Captain Jack

First Day of Preschool :(

Here is Jack on his first day of preschool. How cute is he with the little backpack and ball cap on? Jack was so excited to go to school that he hopped right out of bed, got dressed and was ready to walk out the door. He is so excited about school and so far loves it! Keep your fingers crossed that it continues for the next 12 years or so :) Attached there is also a picture of Jack's first homework assignment. We had to decorate a paper doll to reflect him. I think we did a pretty good job myself. However I was out of paw stickers for the dogs so those will be added later :)

Flying Solo

Here is a rare picture of Charlie playing by himself. He escaped from the craziness that ensues when the two boys play together and took refuge in his room with blocks. When I sneaked around the corner he was stacking the blocks on top of each other and creating a tower. He played with his tower building it, knocking it down and rebuilding it again. It was too precious.

Fuel'in Around

Yesterday we spent the afternoon at the Queen Anne County Fair supporting Team Fuel'In Around. Robert Turner is a 21 year old Tractor driver from Cecil County. We met Robert 4 years ago when we moved to Maryland. He was in high school at the time and worked at the Uleau farm doing odd jobs and what not. As the years passed Robert became a part of the family and can often be found at the farm still doing his odd jobs or visiting with the family. Jack has taken to Robert and looks up to him as kind of an older brother. He thinks Robert is the best thing since sliced bread and has followed him around since he could walk, even before I think! Now that you have the back story; Yesterday we went to support Robert at the tractor pull. Robert did a great job coming in 4th and 2nd. Jack watched the pull in awe; glued to thier every move. After Robert's first pull we went back to his "camp". This is where you will see Jack weasled his way up onto the pulling tractor. He is accompanied by Mister Eddy (Robert's brother in-law) and Rae Lynn (niece to Robert). Jack sat up there with Mister Eddy discussing the ins and outs of tractors and hows and whys and what nots. Mister Eddy was very patient and kind with Jack and answered every one of him million questions. Thank you Mister Eddy. Jack has a new respect for you and appreciates all the attention you gave him yesterday. Few people take the time to answer his "silly" questions.....that is how he learns about the world. Anyway; to say the very least Jack and Charlie had a fabulous time. Thank you Robert for all the love and attention you have given and continue to give our little man. He looks up to you!

Charlie has started to develop the same love and appreciation for tractors and driving that his older brother has. I think that we are in trouble!!!

Where does the time go?

Today we are going to have a tour of and sign Jack up for preschool. I am so happy and excited for my little man but I cannot help the urge to cry just a little bit. It seems like just yesterday we brought our little man home from the hospital and now he is off to school. I could not be more proud of the little person that he has become. He is a very strong, confident, little person who is not scared to ask questions, loves to try new things and meet new people and easily adapts to any situation or environment. He can be stubborn as all get out but is the first one there to offer a hug or a kiss when someone is feeling down. I am sure his first year in preschool will be a very successful one! Below are some photos of our little scholar over the years!

Big Green Tractor

Here is a picture of Jack looking out from the steps of a BIG GREEN TRACTOR! We found the tractor at the local carnival that the firehouse puts on every August. There was a wonderful parade full of firetrucks and old time tractors; Jack watched in awe as they passed by blaring their sirens and flashing their lights. Charlie watched the night from Mike's back where he rode in style in his backpack. He is perfectly content to sit up there and watch the world. We hardly hear a peep from him and it is great for those sleepy moments when he just wants to close his eyes for a minute.

Summer Fun

I am sad to say that in less then a week we will be saying our goodbyes to summer and heading back to school. I am saddened by this thought. How I hate to leave my little men, they are in good hands but still, they are not my hands. Our unscheduled summer will become a very well oiled machine so that we can survive the school year. I will deeply miss the little things like putting Charlie down for his nap and having a little one on one time with Jack, I will miss all the firsts for Charlie when he broadens his vocabulary and all the games, adventures and creativity we used to fill our summer days. I will miss Jack as he protects his little brother and Charlie as he grows into a little boy. As much as a pain as Jack claims Charlie is, he is the first to his aid. Jack went for a sleepover to MEME and Grandmere's house tonight, before he left he made sure that I would take good care of his little brut-her; too cute. It is nice to see that they are already forming that bond I hope they will carry though life. Well enough crying about it; I will cherish the week I have left and be thankful that I have summers with them at all.

The photos attached are Jack's take on getting dressed.....and Charlie enjoying the summer sun!

