shopping trip favorites

I met my mother in law at her Gymboree store today.  It was a special employee sale and she wanted to get the kids a few things.  Well, a few things turned into way too many things and the kids have a good start on their summer wardrobes.  All of the items we got are adorable, especially the girl stuff, but there are a few items that I am in love with.....

Think she will let me borrow this?  I adore it!!  The girl loves purses...

Love these too.  Too bad they don't make them in my size...

Perfect for Bryce....

life is baseball

I feel like my life right now revolves around the baseball field.  I can't imaging how people with multiple kids playing do it (my friend Heather has 3 boys and they had 17 days straight of baseball!!).  When we aren't at the field for practice or a game, we are in the backyard practicing.  Bryan is so excited that Bryce is able to play catch, hit his pitches, etc.  And he (Bryce, not Bryan) is getting better everyday.  He has improved so much since the very first practice.  He is already upset that the season is almost over and we have a couple weeks left!  Here are some of the latest pics from the last couple of games.  oh, and one quick story from the last game.  Bryce's team played the Angels.  They are the #1 team in the league and are very, very good.  I think pretty much every kid cranked one into the outfield off of a pitch every time at bat!  When we were talking on the way home Bryce tells me, "Mommy, that team was called the Angels because they can hit the ball so high into the sky.  But, they aren't really Angels...they are human".  I love his perspective on things!!

spring in pictures

When I think of spring I picture the world turning green and blooming around me.  I still remember the first time we came to Georgia in the springtime.  We were here looking at houses (I must have been 12), and spent the days riding around with a realtor.  The dogwood trees were in bloom and I thought that they were the prettiest trees I had ever seen.  I still think that they are.  Here are pictures of my spring things...

Easter in pictures

Way to late to write a post, so here is a review of our day in pictures. Can you tell that I love kids in hat!?!...

six flags

My mom treated us by taking the kids and I to Six Flags yesterday. The kids have never been there and I was excited to share it with them. I still remember going with my mom, dad, and Jason when I was a kid. My dad took me on my first roller coaster (Rolling Thunder at Great Adventures) when I was probably around 7 or 8. I still remember the feeling of sheer joy when it was over. So much fun! So....we arrived yesterday at around 11am and stayed until just after 7pm. Long day, yes, but sooo much fun! Bryce loved everything about it....watching the big coasters, riding the rides, eating the food. It was like you could actually see him soaking it all in. I don't think he stopped smiling all day...he fell asleep with a huge grin on his face. Callie was in awe of everything. She is such an easy going child. Content to just sit in the stroller and watch the people and the world around her. Never fussing (okay...once when she was "denied" entrance to the kiddie swings because she was 2 inch's too short), she lasted until about an 1 hour before we left and then she passed out in the stroller. She constantly amazes me with her happy, easy going nature. Such a ray of sunshine all the time.

It is so different going with kids. I didn't ride one roller coaster (except for the "kiddie" one)! I was slightly surprised that this didn't bother me one bit. I had just as much fun watching the kids enjoy themselves. Seeing them laughing with joy was just as much fun as flying thru the air at ridiculous speeds. The only time I got frustrated was when Bryce wanted a lick of my $6 Ben and Jerry's ice cream cone. I knew he wouldn't like it, it was coffee with chocolate chunks and he solely likes vanilla, but I agreed to let him try it anyway. He took a huge lick and managed to "uncone" the ice cream, knocking the entire scoop (I had only taken a tiny bite) onto the ground. It was a count to ten moment. He apologized and almost started to cry and I quickly told him it was fine and I wasn't mad. But boy, I am still craving that ice cream! I might have to go and buy a pint of it tonight!!

Here are some pictures from the day....

Bryce on his favorite ride...The Log Jamboree

Still trying to figure out why they made me ride this with Callie. She is 2 inches short of the 36inch min. for a lot of the rides!

Mom and Bryce on the flying swings....looks like they are having fun!!

The Hanson cars...Bryce liked beig the driver

Riding on the Carousel was fun

The kids love the Thomas Ride

Sure sign of a fun filled day...

slowing down

Slow down. I have been thinking this to myself for the last couple of months. Laying in bed at night wondering where the day went while my mind floods with all of the things I need to do the next day. I wake up running and fall asleep with my mind racing. You moms (especially the ones that work full time) out there know what I'm talking about. And I'm tired. And I feel like I'm missing out on something...but I can't quite wrap my mind around what that might be because I never stop long enough to figure it out.

Last week while dropping the kids off at preschool I had a brief conversation with Callie's teacher. We were talking about getting dishes done, and getting laundry done, and doing speech lessons, and scheduling doctors appointments. And then she told me that her mom gave her advice. "She said they will only be 2, or 5, or 11 for a short time. Ignore the other stuff every once in a while and concentrate on what matters".

