The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame

Every Wednesday this summer, our young families bible class at church has a fun play date scheduled for the kids. We've been to water parks, just plain playing outside parks and to end our summer fun we had our last play date at the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. It was so very cool. The whole bottom floor of the Cowgirl Museum is a children's museum right now because the City of Ft. Worth is building a huge addition to the Museum of Science and History. So basically, they moved all the cool hands-on kids stuff to the Cowgirl Museum until the new construction is finished. Our kids LOVED it. There were dinosaurs for the boys to roar and stomp around like, several cars for them to sit and pretend driving and most of all...the beloved grocery store. The kids love these stores that they have at the children's museums.

They get their own little cart and can put as much stuff in the cart as they would like! Parker liked the little scanner. I take that back, I think he just liked the beeping that it made when it crossed the scanner. And of course, they loved playing with all of the food and pretending that they were big.

This museum was so fun for the kids. They had one area that was just for kids 6 and under and then another area that was little Hands-On learning activities for the older kids...but not too old. Grace loved that area. They had an earthquake table that simulated a earthquake after you built a block house on top of it...it would shake and rock and your house would most certainly fall down.

This was the first week that hardly anyone showed up for our play date. I don't know if it was because you actually had to pay admission to get your kids inside or if people are just tired and ready for school to start. I know I would pay the admission over again because my kids had a great time and they...well, Grace anyway, learned so much from just doing little things. I'm thankful that our great buddies the Thompsons came because we all had a wonderful time! If you are ever in town and want something fun to do with the kids, I would totally recommend going to this great place!Oh, I almost forgot to mention the National Cowgirl part of the Museum...it was so very neat! We walked up the stairs and the kids were back in the west. They sat around the campfire and pretended to eat, they dressed up like cowgirls, and they got to sit on horses. Not real, of course, but they had real saddles. The museum is so nice and clean and just up to date. I would really like to go back with just the girls and be able to actually read about all of the exhibits, but that will have to be another day! Parker and his little friend did just great and had such a fun time. I'm so thankful that we live in a big town with such fun activities for our kids to do during the summer.

Ten Things Tuesday!

I know, I know....I have been busy and off the blog thing for a few weeks. Before I get too busy with my day, I wanted to slip in a Thankful post to start off my day the right way! So, make your list of 10 things that you are thankful for and go over to X-Box Wife and post a link to your list, too!

Here is mine:

1. I'm thankful that we have the ability to travel. Not everyone can get in their car and drive 400 miles to go and see family when gas is so expensive. Not that we can do it all the time, but it was a nice little summer get away, without spending too much money.

2. I'm thankful for my family that let us come and visit for 10 days! The kids love going to Arkansas to see all the family. We are the only part of my side of the family that doesn't live in AR. So, we get to see everyone when we go and visit!

3. I'm thankful for cousin playtime! Growing up, we weren't really close to our cousins because of the age differences and distance differences. I love that my kids get to see and play with their cousins when we go to visit. They all love being together and I think it is so sweet to watch...except for the occasional biting and hitting episodes, but that can happen at home. Well, the biting better not!!!

4. I'm thankful for great books that keep Grace entertained. She just finished reading, Matilda, by Ronald Dahl and loved it. Her Aunt Jess got her this incredible book made by the American Girl Doll company that is called, Tear Up This Book!. It is full of little boxes to make, little letters to write and activities that all are hands on, of course. It is still keeping her busy! By the way, how do you underline in blogger? You know for book titles and such?

5. Lazy days of summer. The kids are running around upstairs playing hide and seek. Parker LOVES playing with the girls. He thinks he is a big kid.

6. Bed rails. Why bed rails, you ask? We got home Sunday night and Parker climbed out of his crib 3 times. So, we moved him to the bed in his room. His room is also the guest room because Aaron turned our 5th bedroom, a.k.a. the guest room, into Aaron's Man Media room. Yes, Aaron has a room to retreat to and play his video games. Oh, wait...I was talking about bed rails wasn't I? I'm thankful for bed rails that keep my little one from rolling off the queen size bed in his room. Anymore talk about that subject of the man's media room is just going to get me in trouble, so I'm going to stop!

