Go Diego Go!...and other adventures.

Our family went to Go Diego Go Live! yesterday evening. It was so much fun! Every child received a Baby Jaguar mask to hold up during the show when they were instructed to do Baby Jaguar things, like growl, scratch and jump. Landon really go into this part!

My original thought was that Landon would be the one who would absolutely love this production...however, big sister thoroughly enjoyed it also! (This from my child who says every once in a while that she is "too old" for Dora and Diego.) The show had lots of singing and dancing, along with plenty of audience participation. The kids did most of it, along with Mommy! Dora even made an appearance, which was the highlight of the show for most! When asked their favorite parts, Landon and Claire both said "All of it!!". I particularly enjoyed Rescue Pack, who could dance quite well! Overall, a great family event!

Our other adventure yesterday was playing in the over-abundance of rain water flowing in front of our driveway! It stormed all night Friday, and rained most of Saturday, so there were plenty of puddles to splash around in. So, while we were anxiously awaiting the time to leave for the show, we went outside and played. The pics also include Claire doing her "model" pose, and Landon giving me a "flower", which is one of his new past times...I have a whole glass full in my kitchen! So who ended up the wettest after our outdoor adventure? Mommy, of course!!!

"I Love You Mommy"

Landon, the one-liner king, has a new one...and it's my favorite! He tells me, out of the blue, at anytime of the day, "I love you Mommy". He also tells Daddy and Sissy, and it is just darling! Now, the kicker to this one? You have to say it back, or he'll keep telling you over and over. This is pretty easy, unless you don't hear him or understand him...then frustration ensues! But generally this is quite sweet and makes me melt in my shoes!

In other news...we've been busy this week with random things. We went to the dollar movie Tuesday (the movie theater runs kids movies in the mornings for $1), the kiddos had Jesus Crew on Wednesday (our church sponsors 5 weeks of parents day out for young children in the summer), visited the library Thursday and Friday, swam with the neighbors and had a playdate. Claire attended "Rock Star" camp at her dance studio, and had a total blast dressing up and rockin' to the music, while Landon went to the mall with me to get some new shoes and play in the fountain. Claire finished up her pom class this week, and Landon started back to Gymboree after an extended break due to traveling, VBS and my illness. Good times! We are going to Go Diego Go Live tomorrow evening...I think I'm as excited as the kids are! We'll post pics of that later!

Pictures from the weekend

Claire and Landon enjoy a mascot, while Papa and Claire cheese it up for a pic at the ball park!

Claire loves her baby neice. The kiddos all enjoyed some cupcakes, although Landon REALLY enjoyed the chips!

The best part of the zoo...the monkeys, chimps, and gorillas!! We also liked the rainforest.

Papa and Landon watch the pelicans together while enjoying a drink.

Baby, birthday and baseball!

Our family made the trip to Wichita this weekend to meet our new baby niece, and to celebrate the birthday of her big sister, Lucy! We all finally got to meet Laney, who was born just two weeks ago. She is perfect...and teeny tiny! Claire adored her the moment she laid eyes on her, and held her several times. Landon looked lovingly at Laney several times, and then moved on (although he was super excited to meet Laney, he talked of nothing else on the road trip up).

Our first venture after arrival was going to a Wingnuts game to watch Hoopy (Uncle Kevin) play baseball. This was Landon's first game, and he really enjoyed it. Claire is an old pro, having traveled with Nana and Papa several summer's ago to Ohio. It was a nice night and all the kids had a ball. They even got to go down on the field with Hoopy after the game was over (the Wingnuts won!!). Landon slept with a squishy baseball that night he had gotten at the game, it was adorable!

On Saturday, we went to Lucy's house for her birthday party! The kids played and were actually very good about letting Lucy open her own presents. Lucy was pumped when she received her "babydoll with teeth", and therefore all was good. She joined our family on the lake that afternoon for hours of fun in the sun. Geoff and Papa blew up a huge inflatable that the kids just loved...they jumped, splashed, belly-flopped and swam. We took a boat ride on Papa's boat, which made Landon's day and then had a relaxing, but short, evening before everyone passed out!

Sunday morning we made a quick trip to the zoo before heading home to reality. The kids didn't want to leave, but have great memories they are talking about this morning. Thank you Nana and Papa, Ling, Hoopy, Lucy and Laney!!
My images will not upload right now, so I'll try again a little later...gotta love technology!

