{Toddlerhood // Mason-isms}

Oh sweet Jesus! I just found this post in my drafts and it pains me that I never posted it. This was back in his early toddlerhood days. I wanted it on the blog...so I am posting it a few years later!! I just posted Things Mason Says {as a big ol five year old}, but I loved finding this and seeing the things that he said back when he was my little baby!!

//

Mason has always been a big talker. He started talking very early and, well, hasn't stopped since. And what I've loved most? Is the words he makes up on his own. But, as he's getting older he's starting to say the correct words. Not, gonna lie...it makes me a little bit sad. Also, he has always said "T" for "C" sounded words. Came home from school one day and was saying his "C's"...Cat, Kitty, Car....no more Tar, Titty, Tat...just like that!

 He still has a few "Masonisms" and I am hanging on to them as long as I can....

Hick-up Truck

{pick up truck}

Four Liter

{four wheeler}

Sprinkles

{freckles}

Manilla

{vanilla}

Hear Phones
{ear phones}

Squares
{cinnamon toast crunch cereal} 

Got Dr Pepper
{diet dr pepper}

Burt
{burp}

Beep Beep and Beepsters
{his boy parts}

Hancupps
{handcuffs}

Pooter Pooter
{computer} 

Ruffle Man
{wrestle man} 
 
Mote Patrol
{Remote Control} 


And some of his phrases - 

"I already only got that"

"Don't leave without about me"

{Fall Bucketlist // Nature Walk}

Happy Wednesday! We checked another item off of our Fall 2014 Bucketlist yesterday...



Yesterday on the way to pick up Mason from school I had an urge to take him to the park and on a Nature walk. I was in jeans and a blouse in 96 degree heat, but I was not going to let that stop me {yes, it hit 96/98 yesterday...in October. Texas! Ugh!}. Once we got in the car I asked Mason if he would like to go to the park and he couldn't contain his excitement. He was bouncing up and down and smiling ear to ear! 

I love to see my sweet boy so happy!

We went to an old historic park in our town that we love so much. There are many trails and a lot of the park is shaded {win win}. Mason and I didn't find much on our nature walk, but we had the greatest time. We found a stick we plan to use for a later project, tons of acorns and some pretty yellow leaves. We like to find the acorns with 'hats' on and draw faces on them! Mason gets a huge kick out of it. 

We didn't go too far into the trail since it was just he & I {and I wasn't carrying my pistol...oops}. We were in a great area...but you just never know what can be lurking in the woods. Plus, I've seen one too many scary movies in my days...
 
About 5 minutes into our park trip Mason says... 

"Mama, can we have this date every day?"

I couldn't even handle the sweetness!

 Also linking up with Ashley & Jess for it's the little things

...


FALL 2014 BUCKETLIST

+ visit the pumpkin patch

+ go on a hayride

+ make caramel apples

+ decorate my porch {crates, hay, pumpkins, etc}

+ carve pumpkins

+ make fall crafts

+ decorate the house for fall

+ pick out halloween costumes

+ stay in a cabin somewhere

+ make a thankful tree

+ share the Thanksgiving story with Mason

+ find a corn maze

+ bake fall goodies

+ go to fall festivals

+ go to an aggie football game

+ roast marshmallows

+ lots of fires in our chiminea

+ go apple pickin'

+ have a scary {but mason friendly} movie night

+ make lots of crock pot meals

+ do my bible study on the porch

+ host a fall party/get together

+ make a pumpkin chunkin' game

+ stock up on my favorite fall scentsy bars

+ take a scenic drive {where the leaves actually turn pretty colors}

+ go to the farmers market

+ go on a nature walk

+ take fall pictures of mason

What's on your Fall Bucketlist this year?

{Masons Fourth Birthday Party - Police Themed}

Last Saturday we celebrated Mason's fourth {gasp} birthday!! His real birthday, the 25th falls on Memorial Day weekend and everyone is always out of town. So, we celebrated a weekend early. It went really well. We were so blessed with so many family and friends that came to help us celebrate our boy!

He chose a cop theme for his party {a mere 2 weeks before}. We scoured Pinterest, only to find very little. We decorated with blue and gold and stars. For the goodie bags I put a watergun, handcuffs, police badges and police stickers, pencils and color pages. His cake was pretty awesome, too!  

