Fun Day with Mommy!

This was a week ago but I thought I'd post it any way. This was last Friday when I had nothing planned and felt like being totally non-productive with my house or anything else and so I just made it a day with the kids. So, I let them play something that I NEVER let them play with and just let them get as messy as they wanted...it was PLAYDOUGH time!!! and they LOVED it! I swear I need to do this more often!




After playing with playdough for a good hour, we cleaned it all up and then went for a walk/bike ride to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather we've been having! While out walking and Zach and Kali riding their bikes I realized that they needed to be wearing bike helmets and how horrible I am of a mom for not making them wear them before. So I decided to make it fun and go the Target all together and pick out helmets...that way it would be extra special and they would be more inclined to wear them if they picked them out themselves! Right?! Well, it was a success and they love their new helmets! In fact it was nearly impossible to get them to take them off for naptime! Here's a few picks of them sporting their new helmets.



Moral of the story is...It's so great to drop everything and take time to spend a quality fun day with your kids! I feel like so many days go by where I am so busy with keeping up with the house, laundry, groceries, cooking, running errands, making it to appointments or playdates or preschool, or talking on the phone, that I forget what is most important in my life. My children are my pride and joy and I forget how much fun they can be! I have to say that we really had a fun day together and I'm sure they enjoyed having a mom that actually played with them and paid attention to them. I'm sure you all have had days like this where it hits you...we live very busy lives and we forget how much our kids just need a mom to play with sometimes. Needless to say, I had a very fun day with my two SWEET kids and I LOVED every minute of it! I need to remember to do this more often!

Cousins...you think?

A couple weeks ago we went to this awesome new park and Sheila met us there with Justin and new baby Jordan. Unfortunately, I forgot that I brought my camera until like 5 minutes before it was time to leave and so that's why there are only 2 pictures to share. Dang it! Well, so do you think these two look like cousins or related in any way or what?!! They were so cute and having so much fun together!

Bubbles

Well, I'm sure you all know how much kids love bubbles and mine have been going through them like a bottle a day if I would let them. This was just one Sunday after church a few weeks ago and I thought they were cute blowing bubbles in their church clothes.

Streak reader

So the other night I asked Kali to go get her jammies on and get ready to read books before bedtime. Well, this is what I saw when I came in her room. She got the "read books" part but forgot about the whole "put your jammies on part". I swear this girl would go naked all day every day if I let her. Well, I actually thought it was quite funny and I'm sure many of you can relate.

Lame excuse

Okay, so for those of you that keep reminding me that I need to update my blog because we all know "It's a GIRL already!!!" Here it goes... I'm really lame and I have seriously taken NO pictures this whole last month. I feel like I have been so busy but I really can't think of a good enough excuse with what I have been so busy with! Can any of you relate? I'm sure my life hasn't been so uneventful that I can't take any pictures but for some reason it was this last month. I did take a few video clips of Zach and Kali playing but until I can figure out how to get those on here don't plan on seeing them anytime soon. :) Anyways, so I will work on that and eventually have some new pictures to share soon! This pregnancy brain isn't doing me any good, that's for sure!

It's a GIRL!

Today I had my ultra-sound and Mark was able to be there also. I love this appointment!! I think it is so much fun finding out what the gender of the baby is and also getting to see the little munchkin move around in there and see all the body parts and heart beat and hands, arms, legs and especially those little toes and feet! I could go on forever...anyways, we are so excited to say we are having another GIRL!! I am so glad Kali is going to have a sister. I don't know what I would do without MY sisters! Sisters are special! Mark is excited too. He wouldn't mind another boy but at least he has Zach and let me tell you, that boy is as BOY as they come! Anyways, I just had to share our fun news of the day!

Kali's first haircut!

Well, I decided it was finally time for a little trimming on our little Kali. I have never wanted to cut her hair because of her adorable curls that I thought would disappear after we cut them off. Well, she did a great job sitting very still for her Aunt Kristin to do a little trim. She only cut about an inch or a little more just to even up the back and cut off the stringy ends that have been there since she was born. She looks so cute and her hair actually looks a little fuller and thicker now that it's all even and the curls are still there! She really has the best hair ever! I wish my hair would look that good with no effort put into it!!

Hawaii Vacation!!

Mark and I actually had a vacation!!! Can you beleive it?! We took a trip to Hawaii for 9 days without the kids!! We were so grateful that my mom was here to take care of Zach and Kali while we were gone and she said they did awesome. We did miss them tons but, I have to say that it was so nice to have a break from being mommy and to spend such fun quality time with my hubby! We went to Oahu and spent most of our time seeing all that we could on the island. We went everywhere from Pearl Harbor, to the Polynesian Cultural Center, to Hanauma Bay, to Sunset Beach on Northshore, and a Catamaran boat ride/snorkeling trip from our resort on the southwest side of the island. I have to say though, my favorite part was just laying on the beach getting a tan and reading my book. I can't remember the last time I actually read through a whole book in one week! It was such a rejuvinating, relaxing and much needed trip! I am a better mom and wife because of it!!

Zach turns 4!!!

Well, I am now the mother of a 4 year old! I can't tell you how weird that feels. Where did the past four years go!??! December 31st was Zach's 4th birthday and I swear every year it comes up way too fast for me to even plan any sort of big birthday bash. So I just told him the whole world celebrates on his birthday. He seems to think that's pretty cool. We actually took him with us to a New Years Eve party that some friends of ours were throwing for families and kids and we celebrated New York time. Can I tell you what a brilliant idea that was!?! We had a blast and Zach did too, thinking the whole time the party was for him. Anyways, we did end up having a family party for him a few days before his actual birthday. It turned out to be a lot of fun between all of Mark's family and my sister and her kids and one of Zach's best little girlriends, Mackinley and her family(they were our old next door neighbors). So between Christmas and Zach's birthday, my house has become a play room. I've decided I'm not a huge fan of this birthday thing right after Christmas. I'm actually really excited to be having a summer baby! Well, so here are some pictures of his birthday party. He got a new basketball hoop from Grandma and Grandpa Stacy, a new little keyboard and new clothes from Mema and Grandpa, and many more fun toys that I have nowhere to put them!

Christmas 2007

Well, things have been so crazy since Christmas and I am finally posting our pictures from our fun holiday!! We had a really fun Christmas this year and we were so excited to have family here to spend it with. My parents came from Houston to spend Christmas with us and my sister Kristin and her family who live just around the corner from us. Christmas Eve was a blast with the kids all getting new pajamas from Mema and Grandpa. Thanks Mema and Grandpa!! I've never seen them get so excited over jammies ... I guess it was just so fun for them to all be matching with their cousins. We then made cookies and frosted them for Santa and that's always fun. I'm not really sure how much frosting actually made it on the cookies. :)

Christmas morning Zach of course was up and ready at the crack of dawn and couldn't wait to see if Santa had come. He was so excited to see that Santa had brought him a really cool race car track and Kali loved her new "Pinkie Pie" pony and shopping cart. They were so cute and so excited even with the little things in their stockings. Christmas is only going to get more fun each year as they get older!!

After having Christmas morning alone with just us, we headed over to Aunt Kristin's house for breakfast and to open some gifts all together with cousins and Mema and Grandpa. What fun it is to have family so close by and we were so glad to have Mema and Grandpa visit from Houston.

After spending Christmas morning at our house and Aunt Kristin's house with Mema and Grandpa, we headed up to Grandma and grandpa Stacy's for the rest of the day and to spend the night. We had a wonderful Christmas and it was so nice to be able to spend it with both of our families.