We are homeowners again

Our new home!

We are absolutely thrilled that we found such a great place to call home, and we are looking forward to renovating and moving in soon. The house needs some work, but it is in a great neighborhood with exemplary schools.

Softball game

John Chris had a softball game this evening, and Ryland and I tagged along to cheer. Ryland had a blast and was such a busy body. I had to hold him off the field, because he wanted to go with Daddy.
Ryland loved the dug out. He thought he was a part of the team.

Yelling at the ref.

Suckers

How do you keep a toddler happy for a little bit while you load a POD?

This moving experience has been pretty hard with a little one running around. We figured out that a sucker can do amazing things.

Talking on the cell phone

Ryland loves to "talk" on the cell phone. He puts it up to his ear and says, hello.
We thought is would be funny if John Chris called him. It was hilarious, because he started chatting away.

Empty kitchen cabinets

The kitchen cabinets are finally empty, and Ryland was the inspector. He thought is was fun to climb in and have a drink.

Playing in boxes

Who needs toys when you can play in boxes? Another fun and entertaining night of packing.

Has anyone seen Ryland? Where did he go?

Outdoor concert

We went to an outdoor concert in Southlake Town Square this evening, and it was nice to get out of the house and enjoy some fresh air. Ryland and Harker thought the blankets were fun for about 5 minutes, and then it was time to run around.
Ryland was a dancing machine. He wanted to run and dance.
Ryland kept running to the front of the crowd. Right in front of the stage there were about 150 chairs set up, and that is where he wanted to be. In the mosh pit.
Don't hold me back dad. I am ready to dance.
After running and dancing in the heat for hours, Ryland is finally starting to run out of energy. I am completely done at this point. Worn out! We had a great time, and Ryland slept like a baby.

We are no longer homeowners!

The deal is done! Our house is sold. We just received word from our agent that the funding has been processed, and the transaction is complete. John Chris and I are both overwhelmed with happiness and excitement. The stress we have been experiencing over the past few weeks is over. It is time to celebrate!

Packing begins

We spent most of the late afternoon and early evening at the title company. We needed to go ahead and sign all of the documents today before the purchaser traveled back home to England. It was very awkward meeting the person who is purchasing your home. She kept thanking us for selling our home to her. I was like, no thank you. We signed all the documents, and we will just wait on funding tomorrow.

Since all the documents were signed, we started packing the guest bedroom. It will be the easiest room to pack, and we plan on stacking all the boxes in this room as we go. We hope that this will keep the house somewhat normal until moving day comes.

Ryland couldn't figure out how to climb over the bed rail, so I showed him how to crawl under. He just had to be right there by my side to help.

He was so proud of himself, and he is happy to help pack all our stuff. The boxes and tape are a ton of fun.

Graduated swim school

Ryland had his last swim class tonight, and I am kind of glad it is over. I feel that he has learned to play more in the water, but the past couple of weeks have been a scream fest. He now knows when he has to go under water, and he doesn't want to participate. When we start singing the little song where they come to us off the wall, he goes nuts.
He has had fun playing with the other kids, and I feel more confident about what to do to help him relax and have more fun in the pool. Congrats, Ryland, you graduated Waterbabies.

Safari Park

Ryland and I checked out a new place to play. We met the moms' group at Safari Park, and it was awesome. The indoor play place has a train, miniature golf, motorized animals, and lots of toys!
We climbed to the top of the ball pit to take in the view. This place is so much fun!

Head first sliding. A great idea until you bump your head. Ryland is still a dare devil, and he thought it was much more fun sliding this way. The tears didn't last long after he bumped his head. He cried a bit and then right back at it.

Riding the horse - standing up

No mom, I am not riding the horse while standing up. I am just standing on the horse. I promise.

Look dad, I am riding the horse while standing up. Isn't this cool? Don't tell mom.

Building a blanket fort

What tops off the perfect family Friday night? A blanket fort, of course. John Chris mentioned building a fort a couple weeks back, but with everything that has been going on we just haven't found the time. After swimming, grilling, and playing, we all gathered blankets, sheets, and pillows in the upstairs den. Ryland thought the sofa with no pillows was pretty cool, and he was convinced that it was now a trampoline.

Dad started draping the sheets for the roof of the fort, while Ryland played peek a boo.

Explanation for this picture. Ryland loves any kind of cord, cable, wire, etc. We keep extra computer cables, phone chargers, and so on in a basket in the entertainment center. Ryland has found this basket of fun and loves to empty the basket and walk around with one of the cables. So odd, and I promise the child has toys. He just thinks the cables are more fun. We only let him play with them while he is with us, and I plan on hiding the basket.

Fort building was a success. Ryland is one happy little boy that can't stop giggling.

Wednesday fun

Guess where we are? Yep, the library for Wednesday story time. Ryland poses by the tree trunk.
He knows where the cat is, and he really thinks the cat is funny today. Meow! Or maybe he thinks my noises are funny.

Tired yet? Keep playing until you are kiddo. He loves the indoor play area. He likes for me to knock on the clear plastic. He hears my knocking and will peak up and scare me.

Closing delay

Yes, our house closing has been delayed. John Chris and I are pretty stressed and feeling it. The purchaser is missing some original documents for her loan, so we now have to sit and wait. This whole process is extremely draining and difficult. We hope to close next Thursday, August 19. Come on St. Joseph. You can do it!

In the toy box

A few quick snapshots of Ryland being silly. He dropped his water sippy in the toy box, and he climbed in to dig it out. He wasn't so happy about it at first, but then he decided it was fun.

Leveling the fridge

Our fridge doors were not level, so the two handymen decided to attempt to fix the problem. I feel good knowing that Ryland is there to supervise John Chris, but I think he is more interested in the flashlight.

The doors are level, and the trim is going back. I don't see any leftover parts, so I think we are in good shape. Thanks guys!

Splash pad

We can't get enough of the splash pad. It is the perfect place to cool off on a hot day. Ryland had a blast as always, but I did notice him taking other kids' toys. He loved filling the bucket and then dumping it on himself. I plan on bringing toys for him next time.

Library party

We participated in the summer reading program at our local library. To celebrate the success of the program, the library hosted a party. The theme was "Bank on Books", and the mascot was Oink the pig. Being a very dramatic pig, Oink decided to enter the party on one of the new firetrucks with the siren turned on.

Ryland was more impressed with the siren than the pig. He just sat back and played with his new stuffed snake he was just given. Whatever pig.

It isn't an awesome party unless there are animals. At the end of the street, there was a petting zoo. Ryland had a great time chasing the little goats and petting them.

I was just waiting for a burst of something. He just looks like he is devising a plan. "Gentle" was the key word I kept repeating. "Play gentle."

As if it wasn't hot enough for the animals and the kids, there was also a trailer. These poor animals need a raise.

Or a better attorney.

Anyone up for a little Electric Slide? It looks like Oink is going to bust a move at any moment.

Ryland scoots to the dance floor to show them up. The child loves to dance, and he jams out. We finish off the evening with cherry snow cones. Pure bliss!

Story time & Chick-fil-A

It's Wednesday, and it is time for story time at the library.

We have been working on learning animal names. Ryland is picking up on some of the names and/or noises. He pointed at several of them on the mural. He still loves ducks and dogs the most.

After story time, we headed to Chick-fil-A again for a bite and some more playing. Ryland is getting pretty quick at climbing, so this is a better option than my coffee table at home.