Hay Hay turns 4

Happy 4th Birthday Haley Joy!

Yesterday Haley turned 4 years old! I can't believe my baby girl is growing up! She had a small friend party at the park. Then that night, family came over to celebrate ! Two party's, one day! She was so precious and sweet. She got a lot of dress-up stuff and cooking things.... it was fun to see how well people knew my daughter and the things she would enjoy.

At the park all the kids would run and greet each new person who would arrive! Haley had a lot of fun with her friends. I feel so blessed that she has such good friends... Friends I like her to be around! :)

At night she asked us all to hide in the living room and then she would come out as Cinderella and we would all jump up and say "SURPRISE!!" She was very polite with presents, she would open a present then say, "Thank you, next present please."

All in all, I think she had a great day! Thank you all for celebrating with us!

Wednesday at school she brought in cookies her and Nana made for her birthday. The teacher was shocked to learn that Haley was only turning 4. She thought she was turning 5. Ms. Logue (her teacher) tells me, "She is the youngest in the class and I didn't even know it! She is going to blend right in in kindergarten." I tell Haley all the time that she isn't allowed to get bigger, and as much as I don't want her to grow up, if we are putting her into kinder next year, I really don't want her to stick out as the youngest! So this comment from her teacher was a good one in my "school" eyes :).

Blogging frustration ...

A couple blogs back I was trying to post this picture of Jane with Haley. Haley had given Jane a flower and Jane put it in her hair... Haley really likes Jane a lot and I think that is really cute!



HAPPY BIRTHDAY RUTH, aka GG (Great Grandma). The Vandegrift family has a LOT of September birthdays! It is crazy!!! Every week this month we had a birthday to celebrate... and every birthday had its own party... :) We want everyone to feel special :).... This post of Ruth's birthday comes late due to blogging FRUSTRATION... I have attempted to post this now more than twice.... This is either the third of fourth, I stopped counting... I think there is something wrong with our computer, but Jim tells me it is user error.... What do you think?

Sports vs Dance

YEA!!! I am able to post pictures! How exciting....

Updates...

Haley started ballet. She had the choice of soccer or dance... She choose dance. The tom-boy in me was kinda hoping for soccer because I know how sports work. Dance... I am in total confusion!
She is taking classes threw the city, every Wednesday night. She has only gone twice, but already seems to love it. The first day was a sad day for me. I was never really a dancer, or a girlie girl much... I love Baseball, sports.... that to me is fun! So when it came time to get my daughter ready for dance, I was at a complete loss... What does she wear? Shoes... Tennis shoes work, I mean for working out you would wear sneakers, right? When we got to her class, she was the only one with the wrong shoes and the wrong outfit (sweats don't cut it). Also... side note... dance moms... I don't understand them! They are girlie too :) I didn't blend in at all.

When we got home from her first day, my friend Jenna was there and saw Haley and how she was dressed for dance, and looked at me and kindly told me that she would help me out :). So she took us shopping and got Haley the right shoes, and tights (or leggings?). She showed me how to dress a ballerina dancer... She was an awesome help! Thanks Jenna.

Haley's second class was great. She blended in. She had all the right items on :)

Now The other two pictures are of me and Hunter visiting Mindi and her new addition. He is adorible! Hunter and Kaylee played :). VIsit The Houghton Family Blog (link on the side bar) to see updates on their new addition!

Now my spell check isn't working... so forgive me :)

The different ways to eat yogurt!

I am amazed at the many different ways to eat yogurt. You can eat it like a otter pop, or like little balled candy, drink it, and of course - the traditional way. My kids LOVE yogurt! Hunter prefers the yogo's, but when he gets offered the container with a spoon, forget the spoon...

I watch a little girl named Grace every Tuesdays and Fridays. She came over one day and brought Dora yogurt containers... All three children ate with my supervision and loved their treat! Once they were done, (I had left the room), Hunter decided to "finish off" everyone else's yogurt with his hands... He dipped both hands and ate like an animal. He had yogurt all over his belly, face and legs. He loved it! My silly man!

PS... I am having a VERY hard time downloading my pictures of this event onto blogger... so hopefully soon, these pictures I have for this event will be up and showing :)

Bud is 64 going on 65

My father in law cracks me up! He looks forward to getting to that next age, "I am 64 going on 65!" is what he said when asked how his birthday is. His birthday is actually Sept 12, but we celebrated it last night! We went to the "Whole enchiladas" and then back to my in laws for pumpkin pie (his favorite).

The other two pictures are of Haley and Hunter eating lemons. Hunter kept making this face but also, kept eating the lemon!

