A Day at the Zoo

My mom and I took the kiddos to the Dallas Zoo while she was here visiting. It was hot, hot, hot! So hot that most of the animals could not be seen. They were either in their caves/homes or hiding in a shady spot. It was so hot that the monorail stopped running after 2:00 due to high temperature over 104. So hot that we were pretty much the only ones at the zoo that day. But we survived and the kids had a great zoo visit.















Cute little penguins!



















"Hey Baby!"





















































































Yikes!














Hungry rhino!



















Giant sunflower!

Alivia's Bed Time Thoughts

Alivia said the funniest things the other night as she was drifting off to sleep. I just had to write them down (or type them out).

After one last book, our prayers, and a good night kiss... Alivia says "Mommy, can we go see if the baby bird hatched out of the egg at MiMi's in the morning?" I say "No we can't, we have to take GiGi to the airport." Alivia says "Can't her friend take her to the airport?" (and she was serious)

Next she says "I would like to have tapioca, blueberries, bacon, and muffins for breakfast in the morning." So as I am holding in my laughter (since she is supposed to be sleeping) she says "Mommy, why is your face smiling?"

Priceless!

Robber's Cave State Park

We went to visit Grandpa Tex and Grandma Vicki in Oklahoma this past weekend. Here are some pictures we took at Robber's Cave State Park.

Let's Make A Deal

Alivia has entered a new phase (hopefully it is just a phase)... it's called "Let's Make a Deal"!

I say: Pick up your toys please.
She says: I will pick up my toys if we can play one more game.

I say: Finish your lunch.
She says: I will finish my lunch if I can have a cookie.

I say: Put your pj's on.
She says: I will put my pj's on if I can watch one more Dora show.

Hopefully this new phase ends soon!

Rancho De La Rocha!

Rancho De La Rocha, Ranch De La Rocha - I love the way that sounds! Here are some pictures from our church picnic at Rancho De La Rocha. Aaron and Alivia are just too cute in the paddle boat together! As you can see, Austin really wanted to join in but he was left ashore with just a life jacket.

Liv Loves Her Tu Tu From MiMi!

Mommy does too!

Go Indians!

Alivia had her last blastball (tee ball) game this past weekend. If you ever need a good laugh - just watch 3-5 year olds play blastball for the first time! It was definitely a good experience for Liv. I am still not sure if she is going to be a sports star or dancer yet.

She had uniform (jersey) number 3 of course because when she picked her number she was 3 years old. She just couldn't understand why she had to keep uniform number 3 after she turned 4!!!

Here is how blastball is played:

Offense - Hit the ball and run to first (there is only one base). They did put all the bases out for the last 2 games so the kids could get use to running the bases for next year. By the time the runner made it back home - another batter had already batted!

Defense - Field the ball (with or without a glove) and try not to all pile on top of the ball. Once the ball is fielded - yell blastball (yes, a little strange) - then run to first base with the ball.

Here are Alivia's stats for the year...

Hitting - Very good hitter! Thank goodness she didn't get her momma's hitting skills.

Base Runner - She is generally a fast runner but on the field with the x-large helmet on - she is extra slow. Too funny!

Fielding - If the ball comes right to her she will get it! She did get a little boy out - woo hoo!

Field Manners - A+ for "A little too curtious". If she is running to first and the other player is trying to get her out -she will slow down so they can get to the base first. (Very cute but hard to watch!)

Can't wait till next year!

Swing batter!

Ready position...

Alivia's 4th Birthday Pool Party

Alivia had the best time at her birthday pool party! When I was booking the picnic tables for the party, I thought they were inside the gates of the splash water falls (more of a toddler area) side. No, I was wrong... they picnic tables were a couple of feet from the big pool! No problem for Alivia and the other kids at the party who know not to jump in but it was very tempting for little Austin. But we survived!

Now Alivia keeps asking... "When will I be five?"



Cool baby cool!

Happy 4th Birthday Alivia!

Happy 4th Birthday my sweet Alivia! I can’t believe you turned four today. In one way it seems like you have always been in our life and on the other hand it feels like you were just born yesterday. I never could have imagined I would have such a beautiful (blonde hair and blue eyed), sweet, smart, and funny little girl. You make me laugh (out loud) every day! You have the biggest personality and you are one of the happiest people I know. I am so thankful for you and the joy you bring into our lives!

Here are some little tid bits about you at age four. Maybe one day you can look back at these and enjoy reading them!

Nicknames – Liv, Livo, Livi Lou

Favorites….

Places – church, pool, playground, library, McDonald’s, Chick-Fil-A
Foods – Chinese & Mexican (or as you call it Mexico)
Breakfast Food – Ham & Cheese Hot Pocket or on special occasions donuts
Snack – Chex Mix
Drink – Apple Juice (you drink about a gallon a day) & Chocolate Milk (from Sonic)
Color – Purple (today) not sure what it will be tomorrow
Professional Golfer – Boo Weekley (he should be – you have his signed golf ball)
Show – Caillou (on Sprout)
Movie – Dora & The Three Little Pigs
Song – Boom Boom Pow and when we can find it the Blueberry Pancake song
CD – Kidz Pop
Book – Animal Baby (any of the issues that you get in the mail)
Websites - Sproutonline.com, Starfall.com, Webkinz.com (I have to fight you for computer time)

Special talent (one of the many) – Giving people (cute) nicknames…
I am “Momio”
Daddy is “Daddio”
Austin was “Bubba” but it has now been shortened to “Bubbs” (love it!)
Uncle Jeff in SC is “Bobo” (I have no idea how he got this one but it has stuck?!)
Halle is “Hallewood”
Abigail (friend next door) is “Abigirl”

Activities – Blastball (The Indians) / Tap, Ballet & Tumbling Class

You have never met a stranger – ever (not even in the Walmart bathroom)! You will definitely be on many welcome committees in your adult life. Wherever you go you like to say “I am Alivia and this is my little brother Austin”. You are the very opposite of me – more like your daddy – which is a good thing!

