piggy banks

The kids and I made piggy banks last weekend.  Rowan broke hers last year so we decided to let her make a new one...which was so much more fun than buying one!  We're still not done bedazzling it, but she's definitely made her mark on it.  Rigby's is a little less decorated...he was more interested in eating the markers.

hear birdie birdie birdie...

Rowan's still trying to figure this out.  A few days later when the bird was gone, she kept asking where it went.  Hmmmmm anyone want to handle this one for us?  By the way, Rowan loves birds. She has no concept of what this means....so innocent

Summertime

We got the kids a blow up swimming pool this week. I figured it will be a fun thing over the weekends while it's hot out. We had one of the little $1 plastic ones last year but it got stolen out of our yard or blew away over the winter. So we decided to try something new this year. I'm sure it will get a hole or something, but who cares. It's still worth it to us to see the kids enjoying themselves.

We ended up filling it up last night when I got home from work. Rowan was SO excited and was doing her best to "swim" even though the water was ice cold.

Rigby's 1st haircut

Our babysitter's daughter (Chelsea) is a hairstylist and give Rig his 1st haircut.  He's 14 months old now and was beginning to look too pretty according to Daddy.  I think we're going to have Chelsea cut a little more off though.  She was being extra careful because Rig was moving around a lot and she wasn't completely comfortable snipping around his precious little ears :)  Maybe we'll have her buzz him up a little, but we'll have to wait and see.  I don't want to freak him out with the clippers.

Rowan and Cousin Sydnee

We had Rowan's Cousin Sydnee spend the night last weekend, which was big fun for Rowan.  All week Rowan has been brushing her teeth and potty training and keeps saying "I do it like Sydnee Mommy"...which is so sweet.  Rowan really looks up to her cousin, and Syd is so good with her. 

The girls watched Tangled (Rapunzel), colored, played with their pillow pets, and did sidewalk chalk and make necklaces.  Lots of fun!  Whenever Sydnee sleeps over we always take the chaise cushions from our sofa and put them on the floor in Rowan's room w/a sheet for a make-shift bed just in case.  The plan was for the girls to sleep together in Rowan's bed, but we wanted to make sure Syd had a back up plan if Rowan kicked or hogged the bed.  Well, Rowan was so excited about the idea of sleeping on the floor that she insisted on sleeping down there and having Syd in her bed!  It was really funny...only a two year old would give up their bed to sleep on the floor :)

FYI our camera has been broke for a few weeks, so we're relying on our horrible camera phones for all photography...pretty sad.


Rowan's trying so hard to be a big girl...she kept copying whatever position Syd would take.  I missed the shot with her arms above her head :)



coloring



snuggling their pillow pets and getting ready for night night



don't forget my little cowboy

Rigby got his chance with a pony too...Ha!



cowgirl up

We went to a birthday party over the weekend that had pony rides!  Rowan really surprised me by jumping in line and not batting an eye when it came time to cowgirl up.  She hopped on and took four turns :) Cupcakes and ice cream were the only way to get her to willing go inside.

Here's a video. It's silent but just pretend it's from the good old days when home videos didn't have sound...

Every day...

Last month at the opera house in Valpo there was an event called Listen To Your Mother where a few different ladies from the community spoke to give tribute to moms.  One of the readings was done by a friend from church who also spoke at that movie Derek and I went to about orphans awhile back.

Anyway, her reading really moved me, and it makes me cry (even at my desk at work) every time I listen to it.  I am so thankful that God is working on us and opening our hearts up to these types of things. 

This is something that I want to listen to EVERY day to remind me that there is so much love that still needs to be given, and so many little children out there who are starving for it.

http://www.youtube.com/user/LTYMShow#p/u/4/IvRH1rt0VE8

white sox game!

On Saturday we headed over (with the kids) to Logan's Roadhouse for my dear friend Becky's retirement party.  It was fun getting to see all my old friends from my mpa days...Pam and her two little sweet babies, Roger and Betty Lou, Mike and Karen, and of course my Becky :)  We all had a nice lunch together and wished Becky a long overdue farewell to mpa!  I'm so excited for her as she moves onward and upward out of the grasp of kill-joy and co.

Derek and I ended up dropping the kids off at my mom's for an overnighter and headed home to get ready for our big date day on Sunday.  We went to our first White Sox game this year with our friends Karen and Steve.  We did some pre-game tailgating which included some yummy burgers and beer and a little corn-hole.  Good times :)  It was nice to be out and enjoy some time as a couple!! 

We did manage to get the kids their own little sox hats...here's Rowie donning hers on the way to the sitter's today.  She absolutely loves to wear hats, and was super excited about her very own ball cap.  You'll notice she's also coloring in the car...it's her new "thing".  She carries her tote of crayons, her purse, and her coloring book around wherever she goes . It's so cute to see her doing such big girl stuff.  She's also letting me paint her nails and she's graduated to flip flops (two things that used to freak her out!).  Big stuff I tell ya :)

Rowan's concentration face...I caught her in the midst of some serious coloring