4 Friends Party

There are four precious little girls in Ryland's class that have birthdays within days of each other.  Their moms got together and decided to have a birthday play date to celebrate together.  We all had a great time playing outside.  The big hit of the afternoon was the pink Jeep.  The girls took a turn riding while the boys helped push. 

 

Their dad would be so proud - his two blonde boys in a pink Barbie Jeep.

Dishwasher

I heard a ton of laughter in the kitchen, so I peeked around the corner to see what was going on.  I found Reed climbing in the dishwasher.  Ryland was standing right beside him, and they both were laughing hysterically.  Oh brother!

Window watching

Do you ever have that feeling that someone is watching you?  I walked out to check the mail this afternoon, and I had a weird feeling that I was being watched.  I looked up to the little gameroom window and saw Ryland looking out.  It kind of startled me a bit, and he grinned from ear to ear.  My little crazy observer.

Legos

I caught the sweetest moment between Ryland and Reed this afternoon.  Ryland was putting his new Legos together, and Reed was intently watching.  They were in a serious conversation about where the pieces go.  Ryland would ask for a specific piece, and Reed would hand him something.  It wasn't always the right piece, so there was a little giggling too.  I love watching them learn and play together.

Friends

It is crawfish season, so it was time to gather some friends for a little crawfish boil.  The grown ups had a great time laughing and chatting while the little ones played late into the night. 

Reed is a total ladies man and prefers the older women.  He loved on Gracie and Anna.

 

The boys wanted to climb and play all over the sofas, but they eventually wore down to watch a movie.

 

They all ended up caving to a movie.  Gotta love when the lights go out and Cars comes on.

 

Miss Leah Claire wasn't quite ready to call it a night.  She hung out with the moms - really she hung out with Cooper.  They are big buddies.

More party fun

We are right in the middle of birthday season.  Ryland's friend, Lila, turned four, so it was back to Jump for Fun for a bit more jumping with friends.  Almost the entire class from Ryland's school was there to have fun and run wild.

Big Boy Bed

Reed is such a big boy, so it was time to move him to a twin bed.  John Chris and I were pretty nervous about the adjustment. Our thoughts were confirmed when he refused to use the stool and instead climbed over the rail to get in the bed. 

He was more than excited to try out his new bed and couldn't stop giggling.  He did great and slept the whole night with only one short time of crying when he woke up.  Our baby boy is growing up so quickly. 

 

Party fun

 

Reed was invited to his friend, Ava's, second birthday party at Paradise Pond.  It was the first party for one of his friends, but he didn't know the difference.  Ryland was invited as well since he is buddies with Ava's big brother, Colton. They both played and had a total blast. Paradise Pond is a favorite hang out since they have so many fun things to do inside. 

 

Masks

While Reed took an afternoon nap, Ryland and I made masks.  Ever since he wore out his Mardi Gras mask, he has wanted another one, so I suggested we make our own.  We used bright paper, stickers, and markers to create a cool superhero mask.  Ryland wore his all afternoon, and put it on his dresser before bed to make sure it was "in a safe place". 



Perot Museum

The Perot Museum opened a few months ago, and I have been looking forward to taking the boys.  It was cold and rainy, so it was the perfect day to play inside.  The children's area was awesome.  It is complete with a camping area, building site, art station, and lots more.

 

 

After having a ton of fun in the children's area, we went upstairs to check out the cool permanent displays.  Reed was impressed with the dinos, and he couldn't stop talking about how big they were.

 

Ryland's favorite area was the exhibition on space.  He was completely amazed and didn't want to leave.  It had been a few hours of exploring, so Reed was about to melt down.  It was hard to pull them out of the museum.  As soon as we loaded the truck and pulled out of the parking garage, Ryland asked when we could come back. 

Invitations

Reed's birthday is quickly approaching, so it was time to get started on party planning.  I started working on the invitations today while the boys played.  We are having a carnival/circus party, which is pretty fitting for our day to day life.

 

Happy Valentine's Day

Ryland and Reed are all about hugs and love today!

 

MOPPETS Performance

 

The older MOPPETS showed off their musical talents after our meeting.  The children sang and did choreographed hand movements for all the moms to see what they have been learning.  It was pretty much organized chaos but adorable.  Ryland really wasn't interested in participating, and I don't think Broadway will be calling anytime soon.  On the way home, I asked why he didn't participate, and he said his arms were just too tired. 

Makes complete sense to me. 

Imagination

As I emptied boxes in the office, the boys would grab them for their "toy workshop" in the foyer.  At one point they had every toy from the family room cabinets on the floor behind a line of boxes.  They laughed and chatted together about their work. I love their imaginations playing together.

Superhelper

Once again the caped hero is offering assistance.  Ryland ran into my office with his cape and Superman sunglasses and wanted to know what he could help with.  He was too cute, so I couldn't say no.  He helped shred, stack, and organize papers for about 10 minutes before he remembered other "missions".

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.



Party time

Ryland, Reed, and I jumped and partied for a few hours to celebrate Jackson's fourth birthday.  It was great fun and a real workout for me to keep up with my boys. 

I giggled at this picture because they look like twins on the far right side.

Haulin'

The things I get myself into...I call my SUV and truck, and today it did a little tree haulin.  20 manzanita branches with help of 2 little helpers.  No problem.

Mardi Gras Superheroes

The boys came to my rescue dressed in the cutest outfits.  Ryland told me they were Mardi Gras Superheroes.  I had to think of something fast that I needed help with.  I would tell the superheroes that I couldn't find something, and they would rush off to find it on a special mission.  I love their imaginations!

Office progress

Repairing my office has turned into a bigger project that is taking much longer than I originally thought.  Since everything is out of the cabinets and bookshelves, I am taking the time to sort and organize all our junk.

The granite was installed, and I am thrilled with how it turned out.  The painted wood surface has been horrible to clean and maintain, so I am excited to have it all removed.  Finished photos to come soon.



Finished Valentines

It feels like we have been working on crayon hearts for a long time, but I am so glad we got an early start on them.  Ryland and Reed have adorable handmade treats for all their classmates.  Happy coloring with love!

 

Blondes

Ryland loves to play photographer, and he has figured out how to take pictures of himself with my iphone.  This evening he caught all the blondes piled up cuddling.

Front page

We spent the morning on the back porch talking, relaxing, and browsing through the paper.  I looked all through the promotional pages, when John Chris handed me the front page.  There was my mom with her hands up and yelling for beads.  What!  Crazy!

Mardi Gras

We celebrated Mardi Gras in Shreveport with family, and we had a blast.  It was fun to show the boys a little Louisiana heritage.  Aunt Emily bought them Mardi Gras shirts and masks, and their dad purchased glowing swords/wands.

 

Once the parade arrived, it was party time.  Ryland and I staked out a spot on the front row, and we started yelling for beads.  Reed and John Chris stayed a few steps behind, and Reed enjoyed a spot on Dad's shoulders. 

We had so much fun and want to come back next year.  Thanks to Aunt Emily and Uncle Jeffery for letting us stay with them and showing us a great time!