Cornelius Chronicles

School started this week, and boy was it ever an adventurous first week back to class.  Rebekah is now in the 3rd grade and Loyd is a very grown-up 1st grader.  We found out our teachers, practiced walking to our classes, and packed our backpacks last Friday.  We were ready to go on Monday morning.  The first day went well and without incident.  The second day was equally uneventful.  Wednesday we found out the school district was transferring Loyd's teacher to another school that had more 1st graders than originally anticipated and Loyd was being moved into another class for the year.  Thursday was like reliving all of the anticipation and anxiety of the first day of school all over again as I dropped Loyd off in his new class, found his new desk, and met his new teacher.  All went well and Xavier, Maeve and I headed home in the torrential rain (which only started as soon as we left the school to go home) to finish breakfast, clean the ...

So, what do you do when you only have one week of summer vacation left?   Why, everything of course! We played a little dress up:  (Why, Maeve is a giraffe princess fairy with a pet unicorn, of course.  Everyone's seen one of those.)  :) Horse Maeve on her trusty dump truck!  Organized our rooms: Rebekah organizing her large Webkinz family.   Pushed our little sister around: Aced swimming lessons!: Rebekah showing off her diving skills. Loyd showing off his diving skills. Xavier showing off his stubborn skills.  He refused to go off the diving board.  It guess it wasn't his thing.  :)  Played at the local park splash pad:   Had a great evening at the local jump house, Jump N' Jungle: And capped the the whole thing off with a trip to the beach: Hey, I'd like to see you get four kids to all look at the camera and smile when there is a whole wide be...

On Saturday morning Xavier came into my bedroom while I was getting ready for the day.  We had a very enlightening conversation: Xavier:  Mom, can I have a cookie? Me:  What did Dad say?          (I knew Dustin was in the kitchen and had most likely already answered this request.) Xavier:   Long Pause - Um, I don't know.  He just said, "Blah Blah Blah," and then nothing. So there you have it, definitive proof that Charles Schulz had it right when writing the speaking parts of the adults in his timeless Peanuts cartoons.  :)

 As promised, here are some pictures from our library snake adventure last week.  :)  Things to remember from the snake presentation:  1.  Don't pick up a snake because they will always try to bite you and fling their poop at you.  2.  Almost all snakes are safer than puppies and kittens. 3.  Snakes think kids are giant monsters who want to eat them.  :) PS:  I never said we were a photogenic family.  ;)

Thursday was one wild and crazy day, but boy did we have fun!  We started out the day with swimming lessons and then a trip to the local beach.  After the beach we ran home for lunch and showers.  We had to be squeaky clean for the Texas Snakes program at the Freeman library!  At the Texas Snakes show the kids were able to learn all sorts of interesting things about snakes, pet a few live snakes, and even wear a boa constrictor (pictures coming soon!).  After learning that most snakes are safer than kittens and puppies we came home for a quick dinner and then headed off to the Helen Hall Library for their end of summer Super Reader's Party.  We met Cookie Monster, took a train ride on the League City Express, pet a few ferrets and dogs, ate a light snack of cookies and goldfish, and then rocked out with the fun DJ.  Here's some video of our kids enjoying the library dance party.  :) After such an action packed day of water ...

For those of you who are interested, here are some pictures of our newly redecorated front room.  With Dustin starting graduate school in the Fall and the anticipated arrival Cornelius baby #5 in November we decided it was now or never (or at least for the next 3 years) to paint the front room.  Also, we had to move all the furniture around to make room for our long anticipated, newly arrived, piano, so why not paint while everything is off the walls anyway.  :)  I've long wanted to paint my front room, but just couldn't decide on a color I liked.  Thanks to the beautiful curtains my mother made for me two years ago I was finally able to pick this beautiful, matching dark blue and white color scheme.  There are a few odds and ends to still do (like a picture or two to hang and a ceiling fan to install), but I thought I would share the pictures now anyway.  I think my room turned out awesome, though my pictures are not the best to show off how bright...

1st day of Swimming Lessons! July has been a busy, fun month and the most anticipated event that happened was the beginning of summer swimming lessons!  Dustin has been packing up this crazy crew of Cornelius kids four days a week for the past two weeks for swimming lesson fun.  Here's some action packed photos of this year's annual summer highlight: Rebekah waiting for her turn to show off her expert swimming skills. Loyd and Xavier hanging out by the pool. Kick, Loyd, kick! Green Light kicking fun during a game of "Red Light, Green Light" in Xavier's class. Maeve was too young to sign up for classes this year, but she had fun anyway hanging out with Daddy in the shade by the pool while they waited for the older kids to finish their classes.  She can never get too much Daddy time.  :)