Going to Grandma's...

 The kids and I went for a quick overnight trip to Grandma & Papa's house.

 I think Piper had the most fun this time than she has ever had!  Grandma played school and apartment with her!  Yes, my daughter chooses to play apartment instead of house...???  She is a unique child!

 She also helped Grandma pull potatoes out of the garden.  I think it is so great for kids to do this kind of thing.  I wish it happened more often!

 Piper loved it but did act like a girl when it came to the mud.  She's never been a mud person!

 She was proud of herself though and by the end, she said, "Eww I have mud on my hands.  I'm ready to go inside!"

 Briggs was really great about stepping on plants he shouldn't have and drinking from the water hose!  That was by far his favorite!

 I took them into my parents front yard and he laid in the middle of the HOT street.  Even laid his head down!  Crazy!!

 On the way to Papa's she said, I'm going to sit on Papa's lap and take a ride!  This is a big deal because it normally takes her until the very last 10 minutes to sit on his lap and that's after he bribes her with M&M's.  She got on his lap and took a ride first thing...and even kissed him!

 And, my funny boy was trying to take his shirt off and this is where it got him!  Hilarious!  He's never tried to take his shirt off before!

Thanks for having us!  We had a great time!

The Simple Joy of Summer

We set the slip and slide out last night and it was a big hit!  Briggs liked to drink the water more than anything else!  The neighbor girls came over and had fun with us.  The kids wore a little rut in our front yard, but it was worth all the giggles and smiles!

Some other randomness...

 Briggs laying on the floor...once again, he is glued to the television!  This boy loves him so cartoons.  I've been finding him like this on the couch, floor, chair, wherever he can lie when the tv is on!  Good thing, we do not have cable!  Piper was never like this!  Ha!

 Piper had her third eye exam since she was 6 months.  This is her discussing the eye drop situation with one of the employees.  She had to get them dilated!  If you remember (which I'm sure you do not), Piper had an eye that turned inward around 6 months of age.  We did a year follow up and it had gotten better but I was advised to return when she was about to begin school.  My plan was to do this in August but at her 4 month well check, her doctor noticed it was turning inward again.  So, I scheduled the exam a little early, with my friend from college who is an optometrist.  Basically, she is borderline for glasses and we need to wait 6 months to a year to see how they look once she begins reading.  The odds are really in her favor, it sounds like...not!  Piper was bummed not to get glasses that day!

And, drum roll please....Piper received her first 'professional' hair cut this week at Snip-its!  A highly overpriced kids entertainment hair salon!  She got a quick trim after Briggs received a hair cut.  They threw glitter in her hair and she was so happy!

Cousin Time!

 Maggie & Piper  (they look alike!)

 Piper, Jonah, Briggs, &Maggie

We went for a quick trip to Dallas a couple of weekends ago to visit Michael's brother's family.  We had not seen them since Thanksgiving!  Way to long!  Piper was so excited that the first day there she exuded so much excitement, even her eyeballs couldn't sit still!  She was so super excited that her heart rate probably never rested the entire day!  Seriously!  Briggs was a little hesitant at first but he finally jumped right in and was even playful with the big dog, Sweetie.  He kept pointing at Sweetie and making his 'ruff-ruff' noise for doggy. Cute!  Another story about Briggs on this trip...We went on Thursday night.  By the time we got there around 9ish he was running a fever.  His head was so hot.  The night before I had gotten up with him three times but during the day he seemed fine.  A little tired but I attributed that to the restless night.  He slept fine that night at Matt & Amy's but the next morning, his poor eyes were sick looking!  He kept grabbing his ears and saying ow!  So, I thought it was an ear infection.  Amy and I took him to the urgent care clinic and it was not an ear infection.  NO-it was some random (but very common the doctor said) virus!  It was called Herpangina...yes, it sounds dirty!  Basically, it's a virus in the mouth and throat that is a cousin to Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease.  Hmmm, shocking that he had this virus!  Of course, he would get this!  You treat it with a mixture of Benadryl and Maalox.  By Saturday when we left to go home, he was a new child!  I'm so thankful that my son gets the weird illnesses that can be taken care of easily!  It could be a lot worse!

Fun in the Sun!

 We have been outside a LOT!!  The kids are enjoying my sister's pool even though the water is freezing still!  This was Briggs' first time but not Piper's!

 We have so much fun in our neighborhood with all the kids and all the fun toys!

 This picture below cracks me up.  Briggs and four other girls!  He's always the only boy!!

MDO Celebration

 Our beautiful 4 year old!  Piper had her 4 month well check.  She received 4 shots and was quite dramatic but brave at the same time! She weighed 34 pounds and 41 inches tall!  This was her first time to go to the doctor since we lived in Ardmore.  This has been the healthiest year of her life.  (And the most unhealthy year for her brother.  Hmmm...)