Bye Bootsie

I am sad to announce that our new pup Bootsie (in the picture with the boys) has gone to join another racing team in the sky. Bootsie was diagnosed with a incurable rare genetic disorder that caused her to live a life of pain. She was Jack's first puppy and he loved walking her, sitting on the couch with her and just loving her. She was his little buddy, his part of the racing team that he was so proud and honored to work on with daddy. I am sure as the years come and go there will be other "favorites" on the team but I am confident that Bootsie will always hold a special place in all of our hearts.

Cookie Baking 101

Here is Jack "helping" mommy make oatmeal raisin cookies! Jack loves to help bake, his favorite part is the mixing it is amazing how much of the ingredients end up on the table top and/or the floor! It is too cute! The cookies were awesome and turned out very well.

Jack's First Sled Dog Race!

This weekend, on our camping adventure we chose this venue as it was where the Penn Sled Dog Club had their summer camp out. On Sat the boys (Mike and Jack) competed in a 100 yard dash. This was Jack's very first event in dog sledding. Mike and Jack had built a platform on the rig so that Jack could ride with daddy. The boys have been scooting around the neighborhood to get ready for the big event. Jack absolutely loved it!!! After crossing the finish line he asked Mike if he could do it again....to cute! It really was a great experience for Jack. All the campers who had come out to watch the dog sledding were pointing and snapping shots of our little man, they thought it was so amazing that he was on there and loving it. Our little Super Star!!! We are so proud of you!

Camping

We just returned on Sunday from our first ever family camping adventure. We had so much fun! I had forgotten how much fun I had camping as a child. The only thing that I would change for the next outdoor adventure is the purchase of an air mattress, the ground is a little too hard for my aging body! We went to Twin Rivers Campground in Western Pa. It was a cute little camp ground nestled in the mountains, with two small creeks running through it. It was beautiful and the weather held out for the majority of the weekend. Sat night the sky opened up and we were forced to pack up our site in torrential rain but it is all part of the great outdoors right? Hopefully we will be able to go again before the summer is out!

Jack's 3rd Birthday!

Jack, turned 3 on July 16, 2009. Holy Cow! It is so hard to believe that my little baby; excuse me, my big boy is 3 now. Jack has grown so much, he is a tall skinny little man with big ideas and an even larger vocabulary. He talks so well and surprises you with the comments and questions that he can ask. Boy, can he ask questions. Jack's favorite question of all time is WHY? When you tell him why he wants to know why and so own. Jack is a very curious little man.
We celebrated his 3rd Birthday in Maine with Grandpa and Grandleen and family. We had a mini pool party and fire truck cake. Jack was determined to have a fire truck cake, he had talked about it for weeks beforehand. Nothing like a little pressure on mom to find the pan or use her creativity to make one. Well, I found the pan and it arrived hours before we left for our Maine trip. YIPEE!!! When we came back home to Maryland we had another party with grandmere and meme. We had a fabulous BarBQ and of course another fire truck cake! I think our third birthday was well represented!!!

Cecil County Fair

This week we went to the Cecil County Fair. We went with objective to cheer Aunt Mary and Olivia on who compete in the 4H aspect. Congrads on many well deserved honors! Way to Go !!!
Of course our boys also sought out the tractors! They had a great time sitting on all the old tractors the had on display and of course watching them compete! It was a fun family day and who knows maybe next year we will have a little competitor of our own!

Super Uleaus!!!!

So, I have been working all summer on removing the wall paper from our Master bathroom with the hope of having it repainted by the time that school starts. Well, best laid plans of mice and men because all this "free time" I thought I would have this summer has quickly evaporated and my bathroom is still not complete. I just recently reached the taping step of my ominous project so I thought is was safe for the boys to help, they are good workers and love to be right there whenever you tackle any project. The pictures that you see are what emerged from our taping project!
The boys had fun!

Playdough Party!!!

Jack and Charlie love to play with playdough. Jack has become much better at playing with it and not eating it! Charlie however has not mastered that part yet! The boys love to sit and create; to mix and match the colors ( I have tried to keep them separated but where is the fun in that, right?)
and to see what we can create together! Here is Jack "creating" his masterpiece and one that we completed together! We had so much fun and play this often. I recommend using a pizza pan or cookie tray because playdough is not fun to get off the table!

New Layout

You will notice that the picture of the boys has changed to the boys and Bootsie. We had this picture taken with picture people and I have to say I do love their work. We have some beautiful shots of the boys. One downfall is that you can have web access, yuck so the picture on here is a picture of a picture that I took. It is a little blurry but it gets the message of my cuties across.

So it has been a while since I have updated, like a week, see I lost the cord that connects my camera to my computer so I have a stockpile of the week events that I will update my blog with!