Please Help. Tragic

The Pease family was in a tragic car accident Wednesday, August 17, 2011, which left the mother badly injured, and sent their beautiful, little Adria back to live with her Heavenly Father. The family has limited medical insurance. If you would like to make a donation to help them in this difficult time, click on the link below or go to any Wells Fargo bank and ask to donate to the Pease Family Memorial Fund. The family is grateful for all your thoughts and prayers.

http://www.gofundme.com/Pease-Family-Fund

These are our dear friends from when we lived in California. I held Adria the day they brought her home from the hospital. She was the same age as our Bella. Please help their family if you can, ever little bit helps! Please keep them in your prayers.

Royce's daily workout

Royce love our coffee table I frequently find him chew on it while doing a pull up. Funny kid.

Royce's first playdate

We were babysitting my friends kathryns boys and man was Royce excited when he saw his buddy Blake!

Daddys away dinners

I have to admit that when James is out of town I get really lazy about cooking. The kids don't want to eat what I make most of the time and to spend that much time cooking just for myself isn't worth it to me. So we usually do something easy. To give an example this is what dinner looked like last night. Between Luke and Bella they ate half a watermelon. Lol! I did however try to feed them some chili and they weren't interested.

Cowboy story time

We went to cowboy storytime yesterday and the kids really enjoyed it. They especially liked seeing allthe kids dressed like cowboys. Here r a couple pics of them in the cowboy hats they made.

My Uncle Russell

My dads brother Russell died when he was just a baby from an illness. My dad sent me this pic and it reminded me of someone I know.

New phone

So here I am 40 miles outside Amarillo blogging due to the new phone I got. Yea! More to come I am just figuring this thing out.

Luke's Half a Decade Birthday Party

We had Luke's birthday party. The kids had lots of fun! When I asked Luke what his favorite part was he said the water balloon fight (which lasted all of 2 minutes). Poor James spent and hour and a half blowing them up but it was worth it to see their happy little faces!


When I asked what Luke wanted to have for his birthday party he said he wanted Dinosaurs and pizza, so that's what he got. This cake has simple instructions here is the how to video.

Our water feature made out of PVC pipes so easy. Took like a half an hour and less that $5 to make. We called it the dinosaur wash.


James was my awesome go to guy. He was such a great help!

This is a family favorite and it seriously took 15mins to make. Here is the recipe

Water pinata. Lesson learned: stab at the bag with the broom stick dont try and whack it. It wont break.

Presents

Roy

The wind wasn't cooperating

We Love Texas

Last Year I was cursing Texas, the chiggers and the heat just about did me in. This year we are loving it! I love the heat because that means we get to go swimming (and since I am not pregnant I don't want to throw up every time I walk outside) we love the Lake beach, we love the splash pads and water parks and we love hanging out with our friends!

This is the little water park in Lewisville perfect for kids Luke and Bella's age and cheap to get into

Royce being his sweet little self. He is so content hanging out and just being with our family.

There has been lots of reading going on. Luke has a goal to read 100 books (just simple books, like Bob books) and then he writes the title in his notebook. When gets to 100 mommy is going to take him to the Lego Land discovery center. He currently is at 9 and it has been 2 weeks. And when Bella learns her alphabet and sounds of the letters she gets to go. They are both very excited.

Our garden has been producing. Unfortunately the squash plants have all been destroyed between the vine borers and the dogs they didn't have a chance. We did have a surprise crop of Cantaloupe which grew from the compost we mixed in. We have gotten at least a dozen thus far and they are still growing like crazy.

Luke has discovered blocks and is enjoying creating all different types of structures. He gets sad when it is time to put them away so I sometimes take pictures of them for him to remember.

We went swimming with some friends and the kids were doing so good. Just from being in the water a couple times a week this summer both of them have learned to swim. There is a video of it at the bottom of this post. At the beginning of the summer Bella wouldn't even put her head under water. I didn't push any thing with either of them and they just figured it out! It make water activities so much more enjoyable knowing they are comfortable in the water.

Bella's new Ariel tulle dress. I made it in less than an hour and its a fun little dress up skirt.

Here are the instructions

Poor Royce doesn't have any clothes (He has 5 outfits that's it) and since it has been so warm and he seems to just spit up on everything I don't bother getting him dressed most of the time, so we have started calling him our little BamBam

Royce was cracking up at Bella swing, this is at Ray Roberts State Park.

They are swimming. This pool was about 10 feet deep. So awesome!

Luke loves learning and its a treat for him to have me teach him things he just loves it and has started within the past month or so reading these types of simple books.

Wall Stencil

So I really wanted to put this saying on my wall and just didnt have the money to get a vinyl lettering so I had to resort to other methods. I decided to make my own wall stencil. It took a total of about four hours to make and get up on the wall and I really like the way it turned out plus I was able to customize the paint which I couldn't have gotten with the vinyl

I started by printing out and taping together what I wanted

I got some freezer paper and taped it together so it would fit the words.

Then I traced the letters onto the paper (which is easy with freezer paper)

I then cut out the letters with a exacto knife (this was the most time consuming part, I think there is probably an easier way)

I taped and centered the lettering

(I had to make sure it was where I wanted because there is really no turning back!)

I sponged on the paint (I used a cotton ball). I used black and then radomly sponged on gold. I think it turned out nice and I saved the stencil so if I ever need it again I have it.

He is getting around!

He is getting around! I am not sure if he is just rolling or scooting but somehow whenever I leave the room (not while I'm in the room) he finds a way to get where he wants. I think he is going to be a very active child, his mind is constantly going and he is so interested in everything, should be fun :) I also caught him pushing up onto all fours yesterday (Uh oh, I'm in trouble now). My house is about 50% baby proof so I have some work to do. With Luke I anxiously awaited these mile stones now I can hardly believe they are already here! He also has another tooth (bottom right) that has cut through and we are sleeping through the night again, Yay!

I had left him on the blanket

The Awesomeness

Bella's new shoes, I bedazzled a pair of Luke's old flip-flop. Not so much to save money (even though I didn't mind that) but I am at a point where if I can avoid going to the store I do. Its just isn't fun anymore, not with three kids. We have cut back to grocery shopping just once a month. Unless there is something we absolutely can't do with out we just wait till the next shopping trip. It is actually very liberating not having to run to the store every week and it saves so much time, money and sanity.

Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-Fil-A is amazing. If you dressed up like a cow they gave you a free meal, the kids and I cashed in (including Royce) and the kids loved it cause seriously what kid doesn't like dressing up! Chick-Fil-A is the only fast food restaurant we will eat at (unless we are in dire emergency). The restaurants are always clean, they have friendly service, and they always have a play place.

More Summer! 4th of July

One of the parks were watering the soccer field and we took the opportunity to have some fun!

We have been heading to the beach a couple times a week, the Luke and Bella just love it, and Royce just hangs out.

James and I started playing tennis a couple times a week early in the morning before he works, its fun (even though we are not very good).

The water park story time




4th of July!This was a really fun 4th of July, the kids really got into the festivities this year and we got to explain to them the meaning of the holiday. Our family is so grateful for all those who have sacrificed for our freedoms.
In the morning we went and played tennis and hung out at the park, we went our wards pancake breakfast and then to the 4th of July parade Downtown. The kids were so excited when the people in the floats started throwing candy, it was great!

We had some friends over that night with lots of yummy food and slip n slide fun

yes that's me getting pummeled by Luke at the bottom.

What would the 4th be without fireworks. James thoroughly enjoyed lighting off some little fire works and the kids got to use sparklers for the first time.