Boys and their toys

We are lucky to have Marc's parents moving down to the great state O' Texas (Dallas) and are now blessed to see them more often. Inevitably the boys beg grandpa to play this pterodactyl game on his computer and they watch for as long as he will play. What I think is great is that they don't beg to play it themselves...they just love to watch him. I'm sure this will change in the near future but for now I love their simple pleasures!

Six already???

Sleeping in a tent for his birthday wish! Matching PJs are obviously so overrated!
Good buddies!
Nothing like making smores in 90 degree weather!
The simple things in life. Why can't legos solve all the world's problems?

I can't believe my baby boy is 6! When he started kinder I felt old...but he is almost 10 already. That is crazy. I narrowly avoided yet another Star Wars party by proposing a camping party. A little worried that his guests would not know all of his interests...we called it his "Camping Star Wars Legos" party. It was a busy weekend...I got really sick and was laid out two days before his party. I nearly called it of the day before but around 4 pm started to feel miraculously better. So, I got to work making a cake and day pack party favors for all the kiddos. I sewed until 11 and then decided to call it quits. We, meaning Marc, pitched a huge and awesome tent (on loan by my parents) in the back...set up a fire pit for smores and waited for the good times to commence.
I thought the party was a hit. We went for a nature scavenger hunt in the greenbelt behind our house and "bombed" some mosquitoes with water balloons. It was lots of fun. I think the tent was the best part. The kids just wanted to do everything in there.
Of course M got some sweet things...tops were his lego X Wing Fighter and a trampoline from all his grandparents for the back yard! AHHH...let the good times roll!

Why not?

Why can't everyone wear tutus?

First Family Race

One of my close friends organized a 5 K for the daughter of a friend of hers who had a brain tumor at 3 months of age. The story of how it all came about is heart warming. My friend, Jessica, is really inspiring and we wanted to support all of her awesomeness and crazy efforts to put this on (all the while battling serious morning sickness).
We all signed up and did the race as a family. It was nice to do something like this together but was also a good teaching moment for me and the boys. After we completed the race, Mackay and I went over near the finish line where some of the bigger kids were congregated. One of the boys made a comment about wanting to see who was going to be last and they all started laughing. Mackay then made a not-so-positive comment about a larger woman who was coming across the finish line. What ensued was a great talk about things we say out loud to people and also thinking about what we are saying and about the other person. It was one of those parenting moments when you feel like they really got it.

A Beautiful Day

Couldn't skip over such a beautiful day. My baby sis, Melissa, married Erick Avila in the Houston temple today. It was a beautiful ceremony, a stunning bride and handsome groom, yummy food and a fun party to boot. Congrats and best wishes for every happiness life has to offer!

Easter

We headed down to my parent's house for our last holiday together for a little while. Cory and his family came down for the wedding early, Adam was still home preparing to leave for boot camp and Julie and Jimmy are in TX now... so we were only missing the love birds who arrived the following week.
We had lots of fun with the cousins. Lots of playing and nature walks with grandma. We also discovered that E is a beef jerky kind of girl. It kind of makes me want to throw up in my mouth because I can't even handle the smell of it...but, hey, whatever makes her happy!

The Happiest Place on Earth

With Aunt Betty and sweet Great Grandma Cookie.
Epic castle

It's a Small World afterall got a facelift since the last time I was here!

Let me just say that Walt Disney was right, it is the happiest place on earth. For spring break we took the trek to Florida to take Marc...I mean, the kiddos to Disney World. I really worried that they were not old enough and that they wouldn't be big enough to ride most things...but those fears were quickly dispersed after the first day (thanks to all the hugeness genes, M could ride everything he wanted and B could ride most things).
Yes, it is true...the drive was heinous...but I'd venture to say that it was worth it. We spent three days at the various parks, saw Aunt Betty and Great Grandma Cookie (a real treat!!) and also went to the beach in Destin on the way home. The kids were wonderfully well-behaved and didn't get too cranky despite our packed days and late nights. It was so fun to watch their faces and see them overcome fears. M went on almost all the biggest roller coasters. Ultimately he said that his favorite was Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain. He wasn't a big fan of the ones that were way too loud and/or dark.
True to his personality...B took right to roller coasters. To see his expression while on Thunder Mountain, you'd think he was in company with Santa, the Easter Bunny and trick or treating all at once.
I am pretty sure that Marc had the hardest time leaving. He was definitely the biggest kid of all for the week. I am glad he had fun and I am sure we won't be able to stay away for too long!