JJ's First Day of Preschool!

 Time truly flies by!  We are still in unbelief that our oldest little boy, JJ, has started Preschool!  This day seemed so far off in the future, and yet here it is now.  JJ was super excited about going to school, though he did wake up with some nerves on the actual day.

Here he is showing off his new backpack, which his tia Natalia thoughtfully got for him. :)

 The entrance to our boy's first school, and the beginning of his academic career!!!

 I must admit that I was just as nervous (if not more!)...it was a big day for me, too!

 Hard to smile with a bright morning sun...it was early for JJ.

 Here he is, about to enter his new classroom...still a little nervous...

 Yet as soon as he walked in and met his teacher, he went along with everything smoothly.  So thankful for Ms. Ritter!  She made this big day so special for our little boy.  Here she is introducing JJ to his cubby.


 This is a nice view of JJ's classroom.  We were thankful that JJ did so well fitting in, as Ms. Ritter showed him around.

 The door that welcomed JJ, with his own little owl, along with all of his new classmates and friends.

 They told us it would be best if we left quickly, but of course, I couldn't really leave, so I stayed behind the door and peered through a dark window :)

 Busy painting and making new friends.

 Concentrated at his turn to paint his big brown dog. (picture from his teacher, Ms. Ritter)

 A little proof that my boy was enjoying his first day!  (picture from his teacher, Ms. Ritter)

 JJ with his class, all his new buddies.  Preschool 2012 (picture from his teacher, Ms. Ritter)

 Back at home, showing and telling me all about his first day.

Nerves all gone and a big smile from my preschooler...ready for another adventure!  He is truly enjoying it!!

Slide at the KY State Fair

Today we had the wonderful opportunity to go to the Kentucky State Fair. Since we have had children, we have taken them every August. While it is often very hot, very expensive and overcrowded, it always makes for some great memories! Today we went down the giant slide. JJ is always so excited to do these slides. Noah will even go alone. But Eli never wants to. So today, I made him. Here is a picture of all 4 of us sliding.
I cannot believe this life that God has given me. I assure you that I do not deserve to be the Daddy of three cool little boys.

a typical week for the boys

Each week Valeria and I work hard to see that boys "do" a lot. We want them outside, and we want them involved in lots of things.

Valeria takes them to the local Fairdale Library every Tuesday morning for Story Time. Here is a pic of all three of them there.

This past week we took the boys to watch the Fairdale High School soccer team. The team is good this year and has 5-0 record. To celebrate the recent victory over PRP, the boys went out on the field and practiced kicking some penalty kicks.

 

And this final picture here is of Eli posing as Captain America. It is a daily thing for all 3 boys to dress up and play as Super Heroes.

 

 

Summer Fun for the boys

Here are a few more pics of our boys.

This one is from the Louisville Bats minor league baseball game. JJ and Eli caught a foul ball.

This next picture is from just last week when we were at a local playground. Noah does not like to be the youngest and smallest brother. So he is by far the most assertive. And naturally, he wants to do everything that his older brothers are doing. He loves to hang and swing from things. Here he is working on his pullups.

This last picture is one of Eli. He is becoming such a big boy. He is the silliest of our 3 boys. Here is a picture of Eli just hanging out in the house. Eli being the middle child has a good balance of dominating little Noah and looking up to older JJ.

JJ smiling at the zoo

It is incredible to think that Valeria is pregnant with our 4th child. Time flies! It seems like just the other day that we were expecting our first. That was 2007. And JJ was born on January 2, 2008.
Here is a nice picture of him from just the other day at the Louisville Zoo. We are so happy being parents!

All 5 of us in Ecuador!

Our family, all five of us, just returned from Ecuador.
It was so nice to be able to take our sons. This picture is one of the many incredible experiences our boys got to experience.

Valentine's Day date with Mami

Valeria and I had an awesome opportunity to go out to eat Valentine's evening at our favorite restaurant. It was a very special evening together.

Valentine's Day morning however, the boys, JJ, Eli and Noah, got to take their Mami (in English we say "momma" but in Spanish we say "Mami") out on a date to Krispy Kreme.

Those three brothers can already put away the "Hot Now" glazed doughnuts! Momma had a good time!

Geo-Trax Track

Tonight when I got home from work, the boys were begging me to go to the basement and help them build a "BIG" Geo-Trax track. We had not played with Geo-Trax in quite a while so I agreed.

For the last several years, we have been collecting from yard sales, consignment shops, and birthday gifts and now we have a pretty big set of various Geo-Trax pieces.

In light of the Lois and Eunice blog post I did today I am happy to say that JJ and Eli had so much fun while the three of us built this masterpiece.