You love to talk, dance to music, perform, play with your friends, pretend (play teacher, pet shop, mom & dad). You can now ride your big bike (with training wheels) all the way from the house to the playground.

You love crafts – coloring, cutting, gluing, stickers, glitter, play-do
You always ask if we can go get a craft at Hobby Lobbies (Hobby Lobby)

You love pre-school and doing homework (fake homework). You can’t wait for Kindergarten – you still have another year but you talk about it all the time. You know your numbers 1-10 and are working on 1-5 in Spanish. You know your ABC’s and you can now write your name!

Future Profession – An elf (yep – an elf) A few weeks ago you informed us that you wanted to be an elf when you grow up so you could make toys. What a great job!!! If the Elf thing falls through I think you would make a great teacher – maybe an art teacher!

My all time favorite Alivia comments:

“That’s hilarious!” (few minutes later) “What does hilarious mean?”

“Nice! Kramer just peed on the plants.”

“Daddy and I were locked out of the house and I had to pee outside in the yard.”

Mommy says “where did you learn that?” Alivia says “from my bible”.

Wordless Wednesday

Austin & Bummer (too cute)

Pool Pics!

Thankful Tuesday's

I am thankful Aaron took the kids to the library and park so I could get some work done. What a great dad he is!

I am thankful Aaron was here to help clean up the glass bowl that shattered in a million pieces on the kitchen floor. (Yes, I gave Austin his lunch in a glass bowl - what was I thinking?!)

I am thankful Aaron doesn't have to go out of town this week.

I am thankful for the beautiful afternoon we had at the pool.

I am thankful my little ones love the water!

I am thankful Alivia did not have a 5:00 toddler (no nap) meltdown today. Yea!

I am so thankful for my sweet family!

Our Lovely Dinner

We have found a church that we can now call home... Church of Celebration (COC) Metro! It was so hard to leave Pastor Scott and Faith Wesleyan back at the beach but we are so blessed that we have found a church that we love so quickly. Our sweet pastor and his family invited us to dinner this past Sunday night so we could all get to know each other better. I warned him (a couple of times) that we don't do well in restaurants because of our sweet little one year old fireball of a son. Our pastor has a 9 and 14 year old so I knew he must have been through these days at one point in his life but maybe too many years ago to remember. Well, let me say it was one of the worst experiences we have had with Austin in a restaurant. Yes, I know we had been to church that morning, and we cut his nap short to wake him for a very active birthday party, then to Uncle Phil's to play in the backyard, and yes, then to dinner. What was I thinking...

To begin, Austin sat in his highchair for the first 2 1/2 minutes of us getting seated. Then he wanted to be held by mommy only. He did not want to sit in Daddy's lap. He did not want to color with the 100 crayons I brought. He did not want to play with the sugar packs. Soon our salads came and luckily he does love a salad with ranch so he sat on my lap and tried to eat my salad. A few minutes later I was covered in lettuce and ranch. Cute look! Once he was over the salad he decided he did not want to sit on my lap either. Luckily we had the best seat in the house - right next to the kitchen entrance which he really wanted to try and enter. So the only way I could tame my sweet little Austin was to stand and hold him. I tried my best to polity talk with the pastor's wife while I stood wrestling with Austin. Finally, dinner came and it looked so good and I was really hungry but I just couldn't cut my chicken fried chicken with one hand. Austin played in my mashed potatoes for a few minutes and broke the corn bread into a million pieces on my lap - then he was (completely) finished with his dinner. From there the standing/holding thing turned into screaming and he just wanted to be FREE and RUN and EXPLORE!

So the kids and I hung out in the lobby for the rest of the meal. All the young hostesses up front thought Austin was the cutest thing ever. This is when I came up with the best idea ever! They should have a separate baby sitting room at all restaurants where parents can eat in peace! Wow - isn't that great! I know I am dreaming. Eventually, the pastor's kids joined us in the lobby where they proceeded to eat candy out of the little candy machine - in front my two little ones who I would soon be TRYING to put to bed. How could I say no and let them eat candy right in front of my two begging kids - I know I am weak. Really weak. (Aaron still doesn't know about the candy but that does explain why it took Alivia an hour to go to sleep later than night).

Oh I forgot to mention - to make me look even more like I couldn't control my one year old - there was a little boy that looked exactly Austin's age that sat right behind our table. The little boy sat in his highchair the entire meal, I didn't see him move (not even to turn his head) and I never heard him make a peep. Wow - what a boring meal that family must have had!

And you ask well what about Alivia? She was quite the little lady! Her favorite food in the world (corn on the cob) did manage to slide out of her hands onto the floor but she sweet talked the waitress into one more. I will say Aaron was later very appreciative that I entertained Austin in the lobby (for quite a while) so he could get to know his future golfing buddy more.

Mark my words - we won't be eating out for quite a while... unless it involves chicken nuggets and an indoor playground! :)