"Mommy, just call me Nemo"-Abby

Abby has ditched the water-wings and Mommy is thrilled....being a swim teacher in the past I know that those silly things can become a crutch and may keep her in a little too much comfort to ever learn to swim on her own so I was so proud when she made the choice to take them off! Well since then she is swimming like fish...it's amazing how fearless she is....She is so funny about me calling her Nemo now too even Reese calls her that! Also Reeser is really loving the water and is very comfortable running the steps all by himself!
And for a side note: Reese said his first real sentence today....he said, "Help Abby!" She was about to drown and he was very concerned....sweet boy...keeping Mommy on her toes!
Also Abby said a very funny thing yesturday in the car....Reese and Abby were getting the "share talk" from Daddy and after the talk they were "practicing" their sharing with each other and Abby says, " Mommy, Daddy my heart feels all prickely!!" I am assuming she meant she felt good sharing with him but the way she said it is so true....it makes you feel good to be selfless! These kiddos teach me more and more everyday...so simple but so impacting at the same time....thank you Lord for children they have changed my life!

Daddy's Southern Belles!

well technically I am not a southern belle but I can sure fool you with this cowboy hat huh? We dressed up for the last night of VBS and Abby and I really were the best dressed! I think I can get used to this hat....it's really cute...hey maybe I will wear it to the park one day!

VBS Parents Night

Friday night we headed back to the church for a parents night. The kids had worked all week on some songs and actions to perform for us and there was slide show and ice cream afterwards. This is Abby and Reese's first time to perform on stage singing and I was so excited! If you look very closely in the picture of the whole group Reese is being held on the top row by one of the girls from VBS. I think overall the kids had a great week and they really wanted to go back everyday....I know for sure that Reese loved the ice cream...which you can see he got all over him!

Vacation Bible School!

This week is the kids first Vacaction Bible School. They are having so much fun! Abby loves crafts and music class (which I teach thank you very much:) and Reese loves snack:) and recreation....it is really fun that Reese gets to be in a class too....he gets to do all the fun stuff and he is so good at all the cratfs! The theme of the week is County Fair Fruit of the Spirit and so Abby has been wearing her boots and hat...she is too cute! Even though we go to a pretty small church we have had 50 kids or so everyday...and they have come back too:) I am really excited that the kids had the opprotunity to go to a VBS at this young age because the earlier they can learn about the Lord the better! *this picture of Reese below in the window is him looking out on all the kids playing at recreation....I think he wants to be playing ball with them! The other picture outside is of Abby and her class playing at rec. and notice she is front and center ready to play the game...that's our girl!

Corny Dogs!

Can you believe the kids have never had a corn dog....what in the world! I must admit it never crossed my mind to buy some...but Daddy went to the store the other day with us and he pointed out this trerrible injustice! Well we came home and in the oven they went....because you know you can't have a corny dog for the first time "microwave style" it would just not be a good experience! As you can see it was a pretty big hit...well Abby kept wanting to take the "corn bread" off the hot dog....she couldn't quite figure out why in the world I wrapped the hot dog and Reese he just wanted to stick his fork in the side! So I hate to report expecially since Greg "claims" corny dogs are from Texas....that the kids weren't too impressed! I know one day they will love 'em....yes one day they will truely be able to appreicate the goodness of a good ole' corny dog!

Water Mine

We went to the water park the other day and the kids thought they were in Disney Land! I couldn't believe how crazy they were...Abby was swimming around by herself and went down every slide there! Reese kept pushing off my hip wanting to junp in and he went down most of the slides too either with me or with Abby. It was so cute they would hold hands and go up the stairs together! I love this age...they are having so much fun and everything is so exciting and new! Reese is our wild man though wanting to do everything Abby does and he just can't do some of the stuff...but he sure tries! (and believe it or not he holds his own pretty well:)
Also is the picture below Reese is sticking his head in the water fountain....he thought that was hilarious!

Tents!

Abby has been really into building tents and taking "naps" in them with Reese. As soon as the get home they both get toys and bubbles and head to the tent! Reese knocks it over most of the time but Abby tries to be really patient with him....well she told him to get out a fix it...but she said it as nice as she could! They also love to pile all of the pillows up and jump off the couch onto them and Reese the other day thought the tent was a big pile of pillows so off he jumped and disappeared! Abby got pretty mad that time...but he tried his best to fix it....with Mommy's help!

Cardboard boxes=fun!

The other day I got my new guitar in the mail:) and it came in a big box....it was just a shame to let such a great box go to waste so we.... or let me correct that...Daddy built a really cool plane...he cracks me up...he was constructing this plane all evening making it perfect...well I must admit I am surprised it doesn't fly with all the effort that went into it:) But after all the work the kids finally got to get in and go flying! They love it and Abby has asked if she can hang it from her ceiling...I am not sure if we will do that but flying on Daddy's shoulders is pretty fun too!

Rangers vs. Orioles

Last night we headed to Baltimore to see the Rangers play. Greg has been waiting for this all year! I think we got some great pictures....I love the one of the kids with Greg! The Rangers won and the game really passed by fairly quickly thank goodness for the kids play area....we wouldn't have made it if we couldn't have broke up the time jumping on a moonwalk:)

Fireworks!

