Fall Break Oct 19-21

I was able to take a few days off work for Fall Break. Nana and Pape decided to take the grandkids to Ft. Cobb lake to go camping for Fall Break. Shecoeta and I loaded up Cade, Addi, Carter, Grady, and Madi. The kids had such a great time. They rode their bikes around the campground, built a campfire, at smores, walked along the lake playing with sticks and watched movies. Shecoeta and I also had the opportunity to sit outside for a good while one evening chatting with Madi. Little does Madi know, but that will probably be my biggest memory from the whole trip. Madi is such a sweet, smart girl. I have great hopes for her life. I really enjoyed the time getting to know her even better.

Carter, Cade and Grady went looking for sticks for the fire and came back with this.  LOL



Madi found some sticks

Cade, Addi and Aunt Coco on the picnic table

Shecoeta

Pape

Cade and Carter riding Cade's bike

Maddi riding her bike

Cade’s First OU Game

Every time Lucas and I head off to a football game these days, Cade wants to go. So, we decided to take him to a game this year. The Ball State game was perfect because the weather was nice and the opponent wasn’t anyone that would draw a big crowd. Lee also decided to take Teegan and then Bodie decided to come along and bring Carter and Grady. It was the first OU game for all 4 of these boys. The boys got to watch the band march in, walk through campus corner, hang out a little at all the tailgates under the trees on the north side of the stadium, pet Boomer & Sooner, watch the teams come on the field, etc. Cade was having a great time until the game started. Once the game started he got a little bored (I expected as much). He did enjoy eating peanuts, 2 bags of peanuts that is!

Lucas taking his son to his 1st OU game...


Cade and Grady

Lee and Teegan

Grady, Cade and Carter

Bodie and his youngest boys, Carter and Grady

Cade, Teegan, Grady sitting on the curb waiting for the OU band

Me, Lucas and Cade with the Sooner Schooner

Cade, Lucas and Teegan petting Boomer & Sooner

Cade and Lucas with the Ruf-Nek Queen and a Ruf-Nek

Me and Cade inside the game

Lucas and Cade inside the game

Training him right!  OU #1.  O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A

Lucas and Bodie and their boys after the game...  Dads look tired, huh?!

Cade's 5th Birthday Party

Cade turned 5 on October 9^th.  We had his party the weekend before because of the OU/TX weekend falling on his birthday.  Lucas rented a Spiderman moon bounce from Tinker.  He got to bring it home on Friday and keep it until Sunday.  He set it up Friday night.  The Garrett kids came over and had tons of fun jumping and playing with Cade.  The party was on Sunday.  Cade had an Army cake and also got some Scooby Doo and Army balloons (hey, it was his birthday who cares if he didn’t stick to one theme?)  All of his cousins and several of his friends came to celebrate with us.  Cade was excited because he got some of the big Transformers he’d been wanting.  He also got Super Mario Bros. for the Wii (which by the way is just as fun now as it was when we were kids).  The kids broke a pinata again this year and like usual I bought way too much candy for the piñata.    

The cake

My Big 5 Year Old!

Cade getting ready to hit the pinata

Addi hanging out at her bubba's party

Cade and one his presents

Getting ready to blow out the candles

Cade lost his first tooth – Sept 26

All was right with the world, my little boy was still little and then… he lost his first tooth! I was sitting in my office one afternoon and my mom called to let me know that Cade lost one of his front bottom teeth and that the other one was loose. I told her to leave the other one until I got there, but Cade didn’t listen. He grabbed a paper towel and pulled the other one right out. I wouldn’t have ever been that brave as a kid – I guess it’s a boy thing! Cade was pretty happy because the tooth fairy brought him $10 ($5 per tooth).

Cade’s first day of Pre-K – Aug 18, 2011

I can’t believe the baby that I used to post photos about learning to walk or potty training or whatever, is now old enough to go to school. While we were on our “mini vacation” I got a call from Cade’s new teacher, Mrs. Abraham. It turns out that Mrs. Abraham, is our across the street neighbor (small world), although we didn’t know her very well. We went on Tuesday the 16th to Back to School Night to meet Mrs. Abraham and her assistant, Mrs. Graham. Both teachers are very sweet and clearly cut out for teaching small kids.

Lucas and I both took the afternoon off from work to take Cade to his first day of Pre-K. He looked very handsome in his blue button down shirt from Baby Gap and matching khaki shorts along with his personalized red backpack from Pottery Barn. I think he was a little nervous, but true to his personality he hid that well. When we got to his classroom, he went straight in, found his seat, sat down, and started playing with the items Mrs. Abraham had laid out... No hugs and kisses, no tears, no drama. (Nothing like I would’ve been at his age.) Lucas and I did manage to talk him into a few pics before we left.

In the car on our way.  He's so excited!

Heading inside.  Doesn't he look so little?!

Kingsgate Elementary's newest Knight.  He thinks this Knight is so cool. 

Outside his classroom

Sitting at his desk...

Getting ready to start his first day.  (Ready for us to leave!)

Hinshaw Family Vacation

It's been months since I've posted here!  I just hate that I don't do this more often.  Not because I really care about others reading what's written here, but simply because I want to be able to look back on these posts and remember the happenings of the best years of my life.

Lots of things that have happened since my last post, but for tonight, I'll just post about our mini vacation last August.  Hopefully over the next few days I can catch up to current events! 

Lucas and I finally took Cade on vacation.  The first couple of years of his life we took vacations without him because he didn't seem old enough to really enjoy vacation.  Then when we went to Playa del Carmen in 2010, Cade seemed to understand that we were leaving and wanted to go with us.  We promised him at that time, that we'd take him on vacation the following summer (2011).  Little did we know at that time, that we'd have a newborn during the Summer of 2011.  (Well I guess we knew it was a possibility since we were trying, but you know what I mean...)  Lucas and I toyed with the ideas of Gulfshores, AL or Tablerock, MO but, since we had Addi in tow, we decided to go on vacation somewhere pretty close.  Since Cade had never been on vacation, it was all the same to him anyhow.  Our destination - Dallas, TX! 

