Kindergarten Favorites

I did it again! And got a little better, if I do say so myself. Last year, I made this, inspired from Pinterest. This year, with Logan going into Kindergarten, I did it again. But this time I used PicMonkey, which was way easier than Fotoflexer (that I used last year). 

I can't believe he has gotten so big, but I know I am going to love looking back at these someday.

I also made a chalkboard sign (out of canvas I already had) to use every year (wish I had it last year). The shiny parts are silhouette letters mod-podged on and the other parts are chalkboard that I can erase and change the grade and career every year.

This year (or this day, more realistically), he wanted to be "Daddy's baseball helper," which was new to me since all he has been talking about lately was being an astronaut. Whatever, kid.

He had a great first day, loved his teacher, LOVED centers, and stayed on green all day. I can't believe he is actually IN kindergarten but I can't wait to see what all he learns this year.

At the age of 5 you:

• are working on counting to 100 (you just have trouble with going from 29-30, 39-40, etc.)
• know all of your letters and sounds
• still love Scooby Doo and Magic School Bus, but now have added Super Hero Squad and Phineas & Ferb to the mix
• still love your Leapster Explorer but love playing Wii as well (and are very good at both)
• are best friends with Reagan
• are in the same class as your friend, Noah
• have Mrs. Knotts as your kindergarten teacher at Shady Grove Elementary
• love going to Target to look at the toys
• want to go to Disneyworld REALLY bad
• love drawing rollercoasters
• love playing dinosaurs and know a lot of their names
• seem to love anything scientific
• loved going to the USS Lexington ("the museum boat") this summer
• loved going to NRH2O this summer (almost every week)
• are on the Red Hots soccer team with Noah
• weigh 41 lbs and are 44 inches tall
• size 13 shoe
• size 5/6 tops and 6 Slim pants (big, but need the length)

I hope you have a wonderful year in Kindergarten! I hope you still give me lots of hugs and kisses and never stop being my little boy. We love you more than you will ever know.

The Final Week

I absolutely CANNOT believe that Logan is going to Kindergarten in just a few days. I have been trying to make the most of this last week with him, but allergies have gotten a hold of me, which drains me of all my energy. I am doing my best to power through it, though. My last week with him had to be special, which means I have to document it, of course.

Monday, we went up to the church and worked. Well, I worked and he played with his friends and even got a little Spanish lesson from Ms. Monika. Love her. I am going to miss him going up there with me on Mondays. We didn't do much else that day because I was starting to feel under the weather. I did put him to bed early to get him ready for the early mornings that would be in his near future (and mine...ugh).

Tuesday we had plans to go to NRH2O with friends but it was raining. And a little chilly (for August anyway). But my friends had sitters lined up for their babies (so they could do more with their big kids who are also going into Kindergarten), so we had to take the opportunity to go. Needless to say, it wasn't crowded. The kids really didn't seem to mind it, but Logan was over it after a couple of hours. He was ready to go, and it was probably time as his lips were starting to turn a little blue. Our friends ended up staying another couple hours (somehow. I would have died). When we left, I took Logan to the library (for the last time this summer) and he picked new books and movies and played with the soft blocks. He was enjoying making "brain machines" and "goose machines" and then another little boy joined him and they built towers and jumped off onto all the blocks. He had a blast and it was so fun to watch.

"The Goose Machine"~"you go under and then lay on top and it turns you into a goose."~Logan, age 5

After the library, we came home and watched his library movies and relaxed. He took a little 30 minute nap while I showered. Daddy came home and didn't have to leave again because his games were rained out so we were able to eat dinner together and play a little.

Wednesday I had big plans to ride the train to the Dallas Zoo with some friends but both me and the other mom were sick, so we had a lazy day at home. We watched movies, ate corn dogs, played Wii Mario Kart (I beat him) and Wii Bowling (he beat me), and he attempted to get me to understand Mario Galaxy (not a clue). Although I still didn't have much energy, I really did try to "play" with him as much as I could.

Then he had his 1st soccer practice with his new team, the Red Hots. His friend Noah is on the team, so they were super excited to see each other there. He did great (well, as great as he can...he is not the most athletic/competitive/aggressive child) and worked hard. Then he spent some time at the park afterward until I called it quits due to the excessive mosquito bites I was getting.  Home, shower, grilled cheese & peaches, brush/floss, 1 story, songs, then bed by 8:30.

