Halloween 2011

Our Halloween celebration seems to get longer every year. This year we started on Monday with a Halloween party at Tramonto park with the Hip Mamas. It was just me and Ethan but we both had a great time enjoying playing and eating with friends. Thursday morning we had a craft play date at Lionel and Everett's house and Thursday afternoon we had a blast at the DeRuiter's Halloween party. The boys decorated pumpkins, cookies, got wrapped up like mummies, danced to the Monster Mash and played games. Friday we decided to skip the Halloween party at the park and get some things accomplished at home. Saturday we headed to Cave Creek for the town's Halloween celebration and the boys were happy to have their buddy Graham and Ms. Chris join us. Sunday we went to the Deatsch's for a football/Halloween party and the boys had a blast playing football in the backyard while Ethan enjoyed chasing the chickens and petting their tortoise Jeeps. The Mings and Katzs brought their trailer over and gave us a great hayride. It was so fun! Finally Monday was the real thing - complete with dinner at the Mings, a pinata and another hayride through their neighborhood. The boys were so excited to trick or treat we couldn't keep up with them. Some of the parents stayed up with the older kids and we stayed back with the little ones. It was absolutely precious to see little Ethan trick or treat!! That was truly my treat for the night!

My Lunch Date

Yesterday was Ryan's first day of no afternoon preschool. We recently decided to have him just go to preschool in the mornings so I picked him up at 11:30 and decided I wanted to go out to lunch. Pita Jungle recently opened at Norterra and I love Pita Jungle. I used to take Tyler out to lunch all the time and I'd even take Tyler and Ryan quite a bit but the past couple years we really don't go out to lunch that much (I don't call McDonald's going out to lunch). I had such a lovely time with my little men. Ryan was really into the activity sheet they gave us and we played several games of tic tac toe. He's getting pretty good at it. Then he worked on a word search and amazed me with his intelligence in unscrambling several long words. Little E loved eating the mac and cheese in between coloring and they both picked at the fresh fruit and (veggie) burger. They were very well behaved and I was happy I decided to take a break from our normal routine and enjoy a lunch out.

Ryan turns 5

This year Ryan's birthday fell on a Saturday which means his real birthday and his birthday party were on the same day. We had a swimming party with a beach theme. I had so much fun working on the details and decorations (my new hobby) and the kids had a great time swimming and playing. They had such a great time that I didn't want to interrupt them with a game I had planned.
His guests included his cool, big cousins Josh and Jenna, friends Billy, Abi & Emily, Graham, Andrew, Audrey & Harrison, Savannah & Shelby and of course his grandma. All Ryan's friends are the kids of our friends so their parents stayed to celebrate too.
Birthday season at the Levin home is over. Whew...it is like a whirlwind of excitement and non-stop celebrations for a couple months around here. What's next? My favorite time of year - fall!
As I write this the Cardinals are on the tv, the boys are playing their own game of football in the family room, chicken tacos are cooking in the crockpot and a cinnamon coffee cake is baking in the over. Oh if only the whole year could be like these next three months.

Stepping Stones

Yesterday was Ryan's first day of Pre-K at a new school. His old preschool Fellowship closed so we needed to find a new school and I couldn't be happier about our decision. I absolutely LOVE this school! For his long awaited first day (his school didn't start until 3 1/2 weeks after most other schools) we celebrated with donuts after dropping off the big kids.
One of the things I love about this school is that I get to aide in classrooms once a week. I signed up to aide in several different classrooms this month, prior to finding out Ryan's new teachers. As it turns out I got to aide in his morning class! So fun! Mrs. Dunham was so nice and taught me a lot about my responsibilities as an aide. Ryan was so happy to have me in his class. I got to help with the art project, snacks, push Ryan and his new friends on the tire swing and help with a craft. I even got to sit next to my little man for snack - applesauce and graham crackers.
Even little Ebo got to go to "school". When I aide, he goes into the playroom. He was hesitant and cried at drop off but after a few minutes he was having a blast. When I picked him the the teacher said "he was a delight to have in class today. He is really comfortable with himself, he has very good verbal skills and we were surprised when he actually strung some Fruit Loops on yarn to make a necklace". That's my little E! :) She then explained after Ethan strung his Fruit Loops, he ate them...all. Oh to be two.
Ryan has Mrs. McMurray in the afternoon. She's so sweet and fun. Ryan informed me that his class has a pet guinea pig and he even got to hold and pet it. He said "you pet it like you pet a dog mom". Mrs. McMurray showed the kids how to hold him and even had them practice with a stuffed animal first. His name is still being decided.
Lastly my little Ryman made it across the monkey bars! First time ever. At morning recess I saw him make it to a couple bars before falling which was a complete surprise because I didn't know he could do the monkey bars at all. He was so determined. He kept trying again and again and eventually it paid off. What a great first day for all!

