A Few Firsts For Bubba

Bubba's had a great couple of months!

This was his first year playing soccer!

He loved it! He had a lot of fun because his dad was his coach and his best friend was on the team... it did however bring out a competitive streak we didn't know Bubba had. He's one tough cookie!

He also celebrated a birthday!

He loves dinosaurs so, I created a volcano cake complete with dinosaurs and lava.

(Made me feel good when he said it was the best cake ever!)

Look at that smile!

This is Bubba's first bike that wasn't a hand-me-down...

he rides it any time he gets a chance!

On Thanksgiving Bubba lost his first tooth!

Bubba loves kindergarten and has become a great reader!

I love watching him learn and grow - he's so enthusiastic and that smile is contagious!!!

Notes for The Professor

The Professor has been very busy the last couple of months, too!

And yes, he's been a very good listener :)

What keeps The Professor busy?

Online Virtual Schooling!

It's been a lot of work - but I have to say, he's been very focused and had the opportunity to learn a lot more, about subjects that interest him, than he would in the traditional classroom!

For starters he has at least two hands on science projects a week and absolutely loves them.

He also had the opportunity to go on a field trip to the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum in Tucson - Junior and I tagged along. It was almost completely outdoors... it was beautiful... it was educational... we loved it!

The Professor and I agreed we need to take a family trip to Tucson!

Here is just a sampling of our adventure!

We explored caves and found minerals...

We saw wolves...

This was some serious desert hiking...

We saw tons of birds - The Professor loved the falcon!

Big horned sheep were climbing around on the rocks...

And we got to see a bright red cardinal - I'd never seen one before.

It was a very fun and adventurous day!

I'm glad the Professor and I were able to go!

Other things that have kept The Professor busy...

Along with virtual schooling he has virtual speech. So, once a week he spends an hour with his speech therapist via headset & webcam. He also participates in social groups this way. It's been very exciting to visit with kids living in other places - so far he's been talking with kids in Ohio, Vermont, Nevada, New Mexico and Arizona.

The Professor is also taking a Spanish Class and he's a member of The Robotics Club at his school - which he absolutely loves!

He enjoys Cub Scouts - he's currently a Bear.

He's also been busy with piano.

And of course he reads, reads, and reads!

His current interests are robots and dogs. He recently finished the Harry Potter series and is now on the second book of Artemis Fowl.

End of Year Round-up - OTG Boy

Boy have I fallen off the blogging bandwagon!

I've tried - really I've tried :(

So, to catch everyone up on what's been going on at HaHa's House I've got a little end of the year round-up planned.

First up, OTG Boy

As usual he's always On The Go!

Here's a sampling of what he's been up to...

First of all he joined a singing group called Up Beat!

He absolutely loved it!

Here are a few pics from their Fall Show.

Here he is singing a song about the misery of raking leaves...

(he's in the green shirt w/glasses)

These boys were very convincing - made doing chores look absolutely miserable!

This is him singing about Zorro

(second one in on the right)

This was action packed - even included a sword fighting scene!

This was OTG Boy's favorite song (I think)

Jelly Bean Blues
He really let his "inner cool" shine!

Gruesome Groaners

Hard to see - but very fun spooky song.

They sang a tribute to the pilgrims.

And of course a grand finale, involving canes and high kicks!

It was a fun night!

Next on his list of things to do...

Earn the Arrow of Light

OTG Boy has always been very motivated and it's been an absolute pleasure watching how hard he has worked to accomplish his goals.

He also crossed the bridge from Cub Scouting into Scouting...

yes, that's right he's officially a Boy Scout now.

Boy time flies (and I feel old)

And I have to brag just a little...

In the Webelos Den you can earn 20 Activity Pins.

OTG Boy earned them all!

Great Job OTG Boy!!!

So, now OTG Boy is another year older

and what did he get?

You guessed it... anything Boy Scout related...

including a tent - he was very excited!

What else has OTG Boy been up to?

Working hard at Math Blasters - he just passed the 7th Grade test...

Participated in the school Spelling Bee...

Just had his Orchestra Christmas Concert and

he's been taking private cello lessons this year...

And don't forget - soccer - he did great this year... his skills have improved

and he's turned in to one tough kid!

Ok, I think we've got OTG Boy covered!

Boy has this kid been busy!!!

Are You Listening?

Some pictures just make me smile!

Halloween

My costume supply has built up over the years - they are sooooo cute!

I have everything you need to be a puppy, a cow, Bob the Builder, or a Fireman and plenty of other fun ideas.

My kids really haven't been attracted to the scary, or repulsive.

But,

this year things changed.

It all started with Bubba...

He said, "Mom, I don't want to be Bob the Builder for Halloween."

I said, "Why not? We've got the whole costume it would be great."

He said, "Mom, Bob the Builder is for little kids. If I wear that everyone will laugh at me."

I said, "Okay, what do you want to be?"

He said (with bright eyes and a mischievous smile), "A vampire bat!" "With fangs!" "And with my face painted black."

So, for my first year of scary boys for Halloween this is what I got:

OTG Boy - Skeleton

The Professor - Harry Potter

Bubba - The Vampire Bat

(check out those orange teeth!)

And

Junior - The Jack-O-Lantern

Since he can't talk I got away with cute for him :)

So, candy anyone?

Hopefully, we didn't cause too many nightmares!

Spooky Spiders

Remember last year's October Break project?

I was pregnant and sick and needing to stay off my feet...

but had three busy boys who needed something to do?

I guess we started a new tradition.

I wasn't sick

- but -

you may have heard that the flu is going around, so when OTG Boy had a fever of 102...

Mama called the doctor and the doctor said...

keep those boys at home - don't let that flu bug spread!

I had to find something fun to do?!?

We made spiders!

Even Junior helped - he was a great spider hanging supervisor!

Finding Fall

Here in the Valley of the Sun Fall is different...

After Labor Day I feel the urge to eat soups and chili, wear my boots and put on a jacket...

I'd like to feel that little "nip" in the air and look out my window into a yard full of falling leaves.

Well, frankly that's just not gonna happen, so for October break (after we finished-up with the flu) we headed north searching for Fall.

Bubba didn't know leaves came in any other color but green!

We combined family fun with school research for The Professor - he'll be writing a paper on our findings about some of Arizona's earliest residents.

First we headed to Montezuma's Castle.

Want to know more click here.

Junior loves anything that gets him out of the house - his stroller is his favorite place to be!

Next stop...

First you hike up...

and then go down in...

you're at Montezuma's Well.

Click here if you'd like to read about it.

All those handsome boys!

OTG Boy

The Professor

Bubba

HaHa, Handsome Hubby & Junior

Look!

We found it!

It's officially Fall!