Because I have extra time?

No, not at all these days! But, I did find a fun way to releive stress. Most of you have already posted your photos from this site, so I thought I would join in. If you need a laugh, here are two of my faves:




What a week! I never realized how tiring preparing to teach can be. My classroom is now in order, I have met all of my adorable three-year-olds and my lessons are planned for week one. I am ready to go. I have been giving Benjamin the "preschool prep talk" as in....don't forget to go to the bathroom, share, eat all of your lunch, be a sweet boy and try not to obsess over the sweeper vac in the corner of your classroom.
We start school Tuesday morning and I am sure I will have lots of pics to share. David took the morning off and we have planned some special things for the boys before they leave for preschool that morning, including reading The Kissing Hand (thanks for the tip, Lori!).
I love all of my new teacher friends. Sometimes I wish this were even three days a week because so far I am really enjoying it! I have loved getting up and getting ready in the morning (as in hair and make-up...quite the luxury for a stay-at-home-mom). I have loved backing out of the drive-way before eight to join the hustle and bustle of morning life outside of my house. I have even loved coming home every night and collapsing from sheer exhaustion and then doing it all again the next day. This week of inservice has been a blast...bring on preschool!

Life as we know it...

...will never be quite the same. This week was our "last week" of normal...whatever that is. We are embarking on a lifestyle change, albeit a small one, it is still change. And this week we hit the road running in preparation.
Monday morning Jonathan had his 18-month check-up. He really did quite well, only crying for the second shot! He weighed in at 31 pounds and was 35.5 inches long! Still a big kid, huh? After that, we headed to the last summer playgroup in Belton and had a fun time with our friends.
I also had my new teacher meeting at preschool yesterday, which was fun....a little overwhelming...but fun. It was an adjustment for the alarm to go off at six and have to hit the floor running. It also happened to be a Camp Hope day, so my parents were kind enough to meet me over here at the crack of dawn to watch Benjamin for a while and then take him to his therapy appointments. Jonathan and I had a great morning in Belton at the meeting (he actually played in the nursery) and then headed to Rebecca's for lunch and chit-chat. On the way home, it POURED and I almost had to pull over it got so heavy! It has pretty much poured every afternoon this week-- yippee for the rain.
I tend to have an embarrassing moment about once a week and this week was no exception. On Wednesday, we headed to the library to turn in/check-out books. On my way out the door, Jonathan's stroller wheel (it is actually a set of two wheels connected) comes flying off ahead of us several yards and spins out of control. I caused a traffic jam by stopping so abruptly and several seemed a little annoyed at my mishap...but, seriously, what could I do? As I made the stroller sort of tripod itself, I went chasing down my wheels. All the while, Benjamin is laughing so hard at me (thanks a bunch, kid). Most of our library books came tumbling out the back basket of the stoller and I was just thankful Jonathan stayed in the seat safely! Thankfully, a kind man came over and helped me pop the wheel into place and we were on our way. (And, Beth, believe it or not, this was a different stroller than when this happened to us at the splash park!) So, I have ordered a new light weight stroller which should arrive next week! I don't need a stroller that much longer with Jonathan, but there are times when I do really need it, so I want something to get me through the next year or so of stroller trips! The library visit did result in one great find for Benjamin:
I will have to mention my embarrassing moment from a couple of weeks ago in the HEB parking lot. The HEB in Harker Heights sits on a steep hill and the parking lot seems to be on a 45 degree incline! After getting my groceries, I put the boys in the car to turn around and see my very full buggy travelling at a high speed of like 20 mph headed toward Hwy 190! Holy smokes did I run fast that day! I was rather proud to have caught my basket by the time it reached the gas pump area-- and I did it in flip flops, friends! When I turned around to head back up the hill to the car, the parking lot people had all seemed to stop and stare at me. One guy clapped for me! Embarrassing and entertaining all at once-- that's me!
This week we have also continued our morning walks on the mornings we've been around! With 90% humidity, it's been interesting. But, I am really enjoying getting to know my neighbor, Amanda. It has also been great to get in a little work out....as opposed to my usual one of vigorously dusting the treadmill once a week.
So, next week I start going to teacher inservice for the majority of the week. We have Meet the Teacher on Thursday, then away we go! I am so excited for the boys to start preschool. I met both of their teachers yesterday and they seemed great! Both have pretty extensive teaching backgrounds, so I did feel a bit like a fish out of water. I can't wait to meet my class next week and get my room in order. The busy bees are ready to buzz!
David starts "real school" on Monday, as in, with students. We haven't seen much of him this week with all of the meetings and preparation that goes into it all. It will be great a month from now to all be in our new schedule and to find our new "normal".
We hope everyone else has a FABULOUS school year!

Fistbumps and farewell to the summer,
The Dominguez Family

New Email Address

I have changed my email address to gmail.com. Same "beginning", just now at gmail.com. Thanks.

The Big 3-5!

Happy Birthday to the best guy around! We love you lots and hope you enjoy your day. LLLY.

The Grass is Always Greener...

Or the pool is always bluer? Benjamin is fascinated with the new pool the next door neighbors have. Any chance he gets, he is making a break for the fence to get a peek. I already had to explain to our neighbor Kim, that if they see an eye-ball through a knot in the fence, feel free to ask the eye ball to look elsewhere. We truly are trying to break him of this peeping-Tomishness, but I probably am not helping by taking photos, right?



