Pom Poms and Cardboard Tubes

I saw this floating around Pinterest and wanted to try it...

By how we montessori

It's intended for Toddlers to develop fine motor skills but it kept my Preschooler busy longer.

Here's an alternative to pom poms as well.

Fourth of July in June!

This year we knew we'd be in UT for the Fourth of July so prior to our trip we had a Fourth of July weekend in June. 

Here we made Smore's on our grill. We don't have a pit. :( One of many items to have in our dream home.

June 22, 2013

Also made some Poor man cookies.

Just need white frosting, food coloring and graham crackers. 

Put red, and blue in a separate container and set a plate out to put your assembled cookies on. 

June 23, 2013

The boys didn't eat as many as I thought they would but it was still fun.

Funny Things Kids Say...

I was telling D how well he took his nap today. 

D: I'm not going to break the house rules anymore. I'm going to put them back together how they were.

Summer Bucket List 2013

SUMMER BUCKET LIST 2013

Visit Sea World

Swim Lessons

Pool Party

Eat a Popsicle

Lunch with Daddy

See Fireworks

Make Fourth of July poor man cookies

Make Fourth of July Craft

Make S'mores

Go to the Splash Park

See a Movie

Feed the Ducks

Visit the Library

Summer Reading Program

Try to Ride Bike (without training wheels)

Bowl

Play at the Park

Build a Fort

Celebrate Father's Day

List things you Love about Daddy

Answer Questionnaire about Daddy

Make Rice Crispy Treats

Play Uno

Pool Party!

D got invited to his friend Sophia's birthday party and she just so happened to have it at the pool! He had so much fun that he's was upset that we had to leave when the pool was closing. He's usually afraid of water but seeing all the other children having fun made him want to even want to get into the big pool. Unfortunately I wasn't comfortable with that seeing as how I didn't think he'd want to get in the big pool originally so I didn't pack a suit. :( I want to also get him swim lessons this year but they are having them during our trip to UT. Hoping for next year!

Wish I would've snapped more photos of the party!

Funny Things Kid Say...

Daeton was looking for his goggles for show and tell. 

D: Baby was playing with my goggles and I can't find them. 
Me: I know where they are. I'll go get them. 
D: Thanks, Mom. I knew I could count on you. 
Me:  Aww! That was so sweet!!!
D: *embarrassed* Ahh. Why do you talk like that?

Evening Routine Chart

I put together a routine chart for D because he likes to ask me what comes next so I thought it'd be fun to put pictures with what we're always doing.

First we have baths...

Then we get dressed...

 We get our giggles out...

We read stories...

Brush teeth...

Then we turn on some lullabies, snuggle, give kisses, and say goodnight.

I can't say how much having a routine has helped my family out. It makes it so much easier for everyone. My boys never fuss about going to bed or get out of bed 20 times. 

SeaWorld San Diego!

This Memorial Day we decided to visit Sea World. My boys had never been and I had such a blast the 1st time I'd ever been. I even got a caricature done (something on my Bucket List). Anyway we live about 3 hours from San Diego so by the time we arrived it was just opening and the boys were already getting cranky. We first came to Sesame Street Bay of Play because it's nearest the entrance and the boys wanted to get on the Elmo ride.

Wish we could've gotten pictures of Talon but he was with me and as you can see I had the camera. They wanted to keep riding this ride but I talked them into seeing the animals. 

From there we ventured to Blue Horizons to see the Dolphins and the birds. It started at 10:30

The boys also saw a Turtle on the way to Pets Rule!

Pets Rule! show... It started at 11:30

By this time T was getting very grumpy. He was tired and it was hot. We all got sunburned but not too bad. I thought this show was really cute though and glad we got to see it. There were all sorts of animals from cats and dogs to birds, a pig, and ostriches. They had the olympics where two dogs raced through an obstacle course one at a time (a big one and a little one). They had to shimmy through the fire hydrants, duck under a plank and walk under it, jump through hoops and swim across the water. The little dog jumped in the boat but the big dog just jumped in and swam/walked/jumped across it. Then to top it off the pig came out and did it too!! Instead of jumping the hoops he barreled through them and went around the pool. Too cute.  

There was also a skit where this black dog had a date with the white one. He had to "clean up" the place and get it ready. He put something in the trash can by stepping on the lever at the bottom to open the lid, switched the radio on by jumping on the knob and pushing it to turn it, picked a bone from the fridge AND closed it again and even put the flower in his mouth to give to her when she arrived. So cute! I couldn't get enough.

From there we went to the Wild Arctic area to pass time until Shamu's show.

Afterwards we headed to One Ocean at Shamu Stadium. This show started at 1:00.

Where they were splashing everyone.

We decided after this show that the boys just weren't going to make it any longer and I was extremely bummed. I had so much planned and even wanted to get another caricature done of T. D already has one. If I could do this all over again I'd take a couple days or even get a hotel room although we live here. It was just too much in one day for my little guys. 

Happy 3rd Anniversary!

Traditional Anniversary Gift: Leather 
As a material, leather is durable, warm, strong, flexible, and has a sense of resilency to it. These are qualities that help marriages continue to thrive.

Modern Anniversary Gift: Crystal/Glass 
Crystal can dazzle with its beauty and the way light dances off the multifaceted surface. It is a gentle reminder of how a couple in a meaningful marriage can touch the lives of others.

Travel Anniversary Gift Ideas: Luggage

This year I got a Kindle Fire for Mother's Day but for our anniversary I got the leather case. I just love what the leather symbolizes. <3

For my husband I purchased him a new wallet with his initials and filled it with 6 $25 gift cards to his favorite places.