Busy Kids

Gymnastics:

(on St. Patrick's day and also Silas' Spring Break)

Parks:

Ice Cream:

Friends:

This doll is Chaille's best buddy.  She carried it with her EVERYWHERE.  It is usually under her arm.  However, this morning they were "practicing" pottying together.  The little high chair that she has the doll in here is actually from Grandma Darlene's house.  Chaille took it out the door without asking.  I made her ask permission, and since we had walked over, this is how baby made it to our house:

I felt so cool, like the mother in denial that I'll never have another "baby" in that stroller :O)  Oh well, anything for my princess!  Here's another picture of her and her best buddy (and the stolen high chair):

Daddy Date Night:

Silas had a date night with Daddy over his spring break.  They went to The Bears Den for supper, to Walmart to buy the DS game he earned with his chore points, to the bowling alley to play 2 games, and for ice cream on the way home.  Steve shared pictures from his phone:

And Just Playing Around:

Already!?!

Oh, boy, I thought I was experiencing the beginning of the stage where my children use inappropriate words already.... But it ended up pretty humorous.  Here was the first conversation:

Avery:  MOM!!! Silas said the "A" word!!!!
Me:  What!?!  Silas, what did you say???
Silas: NOTHING!
Me: Avery, what did he say?
Avery: "aint"
Me: Bahahaha.... Oh, well that's ok.

From here it has happened 3 other times.  So, just so that you know, in our house:

The D word, which Silas also said.... "died"
The H word, which Silas made up... "happy"
And just this morning, Avery said Silas used the "F" word..... "fat"

Is this parenting thing fun, or what?  I pray these types of words are the worst of what I hear come out of their mouths.  But I'm not so naive as to believe that this will be the case...

My Best Friends Wedding!

It isn't often that I post here where the kids aren't included.  But, this weekend, the kids stayed with my mom Friday night during the rehearsal, and with Steve's parents Saturday night for the wedding.  It was so nice to be able to be involved in the wedding without trying to play mommy the whole time too.  Melissa and Wes' wedding was very beautiful and it was evident that they are SO happy together.  It was fun to be a part of their special day.  Here are some pictures (thanks, Shelley!... I forgot my camera.):

The bride and me :O)  I love you, Melissa!!!



My BEST, BEST friend!!! :O)



All 4 of us girls!  Lyndsay, me, Melissa, and Shelley.

I'm blessed with so many best friends!!  I love you, Shelley!

Realized I didn't add a groom picture.  So here is Jacob, and his new "daddy," Wes!  They were both so happy for this day to come!!

What is up???

Ok, ok, I'll admit that I've slacked on the blogging!  So, where have we been, what have we been up to??? I'm feeling creative, so instead of typing a whole blog with LOTS of words summing up our last couple of weeks, I'll sum it up in broad terms for you:

Routine
             Family Time!
                                              Baseball sign-ups


                                                             Playing

   Church (finally back to routine.)

                                      Friends 

                                Reading

Dining out (more than I should admit.)


but most importantly:

Having fun together!!!!!!!!

  
                     
                                                          

Wordless Wednesday (from our weekend)

Well Child

Yesterday, Nolan had his 3 year, well-child visit.  He had a GREAT visit and there were no shots and no tears :O)  Chaille went along as well and was WONDERFUL.  I had such a great time with them.  After the doctor, we ran into Big Lots, where they were great shoppers and earned suckers before we left.  Then, we ate at Arby's before picking up Silas.  They were SO much fun.  After Silas got home from school, the boys were able to go help papaw Bobby haul a couple of loads of wood.  Chaille and I made a quick trip to the grocery.  It was a terrific day all around!  Here are some pictures from the doctor's office:

Happily and patiently waiting our turn!

Chaille tried out the toys, but spent most of her time sitting in the chairs.

Waiting on the doctor.  He's 37.5 lbs, 40.5 inches tall, and in the 98th and the 96th percentiles for his age!  We are so proud of our big 3 year old! :O) 

Chaille needed her picture too, even though it wasn't "her" day.  She was so well behaved while Nolan was being checked out.  She'll have her turn in just 3 short months.

A Preview of Spring!

