A Summer Evening.

For family home evening tonight we took the kids to get ice cream then went on a walk around town center. We try to do a real lesson every other week then an activity in between. We also have been working hard on reading scriptures every night, we are doing well and are falling into a good routine. Anyways we walked around the kids were happy and the weather was very beautiful, unnaturally cool especially for the hot streak we had last week. 

As I was putting the kids to bed later in the night I was getting so frustrated, I usually put the boys down separate as to give them each their own time and hopefully help them fall asleep better, it is time consuming but it works. Anyways tonight they ended up going to bed together and it took me an hour to get them to finally fall asleep in the same bed. I was frustrated and mad and I thought, geez how do I go from super happy and content in motherhood to super cranky and over it just in a few hours time? Earlier I had been thinking how great things were then the pendulum swings and I want to pull my hair out! 

I know that is why I document the good and the bad, but mostly the good so I can remember when I am at my breaking point wanting to scratch my eye balls because this motherhood gig is hard I can remember nice summer nights were things were great, and everyone was so happy. I do love this family of mine so much even when it seems to hard to continue on! 

 

Happy 4th of July!!

We had the best 4th of July, the kids were in a great mood and we had lots of fun celebrating! Larry only studied 2 hours (typically does 10-12) so it was nice to have him around! We started the morning off with our annual pancake breakfast and parade. 

 

 The kids ate up all the food, especially Noah who has been recovering from the awful mouth virus. He finally ate and ate after days of starving!  Love this blue eyed girl of mine! Can't believe a year ago I was pregnant waiting to have her at this same breakfast! 

 

Max loved doing down this water slide. He cracks me up making sure that I had brought his goggles! He is getting so brave, I can't believe sometimes this is the same boy! 

 

Max even got brave and did the dunk tank. As we were walking over he said "Mom I am a little bit excited and a little bit nervous!" haha so funny. He did it over and over and loved it, It was a proud mom moment for me! I kept screaming a say yay Max!! 

Later in the Afternoon we went to the Martins and had BBQ and swam all afternoon. Max did not get out of the pool for 4 hours straight. The kids made up water slides and Max walked the plank over and over. He is getting SO good at swimming he kept walking then jumping into the deep end and swimming all around without his floaties. He is even better then last year, I am so impressed at how strong of a swimmer he is becoming. I love watching him bob around, do cannon balls and flips into the pool. 

Here is sweet scout who was grumpy from no nap but still loving being in the pool. She loves water, and she loves eating popcorn! Poor girl has been fighting a virus but I know that she will get better soon. 

 

Here is me trying to be good a document as we were cleaning up. This is only a portion of our cousins and friends the Bright Family who played with us too. The kids were getting cranky but I snagged a few of them! We all went home exhausted and full! Such a fun day, we didn't do fireworks because it is illegal in our county and the kids crashed so we didn't have to deal with it! Max had gone with Larry the night before to see the big fire works show in town center and so it was good enough for all! Happy 4th everyone!! 

VIRUS!!!

So we got back from Texas last week, and it has been a crazy week since that. I watched my sister in laws 5 kids for 3 days, had Max's 5th birthday party. and then Sunday both Noah and Scout got hit my an awful mouth virus. I am kinda dying about it. I tried to suck it up and be a good mom but man this one is bad. Their mouths are filled with sores and it's just a common (apparently) childhood virus that will have to run its course. That being said they are miserable, especially Noah who hasn't eaten or slept in almost 5 days. He cries loud ALOT and while my mom heart broke for his pain for a little while now I am just tired and angry and my patience is running thin. Larry of course is gone a good 12 hours a day so there is little time for me to get even 10 minutes to sit an regain some energy. Thank goodness Max is at art camp for a good part of the day, playing away so I only have to deal with 2 screaming kids. It's been a bad week and I am ready for them to feel better and go back to normalcy. I feel like crying right along with them.

Ninjago!

