Dollywood

Yes, that is Brylee hiding behind me.

Good times

Miss Brylee Grace

It's soccer time!! He was not a fan of playing in the rain. He didn't want to get muddy, which absolutely makes me laugh because he loves to jump in puddles!!

Pushing and shoving..all is fair in soccer :0

Lovin on Mantha and Zach

Looking back through his game day pictures, he always has a smile on his face!!

So much fun!!

First Homework

Cooper has started Pre-K and is LOVING it! Because his birthday is in December he didn't turn 5 until after the K cut-off, so he has one more year before he goes to big school. He is so funny; he keeps asking me when he will be big enough to come to my school. He can't wait to come to the "blue school" with Mommy. I must admit I'm super excited about him attending the elementary and middle city schools he is zoned for but already dreading him going to the high school. Bryan tells me to stop worrying that it is YEARS away but I can't help it. I loved growing up in the county schools that I went to and really loved my high school. Yep, I am one of those across town, South girls. I always imagined that my kids would grow up in that community and attend the school I went to, but since I am teaching in the city schools it makes more since to have them attend in the system I work in. We can be on the same schedule and I will be able to enjoy the same off time with them! Atleast I years to get used to the idea of them going to the city high school. Anyway, I digress, back to the original reason for the post...Coop's homework. His assignment was to decorate a person with pictures/drawings of his favorite things. I didn't get a picture of the final product but his person included pictures of: pancakes (favorite food), 2 jet skis, four wheelers, swimming, a train, and a bicycle. He enjoyed his homework assignment and gave his Momma hope that maybe their will be a member of the Reynolds' clan that actually enjoys homework.

End of summer = no life jackets!!!!

The R kids are swimming machines! After one week of swim lessons Cooper was life jacket free but Brylee was still using her arm floaties. About two weeks ago at a friend's birthday party, she surprised me by swimming across the pool without her arm floaties! So, the R kids are both swimming all over the pool completely life jacket free!!! I can't believe how quickly they are growing. It seems like every time I turn around they are doing some new "big kid" thing.

She kept telling her Daddy to throw her higher. It really surprised me because she doesn't like to be up high. I think she inherited her Daddy's fear of heights.

Silly Guy!! I love my big kid :)

I love this!! Cooper kept telling B to throw him sidewards

Flying Coop

Swimming in the deep end with a little help from her friend the noodle

YAY!! She did it! All the way across the pool...by herself!!

Learning to dive.....I think he might be the next member of the swim team

Cooper's "Rescue Ranger"

Several months ago Cooper told me that he wanted a big dog. I talked to him about all of the dogs that didn't have homes and how people sometimes don't take care of their pets. I was super excited that he quickly jumped on board when I suggested that we find a dog from a rescue group or from the pound. He kept telling everyone that he was getting a Rescue Ranger dog :) We started working with the Wolf Creek Weimaraner Rescue based in Kingsport. They are an amazing group of volunteers. I can honestly say I am hooked and can't wait to help out with their rescue program. It took months to find the perfect fit for our family, but Miss Lila was definitely worth the wait. She is so sweet and loving. The kids adore her and she loves all the attention and belly rubs she has been getting around here! It doesn't hurt that she was already house trained, crate trained, and temperament tested.

Cooper and his new BFF

Miss Lila
I went to check on him the other night before I went to bed and this is what I found, so sweet!!

I can't have a post without little miss Diva

First day of school 2010

Say HELLO to the 2010 school year! Cooper is in Mrs. Kandy's Pre-K class this year and Brylee will be in Mr. Jake's 3 year old Pre-K class!!

Now that is....

LOVE!!

Lake Days

Love cousin Zach

My silly little man :) LOVE HIM

Yes, I'm aware he is going to KILL me one of these days!!

Today was a good day because....

• My wonderful hubby went to the grocery store for me :) Yes, I know it is the small things in life that make me happy!!
• Cooper is learning to ride his bike without training wheels. He started out on Brylee's bike because it is lower to the ground. He was riding her bike like a champ within a few minutes and has started working on his "big bike" without training wheels. He is riding up and down the driveway and has been riding on the road with the "all clear" from Daddy.

Slumber Party

The kids had their first sleep over!! We were so lucky to have our little buddy Griffin spend the night with us. The kids had an absolute ball. We played, stayed up late, watched movies, and ate way too much popcorn.

MOM

Ahh, how blessed I am to be called Mom.

Summer Fun

Yes, this is what we have done with our summer! Swim, swim, and swim more. We have spent our days enjoying Uncle Howie and Aunt Lisa's pool, and also Aunt Jan Jan's pool. We were lucky enough to do swim lessons with Ms. Lindsay and both of the kids are now water dogs. Cooper is swimming all over the pool completely without his life jacket. He can swim under water across the pool and loves every minute of it. Brylee still needs her arm floaties but she is now dipping her head underwater and kicking away!

These were taken before the swim lessons but I will post "life jacket free" pictures soon.

Conversations with Cooper

Cooper has been in the funniest little mood today.

We were outside working on our backyard project and he was talking to Bryan about our retaining wall.

Cooper: "Dad, how high is it going to be?"
Bryan: "I'm not sure yet."
Cooper: "Is it going to be 1 tall or 60 tall?"
Bryan: "How tall is 60 tall?"
Cooper: "All the way to God."

We are going for a walk later and Cooper was trying to decide if he wanted to ride his scooter or his bike.

Cooper: "I want to ride my scooter, but I hate it when it goes sidewards."
Me: "Sidewards is not a word. What word did I tell you earlier?"
Cooper: "Sideways, but I don't like that word."


Of course, the Language Arts teacher in me LOVES this one:
Cooper: "I don't feel well. Mommy, it is too hot out here."

I know I'm a huge dork but I love that he is using good and well correctly :)

Photo Session with Momma!

We have been busy enjoying our summer. Our days have been filled with tough decisions such as: Do we go to the lake or do we go to the pool? The weather decided not to cooperate with our normal plans, so I decided we would have a Mini Momma photo session. I LOVE LOVE my new camera and couldn't wait to try it out on my favorite subjects! We went downtown because I thought the old buildings would make a gorgeous background. Well, we only made it to the park next to the library because Cooper and Brylee were not cooperating. They were more interested in playing tag, but I did manage to get a few shots while according to them their "legs were resting."