Fun Day #4

For this week's fun activity we went to Denver.  First, we visited with a good friend of mine that I haven't seen in too long.  The kids got to play with her daughter (who is just a couple months younger than Kyra) and she and I got to visit a little bit.  It was nice to catch-up!  When we left her house we went to the aquarium.  It was fun, but very pricey for no more than what it was.  Let me put it this way, we entered at 3:01pm, made a potty stop, went through the exhibits, stopped and had a snack, fed the rays, hit the gift shop, and were back in the car and on the highway at 4:32.  My kids' attention spans aren't long, and the tigers weren't out, but still....It's not like we ran through it or anything.  Good thing Liam was free admittance!!!!  And, they did thoroughly enjoy themselves!

Looking at the Dory (from finding Nemo) fish

Watching fish and rays swim overhead!

WOW! A shark was swimming overhead :)

As the shark swam toward the "window," Kyra was the ball of excitement and nerves...I wish I could've caught the look on her face in the reflection.  She didn't know whether to run away or run up and give it a hug!  Up until this point she kept talking about how she wanted to see a Great White Shark.  Once she saw these guys, she was content!

He liked this shark!

Pretty much the look on her face the whole time (well, whenever we were at an exhibit with sharks she looked like this, at the others she just wanted to get to the next sharks!)

She felt confident giving this guy a hug. 

Fun (sort of), week #3

So, this week we didn't really get to have our fun.  We all came down with colds on Sunday and mine turned pretty nasty by Wednesday night.  But, by yesterday we were all feeling well enough to go to the grocery store (a favorite activity of the kiddos, my least favorite activity).  While I was bringing groceries in and putting them away, the kids played in the backyard.  When I finished we had a bit of an impromptu fun time.  We went fishing in the backyard.  The major wind we had over the weekend combined with our weeping willow tree made for LOTS of sticks fishing poles.  Of course, we fished for sharks!

 

And she waits....and waits.....and waits for a bite!
I have to share a recent conversation had by my kids while they were in the bathtub and I was getting their jammies out....
Kyra: Mommy, brudder has a boogie!
10 secs later, Kyra: Mommy, brudder has a MONSTER boogie!!!!!
Liam: RRRRRAAAAAAWWWWWWRRRRRR!!!!!!!
And, that my friends, pretty much sums the two of them up!!!!

Week 2 Fun!

This week our fun date was supposed to be a trip to Denver to visit some friends and then go to the aquarium so the kids could see the fish.  They have a shark there, so Kyra was very much looking forward to seeing a real, live shark.  Unfortunately, the day we planned to go to Denver, it snowed.  We only got a half a skiff here, and while Denver didn't get much, the roads were a mess.  I don't mind driving in snow, but I didn't want to drive 2+ hours home on icy roads.  So, we didn't go.  There was much sadness all around.  So, we went to the Y (or Hu Y as Kyra calls it) and I got to work-out for a little bit and then took the kids swimming.  It was a great time other than poor Liam got a huge goose egg on his head while he was in Child Watch at the Y (my only irritation is they don't know how it happened and claim he didn't cry).  I couldn't take pictures at the Y, so today we went to a "new" park (i.e. one the kids haven't been to in a very long time) and had more fun.  I even remembered to bring my camera AND the memory card this time!!!!

Going down the big slide because if big sister can, little brother can too!

Kyra going down

Climbing up the big steps

She played on this with a couple of big kids.  She always seeks out the big kids (the ones over the age of 9) to play with.  You should hear her boss them around when they don't play on the equipment properly!!!!

Soooooo Kyra!!!!  Those aren't pony tails in her hair.  They're shark fins!

And, my sweet boy.  You can see the bruising on his forehead from yesterday's adventures at the Y.  The swelling has gone down, but I think it will be an ugly bruise!

Resolve

I'm not much on New Year's Resolutions. 

But, this year I resolved to do 2 things.  First, I resolved to make sure my kids practice better oral hygiene.  It sounds like a silly resolution I'm sure.  But, I don't know how many times I've asked myself, "When was the last time they brushed their teeth???"  That's not a question I like to ponder long.  So, I have resolved to make sure it's not a difficult question to answer.  So far, so good on that one!  Though, my boy did chip a front tooth this week. He was climbing (shocker!) on the bathroom counter, his foot slipped and when front tooth met granite countertop, granite countertop won!  It's a small chip, one I doubt a dentist would even file down, but, kinda funny that it occurred this week as I set my resolve for better oral hygiene for my kids!

My other resolve: to do something purposeful every week for the sake of fun with my kids.  A few weeks ago (the Sunday before Christmas to be precise), the kids and I had an impromptu picnic in the park and then walked around the zoo for a little bit.  It was a lot of fun and I realized it had been awhile since we did something just for fun.  It was so good for all of us, I felt bad it had been so long.  I get so caught up in the day-to-day and what needs to be done and all that I too easily forget to just have fun for the sake of fun.  So, I have resolved that I will do something fun with my kids every week for the sole purpose of having fun.  (Realistically, it's not going to happen every week, and I recognize that, but I'm hoping that if I keep it in the forefront of my mind it will happen regularly).  So, you all can expect to see pictures on a fairly regular basis of our weekly "fun" activity.  This week, we went to the park for a picnic and to the zoo because the weather was in the 60s and we just needed to be outside!!!!!  I remembered to bring my camera (yea!) but forgot to put the memory card back in it (boo!), so I took these with my phone.  Not the best, but they'll do!

Riding the "whale." I actually think it's a dolphin or porpoise, but he calls it a whale so we go with it!

Sitting on the rabbit

Riding side-by-side in the wagon.  Not sure why Kyra's making that face.  Probably because she's 3 1/2....

