Puppy

Ryan will sometimes lay by the balcony.  Last weekend & this weekend these are some of the views I've had.

Zoom in...

Or this:

It's a snake!!!!

He thought it was hilarious. ☺

Fort

We built a pretty neat forty over the weekend.  

Inside the boys built individual rooms. ☺

With some awesome friends over today, they enjoyed a snack in there.... And then shortly after the fort became a bouncy house and then a pool. 

Canon ball!!!!

Toys R Us to the rescue

We went to Toys R Us this morning after school.  After we got Logan's friends birthday present, they played at the train table for a good 15 minutes, maybe 20.  Then we slowly pried Ryan away to go back by the motorized cars.... Easily another 20-30 minutes went by as they say in every vehicle twice exclaiming that this Isd the one they want.  Then Ryan found a toy & didn't want to leave it.  To help my sanity a bit, I let him push it around while the boys looked at Lego sets & star wars sets.  

Thank you TRU for a wonderful break on a cold day. ☺

Cookies with Aunt Dawn

Yesterday was MLKjr Day.  While I had some laundry to tackle and the last few Christmas bins to put away...I figured I should postpone those a day and go hang out with my sister since it doesn't happen as much as we'd like it to.

She made sugar cookie dough the night before, so after lunch we rolled out the dough and the boys had fun with cookie cutters.  Then of course they got to decorate a cookie or two of their choice. Yum! We all had fun.  Thanks Aunt Dawn!

Carter... What a hoot!

Yesterday I was calling the boys downstairs.  Carter didn't come right away.  I called him a second time.  He said,'oh Mom, I just warmed up my ears and I'm ready to listen!'

The boys later also said that they will listen to whatever I say.  Ah, I wish. I'll take it for as long as I can. ☺

Tonight in the car, Carter let out a pretty long fart. As I was getting ready to ask him which manner he should use, he said, ' oh man, it sounds like somebody was in there winding something up.  I think they were winding up a toot.'

Oh he cracks me up!!!

New Game

Carter: Mom, this is a new game called don't blink, don't move.  You don't blink and you don't move.  Like this.

I like that game. ☺. He's so cute.

Cereal milk down

I love that Ryan does this.  Logan had done it quite a bit as well, but mostly with his chocolate cereal of choice. ☺

It grosses me out and I could never do it as a kid... But it's so cute when he does.

Ryan

I was sick yesterday and John let this little bugger stay up late....hence why he cried during his bath this morning (which he typically loves) and why he fell asleep waiting for lunch to be served.

Then before bed he jammed out on daddy's headphones.

And insisting that he wasn't tired at bedtime, he fell asleep like this...

Such a cutie!

Last day as a 5 year old

My baby is going to be 6 tomorrow!!!  Hasn't hit me just yet.

We spent the day doing lots of lego party prep.  He helped make the lego cupcakes.

And the ultimate reward:

We made lego crayon-holder centerpieces for the party:

And I got last cuddles with my 5 year old.  He is such a cuddler and I just love it.  He did tell me that when he's 6, he is going to be very busy and won't be able to cuddle.  Then he told me he was just kidding.  Oh the stinker!  I'm not sure how long we can cuddle before I'm lame....but I'm soaking it up now!

I just love this kid.

Memory

Carter eating cracker sticks & fake cheese dip.  

Mom, bremember when we were at the sprinkler park & I ate these?

Me: you have a good memory, Carter

Carter: yep, I have good rememberies.

Carter funny

At breakfast; random convo between 2 4.5-year olds:

Viv: when I was a baby I was in my moms tummy.

Carter: were you drawing pictures in there?

Haha - seriously carter?  

Zoo & Beach Impromptu Day!

Logan got on the bus.  Ryan & Carter woke up.  Sam texted saying she didn't have to go to school today, therefore I didn't have Vivie.  We went to a play date with one of Ryan's friends.  Came home. Got Logan off the bus.  Made get well signs for my great aunt.  Now what?  I've wanted to go to the zoo for some time now & it was a gorgeous day.  Why not? We got ready, grabbed food on the road & headed out!

It was great!  It wasn't busy at all & I got every obligatory zoo picture that I never attempted because it's always do busy!

The Kangaroo pouch - Ryan wasn't a huge fan, but obliged.

Checking out the camel.  Well, they were till I had them pose. :)

Logan tried to steer the crazy wagon. :)

We headed for the dolphin show!  We sat just above the splash zone, but still got wet!

Jump, flipper!

Next time we'll sit even higher. :)

Dolphin statue!

The we headed to the Hammill Family Play Zoo.  What a neat area!!!  It'll be perfect for winter trips!  Here they were Jr. Zookeepers & cleaned the place up!

Big sign/ fountain

THE LION!!!!  I am not sure if I ever got a chance to do this picture!

Then since we were so close to Chicago, we contacted John & met him on a run.  We were right by the beach, so we had some beach fun.  Logan & Ryan just woke up from a nap so they weren't as ready to play in the sand as my darling carter. :)

Sand angels!!!

A fun night!  It would have been stellar if my gps would not have lost it's signal, causing me to get lost myself....but eh, it's a learning experience!  I guess...

Not a sticker

The other 2 boys never did this ( well honestly there is a lot that Ryan does/gets in to that the other 2 boys didn't, but I digress.). Ryan was in our bathroom.  John & I told him to come out which he did but bam we were talking to Logan & Carter & he snuck in & closed the bathroom door behind him.  I noticed a few minutes later.  In the past he's played with water, stuck his finger in Chapstick, empty the cabinets, climbed on the counter & tried to play with hair gel, etc.  Well, he got into my feminine product box.

Dam good joke!

John wanted to run by the river today.  We dropped him off by a trail, by the river.  We stopped to see him off & cheer him on about a half mile away.....right by a man-made dam.  Well, Carter (since nature camp) thinks any dam is a beaver dam.

We see john run by & Carter shouts out the window:  Dad, dad, look; it's a dam beaver!!!!

I nearly lost it in laughter!!!  He said it backwards & oh my gosh....it was hilarious!

First Homework!!

Logan received his first homework assignment.  We were both excited! (Though I am well aware that kindergarten homework will pretty much all be way fun.... Not the same as he gets older....).  So for now we are enjoying it!!  Logan started right on it as he walked in the door & promptly said "I love homework!".  I will remind him of this in future years. :)