Camping

So early this fall Rob and I decided to take the kiddos camping. I loaded up the car and headed down to the camp site which was literally on the lake shore. It was just beautiful but I really think Oklahoma is one of the most beautiful places to live. Anyway we had a few hours to play until Rob got off work to set up the tent so I took a few pictures of the kiddos getting wet in the lake and exploring all over the place. It was so peaceful and they played like best friends the whole night while I watched the sunset. It was a treat. They were really good about staying away from the water at first but once the waves came up and got their little shoes wet there really was no stopping them. They really loved camping, the fire and marshmallows. We just had a rough time getting them to actually fall asleep. We are going to do a few practice rounds in the back yard before we take them out for another real camping trip. But all and all one of my favorite trips with the kids.

Punky Meadows

So a few of us started a preschool for our little ones this summer. Tish named it Punky

Meadows preschool and these are just a few pics of the first day. My kids really loved it, I really loved it, and I couldn't ask for better women to help educate my kids! They are all just so creative and I was really surprised at how much Ella really learned and remembered. My favorite letter was M. We made Monster puppets and had Mummy wienners. Can't wait to learn more letters!

Dinosaurs!

So this summer Rob and I took the kids to the Loyd Noble Museum of Natural History. They really loved it and I was really surprised at how hands-on it was for the little kids. There were eggs you could open and caves you could crawl into, it was really fun. Charlie roared every time he saw something really big and Ella just looked and touched everything she could. It was a really good day.

Summer fun

So this summer we had a lot of fun in the sun and Birthday parties seemed to be one of the highlights! Winn turned two and Jess and Kolby threw one of the funnest parties! It was a Hawaiian party and I just had to show a picture of the volcano cake. Isn't it fantastic? It even shot out ashes! The kids had a blast with a trampoline filled to the brim with balloons and water balloon fights and even a slip and slide on a slide! We had a great time Winn!

I am THIS happy!

So after FOUR LONG MONTHS of being without the internet, my sweet, hardworking, husband finally found time to fix my computer! So I am once again up and running! I can't tell you how excited I am. And since my blog is now my journal my future blogs are going to be a bit boring to most of you since I will still post about past summer birthday parites in the sun, and halloween costums and fall fun, and christmas treats and santa clause... but all of that is for another time. Right now I just needed to see if I still remembered how to publish a post!

Fun Swing

So we went to the zoo the other day and had a really great time. There are all these parks and things that have these new swings that are big and they kinda lay you back. I really hope it isn't because our children are becoming so fat in America! I like to think its so moms can cuddle with their kiddos while they are still little. Either way I really had fun with it. Ella just laid into me and we had a nice moment at the zoo.

Josh and Chelsea's Wedding

Isn't this cake so cute! It tasted amazing. I know some people don't like fondant but they must have come along way with that stuff cause I really loved it.
Josh and Chelsea

Rob's cousin Josh got married a few weeks ago in Kansas and they asked Ella and Tori to be their flower girls. It was such a beautiful wedding and the girls had so much fun playing dress up.
This is Charlie rockin' out with his balloon. It was a stroke of genius to have balloons at the reception, it keep the kids entertained the entire time.
Only in Kansas would they be doing line dances to rap music! I LOVE it!
This is Ella and me doing the Electric slide. It really took me back to all the Church dances I went too. I think I still got it! (well, at least Ella had fun)

Practice makes perfect

This one was of Ella Jane and Tori during the rehearsal. They both did really really good. Angela and I sent the girls down the aisle and about half way down Ella looked back over her shoulder at me with her mouth wide open and just batted her eyes. Everyone there just laughed, it was too cute.
Angela and I were too busy trying to keep the girls clean and happy before the wedding so we didn't really get any pictures of the girls. But Josh and Chelsea did have like four photographers there so I wasn't too worried about it.
This one is a bit fuzzy but you get the idea. They had these mirrors in the bridal room and Ella keep herself busy twirling and making faces at herself, she is such a ham!
This is me singing PopCorn to the girls right before they were to walk down the aisle. They were so excited it was really hard to keep them in place. Earlier that morning we were practicing on the deck how to walk and throw flowers. I had Ella watch while I walked really slow. I don't know what I must have looked like to her but when she went down the aisle she kinda did this thing where she hunched over and bent her knees and lifted her leg and pointed her toes and began to tip toe. It was priceless, they both did so good! They threw the pettles down and Ella looked over her shoulder at me again. Then she ran out of pettles and went back to pick them up off the ground. Thank goodness Tori was there because she took Ella by the hand and led her back to Rob. At least that is what it looked like from my view. They were both really beautiful and I know they had a really good time. Thanks Josh and Chelsea for letting Ella be apart of such a great day!

Home Projects

So we've been needing some new couches for a while now but we've been putting it off for a couple of reasons. I wanted to get some nice ones and I wanted the kids to kinda grow out of the sticky finger stage. Well the other day my sister and I went garage sale shopping and there was this business that was having a moving sale. We almost didn't go in because we thought they would only have things like printers and office equipment but we thought we would give it a look. It turned out it was a home theater place and they had all sorts of home decor stuff for really cheap! Like I said, I wasn't planning on getting a couch anytime soon but they had this new couch for $100 and I just had to do it! I think it was a really great deal and let's face it, do kids really ever grow out of the sticky finger stage? The colors are a bit off but you get the idea. So I'm really excited because as soon as I finish my kitchen I'm going to move onto the living room and this is a great starting off point. I think I'm going to go with some chocolate brown and olive green with burnt orange/red and yellow/gold accents. I'm really loving fall colors but I'm still going to keep it light and airy. I'll send more pictures as things move along!
So our little home came with some pretty dated wallpaper in the dining room. My mom and mother-in-law loved it so I guess it wasn't too bad but I'm just not into grapes and vines. I didn't think I liked wallpaper at all but when I started looking at all my options I just died over how many cute and modern prints they have out now! So with help from my friend Stephanie and my sister Tish, we stripped the old and put on this fabulous yellow damask. I'm just in love with it. It gives it the mix of traditional and modern that I really love. I'm also in the middle of doing my kitchen curtains and I'll send more pictures when those are done. And after that I'm painting my kitchen cabinets. I'm dying for everyone to see the before and after. Especially Rob who doesn't like change and doubts everything I dream of. It's going to look GREAT!

