Six Flags Adventure

Recently we purchased Six Flags passes... What a great deal! You pay for this year and you get next year as well!! (Plus, you can go to any Six Flags in the country.)

The boys absolutely love going and now that we have season passes, we can go whenever we want. It has been nice, an hour or two here and there. Especially last weekend, the weather was absolutely gorgeous and with the last weekend of the State Fair, the park was practically empty! We actually went twice over the weekend. Friday night, the weather was nice and cool and it's the middle of FrightFest, so plenty of scary costumes to be found! Sunday afternoon was much of the same, a little warmer though, so we could ride some of the wet coasters like the log ride and the rapids.

Friday night also marked Ray Ray's first "big" roller coaster. He has always ridden the kid's rides and LOVES them, but now he is finally tall enough to ride some of the adult rides. He and I waited in line for the Tony Hawk (our longest wait of the night and the red roller coaster picture above)... I was nervous that he was going to be scared or cry once the ride started, but instead he started laughing and giggling! My heart swelled... A boy after my own heart! I love roller coaster rides and always hoped my boys would too. What a success! Though, while the ride was going he started to yell "Oh no! I think I'm going to be sick!!!" YIKES! At the end he just said "That was SO awesome! Let's do it again!"

Later in the evening, Ray took him to the Shockwave which has 2 loops (the green coaster picture). My nerves couldn't handle taking him, I'm so afraid he's going to fly out! He's tall, but he's also very skinny and I don't think any of the restraints were made for his frame... Ray even said he was afraid he might fall out, but alas, the ride went great! He came running off screaming how much fun he'd had.

Andrew is probably even more of a ride enthusiast than his brother. He will also ride anything he is tall enough to get on, but he will hold his hands up the entire ride and scream and giggle. It is so cute! I can't wait until he is tall enough to ride all of the rides!

I am so glad we are able to do things like this as a family. It made for such a great weekend!

Our Family

Ray Ray brought home his usual folder of miscellanious papers last week. As I was flipping through them to see what he had done for the week, I came across his rendition of our family photo. As you can clearly see, lol, Ray is on the left holding Bella on a leash. Bella is running through the flowers chasing the birds. I am on the right holding Ray Ray's hand. Andrew is in the middle next to daddy.

I found this picture to be so sweet and knew that I had to keep it. Someday I'll look back on it and try to remember my sweet boy when he was 5... They grow up so fast.

Ultimate Parental Compliment

I apologize for the delay in posting a new blog. As many of you know, Ray and I were in a motorcycle accident on August 6th. I have been meaning to blog about the accident, as I have a lot of thoughts and memories swirling in my mind, but maybe for another time? Today I'd like to share a moment that Ray and I had with the boys yesterday that made my day/month/year as a parent...

We had such a rainy weekend in Arlington this weekend, getting over 8 inches of rain from Friday to Sunday. As such, the boys were cooped up and beginning to go stir crazy by Sunday afternoon. Once the rain subsided somewhat, we decided to go out and eat at Texas Roadhouse (aka, Peanut Place to the boys... They love the peanuts!) I was worried that they would be very hyper since they hadn't been out of the house all weekend. To my amazement, they were both VERY good and behaved wonderfully. We had a great family lunch!

When we were getting up to leave, I heard someone behind me say "excuse me miss." I thought the table across the way was trying to get their waitresses attention so I almost didn't turn around, but as I did I noticed an older gentleman getting up from the table. The woman at the table, who turned out to be his daughter, said her father wanted to talk to us before we left if that was okay. He proceeded to come over and tell us how much he enjoyed sitting at a table next to our boys and what a great job we must be doing as parents. He said they were the most beautiful boys he'd seen and he very much enjoyed how good they were. He complimented their manners and said he was very impressed that they both asked for milk and vegetables since most kids want soda and french fries. I felt like crying right there, as most of you know I probably would, but I was able to thank him and his family for giving us such great compliments and my eyes teared up a little on the way out the door. As I watched my boys skip away in front of me, I thought to myself that getting that one little affirmation that we're on the right track with them meant the world to me. (Plus, I tend to agree that they are beautiful, but that's because I'm their mommy! :P)

Dear Ray Ray

Dear Ray Ray,

I have been thinking about you all day and how proud I am of you. You have "grown" up a lot in the last few months. Your teachers all rave about how wonderful you are and what a joy you are to have in class. Who would have thought, knowing just a year or so ago, you were not happy about going to school and broke my heart every day to drop you off and seeing you scream and kick your feet. Now, you can't stop talking about how great your days are and how much you love all your friends and teachers.
Last night as you were drifting off to sleep and I kissed your eyelids, I asked, "do you know how much mommy loves you?" and your response "of course mommy, you love me a whole lot". Then closed your eyes and dreamt. (what do you dream about?... maybe I'll ask you for another blog)
Anyway, yes, I love you more than you will ever know. So much it hurts sometimes. I am very proud to call you my own.
Love,
Mommy (XXOO)

PS ~ I love you, too, Andrew!

