Our Newest Family Members

So I told you guys Sammy’s birthday present.  Last weekend we headed to Atlanta to pick up Yoshi.  It took us 8 hours to get down there and Nicia decided to join us for the trip (watching Brave):

I love driving through this area of North Carolina:

When we got there we got Yoshi to warm up to us.  Then we saw how super sweet he was with his sister:

Sammy fell in love with both puppies and so did Tim and I (Yoshi in the cone of shame, Princess Peach on the far right):

So we decided to get both of them.  We also knew this would make it easier for Tipsy to adjust.  She wouldn’t be the only dog for the puppy to play with.  She can be a grumpy old lady at times (and a spunky puppy at other times).  Next up was bring two puppies that car sick back in our car!  They thankfully slept pretty much the whole time and never got sick!  Sammy holding Princess Peach (Peach for short):

Yoshi hung out on the floor of the front passenger seat:

We stopped only once on the whole trip and the puppies did great!  Everyone ran inside to get Starbucks and go to the bathroom and I hung out with the puppies before taking over the driving.  (Yoshi on the left and Peach on the right).

This is a daily occurrence on my lap.. I am not sure what I am going to do when they get bigger!

Not a flattering picture of me.. but I had to post it since this is Peach’s favorite spot to sit!

Snuggling together on the floor next to their bed:

So I might have lost my mind in Atlanta but I am so glad I did.  These pups are super sweet and make a wonderful addition to our house! 

Summer Fun List

I love making lists of activities I want to do with Sammy during a season.  I have gotten away from them in the past year or so.  But I love that it gives us fun ideas to do when we are stuck in a rut!  So with out further ado our Summer Fun List!

1. Make Popsicles
2. Sidewalk chalk paint
3. Camping
4. Make dinner over the fire pit in the backyard
5. Squirt gun target practice
6. Water balloon fight – We will have to recruit some friends or Daddy for this since I’m allergic to latex
7. Ice excavating
8. Water balloon piñatas
9. Big Bubbles
10. Fly a kite
11. Make fruit kebabs
12. Make moon sand
13. Watch fireworks
14. 10 trips to the lake
15. Backyard swim party with friends (little pool)
16. Swim the full length of the pool (Sammy)
17. Float on back for 1 minute (Sammy)
18. Jump off of the diving board (Sammy)
19. Picnic at 3 different parks
20. Pick strawberries
21. Make sun tea
22. Library reading program
23. Barnes and Noble reading program
24. Vacation Bible School
25. Go see Monsters University
26. Go see Planes
27. Go see $1 movie
28. Ride on the tube at the lake
29. Go to a lawn party
30. Ride a train
31. Go get ice cream cones
32. Picnic in the backyard and read books under the tree
33. Feed the ducks
34. Learn to ride bike without training wheels
35. Eat each meal outside in one day
36. Do 10 new art projects
37. Read 10 chapter books aloud
38. Raise ladybugs
39. Take Yoshi and Tipsy to the lake to swim
40. Read all of picture books (put them into a digital library and purge the ones we don’t love)
41. Try 5 new smoothie recipes
42. learn to swing by yourself
43. Do 10 science experiments
44. Make an emergency preparedness kit
45. Grow vegetables in our root viewer
46. Memorize our address (Sammy)
47. Make friendship bracelets to give to our friends before they leave for 9 months
48. Find and paint walking sticks
49. Go to the library story time 5 times
50. Go fishing

So I realize that is quite a list.  It is very possible that we will not finish this list or come very close.  But when I am needed a fresh idea I will come here.  Or when I inevitably hear, “I’m bored!” we will look on here for a fun idea.  I will be checking out the lists on Little Wonders’ Days Summer Bucket List Party today and probably adding some more!  Do you have any fun summer ideas we just have to do?  I am going to try and take a picture (at least with my phone) of us completing a lot of these activities.  Then I will update the list every week (or so) with what we have accomplished.  Let me know if it gets to repetitive!

Happy 6th Birthday Sammy!

Thursday April 25th, at 10:35 pm Sammy turned six years old!  I still can’t believe he is that old!  Sammy is an amazing boy!  He loves to make people laugh and smile.  Sammy is caring, sweet, and tenderhearted.  He is also stubborn and a perfectionist.  He is smart, strong, and becoming braver with each day!

Sammy right before he found out we were going to the circus (the day before his birthday):

He loves to build:

He has just started to like to color:

He loves to exercise:

Sammy loves to learn, play Mario, laugh, and EAT.. he eats a ton and loves a many different foods except for chocolate! 

Tim and I discussed what to get Sammy for his birthday.  He didn’t really need anything in particular!  Sammy is an animal lover and we have a dog that doesn’t like him!  Tipsy is old and grumpy.  Tim’s sister told me about these puppies she has been fostering and she sent me a picture of them.  One thing led to another and I want you guys to meet Yoshi:

We don’t have him at our house yet.  But we will get to pick him up next week!  Sammy is super excited and can’t wait to play with him! He decorated his swing set with dandelions today to make it nice for when Yoshi comes home!

Happy Birthday Sammy!  Mommy and Daddy love you and are so proud of the boy you are becoming!

3 Decades = Awesome S’mores Party!

So earlier this month I turned the big 3-0!  I figured it was momentous enough of an occasion to throw a party.  We had a bunch of friends over for a big old S’mores party!  We had all sorts of fixings for the s’mores:

• Peanut Butter
• Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups
• Peppermint Patties
• Pineapple
• Strawberries
• milk chocolate
• bananas
• dark chocolate
• regular marshmallows
• gigantic marshmallows

This little cute looked super big eating his s’more:

Sammy’s favorite part was eating all of the fruit!  He did roast a few marshmallows too:

My favorite picture of the evening:

I had so much fun hanging out with friends and chatting while the kids ran around!  Sammy thought it was so fun to play with the big kids in his backyard!

Opening Ceremonies and First T-Ball Game

Like so many people we had a long cold winter with lots of late winter snows.  Sammy is playing t-ball for the first time this year and they had 2 practices before the season started!  We have never been involved in T-Ball before and I loved the opening ceremonies!  They call each coach and player onto the field by their name!  So cool! 

It was FREEZING that morning of the ceremonies and Sammy had on lots of layers to try and keep warm!  Here he is waiting for his turn and trying to stay warm!

Out on the field (he is #1 on the left):

Later that day he had his first game!  Getting ready to bat:

My little leftie (I love it):

Sammy loved running bases and catching up to the person in front of him:

Team huddle:

After all the years of softball that I played I love that Sammy is having fun playing tball:

My dad (Pop Pop) was able to make it to the first game while my mom was at a quilt show.  Sammy was excited to see him but also missed his GiGi!