7. I'm still thankful for my morning coffee. This morning I'm just drinking plain old Maxwell House. It doesn't take much to make this gal happy at 7:30 AM!

8. I'm thankful for my friends that call and e-mail while I'm out of town to check on us. It just makes you feel good when you get a e-mail that says, "When are you coming home? We miss you!" Just makes you want to jump in the car! I love my friends so very much. Ya'll know who you are too, ladies!!

9. I'm thankful for Girl's Night out with those ladies. We went to see "Mamma Mia" on Sunday night. Yes, our family did just pull into town from being gone for 10 days, but that would not keep me away from a Girl's Night Out. I missed the dinner part of the evening, but met the gals at the movie theater. The movie was AWESOME! Of course, I am a child of ABBA lovers...that sounds weird. I meant to say, my parents both love ABBA and we listened to it growing up. I wanted to just jump up during the movie and sing along and dance (which I did quietly from my seat, by the way...sorry Jen Mall...I know you had to put up with my singing!) because it was so catchy!

10. I'm thankful to just be home. I loved being with my great family, but I'm also glad to be at home in our bed and in our house! Love visiting the little town and the little town life, but I'm thankful to be back in the big city.

Much to do and suitcases to finish unpacking! I'm off for a day of fun and adventure as a wife and mom!! Go to X-Box wife and make your list today, too!

The little poser!

I just had to post this picture of Parker and Susie. I was taking pictures of the kids playing the Wii with their DD on Sunday, when Parkerman runs up and says, "Cheese, Parker, Cheese!" So, I took his picture...he then wanted his picture with his sister and then with his DD and other sister...He is most definitely a member of our family if he wants to have his picture made!! This picture also makes me see just how much he and Sus look alike. WOW!! They so are related. Love 'em!

Ten Things Tuesday!

It's Ten Things Tuesday...I know, I've been off and on this summer so I'm not going to make any promises about staying constant, I'm just thankful to find a few minutes to post!!

So, here goes:

1. I already named my #1...I'm thankful to find a few minutes in my day to post my thankful list.

2. I'm thankful that I get to spend my days at home with the kids. We have been having a great summer full of fun and activities. I love my life!

Grace and Sus posing at the Water Gardens...

3. I'm thankful for summer birthdays! Grace and Parker have their birthdays pretty close together and we have enjoyed stretching them out over the past 2 weeks with friends and family.

4. Speaking of family, I'm thankful that Aaron's mom, my mother-in-law, DD, as the children call her- came to stay with us for the past week. We had a wonderful visit full of eating out and shopping!! We took her to the airport late this afternoon so that she can fly home to Aaron's dad...I know that he is missing her.

The kids (and Grace's doll) with their DD!

5. I'm thankful that Aaron and I got to go out to the movies together this week while DD was visiting! We saw "The Incredible Hulk" one night and we rented "The Bucket List" last night to watch here at home together. I love date night with a bucket of popcorn and a big Coke!

6. I'm thankful that Aaron loves his job and that it is so flexible. Today we drove downtown to meet him and went to lunch with him at Joe T's....It was great food (I'm still so full and not even wanting to think about dinner!) and we took the kids down to the Water Gardens. It was neat and a perfect afternoon before his mom had to go to the airport.

The kids playing in the fountain at Joe T's and standing in front of the "mountain fountain" at the Downtown Water Gardens.

7. I'm thankful that all the kids from our bible class are having a great week at camp right now. They have been looking forward to camp all summer and now they are having a blast!

8. I'm thankful for Sonic and Happy Hour!! I love going to Sonic between 2-4 pm!! Aaron's mom has been treating us to Sonic all week...now I need to get back on track and back on to drinking more water!! I love Sonic, but not the extra pounds that a Coke a day brings...hello water!

9. I'm thankful for nice and quiet evenings at home. Tonight we are going to enjoy some time out on the trampoline and being together here at home...I love it!

10. I'm thankful for trips to see family! We are trying to plan a trip to see Nana, Papa, Aunt Jess, Uncle Cliff, Uncle Jer, Aunt Jen and Jesse and Jonas in the next few weeks...I can't wait!! I've been missing all of my Arkansas family and church extended family!!!

