Soccer is Over
Bitter sweet, I guess. Sydney finished up her soccer season today with a 0-0 tie. It was a good game, well matched teams, and the girls had a great time. They were most excited to go to John's Incredible Pizza for their party. Sydney was soooo excited to get her soccer trophie. She told us tonight that we need to build her a trophie case. Too funny!
Sydney is sad that the season is over, even though she has been complaining the last two weeks that it is too cold out there to play. Chad and I are excited that the season is over. We get our Saturdays back! It was a lot of fun to watch her play and have a great time with the other girls. I am sure that this is not the last season that we will participate in. Ben wants to play next year too so we will be those parents that spend several hours at the field each Saturday.
We are very glad that Sydney enjoyed soccer, got some experience and conquered some of her shiness. Last year we were taking her home after crying during soccer camp. This year she played against another team in front of many screaming parents and LOVED IT. What more can we ask for. We are very proud of her.
Gut Check on Life
It is amazing to me how things happen. Last Monday was a very frustrating day for me at work, I had some challenges that I will not get into. I was very frustrated and could barely stand to spend the rest of the day at the office. We had dinner that night to celebrate 's mom's birthday and then we came home. I could not shake my day.
On Tuesday, we took to the eye doctor. As most of you know, she had eye surgery when she was 2.5 years old because of a condition that she has with her muscles in her eyes. We have been seeing some potential problems again so we thought it was a good idea to see her doctor. He agreed with us that there may be a potential problem. He then said some words that are forever seared in my mind. He informed us that he wanted to do a brain scan to rule out a brain tumor. I almost fell out of my chair, my heart began to pound and tears welled up in my eyes. He proceeded to tell us that he did not think that she had one at all. He just needed to be sure.
Problems at work?? What problems at work????? It is amazing how quickly things can be put into perspective for us. Forget the daily frustrations that can come. This is MY BABY we are talking about.
I immediately got an MRI scheduled for Friday evening. does not like the doctor or tests so we were very concerned. Friday night was a failed attempt ending in tears for Sydney and I. She was very afraid of the machine and the technician was not helpful at all. We had bribed her with a hamster (yes, bribes are ok in my book for something this important, she could have gotten anything out of me to get this done). She was devestated not getting the hamster so she agreed to go back and try again. They did not have any other openings for Friday so we had to come back on Saturday morning at 6:45 AM.
Saturday started the same as Friday. began to cry and told us that the machine was scarey. She would not take the test. The thought of not getting her hamster and the fact that the technician was helpful made her finally decide to get it done. We were able to use the open MRI machine and I was able to lay next to her through the entire test. She did amazing. We are so proud of her for conquering her fears and getting such an important test done. I mentioned the nice technician, she told us that she would get a rush read on the results. She also told us that she did not see anything on the scan for us to be worried about. She is not a radiologist, but it gave us some peace.
We heard from the doctor's office today (after many repeated phone calls from a crazed mother). The scan was normal! It is amazing to me how challenges like this can be placed in our lives to remind us of what is most important in life. I have definitely enjoyed the little things with both children all week long. I have been in the floor playing board games, snuggled up on the couch with a blanket and a cartoon and just taking in their every smile and silly dances.
Problems at work?? Forget the problems at work. Working with human beings = challenges. That will never change. The most important things in life my God and my family. As terrible as it might sound, I think I needed this to put me in my place. We are so thankful to God that Sydney is healthy. We do have some options to discuss with the doctor, including a possible outpatient surgery but we are so grateful that our worst fears did not materialize. God is so good!
Soccer News
Sydney is playing soccer for the Turlock Youth Soccer League. She is on an all girls team and practices two nights each week with games on Saturdays (yes, it is a lot of work).
Her first game was today. Her team won 3-1. They did a great job! Sydney is really enjoying soccer and having fun getting to know the other girls on her team. She has three friends that play from her Kindergarten class. That was a temendous help in getting her used to going.
I have posted some photos of her playing soccer on the photos page. Enjoy!
In other news. Ben got his cast off this week. He is glad to have it off and is starting to use his right arm more and more. He was very timid with it at first but seems to be feeling better and building his strength back up a little at a time. Please pray for him because it did not heal as well as we had hoped. We are going to be seeing a Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon for a second opinion. We are hopeful that everything is fine and that seeing the second doctor will ease our concerns. Better to be safe than sorry...
Labor Day Weekend
We spent the holiday weekend at Lake Tahoe with Chad's parents, Sister Jenn, Grandma Hensley and Chad's Uncle Wayne. We stayed at our favorite Tahoe stomping ground, Lakeland Village http://www.lakeland-village.com/resort.php/LAKELAND_VILLAGE/OVERVIEW. If you have not been to Lakeland, you must try it at least once. It is the perfect spot to stay in Tahoe with children.
