Splash Pad

We have been trying to make it to the splash pad for about three weeks, but due to accidents, illness, and storms, we haven't had a chance to get there! We made plans to try again tonight and it wasn't looking good when a storm began rolling in. Luckily, it passed through quickly and we were able to head out for the first time this summer. After a wonderful dinner with our good friends, we packed up the kids and headed out to the newest splash pad in our town. Here a a few (yeah, right) pictures of our evening.

Emma and her BFF, Matthew

The splash pad has these overhead buckets that fill up and then dump water periodically. Emma was too busy filling her buckets to notice them, so Andy ventured into the water to show her what it was all about. She got pretty hammered from one bucket and wasn't too impressed.

Sweet Sophia napped while we were there, so she didn't get to splash around, but she did wake up in time to watch Emma and Matthew play in the park.

Saturday Morning Scene

I'm linking up with Katie at Loves of Life this morning to share our Saturday Morning Scene. Head on over and share yours too!

Everyone slept in a little bit later this morning so we celebrated with Chocolate Covered Strawberry Pancakes. Emma definitely enjoyed hers and had to be reminded several times to eat slower, rather than shoving the entire thing in her mouth. I guess she gets her love of all things chocolate from her mama. ;)



The kitchen table is the place where most of our fun times occur. It gives us a chance to sit down together and listen to Emma talk. Emma always uses this time of undivided attention to entertain us with a story, a dance, a song...whatever.

This morning, she got Daddy to sing along with her. Her tune of choice? The "A Team" theme song. Of course, it's the Sesame Street version, but entertaining none the less.

I often wonder how we stayed entertained before we had children.

Five Question Friday...and a Visitor

I'm linking up with Mama M. for Five Question Friday! Today I'm doing something a little different though. Both the hubs and I will participate this week. You will quickly see that unlike me, he's a man of few words, which compliments my big mouth exuberance perfectly. ;)

Hers

1. What is your current favorite TV show?

I really wish I could answer this. I am what is known as a TV junkie. I will watch everything and anything. Picking a favorite TV show would be like picking a favorite dessert. It simply can't be done.

I actually hate when an new show comes on and gets rave reviews because I just can't add it to my list. I don't have the time to watch it. It's really sad, too, because I am missing out on great shows (from what I've heard), like Glee and Modern Family.

Most of my favorite shows are reality shows. Survivor, Amazing Race, and my guilty pleasure, Teen Mom. I know...it's a train wreck and I just can't look away.

2. What's the worst haircut you ever got?

I can't even type this without laughing.

When I was 5 or 6ish, I was combing my hair with a Barbie brush. I somehow managed to get it tangled up in my bangs. After several attempts on my own to free it, I turned to my older, wiser sister.

That didn't work out so well. She wasn't wise as much as she was impatient.

She tried for approximately 1.2 seconds and then made the call to just cut the darn thing out. Why waste time? It's just hair.

My bangs looked like a jack-o-lantern's grin for months. Thank goodness no one took pictures of me during that time.

3. What was something that you did as a child that you thought you were so cool for doing?

That's a tough one. I guess dressing like a complete and utter moron, but thinking that I looked GOOD. I'm talking I was straight from the dictionary for 90's style.

4. Do you have any GREAT frugal family fun trips?

I wish I did. Frugality is not my strong point.

5. Would you drive across country if you had the money to fly?

Yes. I hate flying. But this wouldn't happen until much later, when the kids were older and can turn on their headphones and watch a movie like God intended. Memories of our MN trip last summer teamed up with a screaming 4 month old doesn't sound like anything that I want to experience right now.

His

1. What is your current favorite tv show?

Survivor (since 24 is no longer on the air). Oldie but a goodie.

2. What's the worst haircut you ever got?

I have a very simple haircut, but I did get a haircut one time with patches that were longer than others, stray long hairs, etc. Luckily it was easily fixed.

3. What was something that you did as a child that you thought you were so cool for doing?

Organizing a bike car wash with all the kids on my cul-de-sac.

4. Do you have any GREAT frugal family fun tips?

If you have younger kids, it's hard to beat a trip to the splash pad in the summer.

5. Would you drive across country if you had the money to fly?

Yes, but only if the trip involved sightseeing stops along the way. Otherwise you just waste too much time in the car.