Much more laid back week, kinda.

So, looking forward to a week of less hectic and more laid back...we celebrated Father's Day by giving Daddy whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. The kids made him breakfast in bed, we went to church so the kiddos could sing their VBS songs, went out to lunch, swam at the pool and had pizza for dinner. Somewhere in the midst of all this fun, I got a sore throat. And I'm not talking a little tickle, I'm talking can't swallow pizza (you know that's bad, I love pizza!). Monday morning I woke up feeling terrible and hauled the kids to the doctor with me where I was told I had pharyngitis (sore throat, really, you think?) caused by a bacterial infection. We went to Walmart to get pills and by the time I got home I couldn't move. My stomach started giving me fits after that and pretty much that was how the rest of Monday went. Tuesday I woke up feeling better, but overdid myself. Geoff went out to play with the kids at the neighbor's that evening and received a phone call from me that I couldn't breathe. I just couldn't catch my breath and felt like my throat was completely closed. We went to the ER to be told there wasn't much they could do except a steroid shot, and antibiotic shot. I had a reaction to something, so then I had to take benedryl. They also gave me an inhaler to keep my throat open and finally sent me home. I'm feeling better now. I finally got a little sleep last night (I know how Landon felt when they gave him steroids!!) and am feeling a little more on top of things today. Still, however, can not talk and having a hard time swallowing without wincing.
The kids were wonderful throughout all this. They laid with me sometimes, played quietly when I wouldn't respond and told me they loved me lots! Geoff finally got the point when we went to the ER...although he'd been cooking and cleaning in the evenings. He was very good at the ER, keeping me calm and keeping the staff on point. He took off work the rest of the week and has learned what it's like to shuttle the kids around to everything (although he didn't do all of it, I cancelled several of our dates). The neighbors have also been super nice and helped out when they could. Nothing like getting the summer started with a little trip to the ER...we did this last year with Claire when she cut open her chin!!!

Let's just rest...

Well, that's finally over! Claire and Landon both said to me yesterday afternoon "Let's just rest this afternoon" before we had to go back for VBS potluck and closing celebration at the church. Both kiddos really enjoyed their experience this week, and Claire came home with new bible verses and a better understanding of giving and sharing. We've also started the summer reading program at the Rogers library. This is so cool...I discovered it last year by accident and have been looking forward to it all winter and spring. The kids read books (or have books read to them) and get points and then prizes at the end of the summer for meeting their goals. Plus, the really cool part is they have programs at least 2 days a week at the library like crafts, presenters, authors, music and more, giving us lots of things to do! We stopped by on our way home yesterday to do crafts and check out some more books...and of course play! The children's area for this library is amazing...with puzzles, computers, a reading nook, blocks, etc, there is always something fun to do. I realize now that I have taken no new pictures this week...I think this is the first time ever I've gone this many days without pictures of my sugars, I promise that will change now that VBS is over!

The week in progress...

Our week has started off with Vacation Bible School, dance class and playing catch up from being gone for a week. The best thing, though, is our new baby niece was introduced into the world yesterday afternoon. Laney is beautiful and healthy, and we can't wait to meet her. Check out the Hooper blog for baby pics!!! Claire has a good grasp of this event, since she's lived through it with Landon and Lucy, and is in awe of how tiny and helpless infants are. Landon pretty much has no clue, and won't until he sees the baby in person and can touch it. I love the miracle of life, and it reminds me to love and cuddle my babies a little extra...because they are growing up so fast! Claire played a part in this also, by asking yesterday if she could see hers and Landon's baby pictures. What fun (and a little saddening) to look through those pics of what the first weeks with my babies looked and felt like. Cherished memories...every one of them!!!

Moving on...Claire is in VBS this week, which I am helping with. Landon gets to come too, he does the group activities and then gets to play with other toddlers whose mom's are helping out. Claire is having a blast. All of her friends from church are there, plus some from preschool. She sings the loudest of them all and is showing everyone the choreography that goes along with the song (surprise, surprise). I've enjoyed it too, for working with children is something I've always adored, and often miss. As for dance class, Claire decided to take a pom class the first summer session. She LOVES it!!! She was jumping and doing arm motions and tumbling like I've never seen her before. She will also be taking this class during the school year (thank goodness I signed her up for that!!!).

