Planning for Fun!

We are planning a family vacation for early next year here! This will greatly simplify our Christmas shopping this year that's for sure. We took our girls to WDW when they were in kindergarten and thought that it was such a perfect age. Elizabeth is at the same age, and so loving the "princess" thing that we decided we would like to take the whole gang this year.

Bob is here on business this week, and I tagged along so that we could check out a few places and try to start planning.
We will spend a lot of time here.
And I am hoping that we will stay here..........isn't it lovely??
I know Elizabeth will want to meet her!
And our grandson Cooper will LOVE meeting him. I know Ben will love it too, but Cooper is a little obsessed with "Fuzz Lightyear".
We will have a wonderful time, I know. Watching their faces will be the highlight of the trip for me, I may have to walk through the park backwards just to experience all of their joy and wonder. I know the kids will love it all!!

We popped into one of the many gift shops to buy a few trinkets to fill a box for them for Christmas. Just a few little things to let them know what's coming up. I can't wait!!

Elizabeth and the First Day of School

I can hardly believe that Elizabeth is in kindergarten! Where have these last 5 years gone? You know when you are young, the grownups always tell you that time really flies....well they are right. It just seems like yesterday that she was born. Before I know it Ben and Cooper will be going off to school too! So I intend to enjoy these days as much as I can.

So on the first day of school, I was unable to make it to Laura's to be there when she got home, but I met them for ice cream and a few back to school treats. Here is our big Kindergarten girl with her treats.
Everyone needs some princess school supplies.
And a book to store all of those kindergarten memories.
And her favorite, another Ramona book. She has been enjoying the stories.
She is now into her second week of school, and things are going well. I can't wait to go to her school and check it out. Grandparents' breakfast is coming soon!

Jackson is 1 !!

Our sweet Jackson turned 1 on August 19th. We were invited to his house to play at the splash park and then come home for lunch and cake. His party wasn't for a few days, but he had to have a little something on his big day.

This is the darling shirt Auntie Laura got him for his birthday. A friend of Laura's is starting a business and I think it will be a success.
Cousin Elizabeth helped hold his hat in place. He wasn't too sure, but he had his eye on his mom who was doing something interesting with fire and food! Jackson loves to eat!
The birthday boy.
Now this is the party. Darling table of sweet treats.
Auntie Laura made the cake and it was as good as it looked.
More decorations.
Jackson couldn't take his eyes off of this cake. He remembered the yummy treat he got a couple of days ago and he wanted this one.
So did brother Cooper. I love how he is stealing a lick while the other 2 are being sweet for the picture.
Jackson is sharing a little with mommy.

Bob and me with our very favorites!! They don't look at the camera easily but they are all adorable.
The family....more favorites.
We are blessed.

Playing Hard

I had my camera out for just a few of our other activities during the week. We spent a lot of time in the pool, and I didn't take any pictures there! Because I was in the water!! {have I mentioned that it is hot here?}

One day Laura had us for dinner and another day she had us over for lunch. Emma and Evan loved the ball pit.
Laura made these cute kitty cupcakes in honor of Emma and Evan's 2 cats, Crunch and Molly.
Emma and Evan got a new bounce house while they were in Texas. I think there will be lots of fun times in here.

They also played in the playhouse. They both fit in the door on this trip, we'll see how they are next visit. Both our boys could go in when we first put it up, and now they have to duck!
Lot's of cooking going on.
Emma brought her dishes up to the cabana to have a little snack.

It is hot in the playhouse, so they played in the morning for awhile, and then it was in the pool for all of us. We celebrated our grandson Jackson's first birthday while they were here and I will post a few picture of that tomorrow.

Emma and Evan

We have just said good-bye to my sister, her husband, their 2 children, and my brother. They made the long trip from Minnesota to Texas in 1 day with those 2 little ones. They deserve a prize! We are so glad they came though. We had a lot of fun.

Their first full day here we headed out to the Children's Museum. I had never been before and it was very nice. It was also crowded - but it has been over 100 forever here and I think everyone is looking for indoor things to do!! We were, that's for sure.

Here is a shot of some of the group in the garage - my sister with the red bag and my daughter Laura in the black skirt. That's my niece Emma heading towards.................................................

