prospect, Austin was a bit scared, so that was the end of climbing on the imaginary alligator!

Valentines Suitors

Aidan was to dress up for a tea party at school. Well, he usually wears khakis and a polo to school so we needed something a little "spiffier". We had some suits from Ed's youth, so I asked Aidan if he'd like to try one on. He loved the idea, and especially wanted to wear the clip-on tie.

Now, everything new Aidan gets to do, Austin has to do as well. We only had one button down shirt and it was 8:30 pm, so we made quick work of trying everything on. Here are the boys in suits circa 1976-8.

All Grown Up

Getting back on the horse, so to speak...

January was busy, and I fell behind reporting on our activities in part because I have misplaced the cable to download photos from the camera to the computer. Well, I bought a new cable and so I am ready to get back to blogging.

We went to the Ft. Worth Stockshow parade opening weekend. It was chilly and the boys wanted to be lifted up to see. Briefly (very briefly) I had Aidan on my shoulders and Austin in my arms. They could see the horses, wagons, stagecoaches, cowboys and cowgirls, but I couldn't see a thing.

RIDE 'EM COWBOYS

Ed took the boys to the Stockshow with some of their friends (James and Rachel). Aidan's favorite animals were the baby ducklings sliding down a tiny waterslide. Austin liked the 10 baby piglets that were fighting to get a spot at one of Mommy pig's 8 nipples. But both boys' favorite time was on the rides and eating in the carnival area.

We moved the boys into a bedroom together (into Ed's old office). We repainted the ceiling, but couldn't agree on painting the walls, so we just moved the boys stuff in. Now Aidan has his "Fat Head" on the wall - the #8 race car. I didn't realize that I would be hanging an 8 foot King of Beers ad on the wall. Alas, if Aidan was 13 I might not have done it, but for now - it's just a red race car.

CAR NUT

The Addition

We are moving into our addition (just a few minor touchups to go). Walking up the stairs you see the Hess truck display. Most were Ed's collection, but have since been taken out of their pristine boxes for full access play by the boys.

LINE 'EM UP... LIKE ON THE TURNPIKE

ED'S "CORNER" OFFICE

Ed has his desk and computer relocated and the boys

have their trains all over the place. Here's the proof that the room is living up to its potential already!

The new 3rd bathroom is functional, but the spicket in the tub needs a bit more work to get it flush with the wall

Happy 4th Birthday, Austin!

Hard as it is for me to believe, my little guy turned 4 this week. Austin got to take sprinkle donuts in to share with his class - these are by far his favorite treat. After school, Ed took the boys to play putt-putt, let Austin pick out his own toy at the toy store (Ed was concerned about the "girlee" toy he picked - but it is his choice) and then we all met at Chuck E. Cheese for pizza and games.

At four here are some of Austin's favorite things:

Color: Green

Food: Chicken (in nugget or grilled form)

TV Show: Spongebob, followed by Dora

Toy: Puzzles, Puzzles, Puzzles (up to doing 100 pieces on his own)

Game: The Barnyard Game (where you have to find matching baby animals under haystacks and hear it they make the same sound as their parent)

Song: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and anything he can just make up on his own

Other favorites include the living room recliner - and he must sit in it by himself; his tigger straw cup (a gift from last year's birthday); juice, juice and more juice; riding his big wheel; getting himself dressed in the morning; doing craft projects which always involve scissors and scotch tape.