A little about Landon...although he is missing Gymboree class this week for VBS, he has been playing outside enough to make up for it. And I've started to realize how often he is talking. Either to himself, to his toys, to his sissy or to me. It's CONSTANT! I love it...I think. I get a giggle every time I catch him playing with his toys and talking through what is going on. (ie...right now he is playing with a fire truck, "Oh no, we can't go on this road, we'll get stuck, I'll have to move you over *siren sounds*. Whoa, we're here. We can do it, yes or no?")

Okay I've rambled on long enough.

Monster Truck Rally!!!

We took the kids to a monster truck rally last night in a nearby town. For a little background on how we ended up there...Landon started watching Monster Jam on TV a while back with the recommendations from his neighbor buddies. He loves it (so does his dad) and Claire enjoys the show in short spurts also. So alas, we watched it in person. The kiddos were so excited when we got there! They got to walk around in the pits, talk to the drivers, climb on the trucks and take pics. They also got to ride in Sergeant Smash, a monster truck made like a military bus. Landon loved it, and the more it bounced around the more he giggled! Claire's decision is still out with the jury, she says it banged her around...alot! Then the races began. We realized very quickly that we would need earplugs, that covering with hands was not efficient. The kids found this amusing also. After a long night of cheering on the trucks (especially Hot Tamale, the kids favorite), it ended with a fire truck/jet engine melting some beat up cars. All in all a successful night of monster truck fun!

Let the summer begin...

The kids and I spent the better part of last week with my parents. We were busy people, because we had a lot to get done in a short amount of time. Here is a quick story about our time with Gram and Poppy.

We got to go to the "umbrella pool" twice. This is an aquatic center near my parent's house that the kids have deemed umbrella because of the big umbrellas that dot the perimeter. Claire jumped, literally, right back into her acquired swimming skills by jumping off the side and going under with just a little coaxing. Landon went down the slides, and...went down the slides! He was much more independent this year, which was scary sometimes. We got some swim and sun for the first time this summer!

We went to Abilene and rode an old train. Not only did we ride it, but the kids were able to ride in the engine on the way back to town! This was exciting stuff, and surprisingly, Claire enjoyed it just as much as Landon. They even got to blow the whistle! We also rode the famous carousel...6 times. This has been a favorite of Claire's since she was little, and the tradition continues. I think Gram and Poppy enjoy watching as much as the kids enjoy riding! A quick side note...as soon as Landon jumped off the train, he asked "Can we go ride the carousel now?". And then as soon as we were done riding the carousel..."Can we ride the train again?".

Amongst all this, we went out and rode Barney, fished, had a bonfire, made smores, made balloon "things", played Wii, enjoyed pedicures, visited my Grandma Svitak, took a ride in Uncle Frank's truck, rode the tractor while Poppy pushed dirt and of course painted rocks (it would not be a stay at Gram's without a craft!). The kids and I had a wonderful time. Thanks Gram and Poppy!

ALERT: Mushy love stuff to follow...

Today is our anniversary. My husband got me flowers Friday because I'm taking the kids to Kansas this week and we won't be able to celebrate today. How thoughtful is that? We have not celebrated our anniversary on the actual date since we've been married, because there was always something going on...restated: Dance Recitals. So since we are once again in the same predictament, I would like to state for all to know the reasons why I love my husband! (Hey I warned you at the beginnning!!!)
1) He was thoughtful enough to buy flowers early for me to enjoy them!
2) He takes the time in the morning to kiss me and tell me he loves me, even when in a hurry.
3) He knows how I feel about certain things, even before I speak my mind about them.
4) He tries to understand what it's like to stay at home all day with two children.
5) He loves his children like no other thing or person in this world.
6) He's concerned about my day, how things are with the kids and what went on when he comes home from work.
7) He is helping Landon stay in his bed all night.
8) He is my match for a lifetime; he knows what I need, want and yearn for in life.
9) He doesn't push me too far, and although we fight, he won't let us go to bed angry.
10) Most of all, he is my reprive, my hope, and my heaven!
I love you honey, and I hope our next years are just as fabulous as the first!
(Thank you everybody else for letting me do this)