There is my list! Now, go over to X-box wife and make your list!! Happy Tuesday!

She got an American Girl Doll!!

Today after church, we took the family over to the Galleria Mall for lunch and some shopping. As we were walking down the mall way, Aaron told Grace that she was getting an American Girl doll for her birthday. I took this picture above right after he told her...she was excited to say the least! Grace has been asking for this doll for about 2 years. We have put her off and were still putting her off, but her Nana and Aunt Jess bought it for her together, for her birthday. I think they could probably hear her squeal all the way in Arkansas, she was so very excited.

Here she is with her doll in the store...quite a neat place for little girls!!

Grace and I have been to the store before, just not on the weekend. Some advice for future American Girl doll shoppers: Don't go on a weekend! It was packed. The only thing that was good for us was that we had been there before and Grace has been wanting Felicity for quite some time. She is from the colonial times and has red hair, of course! She went straight to her in the store!

Felicity and Grace, at home and out of the box at last!!

We came right home and got her new gift out of the box and got her ready to take a nap and read with Grace this afternoon. Things are all good here at our house, for sure!! A great big thank you to Nana and Aunt Jess (and Papa and Uncle Cliff, too)....she LOVES this doll and everything that came with the doll. It's been a great birthday week at our house!

They are already great friends...reading together!

She's 7 years old!

It is now official, Grace is 7 years old! I spent part of today making her cake and getting things ready for her party tonight. She is upstairs right now (12:30 am) with 2 of her best little friends from church and they are having a sleepover. I'm down here biding my time until they fall asleep watching their "big kids movie" in the media room so that I can turn off the projector so it won't run all night. I'm guessing that they are already asleep, but I need an excuse to blog or I will run out of days and then I'll look up and Grace will be 8! As I was saying (or is it typing?), I made the cake and then not 15 minutes after it was all decorated, little boy fingers were smashed in the whole left corner of the cake. I fixed what I could, but I figured we would give him that piece so not to make a big deal out of it. You only have homemade (yes, not a box) cake for your birthday, so why can't little brothers get a try, too?

We met Grace's friend, Jack, at Incredible Pizza and those 4 kids had a BLAST. They ate and ate and ate and then they played over $10 of games, each...in the end, they all had tons of tickets and brought home some wonderfully cheap little toys for us mothers to loose. Did I say that out loud? Yikes! I do have to give the pizza place credit. They gave Parker and Susie each toys and they didn't have anywhere close to enough tickets to get them (150 for a little bear) and Jack's little sister came home with a real Barbie car---for free!! Pretty nice ladies at the ticket redemption counter, if you ask me!!

Here are all the kids holding up their loot that all the mothers will love me for sending it home with them tomorrow morning. All the mean while their kids are all crabby from staying up too late and eating too much junk at our house. I love slumber parties. We did let Susie sleep in our bed because I heard whispering in the car on the way home about them wanting to dip her fingers in cold water to make her wet her bed. Those silly girls!! It's already started...that is just crazy! Don't you remember all those funny things that you did to the people who fell asleep first at the parties? The feather and the shaving cream, the frozen training bras in the freezer, and the cold water hand dipping....oh, what great memories! he he he

Here is the big girl blowing out her candles...all 7 of them. That just does not seem real, but then again, I'm only still 21 so it's okay. Happy Birthday, Grace. We love you so very much, you big 7 year old.

The girls can swim, too!

Here are some pictures from Grace and Susannah's lessons a few weeks ago. Grace was a pretty good little swimmer, but being with Ms. Jody for 2 weeks turned her into a confident swimmer! She now knows 2 different strokes and loves to swim the length of the pool and have races with her daddy! We watched the Olympic swimming trials last night and she said, "Do you think that I can do that someday?" You bet girlie...just keep on swimming!!

The kids on the last day got medals and certificates that told what they had achieved in their individual classes. All three of them did great for their ages and stages in swimming. Susannah is getting much more confidence and doesn't have any problem at all going under water this summer. By the end of the summer, she will be a little fish!