Lucas and Cade at Dave & Busters

Addi hanging out in her carrier at Dave & Busters - she was a real trooper!

We drove down on a Thursday.  We got into town in time to get ready and have dinner.  We went to this restaurant called, "Magic Time Machine".  It's a themed type restaurant similar to Molly Murphy's that used to be here in OKC.  Magic Time Machine was a NIGHTMARE!  The place smelled bad, the service wasn't good and then Lucas saw a GIANT insect (I won't say what kind, but let's just say it wasn't what you'd want to see near food) scurrying across the floor.We gathered up our things and headed out of there pretty quick!  We then found a restaurant nearby called "Blue Mesa Grill".  Their food was delicious, service was great, atmosphere was good for adults, but not geared toward kids.  Since Cade missed out on Magic Time Machine, we told him we'd take him to an arcade as the entertainment for the evening.  The waiter gave us directions to a nearby Dave & Busters. 

I didn't know that D&B is geared toward adults until we got there.  As I was walking in, I felt like people were starring at me for bringing a baby in.  It was ok though, there were a few other kids in there.  Lucas and Cade played games for about an hour while Addi and I watched and took pictures.

On Friday, we got up and had breakfast at Denny's.  Then we headed downtown to the Dallas World Aquarium.  I wasn't too excited about the aquarium beforehand, but I was completely wrong about this place.  The aquarium was beautiful.  They had some cool animals that I had not had the opportunity to see before.  One of the animals was a sloth.  It was just sitting in a tree eating, no cage or anything.  We were able to get very close to it.  They had an employee standing next to it to make sure no one tried to touch it.  They also had an anaconda, which was very cool and creepy!  They had alligators, monkeys, snakes, an octopus, all kinds of beautiful fish.  I would go back even without the kids - it was really that neat.

Lucas and Cade outside the Aquarium

Cade outside the Aquarium

Sloth

Toucan

Penguin

Giant Tortoise

Shark Tank

Saw Shark

Sea Ray

Lucas and Cade in the Shark Tank

Leopard

Sea Turtle

On Friday night we went to the Texas Rangers baseball game.  The Rangers ballpark is very nice.  Their staff was unbelievably friendly.  I can't tell you how many of their employees stopped us to ask if it was the kids' first game and where we were from and all that good stuff.  It was over 100 degrees outside during the day and well over 80 at night.  However, we were up high with a breeze and I was able to dip towels in an ice bucket to keep Addi cool - so we were A OK.  If you ever want a weekend getaway for your kids, a Rangers game is a great idea!

Such a cutie with his foam finger!!

The Hinshaw Family at the Rangers Game

On Saturday, we headed over to the Fort Worth zoo.  Cade saw a komodo dragon on the Discovery channel about 6 months prior and wanted to see one in person.  I did a little research online and found out that the Fort Worth zoo has one. 

We got to the zoo around 10 a.m. and it was already approaching 100 degrees outside.  The first thing we saw, and in my opinion the most impressive, was a giant saltwater crock.  This thing was massive.  I had a hard time talking Cade into taking a pic with it.  I was pretty intimidated standing to it myself, so I understood!  When we got to see the komodo dragon, he was just kind of laying there in his brown boring enclosure.  He never moved or anything.  Cade had hoped to see him catch some prey, but we knew that probably wasn't going to happen since they only eat like once a month or something.  Needless to say, the komodo dragon is a lot more impressive on the Discovery channel than at the zoo.

Cade and Me and the Giant Saltwater Crock - I had to talk him into getting

close enough to take this pic and then get in the picture with him.

Cade and a Giant Snake - I forgot what kind..?..?..

This picture is a little blurry but the look on Cade's face is priceless!

Komodo Dragon enclosure

Turns out the komodo statue was more fun than the actual komodo...

On Saturday night, we went to Allen to the outlet mall.  I got some school clothes for Cade and a few new outfits for Addi.  I also got a couple of new purses at the Coach outlet. :o)  The highlight of our evening was our dinner at In and Out Burger.  Since up until recently, they've only been located in CA and Vegas, we haven't ever eaten there.  Since the franchise is new to DFW, they were super busy.  So busy that we had to eat in the car, but we didn't care it was worth it!!  I hope they build one (or 10) here soon!

Cade and Lucas...  They give In and Out 2 Thumbs Up!!

Isn't it funny how music can touch our lives?  Country music in particular is always good medicine for my soul.  This song touched my heart this morning. The first time I remember hearing it was about 7 years ago at Lacey Garrett’s funeral. It touched me then and still touches me every time I hear it. But, now that I have a daughter of my own this song is even more special.


In my daughter's eyes I am a hero
I am strong and wise and I know no fear
But the truth is plain to see
She was sent to rescue me
I see who I wanna be
In my daughter's eyes

In my daughter's eyes everyone is equal
Darkness turns to light and the
world is at peace
This miracle God gave to me gives me
strength when I am weak
I find reason to believe
In my daughter's eyes

And when she wraps her hand
around my finger
Oh it puts a smile in my heart
Everything becomes a little clearer
I realize what life is all about

It's hangin' on when your heart
has had enough
It's giving more when you feel like giving up
I've seen the light
It's in my daughter's eyes

In my daughter's eyes I can see the future
A reflection of who I am and what will be
Though she'll grow and someday leave
Maybe raise a family
When I'm gone I hope you see how happy
she made me
For I'll be there
In my daughter's eyes