Her Step-Mother's Daughter

"Can I get a tan?"
Sure Babe
"In my bathing suit?"
Sure Babe
"Can I put a towel on the chair like you?"
Of course, Babe

... it only lasted about 8 minutes.... it took her longer to get ready than she spent sunbathing.... but she enjoyed it, and kept her bathing suit on the rest of the day :).

Second rate pancakes

I've mentioned our love for making creative pancakes multiple times, but today, noone wanted my pancakes!!!! What the heck!?!?!? Olivia made hers and ate it (with syrup and sprinkles, of course), but Tyler was outside helping Junior, so I made an assortment of pancakes for him to chose from. And that little twerp didn't want my pancakes. He wanted to make his own!!!  But mine were COOL Pancakes!!!

They're in the fridge now.  I may make a peanutbutter sandwitch with a couple of them later.

Unlucky Luck

Junior started a new job a few weeks ago, but unfortunately things are very slow.  He worked 3 days the week before last, 0 days last week, and will be working, hopefully, 4, this week. We hate that he's not been able to get as much work as he'd like, however, in the summertime, it does allow for some extra family time. Thursday, we were able to take our boat out on the lake, ride the tube, have some lunch, and some family fun without all the crazies that are out there on the weekends.  It was a great time :).

The kids are getting really good at knowing what to do on the boat, and how to help each other, and daddy and me.  Here's Olivia untangling the rope, throwing it out, and pulling up the ladder for Tyler to take a ride on the tube. (Have I mentioned I'm so proud of them?)

And here they are enjoying sandwiches and a leisurely boat ride (and a motorcycle).

I do so love peer pressure!!

Junior's buddy, Kevin, has been wanting a motorcycle for a while.  He finally got one last week, and my husband convinces him to take his first ride ever on it down the humongous hill in the front of our house.  He did great, but my sister and I were both trying to get him to go to a parking lot somewhere... we were so worried for him, but he made it back up :)

And 2 days later, my dear husband convinces the poor boy to take his first ride ever to the ball fields where my game was, at 8:30. So, not only is the poor boy riding over an hour both ways on his first ride, he's going home in the dark!!  He was a champ.  I'm excited that we'll have someone else to add to our riding crew now :)

That's Kevin on the left on his new bike, and Junior on the right :).

Firsts at Frances

I bought a Summer Pass for the kids and I to go to Frances Meadows aquatic center.  We love it there.  Tyler begs every time we go to play on the playground that's right outside, but we're usually already suited up, and I don't want Olivia to burn her hiney so I haven't let them.  But this week, I did. I let them play on the playground for the first time, and let me be the first to tell you.  That playground is AWESOME!!

And unfortunately, we had another first.... our first visit to the first aid station :(  Olivia scraped her foot on her way off the waterslide, but she was a very brave and strong girl.

Fun Filled Friday!

Olivia asks often to cook something with her Easy Bake Oven.  Its not too messy, but it takes 15 minutes for the bulb to warm up, and by the time they wait for that, then stir the powder and water, and wait another 12 for the cake, its not really as much fun as it seems.

Well Fun Friday morning seemed like as good a time as any to break out the ole Easy Bake.  Here's Tyler icing his cake and putting on the sprinkles.

After the Easy Bake fun, we moved on to the Cupcake Maker.

Then packed Lunch to take to the park.  Olivia made her own Sandwich and I usually cut the crust off for her, but this time I thought I'd let her give it a try.  (I think I'll keep doing it for her for a little while longer, though)

And here's my big boy riding his bike to the park for our picnic :) not sure what kind of face he's making, but those glasses are from a 3D movie...lol

After the park picnic, we went to tour the firestation.  It was terrific.  And our favorite firefighter gave us the VIP treatment.  Here they are about to take a ride in the firetruck.

Last stop, Francess Meadows Aquatic Center.  They weren't too excited about me trying to take their picture.

If you look hard, you can see my baby coming down the slide feet first, on his stomach :)

My big boy swimming all on his own :)

The night that the lights went out :)

There were 2 and a half minutes left on the oven timer when.... the power went out!

We were headed down to my sister's to hang out with her, her boyfriend, and some of their friends and have dinner and hang out.  Well, the party still went on, it just went on in the garage while we watched it rain outside.  We had a good time, but after it got dark, we got a little impatient. soo...

Fireworks entertained them for a while.

Then finally, Jackson EMC rolled around and fixed it in a matter of minutes.... 5 hours later!

Oh, and the zucchini bread I had in the oven turned out great!