We were all excited to spend some time with Chad's grandmother from Texas and his uncle from Colorado. It is unfortunate that we all live such busy lives, we do not get the time to spend with family as much as we would like. Tahoe was the perfect setting to slow down and enjoy catching up with Chad's family.
We all had a fabulous time swimming, hiking, exploring, relaxing, eating and watching the Labor Day weekend fireworks over the lake. By far the best fireworks display that I have ever seen- in the most beautiful setting.
We asked the kids what their favorite thing about the weekend was. Ben enjoyed the freedom of riding his scooter all over Lakeland. He had a blast riding down the hills and his new trick, jumping off while it is still moving (I know- we are still trying to heal the first broken arm.) Sydney said that she enjoyed getting to spend time with her family- we could not agree with her more. It is always wonderful to get a whole weekend with the kids and not have chores and life's distractions to get in the way. Although....I think that she really enjoyed the pool the most. If you were there, you would understand. The child wore us out each day jumping into the deep end of the pool with no fear. Not to mention it was COLD- it did not phase her a bit. I think Sydney and Ben also really liked the fireworks display- impossible for me to describe how amazing it was. The kids were both silent for the entire show....that says it all.
Thank you to Chad's parents for arranging for the weekend and Jennifer for doing so much cooking for us all- you are a fabulous baker (ummm...chocolate chip cookies!). We also want to thank Grandma Hensley and Uncle Wayne for traveling to spend time with us. It was great to see you both. We hope that you had safe and easy travels home.
First Grade Here She Comes!
Sydney's 1st day of 1st grade was today. She is attending a new school this year that is about 2 blocks from our house. It is Walnut Elementary Education Center. It is a magnet school and she is in the Math/Science half of the school. We are really hopeful for a more positive experience than Kindergarten. Her teacher seems like she is a "seasoned professional".
This last week has been a little nerve racking because Syd has been hesitant about the new school, new teacher and being in school all day~ instead of at Grandma's house. (Grandma is having a hard time too) We have been talking about the adjustment all week and visiting the campus. Chad and I have also spent a great deal of time praying about the situation! It all paid off. She woke up this morning and was very excited. She got herself ready quickly and was out the door with no prompting.
We got to the school and she went right into her classroom and found her assigned seat. She put her things in the cubby and got started on a coloring project. The class went outside to attend a welcome assembly that she told me was "really cool" and then pranced off to class without even looking back at me. Hard for me to handle but I was grateful at the same time. What a difference from the first day of Kindergarten. She is growing up so fast!
Her favorite things about the day were recess, lunch and snacks. Her least favorite thing was being hit in the face with a football (yes that happened at recess and it made her glasses cut her cheek). She met up with some of her friends from her previous school and got to sit with them at lunch. She even made a new friend in her class named Grace. Chad said that we could not have asked for a better outcome for the day (aside from the football incident). Truly an answer to prayer!! I am really glad that she enjoys school and is looking forward to tomorrow!
Broken Arm
To catch up: Ben broke his arm about 3 weeks ago while attempting to do "a trick" for Daddy. He apparently thought that he could do a one armed cart wheel!
I walked in from work to the sound of Ben screaming and Sydney telling me to hurry because Ben hurt his arm and could not calm down. We soon decided that a trip to Urgent Care was necessary and that he might have broken his arm.
We were right. He broke his right arm just below the elbow and will be in a cast until early September. Although the first week or so was really rough, he seems to be adapting to having the cast. The hardest part right now is when it itches him. Chad can hardly stand that there is not much we can do to help with that.
We are looking forward to the cast being off and putting this behind us as a memory. If you ask Ben if he is going to do a cart wheel again he very quickly replies, "No!". I doubt that will be the last trip to Urgent Care with our boy! He is a dare devil.
Ben's 3rd Birthday
Today was Benjamin's 3rd Birthday. I used to hear my parents say that time really flies when you have children. I had no idea what they meant, it seemed to go by slow enough for me. I completely understand it now. It seems like yesterday that I was at the hospital bringing my newborn son into the world. I remember every little detail, perfectly clear. Now he is 3 years old....time really does fly.
Ben had a great day today. It was the first year that he really got the idea that he birthday was coming. He has been anticipating it for weeks. He knew that today was his day and he enjoyed every minute of it. Chad and I were talking about it tonight. It seemed like he walked around with a smirk on his face and a spring in his step all day. He woke up and came to my room this morning and I told him 'Happy Birthday!' Ben responded, 'It is not quite my birthday yet.' About 10 minutes later, I asked him if I could tell him Happy Birthday now. He responded, 'Yes, it can be my birthday now,' Then he told me he was ready for breakfast and asked if he could have chocolate birthday cake to eat. It is great to be a 3 year old little boy.