We scheduled his party for 2:00pm because we had an early Blast Ball game. We wanted to have time to prepare before the party started. And just like every year, we were still getting ready when guests started arriving. Oops! 

Mason started the first part of his party in his Policeman uniform. Then he got hot and opted for shorts! From the minute guests started arriving he started asking me if it was time to open his presents. He was entirely too excited! 

We had a guest at the party! Mr McGruff stopped by. Mason loved it! I remember being in elementary school and Mr McGruff would visit. It was the coolest thing. Now of course Mason didn't know who he was until the week before his party. I showed him pictures and told him stories about him. So, he was ecstatic when Mr. McGruff came to his party. When it was time for him to leave Mason was following him. He wanted to see what he drove to the party! ha

 

Mason got entirely too much stuff and played his little heart out! We had guests over well past 10 and he played and played. Which explains why he fell asleep sitting straight up. That's only happened a few other times. 

I am disappointed with the pictures this year. Well, not the pictures themselves...but the lack there of. I guess I was too busy visiting and being in the moment. 

Happy Birthday my sweet baby!!

{2014 Spring Blast Ball}

We are deep into our Spring season of Blast Ball and it's going really good! We have a good team {5 returning players and 2 new players}. The boys are getting better about listening and playing the game. 

It's a battle every Saturday morning getting Mason ready and in uniform. He'd rather just play at home outside...until he gets to the game. Then he has fun and actually does well. And I love to watch him.

Games are still only 20 minutes {at the very longest} and it's just enough time for these 2/3 & 4 year olds. And if I may brag a bit? We're one of the better looking teams out there...as far as knowing what we're doing. Last week the other team literally laid down in the field while we were batting! haha! 

Only three games to go.

Are your littles playing any sports this season?

{He said what? 44-46 months}

Time for another round of things Mason says! I haven't posted any of these in a long time. Quite frankly, this kid is so witty it's hard to keep up. Everything that comes out of his mouth is hilarious {okay, not everything. Fits are not hilarious} and he never stops talking...so ya, hard to keep up! I try to put them on FB when I can because that's an easy way to track them. But I want them here too.

{It's a Texas thing y'all // Bluebonnets in the spring}

 

It's that time of year. The time when it's totally acceptable for cars to park all up and down the highway so that people can get out and take pictures in the Bluebonnets. We didn't brave the highway, but instead opted for a field next to a church in a town next door.

{Easter 2014 // Ranger game}

I know, I know...I am a little late posting this. But better late than never, right? Our Easter was pretty good. We visited my family early afternoon and then headed to the Ranger game. Mason was pretty excited about the game which made us excited. When we first walked up we saw a station to sign up for Junior Texas Rangers...so we did that for Mason! He got a neat bag, a water bottle that changes colors, a flag cape, a lanyard with a VIP pass, free tickets, coupons, etc. Definitely can't beat it for $20 bucks!! 

{Mason's Easter party at school // Pre-K 3}

Today was Mason's Easter party at school! It was a bunch of fun!! They had their Easter egg hunt before I got there, so I do not have pictures of that. But Mason said it was awesome. When I got there they were coloring pages out of a coloring book and 2 of the kids, plus Mason gave me their coloring sheets and said they were for me to take home. So sweet! I got to meet one of Mason's little best friends that he always talks about. He's a hoot, too! And small world...but Nathan and I both have known his Daddy since we were in elementary school. Wild!

The class got Pizza, cheetos, juice and cake balls for their party. Mason, of course, doesn't like pizza so I took him chicken nuggets. He devoured the cheetos and barely touched his chicken! We visited for a while and then headed out.

As we were leaving we saw the Easter bunny going in so we went back in to say Hi. Mason was too excited!! 

It was a great morning.

Then we came home.

And Mason through an epic fit!! For 30+ minutes. Why? Oh because he wanted the hotwheels I gave his class. He thought they were his and I gave them away! Oh boy...

But then he fell asleep on my chest after his fit. He hasn't done that since he was a little babe. Aww...

Does your kid have an Easter party at school?