Mother's Day Out is officially over!  And, at this school they have a special end of the year celebration.  To be honest, I could have done without since this isn't 'real' school and all but I get why it is important to some!  Since Piper only went on Thursdays, she missed the Monday music class in which they learned the song for the program but you couldn't tell!  When you get a group of little ones on a stage they all seem to forget any and everything!  Ha!  I asked Piper, that evening, if she enjoyed singing with her class on the stage and her reply was, "No, the teachers didn't even teach me the song!!"  Hahaha!  I about died laughing!  She didn't understand, but she was excited to be there!  I did not get any pictures of her on stage because my camera died and Michael was corralling the run-away, Briggs!  This has not been our best MDO year.  We started in January and she never seemed to just LOVE it.  The last couple of months she would say every single week that she was not going.  Looking back, I think I should have pulled her out but I thought it was important to teach her we do not quit halfway.  Ummmm, I am pretty sure she didn't pick up on that lesson!  I really don't know what it was she did not like, except nap time.  She did complain about that every week but each week she seemed to have a great day when I picked her up.  Michael thinks she was a little on the older side for her class so she wasn't being challenged.  I don't know!  Oh well, you live and learn!  I learned!

 These two pictures are from her very last day.  They had a celebration that day.  Above his a classmate and below are her two teachers, Ms. Diane and Ms. Kara.  Both were very sweet and I think Ms. Diane knew how to keep Piper in line!

Crazy Hair

Piper has theme days in ballet occasionally.  This week the theme was crazy hair and this was the quickest thing I could come up with!  Michael's dad said it looked like it looked like Michael had fixed her hair!  Ha!  Speaking of...I guess while I was away on my girls trip, Piper convinced Michael that I put gel in her hair!  (She is starting to lie pretty convincingly.)  The gel bottle states, "Super spiked hair" or something along those lines.  Wording that would not be associated with Piper's hair anyway!  So, before church he brushed her hair and was putting a bow on the side and said, "Does Mommy use hairspray in your hair?"  "No."  "Does she put gel in your hair?"  "Yes!"  He said he put it on the sides to slick it back a little!  Sure wish I had a picture!  Ha!!!  On another note, I think Piper's eyes look so much like my mom's in this picture.  Especially when Mom was a little girl!

Girls Trip 2012

Lindsey, me, Kat, and Chandra-dinner on Saturday night!

This year we stayed at The Canebrake in eastern Oklahoma.  It was a secluded little spa resort!  So relaxing and quaint!  I highly recommend!  We had our own little cabin that you have to walk or ride a golf cart to.  The food was delicious, the spa amazing, and the outdoor views gorgeous!  This was my favorite girls trip yet!  It was so relaxing!  We took part in a yoga class and I couldn't quit giggling especially if Kat said anything to me and when the teacher banged a gong and said "Namaste!"  They were serious Yogi's!  My favorite quote of the trip was made by Chandra, "Girls, this isn't Motel 6!"  Ha!  No, it wasn't.  So much nicer!  Also, on this trip we shared one of our "favorite things."  Yes, very Oprah-ish!  So, we set a price and purchased 3 of everything to give...Lindsey gave us her favorite candle.  It smells delicious!  Kat gave us beautiful coffee mugs.  Chandra gave us her favorite nude lip liner, lip gloss, nutella, and a sample of her favorite facial cream.  I gave my favorite Tyler Candle Company laundry detergent in the Diva scent and a small tube of Aquaphor.  It was fun and I think we have a new tradition started perhaps!  Thanks to our husbands for holding down the fort.  Michael kept Piper and Briggs for the entire weekend without help for the first time ever.  He survived and did a great job!

26.2

My crazy sister decided to run the full 26.2 OKC Memorial Marathon this year.  We, obviously, wanted to go support her because this is a BIG DEAL!  

 It started drizzling rain when we stopped at the 20 mile mark to cheer her on.  It wasn't too bad though.  After the 20 mile mark, we then moved to the 23 mile mark.  At that point, I started jogging alongside her for less than a mile!  Her friend and my niece ran with her to the finish line from 23 miles on!  Our family drove ahead and met her at the finish line.  It was crazy there!  So many people!  The atmosphere was full of energy and excitement.  I had tears in my eyes watching some of the runners.  There was a guy in a wheelchair, a man with two prosthetic legs, a soldier wearing his full gear, and all the other people running for all their different reasons!  It was very neat to see everyone out there especially considering this is one way for individuals to remember April 19th and what that day means to Oklahoma.

Family photo.  Briggs looks happy.  Look at Sheryl.  She ran 26.2 miles and is smiling big and looks like she may have makeup on!  Look at Paige.  She finished 3 miles and looks fresh.  Look at me.  I ran 1/2 mile or so and look like a drowned rat!  Ha!

Sheryl did great!  She finished in 4  hours, 6 minutes!  Awesome!  And, what is even better is she acted like it was no big deal!  Sheesh...she is truly wonder woman!

Arts Festival

We have really been taking advantage of our Saturdays as a family by trying to get out and enjoy what the city has to offer!  Last Saturday, we went to downtown OKC for the Arts Festival.  It was so much fun and downtown is so cool and will be even better once all the renovations are complete!