Ben loved his tractor themed party. The highlight for him was the tractor pinata. He has been asking for one for about 3 months now. In fact, when you asked him what he wanted for his birthday, that was the main thing that he would tell you.
His Grandma and Papa splurged and got him a John Deere, ride-on tractor with trailer. He absolutely loves it. I honestly did not hear the child speak for at least 20 minutes after he got on the toy. He just rode around the yard with a smile on his face. We got him a Spider Man Skooter, per his request. He has really enjoyed it as well, minus the skinned up knee he got this afternoon. Ben loves toys with wheels and that make noise. He got lots of great gifts that met both those requirements. He is going to have great fun trying out all of the new toys!
Thank you to everyone that came to the party. We love you all and appreciate that you spent your afternoon celebrating with us. It is a joy to be a parent and to celebrate the life of your child. I pray that God blesses Ben with many more healthy, happy years of life.
Family Vacation- Santa Cruz
We are wrapping up our visit to Santa Cruz. Tonight is our last night and we head home tomorrow. It has been a great trip so far! We have visted the Boardwalk, saw a circus show, spent the afternoons at the beach, swam in the pool and observed marine life at the Seymore Marine Center at UC, Santa Cruz.
The kids loved the rides at the Boardwalk. It was a warm day on the coast. We cooled off on the log ride as a family and the kids loved the Dragon Coaster. It nearly beat Chad and I to death but the kids loved it so we rode it several times. We had corn dogs, lemonade and ice cream cones and finished our visit with a circus show on the beach.
We headed out to the beach both Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. The kids loved being chased by the waves, digging holes and flying our kite. Sydney enjoyed sunning on the hot sand after playing in the cold waves. She was absolutely covered with sand each day. Ben loved to dig holes and jump in them. He was not as big of a fan of the cold water. He did love watching the waves and seemed almost entranced by them.
Both kids have gotten quite good at swimming since their swim lessons in June. We spent quite a bit of time in the pool at our hotel allowing them to practice their newfound skills. Sydney is really getting the hang of it, swimming acrossed the pool while holding her breath underwater. I was impressed. Ben is a dare devil and does not realize he sinks. He will have the hang of it soon. We are impressed with his bravery and willingness to dunk his face underwater, something that he previously would not do.
The highlight of the trip (for me) was the Seymour Marine Center. http://www2.ucsc.edu/seymourcenter/ The center is located on the campus of UC, Santa Cruz and is primarily a research center for students/professors. They have a great aquarium that is perfect for children (especially for our kids ages). There are dolphins to watch, giant whale bones to see, aquariums (we saw a newborn baby shark...very cool) and a wonderful petting table. The kids get to pet starfish of all shapes, sizes and colors, sea anemones, sea cucumbers, hermit crabs, etc. The best part are the volunteers. They are their to educate and it is obvious that they love what they do. Every volunteer was wonderful with the kids. Sydney and Ben were very comfortable asking questions and exploring the marine center. I highly recommend this location to any family with small kids. The price can't be beat and the experience is priceless!
So, we head home tomorrow...back to the scorching hot Central Valley. We have had a wonderful time and are grateful for these memories as a family. I wanted to be sure to get the blog completed tonight because I know I will be busy the rest of the week preparing for Ben's birthday party. It is so hard to believe that he will be 3 years old on Saturday! My baby is growing up. I will post photos of the party soon.
10 Years of Marriage
Chad and I celebrated 10 years of marriage on Friday, July 10th. We had a wonderful weekend in San Francisco together. We started the evening with dinner at Morton's in Union Square and then saw 'Wicked' at the Orpheum on Friday night in the City. If you have not seen 'Wicked' and you are a 'Wizard of Oz' fan, you must see it. I absolutely loved it! Chad had a great time as well.
Saturday, we enjoyed a beautiful day in SF. The weather was fabulous and we enjoyed walking around, lunch near the pier and seeing the street vendors. That evening, Chad got his wish and we spent the evening at a Giant's Game. GO GIANTS! They won 2-1 over the Padres. It was an unusual evening at the park. We got some rain during two innings and then the most beautiful rainbow appeared over the scoreboard (see pictures). It was a great night.
I must add that my fabulous husband gave me the most amazing diamond necklace for an anniversary gift. He is such a sweet guy and knows how to melt my heart! I can hardly believe that it has been 10 years. It seems like yesterday that we were walking down the aisle. We are so blessed to have each other and the beautiful family that God has granted us. It has been a fabulous 10 years and I pray that God will grant us many, many more years together and many more happy memories.