I don't want to miss 2 and 5. I want to relish in it. Burn it in my memory so that in 20 years I can see it clear as glass. I don't want to remember the traffic, and the dirty car, and the housework. I want to remember how Bryce laughed when he felt the grass on his feet and how Callie likes cuddle on your lap with her thump stuck firmly in her mouth when she is tired.

So this week (spring break), I am taking a break. I have vowed to myself to only do the most necessary housework (dishes at night can't really be ignored!), to stop sitting with my laptop open in front of me, and to ignore the ringing phone. I will spend the days (except when working...can't really stop that!) doing activities the kids and being in the moment.

Today we spent the day having a picnic, playing wii, running in the yard, and taking a really long bubble bath (the kids, not me). I even allowed the jets with the bubbles (not usually allowed due to very messy past experiences). And when the kids yelled for me, squealing with delight, I did not get mad at the waterfall of bubbles flowing onto the floor. I laughed with them and took a picture. I am starting to really like the slower life.

Day at the park....

We went to Sims park today with some friends. It was a great way to start off the kids spring break. We have been having awful weather and they are expecting it to turn cold and rainy again, so it was nice taking advantage of a nice day. The kids love this great new park! They have a "river" the kids can play in and it ends in a small lake. Bryce and Syd played on the rocks on the edge of the lake until Syd fell in!! Luckily it was warm enough for her to run around and dry off. Callie had fun trying to keep up with the "big kids". I can't believe that it's already spring. I adore this time of year. The dogwoods and azaleas are blooming, the grass is turning green, and the wonderful smell of fresh mowed grass is filling the air. I am loving the kids squeals as they experience everything blooming around them. and I also get to start wearing flip flops. I think that might be my favorite part of the warmer weather!! Here is a slideshow of pics I took today. Some of them came our really cute!! And I am in love with Syd and Brandon's curly hair...such cuties!!

one reason I love having a girl...

I reason I love having a girl is doing her hair!! I am lucky enough that she tolerates this obsession pretty well. She sits still (or as still as a 2 year old can sit!) for as long as it takes me to finish my creation of the day. Yesterday was the first day I tried a french braid and it came out so cute I had to share!

worms

I am really girly when it comes to certian things. More specifically, I hate bugs, spiders, snakes, and anything else that's creepy and crawly. and I hate worms. hate might be a little strong but I really dislike them. The thought of them makes my skin crawl. I remember not liking them as a child. My dad would take us fishing and I always refused to bait my hook. I think for a while he even stopped doing it for me just to see what I would do. I remember sitting there, bored out of my mind and wanting to join in the fishing fun, but headstrong that I would not touch a worm. So imagine my suprise today when Callie was helping Bryce dig up worms in the yard. She would then pick them up, tell them they were going to go into the blue bucket (a fact, I'm sure, that made them feel a lot better), and then carry them across the yard and deposit them lovingly into the bucket. When she asked me if I wanted to hold one, I politely declined, determined I would not pass my dislike onto my child. Bryan is thrilled at Callie's new found love of creepy crawlies. I think he dreaming about his first daddy / daughter fishing trip as I type this.

Callie and her worms....notice half smile on her face. She is completely at ease.

This is more the look that I expected...

egg hunt

Today the kids had their egg hunts at school. It was quite chilly out, but you would never know it watching the kids laugh and run around. The kiddo's both had their own approach to the egg hunt. Callie found a few and then moved her attention elsewhere (she thought it would be a good idea to push her bunny bag on the swing...see video below). Bryce, on the other hand, was all business. He darted around grabbing as many eggs as he possibly could. The only disappointment of his hunt was realizing the eggs would be redistributed to make sure all the kids got the same amount. oh well!! It was a great way to celebrate the start of spring break!! I'm not sure what Bryce was more excited about...eggs filled with candy or an entire week of no school!!

tech savy, yep...that's me

I am so proud of myself. Yes, I am singing my own praises. I was determined today to figure out how to create a photo link to my 3 day team's fundraising website. After a lot of googling and searching I finally figured it out! So check it out...My own Birdies for Breast Cancer button / link (it's on the right hand column of this page about halfway down). And while your at it, click on it and check out my 3 day team's event / fundraising page. We are currently working on the golf tournament (yes, I know I said I would never do it again). Last year we had 40 golfers and this year we are hoping to up it to 60. More golfers = more money raised!! So........do you want to help me out? If you are reading this and you happen to be a blogger, would you consider adding my button to your blog sidebar? I can email you the html code and even give you the steps on how to add it. Also...if you happen to be reading this and you have your own website (business, private, or otherwise), maybe you could add it? I am trying to come up with creative ways to spread the word about our upcoming tournament and figured this might be one way.

I am now going to bed. Singing your own praises can be exhausting :)