Summer Themes begin-Transportation/Community Helpers

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Welcome summer 2010! We started our first week of summer themes this past week. We decided to repeat some of our themes from last summer, but try some new things. This week was transportation/community helpers (ex. firemen, policemen, etc.) I must say, I hope this week was not indicative of the summer because it did not run smoothly! Oh well, this is probably God trying to pull me out of my comfortable "A" personality and learn to be content with whatever He throws my way!
Last weekend we had a bit of a cheat and took the kids to Chucky Cheese with my parents. I caught a few pics of them on transportation vehicles there. Great day!
So...Monday was Memorial day and so I really started our theme on Tuesday. Tuesday I woke up and said let's go to a local transportation museum. I just happen to check my e-mail that morning where a friend told me it had closed. I called to confirm and the number was out of service. So...okay plan B. We headed to the gym so mommy could work out and thought I'll take them home for nap after and then out in the afternoon. All went well there. Kids fell asleep in the car and both awoke as soon as I pulled in the drive. Fine, let's eat home for lunch. Then we had some car races in the hallway with some dollar bin cones I found. Lots of fun! Isaac went down for a nap while Vivi read some transportation books. We got up early afternoon and called Nana and Papa to see if they'd like to join us for a the local train ride. We got all packed up, got our sonic 1/2 price drinks and we're off. Get to the train depot and they're padlock closed! I didn't call first this time-big mistake! I also didn't bring my packet of info- second mistake! I call a friend to find the number. Call up the depot and basically, they opened for Memorial day so were closed today. Okay...plan c. We head downton to Firestation #1. This was probably perfect for my kids- young ones! We let them run around this free circle museum. Vivi, Nana, and I played a game where she got an M&M for every transportation she could name and it was loaded with them! Finished her bag. Then I thought let's walk to Barnes & Nobles and let them play on the train tables. We get there- no elevator (that we could find). Take them stroller and all on the narrow escalator to the kids area-no train table! AHH! So...we just head home. Both kids pass out on the way home. All in all, a frustrating day and it's the first "official" day of themes!
Wednesday was Vivi's last day of school so her class heads to a cute indoor play area with lots of ride on cars. Lots of fun! Also, that afternoon I get the kids all decked out to wade in a new outdoor pool I got and play with some toy boats. It looks like rainstorm big time the second I open the door. Fortunately, God held it off long enough for some good play time outside, but that night the kids are up half the night with storms=tired mommy!
Thursday my sister comes with my niece and we make cookies to take to the local firemen. I didn't make time to get cookies before the morning, and EVERY packaged cookie has soy in it (Isaac is allergic) so I go for the one with a possible trace of soy hoping it's okay. We head to the fire station and the entire crew other than the captain is off for training somewhere else. Fortunately, he still gives us a tour which is fine. We head out for some lunch. In the afternoon I take the kids for a little playtime outside. Vivi has her bike and she and I painted an old ride on pink motorcycle to look like a firetruck. Isaac loved it! Daddy makes a foam firetruck with Vivi that night.
Friday morning I planned to go to the racetrac across town for a tour. Even though I couldn't convince anyone to join us, a friend offers lunch and "Cars" the movie afterwards. I call my friend with the kids loaded and packed up to head across town and she asks if I've called the speedway yet. "Why?" I ask, because they have a race this weekend! What do you do? I go ahead and go to my friends for a storytime at her local library and we hang at her house afterwards and watch "Cars" and eat lunch. Thanks for the sweet times Shawna!
Saturday, is our annual garage sale so it's daddy duty. Nick tries the museum again and finds it's their last day open and kids are free but adults are $20 bucks and their auctioning old cars. Not in need of a car so he passes and takes them to the train. Thank goodness it's open today! No camers for pictures, but still lots of smiles!
Today...I give Isaac a transportation puzzle. He and Vivi have fun playing. Vivi is planning on helping daddy wash the car to earn some money towards a bag of ponies. Can you guess what next week's theme is?

Rain, rain, come again!!

I had to post this before summer got going too much, but I might have missed that window. Hello triple digits! Anyway, not too long ago, we had a beautiful afternoon rainstorm and while brother napped, Vivi and I enjoyed some good times together. She was reading a book about an apple farm and so asked to make applesauce. We had just enough apples so we enjoyed doing this. We might even repeat that this week! HMM! After that fun snack I let her play outside for a short bit, but I think the lightning scared her so mostly she just stood on the front porch in her rain coat. What happened to all that rain? COME BACK!!

Tiny Dancer

Vivian has finished her first full year of ballet. They had a beautiful concert which was quite lengthy but really cool. The entire program was really sweet. The music was all worshipful. The entire concert really had Jesus at the heart which was great! The woman who runs the program gave a mini-testimony during intermission which was really inspiring. Vivian did a great job really "performing" which I was shocked by. She looked precious in her costume and enjoyed the flowers, trophy, and visitors, and maybe getting to have cheetos with Nana and Papa after might have been her favorite part. At the end, I asked her how did you feel performing. Her reply,"Mom, I was smiling because I was happy." What more could a mom ask for?

Mother's day treats

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Mother's day was pretty low key this year. Our Gigi came to visit and that was definently a big treat for our family. Vivi stayed up until 9:30 p.m. apparently looking out her window for Gigi's headlights and came running down the hall all excited showing Gigi each of her figurines for the next hour. We had a nice visit just visiting the local botanic gardens as it was beautiful weather but high winds! We enjoyed a great lunch at Lucile's and my parents took us for a fun burger for dinner at a local place called the Love Shack (sounds scary but it's a cute cute place!) Vivi and Isaac helped make both grandma's some homemade gifts. (Actually the vase was made at school but we got prints from both kids on it!) Both kids really enjoyed our crafts. Vivi also made me a floral pin and strung some beads into a necklace for me. Nick's gift involved putting together a piece of furniture for me. (more blog to come on this). Here are a few shots from the weekend of fun.

Stockyards

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I'm sad to admit we've lived in our home city for almost 10 years and haven't been to one of the most well-known sites. Recently we received a "Flat Stanley" from our cousins out of state and we had to take him to sites of our state and send back pics. We took him to our zoo, botanic gardens, and some other regular sites and then we had to take him here. Enjoy the pics!

Karsten's party

Recently we got to celebrate a friend's birthday across town. My kids jumped right in when they saw the playscape and lemonade machine. Here's a couple of shots of the cuties. So...I just thought it was hilarious as I saw kids behaving all calmly and mine were covered in mud within two minutes of being there. Oh well, what's fun without some dirty right?

Bluebonnets beautiful!

The bluebonnets have had an amazing year! We had two photo sessions trying to get any good pics, and we ended up with a handful of goodies. Enjoy these shots.