We raced home on Sunday and began unpacking/packing our bags again. We left this morning for a trip to Santa Cruz with the kids. Stay tuned for photos and updates on our family vacation.
Mother's Day
I am a mother of two beautiful children. Wow! That is sometimes hard to believe.
I was never the typical girl that wanted to grow up to be a mommy. There was a time in my life that you asked me if I wanted to be a mother, I would have laughed and said, "Absolutely not". I did not want children of my own, I had things to accomplish in life [or so I thought]. In fact, the idea of having children never occured to me as a "good idea" until Chad and I decided to get married. I have joked since then that I never wanted kids, I wanted Chad's kids! When Chad and I announced that we were pregnant [with Sydney], our families could not believe it. I think that they had resigned to the fact that it was not going to ever happen. I still remember the scream/cry that my mother let out when we told her. I will never, ever forget that sound and her subsequent words, "They're having a baby!" The happiness in her voice was all that I EVER wanted to hear. I have tears in my eyes just thinking about it now.
Being a mother is hard work, especially when you are trying to balance the needs of your children with the needs of your spouse, managing the household and a full-time, very demanding work schedule. God never promised that it would be easy. It is, however, incredibly rewarding and the best thing that I have EVER done in my life. I tell Sydney and Benjamin that they are the greatest gifts that God could ever give me. I mean it every time that I say it. I am a completely different person today because of my children. They have made me think of someone other than myself, care about their spiritual life and moral well being, love like I have never loved before and want to continue to be a better person, mother and friend every day. They have been a HUGE part of making me who I am today and I am eternally grateful.
We had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend. Chad pampered me on Saturday, doing all of the laundry and letting me take a nap! [The simple things in life]. Chad and the kids took me to dinner and then we went to the park to play. I even got a few wonderful gifts from Chad and the kids. Sunday we spent at church where the kids did a song about what they love about their mom's. Ben said that he loved that, "when he hurts his head, I fix it". Syndey got embarassed and did not say anything. When she came to sit with me, I asked her about it. She told me that, "she could not think of just one thing, there were too many things that she loved about me". That was all that I needed to hear from my daughter! We spent the balance of the day with Chad's parents and a BBQ at my parent's house. It was great for the kids to get to spend the day with their grandparents.
Ultimately, I had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend with my beautiful family!
T-Ball
Sydney started t-ball this week. So far, she absolutely loves it. Her team is the Red Sox, 9 boys and 2 girls. She is doing a great job of holding her own with all of the boys. She said that she loves batting and running the bases the most. She got a chance to play the pitcher position today and first base against the Yankees.
We need to work on paying attention to the game the entire time but that will come with time. It has been fun to see her in sports and we hope that this is something that the kids enjoy and want to continue since Chad and I are sports fans!
My thought for the day...
I absolutely love my children (duh!). I know that sounds funny for me to say but I needed to say it out loud. I think that they are the most amazing two human beings on the face of the earth. It is so much fun to watch them grow into little people. They both have such amazing personalities, are intelligent, articulate and absolutely enchanting. They are so different from each other and yet so much alike (if that makes any sense at all).
I am so thankful to God for them and I pray that I will not take one second for granted with either of them. (Of course, we all know that I will, but I am hoping that will stay in my head somewhere and remind me from time to time to relax and enjoy their presence because life is short and they grow way too fast!!) I pray that they will have long, healthy lives and that they will be strong, independent people and serve the Lord. I have no idea what life will be like for them as adults in this society (God help us all) or what challenges the future might bring. I pray that the Lord will give them the grace and strength to endure all that will come their way and allow me to be present in their lives for as long as possible to assist in guiding their paths.
Vallier Update
We have had a busy month in the Vallier Household. The short version:
*Syndey lost another tooth. I won't share the details because she did not handle it well. She is also getting glasses in the next week. Stay tuned for a glamour shot of her in new new shades! (See film strip of the kids)
*Ben got his big-boy bed. He is very excited to sleep in his new bed! Mom and Dad are too!! (See filmstrip of the kids)
*We celebrated my grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary! It was a wonderful event and we had such a great time celebrating with them. (See photo album below)
*Sydney celebrated her 6th birthday! She is growing up so fast. (See photo album below)
*Easter Sunday was a beautiful day and the kids had a great time celebrating Jesus' resurrection and hunting Easter eggs of course. (Photos will be updated in the next couple of days)
Disneyland Vacation
Our family had the opportunity to travel to Disneyland this month for some much needed fun and to celebrate Sydney's 6th birthday party.
