Rain, rain, come and stay!

It's raining like crazy today! Rain outside always makes me ready for a good nap... but I'm happy it's raining today because all of our new plants in the backyard are in ecstasy right now. I'm really busy here at work today with several new hires and half of the management team's travel itineraries! I really love days like this. All of my favorite music on my iPod in the background, my pretty flowers from my sweetie to celebrate our 14th anniversary last week. Life is good.

My sweet husband spent the better part of this past weekend outside in the Texas August sun landscaping our backyard. I swear there is no limit to his talent! The work he finished up yesterday is on par with a professional landscaper! Of course Hayden and Brandon were on hand to help. Hayden had fun using the shovel and helping Dad shovel in the mulch. Heidi was just happy everyone was outside with her.

Man! What about Michael Phelps!?!

Hayden was quite excited this morning as he started his last week with Kids R Kids. I told him to make sure that he behaves himself, or else Ms. Sylvia will be glad he's gone instead of missing him. She told me she was really going to miss Hayden. He tries so hard to crack her up, and usually succeeds.

Julia and Hayden's letters came over the weekend to announce their teachers for the year. All summer long, Julia has wished for Ms. Lubojosky, and it was granted! I called her Saturday night while she was in San Francisco to tell her, and she was elated. She's also excited about starting Drama Kids again. She really thrives there.

Hayden's teacher will be Ms. Wienken, who Ms. Lubojosky tells me is a good friend of hers, and a really good teacher. She has taught third and fourth grade for a number of years, which I think is going to be good for Hayden. Mike and I were talking about how the teachers aren't going to know what hit them. Hurricane Hayden is getting ready to make landfall! He will be starting Fall Ball again with West Sugar Land Little League this August, and Dad will coach hopefully.

Thursday is a big day. It's the official Kindergarten Meet the Teacher Day! Third grade will be on Friday, but we're going to miss it because our girl will still be gone. I've just about finished gathering all of their supplies, and now that I know both teachers name, I can label everything. Does anyone else remember how exciting is was to have a brand new box of crayons? New scissors, new glue, a new ruler, new shoes, a cool new lunchbox? Sigh....

So funny. This morning on the way to school, Hayden and I were talking about the big, exciting things coming up and a little voice says "What about me?" I think Brandon is going to have a very hard time once Hayden leaves Kids R Kids. Poor kiddo, his RSV has flared up again and he's been on the nebulizer all weekend. One of the common results is that he loses his voice! He started losing it last night, and this morning it was barely a squeak. It was so pitifully cute this morning as I was calling up to him to come down to breakfast and I hear "Good morning Mommy" in this squeaky voice!

So that coupled with no Julia means our house is REALLY quiet! I spoke to her briefly this morning and she's having lots of fun. Dad (Jim) says she and cousin Brooke are inseparable. Yesterday they apparently "saw the city" and Julia says it's beautiful. Today they were planning to go swimming. That kid is going to be exhausted by the time she gets home on Saturday.