Mama's Memorial Day Birthday Weekend

I was born on Memorial Day, so I'm used to sharing my birthday weekend with this special holiday. It works out great too, because I always get a nice long weekend to celebrate my birthday! As we have for 15+ years, we all gathered at the lake house to welcome in Summer and celebrate my birthday and Memorial Day. 

Saturday was the BIG day- my birthday and more importantly, at least to the kids anyway, the Memorial Day parade!! Of course, I dressed both of them up in their most patriotic clothes. 

Rachael's outfit was given to her by Aunt Laureen for Christmas and I have been anxiously waiting for this day to roll around so she could wear it!

I had to take a picture of the back view too- SO cute!

Ryan took these great pictures of the kids just before the parade began.

Once the parade began, Rachael stood as close as she could to the action. 

Then she joined her Mama.

David sat with his Daddy the whole time.

Except for when he thought he could talk Ma and Big Daddy into getting one of those...

Back at the house that day [and all weekend long] the kids played in the water table

Then down to the boat dock.




The kids would take turns pretending to drive the boat. 

While the other waited patiently.

The lake water was still a little chilly for some of us to get in. There were only a few brave enough to really get in the water- Ricky, Cate, and Big Daddy. David dipped down from the dock ladder twice, but that was enough for him. Rachael loved sitting on the back of the boat and kicking her feet in the cold water.

Oh, right! Somewhere along the way we celebrated my birthday. Saturday evening we had an awesome low country boil!

My babies and me

Yes, that's my cake. Clean Cookie Dough Balls. Yes, we are 'clean eaters' [or 'hippies' as some of our friends call us] and we love it. Thanks to Aunt Nicole for sharing this recipe! 

Blowing out the candles. Look at David's intensity. 

Did you like that, Rachael?

How about you, David?

I got some help opening presents. Well, really I watched while they opened.






And then while I was opening gifts, this happened...






Our sweet Bogie-dog tolerates so much from his kids. He lets them climb all over him, ride him like a horse, and slide down his head. What a good dog we have. He would never admit it, but I think he really likes his babies. I know they sure like him, a lot.

It was a great birthday weekend full of fun and family! 

These Boots

I have never been one of those women who had a million pairs of shoes or was obsessed with the latest and greatest in footwear [and frankly I hope Rachael isn't either]. But, there are two pairs of shoes, boots actually, that I have come to love more than any other shoes. Ever. 

These boots:

David's

Rachael's

I LOVE these boots so much! I love it when the kids wear them. Just when I think they can't get any cuter, they put these boots on and it's so precious I can hardly stand it! Recently, David chose to wear his with shorts and I couldn't say No because it was just too cute.

Rachael looks adorable in them no matter the outfit or the occasion.

I think I need to order both pairs in several sizes for the future. I can't imagine them not having these cute boots as a part of their wardrobe. 

It's Potty Time!

Well, Baby Girl did it. She used the potty for the first time! 

I was so excited and proud that I had to use my phone to take the picture! 

[Sorry if you're squeamish, but it was a big moment.] 

Rachael has been pretending to use the little potty whenever David used the big potty. Or when she started to make a move like she needed to use it I would ask her if she wanted to go to the potty. She and I would run to the bathroom and she would sit on the little potty, but do her business in her diaper. Today she acted like she needed to go, I asked her if she wanted to take her diaper off and use the potty. She said yes. So that's what we did. The first time she sat on the potty nothing happened. So, I pulled up her shorts, but didn't put her diaper back on. I explained to her that when she needed to go she had to come to the potty because she didn't have a diaper on. And that's exactly what she did. Not two minutes later there she was- sitting on the potty!! I was so proud of my little 19 month old baby girl. 

Honeysuckles

I taught the kids about honeysuckles. 

I saw some growing in our side yard and thought I would show them a few and they would be on to something else. No. They LOVED them! David especially wanted to learn exactly how to get that 'yummy stuff outa der'. 

Rachael wanted to just eat the whole flower

I showed them where and how to pick the right ones so they would be able to get some whenever they wanted.

I finally had to make them stop picking them so there would be some for later. 

David and the Teepee

David received a teepee for his birthday from Ms. Neidrach and a family friend, Keely for his birthday. As soon as we got home that weekend he wanted to set it up in the living room. He played in it all day. And then when bedtime came he begged us to take it upstairs. He said he was going to sleep in it that night. Ryan and I decided to let him. I figured he would move to his bed during the night and not be interested in sleeping in it again. 

Boy, was I wrong.

With the exception of one nap because of poor behavior, David has slept in his teepee for every nap and bedtime since he got it nearly one month ago! 

How sweet is that?! 

Also, did you see Bogie in the first picture? He takes a nap with David everyday. 

David's Last Day of School

Last Tuesday, May 14th, was David's last day of school. I can't believe he has already completed his first year of school! I have a feeling every year is probably going to go by just as fast, if not faster. They had a big end-of-the-year party and of course Rachael and I attended. 

When we first arrived it was story time. We quietly watched as all the kids sat engrossed in the book of the day. [that's David in the light blue shirt]

After that, it was time for all the kids to find a seat! [my goodness, how he has grown]

David's teachers asked me to bring a dessert for the party. I always like to make fun things for the parties or when it was David's day to bring in the snack for the class. So, to celebrate the arrival of Summer, and hopefully because all the kids will be spending lots of time outside, I made 'Worms in Dirt'. 

Because they don't get much junk food, my poor kids didn't know what a gummy worm was. 

But, they were soon digging in just like the others.

David wanted to play with the train table at school one more time.

And say goodbye to his fantastic teachers. 

I can't say enough about these wonderful ladies. Ms. Amber and Ms. Sandy have taught David so much. Everyday I was amazed at what he had learned at school. Not only did they teach him about the usual- letters, colors, numbers, and shapes, they also made a craft everyday, led music class once a week, taught the Pledge of Allegiance daily, said the blessing before each snack, read tons of books, made time for outside play unless it was raining, and took the kids to a monthly chapel service. But, perhaps the most important, they instilled a love and excitement of school that I hope will stay with David through his school days. You may remember that David's first few weeks of school did not go so well. It's because of his teachers that David is now asking when he can go back.  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DADDY!

Earlier this month we celebrated Ryan's 32nd birthday. That's really hard to believe especially since our birthdays are only 19 days apart, so...I'm next. 

Anyway, we had a great time preparing for the big day. The kids helped me make Daddy's cake. Just after nap time the day before the "party", we got to work. David woke up first so we did a few steps before Rachael joined us. 

David loved using the sifter. 

And measuring the vanilla

Rachael woke up just in time to use the mixer

And, of course, taste test the batter

 The next evening Twinkle and Bing joined us for Ryan's special dinner. Ryan loved the cake and the kids were very proud to have helped make it.

They both helped him blow out the candles

And, yes, there were presents

Rachael really liked this card

Ryan's big gift was an upcoming week-long turkey hunting trip to Kansas and Nebraska. Inside the gift box Ryan found a toy airplane [in David's hand], a turkey call [in Rachael's hands and mouth] a camouflaged head cover, and 2 bags of trail mix for him to eat while hunting. 

And just in case you're wondering- Ryan had a great trip. He shot two birds in Kansas and one on Nebraska.