We started our vacation with a Tinkerbell party at our house for Sydney's 6th birthday. It is so hard to believe that my beautiful baby girl is now 6 years old. She had a great time with the friends and family bouncing in the bounce house, having cake and opening gifts. I will get some photos posted of her party in the next few days. Thank you to all of our wonderful friends and family that helped make her party so special. We love you all so much!
The following Monday we packed up and headed to the happiest place on earth, Disneyland! Chad and I were a little bit anxious about how Ben would do at Disneyland. He is only 2 1/2 and we were not sure how he would do with the characters and if he would like some of the rides that his big sister would like. We are happy to say that he had an amazing time. He kept stride with Sydney the entire trip and even rode his first roller coaster; hands in the air laughing his head off!
The second day at the park was Sydney's official birthday. She was given a pin to wear on her shirt at the front gate. The pin said 'It's My Birthday' and her name. She was told Happy Birthday probably 1,000 times! By the end of the day, I think that she was almost sick of hearing it. She even got a chance to meet some of her favorite Disney Princesses and Tinkerbell. It was very fun to be able to celebrate her birthday in such a fun place.
Sydney and Ben had a magical time. Chad and I had a wonderful time getting to share Disneyland with the kids, seeing it through their eyes! (Mom even got a picture of the family with Minnie Mouse- my favorite character) How awesome it is to be a kid!!! We are sad to say that we have returned to reality but have wonderful memories of our trip. We look forward to going again when the kids can enjoy some of the bigger kid rides!
It's A Boy!
The Vallier Clan has added a new member this weekend. His name is Rusty and he is a 8 (almost 9) month old dachsund (see pictures below). Rusty is a deep red color and looks like he will be a bit larger than Cooper when he is grown. For those of you that may not know, Cooper is our tri-color mini dachsund that is almost 2 years old.
The "boys" are doing pretty well together. We have a few challenges when it comes to eating time. They don't like each other to eat. Other than that, they are getting along well. It is fun to see them both play together.
Rusty appears to be absolutely wonderful with the kids. He is very calm, almost bashful, and loves to snuggle. He has taken a particular liking to Sydney. He follows her all over the house, likes to sleep in her lap and cries at her door when she goes to bed at night. It is great to see them connect because Cooper and Ben are very close. Both are very rambunctious and love to wrestle together. Now both kids have a buddy.
We are excited about the new addition!
Big Week
We have had a big week at our house. It is amazing to me how in a few short days, the kids can seem to grow up tremendously.
Sydney lost her first baby tooth this week (picture to come). She was very excited to show it to everyone and even more excited to put it under her pillow for the tooth fairy. I was proud to hand down my very own tooth fairy pillow from when I was a little girl. I think that she is excited for the next one to fall out now!
She also seemed to become more responsible this week. She is being so helpful around the house. She even made her brother's bed! I love watching her take the initiative to be helpful without having to be asked. That's my girl!
Benjamin has decided to start potty training this week as well. He has gone to the bathroom on his own the last three evenings in a row! He is very proud of himself and we hope that he keeps it up.
Additionally, our children have always loved each other A LOT. Yes, they fight like any good brother and sister but they have always had a very special bond. The first person they ask for each morning is each other.
Sydney was upset at me this evening and crying a bit. Ben was very concerned about her and tried to cheer her up. He kept asking her if she was happy now. She finally decided to stop being mad and laughed at something he was doing. Ben asked her again, "Are you happy now, sister?" She answered him, "yes". Ben responded, "Good, it makes me glad when you are happy." I don't think that I have to say anything more....
Thankful for so much!
This last week we celebrated Thanskgiving! I have spent the last two weeks thinking about what I am thankful for in my life, I decided to share with with anyone that might be interested in reading it:
*I am thankful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who willingly died on the cross for my sins and the sins of all who will accept him. I am thankful that my husband knows the Lord and pray that my children will make the same choice in their young lives.
*I am thankful that I was raised by parents who cared about two things: 1) my salvation and 2) that I would grow-up to be a decent, respectful human being. I love them very much and am so glad that they are a huge part of my life and the lives of my children.
*I am thankful for our church, our pastor and all of the wonderful people there. We feel so much love and are very thankful that we can raise our children in such a positive, church environment.
*I am thankful that God brought the most amazing man into my life and I have been married to him for the past 9 1/2 years. He is my partner in the madness that is our life, he has shared with me in all of life's big moments and understands me even when I am at my worst. I love you Chad!
*I am thankful for the two amazing children that I have been blessed to be the mother of. They are both so much alike and so unique in every way. My daughter challenges me daily (because she is so much like me), reminds me of what is important in life and amazes me as I watch her intelligence blossom. I love the conversations that we have and I look forward to many more. My son makes me laugh and smile on my worst days. He reminds me that it is ok to have fun- he is my little comedian and a great cuddler.
