Texas... Part Two!

Alright so I tried to post this a few weeks ago but it didn't work out so well. Anyway... here it is:

Let's see... where did I leave off? Our week of fun in Texas continued with these fun memories...

One of the best things about the south? SONIC!

Kids drinking milkshakes...

There's no one with a cuter "sipping" face than Molly Rose...

It might help the cuteness factor that the milkshake is almost as big as she is... heeee hehehehe ;)

Surprise! Josiah got Color Wonder Explosion markers and paper for his birthday! YAY!

He was SO excited and loves them.

Umm... which by the way Aunt Laura... we seem to have misplaced... did we leave them there? :(

Cute kids on the playground on a hot day! Mmmm juice.

(I find it slightly comical that Lydia is just about as big as Lucy... despite the over 1 year age difference!)

I can now officially say that I've seen the "Walker Texas Ranger" courthouse in person

Downtown Fort Worth!

Nothing can steal my heart like twinkle lights on ever tree in the middle of a city. I mean, what city has (a giant palm tree...see above) and twinkle lights on all the trees lining the roads? (see below- behind bull) Oh, so so so cute.

Big Bull thing... presumably so tourists like us can stand and get their picture next to it ;)

Very cool mural I painted while I was there.

HAHA- just kidding. But it was awesome!

Josiah and Molly sharing a stroller. He is... um... VERY generous with his hugs.... ha haha. Okay- he hugs a little too tightly, kinda like a bear. But, in fairness, Josiah was so loving and protective of her, like she was his "other" little sister. Molly seemed to enjoy his antics for the most part, and he had her laughing a lot that week!

The whole gang!

Molly with Andrew, Laura/Lucy, Lisa/Lydia (and her giraffe!) Josiah, Grandma and Benjamin

This is from Fossil Rim... one of the most amazing adventures of my life. We got to see so many wild animals- UP CLOSE and to FEED them from our hands. I got to FEED a giraffe!! I mean, how AWESOME is that? One thing checked off my bucket list!!

A big THANK YOU to Andrew and Laura for taking us to such an amazing place.

The kids loved it, Lydia was pointing and screeching when animals would walk in front of our car and Josiah was amazed and happy to be about the car with no seat belts! haha. They were a little scared of the large animals up close so didn't feed many of them by hand.... (well, with the exception of Molly-the-fearless who was practically giving eskimo kisses to a large wild ram who could swallow her in one bite. LOL.. that girl is something else!)

There's just way too many pictures to share from this amazing trip, but here are a few good ones-

Josiah feeding deer...

Me feeding a giraffe!

Kids being silly!

Lydia mesmorized! :)

The HUGE ostrich that made Grandma really scared... ha ha ha

baby zebra!! awwww :)

Zebra's just can't resist Laura .... mmmmm tasty ;)

Kids on fence before entering "the safari"... too cute.

Grandma juggling two babies!

Molly's "CHEEEEESE" face... just about the cutest thing ever. In person- it's even cuter and more hilarious!

I LOVE this picture. It is totally candid, the two of them were just walking together and Josiah was talking to her and had his hand patting her head. *Oh so cute.

Josiah is dangling his new little snake, and Lydia fell in love with a giant giraffe. Yup, heart set on it- and it's almost as big as she is. She could barely carry the thing but wouldn't even let me help. She LOVES it!

After Fossil Rim we stopped to get the kids some lunch (before they zonked out for naps in the car!)

Kisses for Uncle ANNDDOOOO! :)

Lucy playing in the new pool we got her! What a little princess :) I'm so happy the girls love it.

Toward the end of our trip we went to the Fort Worth Water Gardens...

it was absolutely gorgeous and we loved it! A little bit of paradise in the middle of the city, so cool!

The coolest fountain... it was huge and it looks like a smaller version of Niagara Falls.

The greatest part is that you can walk down the stair step platforms all the way to the bottom! Andrew and I walked to the bottom and it sounds SO neat being surrounded by falling water. There's a much cooler picture of this I'm sure, but it's probably on Laura's camera! ;) Laura... can you email me a picture of us in the bottom of this? (Everyone else- I'll post it if she does!)

Cutest kids in town! Enjoying the water gardens :)

Me reading the kids Sneezy Louise! The last day of our trip.

Bye-Bye Texas! The plane ride home.

We had such a great week in Texas....

A big THANK YOU to the Cooke's for being such amazing hosts and for allowing us to over-take their home for a few days. It was just such a wonderful trip with so many great memories!

Up next- family vacation to the beach. We went a couple weeks ago. I took lots of pictures... and a few cute videos.

I'll do my best to get those up soon!

Just resting my back

My house is a complete disaster. Well, that's not true, because I JUST picked up all the toys in the living room (with my big boy's help!) but this morning and for most of the day, it looked like the tornado that almost hit us yesterday (didn't hear about that one!??) actually DID hit us.

*Random note of explanation-- so there was a tornado watch for our area last night around 5pm and it was actually seen moving through our city and I had to take all three kids into a tiny windowless bathroom quickly and pretend I wasn't scared to pieces. Good times!