You may remember that this is not our first Gladys Kravitz incident with Benjamin. I snapped this one back in February, when he was fascinated with the back neighbors' yard. He had to pull the car over and run to the fence in a hurry!

As the saying goes...this, too, shall pass. I hope.

Tuckered Out

I have been trying to sit down and blog all through nap time, but just haven't gotten to it. Amazingly, Jonathan is still asleep. Benjamin requested his blinds be pulled up, so he is in bed, reading and watching it rain. They are both pooped from our weekend of partying!
Friday night, I invited the girls over for a Southern Living at Home party and it was too fun. Several gals from David's work, a bunch of friends from church and a couple of neighbors all came over and it was a blast! We partied until well after ten o'clock! The boys (even David), went and had their own little party at Grandma and Grandpa's, complete with a spaghetti and meatball feast! Over here, we munched and laughed and played some fun games...and shopped! I am no longer a consultant for the company (I do miss it), but my friend Brooke is, and she did a great job for us. I didn't take any actual photos at the party...I didn't want to scare off the ones who didn't know me quite as well by busting out the camera!
Last night we hosted our LIFEGroup over here and it was great. Our new (to us) swing set was properly broken-in and played on by all of the kiddos! David presented a great lesson (I am a bit biased, I know), on being a Christian working in a secular environment-- good stuff.
This morning we headed over to play group at our favorite inflatable place-- Wazoo's. With all of these events, no wonder the boys are so pooped! I kind of am, too.
Not much else to report. I am starting to make preparations for my classroom for preschool (we will be called the "Busy Bees", so any teachers with fun bee ideas, LET ME KNOW!). David is now back on his normal schedule and is getting ready for school to start on the 25th. I am also excited to say that I am starting a walking ritual every morning with one of my neighbors who also stays home with her little boy. We will be pounding the pavement at 7:30 everyday! I truly hope I am not a huge disappointment to her in this area! Me and my wagon with two may slow her jogging stroller self down!
Happy Monday! Oh, and a few pics of the fun:

The new catalog...oohlala!

LIFEGroup...Benjamin came and hung out with the grown-ups for awhile.

Pretending to be turtles in their "shell".

He indeed, climbed all the way back up the slide.

Benjamin loves swinging on the glider.

Jonathan in a toddler bounce house at Wazoo's

Just being Benjamin

On the big slide....with a long line behind him!

Damage-Control

I thought I would address my email in-box in regard to the 365 post about photographing our home. Seriously, I didn't know that many people looked at the 365-- funny. But, NO, we are not selling our house. At least not anytime soon anyway. That wasn't why we were taking photos of the dining and play room. Sorry to disappoint. Trust me, when Daddy says the word about moving to Belton, I'll be the first one packed! I would love to be closer to the church and all of our church family over in B-town. But, for now, we will keep enjoying the Killeen digs. And what's not to enjoy now that Market Heights is open? (Are you all just exhausted of my never-ending references to the new shopping center?)
So the reason I have been photographing a couple of areas of the house is to get ideas and input from people who have a clue what they are doing in the interior design world. Yes, that's right, feel free to RATE MY SPACE! And feel free to add comments, criticisms and any ideas you may have. That is why I did this.
Yes, friends, welcome to my "other life". The life that occurs a couple of times a week between the hours of 1:30-3:30pm. When I take off my housewife hat and go by the handle of "TexasMom". I have been in love with HGTV's Rate My Space site since before it was turned into a show (and honestly, I have yet to see a single episode, I prefer the web-based version). I look at people's spaces, throw in my two cents and usually give them a five star rating, regardless. Because that seems like the nice thing to do on there. And now, I have thrown myself into the ring for others to do the same with my dwelling spaces.
So, feel free to jump on the RMS train with me! You can find the BEST ideas and get great advice from others all across the world. So, now that my secret is out...you're all invited to join me! And, yes, I am losing those lamps this weekend based on the comments! I think I will wait until aftermy Southern Living party/open house/girls' night of fun...whatever you'd like to call it...on Friday night! I probably won't add redecorating to my to-do list before then!

Good News All Over the Place!

These two guys both got great news this week! We were all getting ready for my dad to start a long seven weeks of radiation due to his PSA levels rising steadily over the past few months. He had his blood work done again this week and we were all surprised, overwhelmed and blessed at the great news! On their own, his PSAs took a downward turn! This is great news. So great that he will NOT be starting radiation for now! His doctor is putting him on a potent vitamin that should help his body keep making these PSAs go down on their own! What a blessing. I know our class at church along with many, many others have been praying about my dad and we sure appreciate it. My mom says he has been on cloud nine since they got the news!
Benjamin has also come leaps and bounds at Camp Hope and this week his therapists couldn't wait to tell me how great he had done. He is doing great with his Occupational Therapy more so than anything. His OT, "Miss Shana" said that since he has really warmed up to her, they have great conversations...she said it was like talking to an adult! He has also done great with his pedaling skills on the bikes at CH as well as his Big Wheels thing here (Big Wheels-- who knew?). He even did great with buttoning, coloring within lines in one direction and working with his "theraputty" yesterday! I was so proud of him!
And on the baby front....
Baby Madelyn arrived yesterday for the Callaway family! Lori, Bobby and Jackson couldn't be any happier. In order to not steal their thunder, I'll let you read about the sweet girl on her family's blog, here.
And....my friend Koti is also in the hospital getting ready to deliver their second son any minute now!
What a blessed week all around. We can't quit smiling around here!