*In this day, I am thankful for the fact that Chad and I both have good, stable (hopefully) jobs so that we can provide for our family. I am thankful for the comfortable home that we live in and the fact that we are able to put food on the table for our children and provide for their needs. Thank you God for making all of that possible. I pray that we are always able to provide for the needs of our family.
Fall is Upon Us
We have been involved in many fun, Fall activities in the last couple of weeks.
We took the kids to our annual trip to the pumpkin patch. They had a great time looking at the animals, playing in the hay maze, riding ponies and of course, picking out some pumpkins to decorate our porch.
On Friday the 31st, Sydney had a class field trip to the same pumpkin patch and I got to go with her! She had a great time riding a school bus for the first time. She got an opportunity to plant broccoli seedlings, learn about animals, feed the koy and play with her classmates. The little girl in some of the photos is Lindsey. She and Syd appear to be pretty good friends right now.
On Friday evening, we had a Harvest Carnival at our church. The kids had a great time dressing up in their costumes and playing games with their friends at church. Both kids played musical chairs, decorated pumpkins and played carnival games to win lots of candy! Ben participated in a cupcake eating contest and tied for first place!! They had a blast at the carnival and slept like rocks that night.
Recent Travels
It has been a while since my last entry. We have been very busy with the events of life. Sydney is doing well in school. She loves her lessons in class but each day reminds me that recess is the best part. Smart kid! Ben is going through a tremendous amount of development himself. This week he has given up his beloved pacifier (not without a few tears) and has switched from a crib into a toddler bed. He seems to be doing rather well with both. Chad and I are hoping that potty training is the next chore to tackle.
We have had the opportunity to take some travels recently. During Labor Day weekend we visited one of our favorite locations as a family, Lake Tahoe. The Lake was beautiful but the weather proved to be rather cold. Winds were gusty over the lake the entire weekend which limited our outside activities. We did get a chance to ride the Tahoe Queen out to Emerald Bay one afternoon. We also enjoyed just hanging out in the house with Chad's Mom, Dad and Jennifer. It was fun to just relax and watch the kids play.
This last weekend, we took the kids on their first airplane ride to Dallas, Texas. I was hesitant at first to have both children on a plane for 3+ hours. The kids loved watching the planes at the airport and were both so well behaved on the plane, both going and coming home. They loved it and can't wait for their next airplane trip!!
Chad has family in the Dallas area and his cousin Ryan got married to his new bride, Nikki. It was the first time in almost 10 years that the entire Hensley clan (Chad's Mom's side) was together under one roof. It was great to see everyone and introduce Ben and Sydney to their cousins and extended family. The wedding was a beautiful event. The kids had a great time. Sydney even shed a few tears as the weekend ended because she was going to miss her cousins. It was a great trip. We are just sorry that it had to be so short.
Sydney got an Award!
I am such a proud Mama to report that Sydney received her first award at an assembly at school on Friday August 29th. Her teacher called us the day before to tell us that she would be receiving the award so that we could attend.
Sydney's name was called by Principal Silveira and I jumped up to take a picture. Of course, my little princess had no intention of going up in front of the entire school to receive the award. I walked up to her and she was surprised and happy to see me. She got up, with Mom's assistance, to get her award (see School Days album). Her award says "Fabulous Attitiude and Work EVERYDAY!!!" I love the picture of her looking down at her award. She has a little grin on her face. Chad says the grin, "says it all." He swears she is hooked on school like her mother.
Sydney has come a long way in her first month of school, we are so incredibly proud of her!
Kindergarten News!
I am happy to report that Sydney is adapting much better to Kindergarten. Although the first part of the week was extremely rough, she did a geat job on Thursday and Friday during "drop off". No tears, no screaming! YAH!!!
I asked her yesterday what her favorite thing she did was. She first said recess (smart kid). Then she said, "No, my favorite part was everything!". She is really having a good time, learning and participating. We are extremely proud of her!
Sydney's First Day of School
On Tuesday, August 5, 2008 at 8:10 AM our world changed forever.....
Sydney went to her first day of Kindergarten at Medeiros Elementary School here in Turlock. We had the opportunity to see the classroom the night before and meet her teacher. The teacher, Mrs. A, was very nice and did some songs and books with the kids. Sydney was very excited to go to school the next day and Chad and I were very relieved.
On Tuesday, I got my little angel up and walked her through the new routine. She did great getting ready for school. She marched into the playground and got in line when the bell rang. Everything went according to plan until I said the dreaded word, "good-bye". At that point, her lip began to quiver and I saw tears in her eyes. She ran to me and demanded that I not leave. I stayed for a bit but it was not helping the situation. It was time for me to go and Sydney was hysterical. The teacher had to hold her back and I could hear her crying in the playground as I left. I was devastated as well. I thought that my heart had been ripped out of me. I kept seeing my precious, little baby just five years earlier. I have no idea where the time has gone. I just wish I could hit the rewind button.
