Go-carts and fun!

Brooks, Reese and Sloane are some active 3 year olds!
Lately when I take them out to run errands, grocery shop or take them out to eat they end of running around the store giggling and screaming!

Imagine their excitement when I took them Halloween costume shopping! Well, they sure did enjoy trying on several pairs of sunglasses...
Last Friday, Steve took off a half day from work so we could do something fun as a family. We decided to take Brooks, Reese and Sloane for their 1st go-cart rides.
Brooks and Steve...

Reese LOVED the ride with me! She kept saying "Mommy this is fun...and I am not even scared".

We also played a few games. Sloane playing "Guitar Hero".

Sloane riding with Steve...

Costume shopping at Target.....but these little girls are too sweet to wear these hats. :)

Having some fun!

Since Brooks, Reese and Sloane started preschool I have attempted to keep them engaged in an activity every afternoon. Sadly, they have not napped since this past April and their preschool is only until 11:00 a.m. each day.
Thus, I am looking for things to so Monday through Friday!

One Friday, the local My Gym was having a free open house. Brooks, Reese and Sloane were excited to see their buddy, Diego, at the gym. Although I have to admit that this Diego looked a little scary!
Dora was there too!

Our friends Jack and Caroline had their 3rd birthday party at a gymnastics place. Sloane and Reese were supporting my college by wearing their TCU cheerleading uniforms. I was a TCU cheerleader when I was in college so the girls are keeping up the spirit! Reese seemed to have fun on the trapeze, while Sloane looked bored.

Our friends, the Urech Quads, also finish preschool at 11:00 a.m. So we try to meet up for playdates every week. Here we are going for a bike ride (L-R): Brooks Hickey, Rayne Urech, River Urech, JuJu Urech, Sloane Hickey, Skye Urech and Reese Hickey.

When we come home from preschool, I like to have educational activities ready for Brooks, Reese and Sloane. All 3 of them love working with pattern blocks. Here is a design created by Brooks:

He is so proud of his work!

Sloane and Reese love to play dress-up! Our friends, the Davis Twins, came over for a dress-up playdate. (L to R): Sloane Hickey, Sydney Davis, Madison Davis and Reese Hickey.

Brooks' 1st Soccer Game

Reese and Sloane have been taking dance class for the past 6 months. We have been hesitant to start Brooks in an activity because after all, he is a 3 year old boy...who does not like to listen! :)

So we decided to sign Brooks up for soccer. The first practice was a little rough....Brooks did not want to listen to the coach and he did not want to follow directions.

There were only 2 practice sessions before his 1st game so we had no clue how Brooks would perform.

Here is a picture of Brooks with his coach and team mates just before his 1st game:

Brooks is so determined!

Reese and Sloane sporting my college uniforms...cheering on their brother and Mommy's college! TCU won that night 62-7!

Ready for kick off!

Brooks seems to like playing soccer...that is until someone takes the ball away from him!

Then he will stop and start crying. We will have to work on his defense. :)

1st week of Preschool and a Trip to the Dentist

Brooks, Reese and Sloane have attended a Mothers' Day Out program for the past 2 years. This year, they are attending a preschool that is affiliated with the school district I used to work for both as a teacher and as an Assistant Principal.
Steve was able to attend Open House with the Trio and I to meet the teacher and visit the classroom.
Here is the circle time area: Reese and Brooks working in a center with their teacher.

Sloane working at the sand table.

The children have access to computers every day! Brooks, Sloane and Reese love them!

Reese and Sloane in the dramatic play area.

Play dough! I do NOT have play dough in our house so this was a treat!

Brooks

The 1st day of school, we had a torrential down poor in Dallas! No joke...it was more like swimming to school. Luckily, Brooks, Reese and Sloane had rain gear! I actually dropped them off and went to Target to buy myself a pair of rain boots. Five inches of rain fell that day, not to mention several tornado warnings that night! What a way to kick off preschool!

Taking off our rain coats and rain boots at school.

Sloane

Since it was raining on the 1st day of school, I took this picture on the 2nd day of school. Sloane was in a bad mood so she decided to turn around...thus why you see her back.

Off to the 2nd day of school with our preschool bags!

The 1st week of preschool was a success! Brooks, Reese and Sloane never wanted to leave when I came to pick them up! Not to mention, on the 1st day of school Reese gave me a hug and a kiss, Sloane just waved "bye Mommy" and when I asked Brooks for a hug he replied "No Thanks". Good to know the Trio is not afraid for me to leave them at school.

This week, we had our 2nd trip to the dentist. Brooks, Reese and Sloane all have good teeth and gums. I guess we are doing a good job of brushing their teeth...which is a daunting task times 3!

The Trio did much better this time when it came to allowing the hygienists to clean their teeth. All 3 of them sat still with their mouths wide open.

Here's Reese just before her cleaning...

Sloane...

Brooks was even a trooper with the teeth cleaning this time!

TCU game and Labor Day Weekend

It is always nice to have an extra day with Steve on the weekends. The only plans we had were to attend the TCU game in the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium. The morning of the game, Steve and the girls set up the Barbies on the kitchen table.
We called this the "Barbie Convention". I did not realize until I looked at this picture that Brooks stuck in his "soldier" so he could be in the picture too.


That afternoon, we headed out with our friends Tanya and John.
Steve and I just before the game...look how close we were able to park!

Go Frogs!

Inside the stadium

The size of this stadium is unbelievable. We were overwhelmed for about the 1st hour just trying to take in the sights.

The jumbo tron screen and the opening in the roof

Here come the TCU Horned Frogs!

My friend Tanya and I after the game. She and I attended TCU together and have known each other for 20 plus years! She is also one of the godmothers to Brooks, Reese and Sloane.

TCU won the game against Oregon State 30 - 21!

Destin Family Vacation...finally!

Things have been so busy this summer I have not had time to blog!

From swimming, to dance camp to vacation Bible school and splash parks, Brooks, Reese and Sloane have had a full social calendar.

Steve was promoted to a new position at work, so we have not had as much time to spend with him due to his long work hours. We were very happy to finally have a week together away as a family.

This year, we drove to Destin, Florida. There were some concerns that the beaches would be affected by the oil spill...but to our surprise the beach was perfect!

This was our first trip to the beach with Brooks, Reese and Sloane so we were excited to see how they would react to the sand and ocean. The first words out of their mouths were "Squishy; tickles; lots of giggles about sand in between toes or toes disappearing in the sand.

Here is a picture just after Brooks, Reese and Sloane stepped onto the beach for the first time:

Digging and exploring in the sand

Reese building a sand castle

Sloane, Brooks and Reese

Reese striking a pose

Chillin' on the beach

We fed some seagulls...and what do you know, one of them pooped on me!

Off to dinner after a day on the beach

Sloane, Brooks and Reese

Sitting at the bar with Daddy....3 root beers please!

Beach!

Sloane has such fair skin...we had to slather her in sunscreen several times

Brooks

I had to have some crab legs while we were in Florida....they were amazing!

Brooks has my skin tone....TAN!

My little beach bum

Drinks!

Loving on Daddy

Feeding the seagulls! Sloane loved them

Sisters

Sibling love!

My favorite night out! We ate at Harry T's Lighthouse on the Harbor Walk. I love the sunset.

I love my little man!

Sand and sun!

Our family

Swimming in the ocean!

Sand!

Our last day on the beach, Brooks fell asleep on Steve's chest...so sweet!

The view from our condo

What an amazing family vacation! Brooks, Reese and Sloane played in the sand, swam in the ocean, fed seagulls and looked for seashells and crabs .