Cookie Lee Fun!!!

This blog is for the girls :) (not that too many of you men out there read my blog, but you never know). As most of you know, I took a leave of absence this year from work to stay home with my kiddos. I love it. I have many other friends who stay home too and some who sell things to help supplement income for their family. Kelly Taylor, a good friend of mine, sells cookie lee jewelry and I am supporting her efforts to stay home with her kids by having a party this Wednesday night. It is at my house from 7 - 9 pm. Desserts and other goodies will be provided. It is going to be just a fun hang out time. You can shop, eat and chat. ANYONE can come! Even if you did not receive anything in the mail, do not feel uninvited... ANYONE can come. I don't even remember who I sent things too because I want anyone to come. Don't feel that you have to come right at 7. Come anytime between 7 and 9.

If you have any questions.. just let me know... I haven't heard from too many people regarding if they are coming at all or not... so if you know you are or not coming, just let me know so I know how much food to have! Thanks guys!

Oh... and if you are interested in Creative Memories, I sell that!! :)

Fun in the Sun

Yesterday we hit the Victoria Gardens with friends Carrie, Jessica and Jane and their kiddos. Visit their blogs to see more pictures and here about our day threw their eyes. (To get to their blogs, click The Lanes, The Whites, or Carrie on the right of this posting below the work links)

We had fun. We met up at starbucks, of course and then let the kids cool off in the fountain. They had the place to themselves. Hunter loved the water and couldn't get enough. Even after I put him in his dry clothes, I was fighting with him to keep out of the water.

Haley was a different story. She liked it at first but liked picking flowers and wondering with mom instead. The picture with her and Jane is after she picked a flower (shhh I don't think she was suppose to) and gave it to Jane who then put it in her hair.

Haley started Pre-School... Uncle Len turns 37!

Yesterday was a day of events for the Vande's. First it started with Haley starting pre-school. This is her last year before Kindergarten and was very excited a bout starting pre-school. She loves school. This year she got put in a class where she knew no kids. Last year she was with friends from church. This year it was all her. It was harder for me to leave her not knowing any one, but she didn't cry and took it very well. I think I had a harder time then she did. Hunter had the hardest time leaving his sister and cried :).

When we went to pick her up, she was so excited about school and what they had done that morning. We went to lunch at Chick-fil-a. Jim had the day off and we just hung as a family. It was really nice.

That evening we all went over to Jim's folks house for Len's 37 birthday. Helen made Chicken Delight and homemade chocolate pie and we pretty much all enjoyed each others company.

My Dad is a Free Man!!!

After a long time (sorry dad I don't know how long you worked) my dad retired! He was the Director of Respitory at San Antonio Community Hospital. It was always fun to tell people that your dad is THE Director! Haley, Hunter and I along with my mom, of course, went to his farewell party. The people who worked with him (even under him) said nothing but wonderful things about my dad! What an awesome, caring boss he was! GO dad!!!Haley and Hunter quickly found the stage at this party and decided to entertain the people! Haley danced and sang! Hunter sang too.... he tried to dance, at least I think that is what he would have called it. He actually liked to chase Haley, rap his arms around her mid-section and then body slam her to the ground.... If that is dancing, then sure, Hunter danced too! :)



They found a microphone on the stage and yes, it worked out and clear. At first we all thought they were cute singing their ABC's and all, then after a while, we all got headaches and had to unplug the microphone. They love each other!!!
This is the picture I said in my last blog that I was going to post soon. This is this last weekend at the reunion. Hunter fell asleep and poppapa rocked him. Isn't that just melt your heart?

Camping with the Fam!

We are back! For those who didn't know, we went down to National City (San Diego) camping in our favorite campground... Unfortunately it is closing down soon. :( My mom's side of my family had a reunion down there so we packed up our trailer and went camping. My grandparents let us use their suburban to pull our trailer. We had so much fun. Not everyone camped. The campers included us, my parents, and my grandparents. It was great. Haley and Hunter just love their great grandparents! I love that they are so active in my children lives!

In the big group picture is our family, and the people most of you wont recognize is Roger and Pam and their two youngest boys, Jason and Josh. I have not seen Roger since I was about Haley's age :) so it was a lot of fun catching up and playing games. We had so much fun with them. It was great having more family to bond with and hang!

It is good to be back. Jim has a few more days off to chill at home before he has to head back to work. Haley starts pre school on Wednesday and it will be nice to have dad there to see her off!

Stay tuned... I have the sweetest picture coming of Hunter with his Poppapa sleeping. :)