The next morning I felt better and actually pulled the trigger and rode the train to the zoo. I am so glad we went. My brother came with me and he and Logan are basically one in the same, so they have a ball together. Logan had never been to the Dallas Zoo and I hadn't been in a really, really long time (can't even remember when it was, but it was long ago). It was a nice change of pace from the Fort Worth Zoo. Not nearly as crowded, lots of great exhibits for kids Logan's age, a lot of interactive opportunities (feed the giraffes, ride a camel/pony), monorail, and a children's zoo with a stream for kids to play in. We were there about 3 hours and probably could've stayed a little longer (Logan's attention span is not great) but had to catch the train back to pick my dad up from the airport. Here are some pics from the trip:

Riding the train to the zoo

Dramatic boys

Ryan's photo shoot while Logan analyzes the map

My boy loves maps

Feeding the giraffes

Ryan's favorite part of the zoo

Logan loves the herpetarium and searching for the animals in all the cages

Playing in the stream

Sleepy on the train ride back

After the zoo we had to hustle to the airport to pick up my dad, then went up to Logan's new school to see who his kindergarten teacher was going to be, ended up going to a friend's house for a few minutes, and then had to hurry home and take a bath/shower and get ready for Meet the Teacher that night. I was a nervous/sad wreck. Logan was pumped.

Outside Mrs. Knotts' classroom

Logan and his kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Knotts

The newest Shady Grove Star!

After Meet the Teacher, we went to dinner and then did some school shopping and found his first day of school outfit (and a few more) at Crazy 8 and finally found a book I had been looking for at Target. It was a long, but great day.

Friday we got to sleep in for the last time (8:30) and then hit the ground running. We met some friends at a local pizza place and the lady there takes the kids back in the kitchen and teaches them about making pizza, food safety, and taking orders. The kids got to each make their own personal sized pizza and watch it cook in the oven. Then they got to ring each other up. It was a great trip!

Landyn, Madeline, Lindsey, Braden, & Logan

It was a fun and exhausting week, but one that hopefully won't be forgotten. I will miss our time together, even though he drives me crazy sometimes (ok, a lot of the time). But I know he is ready for Kindergarten and will do great with Mrs. Knotts and love school. I just need him to stay little for a little while longer and never stop giving me all his random, out-of-the-blue hugs and kisses.

A Year In Pictures~Logan 2011

Yeah, so I am a little bit late on this. I know it's mid-2012 and all, but I just remembered how much I like seeing how much Logan changes every month (see 2010 here). It's harder to notice in person now that he is bigger, but when I look at pictures, the changes are amazing.

January 2011 (FW Science Museum)

February 2011 (the big snowstorm of Feb 2011)

March 2011 (on the boat at Aunt Toni's)

April 2011 (Easter at Aunt Toni's house)

May 2011 (after Sprout's Spring Program)

June 2011 (last day of the Lugnuts blast ball season)

July 2011 (Paradise Pond)

August 2011 (doing some watercolor painting)

September 2011 (first day at Southlake Christian Preschool)

October 2011 (in his homemade Angry Bird Bomb costume)

November 2011 (Logan and his friend, Sydney, after their last soccer game)

December 2011 (Christmas Day)

Recipe~Ritzy Chicken

I got this recipe from my sister, who got it from Sampler Girl's blog. It is so good and easy to make. Logan even eats it without complaining, which is huge for him, and makes it even more of a winner in my book.

Ritzy Chicken Tenders

Ritz Crackers (approx. 1 1/2 sleeves, crushed to crumb consistency)
1 cup buttermilk **I typically just use regular milk**
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken tenders **I usually buy chicken tenders in 2 lb packages, so I use 2 lbs and 1 1/2 sleeves of crackers is still plenty**
Canola oil

Dip chicken tenders in milk and then dredge in Ritz crumbs. 
Heat skillet with desired amount of canola oil and fry both sides of chicken strips.

Line a pan with foil and transfer chicken. Bake further in oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until done.

 

Make these. They reheat well (if there are any left) and taste SO good.

 

Beach Pictures

So I really wanted to attempt beach pictures but I am not even close to a real photographer, so I did what I could. With a tripod. And a camera that wasn't working consistently. Fun times.

I think I did pretty good and got several great shots of Logan & Chris. Me, not so much, because I take better pictures than Chris (more practice) and running to get in the shot after setting the timer is not my specialty. 

These are a few of my favorites, though.

This one is my VERY favorite

The wind was CRAZY so I am not even sure why I messed with fixing my hair. As you can tell, I ended up just pulling it back. 

There are a couple framers among the bunch. I could have kept shooting, the sun was setting and the wind was dying down (a little) but Logan was antsy to get in the water. We had gotten everything we could out of him. 

The sun setting over the dunes