Town Square

I love Southlake Town Square.  It is wonderful to have a beautiful place to enjoy with family and friends.  Today we had a special story time at the library for our play group and then played in the park area by the fountain.

I feel very fortunate to live in such a wonderful area.  It seems like there is always something going on in Town Square, and it is always kid friendly.  When I moved to TX ten years ago, I never would have guessed  that I could find such a wonderful place to live and have a family.  It is a little utopia.

Play group

We met at Gateway for play group today, and it was quickly obvious all the boys were in crazy mode.  They were climbing, jumping, and running laps.  They are normally pretty well behaved, but today was total hyper drive for them all.  Watch out!

 

Art workshop

 

Our play group met at a Southlake art studio to create a masterpiece.  The workshop was Valentine themed and created the perfect gift for Dad.  The boys traced hearts and painted with watercolor and glitter paints.

 

The art studio had a beautiful view of a field with two horses and a very friendly dog relaxing by the door.  He was a huge hit with the kids, and as soon as they caught sight of him, the art wasn't as interesting for the boys.



Racing at play group

We had a great morning racing with our play group friends.  We all met at an indoor racetrack with battery operated vehicles.  The children weren't always the best drivers, but they had a blast.  Ryland cruised around in Lighting McQueen chasing his friends.

Reed didn't have any luck getting a car, so we played and snacked.  He was a trooper, but he wasn't interested in just riding.  If he couldn't drive, he wasn't going to participate.  He did like wearing a helmet and screaming "GO" at the fence.



Playgroup

We were all very excited to see our play group friends and get back into the "groove".  This Monday we met at the indoor playground at Gateway church.  The boys love this place mainly for the mechanical rides.  No need to bring quarters, because the rides are plugged in and go, and go, and go. 

Last day with Brown Bear

Brown Bear's last adventure with Ryland was our weekly play group.  Today we made "My Little Soles" items for Christmas.  I selected a plate with the boys' footprints as reindeer heads with a cute strand of lights.  I can't wait to see how it turns out!

 

Play group Halloween party

Our Monday play group celebrated Halloween in style.  It was a huge group of moms and dressed up kiddos, so we had a blast. 

 

 

The boys were adorable firemen ready to put out a fire or rescue a cat in a tree.

 

The boys loved playing with this four wheeler, but the ground was a little too wet for the wheels to grip.  They took turns helping each other when they were stuck.  Such sweethearts sometimes.

Jump Street

Our Monday play group met at the newly opened Jump Street.  It was absolutely awesome!  Ryland and Reed had blast jumping around with their friends, and they were completely worn out after two hours.

 

Ride with Pride

 

Today was the first Monday playgroup we have attended in several weeks.  We met our friends at Ride with Pride to enjoy a beautiful morning with the animals.  Pony rides were the highlight of the morning for most of the kids, but Ryland wasn't interested in riding.  He said he just wanted to watch, so I didn't push it.

 

Reed loved all the horses, but I couldn't get him near one for a picture.  He wanted to laugh and point, but he definitely wasn't begging to go for a ride. 

 

The horses were so calm, and it was obvious they were looking for some handouts.  As soon as you got close to them, they went for your hand.  I was happy to see Ryland at least touch one of the horses.

 

We headed over to the fish pond next, so the kids could give enormous amounts of food to the massive catfish.   

 

I was finally able to catch Reed smile.  He enjoyed pushing the glider and chunking fish food into the pond.  We finished off the fun morning with a little stick horse riding around the barrels.  It was great to be back with our friends.

Play group at the spash pad

Our play group met at the splash pad to enjoy some fun in the sun and water.  The boys had a blast playing with their friends and getting wet.  The splash pad is one of our favorite places to spend a summer day.  Hopefully, we will be able to enjoy it all summer without water restrictions this year!

Fountain Fun

Our play group met at Barnes & Noble for story time. After attempting to contain the energy of our three year olds and a few younger ones, we headed out to the fountain area for snacks. The kids loved the fountain. It started off with them sitting on the edge and quickly turned into all the moms trying to keep them out of the fountain. They had a great time sticking their heads in the spraying water and getting wet.

Reed wanted in on the fun, but I refused to let him sit on the edge. Instead we played chase for a little while and then I held him while he touched the water. Fun times at Town Square fountain!

Hannah's birthday party

One of our friends in play group, Hannah, had her third birthday party today at Gymboree. Ryland and I were excited to go play. The kiddos had a blast playing, climbing, and dancing.
The parachute and bubbles are always the best. Gosh, this really made me realize how big he is. We haven't been to Gymboree in so long. I remember bringing him when he couldn't even walk, and now he is running all over the place. Time flies when you're having fun!

Sip'n See

I co-hosted a Sip'n See in honor of the sweet new girls in our playgroup. I thought it was pretty humorous that they spent the morning sleeping in their carriers on the kitchen counter. Jewel and Parker were oblivious that the party was for them.
It was nice to see all the pink in the house for a change. The pink cake was absolutely delicious! We had a great time eating and visiting while the kids played. It was really nice to kick back and enjoy each other's company without distractions.

