Zoo playdate

We took a trip to the Waco zoo this week with our sweet friends Miss Tracy and Tanner. It was a lovely day, hot- but lovely. It was high 90's and let's face it- I am a wimp when it comes to Texas heat! Nonetheless, we had a great time! The biggest hit of the zoo for Katelyn was a) pushing Tanner's stroller.

and b) looking at the fish.   Of all the animals at the zoo, her favorite were the fish.  They were the only ones that Katelyn asked to go back and see again.

Tanner was brave when it came to this lizard thing.  Katelyn first asked, "Is that real?"  Then I assured her it wasn't thinking then she would go ahead and play on it, but nope.  This girl was still too scared to get near it!

Adelyn was as calm and sweet as always.  She enjoyed the view from the stroller (chewing on a Gatorade bottle).

She also gladly walked around in the shade a few minutes. 

My highlight of the zoo had to be when the lion walked right up to the glass!  I was so excited and could have stayed there forever!  Katelyn on the other hand could have cared less, she said, "Okay, let's go see some more animals."  Ummmm, you were just 2 inches from a lions face sister...oh well, at least Tracy and I thought it was cool :)

We also had a nice little picnic lunch outside the zoo.  Fun time with fun friends!  The Waco zoo never disappoints!

Easter 2011

This past weekend we headed up to Brownwood to spend the day of our Lord's resurrection with Bubba and JoJo.  The girls always have fun at Bubba and JoJo's- thanks to lots of big toys.  Like this tractor at the River Place. 

and then there is the Ranger.  It always provides lots of fun as the kids sit on it and practice their driving skills and adjust all the buttons and knobs.

Since it was Easter we also decided to decorate Easter eggs.  Katelyn and Joshua enjoyed putting stickers on the eggs

Katelyn could ride this tricycle for hours just going in circles on the carport.  Here she is giving her daddy a lift. 

Adelyn's favorite word and person this weekend was Bubba.  If he walked in the room, she would say, "Bubba, Bubba, Bubba" and hold her arms out for him to get her. 

Speaking of Bubba, on Sunday he made his world famous Bubba toast- yummy!

Here is Katelyn and I reading a princess story before bedtime.

Okay, get ready for Easter picture overload.  Here are a bunch of pictures taken Sunday morning while all the kids were dressed in their Easter outfits. 

Look at this precious little girl!

Ummm.. this picture looks like trouble!

Here is a good shot of the 3 big kids, I think Isabella was napping during this photo shoot.

JoJo and Adelyn

I learned you have to get Joshua while he is still moving because he isn't one who will sit still long enough for a picture!

Look at this beauty!

Here is the best pic of Bubba and JoJo with all the grand kids.

Our sweet family 

Then it was time to go pick Easter eggs.  Katelyn loved it and was a little sad when all her eggs were picked up!

I actually expected Adelyn to not really participate, but she was all over it!  She carried her basket around, picked up eggs, and did great!

We are so thankful to celebrate Easter; to have a Savior who loved us enough to die on the cross on Friday and then was powerful enough to RISE on Sunday!  Hallelujah, HE IS ALIVE!

Adelyn- 13 months old

Good day to you all.  It's Adelyn here to give you my 13 month update. 

I am quite the adventurer these days.  I love to play in the cabinets, even though I'm not supposed too :)

I like to crawl up in all of Katelyn's chairs.  Mommy lets me do this because I am always very cautious when I get down.

I like to swing in the backyard, especially when Katelyn pushes me!

I'm a great eater.  I eat pretty much everything Mommy, Daddy and Katelyn eat.  I have learned over the last few days that whatever is on Mommy's plate is better than what I have though, so I ask for bites of her food often.  Mommy still cuts most of my food into bite-sized pieces, but she has started leaving some things bigger for me to eat like a big girl. 

I would like to introduce someone to you.  Let me grab him...

Okay, here he is.  Mommy calls him Mouse for now.  One day I'll give him a better name. 

I sleep with him each night and love to chew on his long, skinny tail.  I have started to want to take him out of my bed which Mommy will let me do every once and a while.  I like to give him lots of hugs!

One of my favorite things to do is look at (or chew on) books.  I say "boah, boah, boah" then will spend a few minutes looking the books over.  I will sit and let Mommy read to me, but usually get bored before the end of the story!

I love my big sister Katelyn.  She 'helps' me walk, she reads books to me, she brings me toys.  Lately we have been getting into laughing fits together.  I'm not sure what we are laughing at, but we sure have a good time!

I also like to talk on the phone.  I hold it up to my ear and sometimes say, "O" (hello).

I have done lots of standing and walking this month.  I can walk pretty good now.  If I don't have anything in my hands while I'm walking then I usually hold my arms up in the air. 

