Saturday, May 21, 2016

Aunt Amy's Birthday Celebration

We headed out to Keller to celebrate Amy's birthday a little early. Par-tay! We're so glad we live close to family and that we get to see so much of my mom and my sisters. Amy has done a lot to help me get through this kindergarten year with Derek, offering insights, assistance, reassurance and import perspectives from the point of a kindergarten teacher (this was her second year teaching kindergarten). The kids love Aunt "Mamie" as Clara calls her, and were thrilled to help her blow out her candles. :) Happy birthday, Amy!

Nana loves her Clara

Clara kept pointing to the wine bottles and saying, "Milk!" Haha, nopey nope, kid!

Clara likes to play with hair, but it wigs Nana out a little, lol

Lighting all the candles - not quite 24, but we didn't want a fire hazard. ;)

Derek candle-bombed them - he blew the candles out before they could!

Yay! Happy birthday!

Aunt Val let Bryce help shuffle the Phase 10 cards

He preferred to watch, lol

Hot Air Balloons

The kids have been learning how to feed the dogs and we got a special surprise this morning when we went outside! We don't see hot air balloons often, but it's always an exciting time for the kids. Andi was terrified of the balloons and ran around the yard, barking and whining before she came back to cower against my leg, poor thing. The boys climbed up to the crow's nest on the fort and waved and yelled at every balloon that passed. Normally, the pilots are too far away to hear or see them, but one finally did this morning! She waved and yelled, "Good morning!" Clara was happy to stay inside and eat her cereal but she made it out to see the last balloon. Good thing she didn't realize how many balloons she had missed, lol. 

So close!

Poor Andi

They always wave and yell

A beautiful view on a beautiful morning

This was the pilot who could see us!

Wrong way, boys

Waving good-bye. :)

Friday, May 20, 2016

Frisco RoughRiders Game

 Mitchell's MBA program at UT Dallas reserved a box for students and spouses at Dr. Pepper Park tonight! Woot! Yay for date night! We watched the Frisco RoughRiders play the San Antonio Missions and talked to some of the other students in Mitchell's program. There was a buffet of hot dogs, brisket, popcorn and more... and it was all tasty! Mitchell was very gentlemanly to get my food for me. :) It was a nice night, even though the Missions eventually beat the RoughRiders 5 to 4.

 Our view from the box!

 Me and my sexy date! Ow ow!

 Go Riders!

 Go team! Do the sport! Win ALL the points!

 "Magic Night" was the theme for the evening and the guest magician made his way over to the box.

 The student volunteer was horrified when the magician began ripping the serial number off a dollar bill, haha!

 Now you see it, now you don't...

 Need a snack?
 What's this in the middle of the orange?

The dollar bill he just ripped up. Bravo!

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Puddle Jumping

Mallory called to invite us to go puddle jumping with the kids today. It was cloudy and kind of chilly, but Bryce and Clara were excited to be hanging out with Bauer and Beckett. Unfortunately, our neighborhood was well-planned and sloped, so there weren't too many puddles, but we walked around til we found a good-size puddle down one of the dead-ends. Then the splashing really began!

Funny faces!

Bryce and Clara are best buds

"Mom! Hulk was here!"

Lined up to race! Ready, set... GO!

Aaaaand they're off!

Bryce's favorite activity while we wait for Bauer and Beckett... jumping off their elevated driveway

Clara actually climbed up on the edge this time!

He's our Chunk!

Clara and Bryce are being dinosaurs

"ROOOOOOOOAR!"

The first puddle we found was a little small...

Secret toddler convention under the tree

Ready to race!

Off they go!

Splash, splash, splash!

The bigger the splash, the happier the kids. :)

Clara wanted to test the waters first

Getting wet!

My sweet girl

Perfect timing!

He loved feeling the water slosh in his shoes

Can't leave Beckett out of the fun!

Bryce asked to push Beckett through the puddle so he could have fun, too. :)

Beckett was thrilled. Haha!

Clara wanted a turn to push the little princeling.

If they can climb it, they will try.

Good balancing act!