Another One Bites The Dust

I swear, our weekends just fly by! We always have places to go and things to do. I have to say, nothing is getting checked off of our list of things that need done to our house. But we're having fun. I guess that's the most important thing.

We really do need to tackle that to do list, though!

On Friday, Lexie and I went shopping with my mom while Dylan stayed with my dad. After shopping, we joined them for dinner. We got a ton of rain, which brought us some cooler weather. I'm so relieved that it's back in the 80's! On the way home, we saw the most beautiful rainbow. It was the perfect end to a summer storm!

We spent a lazy Saturday morning and afternoon at home. It was the first day we didn't have a heat advisory, and my kids were thrilled to be able to play in the backyard. They had a great time rediscovering their water table, so I was able to sit in the sun reading a book. When we went back inside, Lexie napped while I went for a run.

On Saturday night, we had a kid-free party to attend, so my parents watched the kids. It was a theme party, and it just may or may not have involved my husband wearing my old maternity dress. I had a great time with my friends. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time!

The kids were still awake when I returned home. My parents spoiled them with a trip to the park and the ice cream shop! They were definitely wired up! They insisted that I try on some wigs before they went to bed. I obliged.



I had planned to clean the floors after the kids went to bed, but I was too tired. Who wants to clean floors anyway?!?

We stayed home all day today! We didn't get much done, because Grant was watching the World Cup and his parents came over for a visit. My mother-in-law and I played cards while the men watched soccer.

We concluded our busy summer weekend with a baseball game in the backyard. The only thing Dylan wants to do when we go outside is play baseball! Lexie is now interested in the game, so I sometimes get to sit back and watch now! Or play photographer.













After the "game" we had a tasty dinner of steak (for the boys), corn on the cob, macaroni and cheese (Lexie's staple food), and potato salad. I attempted to make tapioca pudding that was bought from the Amish, and failed miserably. I followed the directions, but it ended up being tapioca soup. At least it tasted good!

It was a fun and busy summer weekend, and the kids were ready for some sleep!

Say No to Oreos!

The #1 reason I don't buy Oreos:



Chocolate mustache? Normal.

Icing on the eye? How did that happen?!?

Little Swimmers

Today was our weekly playdate with my best friend, Jocie, and her boys. Thanks to the sweltering heat, it ended up being a pool day!

It has been unbearably hot and humid, and my kids were tired of being cooped up indoors. The pool was the perfect place for us to have fun and keep cool!

My little fish love to swim. They spent hours in the pool! And I spent an hour trying to coax them out of the pool so we could leave.

It was a fun and relaxing summer day! And, we managed to beat the heat. That is, until we got into our car when we left. WOW!











I finally convinced the kids that we had to leave. To be honest, I didn't even want to leave! But we had some errands to run, and a little girl who needed a nap. After a quick stop at Toys R Us, where Dylan picked out his backpack (already had to hold back my tears) for Kindergarten, and a stop at Target, both kids fell asleep in the car.

I successfully transferred them to the house, and managed to get some housework done and eat a quiet dinner while they slept. I just may have dozed off for 20 minutes, only to wake up drooling all over myself.

A day of swimming and hanging out in the hot sun can be so exhausting for everybody involved!



It may have been hot, but it was a perfect summer day!

Way Back Wednesday

2-year-old Dylan in 2007. At least one of my kids likes to eat! ;)

Camaro Kids

The word Camaro is a regular part of Dylan and Lexie's vocabulary. They are being trained at a very young age to appreciate the beauty of a Camaro.

They come from a Camaro-obsessed family. Their 85 year old Nannie drives a new Camaro. And, after all, their Uncle Scott is the FBodfather. I'm not going to even attempt to explain that one. He is basically a celebrity in the Camaro world.

Uncle Scott travels all over the country as Chevrolet's Shows & Exhibits manager. The kids adore him, and are always excited to see him when he comes into town! He spreads his love of Camaros to them with shirts and toy cars.

Last year, he drove around Bumblebee (the Transformers Camaro). Dylan was beyond excited! The Camaro he has right now is awesome too!



The kids were thrilled to get their new shirts! Uncle Scott gave the shirts to them on the 4th, and as soon as they woke up yesterday, they had to put them on. Of course, Lexie had to wear a skirt. I laughed at her all day, because she kept sporting a crop top. The shirt just fit, and since her bum is so tiny, her skirt kept falling down (one of the reasons she insists on dresses, I'm sure). They wore their shirts with pride.








I have a feeling that they will grow up to drive Camaros!

4th of July 2010

We had a busy (and HOT) 4th of July weekend!

We had a packed, fun-filled day on the 4th. Of course, right before we had to leave the house, Lexie spiked a fever. She had no other symptoms, so I gave her motrin, and hoped for the best. Luckily, her fever went away as soon as the medicine kicked in.

We went to Grant's family's annual 4th of July picnic. Every year, his parents and Nannie throw a big picnic. They love National Holidays!

It was the hottest 4th of July that I can remember, but we had fun!