I went home crying and felt like a caged animal. I wanted so bad to go back to the school, to peak into the window, to watch her on the playground. I wanted to know that she was doing well. I broke down and called the school. The report was good, she had settled down and was having a great day!
Chad and I picked her up from school at 12:00 PM. She was having lunch with her new friends in the cafeteria. She was happy to see us but pretty content in her new surroundings (no running to me as I had imagined it). We got to hear all about her day and work on her first homework assignment that evening. She said she was excited to go back the next day. Relieved...again.
Well, today is day #2. We struggled again this morning. She was very upset and cried when I left. It was a much shorter episode today and Mrs. A said that she is doing fine. She is very engaged in class, completing all of her assigments and behaving well. I am hopeful that she will start getting used to the "drop-off" process in the next few days. It would certainly make it easier on me to not leave her in such a terrible state each day. She says she is excited for tomorrow....I am praying that she is.
Obviously, this is all new for us. Chad and I feel like we are living someone else's life right now. We have a school schedule to maintain, back to school night to attend, homework each night (some nights for us too!), volunteering in the classroom, snacks to bring and lunches to pack. It seems like a daunting task at this point. I am afraid I will miss something, not cover the homework properly, forget to fill out the right forms, not volunteer in the classroom enough. Chad has assured me that it will all come natural in a few days. I am hoping that he is right.
Our world has definitely changed forever. I just hope that we have a few less tears at 8:10 AM each morning. Pray for us...we need it!
Fair Time!
The kids look forward to the fair all year long so, they just about drove us crazy on Saturday waiting for us to leave the house. I think that Sydney had a list a mile long of all the things that she wanted to do.
We had a wonderful time at the fair riding rides, eating "fair" food (the kids love cotton candy), seeing the farm animals (Ben kissed a pig on the rump and Sydney got licked by a calf), seeing the reptile exhibit (the alligator wanted to eat Ben), the dinosaur exhibit (feeding the kids to T-Rex) and riding the ponies. We had a couple of very tired kids when we got home.
The highlight of my day was seeing both kids ride the ponies....
Sydney got this beautiful, larger pony named Bubba. Bubba was very gentle. Syndey sits a saddle so well that she makes it look easy. She really is a natural with animals.
Then there is Ben. He got this extremely feisty pony named Max. Max started immediately to race around the track before I could chase them. He bounced Ben all over the place the entire ride. Ben was holding on for dear life! The horse even nipped the dad walking in front of me. (I think the guy first thought I had pinched him!). I kept asking Ben if he was doing ok. He would just say "yah!". He loved it and had the biggest smile on his face. Such a dare devil.
Beach Vacation
We had the opportunity to take a family vacation this week to Pismo Beach. Pismo has always been one of mine and Chad's favorite destinations. It is fun to be able to take the kids their too! We had a great time playing in the waves at both Pismo Beach and Avila Beach. It was a cool week, around 65 degrees all week long! Sydney enjoyed running in the waves and collecting seaweed. Ben's favoirte past time was chasing seagulls on the beach and playing golf at our hotel. Sydney made it a point to make friends with all of the other children at the hotel courtyard as well. SHe even got pretty good at serving a ping pong ball!
Chad and I enjoyed getting to slow down a bit and enjoy being with our children. It was great to hand out in one of our favorite places, listen to the waves crash and watch some beautiful sunsets. Sydney and Benjamin are so amazing and growing up so fast. We are very blessed to have two wonderful kids and an opportunity to make some family memories this week!
Birthday Challenge
Our baby boy is growing up!
We had the pleasure of celebrating Ben's 2nd birthday on Friday, July 18th. It is hard to imagine that the tiny little baby we brought home from the hospital 2 years ago is now a walking, talking, loving, adorable little boy. He is such a joy to our hearts! Although Ben did not quite grasp the idea of his birthday, he caught on fast. He enjoyed being the center of attention, blowing out candles and tearing into the wrapping paper.
The challenging part.....we had a party for about 30 people planned for Saturday. Friday night at 11:30, Sydney woke up with the stomach flu. We were up with her all night. At 8:00 the next morning (yes, the day of the party) Ben woke up with the stomach flu as well. We started making phone calls to all of our family and friends to cancel the party. Bummer!
That evening, the kids were feeling better so we had the grandparents and my sister over for dinner and cake. (All had already been exposed to the gunk or had experienced it in recent days). Ben got to open some presents and have cake. We are so luck that he is two years old. He really did not think he was missing out on anything at all.
