Go Capitals!

Last Wednesday Matt got free tickets to go and see the Hurricanes play the Capitals in a pre - season game. I wasn't sure how long Gavin would actually sit but he surprised us all! He sat through the whole game! Must be the exciting action happening on the ice right? NOPE! As I have said before, Gavin can find a John Deere logo anywhere....

He kept asking "When is the "pony" (zamboni) coming back out?" It was really cute. Needless to say he had a great time clapping and yelling for both teams! Looks like Matt has someone he can take to the games now!

Visiting with Grandma and "Gigi Daddy"

This weekend we had some very special visitors. Grandma and G-daddy (or as Gavin calls him Gigi daddy) came to stay for a couple days before heading to Myrtle Beach. Gavin had a great time playing go fish and acting silly.

Good Ol Country Boy....

It was Mommy and Gavin day today! YEAH!! This has actually turned out to be one of my favorite days of the month! (Shhh.. don't tell daddy)

Today was another dream come true for Gavin. In the last month or so he has become the tractor king. He LOVES John Deere and can spot one from miles away. (Actually he really just loves any tractor but he does know that the green one is a John Deere tractor. ) He has a power wheel John Deere but lately that is just not big enough for Gavin. He constantly tells us he wants a big boy tractor. So today... Mommy and Gavin went to Vollmer Farms. He loved it! We went on a hay ride, a cow train ride, slid down a 40 foot underground slide, went on a zip line, jumped on a big pumpkin, saw some animals, went through a corn maze, and played in the corn box! We had a blast! When we went to feed the ducks we saw the scarecrow and the pumpkin princess! The best part of doing these things with Gavin is that he isn't scared to try anything. I will admit he was a little nervous about the slide at first but after one ride down he was hooked!

We can't wait to go back in a few weeks with daddy to pick out our pumpkins!

Again???!!

I'm sure many of you have experienced the annoying phone calls of trying to sell you things or increase your limit on your credit card. I've tried several different things to annoy them so they won't call but nothing seems to work. I have even tried the "Do Not Call List" but that doesn't work if you do business with that person. I have now become a genius!! Gavin is always wanting to talk to someone on the phone so..... that's right.. I now let him answer all my annoying calls. It's actually beneficial to everyone. I don't get annoyed that they called just as we were about to eat dinner, the 3 year old has someone to talk to, and the person on the other line probably gets a real good laugh(after being annoyed by a 3 year old) I must say he is pretty friendly... at least he says "Love You" before hanging up on them! Enjoy!

In the video of him sitting on the couch he is telling the person HE is "Matt Stevens" haha!

A day I'll never forget

It's hard to believe that this happened 7 years ago! I can still remember where I was, what I was doing, etc. like it was yesterday.



A big THANK YOU to all those who gave their life that day to help people they never knew and a big THANK YOU to those who are fighting for our freedom everyday!

A Much Better Day

For all those wondering.... taking puppy away must have done the trick. He was much better today! Thank goodness!

We went to the library today which is one of Gavin's favorite places to go. He loves books and so this is almost like heaven for him. He likes for you to read the book to him first and then after he has memorized what you said he will then "read" it back to you. It's actually pretty funny. I figured I would tape him reading one of his favorite books. Enjoy!

"It Looked Like Spilt Milk"

Read by : Gavin Stevens

"NO, No take my puppy mommy!"

"Puppy" -- the love of Gavin's life.

"Puppy" is a blue soft blanket with a dog head attached to it that Gavin adores. He takes puppy just about everywhere and must sleep with him at naptime and at bedtime. There have been many times where bedtime has been delayed because a search party (mommy and daddy) have been sent out to find "puppy". I must admit we all love puppy for one reason or another.

As you may have read in my previous posts Gavin has really been throwing us for a loop lately. Everytime I turn around he is doing something he isn't supposed to be doing. (I know this is typical of any preschooler and definitely a boy!) He is driving us crazy!!

Today he had a horrible day at school! I'm not really sure what his deal was but he was caught throwing mulch at his friends, pushing in line, and pinching the other kids!

By the end of the day I had just had it....I felt like I had tried everything. We have a behavior management system in our classroom and that wasn't working. I told him that we would no longer be going to Jumpin Beans this afternoon. It didn't matter until I finally struck gold.......

NO PUPPY tonight!! Puppy will be staying at school! (I must admit I did question for a minute what I was thinking. This was going to be just as bad for me when he was crying and didn't want to go to bed but it was worth a try! This behavior could not continue) You have never seen a boy break down into tears like Gavin did when puppy was taken away. I did assure him that if he was a good listener tomorrow puppy would sleep with him at nap but not tonight.

Things were going ok through the afternoon without puppy. There would be an occasional "where's my puppy?" and I would remind him but other than that we were ok. Then it was bedtime. The crying started. What a wonderful teachable moment. Both Matt and I explained again about puppy and why he wasn't sleeping at home tonight. After a good 15 minutes of crying (which is long for a kid who just gets in bed and goes to sleep) Gavin assured me that "I be a good listener tomorrow mommy cause I miss me puppy. I love him mommy." Sad I know but maybe just maybe I have gotten through to him my motto I adopted from one of my old students....
"When you do bad things, bad things happen. When you do good things, good things happen."

We'll see how he does tomorrow!

We spent Labor Day out on the boat with Grandma and Gigi. Gavin loves jumping off the boat into the water. I'm so glad he isn't afraid!

Sorry the camera is turned funny but you get the idea

Choo Choo....

This past weekend we went to the mountains for our family vacation. We visited Tweetsie Railroad, Grandfather Mountain, Linville Falls, Linville Caverns, and drove on the Blueridge Parkway. Gavin loved it!(especially Tweetsie Railroad) Before coming home on Sunday we went tubing down the New River. We all had a great time (even if mommy did come home in alot of pain and looking like a lobster!) It was so nice to get away from the everyday life and have some true family time. Here are some pictures from the trip in no particular order...

Gavin getting ready to go tubing down the New River

Hiking to Linville Falls

Mommy and Gavin at Linville Falls

Mommy, Daddy, and Gavin at Grandfather Mountain

The cause of an anxiety attack for mommy! Yikes!

Gavin and Daddy on a rock at Grandfather Mountain

Daddy took us to see the sunset off the Blueridge Parkway

Gavin and his horse in front of the choo choo train at Tweetsie

Gavin flying high on the airplane at Tweetsie

Gavin gem mining at Tweetsie
The chair lift up the mountain at Tweetsie