Monday, June 13, 2011

Road Trip, Part 3

They spent a lot of time in the baby swing in my parent's backyard.  Logan doesn't like it, Gracie likes it, and Ava LOVES it, so it came home with us.  =)



Ava pretending to sleep.


Really neat bubble guns from Grandma Jayne.



Posing with her rock.


Looking at ants.  They also spent a long time searching for worms with my mom but I was taking a glorious nap so I don't have any pictures of that.  =)


Nice sandboxes my mom put together for them.


Playing with Grandma.  =) 


Ava spent hours and hours outside with my mom.  Gracie was sick off and on, plus she's not nearly the outdoors-woman that Ava is.



Cutie pie Logan, watering a rock.  =)


More swing time.


Water table! 
(which somehow founds its way into our van)  =)


The doggy door provided lots of entertainment.



They played hard but they also worked hard.  ;-)




Ava pretending to sleep on the swing.


Jumping at Aunt Shirley's house in an awesome little trampoline!


Trying to get their feet as dirty as possible.


Mission accomplished!


Uncle Jerry brought the trampoline over for Memorial Day and I think Logan and Ava were in there for at least an hour.


Play-doh!


Poor Gracie had a rough week, at times.  First the swollen arm, then throwing up and a fever on Memorial Day, and a fever Tuesday evening.  This picture was taken around 11 PM Tuesday night after the medicine had kicked in and she started feeling GREAT!  Running around, lots of energy, happy...until after midnight.  =)


Spending time at Grandma Jayne and Grandpa Bob's house.


Ava crawled into their dog's cage.


Using some awesome paint markers (called Do-A-Dot) my mom got for them (and sent home with us).  I had been wanting to get some, so...wahoo!


My mom came up with tons of fun little ways to keep them occupied.  This is putting pipe cleaners through little holes in a Pringle's can.  A big hit! 
(this also came home with us)


She made magnets out of pictures of family members for them to play with.  (also came home with us)


My favorite part of the trip (well, besides seeing family and all that...lol) was using my mom's laminator to make some fun things for the girls.  These are called Lacing Cards and you lace (the girls call it sewing) shoelaces through the holes.


Aunt Steph playing a counting game with Gracie.  (that I made with the laminator)
Sadly, the laminator did not come home with us.  Haha!  Actually, my mom offered to give it to me but I hated to take hers.  Plus, they're not very expensive so I just ordered one for myself and I am anxiously awaiting its arrival!  I should have just bought it at Wal-Mart but the refill pouches are so much cheaper on Amazon that I just ordered both together off there.


Church time!  So thankful for parents who raised me in the truth, who were not hypocrites, who lived (and live) godly, moral lives.  What an example they were, and continue to be.



It was so worth the drive (and the week it has taken to recover!) to get to spend so much time at my parent's house and see lots of other family members.  I can't believe I didn't get a picture of Megan and I but it was so wonderful to see her and Logan, and spend more time with Brandon.  Thank you, Mom and Dad, for such a wonderful week! 

We stopped at Rene's house again on the way home and stayed 2 nights.  My sweet mother-in-law also happened to be there so what a treat it was to get to spend time with her as well!  Those pictures will be coming soon...

=) 

Friday, June 10, 2011

Road Trip, Part 2

The girls had so much fun playing at Grandma and Grandpa's house!


Eating popcorn with their cousin Logan.  =)


Pulling Grandpa's blanket off.  Poor guy couldn't catch a break...every time he laid down with a blanket the kids would come running to pull it off.  (I don't think he really minded.)


Sharing cake with Grandma.


Having a miniature tea party.




Working around the house.
Ava had these heels on most of the week.  =)



Having a (very funny) geography lesson.


Watching Dora with Grandma.


Three thirsty kids.


A goofy pair.  =)


Ava helping Grandpa fold laundry.


Checking out 'Embrace the Moments' and watching videos of themselves.


More to come...

Road Trip, Part 1

Suitcases packed and excited to be going to Aunt Rene's house!
(oblivious to the fact that they would be in those seats for a very long time)


We had beautiful traveling weather.


We stopped at a picnic area and just ran back and forth for awhile to burn off some energy.


I was worried about Gracie's arm the whole time though.  She got bit by something the day before but it just looked like a mosquito bite.  As the day went on, her arm started swelling and was red and hot.  We got to Rene's about 8 and decided to take her to Urgent Care. 



It was a super nice Urgent Care just for kids.  They assumed it was a bite as well but really didn't know and just prescribed an antibiotic. 


Made it back to Rene's about 10 and got a great night's sleep.  A nice hot shower the next morning and I felt like a whole new person!

Here they are eating breakfast with their cousin Kayla.



Back on the road, headed to Grandma and Grandpa's house!


We stopped at Wal-Mart along the way to break up the trip and they had great fun 'driving' this jeep.


Beautiful weather again and they napped for a long time!  We lost about an hour due to road construction but I was able to find another route to take, thanks to my GPS!  Can't imagine travling without it!


We safely arrived at my parents' house at 8!
More to come...

Thursday, June 9, 2011

A Sunny Monday

 We went out in our backyard at 8:30 and didn't come back inside until 11:30!  And it was HOT!  We invited our next-door-neighbors over to swim and the girls had a great time.  We've been friends with them for a year now and it's so convenient to live next door to each other!


Amarah is 4 and Alyssa will be 1 in a few weeks.  Their mom is Kyndra and she and I coupon together and call each other at 9 PM to borrow a stick of butter, or an egg, etc.  Our fence has seen better days and there is spot between our houses that has a big gap so we meet there to talk and exchange goods and coupons.  =)


I brought this doll playpen out for Alyssa to sit in (since she likes to eat grass and bugs, especially June bugs - for real) and put the lid of the sandbox over it to provide some shade.  We have ZERO shade in the backyard!  Amarah thought that looked good so she climbed in as well.


Then Ava and Gracie wanted in so poor Alyssa got booted out.  LOL!


Yes, Gracie is wearing long-sleeves.  Amarah and Ava wanted pants on so they could swing (the swings and slide are practically useless during the main part of the day because they're almost too hot to touch) so Gracie got some for herself, along with the matching shirt. 

Fun morning!