"Sometimes I wonder about you!" ~My Mom

I love my mother so much, and when we were younger, and even now, every once in a while, when I do something wierd, she would say "sometimes I wonder about you."

Well, tonight, I was wondering about myself.  It was dark while I was driving home, and my cell phone was on the console, and started ringing while I was reaching for the radio. I noticed the shadow of my hand on the ceiling, and did the only natural thing I could do. Answer the phone? No. I made a shadow puppet!! And then I though, "really Jessica?" Wonder if this is more dangerous than texting and driving?

Frances Meadows Aquatic Center

We went to Frances Meadows Aquatic Center several times last year, and the kids loved it, but Tyler wasn't quite tall enough to get on the big waterslides.  Well, my friends, this year was the year! We were there today from 10 til 3 and the only time these two stopped was for the 10 minute safety breaks every hour.

First stop, Big Waterslides! Then some playing in the swirlpool and lazy river, playing in the splash area, and of course, lots and lots more sliding on the big waterslides. After a lunch break, we went inside to the pool so the kids could jump off the diving board (they'd been asking since right after we got there, but they were having swimming lessons in there until 1). Then back out for more splashing, sliding, and playing. They even ran into their stepsisters, and had a blast playing with them.

The kids love jumping and diving off the diving boards in the "inside pool" but for some reason, when Olivia got up there, she was very reluctant to jump.  She started backing back off the diving board, then looking at me saying she was scared, and I'd tell her to come on,  then she'd go back towards the end to jump, then she'd back up again. She's jumped off that diving board tons of times, I don't know what her deal was. I kept telling her to hurry because there were a lot of people waiting in line, but she sort of froze up.  So I rush over to the diving board where she's standing at the end of the rails, and over the water, AND SHOVE HER INTO THE WATER. I know, I know, that wasn't sweet, and that's exactly what Olivia said when she swam to the side, but I talked to her about what was going on, and why I did that, and why she'd suddenly gotten so scared, and after that, she jumped and jumped and jumped.  I sort of wonder if it would have had the same outcome if I'd climbed up on that diving board and gotten her down, I don't know if I could have talked her into getting back on it or not? Either way, what's done is done, she's not mad at me anymore, and I didn't get in trouble with the lifeguard, so i guess all's well that ends well :).

Then, towards the end of the afternoon, Tyler finds a truck in our bag.  So during the safety break, he takes a trucking break :).

Only Tyler would be playing with a truck in a waterpark. I have a picture of him from a couple of years ago playing with a motorcycle :).

Plan B!

We went to meet my friend Nikki and her boys at Laurel Park to go the Sprayground the other day, and much to our dismay, we pulled up to see NO spraying water, and a sign that said "Closed for repairs." WHAT A DOWNER!!!! Fortunately, we had several other options.  We started with a picnic, then played on the playground, then fed the fish, then went swimming with the fish, followed by a little bike riding, and some swimming at the closed boat ramp with several other kids who were just as disappointed that the sprayground was closed. It was definitely not the day we had planned, but the kids still had a good time, and it was really great to get to catch up with Nikki, some.  We'll have to have a few more play dates before we get totally caught up ;).  So pencil us in!!

This is quite a different looking lake than where we usually go at Old Federal Park. The mud was kind of grossing me out, but the kids didn't seem to mind!

The kids rode their bikes down to the closed down boat ramp where they were swimming. Tyler went to ride his bike around the culdesac, and a few minutes later, I  hear this HUGE crash, I look up and he's just riding along, so I turn my eyes back to the water, then I hear it again.  It was like a metal crashing sound.  So once again, I looked up to check on my bicycle-riding-baby, and he had the biggest smile on his face.  It was at that point that I realized that the horrible crash was Tyler, riding his bike across that metal plate over the drain at full speed. He loved it, I can't even tell you how many times he went back and forth :).

No Cavities :)

The kids had their 6 month dentist check up, Wednesday.  They both did great! Were very cooperative and sweet.  And it doesn't hurt that they LOVE Mrs. Terri, my cousin, who is also our #1 hygeinist (and no, I'm not sure how to spell that).

Here's my boy getting his xray.

And here's my girl TAKING THE XRAY!!! Mrs. Terri let her push the button :).  SHE IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And they said the pics turned out awesome, and they can already see his 6 yr molars coming in :( Somebody needs to tell this boy to stop growing up so fast!!!

I asked Olivia one time why she was growing up so fast, and she said "so I can be like you." And, well, what could I say after that??

God Put a Rainbow in the Cloud :)

Olivia spotted a rainbow on the way home from Anthony's Birthday Party tonight.  It was beautiful.  Almost a double.