Christmas Morning

I left my camera at my folks' house on Christmas Eve, so I only had my phone for pics on Christmas morning..... But, Santa brought Kyra a mini-piano and brought Liam a work-bench and put a stuffed shark in Kyra's stocking (and lip gloss and life saver mint candy) and put a Thomas doodle board in William's (and a Queen Car toothbrush and gummy bears).  Mommy gave them each a robe and slippers (pink and Minnie Mouse for Kyra and Lightning McQueen for Liam), a book (shark encyclopedia for Kyra and a Lightning McQueen one for Liam), and a t-shirt and hoodie combo thing I found at Target.  Mommy is definitely practical, fortunately for the kids everyone else saw fit to give them toys and things! :)

Playing her piano....

Wearing his Queen Car robe, holding his sister's shark and reading his book.....

Robe on, playing piano, and playing with jewelry box from Mommo and PopPop (work bench is behind...)

Still holding shark, wearing robe, and reading Queen Car....

See below for pics from Christmas Eve and the boy's big boy bed!

Christmas Eve, Christmas, and a big boy bed!

Lookin' handsome as always on Christmas Eve

My gorgeous girl with her pretty dress, sparkly shoes, and shark hat on Christmas Eve

With Mommo

With PopPop

He is all about "Queen Car" (aka Lightning McQueen), but he also loves his Thomas toys

My aunt has a train under her train and this decoration had a train that went around it.  My kiddos loved them both!!!

Sound asleep for a Christmas nap, in mommy's bed.  Liam got the Queen Car slippers for Christmas.  He wore them 24-7 for several days.  Yes, he tried to sleep in them and got very upset when they fell off in the night.  I've had to put them out of sight so we can go to the grocery store and such without Queen Car shoes...it's not that I care if he wears slippers out and about, it's just that I don't like having to put them on his feet every 30 seconds!

When I took Christmas decorations down this week I got the urge to rearrange furniture.  I did the living room first and am really pleased with the new arrangement. Somehow, by taking up more floor space the room feels bigger.  How does that work????  Then I did my bedroom. My head had been under a window and above the heat vent.  That meant I was feeling a cool breeze and the hot air blowing all at once.  Didn't make for good sleep.  So, that problem is now remedied.  When it came to the kids' room I had intended to just change the sheets on their beds.  Instead, I bought the boy a big boy bed.  He's been ready for it for awhile now.  I mean, he climbed in and out of the crib all the time.  He takes his nap in my bed most of the time.  And, he'd climb out of his crib in the middle of the night and come to my room.  So, time for a big boy bed and time to rearrange their room!  It looks cute.  I'd like to find Kyra a plain pink quilt, but it's impossible to find a PLAIN PINK QUILT. 

Found this cute cube shelf at Target.  The "drawers" hold their shoes.  Perfect!

And, this is how the first night went in the new bed.  He climbed right in and was out in a matter of minutes.  Just like he'd been doing it his whole life.  Such a big boy!!!!

Birthday and Snow

Liam's birthday is tomorrow, but we had his party this past Saturday.  He L-O-V-E-S Lightning McQueen (or Queen as he calls him) and Cars, so his party was a "Queen" party of course.  I had a little more help than I needed making and decorating cupcakes, but they were still cute!

Notice all the yellow sprinkles on the one???? About half a jar landed on that one cupcake!

Singing Happy Birthday...When we finished he said, "Again!" So, of course, we obliged him!  His second request for an encore performance was denied, however. 

I love this picture.  It is so him!  A lot happy and a lot ornery!!!!

Opening a package.  See all the ornaments at the bottom of my Christmas tree?  They keep getting moved lower and lower on the tree by my two little elves!!!!

Pueblo doesn't normally get but one or two snowstorms a year that bring more than 6" of snow.  We had one Monday that left 8" at my house.  We had another last night that left another 6" and it's still snowing!!!!
My neighbor is not the friendliest of guys (his wife is a sweetheart, but him, not so much).  You know, one of those that doesn't wave or say hello even when you do first.  He's not mean per se, just not friendly.  He also has a snowblower.  He did his driveway and sidewalk Tuesday morning.  He then walked down my sidewalk to get to the neighbor lady's to do hers.  I was glad he did 'cause she's in her 80s and has had a bit of a rough Fall.  I was re-thinking my earlier thoughts of him not being so friendly.  Until, I watched him do about 10 more sidewalks and driveways.  Why did he skip mine if he was going to do the whole block????  I really don't think I've done anything to make him mad.  I'm choosing to believe it's because he thinks I'm able-bodied.  Either that, or I need to bake him some cookies.  Too bad I didn't resolve this issue before this round of snow hit.  I thought I had time...

Off to shovel I go.  I hear there's a chance for more snow early next week. Maybe cookie or muffin baking should be on today's agenda!!!!

train table and preschool program

My dad built the kids this train table and brought it to them last Saturday.  It has had someone playing at it ever since.  I intend for it to go downstairs, but it's such a hit I asked my dad to make a smaller version for us to have upstairs. 

They love having a table they are allowed to sit on!!!!!!!!

Kyra's preschool had their Christmas program this evening.  I had no idea what to expect as Kyra refused to sing any of the songs to me that they would be performing.  And, I knew last week she got in trouble during practice for talking to another boy....

On stage and ready to go (the kids were from 3 classes, so 2.5 year olds, preschool, and Pre-K).  You'll note Kyra is the only girl in her class not in a dress.  Apparently the other moms got the memo.  Next year....

After taking a HUGE bow....

She hijacked the microphone and she and the boy next to her started singing/talking/making noise and pretty much made it impossible to hear anything but the 2 of them.  It was hilarious!  She's so much braver than I ever was!  She really is the class clown.