Artie's Playhouse

Since it is the beginning of Spring Break, a nearby children's theater ran plays all week. Our Monday playgroup decided we would meet up to enjoy it together. This was our second visit to Artie's, and once again Ryland loved it. The play was based on the Aladdin story, and the child actors did a fantastic job acting and singing.

Before the show got started, the announcer laid the ground rules and asked if there were any birthdays for the week. Ryland and I raised our hands to let him know Ryland's was Sunday. There were two other kids with birthdays, so the announcer asked them all to come up on stage. Ryland refused. He wanted me to go up there with him. I told him I would, but then he insisted I hold him. The crowd started singing, and Ryland started whining. I passed off Reed to my friend, Kramer, who was sitting beside us, and we headed to the front. We got to the stage stairs right at the last verse. Total drama!

Ryland sat in his seat munching on popcorn and cookies while he watched the play. He got a little nervous about Jafar, but he was pleased with the ending when "they got that mean guy". He really enjoys coming to the plays, and I love to see him get excited about the music.

Reed was all over the place for the last 30 minutes of the show. He would climb up me and then throw his head back. He wanted down to walk around and pat on the heads of people in front of us. I had to carry him out because he refused to sit in my lap. Balancing two gets a little tricky sometimes, but my frustration is well worth the joy it brings.

Play group fun

Our play group met at the new Gateway church's indoor playground. It was such a cool place. It was enclosed so the kiddos couldn't escape, and it was full of fun stuff. Reed enjoyed climbing on the baby tree and chatting with his friend, Johnathan.

Ryland and the older ones took turns riding the train, firetruck, and boat. After riding for about 45 minutes, Ryland decided to climb, slide, and run around. It was hard to pull the boys away, but they were completely worn out when we left.

Playing in the sand

Our play group met at Bicentennial Park to have some fun in the sunny, warmer weather. Ryland was most concerned about the park having a sand box, so he could play with his tractors. When we arrived at the park, we found a huge sand box. It even had a digger. Ryland and Harker took turns digging and scooping the sand. One of them would push sand in the bucket, and the other one would dump it out with the handles. Their friend, Natalie, got in on the fun for a second, but decided it wasn't that great. I was amazed that even though there was a huge wooden play castle with slides, Ryland wasn't interested. He was very much into sand, dirt, and his tractors.

Cooking class

Every Monday Ryland and I meet up with a group of other moms and kids for a play group. All of our kids are within a few months of each other, so it has been fun to watch them grow and learn together. It also has been really nice to develop friendships with the other moms.

The group has grown since we have added second babies and a few new moms. We have started spending more time together without the little ones too.

We had an awesome night together for a cooking class. A chef taught us about preparing and cooking for our families. He demonstrated a few techniques, and he gave us the opportunity to taste the creations. The food was great, but the company was better. We spent hours talking, laughing, and drinking together. It was an evening of fun.

Playgroup at Bass Pro Shop

Our play group headed to Bass Pro Shop to enjoy the Christmas festivities for children. John Chris was off work, so he stayed home with Reed. It was great time for me and Ryland to be silly and have fun.

Ryland rode a reindeer on the carousel.
Ryland and his friends check out all the huge fish.

I thought this moment was so sweet. Ryland and Trent sitting on the rock watching the duck, until I saw them throwing bark at the poor duck.

No fear! Ryland climbed right up to pose for a picture with the big bear.

The store had a large setup of Christmas toys by Santa. Ryland was very interested in the train set.

I knew the fun was over when Ryland started getting a little fussy and rubbing his eyes. He wanted to pet the shark, but then he was too tired to actually reach out his arm.

Play group at Botanical Garden

Our play group met at the Botanical Garden today. All the kids had a blast playing with the pumpkins and on the playground.
Who can lift the heavy pumpkins?

Reed and Keaton check out the big fish.

The fish started swimming to us when they noticed the treats we had. They loved the Rice Crispy treats.

Reed enjoys the pumpkins, too.

Harker and Ryland smile for the camera.

Then they start climbing the statue. They ended the morning by rolling in the wet grass. It was time to head home for a dry change of clothes.

Aquarium round 2

Our play group headed to the aquarium in Grapevine again today. It was only a few weeks ago when we made our first trip. The kids loved it, so we made another trip. Ryland knew what to expect this time around, and he didn't seem as impressed. He refused to stop and really look at anything, and I eventually realized a picture just wasn't going to happen.
Ryland's mission was to look at the sharks and get to the end of the tour where there was a playground. I attempted to explain that he could play anytime, but he was having fun. He did touch the starfish and check out the crabs on this visit. They are set up in tanks at the end with an instructor that explains what they are and what they do. Pretty cool!