Anyway, so my house is a mess... but my kids are so happy. I've been ignoring all things housework to just play with them and be there for them. Mostly it's still hard, I nurse one, then play "jumpin jeeps" with the other, then catch one's spit up, then make sure to "shange doll diaper" and put on her "PINK pants!" and then build LEGOs with two of them while making googly happy faces at the other one so he stays happy. I'll let you determine which activities go with which kids ;)
BUT, it's been fun. Usually I have to deny little man's requests for things like driving jeeps all around because he is up and down on the floor and all over the place and my back has been killing me lately, so I have to rest it by sitting down on the couch for awhile. (this is key to one of the stories you're about to read!) But anyway today we've been PLAYIN IT UP and it's been fun. Amazingly enough, the dishes got done and some toys are picked up so it hasn't been a completely unproductive day either ;)

While hanging out with my kids today I've gotten some funny lines from them. I want to jot them down so we have them on record, kids are just so funny! It's so hilarious to hear them say these things because they are mostly things that I am saying ALL THE TIME to them so then they start repeating them.

For example, Monday morning Josiah makes me a beautiful picnic in the living room with play food and the works. I said, "What a beautiful picnic! I need to nurse Ben. Can you bring me a plate of something yummy while I sit here on the couch and nurse him? Oh I can't wait to see what you've made!"
Josiah-- brings me a tiny red plate, and a plastic onion.... and says, "I have cherry cake for you too! But you have to eat your WHOLE onion if you want to get dessert!" LOL.

This morning as we're sitting at the kitchen table finishing up breakfast...
"Mommy... you really need to sweep this floor, I just saw an ant."  :)

And my favorite one... he's racing around playing and playing and playing after lunch- then all the sudden he plops onto the couch and SIGHS and says... "I am back resting." :) oh goodness. these kids will copy anything!

Lydia Counting

I'm sorry it's been so long since I blogged. Technically... it hasn't. It's just that I blogged this entire post with LOTS of pictures with more all about our trip to Texas, and then it didn't work!! I was so frustrated that I gave up. I'll have to post some more recent pictures and stories though SOON- either from Texas or from our Ocean City beach trip or both.

In the meantime... here's the latest giggle. Lydia has learned to count, all by herself... which I attribute to many games of Hide-N-Seek with her big brother. She hides and he covers his eyes and counts to 20. Then he hides and she sorta covers her eyes and counts...
"Onnnnnee.... Twoo..... Freeee..... Fooouuurr.... Fiiiivvee.... Sizzz.... Lemon.... Eiiighhhtt.... Ninnnnee... Denn..... Lemon.... COME!" (Here I come)!  

It's so cute I could just die.

I'll have to try to get it on video! ;)

Love and Blessings!

Happy 5 Year Anniversary- to us!

5 years ago today I married the love of my life. I didn't think it possible then, but I love him even more today.

When I think back on the past 5 years I think, "Phew! ...that FLEW by!" ... I guess we have been a little busy. We have at least 3 big things I can think of that have been the fruits of our marriage thus far ;)

(They are such CUTE little fruits too!)

But even though things are busy and life is hectic, I am so thankful every day that I have Michael to share it with. He is the man of my dreams, the man that God designed to make me whole, and for that I am so honored. We are perfect for eachother in every way. He is everything I never knew I needed, and more than anything I ever dreamed. Watching him become a father has been an amazing blessing. He is such a wonderful, loving, and very patient Daddy, and he helps me become a better Mom. He's a loving, kind, compassionate and gracious husband who helps me become a better wife. I thank God every day for him, and I'm so happy we are on this journey together. I just couldn't do it without him. There's so much more I could say, but like every great miracle - words just can't adequately describe it.

Michael, I love you with all my heart, and I always will!

Yours,
Lisa

Interview with Josiah - Age 4- July 2010

I've been meaning to "interview" Josiah for a while now to record some of his cuteness for him to remember in the future... and seeing that Laura had just done that with Lucy (http://www.plantedandblooming.com/) It reminded me to do it! I happen to know that several of these answers aren't true, but I'm not about to edit out the cuteness of his answers so... here it goes.  (Thanks for letting me copy most of your questions Laura! haha)
Mommy in red- Josiah in Blue

Hi Josiah
Hi

How old are you?
4

What's your favorite color?
red

What's your favorite food?
*clears his throat* Cauliflower... 'cause it's sooo yummy!

Drink?
Yes

No *I laugh* I mean what IS your favorite drink?
Juice! *laughs with me* ... and milk.

Favorite Movie?
Toy Story. And Lightning McQueen. I usually watch those on movie nights sometimes.

What's your sister's name?
Lydia (said with a big smile)

What do you like best about her?
Umm... she's sharing good and being really nice to me.

What do you like to play with her?
I like to play trucks and cars and strollers. Even blocks.

What is your brother's name?
Umm Benny!

What's your favorite thing about him?
I like to give him hugs.

Where's your favorite place to go?
The Columbia Mall.
Why?
Because it has lots of fun things like Chick-Fil-A and it has lots of stores like lots of food stores. All on the sides. On the left and the right.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Um... A police....Umm... when I grow up I want to be a tulip picker!

Anything else you'd like to tell me about yourself?
Nope!