Rewind: April AND May

So let's rewind shall we to catch up on all I have neglected these few months.

Mid- April we had a family wedding in nowhere KS. But the hotel we stayed at was super nice {amenity wise}. And may I add that the kids view staying in any hotel as a major vacation. HA!

 Weddings are fun, but oh so boring to the kids; until the reception. Bring on the dancing and cake and they are happy. Actually we didn't get to stay long because they were running on empty and getting a tad cranky. Of course once we get back to the hotel room they are bouncing off the walls. MW was quite the comedian as we were all trying to go to sleep.

I hope they are always friends.

Look out word a crime fighting duo is on the prowl!

Who sleeps like this?!

I found this app called little hoots. A fun way to capture my "kids say the darnedest things" series. 

What can I say he is my little buddy. I have really loved all the time we get alone while sister is at school this year. It is our bonding time. He is a tad crazy and loves me fiercely, but I wouldn't trade him for the world.

I love her face. She went through a phase of wearing her hair like this. I have no idea where she learned this style but she rocked it. But she is growing up way too fast.

An impromptu picnic with friends at the park.

My mom wanted to take the kids to HOME. We don't have cable, so I don't see commercials and never know what movies are out. I wasn't sure what this movie was about and if we would even like it; but it was good. No Big Hero 6 in my book, but close the message of friendship was fantastic. Two thumbs up from the kids.

Our church did an amazing "Thank You" night for their Kidzworld volunteers at All Star sports. It's has several rides and we as a church group got to have free run. The kids loved it. It was a beautiful night for KS and a great night to ride rides and hang with friends!

Me and the girls on the Tilt a Whirl! Our favorite!!

Lo and MW school of beauty is now open. Daddy was their first satisfied client. 

Ah, gymnastics. It takes over my life in the spring with meets nearly every weekend. This is one of our gym tees and I hate t-shirts unless they are fitted. I learned this little trick from pinterest last year to fix all Lo's over-sized school tees and tried it on mine. NAILED IT. Basically you just lay a fitted tee you like on top, mark it, and then sew down the line, cut off the excess material {make a headband for your daughter out of it}. Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy. Tips: use a triple stretch stitch AND sew a little wider than your marks so there is more give. The end.

This daughter of mine. I love her. She got this from reading Audrey Bunny by Angie Smith. Amazing book and lesson!! Clearly my baby girl latched on.

Gymnastic meet "coma." All weekend long meets =exhaustion. But I love my job and the impact the girls have on me and sometimes I have on them. It is a blessing.

One day, well, actually since we moved in I wanted a new look for my living room. I was over the "country bumpkin" look as my husband loving refers to it as. BUT, there were more important things to do, update and spend $$ on. However, after 8+ years of the same living room, I got a spark under me and just took it all down. I thought 1). I will never be "inspired" with all of this still on the walls and 2). I am getting pretty good at tweaking and re-decorating with no money and stuff I have around the house. So here we go...I wanted a window pane for a focal point, but didn't know where on earth I would find one for a reasonable price...so I got to thinking about my frame collection that I hoard keep and decided I would just make one. So I did.

I even notched those flat "dowel" rods to make the grid. NAILED IT. I then sprayed painted the glass with looking glass spray paint to make it a mirror. Cost ~$9 {$8 of which was the spray paint!!}

There is more to come, but I am proud of how it is coming along with very minimal money spent. I feel like I am coming into my own on the decorating front and finding my "style" if you will. Each room tends to hold a lot of similar patterns and colors/hues, so I guess that is a good thing.

One Friday Lo was out of school, so we took advantage of our zoo membership. We all love the giraffes! Again another beautiful day in KS. Perfect zoo weather.

This photo cracks me up...the Giraffe is photo bombing us. HA!

My two favorite guys reading together! MW chose reading a book over TV. You have no idea how HUGE this is. HUGE!!!

My little gymnastic buddy now along with his favorite gymnastic bear. HA!

Happy Mother's Day to me! Being a mom is just about the greatest thing I have ever done in my life. I love these two so much. It's been 6 years, and I am still in awe that Chad and I made them. They are such a part of us each in so many ways it is frightening. A huge thank you to my MIL for taking the kids over night so I could get the day "off" to just do whatever, whenever. I ended up crafting the afternoon away! It was bliss. Then the next morning Chad got up early and got me QT coffee and breakfast, it's my favorite--aside from Scooter's but apparently they can't be asked to be open by 730a!

Last Tues we took in a WSU Shocker baseball game. Chad was gifted the tix for teacher appreciation week and since it was my only day off all week we took full advantage. MW was only there for the popcorn. We weren't able to stay the whole time but had a great family night none the less.

Lo: Micah you are a red head. Protect your head!! Protect your head!! 

A moment of sibling love!!

