New Adventures

We've had a few new happenings lately.  Olivia asked Michael to take the training wheels off of her bike.  They've been practicing a lot and she's doing really well!  Gray is learning to ride his bike too. 

We've been talking about going camping for a long time.  I really want to wait and get a camping trailer as sleeping on the ground is not my idea of fun, but Michael decided to take the kids camp in the back yard this past Saturday.  He set up the tent that morning and they played in it all day.  Here's a timeline of this adventure:

  About 8:15 they grabbed their sleeping bags and headed out to the back yard. 

8:30: They are all snuggled in and ready for bed.



9:07: They head back in and go to bed.  Olivia said camping was terrible and Grayson said sleeping outside was weird.  Haha! 



First Golf Outing

This past weekend, our great friends Alex and Jeff invited us out to the Patriot to play a few holes of golf and eat dinner at the club.  It was so much fun!  The course is BEAUTIFUL and the kids loved watching the boys golf and putting into the hole.  They also loved riding and driving in the golf cart. Olivia was hanging out with Alex and Jeff amost of the time so I didn't get as many pictures of her but here's a few pictures I took that day:

Wearing a glove like Daddy 

Teeing off at the first hole

So sweet

 Driving the golf cart

As sad as I've been about how fast the kids have grown up, these new adventures have made Michael and I both realize that there are so many fun new things we can do now that the kids are getting a little older. Golf is surely going to be one of those things we plan to do together as a family. Camping too, but just not in a tent!  

Grayson is 3!

We had a blast celebrating Gray's 3rd birthday.  He's really into firetrucks (and just trucks, tractors, cars, etc) so I picked a firetruck theme this year.  The city of Owasso will so graciously bring a firetruck to your house anytime you ask so that was the plan.  After I scheduled the party, I then learned it was the same day as the city wide block party so if we made his party into a block party, we could have other city vehicles visit as well.  In addition to the firetruck visiting, we had a trash truck, ambulance, digger, and pipe robot camera van (for the sewer lines).  All of the vehicles were such a hit with the kids!  Grayson was in heaven playing inside all of the vehicles but he was NOT a fan of the robot arm that picks up the trash cans. 

He had such a good day and I would say it was one of my favorite birthday parties we've done so far.  He of course got lots of new presents including the fireman suit he's wearing in the picture (from Dado and Nonna), a new power wheels John Deer tractor (from Mimi), and a new bike from Grammy and Pappy.  He is soo blessed by lots of friends and family!

Candy bar for favors

Our little fireman

He LOVED his cake..Everyone's teeth were red from the icing!

Checking out the ambulance

He was so scared of the robot arm!

Lots of action on our street!

Liv operating the digger

His best friend Brady Reed

Riding his new bike from Grammy and Pappy

Just a few things we adore about our little 3 year old:

He loves his big sister

He's rough and tumble

He's super smart

He's all boy

He can't pronounce his "Ls" and it's really cute

He asks lots of questions

He points out every truck he see's while we're in the car.."there's a cement mixer, there's a digger, etc"

He could play in the sandbox all day.

He's always dirty or muddy or colored on. 

First day of school

My big girl started school on August 18, 2011. She was sooo excited! We picked out her first day of school outfit months in advance and had many conversations throughout the summer about what school would be like. That morning, we got her and got ready, had breakfast and a quick photo session and headed off to school. Grayson and I both walked her in and helped her put her backpack in her locker and find her seat. We wished her a happy first day of school and I was holding myself together until Gray and I left the classroom and he started crying and screaming " I want e-ya, I want e-ya!" He was so sad and this made me so sad so we both cried all the way out the door. I took him to the tractor store to distract him and that helped. The day seemed to drag on forever and Grayson asked about her all day.

Finally, 3:15 rolled around and we couldn't wait to go pick her up and hear all about her day.

She got in the car and was sooooo tired! She said she was so hungry and needed a snack. Then she said she didn't want to take her lunch anymore because eating in the cafeteria is "way much better." I asked her if she made new friends and she said yes and but she would wait until the next tomorrow to ask them their names. All in all, it was a great first day and she's still enjoying school. Gray still has a hard time without her some days but for the most part we are staying busy enough that he doesn't miss his playmate too much.

Walking into school together. Grayson wanted to take his backpack too.

Sitting in her spot at school, admiring all the new scenery.

Isn't she grown up?They are so sweet!

Fabulous at 5!

Olivia turned 5! I've decided to hold back the tears and embrace her growing up. I will not cry when she starts kindergarten (or is it kindergarden? I googled it..you can spell it either way) but instead will be excited for all of the new things she will learn and the all of the new friends she will make.

We had 2 birthday parties for her this year. We had a family party at Grammy and Pappy's house and a friends party at Soiree "French for Party" in Collinsville. They were both so much fun and she is soooo blessed to be surrounded by so many people who love her.

Here are just a few of the things we LOVE about our little 5 year old:

She knows what she wants and she's not afraid to tell you.

She is an AWESOME big sister. It seems like she had just matured so much lately and is so helpful and motherly to Gray. There's been several times lately that she's wiped his face for him or helped him clean up a mess just because she saw that it needed to be done.

She is girly as ever. She changes her earrings daily (sometimes 3-4 times) to match her outfit and even has designated "sleeping earrings." Pedicures, shoes, sunglasses, bows, jewelry, make-up..all of those are right up her alley.

She loves to cook and bake. And eat. She get it from her mama.

She likes to be on the "go" and doesn't want to stay home much.

She is a social butterfly. She loves people and parties and talks to everyone anywhere we go.

Most of all, she is a joy to have in our lives.

There were too many pictures to post so I made a slide show instead:

http://www.photosnack.com/slideshows/155cb296b2247870ab1fd19da1333293

Summer is here!

I've been home from work for 2 weeks now. We are having a blast! I haven't quite figured out the "staying home" part of being a stay at home mom. I still feel like I'm on an extended vacation and will go back to work next week. I was a little worried that I would be bored at home but that has not been the case at all. I've been trying new recipes, couponing, volunteering more for the church, crafting and organizing. We've done an activity (very cheap or free) every day and we've already made some great memories. Someone recently pointed out that you only have 18 summers with your kids and if that's the case I only have 14 left with Olivia and 16 left with Grayson so we've got to make the best of them.

Here are some things we've done so far:

Yesterday we had craft day at home:

We went to the Blue Bell Plant in BA with our Friday Fun Day play group:

We also went to the Zoo with our Friday Fun Day playgroup

We've spent several days at the pool:

Michael Phelps? Oh, that's just Gray.

Swim Lessons: Grayson is a fish. Olivia's not so sure about it! Gray got mad at the teacher when she didn't dunk him under.

Many trips to the library for the summer reading program and weekly story time. Last week we had a huge visitor at story time!

One day Olivia wanted to make puppy shaped biscuits. One of her favorite books is about a puppy named biscuit. I love to foster her creativity!

Everyday I've just been sooooooo thankful for the time with my kids. I really am appreciating every minute of it and I'm so thankful for a husband who works so hard for us so that I can be home with them. God is soooo good!