R-O-D-E-O it is time for Rodeo!

Gwyn has learned a new song, and we have sung it this week about 50 times.  R-O-D-E-O, R-O-D-E-O, R-O-D-E-O it is time for rodeo!  It was western week at Jacob and Gwyn's preschool this week in honor of the Houston Rodeo.  We have decided not to go to the rodeo this year, which if you didn't know is a month (yes, an entire month!) long event in Houston.  After braving it last year, with a double stroller, and Annie in the sling, it ended up being too much work for us, but we'll probably go next year when Annie will be 2 1/2 and hopefully a little easier to handle out in a crowded public place.  The kids enjoyed dressing up at school and seeing some horses that were brought up.  I took this picture and then tried to get the kids to turn around and look at me, notice how Annie would not take her eyes off those horses (they must appear to be like dinosaurs to her!):

Gwyn decided she would wear her cowgirl hat and her boots, but couldn't go without her Cinderella shirt, so we are half princess/half cowgirl:

Jacob was so excited about western day, he had the perfect shirt, and I'm proud to say that his $4.99 hat from Wal-mart has last 3 whole years (yes, I despise this store, but I did go there specifically for this hat, and it was my last trip there over 3 years ago!):

I did get a couple of pictures of Gwyn this week at dance class, she is loving it and has so much fun.  It is super cute to watch:

That is her jumping down on the right side, her favorite part is the gymnastics:

The weather has remained beautiful outside, and we have been taking advantage of it, BIG TIME!  Here are some pictures of the kids playing outside after church on Sunday:

Getting full use out of this swing set:

And here is a video that I took of them outside:

I was able to go tour Jacob's kindergarten today, thanks to a friend taking Jacob and Gwyn to school and watching Annie for me for awhile.  I've got to tell you, I'm so impressed and excited about Jacob going there next year.  Smart screens in every classroom, and centers with the kids using ipod touches to practice writing letters correctly.  Seriously, things have come a LONG way from chalkboards!  Oh, and I also learned that there is a Texas pledge of allegiance too, who knew??  

It was the Daddy-Daughter bake off at church this past Sunday.  Brian plans to enter next year with Gwyn.  He was scoping out the competition this year, and already has a plan in mind.  He said he was going to "bring it" and that everyone else is going down (good Christian like behavior on his part, don't you think?).  So, stay tuned for Daddy-Daughter bake-off 2012, Brian and Gwyn are taking that one home!

We are on the second week of the 6 week series of watching Star Wars with Jacob.  He is so into it, he asks question, after question, after question (why is that guys shirt blue? why is that guys light saber blue instead of red?) to the point that Brian has to pause the movie several times and then answer questions about things that happened 10 minutes before.  After the first one, Brian and I had to watch it again, so that we understood what was going on because we were interrupted so many times.  Jacob LOVES it, he talks about it all the time.  He has favorite scense, favorite people, and he pays attention to every single detail, and if he asks a question and you don't tell him what he thinks you should tell him, then he quickly corrects you with a long elaborate story about what he thinks the right answer is...it is exhausting!

The kids are obsessed with tattoos, Jacob had Captain America (which he later told me he didn't like super heros, only Star Wars), and Gwyn had fairies, and she told me not to "mess it up like you did the last time."  We've learned tattoos and Annie don't mix, she tries to lick them off and then gets very upset:

Here are a couple of random pictures from this week, Gwyn makes these little places for her and Annie, and surprisingly, Annie just follows her along and wants to sit right next to her big sister, so sweet, sisterly love:

Annie loves her Daddy, and now will run over to give him a kiss good-bye on his way out the door to work:

Annie thinks she is super cool, standing up on a chair at the table:

I had given the kids each an Oreo (a VERY special treat) after they had eaten their grow food (this is the food that Jacob says you have to eat before you get any dessert because it makes you grow), and I thought it was funny how each decided to eat theirs.  Jacob, who took the top off, and then put the entire side with the icing into his mouth:

Gwyn, very daintily, making sure not to get anything on her fingers or crumbs on her hands:

Annie, while standing on the table, shoved hers into her mouth and then quickly had her eyes on Jacob's top of his cookie (which she later grabbed):

Here are some pictures of artwork from the past week, no wonder you drive around some neighborhoods and people have these big iron Texas stars plastered all over their houses, they ingrain kids from an early age to be proud to be TEXAN (and I didn't even take a picture of the 4+ Texas flag art projects that were also brought home, but somehow didn't last, most likely due to being drenched in glue...glue sticks, seriously, please use glue sticks!):

(and yes, that is a grey armadillo)

Funny things the kids said this week:

Jacob:  This popcorn is so good, it is knocking my socks off!

Jacob:  Gwyn, you are clumsy.

Me:  Where did you hear that Jacob?

Jacob:  Jar Jar Binks (from Star Wars) is clumsy. (yes, he pays attention to ever single word)

Gwyn (loudly as she points to this kid in the Dr's office waiting room):  I know that boy, he does mean stuff to me on the playground.  (I was slightly embarrassed as his dad looks at me with a very offended look, but silently proud of Gwyn for somewhat standing up for herself)

Gwyn (as we are walking into school to pick up Jacob):  That is Aiden (loud enough for Aiden’s mom to look over and overhear what she is saying), he is not nice, and he runs inside and gets in trouble a lot (I sheepishly smile, as I shush her and quickly walk away…)

Jacob to me after we watched Daddy play some volleyball at church:  Why isn’t Daddy leaving with us?

Me:  He wants to stay and play a little longer.

Jacob:  Does he want to practice so that he can be a star?

Me:  Yes, a church volleyball star (oh we are so proud!)

And, just to let you know...poor little Camilla is at it again, and has been throwing sand on the playground.  We get a play by play from little tattle-tale Gwyn on a daily basis!  Oh, little goody-two-shoes, tattle-telling Gwyn, you are just like your Mommy was, ha!