Kyra's party

Since I'm going to be at school about 3 hours away on Kyra's actual birthday, we had her party last night.  I think she had an absolute ball!  So hard for me to believe my little girl is 4!!!!

We had her party at our local city park that has kiddie rides.  We rented the caboose which is attached to the rides.  Very fun and just up her alley!

Her two favorite things are sharks and My Little Pony (well, bones and blood are her favorite but those are a bit morbid for cupcakes), so we had shark and My Little Pony cupcakes :)

Riding the carousel with her cousins

Riding the roller coaster (she loved that she could ride it with them and not me!)

He LOVED the bounce house!

Sing to me some more!!!!

What do you have there Kyra????

I'm so excited I can hardly stand it!

Walking with her favorite!

Riding the carousel with Daddy

Mountain Fun

Last week we went to my folks' "mountain house" (that's what Kyra calls it).  Some dear friends from Atlanta that we hadn't seen in way too long were able to come up as well.  It was a very fun time!!!  The only downside was fishing wasn't great and I had a nasty eye infection (no pictures of me!!!!).  

Making ice cream with PopPop

Playing with sticks

So silly!

Throwing rocks and dirt into a little tree

Gorgeous views

No pics, but lots of fun!

I realized last night I've slacked on updating this recently.  I guess it's because we've been busy, but haven't had good photo opportunities.  So, I'll just update you on all of us today :)

LIAM: He is ALL boy and ALL two!  That's about the best summary I can give you of him right now.  He's full of energy and orneriness.  The boy doesn't stop unless he's sleeping.  He got a scooter when he pooped on the potty and love, love, loves it.  Our city pools have "family swim" on Sunday mornings from 10-12 and we've gone the last couple times (our fun outings for the week).  He is quite the natural!  He has no fear (a good and bad thing), so he's willing to try anything and doesn't get upset in the least when his face or anything gets wet.  Last Sunday I let them take float-y rings to the pool, he very quickly figured out how to kick his way all the way across the pool and steer around other people.  I started potty training him the beginning of June and it's gone fairly well. He frequently makes it to the bathroom or close to it, but also frequently forgets he needs to pull his shorts and undies down before he goes!  He does fairly well at nap time, and bedtime is sort of hit and miss. Considering the amount of liquid he drinks each day, it's totally expected. I think I've changed his sheets and mine more in the last month than in the past year, but....hopefully, by the end of summer he'll have it all figured out!

KYRA: She started swim lessons a few weeks ago.  While she is very outgoing and super friendly, she also tends to be on the cautious side.  So, swim lessons were a challenge for her.  But, she did everything her teacher asked of her and even got brave enough to jump from the side a few times.  I was so proud.  She has another session that begins next Monday and I'm excited for her to continue learning and to see her grow less fearful.  Her birthday is at the end of this month.  Hard to believe my girl will be 4!  She wants an X-Ray machine with a tv screen for her bedroom so she can take pictures of her bones and look at them whenever she wants.  Not sure mom can make that happen!  I tell you, if she doesn't grow up to be a surgeon or something I will be very surprised, she loves all things related to health and the human body!

ME:  The biggest news is I will be heading back to school this fall at Western State College (it's in a small mountain community in Colorado called Gunnison).  I'll be getting my teaching certificate (finally) as well as my Master's.  I have to be on campus for 5 days the end of this month (over Kyra's birthday of course!) and next summer, but then everything else will be online.  I'll be doing student teaching this next school year (for the whole year) as well as taking classes (can you say busy?!?!) and then will be certified at the end of the school year.  Next year I can work as a certified teacher and finish the last year of classes to have my Master's.  It'll be a busy couple years, but definitely the right thing for me and the kids.  I'm nervous and excited.  Right now, I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to do with the kiddos while I'm student teaching, so if anyone local knows of anyone who wants to keep a couple super cute and fun kiddos for one two or three days a week (Tues, Weds, and/or Thurs), please let me know!

Hope you're all well!  I'll post pictures as soon as I take some!

fun time

I have not given up on my New Year's resolution for us to do something fun every week.  But, with Kyra's broken arm those "fun times" turned into outings to the library or Barnes & Noble or other places for "safe/low-risk" activities that just aren't ideal for taking pictures.  As of this past weekend she is off activity restrictions (she doesn't go back to the doctor for her final check-up on it 'til July 23rd).  So, here are pictures of our first trip to "The Rides" this year...

Riding in the cattle car....her brother was on the other end of the car sitting between two other kids....

Driving a train

He chose the fire truck

The ferris wheel was a bit mellow for his taste (pun intended)

A little more his speed

Riding the carousel

she loves the horses

driving a spaceship

it was fun....

until it was boring

traditional ice cream cone after the rides (excellent motivator to get the OFF the rides)

who can resist that face?!?!?

she loves her some ice cream!

so sweet!

picture overload, but we've been absent awhile so what do you expect :)

The Wednesday before Memorial Day weekend the kids and I headed to my folks' "Mountain House" for an extra long weekend.  We had tons of fun and none of us were ready to come home (we never are!) 

We went to Mr. Brook's to see his chipmunks....

Liam brought his net along just in case!

PopPop took Kyra to look at the bones of a bull (cow).  She was in HEAVEN!  She's talked about it constantly even since she saw them....

One of my favorite views!

:)

Climbed on some big rocks....See how well her sling (or slink as she called it) was working!

Found a few stumps to climb on (and I even brought one home for my front yard!)

Made cherry cobbler with Mommo

Played lots of harmonica

They both picked out toy guns (their first toy guns)...They had more fun with them than I thought was possible.  There were lots of "1-2-3 (draw), BANG! BANG! BANG!"  The rules are you can't shoot people....

He got PopPop to put the bear hat on so he could shoot him!  He thought it was so, so, so, funny!  But, he did not like it one bit when PopPop did the same thing to Kyra or me.  He screamed and cried.  So protective of his sister and Mommy!

Got Mommo to be the bear....somehow the "game" progressed to them dressing up as a bear and deer and shooting Mommo Bear, but whatever!

Read stories in bed

Did lots and lots of fishing (and caught quite a few, but threw most of them back!)

This boy took to a fishing pole like he was born with it in his hand!  Makes his mommy happy.

Kyra absolutely LOVES to go fishing!!!  When asked what she wanted to do each day, she always said, "go fishing!"  and she does a great job!

What's going on PopPop????

Mommo and Kyra caught one!

Sweet girl playing in the old ore cart!