Slumber Party with Ellie

Last week Ellie spent the night and it was such a treat for all of us.  It truly amazed me just how sweet and innocent and DIFFERENT little girls are from boys.  She is just the sweetest thing ever and the boys absolutely loved having her here.

The kids painted, Jackson made Ellie several pieces of pipe cleaner jewelry, we made ice cream in the blender (just fresh fruit), and the kids went to vacation bible school. 

At one point they wanted to play in the shower (it’s a serious hobby for my boys) so I suited Ellie up in some of Jack’s swim clothes.  Definitely not the most feminine but she was a sport and had a great time anyway!

Jackson’s protective, nature is in full swing these days and he multiple times told Ellie that he would gladly wrestle a full grown lion to protect her, sacrifice his life for her etc.  Each time she (being a logical and reality based female) seemed completely puzzled as to how a lion would even be a threat to her.  I was cracking up listening to their exchanges. At one point he tried to teach her to shoot a rubber band claiming that she needed to know how to protect herself in the case of an emergency at VBS.  He told her to yell his name and he would come as quickly as possible but that she might need to use the rubber band until he arrived.  It’s amazing to me to see these precious little personalities developing!  And it was nice having a girl around to balance out all of the testosterone in our house.

Action Jackson

Big boy Jack couldn’t imagine swinging any other way!

One day Jack was supposed to be napping and I noticed that his lights were on.  I walked in to find him in this position.  All he said was, “oh hi mom, I’m exercising.”  I really wasn’t even surprised. 

Sweet Silly Bear

I love this video that shows our tiny man just being his awesome and giggly self. 

Pirate’s Diaper Sprinkle

A few weeks ago Adrienne organized a baby sprinkle with the ladies from our MOMS Connection table.  It was so much fun to have relaxing dinner out and celebrate before baby #3 arrives.

Super cute diaper wreath that Landy made for Pirate.

Delicious cupcakes for dessert!

Some of my very favorite ladies in the entire world.  We have become so close over the last 4 years of babies and play dates.  I wish I could just move all of them with us to Austin!

We shut down the place with our chatter and laughing.

Thanks ladies!

Jack Swimming

As I mentioned earlier Mandy and Nick taught Jack to swim while I was picking up Jay from the airport for Kidfest.  Here are his first few attempts at swimming.  Now he’s jumping off of the diving board and swimming across the deep end.  It’s amazing how quickly kids learn when someone works with them. . .ugh, guess I should have been doing that earlier!

And here’s Jackson jumping off of the diving board once we got home.  Of course his first comment is my favorite, “Daddy is going to be amazed!”

And here Jack talks about how daddy is the best swimmer in the universe and Bear shows off his skipping skills.  Love these little guys and must say that after wanting to get rid of the pool for the last 4 years this summer we are really enjoying it!

35 Weeks

Diaper War!!!

One day when we were all in a bad mood I made up a new “game.” It’s called diaper war.  We buy diapers in bulk and typically have LOTS of them around.  Anyway, I dumped all of them out and we started basically having a big pillow fight but with diapers.  The kids just loved it and laughed hysterically.  It’s not the most mature game and it makes a mess (but it’s a very easy and quick clean up) but sometimes a little diaper war is just what we need to change our attitudes and start having fun.  Here’s a small portion of the aftermath of a recent diaper war.

Jackson

 

Lately I’ve been trying to film the kids more.  I’m fairly good about taking pictures but horrible about video.  So, in an attempt to get better here’s a few minutes of Jack.  Bear to be posted soon!

Ladies’ Weekend 2012

After going to Nanny and Paw Paw’s house for a few days I left to head back to San Antonio for my annual Ladies’ Weekend and to work on some Presents from Alex stuff.  This year was totally different because so many of the ladies weren’t able to make it so it was a very low key weekend.  But being around 34 weeks pregnant, that was just fine with me.  I missed all of you who couldn’t make it-but because this was the most exhausted I’ve been on a girls weekend I felt no shame about going to bed before 9 p.m. almost every single evening.

Just because there were only 3 of us doesn’t mean that we skimped on food.  We ate VERY well, but then, we always do at Aunt Mandy’s.