For Max's 5th birthday he requested a Ninjago birthday party! For those who don't know what that it is, it's lego + ninja combined! It is a show that Max loves and has lots of legos so it was a natural party for him! It was fun to plan and of corse I like all the details and a 5 year old could care less! :) 

 

The goodie bags were fun to make with take out boxes and a ninjago guy, I even made lego crayons to put in the box, as well as fortune cookies which Noah helped him self to probably 10 over the course of me making these. 

His cake was fun with the main ninja guys on top and some fun sprinkles I found that were like legos. Wish the pictures were a bit better, it was so bright in the house! 

 

Make a wish Max!! 

 

All his little cousins and friends that were ninjas. We had an obstacle course in the backyard with a water slide and everything, they had to go the course as many times as they want then the earned their black belt! A summer birthday is hard because so many people are always out of town but he got a good little group and had a great time. 

 Love this 5 year old crazy boy of mine! Happy Birthday Max!! 

  

TEXAS...Part 3 Beautiful South lake!

After leaving Tyler Texas we made our way through Dallas and up to SouthLake which is a suburb of Dallas, and it is beautiful!! I feel in love. I called Larry after a few days and said I wasn't coming back he better find a job here! We stayed with our friends the Richardson's who our like my second parents. I had not seen them in almost 8 years once they moved from EDH. They had gotten back from their mission in Africa and it was perfect timing to see them. They were so generous and let us take over their guest house that they stay in 6 months out of the year and they stayed in the big house. It was like being on vacation for real! Heather cooked for us, played with the kids, and spoiled us rotten. My kids were in heaven! Here is the shot of the guest house that we stayed in, it was beautifully decorated! I gave Larry a face time tour so he could see my dream house ha! 

This is the main house that their son owns and it is the most beautiful house. It has to be at least 10,000 sqft and it is beautiful and rustic with some country flair. The house sits on a long 5 acre lot with a barn in the back and the horses graze from the back to the front of the house all day long. It is breathtakingly green and feels like heaven even in the humidity! 

The kids wasted no time and hit the pool multiple times a day. Their bird dog Levi would come in a swim with the kids and chase lizards 

The boys drove around the property many times a day in this sweet pink barbie car. They spent hours exploring the property and jumping on the trampoline. It is so beautiful with all the green! I loved watching the boys in their element outside and playing the day away.

One of my favorite things on the property was this beautiful huge tree that had a swing in it. It was perfect swinging Noah or Scout as the horses would graze. I really felt like this was  a dream and something we hope to have one day! The best part of it all is that you were still right in the middle of a housing development. Everyone has these long lots with acreage but your still right in town!  

One day we hit the aquarium that was inside a mall just to cool off. Noah ran wild through the place but Max really loved looking at all the animals especially the sharks! It was the perfect size and you can go through the museum in about an hour. I'd highly recommend going if you are in the area! 

 

We also hit up LegoLand discovery which is just a big lego play place kinda with a really fun splash pad outside. I didn't do too much research and didn't bring their swim suits but we made do! I liked the place a lot it was just really busy and Noah couldn't do as much as Max due to hight restrictions  which I hate trying to explain to him because he doesn't get it but we spent about 3 hours there and Max is still talking about it! 

 

One other thing the boys got to do every night was feed the horses at the house! Glen was so nice and patient with them as he let them feed them which Noah loved!! He thought it was the best feeding them apple treats from his hands! I love watching the boys get exposure to new things and am grateful Glen did this every night with them! 

They have 3 horses and as you can tell Noah was thrilled every time they took an apple form his hand! That face just lights up around animals. He learned all their names and knew where the food was and the treats by the end of the week! 

 

Max as normal was very tentative at first about the big animals but he got comfortable eventually and loved moving the hay around. I was pretty proud of him over coming his fears and learning something new.   

 

  

We had such a fun first couple days! I'll post about the next few days soon!! Just to much fun to be had here in Texas!