Hanging out with Anderson

Well, last weekend Ryan and Trevor went camping with Grandma and Grandpa Johns. So, Anderson had lots of special mom and dad time. We made playdough, went out to eat, visited the zoo, played games, but his favorite part of the whole weekend was his special play date. Anderson had been asking to have Nicholaus and Henry over and so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity. Anderson and I had lots of fun planning his "party". He wanted to go to the "Brewster's" park (a park next to Brewster's Ice Cream store). Our fun began at the park. The boys played, yes those are nasty looking rain clouds in the background. It did not rain, but boy was it HUMID!

After playing, we had a picnic lunch, which Anderson planned. There were dinosaur shaped sandwiches, cheetos, bananas and juice boxes. Then we walked over to Brewster's. Like I said it was hot! Most of their ice cream melted and by the time I had them wiped up, mine had melted also!

After the park we headed home, where there was more fun waiting. They rode bikes, jumped on the trampoline and played games. We played pin the tail on the donkey and a game similar to one I remember from the Bozo show:) During this game they won all sorts of fun prizes, including their pirate gear seen below.

A FEW DAYS SHY

Trevor's 7th Birthday is just around the corner and big things are already happening!

Yesterday, he lost his first tooth! He was so excited. He was eating an apple and the next thing I know he was running over to me with his tooth in his hand. Anderson was yelling, "Trevor lost a tooth!" Trevor said that he took a bite and felt something poking his gums. He thought it was a seed so he pulled it out, well that seed was his tooth! When Kris asked Trevor if he knew he had a loose tooth, Trevor responded, "No!"

Here is our proud little boy with his tooth missing.

Johnny Rocket's

Family Date Night!

Instead of telling you all about our family date night, I thought this would be a good opportunity to "talk" about ideas for Family Date Nights. I know that we could use a few new ideas. We don't always go out, but every once in awhile will will. So, here are my questions:

1.) What restaurants do you like to take the family to? (I am looking for some place fun for the kids, other than Chuck E Cheese's)

2.) What kinds of things do you do for family date night at home?

3.) Tell us about other fun family date night outings that don't include eating dinner.

Don't be shy! Share your ideas! What may seem plain and boring to you, may be a fresh idea to someone else.


And finally, our pictures from our most recent date.

Yoda

Ok, so its Anderson dressed in daddy's work clothes, but he sure does look like one of his favorite Star Wars characters!

The Middle, Finally!

So here it is, the week in review. We had lots of fun with Gramma Dee Dee and of course the time flew by with lots of activities to keep us busy. The start of the week brought sore throats and potential spoiling of our week, but thanks to prayers and vitamins they passed quickly. Our week was filled with soccer games, flag football games, shopping, more shopping, picnics, pictures (professional), projects at home, the jumping monkey, and lots of hugs & laughter.

Mom and Trevor playing skee ball at Chuck E. Cheese

Mom and Ryan having a race.

Anderson the builder.

Another race.

Cashing in tickets. We had over 400 . . . then when we got home I opened my purse to find a cup with over 100 more tickets in it! So, of course we had to make another trip to Chuck E. Cheese later in the week. We cashed in our tickets AND played a few more games. That time our tickets totaled more than 600!

One night Mom, Kris and I went to P.F. Chang's for dinner.

The Jumping Monkey (fun for a day, but nothing to write home about)

Our soccer players. Sorry, there aren't any football pictures, yet. Ryan plays on the Stingray team, Trevor on the Shark team and Anderson on the Grasshopper team.

Ryan was so hot after the game. He scored three of their five goals!

Future soccer player.

The boys were so happy to have Gramma at their first soccer and football games.

And there you have it. A lot of pictures, but more were taken and lots more could have been. Such a fun week. We are very blessed!

A Beginning, an End, But No Middle. . . Yet

My Mom came to visit last week. We had not seen here in a year! That was way too long! Hopefully that won't happen again!

We had a great time. Here are the pictures of the beginning and end of her stay. The middle will come, soon.

At the airport waiting for Gramma Dee Dee's plane to arrive:
Yes, Cai is walking. . . finally!

Her plane has landed and now the boys are eagerly looking for her!

Cai was only 6 weeks old when we last saw Gramma.

Ryan carrying her luggage and a little extra weight!

And now the leap to the end.

Just after we dropped Dee Dee off at the airport, I took the boys to the Botanical Gardens. We rode the tram around the garden.

And then we walked up the hill to watch for her plane to take off.

The boys waved their last goodbye and then we headed to soccer practice.

Mom, we had such a great visit. We love you! Thank you for taking the time to come, we are so thankful you did. We had lots of fun. We are so blessed by your love and care for us!

Something is missing!

Where, Oh Where has that Nalgene bottle gone? My kitchen counter is so bare and lonely without it!

- -Just another evidence of the sad reality that Katie and Sean have left us! I was so tempted to name this entry, “Another one bites the dust!” Yes, for those of you who have not heard, out beloved Aunt Katie and Uncle Sean have moved . . . To TEXAS!! So, our house was host to yet another going away party, that makes too many - too many loved ones to have said goodbye to!

You may wonder what is up with the Nalgene bottle reference. Well, it is a little joke I have with Katie. She taught an art class at our house last school year and practically every week she would leave her water bottle. Well, once art class ended, we discovered that it was not only art class that made her forget to take her bottle home, no, it must have been that her nalgene bottle was meant for my counter top. There were points where teasingly I would ask her to please leave it when she went home. Well, even with my “reverse psychology” she would still leave it!

Katie and Sean, we love you and miss you so much! We’ll miss your Sunday morning drop ins before church, your presence at the dining room table, your smiling faces and of course your nalgene bottle! (There are more things we'll miss of course, but already I am feeling sad. So, I'll keep it brief).

Here is a photo of Katie and Sean with all their cousins and nephews. We had a goodbye breakfast with the Hughes families and all the kiddos were going to try and “stop” Katie and Sean’s car from leaving!

Silly faces!