Playroom

One of my favorite rooms in our house is the playroom. It's at the end of one side of the house, so the kids can have their own separate area where they don't have to worry about being careful around furniture, or running into things. Its a big, comfy, open space filled with toys and games from top to bottom. Imagination can run wild- and I can shut the double doors so that I don't have to see the mess :-) Even cleaning up the playroom is easy- everything is organized into baskets, which has made it easy to teach the kids how to help pick up after themselves. The "type A" in me wants to decorate it and organize it better- but I just always remind myself that I have 99% of the house- this room is theirs. So, naturally we spend a lot of time playing with the kids down there, and I usually have the camera around so I can capture these memories of when our kids would play, wrestle, dance and use their imagination together. Here are a few examples of playtime.....

I call this picture "Bella in a Bucket". Apparently, the Lego's inside the bucket weren't very fun...but dumping them out and squishing herself into the bucket was a blast.

A playroom favorite: dressing up and putting on "performances" for John and I. Ty practises his jump shot. Notice the toes and wrist-action! Great form!! :-)

Bella like to also use pretend she has a magic wand, and turn her dolls and barbies into princesses.

Ty often gets frustrated when his sister teases him! Sometimes it's hard to be the baby brother.

Monkey-See, Monkey-Do. If Bella did it, then it must be fun. Therefore, Tyler must try it for himself :-)

I guess it's not so much the room itself that I love, it's the fun that goes on inside the room.

Oldie But A Goodie!

Remember this sweet little contraption?!!A Lite Brite! I had a Lite Brite when I was a little girl, and I just loved it. There's something about plugging in the little lights, and then the anticipation of turning it on to see your masterpiece glow! Simple pleasures :-) So the other day we were at Target and we gave Bella some money to pick out anything she wanted (thanks Nana!) and this is what she chose! I have to admit- I was pretty excited. Maybe even more than Bella.

So tonight we taught her how to do the "color-by-letter" method, with the dotted pictures, and she understood it right away! When the last last was placed, we turned off the lights and lit up her artwork! Bella was super excited (mom too), so we had to take a picture, of course!

Morning Playdate With My Babies :-)

Seriously- could she be any cuter?! Or look any happier? This morning we didn't have any particular plans, so we relaxed around the house in our jammies well into the late morning hours, then packed up some toys, snacks and juice and headed out to the park. We found a perfect shady tree and spent the next hour or so splashing around, blowing bubbles in the grass, and sipping on icy cold CapriSun.

How perfectly....summer.
Bella was pretending to be Ariel- which is her favorite Princess for the moment.
And Ty just wanted to splash and wrestle with his big sis.
He also discovered that his head fits perfectly in the bucket. *Sigh* Rough day, right?! What's a girl to do? :-)

Beautiful Bump.

My sweet friend Jessica is pregnant with her first baby- a little girl who will be named Avery, and who will have lots of attention and affection when she arrives! We all can't wait to meet her, and Jess asked if I would take a few pictures of her some afternoon, so she could remember her beautiful baby belly. So we met up and had lots of fun exploring together and taking pictures (thanks for being such a good guinea pig!) so here's a few fun examples of our little adventure together. Isn't she gorgeous? Pregnancy definitely agrees with her :-)

Peek-A-Boo!

Hmmm...Where's Tyler?........

There he is!! He actually came up with that hiding spot all on his own. Genius boy- isn't he?

I just love this playful, snugly, adorable little man. But apparently, his heart belongs to Daddy.

Now if I can just figure out how to make time stand still.

Whew! Exhausting!

I am wiped out. Good thing I had kids young, because I'm already too tired to keep up with their endless energy! This morning we headed out to Pump it Up playtime, to let them jump around and (hopefully) tire themselves out. No such luck. Turns out, my kids produce more energy after doing something hyper and exciting. So after jumping and running around for a while, we went to the library to read books together in the children's area, and then attend the Shake Rattle n' Roll class. They both danced around, sang the songs and played instruments (mental picture for you- Tyler chose the maracas when it was time to pick out instruments, and then I chased him around the room trying to catch him because he kept going from person to person, bonking them in the head with his maraca. So embarrassing.) Finally, after apparently failing to exhaust them with all my activity ideas, we headed home for lunch. Low and behold...what do you think happened? Yup- Tyler fell asleep in the car and Bella's eyes were heavy as she tried to watch her movie in the car without falling asleep. So I succeeded! Too bad I had to wake him up at home so that he can eat some lunch. But I'm guessing that naps will go well today :-) Here's a little clip of Bella and Ty running around one of the jumpy inflatables- notice how Ty falls down at one point, and Bella stops to check on him. So cute!

Lots of Spinning Rides and Junk Food...

...at 11:00 in the morning.