Slumber Party

Last Friday night we had a slumber birthday party for Tyler. We started by swimming, feasted on pizza, then on to Super Mario Brothers on the Wii. The boys were crazy about playing Super Mario Brothers. Then they gathered up their Nerf guns and had quite the battle while I put Ethan to bed. The battle ended a little early due to a minor injury and the boys decorated pillow cases before having cake and ice cream. Clearly not everyone was as in to coloring as I thought but they still turned out cute. Then presents! Playing with the gifts was also a big hit. They loved Laser Tag and Bionicles. Finally it was time to get ready for the movie. It was so cute to see all the little guys lying on their sleeping bags in the game room, ready to watch "Facing the Giants". A wonderful, inspirational movie about a small football team and the power of God and faith. Ryan and Billy fell asleep by 10:15 but the other made it to the end at 11:30...whew! Finally all fell asleep and I went to bed at midnight. Do you think they all got a good night's rest and slept in? Of course not! At 5:00 am we heard them up and on the Wii playing Super Mario again. After a big breakfast and more playing they all left one by one and by 9:15 am I was officially exhausted. A good exhausted though. It was awesome to have such a fun time celebrating Tyler's birthday. I am so thankful for his good friends (which are our good friends' kids) and a pool and large home to entertain. God has blessed us in so many ways and we continue to enjoy his blessings every day.

My Firstborn is Seven

Today was Tyler's seventh birthday. As Rob and I decorated with streamers and banners last night I recounted the moments leading up to his birth seven years ago (as I always do). Such an amazing time - I only wish I could capture that feeling and relive it every year.
Tyler was up by 6:10 and inquiring about the location of his presents. I ordered a Kevin Kolb jersey and a Lego set online and both were taking longer than expected. I had nothing wrapped for him, thinking the Lego set would arrive today and I'd wrap up a photo of the jersey and explain they are still being finished since Kolb is so new to the Cardinals. Tyler remembered that he gets to open one present in the morning and there was nothing to open...yikes! After showing him the jersey and explaining that he'll probably be the first one wearing it, he seemed a little better. Breakfast was his favorite cinnamon streusel muffin with a candle, chocolate milk and sausage. By the time he was dressed for school he was dancing around and singing.
After school grandma came over and when Rob got home we had pizza and a delicious Baskin Robbins mint chocolate chip ice cream cake that grandma brought. Tyler got to open his Super Mario Bros. Wii game and daddy and the boys played it until bed time. When asked his high point today, Tyler replied "getting Super Mario Bros!"

The First Day of First Grade

and in a new school. Tyler did awesome! He was so confident walking to his classroom today and waiting in the multi-purpose room for his teacher to pick them up. When I picked him up after school he was hot but happy after cooling off in the AC. Tonight I asked him his high point and he said his first day of school. After chatting more about it, he said the best part was playing with his new friends. I'm so glad he already made new friends. When I asked if they are nice, he said "mom, they're awesome!".
Last year Tyler had a wonderful teacher and we were so blessed to have Ms. Christopher and Ms. Cooper but I was troubled by the behavior of several classmates. It's funny how Tyler came to Adams Traditional Academy since that wasn't our original plan. We prayed about it and God led us to Adams for all our boys - not just Ryan as we originally thought. God also showed us His plan for Ryan - to wait another year before starting kindergarten. I have so much peace with all of our decisions and am thankful that God showed us His plan. It's going to be a great year!

Ethan Turns Two!

Our little baby is officially a two year old. We celebrated his real birthday as the boys call it by having pizza, cake & ice cream, opening presents with grandma and swimming. Ethan loves swimming! We got to swim at night and watch all the cool colors in the pool.
On Sunday we had Ethan's party. His friends Harrison, Shelby, Elena and Easton all came to rock out with Ethan. We had his music teacher and our friend Katie do a music party for him. The kids loved it! They ended with bubbles and Ethan was so excited. He tried to catch them, pop them on the carpet and even eat them as they fell. What a great day!
On his birthday I held him and rocked him remembering holding him at the hospital the day he was born. Oh what a precious blessing it is to have three amazing sons. I am blessed beyond measure.

Pandamania

Last week was VBS at our church. I volunteered to lead preschool crafts and loved it! So much fun making projects and decorating. Loved getting see all the precious preschoolers every day. Ryan was in my first rotation so it was great way to start each day. They got to be our guinea pigs since we found there were slight "bugs" in the projects. Nothing huge just ways to speed things up and save some mess.
This was Tyler's first year with the grade school kids. He loved it and had a lot of fun. I loved getting to see the boys sing and dance during worship. We ended the week with a church spotlight on VBS and all the kids went on stage to sing VBS songs. God is wild about us!

