Gardens

We had a busy week with haircuts, dentist appts, and going out. Tuesday Blair took the kids to the park and Brooklyn met a girl from France. She played well with her and Zoe played with the little sister. I cleaned the house top to bottom...again...Wednesday, Blair and I went out to a steakhouse with his mentor from work and his wife. Great time and food. Friday, I went out with my friend Traycee and had some spicy Thai food while Blair took a pizza and went to the park with the kids again...per their request. They saw the girls again and were so excited to tell me all about it. All the while Blair and I have been watching movies every night for dates!! Saturday, last day for dance class for Zoe and Leyton until the fall when they will move up. They will be in the concert together next summer!! After naps we went out to Blair's mentor's house for fun and dinner. What a blast! They have 7 children and with our 4 it is a houseful. It poured rain and we went mudding out of their driveway! Then today, church and out with Kerri and Zach and Justin and Brandon to a fun center. Then to Fudruckers for lunch and shoeshopping for Zoe's tennies for Dance Camp tomorrow. Busy, busy!

Last week I had taken the kids to the gardens and aquarium and got some great pics...They got to touch a real eel scull!

Weekend With Poppo

What a treat this weekend for the kids to spend some time with Poppo. We did lots of outside time playing soccer with the new nets he brought that we will use for Zoe in the fall. Plenty of magic tricks, eating at yummy places and kid fun centers. Friday we went to a bluegrass concert at the zoo. The kids loved it. It was in the early evening and it was nice and cool outside with an occasional sprinkle. Somewhere in the rush, Blair forgot to put a pull-up on Leyton and we wondered why he kept saying "Pee Pee on my leg hurting." Then, duh, I finally looked at his pants only to see a soaking wet leg. Much to my surprise, when I took off the pants, he was standing there naked! Always an adventure. This Saturday we celebrated Brooklyn's birthday at a fun center here with her friends Abbie and Thomas. One room had a huge jungle gym with a slide, swing, and tons of climbing stuff, like an obstacle course. The second room had the big blow-up gyms and slides...the biggest I have ever seen. The kids kept saying it was the most amazing thing they had ever seen. They all had fun. Leyton is fearless. I think Brooklyn's face hurt from laughing so hard with her friends and Zoe. Zoe flew through that jungle gym so fast and believe it or not, Jenner liked the slides too. Today we went to church and on to Toys R Us where the kids got to spend some gift cards from Poppo. Brooklyn got another Cabbage Patch, Zoe got a e-toy, Leyton got a Playmobil pirate set and Jenner got some drums.

Tonight we got barbecue and went to Chuck E Cheese to play for a couple hours. Altogether, it was a VERY eventful and very fun weekend. They are all sleeping very hard tonight...

Rainy Week

We have had such lovely weather this week. Perfect for indoor and outdoor play. We made a trip to the zoo where they got to make elephant ears and see a giant land turtle. We had a picnic with my friends, Rose and Tiffany and their kids Hailee, Ethan, Maliah, and Chase. We had fun feeding the ducks right from our hands. It was a first for the kids. The next day, Zoe and Leyton and Jenner played for a couple of hours at the indoor play gym at the mall with Kenzie and Jane, Isaac and Geneveve. Zoe used her allowance from Mommo and some money from Poppo to buy a barbie and Leyton got a little airplane with some money from Nan and Poppa along with a Power Ranger DVD he picked out. We hit McDonalds for some food and the next day we rode bikes in the rain with dad. We went to a great barbecue place and sat outside under a covered patio while it sprinkled. Leyton loves barbecue sauce!

Jenner had a nine month check-up and our doctor was not surprised to see that we had yet another smartie. He waves, can rock-out, stick out his tongue, give kisses, suck in his breath and head-butt. He has 3 teeth now. He is in perfect health she said and most likely has outgrown his food allergies by now she said. Still we won't risk any of those foods for a while. He eats everything else!

Brooklyn had her birthday today, but is so looking forward to the surprise we have for her next week with friends. All of them are going to have a blast at this place we found...

DANICA AND GREG, MAX AND BABY GIRL ARE COMING HOME!

Back to work

Dad is going back to work after being of since Wednesday...not sure how we will cope. We have been spoiled by all this time as a family.

It is about time I put our pics of Red Robin up now. Crazy how much the kids have change since the beginning of the summer. I took this pic of the kids in May in front of Mimi's and when comparing them to the ones last week, you can see how much they all have changed! You can tell they have all had a good summer so far.

Yesterday was the annual water balloon fight. I won. I was smart enough to just grab the hose...

Zoe and Leyton are looking forward to a trip to play at the spray park, Wednesday night at the church, and some Chuck E. Cheese playtime this week with friends... Now, as for mommy...

Jenner has his 9 month check-up and shots this week. Yuck! He has learned how to clap and is almost waving. Brooklyn has her 8th birthday on Friday, but we'll have her party next week when she returns. In just 2 weeks, Zoe starts dance camp! Leyton has written another song called "kung fu pandy" and learned the "dumpty dumpty" rhyme. Yes, I said Dumpty dumpty.

We have been spoiled for dates this summer. We have so much help here now, it is wonderful. Last night we split a fat cheesecake slice and coffee at one of our favorite diners after the kids went to bed and Becca came for an hour and a half. We have so enjoyed Wednesdays together knowing that the kids are having fun and we are out together.

It is so rewarding when you hear your kids say you are the best parents they could ever have. Zoe and Brooklyn said I was the best mom and Blair was the best dad. That is when I feel like the effort we make to be so involved really pays off. Most of the people we know stick their kids in daycare or in front of a TV all summer. I am proud to say that the girls have only watched tv this summer in the morning when they first get up ,at 6:30 to around 7:15, when I am out of the shower and ready to start the day.

We look forward to school starting for Zoe because she talks non-stop about pre-k and when it is going to start. Leyton is excited too for his first year. Brooklyn will be in the big 3rd grade and I will have some time at home with Jenner-boy maybe getting some stuff done.

Off for now.

Red Robin

Last week finished up another round of VBS for Brooklyn. she had a great time and we got to watch her little performance at the church on Sunday after chowing on some breakfast burritos. Those Baptist women can sure cook!!

We went to Build a Bear last weekend on a giftcard from Nan and Poppa. The kids did a big jump gym and ate at fun diner. We went to Claire's on a gift card for the girl's b-days from Poppo in case you notice Brooklyn's fake nails in the picture! They both got a pair along with Brooklyn's hat and Zoe bought a veil. We took it easy Monday and Tuesday painting, besides Leyton falling and hitting a drum right between the eyes. The kids have been painting a lot. We can't even see the fridge through all the art! Then Blair and I took the kids to a Fun Center on a gift card from Mommo and Poppo to do bumper boats and video games. Brooklyn and Blair did the go-carts and Zoe won 130 tickets on deal or no deal. Then tonight we went to Red Robin's family night and they had their faces painted and got balloon hats.

As you can see we keep busy. In a few weeks we will hit the roller coasters with Mommo and Mimi and the boys! Leyton doesn't stop talking about it!! Zoe said we should take them to Chuck E. Cheeses, but I think we will spare us all!!

I don't think Jenner knows what to think about all that we do! He just happily goes along for the ride and takes it all in. He is crawling full speed and rocks out anytime he hears bluegrass music...don't ask. He rocks back and forth really hard!

I will put the pics of the kids from tonight on the blog tomorrow after I download them. We will go swimming at the country club pool tomorrow and will be at a Fourth of July party the next night at my friend Erika and Josh's house.