Baby Jackson!! Emma loves babies.
Right outside the museum is this cool guy. Those are my 3 grands underneath him.
One of the many attempts to get a group shot. We are missing Evan, and as you can see I am off to the side. With both my girls trying to get shots I usually go to the side and try to get something. I love how Jackson has spotted Grandma!
Evan looks so determined! He loved this water shooting thing.
Emma

Jackson
Cooper
We had lunch at the museum and then headed home for naps. The kids did a good job taking naps at a strange place which was nice for mom and dad. That gave them a little time to float in the pool. It was a big improvement from Thanksgiving, when one would nap and one wouldn't, and then the reverse at night, with the napper up a lot.

I will share pictures from the rest of our week in my next post.

Fun Weekend!

What a weekend!! We had lots of fun, and this post is full of pictures of only some of the action. I am still pretty bad about getting out my camera, so the beginning of the weekend is with out any pictures. And that is too bad because our action packed weekend began on Friday when Laura hosted a back to school swimming party at our neighborhood pool and clubhouse. The kids all had fun, and hopefully the moms too!

I kept Elizabeth after the party and we had plans to go to the Ramona movie. I have been reading Ramona the Pest to her and thought the movie would be a fun Grandma and Elizabeth activity. I have never taken her to a movie before. Before the movie we read a little more in our book and then headed off to the theater. The movie is probably more appropriate for 8 to 9 year olds, as Ramona is 9 in the movie. The movie takes elements from all of the Ramona books and as we have only read 1 book she had lots of questions about things that happened throughout the movie. She is a girl that likes to ask a lot of questions - lot's of reminding to whisper! We both enjoyed the movie and she is always so polite with her grandma. Such a joy to take anywhere!

After the movie we met grandpa for a quick dinner and headed to Ben's last T-Ball game. I didn't have my camera for the game but remembered to get a picture when we got home of Ben with his trophy. He loves his trophy!

This is the kind of picture you get when you ask him to show you his trophy. Goofy boy! {notice the one shoe off and one shoe on}

This is the best I could do.
Elizabeth and Ben spent the night after Ben's game. We had planned on swimming in the DARK WITH NO SUNSCREEN! This was a huge deal as these poor Texas kids are coated in sunscreen at all times {which is good} but the thrill of just jumping in the pool with out any was just so exciting. But the weather didn't cooperate. We had thunder and lightening in the area and so that meant no pool. It was late anyway so we headed to bed. Grandma sleeps with Elizabeth and Grandpa sleeps with Ben. Early night for G & G!!

This is a picture of breakfast - note the wet heads - we got our sunscreen free swim first thing in the morning when our pool is still shaded. Almost as good as the night {I think swimming in the dark with the pool light is part of the allure though}.
After breakfast Laura took them home and we spent the day having the AC men here trying to make our new AC cool our upstairs to a comfortable temp. Not fun for any of us.

Fast forward to Sunday morning and here is Miss Elizabeth all dressed up to go to lunch with Grandma and Grandpa for her special back to school surprise lunch. {holding her T-ball trophy- she knew I took a pic of Ben with his and wanted to make sure I got hers too:-)}
Guess where we had lunch?? Yep, Grandma and little girl heaven, I mean the American Girl store. Isn't she so cute with all of her babies around her?
First up a Strawberry Sparkler to drink.
She wisely choose the fruit appetizer and ate every bit.
Lunch was bitty picnic - mini hot dog and mini hamburger. The curly fries disappeared, but I think Grandpa got the rest for dinner!
But, you have to have dessert!
Even the babies had their own little drinks. {I think they should let you bring the cups home!} {they don't}
After lunch we are ready to look at every single thing in the store. We didn't miss anything! We both loved it - I told Bob it was like golf galaxy for men. He was very patient with us! Elizabeth picked out a bitty better doctor kit, and showed us many thing she would like for Christmas! I took note!
Can't wait to come again!
We took her home, and then the fun continued for me with a movie for our boys. I love this picture because it shows Cooper's reaction perfectly! This was his first movie and he could not take his eyes off the screen. You said "look here Cooper" and he would turn his head, but the eyes stayed on the screen. SO cute.
Finally got one of the two boys.
Look at the goodies. Do you think he ate any dinner that evening?
Best buds
Jessica and Cooper at his very first movie. He loves Fuzz Lightyear. {his name for him}
Grandma and her boys.
I got Ben home and then came home and crashed! Such a fun weekend. I hope lots of memories were made, I know they were for me.