After we ate, we walked down the street to watch the town parade. Grant's dad is the mayor of his town, so he is always in the parade, along with the family's Camaros. Grant always ends up driving one of them in the parade!



The kids loved the parade! They eagerly awaited the start of it, and ended up getting tons of candy. Dylan said it was the best parade ever! But hot. Really, really hot.





After the parade, we went back to the picnic and waited for the start of the fireworks. The kids played with some new friends, caught crayfish and salamanders in the creek, and caught fireflies!



Finally, it was time for fireworks!





We went back to the picnic, and Grant's family had their own fireworks display. They had been setting them off throughout the day, but saved the best for last!

By the time the evening wound down, my kids were exhausted.




It was a great 4th of July!

--------------------

We spent a quiet day at home today. This is what we woke up to:



UGH!

Lexie fought a fever all night, and I spent the night waking up every 2 hours to check on her. Both kids slept until 11:15 this morning, and Lexie woke up feeling great! Unfortunately, Grant ended up sick all day.

It was so hot that we decided to forgo the coach-pitch game. We should have gone! I took the kids to the park about an hour after the game started, and all Dylan wanted to do was play baseball!

After we left the park, we stopped by Grant's parent's house to say hello, and the kids had a great time cooling off in the sprinkler!

We're in for 3 more super hot days!

A Mom-Date

It's not often that my best friend, Jocie, and I get to do something alone. We see each other frequently, but always have 4 kids in tow! I can't even remember the last time we did something alone.

This morning, Jocie and I headed to a movie. We both had babysitters for our kids, and we were very eager to see Eclipse.

I'm so happy that I got to spend time with my best friend, and, well, get my Edward fix. I love our weekly playdates with Jocie and her boys, but today was much needed. We definitely need to do it again!

This evening, we celebrated my nephew's 5th Birthday. Brandon turned 5 yesterday, so we had dinner and cupcakes tonight, in honor of him!





Lex Miserables skipped her nap today, and was rather unhappy. Once we got home, she crashed quickly.



It was a good day!

A good day, indeed.

Sledding

It's July 1st!

What did my kids do?

Go sledding of course!!!



Sledding is NOT just for winter.



After all that fun, they decided to have an Indiana Jones adventure.

Dylan was Indiana Jones today. He had already shed the suit jacket, hat, glasses, and whip by this point. I wish he'd left them on. He looked quite dapper!



Lexie was his loyal sidekick, Willie. In a fairy princess dress. She played along until she couldn't take it anymore.



Welcome to Imagination Land. It's a good place to live.

Diary of a Crappy Day

It was one of those days. Everything that could go wrong went wrong. Going to bed seemed like the only reasonable solution.

7:30 AM: Woke up too early, after very little sleep. Thank you, insomnia.

8:30 AM: Crying meltdown in my car. (Me. Not them.)

8:45 AM: Lexie insists on buttered noodles for breakfast. I insist on pancakes. Meltdown (Her. Not me.) in effect.

9:00 AM: I finally sit down to eat. Kids are finished. Lexie ate 3 pieces.

9:30 AM: 3 mile run on treadmill. First time I've felt good all morning.

10:00 AM: Shower. Nick myself with razor. Curse the shaving cream.

10:45 AM: Running late for playdate at the park. Decide that tossing snacks in a bag is a less time-consuming option than packing a full lunch.

11:05 AM: Arrive at the usually empty park to find an entire daycare having water balloon fights. Get out of car anyway. The keys I have to the SUV are the crappy, not-working set. Tell kids not to lock the door. Kids lock the door.

12:00 PM: Kids are hungry. My remote entry key isn't working. Thanks to the security feature, I need to open the car door and start the engine within 30 seconds before the alarm goes off. Nearly impossible with a worn out key that barely turns in the ignition. Brace myself for at least a minute of embarrassment while I try to start the car. Guess what? Worn out key will not even open my doors. HA!!!

12:30 PM: Arrange for my oh-so-awesome sister to pick up the good set of keys from my husband, who is at work, and drop them off at the park.

12:45 PM: Sister arrives. Car opens perfectly. We eat, talk, and have fun! Finally, I'm having fun!

1:30 PM: Lexie started going before we reached the potty. Underwear change in parking lot.

2:00 PM: Kids tired. Playdate over. Head to gas station. Gas station full and there's a line of cars. Head to the other gas station.

2:05 PM: Swipe card at pump. Doesn't read. Swipe card again. Doesn't read. Swipe card again. Doesn't read. Pump tells me to see cashier. I decide to go back to the other gas station, instead of taking both kids out of their seat and then having to strap them in again.

2:10 PM: At other gas station. The card worked, but pump isn't working. Have to take kids out of car and go see the cashier. HA!

2:15 PM: Gas tank is full. Kids fighting over magnadoodle.

2:20 PM: Successful trip to the bank, and Dylan graciously gave the magnadoodle to Lexie.

2:25 PM: Arrive home with tired kids. Lexie practically refuses her nap, but I insist. I win.

4:30 PM: I get the awesome job of scooping Great Dane poop out of the yard before it gets mowed. Rock on.