Monday: Ruby's Lunch date with Great Grandma

Monday Morning: A McDonalds date with our Vegas Friends...in California!

Sunday: Walk at San Clemente

Early July

just a random Sunday.  Tyler 5, Jacob 3, Adam 17 months

We got to have three awesome kids at our house for a few days one week and the mix of 6 kids was magic.  Here they are just being kids completely enthralled with rolly-polly bugs in the back yard.

We make fruit loop necklaces one day and they were all devoured within minutes.

Jacob proud of the new way he discovered to make a fort...or a  "sort" as he calls it (all of his "f"s are still "s")

Another fun day with the B family kids.  We spend a morning at Bounce U and let the kids wear themselves out.

Dear Blog,

Where has the time gone?  Has it really been a month already?  I am so far behind that it is hard to know where to start.

Life is still good and we are still blessed- however, the lack of blogging is because I am currently too busy pulling my hair out.  The boys are in one of their "let's see how crazy we can make mom" phases and it's working pretty well :)

Tyler is affectionate and bossy.  He likes to be in charge and pick on Jacob.  He says things that are half-good like "Ugh! I am so mad at you right now! (Jacob) I just need a break." Then he'll try to get away from Jake only to have Jake follow him and Tyler ends up pushing or kicking or otherwise hurting Jacob with the defense that he used his words first.

Jacob is in the only-speak-in-whines-phase which is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me.  Even better is that Adam is a parrot so I hear the whining x2.  Jake is getting better at telling stories and using his imagination- which is darling.  He is also very much still an attached momma's boy which can make accomplishing much of anything a challenge.

Adam is completely mobile. Climbs on anything his brothers do. Throws things. Bites. Hits.  CHALLENGE. He is right at the bring of what I consider "discipline-able" so he has had a few rounds of time-out in his crib for hitting/biting.  He is also picking up on so many small things.  He has just started nodding "yes" to answer- even at appropriate times.  He will nod when I ask him if he is ready for a nap.  He will point to his crib once we're seated in the rocking chair and nodded "yes" to me when I asked him if he just wanted to lay down- and he has been putting himself to sleep.  Sooo grateful for that blessing!  He likes to make sure I know when he is awake with crying and yelling, which is somewhat necessary to be heard over the state of WWIII going on between Tyler and Jacob for most of the day.

We love the reprieve that we get when we head out of the house to a splash pad or a friend's pool.  It has also been nice to have friends (and cousins) come over to play and give the boys a little distance from one another.

Ryan is still an amazing worker and has finally been getting noticed for killing it at work.  A few weeks back he set some record for building the most cars ever at his store.  He got an official, framed, certificate and everything.  We would both still love it if some of this recognition came in monetary or promotion form- but for now we are glad he has a job he enjoys going to.

Contrary to the venting, I enjoy most of my days.  Especially after dinner when we have been playing in the back yard once it cools down to a mere 100 degrees.  The boys have been hilarious playing baseball, volleyball, having races, heading up red light, green light, and chasing dragonflies.  Once I can figure out how to parent the boys at this stage I'm sure there will always be another challenge.  I think we all get worn out sometimes but it sure is nice to step back and know that I am worn out because I am loved.

Granny and Grandpa I-ga-loo come to visit

We were lucky to have Ryan's mom and dad (aka Granny and Grandpa Igloo) come visit for a long weekend.  They got in Wednesday night and left early Sunday morning. They helped me keep the boys busy on Thursday when Ryan was working.  We had some fun dragging them around to show them what we like to do on our new side of town! 

This happy face brought to you by Oreos- courtesy  of Granny and Grandpa.

Thursday we headed to the Children's Museum to make use of our annual pass.  The boys have fun there and I'm glad we have a pass when we only spend an hour or so there at a time.  It's fun to see the boys' minds work as they explore new things.

Granny helped wrangle Adam.  He is sweet- but I think I am in for it.  He will NOT be told what to do.  He is definitely his own master and just goes wherever his little heart desires.  He had a lot of fun throwing these balls (as well as just about everything else these days) and showing off for Granny.

This is a game about nutrition.  Tyler and Jacob have been so proud to tell me that they are drinking enough water  and reminding Ryan and I to do the same. 

The boys insisted on showing Grandpa the pretend play area where they get to work on cars like daddy.  We had to make a quick stop after eating our sack lunch and before leaving.  The boys love to put on the shirts and get to work on the race car.

I am so sad to realize these are all the pictures I have of the weekend.  I guess that's what happens when my hands are always full (literally).  We enjoyed one lunch out and walking around the outlets.  Ryan and his dad had a fun day on Saturday. We started off with donuts together from our favorite, Friendly's, and ate them at our old park, Cinnamon Ridge, where I used to go with Tyler as a baby.  Ryan and his dad headed off to go shooting at Pro Gun Club and continued on to walk the Hoover Dam and do a small hike they found.  We all got together for a little bit then the men headed off to do Sushi for lunch. Dad, the accountant, kept track and let us know that they ate over $70 worth of sushi!  Those men sure got their money's worth!  That night everyone was so stuffed from a late lunch that we opted for some Thrifty's Ice Cream for everyone and baked potatoes for the kiddos later on.

We also celebrated Granny's birthday on Friday night while they visited with brownies, complete with candles and an off-key "Happy Birthday" by the family.

This was their first time to our new place.  It was fun to have them around and the boys always love seeing their grandparents.  So glad they were willing to make the drive :)  Hope we can get together again sometime soon!

Mountain's Edge Playgroup at the Shark Reef Aquarium

In late June we were lucky to tag along with our old play group and do a really cool educational tour of the Shark Reef Aquarium in Mandalay Bay.  We invited Heather and her kids along too.  It was fun to see old friends and let the boys get completely lost in staring at super cool fish!

If you look close you will see Ben, Tyler, and Maddy in the back ground which means I actually caught 5 of the 6 kids in one picture!  Jason was probably clinging on to Heather.

Sweet, beautiful, Maddy was my buddy for the day.  It was a perfect day to have a shadow :)  I look forward to the day when Heather, Maddy, and I can go have girls' night out.  

Tyler and his best-friend and cousin, Ben.  Tyler looks up to Ben and loves being around him so much that they often get a little too goofy when they are together!  They had a great time being together and checking out some sharks, kimono dragons, and sea turtles.

Heather and Jason.  Once Jase was out of his stroller he was having the time of his life running around and running away.  He is fast!

This was about all I could get of the kids during the tour- their backsides with faces pressed up against the glass.  They were eating it up and knew quite a few answers to the tour guide's questions.

5 out of 6 again :)  The kids were loving the touch tank.  They could stick their hands in and touch the sting rays!

I am so grateful for the friends I made in Mountain's Edge.  I am even more grateful they still let me make a guest appearance every now and then when they plan such awesome activities for play group.  That was such a neat tour and the kids loved being with their cousins and seeing old friends.