Sprinkler

We went to playgroup today at the Sprinkler. It was a great day for the sprinkler as there were hardly any other kids (school starting again is great for that) and it wasn't baking hot sunshine. Today was especially nice also because L could stand and walk so I didn't have to carry her and hold her the whole time--it was delightful!

I captured some great moments (in my humble mommy opinion) at with the kiddos having fun in the water. I will miss you Sprinkler when you close for the year in a few weeks.

our vacation

I've not updated our blog for a while as we've been in Virginia visiting family and friends. It was a great trip--just not the getting there part. Our DVD player stopped working on our return journey at around Charlotte.

We also were racing to come back to make a 4pm doctor appointment for both kids that I set up that morning begging for the latest appointment as we would be coming from VA. BOTH kids turned out to have pretty gnarly ear infections and are now on antibiotics. I'm glad to know that at least there was some reason for the rotten sleep all of us got the last few nights.

So here are some of our highlights of our trip (in no particular order)

Canning beans (twice--I think the count was something like 88 pints)

Visiting the caboose park (Ian wouldn't climb on it once we got there)

Awesome haircut

Dinner with old High School band friends atMacado's

Lots of great afternoon naps for me while Grandma watched the kiddos (why can't you store sleep?)

Shopping with my Mom (great deals on capri's!)

Picking corn from the garden

Playing in the Virginia Room

Ian digging trenches in the garden (so that he could be "just like scoop" from bob the builder)

Playing with the water table

Shopping without the kiddos

Swimming with friends (sorry we were late)

Boucing balls with Ian (what a thigh workout!)

Twisty string cheese (I've told Ian that orange string cheese is only at Grandma's)

Playing $100,000 Pyramid game show with Mom late at night

Shopping at Kroger (sadness that they no longer sell hulless popcorn)

Watching the neighbors cat "Leroid" (real name is Elroy)

Girls night out (wonderful ginger cookies and conversation and stamping cards)

Hamster Wheel (termed the "Tramster wheel" by Ian)

Bubbles in the VA room

Die cutting foam and felt at Pulaski Library (the alphabet I started two years ago is complete)

Visiting Thrift stores for books (got a Eric Carle and Sandra Boynton for kids Christmas)

Here are some pictures from our journey and more are on my facebook page if you want to see them!

I hear a symphony

The sound of the garage door opening signaling Brett returning from work is just music to my ears, like a symphony. The kids tackle daddy and I well I want to run and lock myself in the bedroom for a few minutes of peace. Nothing like getting tackled!

the kids artistic sides

The kids are showing their artistic sides. Not only the artist sides but their wild sides as both recently got inked. Yes, Livy found markers (I was clueless she could get the lids off) and chewed one. Any guesses for the color???

and Ian a pen (again).
The pictures don't do justice to the true art expressed. To this point in my life with kids, neither have drawn on the walls but I am not holding my breath.

Missy Prissy

So I feel that in order to balance the posting about I. here are some of L.'s moments.

She is a climber monkey and it seems she is attracted to the most unstable of things--a laundry basket, a trash can, etc. to try to pull herself to stand. And who needs alphabetized movies?

She is already a girl loving mommy's shoes, makeup and concerned about her weight as she does her weigh in like the rest of the family.

And she likes to taste test things in the kitchen. I gave her the spoon after I mixed up some rice krispie treats and she thought she was in heaven.

Tired but worth it

Yesterday we went to Columbia so that I could go to the temple to do some work for a relative. It was a sweet experience. We all made the journey with Brett watching the kids while I was at the temple.

After that we went to a suprise visit to the zoo something we had planned but kept secret from Ian. He loved it. The giraffes were his favorite. He loved the penguins also and Livy giggled at them swimming by her each time. Despite the hot temperatures it was great.

We even stopped at Macaroni Grill for me on the way home! Yum. Great trip to Columbia!

Fabulous Fourth

Our fourth of July was great despite me striking out for a third time on trying to find a holiday related activity for our family. Christmas was not so great at our City's celebration at the municipal building, Easter was disappointing as the egg hunt we went to had not one piece of candy in the eggs but only a tiny single sticker in each egg, and the fourth of july parade that we had wanted to see at 4pm didn't start until 7pm and didn't even have a band. Here we are en route to the parade.So Brett is choosing for us the next holiday.

Truly though, we were able to buy a new bed (whoowho!) for us, grill out (complete with Brett's "fire shirt" aka grill apron,

and Ian got to see fireworks with Brett while I stayed home with with wee one. We managed to do a few sparklers in celebration at home too!