Do ya see anything unusual about this picture? Lol! Vivi and Max got soccer “cleaKs” (as Max calls them…i can’t bring myself to correct him because its so precious) today. They were SO EXCITED! At dinner tonight we played “high/low”….that’s where each person tells their high point of their day and their low point. Both Vivi and Max’s high point was getting their new soccer shoes. I asked them if they wanted to fall asleep in their “cleaKs” and they were about as excited as if it were Christmas Eve. They played outside after dinner, came in and wiped the bottoms clean, took their baths/brushed their teeth, put them on and hopped into bed, grinning from ear to ear. I’ll go slide them off so they’ll sleep good tonight. And, they were so excited that they had to both sleep in Vivi’s room so they could enjoy it together….like they do on Christmas Eve. :-)

He read himself and his little friends sound to sleep. :-)

How many grapes can Vivi fit in her mouth before she gets tickled…lol.

brownies bakin’

Would you look at that grin on that sweet face! Tate just left to run an errand for me…..ALL BY HIMSELF!!! He passed his driving test with flying colors! When we got home he didn’t ask to go anywhere so I asked him if he would run an errand for me. He grinned so big and asked, “Do you trust me to go by myself?” My response was, ABSOLUTELY! Such a precious precious child! My heart is so happy for him but so sad at the same time….they grow up so quickly. This has been a great reminder to CHERISH EVERY MOMENT!

We’re on our way to the DPS office….someone’s taking their driving test today!

Soccer tryouts!

awaiting the lil scholars.

I can’t just bake like a normal person. It takes me longer to clean my mess than to make the cookies. 😜

it’s the first day of school for the lester crew!

Kim’s Chop Shop OPEN FOR BUSINESS. Nothing like waiting until the last minute. School starts tomorrow and he was WAY out of the dress code. He always waits until the very end of summer in hopes that they will change the hair code. LOL. No change so he made an appointment at the Chop Shop and HE’S LOOKING GOOD!

Tate bought a cross bow at a yard sale today and he was EXCITED!!! BIG SCORE for this boy!!!

LOVE ALWAYS

Vivi yesterday before Meet the Teacher. She’s not quite as thrilled as her little brother is about school starting. But OH SO CUTE!

School starts Monday but this afternoon was Meet the Teacher. Max has been looking forward to today and planned about a week ago to wear his special suit jacket….the jacket comes out for the most special of occasions. I let him choose his entire outfit. He decided to wear a bow tie and his bright green hi-tops. :-) I think you can see the excitement on his face. It’s going to be a GREAT year!!!

I ate the entire jar of pickled okra BY MYSELF!

Canning another batch of okra. Good stuff!

I love these boys!

Elliott wanted me to take him out for a “little” photo shoot before he had to get his hair cut and Tate decided to join in. Here are all their changes of clothes they brought…LOL. It was so much fun and I got some great pictures of my handsome boys.

Lazy Sunday afternoon.

Vivi’s room is a disaster. I’ve pulled out clothes to see if she can still wear them or not (NOT), school supplies, toys, uncompleted craft projects, etc. She walked in her room, took a good look and said, Mom, my room looks like a hoarder lives here! HA! HA! Yes ma’am it does and guess what’s on the agenda for this afternoon…

Ells bought a pair of binoculars today for $1. He knew they were full of water and didn’t work. THE CHALLENGE IS ON!! Tate & Elliott have taken it completely a part, there are small lenses and tiny pieces all over the floor. You can bet when their finished, it will be in perfect working condition. #theseboysamazeme. #lovetoseethemworkingtogether #imaproudmama #iknowthatcomesasashock #hahaha #maxandhisteddyaresupervising

We went to the coolest yard sale today. This is one of the barns we got to dig through. It was AWESOME!

TBT (Throw Back Thursday)

Max got special mail today from his new teacher. He said it was going in his treasure box. In 11 days my baby will be a 2nd grader!

Duck Dynasty is Vivi’s favorite! She’s been watching re-runs this afternoon, she gets so tickled she laughs out loud! The new season starts TONIGHT! You can bet you’ll find the Lester crew huddled around the TV!

Tate wanted his birthday dinner to be homemade Chinese dumplings and fried rice. In the photo, Tate is making the dough for the dumplings…one thing I love about making dumplings is we are ALL in the kitchen working together. It was so delicious but we’re all stuffed!

Iron chef face off. :-)

Making homemade Chinese dumplings is a family event. It takes us all!

helping me clean. :-)

the best part of mama baking.

birthday cake in the making.

Happy Birthday Tate!! It began with the traditional wake me up in the morning with the Happy Birthday serenade from the family and breakfast in bed.

His birthday started EARLY because of football practice. You see Viv is passed out and Ells went back to bed. HAPPY BIRTHDAY sweet boy…. LOVE YOU so much!

I would say, Elliott had a successful day pickin’!

One of the treasures Elliott literally “picked” out of a storage container while we were at a yard sale. HGTV’s future hit show…Chinese-American Picker. :-)

I love my #12!

We went to a friend’s yard sale and he ended up “pickin” through their storage buildings. He was in his element! I’ll share some of his favorite picks later.

mother & daughter. miss annie bird may have fuller lips and larger eyes but they have exactly the same kissable cheeks! AND I GET TO KISS THOSE CHEEKS IN A LITTLE OVER A MONTH!!! i can’t get over how much they look alike! @mrschhangur #imayneverputherdown #nanisbringinggoodies #mybeautifulgirls

"We find delight in the beauty and happiness of children that makes the heart too big for the body" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

It’s Tate’s big day! As handsome as ever!