Here’s the one picture that I was able to get of the 3 of us before heading out to dinner on the last night.  It was just so nice to sleep late and have no schedule other than to lay out by the pool, read and chat with great friends.

The first night that I was there Mandy put little notes around the house.

Mattie very much enjoyed a weekend with the ladies.

Once again despite the fact that I was the only one who used sunscreen-I was the only one who got burned.  Not bad but still-not entirely fair.

Over the weekend I read several business magazines and this book about raising good, productive, Christian boys in our crazy world.  Very good read-now I just need to remember each critical detail.

More of Mandy’s cute signs.

Thanks so much to Mandy for hosting, to Ashley for driving me home and to my amazing husband and in-laws for keeping the boys so that I could enjoy a weekend off!

Nanny and Paw Paw’s House

After Kidfest Jay rode back home with the Hatch family so that he could get to work the next day and the boys and I drove to their favorite place on earth-Nanny and Paw Paw’s house.  I swear that the kids would live there in a heart beat if we gave them the option.  We got there on Monday evening and the boys were there (I left midweek to go to my annual ladies weekend back at Mandy’s) until the following Sunday.  What a super fun week we all had!

Jack loves to garden with Nanny.

Here they are going to pick fresh veggies from the garden.  Bear had pretty bad diaper rash from all of the swim diapers he wore at Aunt Mandy’s house so we let him run around naked quite a bit.

Nanny has a big surprise closet at her house and each day the boys got a special surprise.  The day that they got these super cool nerf guns was a definite favorite.  What a fun Nanny to play nerf war with Jackson!

Jack tried to get her but Nanny’s a pretty good shot.

Then it was time to relax.  Paw Paw hung the hammocks for the boys to laze around in.

My boys are so blessed to have such amazing grandfathers in their life.  Both Paw Paw and Papa are such great Christian men and I just love how the boys look up to them so much.

I mean seriously, laying around in a hammock snuggling your grandfather while you get a foot massage?!  Sometimes I want to be Jackson!

Time for the pogo swing!

The tractor and car were huge hits with the boys.

Then Jackson wanted to practice casting so that his technique would be perfect when Jay flew back in that Friday.  He planned to do a lot of fishing over the weekend.

Time for another daily surprise, a wuggle stuffed pet maker.

Jack had to choose from a variety of characteristics for his wuggle pet.  Here are the traits he wanted in his new stuffed animal.

Bear was very serious about stuffing his wuggle.

More fishing practice.

It was very hard to keep clothes on Bear that week!

Fun on the porch.

Bear wanted to fish too!

Andrew, the next door neighbor came over to have a nerf war with Jack.

Being silly with Paw Paw.  It’s so funny because when we are there Paw Paw can barely walk 3 feet from the boys without both of them exclaiming, “Paw Paw, wait, I’m coming with you!” 

The boys with their cousin, Carter.  Carter is Uncle Heath’s son and just turned 1 in May.  It will be so much fun when the kids are a little older and can all play together!

Aunt Ree Ree and her first grandson.

My boys love being in the country where they can play outside all day long.

Aunt Ree Ree getting snuggles from all 3 of her boys.

Jack named the horse swing (which Baron was obsessed with) Bullseye.

One of the daily treats were flashlights that go on your fingers.  The kids loved them.

In the closet ready for the lights to go out.

As Bear says, “it was darkie darkie in there!”

And of course when Jay got there he wanted in on the nerf action too!

A huge thanks to my sweet in-laws not only for keeping the boys so that I could have some much needed relaxation, sleep and girlfriend time but also for showing them such a great time.  Since I wasn’t there they took all of these pictures (my addiction to documenting my kids lives is no secret).  AND poor Jack got very sick with the worst double ear infection that he has ever had while I was gone.  So, not only were they taking care of the boys but had to take Jack to urgent care and get up with him multiple times in the middle of the night.  Ya’ll are such a blessing and while I felt terrible being away from Jackson when he was hurting I knew he was in the best of hands being loved on by his grandparents!  Thanks for everything!