Stinkin' Pig!

So a few months back my husband decided that it was time for Charlie to be off the bink. I wasn't quite ready for him to give it up yet. Even though Charlie looks older because he's such a chunk, he's still a baby. I know this is a good time to break him of it because he never asks for it and he doesn't cry if he doesn't have it. (at least during the day) I guess I just see him as a baby, Ok... and I sill want him to be a baby. Anyway, Rob and I have been going thru this silent battle. He'd always take them from him and I'd keep giving them to him. I kept loosing all his binks and Rob would swear that he didn't throw them away, (something Rob is notorious for) Anyway, just a couple of days ago it was nap time and I couldn't find a bink in the house. I called Rob who was out of state on business to ask him if he knew where the bink was that I just bought..... he didn't want to tell me for fear I would be mad at him. Knowing my husband I could only imagine where he'd put it, was it buried in the yard? Did he throw it on the roof? Needless to say after a few choice words were exchanged he finally relented and told me where I could find it. But he would only tell me on the condition that I wouldn't call him back. "Look on top of the book self." was all he said and then he quickly hung up. So I started climbing the 12 ft. tall book selves and I couldn't believe what I found. SIXTEEN BINKS! The stinkin' pig had been stashing all the binks on top of the book self! It was comical. So Charlie got his bink for his nap and I had a good laugh. And now it's been two nights that Charlie has been bink free. I still give it to him when he goes down for a nap but the little guy is doing really good. I'm still not ready for him to not have a bink but it really is for the best. Plus we've got to let the dads win some every now and then.

Cowgirl Birthday Party

So my cousin had a birthday party for her little girl a while back and I am just now getting around to putting my pictures on here. It was a cowgirl theme and there were all sorts of animals there to pet and hold. Ella really liked the rabbits and pony and Charlie really liked the rooster. It was so great to see all the kids get excited over the animals. And by the way, all the animals were GREAT!

YEEEE HAAAA!

Ella just LOVED the pony ride! When she got on the pony for the first time she said "Yeee haaa, ride em' cowboy" in the loudest voice she could. It was priceless. Thanks Jenny for having such a fun birthday party, my kids loved it!

Cowboy Charlie

I was really excited about how much Charlie enjoyed all the animals. That boy is fearless! I took most of his pictures in the sepia because I don't know if he would forgive me for showing off his riding skills on a pink saddle. I really love the first picture, it's very Clint Eastwood if you ask me.

The little things

Isn't it funny the things we love about our kids! I don't know why but ever since Ella was a baby I have loved the way she eats. Even the way she smacks is so endearing. Anyway, I had a good time watching her devour her cupcake and thought I should capture the moment. Tell me I'm not the only one out there who loves all the little things their kids do.

Silly Kids

So this one is of Ella at the birthday party. We are working really hard on potty training so she is quite interested in bathroom etiquette. One of the ponies had to go to the bathroom and as you can see Ella was really fascinated with it. I put the camera down in time to keep her from getting her hands all wet mid stream.

I just really loved this picture. Charlie is growing so fast and with that he is getting quite the personality! He is exploring how to make all sorts of funny faces and he gets excited over everything. I just love this age.

Happy Independance Day!

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy 4th of July weekend! We are headed up to Kansas to spend the holiday with Rob's family. We will miss my side of the family, although not as much as they will miss Rob. He really goes crazy with the fireworks. In college he spent the 4th in Alabama and they did this whole fireworks show to the song Sweet Home Alabama. It was pretty amazing the way he describes it. Anyway, I think he's trying to recreate it sometimes. So pretty soon there will be exciting pictures of food, family, fun, and of course the highlight of the trip.....

FROG GIGGING!

Yes, this is the thing that I am the most excited about. A few years back we went up to Kansas for the 4th and Rob's country-farming family took us frog giggin' and it was one of the funnest things I've done in my life! You get a really long stick with a small pitch fork at the end, wade in slimy ponds with mud up to your knees (it's not for the faint-hearted) and look for little shiny eyes with your flash light. Then with all the stealth you can muster you inch forward and with one swift movement you stab the poor thing as hard and as fast as you can. It's a rush, I tell ya! And then the uncles and cousins skin 'em and chop 'em and the aunts fry them up for the 4th of July picnic the next day. How fun is that for a 4th of July memory? I love this country!

Weekend fun

Last weekend we met up with my brother and his wife at Lake Hefner for a picnic. Before we'd even gotten to the park Ella Jane had fallen asleep. I couldn't resist taking a picture of her in her swim suit and sunglasses. Isn't she a doll?


We did bring the Kayak with us and even though we did go out for a minute on the water we spent most of the day watching the kiddos play on the fun play ground that they have there. This is Ella with her cousin Hendi. They are the same age and seem to really have a good time together.



And then there was Charlie who when he got tired from all the sun and playing just laid his sweet head down on the concrete and tried to go to sleep. He really is the best.



This last one is just classic Charlie. He really makes the weirdest faces. He isn't saying too many words, he mostly just grunts when he wants food so I think this was one of those faces. All and all I think the kids are having a pretty fun summer.