I am ending my 13th month with an ear infection, but true to form, I'm still a sweet little girl (except at the church nursery).  I typically cry when Mommy and Daddy drop me off then calm down after a few minutes.  Last Sunday I was pretty fussy (probably because of the ear infection) so I cried until they paged Mommy.  Once she came to get me I was a happy girl again. 

Words: Dada (still your favorite word)

momma (on a good day)

Boah (book)

Bbb (ball)

O (hello)

Favorite foods:

waffles

banana

sandwiches

chicken

zucchini

brocolli

watermelon

spaghetti

bread of any kind

plum

strawberries

Strawberry Pickin'

Our Sunday School class planned a trip to Sweetberry Farms to pick some strawberries this past weekend.  We have never been strawberry pickin' before, it was lots of fun!  Since Adelyn is so much more mobile now we decided against using the stroller or the carrier.  She did enjoy the view from atop Jared's shoulders though!

Once we were there Katelyn got her basket and was ready to pick some yummy strawberries.

Here she is trying to pick the perfect strawberry.  Okay, that is a lie.  Katelyn was happy to pick any strawberry.  It could be 1/2 white and she'd pick it or it could be over-ripe and she'd pick it. 

Here the girls are doing some pickin'.  By the way, I feel compelled to use the Texas term "pickin" as many times as possible in this post since we did after all go to a farm...

And then there is Jared doing some pickin'.  I thought he was having a great time because he actually went off by himself and was pickin' strawberries for a while.  Turns out he said we weren't pickin' fast enough...

Adelyn was also doing a little pickin' of her own.  She was pickin' the best dirt on the whole farm!

"Hey!  Look at this big hunk o' dirt!!!"

I really didn't realize they would have so much fun playing in the dirt!  Needless to say, they were dirty!

Family pic :)

On the ride home Katelyn and Adelyn both took a snooze.  I think all that pickin' wore them out! 

Rocketship Wanted

Today at HEB Katelyn was given a balloon on a string.  She loves getting ballooons, as a matter of fact she talked about getting one the whole way to the store.  The cashier offered her a balloon as we were checking out and she gladly said yes.  Then the cashier even commented on how happy that balloon made her.  We walk out of HEB, the wind caught the balloon and apparently the string wasn't tied very tight, because away the balloon flew.  Let me tell you, udder devistation for this precious 3 year old.  I normally would have had to discipline her for the way she reacted, but honestly, it broke my heart because she was soooo excited about this balloon.  She finally calmed down when we called to tell Daddy about what had happened.  Then we got home and it was nap time.  She hadn't been in bed 2 minutes when she comes out of her room and in 100% seriousness says, "Ummmm, Mommy- I think Daddy needs to buy me a rocketship so we can go find my balloon!"  I told her she would have to discuss that with Daddy tonight :)

What have we been up to?

The past few weeks have been crazy around here.  We have been super busy, allergies have driven Mommy nearly crazy and we've had lots of fun!  One day we had to get out of the house, but those stinkin' allergies were too much for Mommy- so we improvised.  We had a suburban picnic.  Katelyn loved it so much she has asked to have another suburban picnic several times since!

We have also spent lots of time with Auntie and Joshua lately.  They come over and hang out for the day while Jason is away on a trip and they even stayed for a weekend. 

The weekend also entailed having Merlin come stay with us.  Adelyn enjoyed chasing Merlin and I don't think Merlin minded too much because he is much faster than she is!

I think Katelyn believes Auntie's purpose in life is to read her books.  Gera Beth will walk in, sit down and before she has time to breath Katelyn has a book in hand and is saying, "Will you read this to me please?"

Katelyn has also been freshening up her song-writing, dancing, entertaining skills.  Here she is busting a move while making up some amazingly catchy words (meaning whatever comes to mind or she can see)...

Oh and we can't forget the beloved dog cage.  Adelyn spent lots of time walking around the outside and they all spent a little time playing inside. 

Then last Sunday Tracy and I ran the Capitol 10k. I didn't reach my goal of running the whole thing, but it was still fun.  Jared, Laura (our team mom), Travis, Katelyn, Adelyn, and Tanner all went downtown to cheer us on.  Just realized I didn't get a group shot of everyone...

Then yesterday we had some excitement as Katelyn ran into a wall at Bible study.  She wasn't watching where she was going so the wall jumped right out in front of her!  The picture doesn't do it justice, her goose-egg was HUGE!  I tried to remain calm (on the inside I was in 100% panic mode for several minutes).  Katelyn cried a few minutes and then was fine.  I called our beloved Nurse SaSa who calmed me down and gave me good advice on what to watch for. 

After a band-aid Katelyn was a-okay!

Then today we had our first 'summer' experience.  I turned on the sprinklers and let the girls play.  Katelyn loved it...

Adelyn did not :)

maybe next time?