4th of July
Happy 4th of July! We really enjoyed the 4th this year. Chad's parents, my parents and our little family gathered at our home for a bbq, homemade ice cream and fireworks. Chad whipped up a wonderful bbq and my Mom provided the amazing ice cream. Nothing says 4th of July better than homemade ice cream....
In previous years, the kids have been afraid of the fireworks...too many booms and whistles. So, this year, I was a bit nervous about doing fireworks. Sydney and Benjamin had a great time playing in the water and watching the fireworks, although we had to cover the ears a few times.
They both managed to stay up until after 10:00 PM! I can't believe it. Ben was so tired that I think he stopped blinking around 9:30 PM during the fireworks show. Sydney was high on sugar so she did just fine until she stopped moving. They managed to sleep until 9:30 AM the next morning! Love it!
Grandpa Vallier's Visit
Chad's Grandfather Virgil, Aunt Dawn and Uncle Joe came to Turlock for a visit today. We had the pleasure of joining them for lunch at Strings where the kids gobbled up some raviolis. After that, we spent some time with the family at Bob and Jackie's house for dessert and to watch Sydney and Benjamin play in the pool. We all wished we were in the pool with the kids~ or at least I did! It was a very hot day today accompanied by thunder, lightning and a sprinkle of rain (we were inside by the time that the thunder/lightning arrived).
It was wonderful to get to see Grandpa Vallier. I think that he had a great time seeing everyone and getting to watch his great-grandchildren play. Grandpa even joined in a game of catch with the kids! (See album of pictures below) We were able to get a few good shots of the 4 generations of Vallier's that were present today. Not often you get that many generations in one room so it was definitely a photo op.
We hope that Grandpa will be able to come back and visit us all very soon.
Father's Day
We celebrated Father's Day on Saturday and Sunday this weekend.
On Saturday, we had Chad's parents and sister over for a bbq at our house. The kids had a great time playing in their swimming pool and running their Grammy and Grampy all over the backyard. It was great to have the family over for dinner and be able to share Father's Day with Bob.
We celebrated Father's Day on Sunday with a bbq at my parents house, complete with Mom's homemade ice cream!! It was warm today but just enough of a breeze to make it comfortable to be outside. The kids had a great time running around the backyard, swinging, climbing the monkey bars and digging holes.
It is amazing to me that this is Chad's 5th Father's Day. Our children are so fortunate to have a father in their lives that loves them and wants to see them grow up with strong morals/values and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. It is an unfortunate reality that there are so many kids these days that do not have such a role model in their lives.
Chad, I am thankful each day that you are the father of my babies. I love you!
Giant's Game
We started the week celebrating Chad's 37th Birthday with a family dinner at Chili's. Chad and I got a a little alone time on Friday attending a Giant's game in San Francisco. The game was not great, Giant's lost to the A's 5-1 (ouch!) but we had a great time hanging out at the ballpark. It was a chilly night in the city but the views are always spectacular and we had great seats to watch the game (see pictures above). It is nice once in a while to "just be a couple" and remember what you love about each other...we were long overdue.
Busy Weekend
This past weekend was a busy one. We had two college graduation parties to attend. We were able to visit with our dear friends Liz and Joe from San Diego and their son Nicholas (at least for a short while). We also had a wedding in our family, my cousin Josh and his new wife Melody.
We honestly felt like we jumped from one event to the other all weekend long. The kids were troopers and enjoyed socializing with all of our family and friends.
My Mom made the most amazing cake for the wedding. She is so talented!! Of course it tasted as good as it looked. Sydney and Benjamin were two of the first people to spy the cake. They could not understand why they couldn't have cake before dinner. Once the cake was cut, Sydney ran right over and stuck her finger in the icing! She had waited long enough....
Memorial Weekend
The weather was cooler than normal for a Memorial weekend so... we enjoyed a quiet weekend at home with the kids. We did venture out to the pet store to see the animals. Sydney has now decided that she should own a turtle. The verdict is still out on that one.
Syd and Ben decided that the weather was great for hunting rolly-polly bugs (or po-polly's as Ben calls them) this weekend. We apparently are hosting an entire community of them in our backyard. They seem to come out in force after dinner and the kids have a great time collecting them in the back of Ben's tricycle so that the bugs cannot escape. Ben will bring me one to hold as if it were the grandest prize of all.
Sydney just started 1st grade at Walnut Elementary Education Center. So far, so good. She has found some friends and seems to like her teacher. We are hopeful for a positive year!
Syd and Ben were recently measured and Ben is 38 inches tall and Sydney is 48 inches tall. She better hurry up or he is going to catch her. I don't think she is going to have a choice!!