Sisters

When we first began talking about having our second child, we got lots of advice from (it seemed) everyone.

"Have them close together so they'll be best friends."

"Don't have them too close together or they'll fight all the time."

"It will be so much easier if your oldest is old enough to help you."

"You should have your second while the first is still young so you'll still be in 'baby mode.'"

It was a lot of advice. So we decided to ignore all of it and give it up to God. We knew that it would happen when it was supposed to happen. And happen it did.

We were thrilled to be having another baby and we didn't even care if we were having a boy or a girl. When we found out that little Sophia was going to bless our family, we were ecstatic.

Ecstatic until the "ninth month panic" begin to set in. If you've ever had a baby, you know what this is. Right before the baby is born,you begin to worry about everything.

"Can we afford another baby?"

"Should we have waited?"

"Where will we put all of their stuff?"

"Oh my gosh...that's TWO weddings!"

"What in the world were we thinking?!?"

One of my biggest fears was that my girls wouldn't get along. I worried that they would hate each other, yell at one another, fight over boys, toys, and clothes.

I know that arguments are inevitable, but there are moments when I look at them and all of my worries wash away. Right now, I don't care if they will fight over which one gets the bigger piece of cake. I'm not worried about them arguing over which cartoon they're going to watch. It doesn't even matter if they will yell at the other for taking something without asking.

They are only two and four months old. They can't have a conversation yet. But they can play together and love one another without saying a word. And that speaks volumes to this mama's heart.

Father's Day Fun

I hope everyone had a wonderful Father's Day celebrating the wonderful dads in their lives. Our weekend didn't go as planned (does it ever?) but we still had a great time.

We had originally planned on spending Saturday with my family, but with my sister still in the hospital, we are postponing that until she is released. So there is more Father's Day fun to come!

On Sunday, Andy and I had planned on taking the girls to the Splash Pad, but for the second year in a row, that plan changed due to huge thunderstorms. Luckily, we had a back-up plan and headed to the American Museum of Science and Energy. I have been there several times on field trips, but it was a whole different experience not running after 20+ kids! Andy had never been and it's always a lot of fun.

One of the most exciting things that happened this weekend was that my baby girl hit another milestone. She started sitting on her own! Not for long, and she's still pretty wobbly, but she's getting there. I can't believe how quickly she is growing. We know this will be our last child, so it is so sad to see her change from a squishy newborn into a professional baby.

But she sure looks cute doing it!

Daddy and his Mini-Me

The girls made Andy a stepping stone for the garden. They (well, Emma) did it all by themselves. I manned the paint after they picked (Sophia pointed) the colors for me to use.

Since we weren't able to get together with my family on Saturday, my parents stopped by on their way back from visiting my sister so that my dad could see the girls (and us too, although we know that's not the real reason!) for Father's Day.

Let me tell you...Emma sure is a Papa's girl. We might as well not be in the room if Papa is around. I'm pretty sure it's because he lets her do things like this:

Papa's Princess in the making

While there was a break in the storms, we ventured out to the museum. It's a great place for kids because it is all interactive and what kid doesn't like touching everything?

Andy and Emma had a race to see whose coin would make it down the funnel first. Emma threw hers straight down. She doesn't waste time.

The museum had a K'nex exhibit going on and they had a carnival theme. There were huge roller coasters and Ferris wheels that actually worked. Emma ran around and around trying to find her favorite.

Sophia was a little confused by the black lights

Watching Emma put this puzzle together was hilarious. She couldn't understand why Andy was wasting time with six puzzle pieces when there was a completed cow puzzle piece on the table. She believes in working smarter, not harder. ;)

It was such a great day with my little family. I love getting out to play with them!

With Love, on Father's Day

Dear Andy,
Words cannot express how blessed I am to share this wonderful journey of parenthood with you. When I first became your wife, I didn't think it was possible to love you more. When we became parents, that love grew deeper as we became partners in raising and loving two beautiful little girls. Each day you continue to show me the true meaning of love, and life. I adore the way you play with our girls and aren't afraid to indulge them in their little girl games. You banish monsters, save us from spiders, and read bedtime stories. You are our hero and we love you more than anything in this world.




