Friday, June 29, 2012

countdown to Disney World

We have officially started counting down the days until Disney World.  Bryce asked if we could make a countdown chain to hang in his room so we got right to work this morning.  I drew lines on paper for him and held it in place while he cut the strips.  He did a great job for his first organized attempt at cutting!  Then he wrote his numbers on them with some help from me.  I try to incorporate some learning activities into our days, but I need to get better about it.



Here he is posing with his finished product.


I think he's ready! The verdict is still out whether I'm ready or not, ha!


11 more days

Thursday, June 28, 2012

sprinkler mall


We headed to a local mall today to play in their pop jet fountains.  Bryce calls it the sprinkler mall.


Once we started talking about it last night, Bryce kept asking me to remind him to bring his goggles.  We didn't forget them!


This brave little boy of mine went straight out to the fountain and never turned back.  He had a blast!


He quickly realized he really didn't need his goggles.  Now if we could only convince him to get his face wet in the pool.


Emmy stayed dry at the mall, but posed for a picture when we got home.  I am loving these summer days at home with the kids!

30 in 30


I turn 30 in 30 days.  Oh My!


Sunday, June 24, 2012

VBS


We had VBS at our church this past week.  This was Bryce's first year to do real VBS.  For they past two years, he has been with me in the Baby and Me class.  He had lots of fun in MeMa's class this year! 


This week he learned that no mater what, trust God!


The closing program was on Friday night.  Each age group of kids gets to go on stage and perform one of the songs from week.  Bryce was a little nervous at first, but he opened up and showed off some dance moves.  He enjoyed dancing to the songs each night.   


Each year we have a competiton for missions.  This year the boys and girls competed to see who could bring the most jars of peanut butter to send to Haiti.  The girls lost so they had to get slimed.  However, since the kids love it, the boys got slimed too.  I may have mentioned to someone that Jason's birthday was Friday so they arranged for him to be one of the boys to get slimed. 


Who better to dump slime on you than your sister!


He was a good sport and the kids loved it....Bryce not so much, ha!


The kids look forward to the last night of VBS because the ice cream truck comes!  Bryce was an absolute mess when he finished his popcicle.  He hasn't gotten any better at eating them since last year



Saturday, June 23, 2012

party time


Jason's birthday celebration continued today.  I threw him a party tonight and we had a great time.  I always have good intentions of getting pictures of all the families/guests, but I always fail.  However, I did manage to get a few shots of all the babies!


We have stayed close with our high school friends through the years.  Some have moved away, but most are still in the area.  I had hoped to have a small reunion, but not everyone was able to make it.  Here are Zach (Avery), Justin (Avery), Jonathan (Julia) and Jason (Emmy).  These sweet girls have their daddy's wrapped around their little fingers. 


The moms had to get in on the photo taking too! 
Kate (Julia), Renee (Avery), Me (Emmy), Beth (Avery), Liz (Maggie)


Bryce was there with his friends Charlie and Aiden. 

Friday, June 22, 2012

Happy Birthday Da Da


Happy 30th Birthday to the best daddy and husband.  We love you!

Thursday, June 21, 2012

pool day

We beat the heat today and headed to the pool with Nana and Pap.



Snack break with Pap.


Emmy didn't like her first attempt at the water so she and Nana hung out in the shade.


After a nap and a feeding, she was ready for her second try at the water.  She loved it!


And when Emmy wasn't in her boat, it made a great hat for Pap. 

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

we're around

Summer is off to a great start and I'm enjoying my time at home with the kids.  I was able to get caught up on grocery shopping and laundry on Monday.  Tuesday Bryce went fishing with MeMa and PaPa so I was able to get caught up on ironing and I started dusting the house.  I got tired of that quickly so I weeded a flower bed outside.  Today was more fun and less work!  We played outside this morning, went to story time at the library, went to Barnes and Noble and played in the pool.  We have had VBS each night this week so we are staying pretty busy.


We have had a mild spring, but summer seems to have arrived in full force.  We headed outside early this morning to beat the heat.  I realize Emmy looks as though she is dressed for a blizzard, but it was still cool in the shade.