Continuing in my efforts to take the kids to fun (indoor, air-conditioned) places to play this summer, we ventured out to Jeepers indoor amusement paradise. That's its actual name...and I wouldn't call it a paradise, being that my opinion of a paradise involves being alone on a quiet tropical beach with John. But maybe this indoor mecca of bright lights, sugary foods and rides that spin you to an oblivion- might be a paradise for my kids. We got there early enough to actually be the only people there, so for about an hour we had the place all to ourselves. Tyler immediately saw a couple games of "Pop-A-Shot", and basically it was love at first sight. We could hardly peel him away from the basketballs, so I gave in, and ended up buying a bunch of tokens so he could play for a little while. Bella, on the other hand, bounced around gleefully from ride to ride. It's just so satisfying to see them have fun- it's a weird feeling that is hard to explain to someone unless you have kids of your own. I'm just a sucker for those two angelic little faces- they've had me from the very beginning. And now I find myself actually getting excited to take them to these kind of places- when did that happen??! This time will go by way too fast, and when John and I find ourselves with all the time in the world to go lie on a beach, I think we'll sit around talking about how much we would much rather be back doing these days over.

More pictures of our fun click here: http://picasaweb.google.com/Bri.and.John/SummerFun2009# (scroll to bottom of album)

It's That Time Again...

Welcome back to my "Not Me" Monday. It's been a while since I've done one- but MckMama's new logo is just too cute to resist doing a new "Not Me" post! Maybe my absence is partially due to the fact that I do not want to talk about the fact that I did not finish off some sour candy I had lying around for breakfast. No way. And I did not forgo giving Ty a bath simply because I really wanted to watch my TiVod episode of House Hunters this morning. **What is it about that show that intrigues me? I find it so fascinating watching other couples look for a new home..and then I play this little game in my mind where I try to guess which house they are going to choose....wow, that's even more embarrassing. Not me!!** I did not call my sister this morning to ask if she could come over and play with Ty so I could get some chores done. And I did not end up scratching some of those chores off my list because...well....I just didn't feel like doing them. It was just one of those days...so tomorrow I need to have a BIG cup of coffee to get me going, and to make up for all this things I did not do today!

Quick Clips.

I have been so proud of Bella and her swimming lately! We have been dedicated about getting her in the pool every day, and it's really paying off. Today at her actual swim lessons, she learned to jump in from the edge of the pool and roll over and float on her back. It's more of a survival technique that they teach the kids in case they fall in fully clothed, but it's definitely given Bella some added confidence. Here is a little clip of her playing and swimming with her dad tonight.

And this next one is just a short little video clip that will make you smile. When we went with the Yule's to the 4th of July festival the other night, there was this spinning ride that Bella insisted on riding. Don't ask me why, but John, Kerri and Kory all thought it would be a good idea to join her..and bring the little boys along too! The best part of the video is listening to everyone- Kerri can't hold her head up straight, Bella is squealing and saying "I wanna go again!" and poor Tyler is clinging to Kerri and saying, "All Done!" But the real star of the video is little Hudson's face. The camera is on him most of the time, and he is just sitting there wide-eyed, as if he is thinking "what the heck is going on?!" So adorable- and slightly hilarious.

Happy Birthday Sweet Allie!

I can't believe it's been a whole year since we took this picture. Heather is truly the most precious friend to me and I had the absolute privilege of being there the night Allie Grace entered the world. Besides being an incredible friend, Heather is a beautiful and compassionate mother. We have already agreed on an arranged marriage between Allie and Tyler, so someday I'll be able to count Matt and Heather as actual family! :-) I love being a part of Allie's life- watching her grow up, being around her and watching her discover the world around her.
So yesterday we all gathered for a birthday celebration in honor or Miss Allie turning 1. I totally forgot I had even brought my camera until the end- so I don't have many pictures, but we had to snap a quick one of the usual girls before everyone took off. This first picture just cracks me up because it was taken before we were ready, and we were all cracking up at some inside jokes, and it displays the genuine love and laughter between us as friends.
Its such a sweet thing in life to celebrate our life milestones and family celebrations with one another. We have so much more to come...sporting games, recitals, graduations...and someday even weddings! (yikes!) They say it takes a village to raise a child, and with each other- we make quite the village. Love you girls and we love you Allie!!

Real Buddies Hug...and Wrestle!

Happy 4th of July! What better way to spend the holiday than with our family and some friends? Last night we headed over to Kerri and Kory's house to BBQ and take the kids to the Anthem Community Celebration that was going on just down the street from them. One of the best little pleasures lately has been watching Ty and Hudson start to interact more with each other. Only being about 5 months apart, we can only imagine the trouble our boys will get into as they grow up together. If their personalities today are any indication of the future- then Tyler will be the instigator of bad ideas, and Hudson will happily follow along with his buddy. We can just see the trouble brewing... But for now, we just absolutely delight in seeing them play around together. Now that Hudson is walking, they will be running around and getting into trouble before we know it! Here's a quick clip of us trying to get the boys to hug (apparently they are too busy and too cool to hug). But watch what happens when Ty is a little rough with his hug...no gentleness here!

Get Ready to Laugh.....

It's time for a Blog Shout-Out!!