We stopped by Ingles to grab something for Daddy for dinner, and when we came back out, the rainbow was gone :(.  Olivia shouts "God, put it back!" I tell her, "You can't yell at God like that." Tyler follows up with "God, please can you bring the rainbow back" (pause) "He said 'No.'"

We talked for a few minutes about how sometimes God says "no" because sometimes what we want isn't always what God wants. When we got home, there was another rainbow, right behind our house. Tyler says "Hey, God just brought it over here."

I love talking to them about God and his infinite power, and as much as I don't want them to grow up, I'm looking forward to when they understand more.

Mayfield Dairy Field Trip

I've taken Olivia and Tyler to Mayfield before, but today, their school took a field trip there, so I took them to meet the school after VBS this morning. The other kids were so happy to see Olivia and Tyler when they came in and they were there.  It was sweet :).

Say "MOO"

Milking the fake cow :)

Enjoying some delicious chocolate ice cream, on a hot, sunny afternoon.

VBS 2011

This year's VBS has been a great one for the kids and me.  We had it during the day, so I was able to bring the kids every day, and they really seemed to enjoy it and get a lot out of it. I did the recreation rotation with the help of my friend, Le. The mornings flew by! And I, for one, had a total blast!!!

The games we played were centered around the week's theme "Big Apple Adventure" in New York City. But the last day was "water day." I brought the kids' inflatable pool and set it up at the church.  We had boat races, and splash fights, and we played a relay game.  It was a lot of fun.

Here's my big man helping set up.  Their classes hadn't started yet since we got there early to set up, so they were hanging out with me.

And here's Olivia's class enjoying Tyler's hard work :).

We came back at 5:30 for "Family Night" and brought Daddy with us.  The kids performed the songs they've been singing all week, and were very cute :)

All of Tyler's class had gathered on the right side of the stage, near the teacher, so they could copy her motions, but not my Tyler.  He went up the steps on the opposite side of the stage from everyone else, and stopped right in the middle! The boy does love the spotlight :)

The circle of Life...

Lindsey and I used to LOVE going to Skate Country with our day care.  And today, Olivia and Tyler's day care went, and I went with them :).  It was crazy to be there (its hardly changed in 25 years!) in my mom's shoes.  It was great, though. I loved seeing them get more and more comfortable on their skates, and interacting with their friends.

They didn't want to go at first.  Olivia's didn't like it when she went last year, and Tyler had never been.  But, I told them that I'd help them and hold their hands, and they were okay with that.

Here they are, ready to ROLL!!!!!

It took Olivia a little while to get moving good, but when she finally did, she'd hold the half-wall at the snack bar to go across inside the rink, then skate down the carpet where there was nothing to hold on to, and hold on to the back wall to go back across the rink.  She was so independent. It was great.  She got to where she would skate around holding my hand, and did so good.  I'm thinking about taking them back in a couple of weeks to let them practice some more :).

 Tyler had a pretty good system too.  He started out on the carpet, then moved to the hardwood.

He was so cute skating by himself. His little skates were moving back and forth so fast, but he was hardly going anywhere! It was cute.  Then he would squat down and roll the wheels on the skates with his hands to make him move.  It was so funny! Maybe he was pretending they were monster trucks.

And here's my sweet baby after some jerk ran over his finger :-( Nothing some Ice and Kisses wouldn't fix, though.

As for me... its only been about 4 and a half hours since we left the skating rink, and my hips and back are already sore.... that can't be a good sign!!!  It was well worth  it though :)

Another one bites the dust!

So this is a story I couldn't make up. The kids and I went to the lake this afternoon with my friend Jennifer, and her 18 month old, Taylor.  We had a picnic lunch (through which Olivia was whining about her loose tooth hurthing the entire time) and went to feed the fish before the sanding and swimming began. When we got back from the dock, Olivia was still complaining about the tooth, so I asked her if she wanted me to yank it out, but she wouldn't let me.  A few minutes later, Olivia went with Jennifer and Taylor to the bathroom, while Tyler and I cleaned up from the picnic (and I cleaned up the lemonade he spilled all over the car).

They come back, and Olivia is grinning ear to ear, and is holding, guess what.... her tooth! My big girl has pulled her tooth all by herself :).  I find out later that she pulled the tooth while in the stall, and passed it under the stall wall to Jennifer, while Taylor ducks under the stall wall to join Olivia.  Poor Jennifer! At least it didn't bleed everywhere.

I put the tooth in the cup holder in my car so I wouldn't lose it in the sand. And we kept right on with our afternoon :).