Wow. Long post.
I found this note while cleaning up Lo's room. You know while she is at school and can't intervene as I toss out 100 papers she has scribbled on. This is the first thing I have seen that she sounded out words on her own!! This was something I wasn't sure she was capable of yet.  It says : "Do Not Touch my number without Leighton's permission." I had to ask. And then she proceeded to tell me that even if we did ask she would tell us "no." HA!

Friday night we had Pre-Team and Team tryouts. Leighton was so nervous. See aforementioned fear of new situations and change in previous post. After I bribed her with Braum's if she would stop crying, mostly so I could do my job, she tried out. It was basically just a regular practice, but we moved through all the events with specific skills in mind that we would check off. Based on what we saw the coached would decide where they would fit best. Lo was already on pre-team so the next step is team. I was unsure and still am if she is truly ready, but technically skill wise she is...big decisions. She was most excited about getting a medal last night! I am proud of her and she has been working hard. As an added bonus I may get to coach her next year...not sure if that is good or bad?!?! HA!

Finally, Saturday we went to Stearman's for a grad party. It is an air strip/hanger/burger joint. When we arrived there was an Army Helicoptor parked outside and then were loading up. So naturally we had to watch it take off. The kids thought it was super cool and loud.

And that concludes our REWIND. Super long, and if you made it to the end YAY!!! Maybe next month I will get it together better?! Yeah, don't hold your breath. HA!

Tanganyika 2014

A few weeks ago as per our tradition we made it to Tanganyika. And by we I mean everyone but me. I spent my summer inside the YMCA gymnastic center. Grandma Rachel, Chad and the kids seemed to have a great time. I wish I had an interesting anecdote about their trip, but alas nothing. Here is the trip in pictures. Of course my fav. The giraffes.

Doesn't this baby look just like a stuff animal?! So adorable!!

Finally after 3 or 4 years Lo held a Lemur!! No freaking out and crying, sort of wish I was there to witness this milestone.

Until next year and maybe next year I can go along too. :)

Summer Round-up {Pt 2}

It is my goal to:

Now while that quote is all about fitness, it applies to my who life. I have turned into the excuse queen lately--some are totally legit, but none the less they are excuses. I have sorted just been spinning my wheels this summer and now that summer is nearing the end I find myself struggling for routine and consistency. I have let lots of things go---which in some ways has been good for me {ie letting Chad have complete control and reign over being Mr. Mom and staying out of it} in other ways it is slowly killing me to give up control and lack a personal routine. So the above is my new motto.

I want to get back to blogging and scrapbooking again. I am looking forward to having a bit more free time come this fall?!?! But then I thought that about my summer schedule. HA!

So here is what we have been up to lately. Not a lot really, just a lot of fun daddy time.
Daddy has been so fun and awesome in taking the kids to toddler time. Mommy usually stops by after work and picks up MW since he hasn't been a fan of swimming until about a week ago.

We did find time to sneak in a family zoo trip. It was a lovely lovely day. Honestly we have had a very mild summer in comparison to the last 2-3 with 100+ days for the entire month of July.

They each brought their favorite zoo lovies.

Being a bear.

I may have mention this 1 or 27x but seriously! God' greatest creature.

I am just going to throw in the 4th of July pics here. I forgot our real camera. While I am glad to have an iPhone now the photos aren't the same.
4th of july pedis.

My cousins and their families invited us over for a BBQ and swim fun for the kids. Lo is the only girl, but she can hold her own with the boys.

Water balloon fight. Auntie Meg is the best.

Fireworks.

This boy and his loves!!!

They love this jeep thing. Both just cruised and cruised.

After we drove home watching the most wonderful firework displays all around us we sat outside and watched our neighbors go crazy. MW was a tad less than thrilled. HA!

Then a bit of sparkler fun for us, with our annual firework dance.

This is a lovely picture I know--just capturing my weekend on worship team. I love to sing and lead worship, but my vocals are really struggling as of late. I have been suffering with laryngitis off and on for months. Coaching gymnastics and singing just don't blend. I am scheduled to get my throat scoped in a few weeks to see if my worst fear of nodes comes true. {Always makes me think of Pitch Perfect when I say that, but it IS true!}

MW and I doing vocal warm-ups. Lip bubbles.

My cousin and sister are doing this!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. It's been 2.5 weeks and I am already seeing some good results.

Pool time.

My sister is a film student graduate and she was doing her final project and of course yours truly was in it again. I have mad acting skillz what can I say. HA! This is her friend and she dressed up like a boy {who was really a girl pretending to be a boy...} It was shocking.

This kid.

The boy princess...turned

into a pirate. Their imaginations crack me up.

Grandma Rachel took us to the 3 Little Pigs Picnic in the park. I love these little theater shows as do the kids. So fun!!

Dinner time antics. Or Super Dinner as Lo calls it.

Teaching her doll some 'nastics.

And finally my first fruit of my labor. Our garden is finally taking off. I already have big{ger} plans for next year. We may just til up the whole backyard!!

If you made it to the end thanks! This completes this installment of iPhone round-up.