This week we are having very mild temperatures, and we are enjoying a glimpse of what spring will be like!  Every day this week, the children have played outside for several hours.  Today has been the best so far.  It was in the mid-sixties, and I was able to open a few windows and the kids played out until dark.  Daddy brought home pizza, just as it got dark, and we came in and EVERYONE ate well from the appetites that we had worked up out there.  Then, these muddy children had baths!  It has been such a wonderful evening, and we are so anxious for this weather to come and STAY! :O)

Princess is finally big enough to play outside without me standing over her.  She even "played" basketball with her brothers this evening!

Two BIG monkeys playing in the tree.  (Yep the same tree that Silas fell from and broke his wrist!) 

The boys rode bikes.  Here the older two are giving Nolan a head start because he was the "bad guy" and they were the police.  A chase was about to ensue.

I think Nolan was enjoying being the "bad guy!"  He giggled the whole way!

Freeze, police!  He's on the scene!

Avery was playing "shake, shake, shake" with Chaille and she was cracking up!  It was adorable!

She can't make it go yet, but it is HER bike, and she'll let you know it!!!

21 Months

 Chaille turned 21 months on Sunday.  It is so hard to believe that our "baby" is almost 2!  She's got so much personality these days, and I wanted to be sure to document what she is like at this age.  I'm so afraid that I won't remember all of the fun "quirks" of the kids!  So, I'll use pictures to help me here:



This picture sums up a lot of her personality.  She's VERY clingy to mommy, so usually when I'm in the kitchen working, she's either at my feet or sitting on the counter.  She love love loves her jammies and really ALL of her clothing, and she is frequently wearing "layers" of stuff that she insists on putting on.  She also wants shoes on all of the time!  She is a real dress up princess for sure.  And.. She is in love with peanut butter too.  She dips her finger in it and then licks it off. 



She is also IN... TO... EVERYTHING!  Silas failed to eat his carrots for lunch one day, so she helped herself!

Uh oh, caught in the act...

Oh well.  Mommy agreed that carrots were a good snack, so I got to keep eating them! :O)



Chaille is also very cuddly at this age.  She gives the BEST hugs and kisses.  Daddy wouldn't let her go because this hug made him SO SO happy.  He'd have held on forever, if Chaille would have let him!  The jacket she is wearing is her FAVORITE.  I have to hide it from her when I don't want her to wear it, because if she can see it, she MUST be wearing it!



You can tell by the face that she is loving this hug as much as her daddy!

Somedays, I just really wish that they didn't have to keep growing up.  Other days, I love to reflect on the ways that they are maturing and I love  their new "phase"  just as much as the old one.  I know that they MUST grow up, and boy oh boy, is Chaille ever doing so at a fast pace!  She already is starting into 3T clothing and wears size 7 shoes.  I think I can already hear the phone ringing with college recruiters wanting a super tall athlete... :O)  Or maybe I'm just dreaming...

Silly boy.

This afternoon Silas and Nolan were playing a game on the wii, where the objective is to shoot the bad guys on the screen, but be sure NOT to shoot the women who appear.  In between rounds, I hear the following conversation.

Silas: "I'm going to shoot the ladies."
Nolan: "But the ladies are good!"
Silas: "So do you want to marry the ladies?"
Nolan: "They aren't THAT good."

Nolan said it with SUCH tone and emphasis that you would have thought it was a grown man answering.  It was one of those moments when I wished another adult would have heard it... It was HILARIOUS. :O)

Time with Daddy-O!

We had a fun, but busy weekend.  On Friday night we had dinner out as a family, which was very enjoyable.  Then, on Saturday, I had a bridal shower to hostess and to work in the evening.  Daddy-o and the kids went to the movies to see "Gnomeo and Juliet."  Sunday, we went the Grandma Shells to celebrate her birthday.  Afterwards, the older two boys went to Randy and Deb's while Nolan and Chaille went with us to Grandma and Grandpa Fryes.  Nolan was Daddy-O's big helper.  They cleaned up the yard of debris from the winter storms, and then had some fun time together too:

I tried to capture them working outside, but they were on their way in to get a ball and bat!

Nolan LOVED being the only batter and having the pitcher to himself :O)

Nolan said he had two scores.  Daddy said that he had two big hits that they called "homeruns!"