Summer Break has Begun

The boys started off summer break by having their friend Billy spend the night. Their first time having a friend stay over. They feasted on pizza, made their own sundaes and watched "How to Train Your Dragon". I forgot how hard it is for little ones to fall asleep when sleeping over. I think it was around 11:00 when they finally drifted off.
The next couple days we had picnics and pool parties and lots of fun with friends. Thankfully the weather was still beautiful so we could enjoy time outside.
The next week was filled with playdates, swim lessons, karate lessons and the Harkins summer movie. So nice to get to wake up without setting an alarm clock.
Every day I am so thankful that I get to stay home with the boys...especially in the the summer. The thought of sending them to daycare or hiring a nanny and going to work is so sad. Although some days are trying, they are still absolutely the best! I love my family and am so blessed.

Kindergarten Graduation

Friday was Tyler's Kindergarten Celebration aka Graduation. I'm not sure why schools don't call it graduation anymore but to us the celebration marked his graduation. Rob, mom and I attended the party and were so proud of Tyler! The graduates sang "What a Beautiful World" for us and it truly was beautiful. The students were called up to read "What I Want to be When I Grow Up" or "What I Love". Tyler was a little shy and unable to read what he had written so Mrs. Christopher read it for him. He wants to be an athlete when he grows up because he thinks it would be cool and fun. After more encouragement Tyler was able to read "What I Love" to the audience. It was so cute and sweet. The kids had a great time eating pizza and ice cream and signing each other's autograph books.
When I look back at the past school year I am amazed at the growth. Not only in Tyler but also in myself. We have entered yet another "club" in life - the kids' in school club. I had to adjust to a hectic schedule because tardies are not allowed in grade school. I had to learn how to deal with a son's hurt and fear when faced with bullies at school. I've learned how to constantly lean on God for support and guidance in raising our children in this world.
So much growth happens in Kindergarten - perhaps more than in any other year of school. Tyler entered Kindergarten able to read only a few words and ended reading books. His handwriting is in my opinion perfect and he has really progressed as an artist. He surprised us by memorizing his final poem on his own. We kept forgetting to practice it until one day he came home with a note from his teacher saying he wanted to surprise us and worked on it at school. Tyler excelled in every subject and has really matured this year. We will miss his wonderful teacher Mrs. Christopher and are so thankful he was blessed to have her.

No Longer a Frog

On May 10th, Ryan had his preschool graduation. All the "frogs" in Ms. Tina's class lined up with their caps on and patiently waited to receive their diploma. When it was Ryan's turn, there was slight pause. He jokingly refused to hug Ms. Tina, instead offering knuckles. Finally a big hug and kiss were exchanged and Ryan was all smiles. He is such a jokester. The graduates and parents enjoyed a pizza lunch and cake while watching a slideshow from the year. Ryan had fun playing with his friends and getting his goodie bag.
As I write this, Fellowship Child Development Center is no longer. They closed their doors after the school year ended. Sweet Ms. Tina, who has either Tyler or Ryan in her class for the last three years is headed to Kentucky. We are so blessed to have had her as a teacher for our boys and are thankful for all her love and care.
We are still deciding where Ryan will go to school next year. His birthday falls 10 days after the cut-off for most schools but we have found Adams, an excellent charter school with a cut-off in December. We are on a waiting list for Adams but also excited about a Stepping Stones Preschool. Ryan is exceptionally intelligent and although his teachers all feel he is ready for kindergarten, we may let him enjoy one more year of preschool before kindergarten. We decided that for Tyler and feel it was a wonderful decision with no regrets. We're asking God to show us His plan for Ryan.

Good Friday

Wow, I can't believe it's been so long since my last post. So many fun, exciting things happen everyday around here and I'm sad when I think about all the things I haven't blogged. This one is too good to forget. Last Friday was Good Friday. I love going to church on Good Friday and spending time reflecting on Jesus' last hours and His amazing sacrifice for my sins. I am so unworthy but yet He chose me before He formed the earth and I am eternally grateful for His grace, love and mercy.

There was only childcare for babies through age four so we knew Tyler would come to service with us. Ryan also wanted to come to service and he was such a delight to watch. He read the words on the screen so he could sing the songs with us. When it was time for communion, Pastor Sandy explained what is required to take communion. Ryan knows Jesus is God's Son and He died for our sins. Ryan was ready. To make it even more special, we were served communion by our sweet friends Jen and Ryan Dyck. It was so awesome to see them kneel down to serve the boys and explain the bread was Jesus' body broken for us and the "wine" was Jesus blood shed for us. Rob led us back to our seats and we all prayed together.

It was just a few months ago that Tyler took his first communion. At the service on the Sunday after Christmas there were no Sunday school classes so Tyler came to service with us. As Pastor Sandy talked about communion and explained it is for all who believe that Jesus is God's Son and that He died for our sins and through His sacrifice is the only way to be forgiven, I saw Tyler nodding his head as if to say "yes" to all. We passed Tyler the bread and cup and we waited for a prayer from Sandy, then all took communion together. My mom got to be there too. How awesome!