What have we been up to?

Abby posing in the front yard in front of the lilies.

The kids are loving being outside this spring and summer. They love to play in the yard, front or back. Running and racing up and down the sidewalk is a favorite. I think Beau does this barefoot in his pajamas more than in real clothes and shoes.

Having a moment with the bubble wand.

A rare moment. I don't usually bathe them together anymore, but happened to the other night after they had been running through the sprinkler. They are way too wild to put together in the tub anymore. There usually ends up being lots of water on the floor and/or someone ends up crying.

Beau posing in his Batman pajamas Aunt Jody got him for his birthday with his Batman diving stick. Seriously - all boy. Good thing we don't have bunk beds. I know we would already have had another broken arm after an attempt at flying if we did...

My mom came down to visit at the end of May. The kids LOVED having their MiMi here. She spoiled them with new precious matching outfits as modeled in the picture above. Samantha, Abby's American Girl doll (that MiMi got for her before she was born) even got in on the matching outfits. Abby was thrilled, and has toted that doll around non-stop since it got a new outfit.

Abby posing in the living room prior to her recital. Can you see her trying not to burst with glee?! She just loves the costumes and makeup and being on stage...the whole hoopla. Could not be more opposite her mother in that aspect...

Wearing one of Mommy's shirts to protect her costume until she gets backstage.

(Apologies for the out of order pictures) Posing with MiMi in the lobby after the recital.

With her proud Mommy and Daddy. Abby was so thrilled that her Daddy had got her flowers. She was so, so excited about that gesture, and I am so glad we did it for her. She carried them around, held them in the car, helped cut and arrange them, and asked for them to be put in her room - not the living room or dining room. I am afraid I am rising a high maintenance girl, that one. Pity the fool that falls for her some day! Ha!

Ballet

Tap

Jazz

We have made several trips to the local library this summer. Both of the kids love to read and be read to. You can also check out videos (for free - woo hoo!) which they love to do. We are signed up for a summer reading program there. You keep a list of the books you read, the author, and your favorite part of the book. For every 10 books you read, you bring your list in and get a treat (like a gift certificate for a scoop of ice cream at Baskin Robbins, etc.). There is also another program they do where you take another list to Barnes and Noble, and for every 8 books you read they get to pick a free book. Abby is so thrilled with this whole process, and asks me all day long if she can read to me or if I can read to her. Her latest infatuation is a chapter book on Helen Keller.

We took a little family vacation to Houston, Texas last week. It was super hot, but we had a good time visiting the city (so big - 4th largest in the U.S. - I didn't know that until we were going). We went to a pro baseball game and watched the Astros get killed by the Cubs! We managed to consume more junk at that game. I think it was a record. Hot dogs, peanuts, cotton candy and ice cream in the 7th (tradition). It makes me sort of sick just thinking about it...

In front of the ballpark - yep...gettin' pretty big. I went to the doctor today. Time to start going every 2 weeks already after this. Weird how fast it goes by with the 3rd baby!

Crashed. I love pictures of sleeping kids.

Another sleeping picture - this is in the middle of the tour at the Houston Space Center (also the biggest in the U.S.) after we saw the mission control room, which was really neat. These are also a little out of order...

There was a big Star Wars thing for the kids right when you walked in. Low and behold - there were also real characters from the movie there. Funny how much Beau loves Star Wars and talks constantly about all of the wild animals he can kills with his light saber, but acts like this when he stumbles onto one.

Beau couldn't stop staring at Darth Vader. Abby wouldn't stand next to him or touch him.

This is an actual space shuttle, which may have been the coolest thing we saw while at the space center. It is really quite unbelievable to see how enormous that thing was, and to think that it had actually carried astronauts to space and back.

Posing with Daddy in front of the shuttle.

We spent half of one day in Galveston, the beachfront about an hour outside of Houston. It was not the prettiest beach in the world, and there was still a lot of damage from Hurricane Ike that struck there last year. None of this seemed to matter to our kiddos - all they cared about was playing in the sand and running around in the water!

Abby flying a kite with Daddy

Enjoying her first experience at The Melting Pot. Yummy.

This was the first display at the Houston Zoo when we got there...no kidding. I think there may be more animals named Toby than people.

Outside of the zoo.

Abby standing like a flamingo in front of the flamingos. She said that they were her favorite animals there. Pink and pretty. Of course they were...

How tall are you?

Back at home playing in the front yard in the sprinkler.

She poses like this unprompted. It just cracks me up.

Beau, on the other hand, is next to impossible to get a picture of, much less a good one. It usually involves bribes, and he is hardly ever smiling in them. He is a moving target.

Lastly, some pictures from my attempt at a garden this year. I actually surprised myself in that stuff actually is growing! I don't have the greenest thumb, and usually leave this type of stuff up to Toby. I figured I might as well try. I have to say it has been lots of fun watching everything grow, and it has been a great learning tool for my kids.

Jalapenos

Corn that is just starting to come in Tons of tomatoes! Yay! My favorite.

A view of the whole thing. I have herbs in pots on the porch. There is also green onions, lettuce, squash and zuccini. I didn't think I would bore everyone with pictures of everything. I have really turned into an old woman the past couple of years. Top hobbies used to be sports. Now they are sewing and gardening. Sigh. It's a good life, though!

We are spending most of our days at the pool lately. The kids and I are going to make a trip to Tennessee next month to visit our family and friends and to meet the newest member of the family, Quinn Maire! We hope everyone is having a great summer so far!