Hey Guys!

I didn't realize just how long it's been since I've blogged! Happy New Year!...Happy Valentines Day!...April Fools....Happy Easter...wow! It's almost Summertime! I've had a very busy Winter and Spring. Let me tell you all about it....

Tonight my school, The Reading Ranch, had a rodeo! What a blast that was! We had barrel racing with stick ponies, and you’ll see here that I was in the roping category with the assistance of our wonderful School Director, Miss Kim. We even had a real rodeo announcer!! Thanks Miss Kim!

I'm soooo excited to finally have my "big boy" room complete. You know, Mommy started the project last Fall, about the time she went back to work. Big Mistake!! Guess what took priority! You guessed it, it wasn't my room! I spent Thanksgiving and Christmas in an empty room with only a bed and half painted red walls and the other half still pale yellow from my nursery. Finally, Mommy brought in a professional to finish the paint job- "Gumball Red" is the paint color and my room is now a "nautical theme" complete with Cousin J.D.'s former boat bed that John Daddy and Uncle John had built for him, nautical flags on the walls and other cool stuff. Check out all of the photos in our album.

In February we headed back to Florida for a visit with the Vaneskahians and Llabonas. It was my Abuela and Abuelos 40th Wedding Anniversary and they had a big party. I met some new relatives and got to play with my cousins, including Paolo who came all the way from Uruguay. Of course, I danced all night with all of the women! Mommy and Daddy and I also went to DisneyWorld on what was the coldest day in Florida history I think- it was about 40 degrees with a wind chill in the 30s! But we had fun and Daddy was very happy because Mommy didn't make us stay till the parks close like she usually does. We went to the Animal Kingdom for the first time and even the animals were freezing!

I've been having a great time at my school. Last Fall they moved me from the 4 year old Preschool Class into Ms. Sarah's class, which is a Kindergarten Class and I'm learning a lot of math and reading! In fact, I'm reading at 30 words per minute now. Mommy and Daddy are very happy with my progress. Daddy and I work on my homework in the evenings- yes I do have homework in Kindergarten! We also have spelling tests on Friday!

Each week in my class a different student gets to be "Star Of the Week" which means you get to bring a different thing for show 'n tell each day of that week. I waited and waited until it was "my week." I had already planned what I was going to bring! On the last day students are invited to bring their pet to school. I was kinda sad since all of our pets had died in the last year, but Uncle Tommy cheered me up! He and NayNay (Renee) put Tony in the horse trailer and brought him up to Allen for all of the kids to see and have pony rides at school! I was soooo excited and was definitely a star that day! See all of the photos of that day here!

And, speaking of rides...I got to go for a ride on Mr. Lee's tractor out on his farm! Mr. Lee and Miss Brenda live next door. They are my favorite neighbors! Mr. Lee has a tractor that he takes to his farm and one day they invited me to come along and help work on the farm. You know, I'm really a big help! See my photo riding along with Mr. Lee! Later we had a long talk about tractors...and farms...and motors...and airplanes...you know, most all of my conversations end in airplanes! Well anyway, I had a great time! I love hanging out with Miss Brenda, and also with her daughter Brittany too. Brittany comes over to play with me sometimes too! She's been helping me with my basketball, and likes to play with my Legos.

While we are on the subject of Legos, I've been building lots of things on my Legos table that Santa brought. So many that Daddy started a photo album of all of our creations. Mommy is in on it too! She built a Frank Lloyd Wright inspired house with a big tree out front and a dog house in the back, and she helped me with an airplane and a race car. Daddy and I have been working on cars and a helicopter. I built a four-wheeler all by myself, along with lots of varied aircrafts. I'm really enjoying my Legos! Mommy and I went to the Lego Education Center in Southlake to sign me up for Summer Camp there. It was so cool that we decided to book my birthday party there too. She's very impressed with herself to have plans that far ahead!! So save the date- Marty's BIG 5 is scheduled for August 29th!

Not only am I already scheduled for Lego Camp in July, but I'm registered for Zoo School this summer at the Fort Worth Zoo. I'll be staying with Grandma and John Daddy that week! I'm also registered for a Swim Lessons Boot Camp in June. I'm not sure what "boot camp" means, but I think it's a little different style of learning then the lessons I was taking at the Natatorium last month. I've had a lot of fun taking swimming lessons and playing in the pool with the other kids. I like to splash and kick and I can float on my back and paddle around. But I don't like to jump in or go underwater. I've heard Mommy say she's ready for me to "really swim," whatever that means...I'll let you know how Boot Camp goes! I'm also signed up for camp in early June at the Handwriting Clinic! My handwriting could use some improvement and the Clinic is supposed to be a fun place to learn how to write. My Abuela is bring my cousins Perla and Isabelle to stay for a week in June and we're going to Orlando in August. Then we will spend a long weekend in Miami with family and go on a cruise so my summer is filling up. Hmmmm...I think I remember Mommy saying just last month as she was driving me from school to basketball practice to swimming lessons that when summer hit that we were going to slow down.....

That dang Easter Bunny, he did it again! I wasn't going to let him fool me again this year! Again this year we spent Easter Weekend at Uncle John's lakehouse on Possum Kingdom Lake. What a great time we had! Aunt Sandy had lots for us to do! We decorated Easter cookies and dyed Easter Eggs. Grandma also brought us a Gingerbread Bunny House to decorate.

We flew a kite and went fishing! Uncle Vic bought worms-eeewwww! They were wiggly! J.D. and Carley had their big fishing poles and Grace had a little kid's fishing pole. But, I didn't have one and I really wanted to fish with everyone else. So, J.D. made me a cane pole! He found a big stick and tied the line onto it. I was SO proud of my fishing pole! I threw my line into the water and waited and waited, then I waited some more. Grace was catching some cute little catfish. J.D. had some fish on his line. Me? I had nothing! But I didn't give up! I kept putting my line back into the water. Finally- I pulled my line up and said, "Hey J.D.- I don't think I have any fish food on my line!" Even though I didn't catch any fish, I still had a great weekend. We built a fire pit and roasted marshmallows to make smores.

Now, about that bunny! Last year, Uncle John took all of the kids out for a boat ride. While we were out on the lake the Easter Bunny came and left. When we got off the boat there were eggs all over the yard and Mommy said I had just missed him! Well, I wasn't going to let that happen again. This year I brought my binoculars and I was on the lookout! I sat on the back steps and scanned the lake and the shorelines. J.D., Carley, Grace and I waited all day on Saturday for the Easter Bunny to come and bring us eggs. I carefully watch the water, hour after hour in case he was to come by boat. Finally we all decided to walk around and look for him and wouldn't you know it- he had come and gone again!! This time he left the eggs in the front yard on the side of the house NOT facing the lake! That tricky rabbit! Well, he left several hundred eggs so we all had plenty of candy to eat the rest of the day and for breakfast the next morning. See all of the photos from our weekend here.

Mommy's still working 4 days a week and we both take Wednesdays off from work and school. But this summer she's going to a 3-day work week so we'll have more time together. I'll go to the Reading Ranch on the days that she works, but it's just down the street from her office so I'll be close by.

Daddy and I have been spending lots of Saturday mornings at Lowe's doing their kids' projects and having a great time! I love wearing the goggles and using the hammer. It still makes Daddy a little nervous when he has to hold the nails when I'm swinging the hammer!

Well, I promise to write more often and I hope you will too! See all of our photo albums online by clicking here. Please keep in touch over the summer! Remember to wash your hands often! And, Happy Mother's Day to all of my favorite Mommys!

Love ya,

Marty a.k.a. Jean-Martin Garabet Vaneskahian