First time at the Sprayground this Summer

Since our long awaited summer has FINALLY started, the kids and I took the opportunity to go to the Laurel Park Spray Ground this afternoon after VBS.  Our friends Mrs. Jennifer and her little granddaughter Taylor came with us.  Taylor was SO sweet.  She wasn't quite sure what to think about everything that was going on there, but she sure was taking it all in.

Here's my love bug playing in the water :)

And my sweet babies on the way home :) Tyler's snacking on baby Taylor's cereal.  Apparently he was starvin like Marvin!!

#1 job requirement for motherhood: Creativity!

When running a household, there are many times when one must be creative... for example, when you run out of paper towels, when you can't find the bandaids, when its raining outside and it didn't take as long as you thought to clean up bedrooms,  when you forget to pack someone's underwear or socks on a trip, when you're trying to come up with something for dinner, breakfast, snacks, lunch.... well, you get the picture.

So, tonight, we decided on Breakfast for Dinner, and if you've read some of these blogs, you know that pancakes are my kids' favorite breakfast. I got the bacon started and went for the flour to start pancakes, and to my dismay, there was hardly any left.  Solution: we rolled out canned biscuit dough and cooked them in butter like pancakes (well, I usually spray the pan with butter flavored cooking spray, but since it was biscuit dough, I figured I'd better use the real thing). My big boy, Tyler, was helping me out by rolling out the biscuits, and when we got to the last few, he asked for Thomas the train again.... well, Thomas didn't turn out so well.  According to Tyler, it looked like a car.  His next request... The Helicopter from Thomas the Train.

SSOOOOOOOOO................. Here's a Thomas the Train Helicopter - Biscuit Dough Pancake

Flowers from my love!!!

We were doing our favorite new thing today, riding bikes to the park. (Tyler's actually wearing a bike helmet this time... his motorcycle helmet got too hot last time :)). Tyler's just pedaling along, trying to catch up to Olivia, when suddenly, he stops and jumps off his bike like there is an emergency.  He's noticed that there are 2 little yellow flowers growing along the bank, and he had to stop and get them for me. PRECIOUS MOMENTS!!!!!!!

Olivia is also making huge strides with all this bike riding :).  She can now stand up and pedal.  Her balance isn't all that great, so her being comfortable enough to stand and pedal is a huge accomplishment.  I'm so proud :).

Its like the previews for the next new episode of your favorite show...

For most, summer has begun and is off to a fabulous start.  For me, I had a one day taste of summer, and have to go back to work the rest of the week.  I am fortunate, and excited to be one of the teachers opening Moore Middle School in Lawrenceville, Ga. As part of our preparation for our first year, we are having a "staff retreat" tomorrow and Friday to get a jump start on all that will be happening. So my schedule this week, was like a preview for summer.  I was off Monday for Memorial Day, worked Tuesday for post planning and wrapped everything up at Richards Middle, and I was off today, and had an AMAZING summer day with my children, then BACK TO WORK for the rest of the week.  I'm not complaining, I know most of you will be working all summer long.

This morning, the kids and I were planning a picnic at the lake, and Tyler wanted our cousin Anthony to come with us, so I called his parents and they agreed to let me borrow their child for a few hours.  He was a dream!!! So well-behaved!! And even though he's 2 weeks apart in age from Tyler, and also a boy, he played with both Tyler and Olivia, back and forth, so that was really sweet :).  I don't think he's as into sinking monster trucks in the mud as Tyler is! Ha. 

He was in this same spot almost all day!! I reapplied sunscreen to his back several times!

Here's my girl on her new turtle that her favorite friend, Moriah, gave her for her birthday :)

We took a little break to walk over to the dock and boat ramps to feed the fish and geese (and Tyler threw some rocks into the water... imagine that)

Then he took a few moments to do a hula dance for us on this rock. :)

After all the beach festivities, we went home, showered, took Anthony back to his Noni's, had a little snack, took a little and I emphasize LITTLE nap, folded a little laundry, cooked and ate dinner, and then headed to the park.  The kids have started riding their bikes over there. They LOVE it! They've been to that park so many times, and I can imagine the same old playground getting a little old, especially with no swings :(, so we've taken the tee, bat, gloves, and balls before to play on the softball field down there, but having the kids ride their own bikes there is great! The playing begins before you even leave home, and there's lots of new territory to explore down there. Its been a great discovery for us. They are really great to steer into the grass when a car is coming too. (in case you didn't pick up on it, I'm SO proud of my big boy and girl! They impress and amaze me constantly)

SUMMER, Get ready for the Lances, cuz we're ready for you!!!!