{It's the Little Things - Week 12 - Thank you for loving me}

Linking up with Ashley and Jess for It's the Little Things - week 12.

Parenting Mason has been anything but easy lately. I feel like I am constantly getting on to him for his behavior. And at the end of the day I either feel majorly defeated or disappointed in my actions in trying to control his behavior. I don't like to raise my voice...but what do you do with a child that doesn't listen? 

{Blast Ball pictures with a silly face}

I posted this on Instagram...but wanted to get it here too! 

This past Saturday was one of those 'choose your battles' kind of days. Mason didn't want to get dressed much less go to his Blast Ball game. And, he had pictures before. I was trying everything to get him ready. Finally I remembered his silly glasses and cape!!! Bingo! I told him that he should wear that over his Blast Ball uniform and that his friends wouldn't know who he was! He was all over that!!! 

On the way to the fields I told him that he couldn't wear them in his pictures and he was okay with it. However, we get there all of the photographers and workers from the photography placed LOVED it! They were laughing and commenting on how awesome it was. It made Mason only want to wear it even more! 

It came time for pictures and I was about to take Mason's cape off when the owner of the photography place stopped me. He said, "Can we please take pictures of him like this before you take it off?" Oh my goodness! hahaha

And they did...and he ate it up! Such a ham.

This will be a picture day we never forget!!

{Weekend Wrap-up - outside, projects, swimming, playing}

Happy Tuesday!!! We had such an awesome weekend. I need more weekends like this one in my life, for sure!! We spent the majority of the weekend outside just playing and having fun. If you know us, you know that we're always on the go. It's rare that we have a weekend at home. And when we do I realize how much I love and miss those rare weekends. 

Friday Nate didn't have to work overtime which meant that Mason got to stay home from school, too! I was a pretty slow day at work so I got to be outside with my boys almost all day. I stayed close to the house and left my screen door open so that I could hear my computer and phone. It was an awesome day! Nate cleaned out his shop and Mason played his little heart out. He was so filthy by the time we came in that day. 

That's a sure sign of a good time. 

{Five on Friday - my boys, Rangers, date night}

Happy Friday friends!!!! Linking up for Five on Friday.

{O N E}

So happy it's Friday!!! Hubbs and I are having a date night tonight! We are meeting a friend of his and his fiance for dinner and then going to a comedy club. Though I am not a big fan of comedy clubs, I am looking forward to a night out with the hubster! Depending on what time we get back Mason may be spending the night with his Nana & Papa. I can count on one hand the # of times he has spent the night somewhere other than with us! I know he's in good hands...and hello, he's at their house right behind ours...but I still miss him!! 

{T W O}

Nate and Mason are home today! Nathan didn't have to work overtime and so Mason got to stay home from school. I love getting to spend the day with them {even though I am working} and getting to kiss their face any time I want!  PS - Mason just told me he would like for me to start calling him Nathan now, like his Daddy. Also, the boys are outside and I am watching Mason out my window...he keeps driving his jeep through a huge puddle in the driveway. Every once in a while he will look around, and get out and walk through the water. He thinks he is sneaky!

{T H R E E}

I have a 3 day weekend! I am off on Monday for opening day! I can't wait to see my Rangers! It's been too long. Every year I say I don't know how we make it through off-season! And I really don't. See my post from opening day last year, here.  

source

{F O U R}

We picked up our Blast Ball jerseys this week and I was so diappointed! Our hats and shirts do not match. I am pretty sure the league ordered them at two different times from two different places. We have the old Houston Astros logo and colors on the hat and the new colors on the jersey. FYI - they're different colors. The hats are black with dark red writing and the shirts are navy blue with orange writing. I know it's just Blast Ball, but it bothers me. Grrr.

NO! Just no! 

{F I V E}

I think we are done with gymnastics. I'm so sad! But Mason isn't having fun with it anymore. He says it's not his favorite. He gets out there and does it and we can tell he's just following through the motions, but not enjoying it. And we don't want to make him do anything he doesn't love. We finished the 2nd month we paid for, but I have not paid for another month. But, we still have swim lessons and Blast Ball! 

What's on your Friday Five, friends?