To my Daddy,
The life lessons you have taught me have been invaluable and I am fortunate enough to be able to share them with my own daughters. As a father you have always been strong, honest, and hardworking. You always encouraged me to be the same, and I am proud to say that I think I've done a pretty good job. Even when we engaged in a battle of wills when I was younger, I knew, deep down, that you were right. I have always been in awe of your quiet manner and how it demands respect. Watching you with your granddaughters lets me see a whole new side of you that I cherish dearly. It warms my heart to see the smiles you bring to the girls' faces and the smile they bring to yours. Thank you for being the best dad and grandfather three girls could ask for.

Making Muffins---Emma Style

Ok, so we all know that toddlers have their own way of doing everything. It may not always be the "right" way, but it's usually entertaining. Sometimes I like to just sit back and watch the magic happen.

Emma loves blueberries, so when Kroger had them on sale, I took advantage and we now have several pints of them in the fridge. Of course, she's decided that she isn't going to eat blueberries this week. This week, she likes strawberries. So I'm "hiding" blueberries in everything I can so that they don't go to waste. Today we made a batch of blueberry muffins and I let Emma help. Watch and learn how to make muffins "Emma Style." Take it away, Emma...


Before you begin, put these paper things into the pan. Each muffin may require the entire pack of liners, so the more you put into one spot, the better. You can also pull them out one by one and crinkle them into a ball. They make really cool noises.

When your mom (or dad) gives you the spoon, do NOT hit your sister with it. You WILL get into trouble and then you won't get to eat a muffin. I'm not sure if this rule applies to brothers. Stir the batter twice. Attempt to lick the spoon. Your mom will tell you no.

Your mom will now do a bunch of stuff that you can't do. It has something to do with something really hot. You won't get to eat your muffins before they go in the oven, because they have to cook first, but go ahead and ask 39 times anyway.

To help pass the time, your mom will read you a book and dance with you, if she's cool like mine. ;)

When your muffins come out of the oven, they will look like this. You will want to eat one right away, but that's a really bad idea. They are still really hot. So you will have to wait. Don't make muffins if you can't be patient or if you are REALLY hungry.

The muffins have to cool, but you can sneak a peek.

Make sure you pick out the exact one you want. You may need to change your mind several times. Don't underestimate the importance of picking out the perfect muffin.

Begin to eat your muffin and thank your mom for helping you make them.

Make sure you pick the blueberries out before you eat them. This step should not be overlooked. Your goal is to make as big of a mess as possible.

Repeat if necessary.

Pictures From My Phone - Blog Hop!

I'm hosting my very first Blog Hop today! Enter below!

My camera is pretty big, so I don't always have it handy, but I usually have my phone where I can grab it in a pinch. The kids always move too fast for me to get a really good picture, but sometimes I get lucky. Andy is usually the recipient of these pictures, which I use to keep him abreast of the latest news while he's "stuck" at work. Let's see what I've had hiding...

This was yesterday morning. If you read yesterday's post, you know that Emma had another 5:00 morning. We had a pretty busy morning of storytime at the library and running errands. I guess it all caught up with her!

Meet Sophia's new BFF. I love this stage of childrens' toys. They are so soothing, with relaxing music and soft lights. A nice change from the blaring sounds that come from the toddler toys. Which brings me to...

Emma plays by herself in her room for a little bit each day. I watch her on the video monitor, but she enjoys having some time away from her little sister. Sometimes, she enjoys herself a little too much. This is usually the scene that awaits me when I go to get her. Luckily, she's really good about helping me clean up.

I love/hate this picture because she looks like such a big girl. She's quickly starting to lose her baby look.

Here she is pretending to be the "wind" at Kindermusik. This is her second summer doing this program and we both really enjoy it.

Emma and her buddy Matthew checking out the fish. They are so cute together and the only boy that Emma will be allowed to date. We've already planned it with his parents.

Sophia still loves to be swaddled, and cannot fall asleep otherwise. But she also likes to comb her fingers through her hair to soothe herself back to sleep (SO cute!). This makes for a pretty tricky situation, but she's figured it out. This is usually what I find when she wakes up in the morning. I think she looks like she's talking on the phone.

Emma's hair is getting SO long. I've been dying to try a French braid. This was the bast I could do. She's usually pretty good about staying semi still while I fix her hair, but this was pushing it. It still looks pretty good!


Sophia was doing tummy time and Emma didn't want her to be lonely so she joined in. :)

Have you checked your phone for any picture treasures lately? Share them! I'd love to check them out!