It was fireworks nights after the game and the kids loved it. Although Abby says it was "too loud" she still liked it as you can see in the pictures...her face says it all! They were beat though and we still had a drive ahead of us before we could put them to bed....so we headed out and of course there was standstill traffic at 11pm...this part of the country wouldn't have it any other way:) We ended up getting home about midnight and they fell asleep on the way.....we got a picture of them sleeping....abby said on the way home, "Daddy I don't want a story tonight I just want to go straight to bed....and Daddy I don't want to pray either." Daddy said we need to pray but God will understand if it's a short one! So you know your kids are spent when they are begging to go to sleep! But man they are the best troopers ever. They put up with alot with Greg and I:)

Go Cowgirl Go!

Look at Cowgirl Abby! She has lassoed the magazine rack! What you did not get to see in this picture is right after this she fell on her face.....that magazine rack just won't budge! I must say this hat is too cute! She loves to wear it!

Four Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed!

Yesterday Anglea, Charlie and Landry came over to play a bit....and they ended up jumping on the bed most of the time! Now Landry is interested in joining the fun... he is getting so big....look how big Reese looks next to him though....and we though Reese was still our baby....

"Mommy, where's the WATERMELON!!!"

I cannot leave the store without a watermelon....well I can but they love it....I mean they devour it...literally! We went to the Eastern Market this weekend in DC and we got a watermelon and it is Monday and it is GONE! Now that's what I call crazy in love with watermelon! So if you want to get on the good side of our kids....send a watermelon:)

"I'm a Train on a Track"!

Abby got this train set from Granny and PaPa when she turned two and it's still has not lost it's wonder....which is so rare with kids toys....they normally like it for a day and then it's over! Anyways, today the train was a big hit....here you can see they are great at building the tracks and Reese looks like a gaint next to it doesn't he? Most of the day they played so well together but while I was at Bible Study Daddy said they faught quite a bit over it....so away the train went! So I guess they have their moments but still they are about as perfect as they come....really!

Annapolis, Maryland

Last night when the kids got up from nap we headed out the door to Annapolis. It is right off the Chesapeake Bay so there are alot of boats! Reese and Abby thought they were great and the town was so cute! It had a very quaint little downtown area right off the Bay and the kids got some ice cream which was a big hit! It only took us about 45 minutes to get there we are always very surprised how close everything is up here on the East Coast...you can get anywhere in just a few hours! I definetly recommend coming this way one day if you can it's so different from the rest of the country and if you are from the Midwest like me you must come experience "fresh" fish it's amazing how much better seafood is up here! (just a little side note though...I still do not like seafood but it sure doesn't taste so "fishy" up here:)

5 Years already?

Friday was our 5th anniversary...can you believe that? Good old Greg got a sitter and we went to this great steakhouse in Old Town....it was very nice and we ate very well...probably too well:) We then just walked around Old Town and enjoyed ourseleves...we have really learned to enjoy our times when we have a sitter....it is really nice to just be a couple again and not just mom and dad running around like crazy! And since we already had a long weekend in NYC a few weeks ago for our anniversary this was just the perfect thing to celebrate the actual day! May there be many many more.....hey we figured out our 50th will be when we are 73....wow that's just around the corner:)

Love is in the Air!

These two pictures are so cute of Abby and Reese loving each other. Finally Reese is old enough to really play with Abby. They are beginning to really interact more and it's so fun to see the love! Enjoy!

Date Night!

Thursday night Greg and I decided to each take a kiddo and go do something fun!
Abby and I went to Starbucks! Now believe me this wasn't just for me but she was raised at Starbucks and she really likes it too!:) Lucky me! We brought her number and letters workbooks and she did a ton of pages with me! She is learning so much and really likes to learn new things!
Greg took Reese to the toy store! Reese loved all the Cars stuff from the movie and of course he played with bats and balls! Daddy also got him his own M&M's which is always a hit with Reeser! So all and all we had good dates and really enjoy our time with them alone sometimes....they really love the individual attention and so do we!
Oh a cute story about Abby at Starbucks she and I were just working on some of her workbooks and out of nowhere she says, "Mommy I love to be with you!" I almost cried....how sweet is that...she is so good at expressing her feelings it is great and I sure love it too!

Happy 4th of July!

Well tonight we decided we would fight the crowd and go down to see the fireworks in the city.... last minute we decided to drive in and park by Union Station and man are we sooooo very glad we did. It was so nice not having to fight the crowd on the subways and there was not much traffic at all! We did have a ton of fun and the kids loved the fireworks....(this year Reese didn't sleep through them!) He was scared a little at first but he was jumping around with Abby by the end of the show! There is just nothing better than a firework show right in the Nations Capital... wish you all could have been there!
*If you can't tell we were sitting right in front of the Washington Monument!

DC Art Festival

Yesturday we went down to the National Mall in DC...the kids saw these hay stacks that had these saddles on them so they jumped on to ride....I thought this picture was a great action shot!

Too Cute!

Last night we played at the park with our friends Mark and Lauren that came into town....Lauren got some great pictures of the kids....I thought you all might enjoy these! In the picture of Abby she has a lightening bug on her finger...she loves to catch them and isn't it a precious picture? Reese is also getting really good at posing for pictures..he's a ham for sure!