Let'g go fly a kite

In honor of Mary Poppins, which has been playing in the car DVD player recently, here are the kids flying their new kites.

Yesterday we started our next "family project". This time it is a remote control foam airplane, which is actually going to be very cool. So while we were at the hobby store, the kids found some kites they just "had to have". They guy was very cool and gave them to us for buy one get one so we only spent $3.00 and the kids loved them.
The day was perfect and the wind was really blowing. The kids are in their swimsuits so that we could fly kites and get really hot and then go jump in the pool at the park.

Lovin it!

Laugh

Here is another one I made. I will add in fourth of July pictures when I get them.



I saw a photo frame that I liked a Kirklands and thought - hey I can do that. So I sat down to play in photoshop today and came up with this. I really like it.

I created it as a 12X12 but I think I will make and 8X10 or 11X14 to put up and start decorating the office on top of our new shelves.

I created it as a templete so I can just change the pictures out to put whatever picture I want in there. So much fun.

Hmmm.

You ask what could keep all of their attention like this. What could be so cool that they are oblivious to their surroundings. What can make five kids sit still on the couch?
It is Donkey Kong on the Wii.... of course.

Movie night

The projector comes out...

The cars get parked in the street...

The garage door goes down......

The grapevine spreads the word.....

Chairs and blankets and popcorn appear...

and kids and parents from every direction converge on our neighbors house...

It only means one thing around here....
Its movie night!

What a productive day!

What a Saturday. But such a good one.

We went furniture shopping - didn't find anything.

Stopped by Bass Pro Shop.
Ladybug now wants a boat.....
Just happened to be craft time when we got there.
Batman found his toy.

We of course saw the fish.

Went to Kirklands - got a fruit holder for the kitchen and a new picture for the house.

Ate dinner at Chilis - the kids all time favorite place

Stopped by staples to use our free $3 coupon and we each bought a ream of paper for $5.99 and a $3 rebate which = FREE.

Got gas a Sams - cheapest around!

Went to Hobby Lobby and bought a new picture for the office (Early Father's Day present) and finally found my Texas star for the dining room!

Stopped by Dollar store for more craft items

Went to Lowes to buy stuff for our next family project (foam airplanes)

And did I mention we made breakfast and washed the dog and that it was beautiful out tonight so the whole street was out and we played till 11pm and hung outside talking.

Yep it was a good day!

Bath time

We put on our bathing suits this morning and bathed Raven and cleaned the patio in the back yard!

Yummy

Nothing like chocolate chip ice cream in a cone on a hot day.

It's a tea party

Ladybug is getting older and can do more things for herself, and I try not to dominate their schedule as much and let them choose what they want to do in their free time.

I was excited to see Ladybug taking initiative and playing with something that does not plug in, use power or need batteries!
She brought her tea set downstairs and set it up all by herself. She invited Batman to her tea party. She raided the pantry for delicacies including goldfish, cheese its, popcorn and chocolate chips. She got a couple bottles of water to pour into her tea set and she was ready to go.

So I took it a step further since it was lunchtime and popcorn and chocolate chips do not = lunch and served fish sticks and dip (aka ketchup) and we had a delightful little lunch together. After eating, she declared the kitchen closed and no more tea. Too funny.
This was actually the picture before I played with it a little. But I thought it is was little too fussy.

Houston Space Center

We headed to the Houston Space Center for the day with Grandma Blake and Aunt Tracy and Uncle Mark.



Then afterwards drove the short distance to Kemah beach for dinner.

Memorial Day

After a very busy and late night on Sunday evening, we took it pretty easy on Memorial Day.

After breakfast we headed to a pool we had not tried yet. This is the "SAYOR" pool or swim at your own risk pool. This is the only pool in the neighborhood that does not have lifeguards on duty and it has extended hours so you can get in earlier and stay later. And it also was not busy at all which was perfect for us.
Everyone swam this morning. And we played ball for a long time.
Time to dry off.
A look at the entire pool.
Then back to the house to make some sliders! I love holidays and guests because that means that Chris does the cooking!
"Yum" I enjoyed sliders for dinner and for breakfast the next two days.
Time to cuddle down for a movie.

Then back to the pool before closing! We headed to the ones with the slides this time.



Mark relaxed for awhile before getting wet.
Mom just enjoyed watching this time.
And Aunt T and Uncle M got some one on one time with the kids!

Good day!

Girls night out

My mom and sister came in for the Memorial Day weekend. So of course we planned for an evening out. I also invited my friend J to join us for the occasion.
First on the agenda were these great looking vegetables along with some fried rice.
Then add some shrimp...
And chicken, scallops and of course some steak.
And we had dinner at the Japanese Steakhouse. This was a first for mom.

Then it was way to early to go home to kids and the movie we wanted to see was not available and we didn't have desert yet so what better place to go than ....
The Melting Pot. Also another first for mom.
Coffee and dessert were on the menu here. Of course the desert has to be set on fire!
"Yum" (aka words coined by J) for the pot of turtle chocolate and all the dippers! We cleared our plates.
And since it was mom's first visit she got fed a strawberry.
This pictures was for J because out of the at least 10 pictures we took, her eyes were closed in all of them!
And our waiters, Jeff and Darrel, who were quite the characters, and got a big tip for it, brought mom another special dessert which was absolutely delicious. (I think there were too many comas in that sentence so just remember to pause at each comma.)
Good and fun night with no responsibilities. And to top it off all kids (except one 16 year old) were in bed when we got home! What more could you ask for!

Last day of school

My sweet girl on her last day of first grade. Wednesday was our last day of school. Very very much an inconvenience to me because once Memorial Weekend hit I "felt" like school was over. lol But fortunately, they of course didn't do much the last two days of school.

Getting on the bus.
For her teacher gift, I found this great idea on a friends blog.
Ladybug was very excited to help me put it all together.

We got a gallon container and added lemons and a spatula to make lemonade. We put some cups, straws, napkins and kitchen towel inside. And we added a small bag of chocolate because who doesn't like chocolate.

The last day of school was her party. I guess you can say I am getting used to things here. The school district "allows" 45 minutes of non instructional time two times a year for parties. There is an "approved" list of items that may be brought for a snack for the kids. Those items included plain m&m, skittles, goldfish, fruit (strawberries, grapes, cantaloupe and apples) and a small can of either sprite or water. But the kids loved it. So of course I enjoyed being a part of it with my fruit tray that the kids devoured.
Ladybug and one of her friends.
The teacher gave them each an autograph book that they could sign for each other. I was a little surprised when kids began asking to write phone numbers in there. Aren't they still a little too young to begin calling each other? Then report cards were presented as well as teacher assignments for next year. I was was also surprised by this but all the kids were excited to learn who their teachers were and who would be in whose class. Course it was anticlimactic for me because I don't know any of the second grade teachers.....yet!

Then after school Aunt Tracy and Uncle Mark gave the kids their birthday present before they had to head back home. Tracy always asks what to get the kids and I can come up with something but truly, they do not need anything! So she wanted to come up with something special. So she gave them each a car. The car symbolizes an account that they set up for the kids. For special occasions they will continue to add money to the account. But the significance of the account is she wants to help them purchase their first car.

Ladybug "got" it and understood. Batman just started zooming the car around. Nine years for Ladybug till she begins driving is not a long time. So it was a perfect gift and one that will continue to be more and more appreciated as the kids older. And much appreciated by me as I know what cars are going for these days!