**I am not forgetting Andrew while writing this, but anyone who knows Ray Ray will know how far he has come in overcoming some of his social fears and just how kindhearted this little guy is.

Happy Birthday Raymond! (Welcome to 30!)

Just a quick blog to say Happy Birthday to Ray~!! I hope he has a wonderful day! (Even though he's working and we won't get to see him... Boo!)
And now he's old like me! Ha!!!

Don't forget the binoculars!

I think of this blog as kind of a journal to remember my kids when they're little, and sharing that with my family and friends. One thing I would hate to forget are Andrew's binoculars! Any time we go anywhere, he puts on his "binoculars" to help scout for our location. I don't know where he came up with this, probably at school, but he does it all the time and I just giggle every time.

Double Trouble and where they came from...

Hello All! I'm new to this whole blogging world, but many of my friends have them and I find them fascinating. Therefore, I decided to start my own. :) I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I think I will enjoy updating.

For those who may not know me, I recently turned the dreaded 3-0! It was a big event for me and even a little depressing. I can't say I'm in my 20's any longer and I can't remember the last time I was carded for anything. With that being said, I am looking forward to being 30 and hope to make it a memorable time with my family and friends. I believe strongly that your life is all about the memories you make and trying to make the most of the time we're here.

I have been married to my hubby for nearly 10 years. (It'll be 10 in December! Where does time go??) He is 100% my best friend and I don't know what I would do without him. He is a Sr. Corporal for the Dallas Police Department and I couldn't be more proud of him. When he puts on his uniform it always brings a tear to my eye knowing that he loves what he does so much and with no regard for his own safety. How many people can say that? Ray will be turning 30 next week and we start the adventure of our 30's together! I'm very excited!

Now, to explain the title of my Blog, "Double Trouble, but oh so CUTE!". Ray and I have 2 boys ages 5 & 3. Raymond ("Ray Ray" to most people, unless he corrects you) and Andrew. Even as I write this, it's hard to organize my thoughts, because so many things come to mind when I think about them. They are amazing! Thus, much of my blogging will probably be about them. I am the typical parent who loves to brag about my kids. I try not to, I know it can be obnoxious, but I just burst with it if I don't! I hope you understand...

Ray Ray and Andrew are walking contradictions. They love each other with such amazing ferocity, yet they can fight with the best of them. True sibling love. They are also quite opposite in many ways, yet they are quite alike. I'll try to explain...

Raymond William Dominguez - born June 3, 2004, my oldest "baby". Named after both Ray's father (Raymond) and my father (William). Ray Ray is very hard to describe. He has such a gentle "old man" soul, as some people put it. He has always been mature and advanced beyond his age, even as a baby. He loves to help me with anything, which is fabulous, from cleaning toilets to dishes and laundry, if I need help with it, he's my man. He's very timid when you first meet him and then he can't stop talking. He has a very silly side, yet he can also be quite reserved. He loves books, puzzles, games, video games, talking, running (he's a great distance runner!) and singing. He is SO creative. I can listen to him make up stories for hours. He is very fearful of new things, but eventually wants to try everything (it just takes him awhile). He's like his daddy in his logic and ability to outwit people. He'll make a very good chess player soon. Ray Ray loves his family, especially his little brother. He is the best big brother. If Andrew is not around, he constantly has to know where he is and how he is doing. I am so proud of him and the little man he has become. He starts kindergarten in a few weeks and that should definitely be interesting. He is a sponge! He remembers EVERYTHING and actually enjoys learning. Ray and I are very blessed, by both of our boys and excited to guide them through their lives.

Andrew Ricardo Dominguez - born April 13, 2006, and definitely my baby! (Named after an uncle of mine (Andrew) and one of Ray's uncles who has passed and is missed dearly (Ricardo). Tough, stubborn little Andrew! Andrew is tiny (where Ray Ray is above average height). I call Andrew my cuddle monkey because he is so little and, even at 3, easy to cuddle. (Ray Ray was always all legs and gangly.) What to say about Andrew, lol! He will be my trouble maker, I can see it already. He has a fierce temper, when provoked. He's very stubborn and not fearful of anything or anyone! He will try anything, especially if his older brother is doing it. On the flip side, he will sit in my lap and put both of his hands on either side of my face and just sit and talk to me forever. It melts my heart every time. He can be so sweet and gentle. Unlike Ray Ray, he really does not care for books and learning as much, though he is quite smart. He is very much all boy! He likes to get dirty, play outside, crash all of his toys and can make anything into Optimus and Megatron to fight eachother. He will fall down and get up, bleeding or not, and continue to play. Should Ray Ray fall down, it's like the world is ending! He can't say his "s" very well, so I love when he says he's schweaty or wants to go schwimming. Too cute! He also says Woovie instead of Movie. I love it! Ray and I predict he'll be our athlete where Ray Ray will be the intellect and scholar. I may be wrong, and I will be very interested to see if I am.

Put them together and you definitely have DOUBLE TROUBLE. (Who love to drive me crazy at times!) LOL! I love you Raymond and Andrew!

~Sorry this was so long... I promise, future blogs will be much shorter. :)