I've told you about my friend Amanda right? Yes Amanda, I'm blogging you :-)

So I was checking out her new blog layout today (very snazzy girl) and I stumbled on her list of favorite blogs & websites. Of course, I find my own little blog baby on the list...but what caught my eye was her link to a little piece of hilarity that is called "Awkward Family Photos". It's just like the segment on the Ellen show, where she shows awkward school pictures or holiday cards (which happens to be my favorite segment). I laughed so hard at this website that my eyes were literally tearing, and both kids stopped what they were doing in the playroom and stared at their strange mother who was simultaneously cracking up and wiping tears from her eyes. Bella asked if I was ok.

So I had to pass in on to those of you who haven't seen it yet..here are a few of my favorites. And please note their captions...they make the pictures that much better!!!!

1. A late attempt by mom to speak now or forever hold her peace.

2. "Awkward Pose of the Week: The Thigh Chair. For youngsters 7 or younger who aren't quite ready to attempt an armshelf."

3. "Beyond a reasonable point of casualness."

4. Banished to live under the chair forever, Amy decided to make the best of it.

5. Someone is feeling left out.

6. We call this "the backpack".

Oh my goodness, my cheeks still ache from laughing. You have to go to the site to see the abundance of awkward pictures. Enjoy! Thanks for the laughs Amanda!!!
http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/

Getting Better!....

Well, she's starting to really get the hang of it! Bella's confidence and bravery has gotten stronger over the past few days. After Ty went to bed, we jumped in the pool and I got some pictures and a short clip of Bella practicing with John. We'll keep swimming with her every day if we can, and hopefully she'll be a little fish in no time!

More pictures in our summer album: http://picasaweb.google.com/Bri.and.John/SummerFun2009#

Cousins & Treehouses

Has anyone else noticed that it is stinkin' hot lately?? Yesterday morning we all jumped in the pool at 8:30! So obviously, we looove our inside play areas around here. It's like a little piece of air conditioned heaven. Today we went to a huge indoor play area that's designed like a big jungle tree house. It has the most intricate mazes of swings, steps, tunnels, secret passageways, and tons of fun slides. Everything is soft and squishy, and the place just screams "imagination!" It's like a paradise for kids, and it even has a smaller play area for little ones like Ty. Although, he likes to think he is big enough to hang with his sister, so he always ends up trying to follow her around. This morning we picked up Bella's cousin Lexi and we all went to play for a little while and get some lunch. The girls had an absolute ball together- I wish I had pictures but my camera is too darn large to lug around a place like that. But lucky for me- my new little Flip Mino camera fits right in my pocket! :-) So here is a cute clip of the girls chatting away when we stopped for some lunch.

Celebrating Fischer Robinson

It's that time again...where at least 1 (but usually 2!) girls in our group celebrates the upcoming arrival of a new little one to our baby brood. We all laughed yesterday about the irony of our baby showers...there is always at least 2 women pregnant at a time. At my shower, Heather Kerri and myself were all expecting. At Kerri's shower, it was Kerri and Heather. At Alison's' yesterday, both Alison and Jessica are expecting little ones. Come to think of it Heather- no one was pregnant at yours....but it doesn't count because yours was cancelled due to those pesky kidney stones! So our legend of "two at a time" still stands! And let's just face it Amanda- when you are pregnant you know at least one of the girls will be going on round 2 :-) So we celebrated the guest of honor, Alison, with food, friends and lots of good baby presents. And I must admit, Heather and I can make a mean diaper cake. Were were impressed by our own creation. I think the most fun part about going through pregnancies with your best friends is that there is a common thread that runs deep through us as moms. There is something so personal and so intimate about sharing advice and leaning on each other for support as we try to muddle through becoming mothers of grace and wisdom. Maybe I was naive to believe that once you become a mom, you "magically" know all the answers and know exactly what you are doing...but the truth is- you actually realize how vulnerable you are and how much you still need to learn. It's the most extraordinary yet humbling experience I have ever had in my life. And on those days where you question your every decision, its a comfort to my soul to reach out to these women and find encouragement and prayer...and maybe some coffee and dessert :-) We have a long road ahead of us, and I am so blessed to have these women to enjoy it with!
We all can't wait to meet you Avery and Fischer!

**Jessica and Avery are on the left, Alison and Fischer on the right :-) **

Splish Splash!!

First of all- how cute is this picture??!

We have been working with Miss Bella to get her pool-safe and swimming on her own, and she's made some excellent progress this summer! Her classes at AquaSafe have been a big help, but what we've noticed is the thing that works the best is good old fashioned peer pressure. When Isabella sees her friends swimming, or her cousins, or even is Tyler is swimming with her- then all of the sudden she becomes this independent little dare devil! We spent a fun afternoon at her best friend Avery's house the other day, and after watching Avery swim around, Bella decides "hey, I want to do that too!" So she insisted that we let her go and off she went- swimming on her own! Avery's dad Scott grabbed his water camera and we took some fun pictures of the girls swimming around and making faces. Boy, if I had known that a little peer pressure was all it took, then I also need to find her a friend who eats all her dinner, and goes to bed without complaining. Then we have solved all our problems :-) And aren't little girls sooooo cute at the age of 3?? So precious!