Bryce cracked me up in this outfit today.  The camo crocs were the icing on the cake but he took them off to jump on the trampoline.

I guess Bryce was excited that I had weeded the flower bed (that doesn't have any flowers, ha) because he spent most of the morning playing in the dirt.

This little cutie has decided to shake things up a bit since I'm home for the summer.  She has been on a routine for the past two months (eat between 8-8:30, go to bed, sleep ALL night, wake her up at 7 to eat, eat every 3 hours until bedtime feeding).  Friday night she woke up about 5 times during the night.  I was able to get her back to sleep each time, but seriously.  She was in a horrible mood Saturday and didn't sleep well again.  I decided maybe she is going through a growth spurt and needs to eat more.  So I gave in and fed her TWICE during the night on Sunday.  I feel like I have a newborn again.  My days seem to be running together now, but she has not slept through the night any this week and I have fed her at least once in the night.  I decided to try and feed her some rice cereal tonight hoping that might fill up her belly.  However, bedtime was rough tonight (usually it's a cakewalk) so who knows how the over night will go.  Wish me luck!

It was about time I got a bow on this little girl's head.  She doesn't have any hair so the clip bows don't work and most of the headband bows we have are still too big for her.  I took matters into my own hands today and clipped the band so it would fit and I think she looks just precious.  And that little boy beside her is pretty cute too!

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Father's Day

We had a fun day celebrating Jason!  Bryce was very excited about our fishing themed present for DaDa.  Bryce picked out a kids fishing pole for himself and we attached the paperwork and check for Jason to get his lifetime fishing license.  I see lots of father/son fishing trips in their future. 



This evening after dinner we went out for ice cream and fed the ducks!


Did you notice that both of the kid's shirts mentioned dad/daddy?

Saturday, June 16, 2012

the river


Summer is officially here and we are already enjoying every second of it!  You may remember our summer kick off at the river last year.  Jason's aunt and uncle have a river house and they host a get together on Father's Day weekend.


Bryce was very brave this year and went right out in the water.  He was too brave for me.  I didn't think he would ever stop walking deeper.  I really want to get him into swimming lessons because he made me too nervous.  I'm glad he's not afraid of the water as much this year, but I don't want him to get too far out and not know what to do.


It was very windy today which made the temperatures cool and the waves made for very little beach.  Bryce opted to stay on dry land in the kayak this year.


The golf cart is always a big hit!


PaPa and the boys.  MeMa had to stay home today to attend high school graduation for her school.


The boys enjoyed playing some baseball.


The girls enjoyed sitting on a towel and being cute!


Bryce had a great time and slept the whole way home.  He wasn't ready to be awake when we got home so he went back to sleep in his bed.  That's how you know it's been a fun day!

Friday, June 15, 2012

bittersweet

For the past seven years, from September to June, this has been my home away from home!


My childhood dream was to become a fourth grade teacher because I loved school as a kid and adored my fourth grade teacher.  If you know me, I'm a planner, I set goals, and I stick to them.  So, I went to college and got my Master's degree to teach.  After graduation, I got a fourth grade teaching position in the county I most desired.  I remember driving to school on my first day and thinking "wow, this is going to be my life until I retire".  Below is a picture of me and my mentor on the first day of school back in 2005.  Now she is more than a mentor and coworker, but a sweet friend.   

Little did I know on that first day, that this really wouldn't be my life until I retire.  After having children, I have realized that my life is way more than teaching fourth graders from September to June.  While I love teaching and shaping the minds of children, I have come to realize that my own children need me more!  As a result, I have decided to stay home with Bryce and Emmy (hopefully until they are both in school).  I am so excited for this opportunity and I'm so thankful that Jason is so supportive of this decision. 

While a few teachers have come and gone, these three girls have been with me since the beginning.  It was so hard to say goodbye today, but we have plans for lunches this summer and I'm going to be their copy mom next school year!  I am so excited for this next chapter in my life.  I will cherish the memories I have from teaching, but I also know I will cherish the time with Bryce and Emmy.