One day during their lesson, Ms. Jody had them jump in the pool with their clothes on to show them what it feels like to be in the water with your clothes on...that way they would know NOT to play and run around swimming pools. They also learned about, "Throw, don't go!" when someone is struggling to stay afloat, to throw them something (a ring or a float) and not to jump in after them, because they could just pull you under. We have taken lessons plenty of places, but not one place has ever taught them water safety until this summer. We so appreciate Ms. Jody and all her hard work and attention to detail.

Susannah wore her American Flag 2 piece swim suit on the last day and I couldn't believe that she would wear her 2 piece to swim lessons. She says to me, "Mom, it is Show off day and I want to look cute!" That little stinker...She was pretty cute, though!!

Little Swimmer

I completely forgot to post the swim lesson pictures from a few weeks ago. We went to lessons this year at Ms. Jody's house and they were simply wonderful. She is a great motivator for the big kids and Parker just loves her to pieces. She went to HU with me and is one of the best swim teachers that we have used....and believe me, we have used quite a few!!

Parker and I took the "Mommy and Me" class in the mornings and the girls both took lessons later in the afternoon. The girls were great and would sit and read or eat a snack in the shade while we had our class. While Aaron and I were on vacation, my friend (yes, she is a GREAT friend) Jenn Mall, took Parker to class and was his "fill in mommy."

He loved swim class and now is a fearless little man in the pool, which is very scary and cute all at the same time. He will just jump off the stairs and start swimming and loves being in the water. I have to give the boy credit, he can swim, and if he did fall in, he could kick to the surface for a few seconds. I don't want him to have to do that, so I watch him like a hawk in the pool...but he loves being in the water oh so very much.

At the end of class every day, we would sing "Ring Around the Posey" and at the end we would say, "Ashes, ashes, we all say, BYE!" They loved being in swim class with Ms. Jody and can't wait to go back next year. Until then, we are putting off putting in our pool until "Mr. No-Fear of the Water" is at least 4.....we are going to keep practicing!!

Ten Things Tuesday!

It's Ten Things Tuesday time! We are in the middle of Vacation Bible School at our church and the kids are having a complete blast! I'm going to get my list done and then get to doing some VBS stuff. Happy Tuesday!!!

Today I am thankful for......

1. My husband, the VBS play ACTOR!!

He is in the VBS play this year and he is having a great time!! Parker sat on my lap last night during the whole play (an hour AFTER being in his VBS class for 1.5 hours...) I was just so glad that he sat there still and watched his daddy! They put make-up on him (he is an Egyptian-right hand man to Pharaoh) to make him look more...I don't know, Egyptian like?? Thanks, Suzanne for all the eye make-up!!! he he he

Aaron is the guy on the right...I know it's dark, but if you click on the photo you can see it a little better. I was holding Parker and my pictures from my little camera that far away aren't the greatest. LT had his fancy camera there last night and I know he got some good ones!!

2. VBS teachers and helpers! We started calling people to help and not one person that I called said no. Everyone has just jumped right in and helped where ever that they can. The teachers have decorated rooms and gotten lessons together so very quickly this year and have all been so great. It's so much easier to want to do things when you have great people helping you get things done!

3. The kids at church....Last night we would stand in the halls and watch their little faces as they would go into rooms and walk in their little lines (can you tell that I'm on the pre-school hall?) They LOVE VBS and everything that goes with being there. It's so great to see the excitement on their faces.

4. The "Theme Room" decorators and actors! There are 3 "Theme Rooms" for the pre-school and 3 for the Elementary group. This year, the rooms are showing the plagues (2 of these rooms), the passover, the parting of the Red Sea, the Holy of Holies and then there is an awesome Carnival room. The wonderful people that have taken on decorating these rooms and then acting in them are just the "cream of the crop!" I'm telling you, the kids walk in these class rooms and the stories just come alive!! Last night Grace went to the Holy of Holies room that had an huge replica of the Ark of the Covenant behind a veiled wall. She loved it! I just wish that I could see their faces when they walk into these rooms...I just love how everything comes together and is so amazing for our kids!

5. I'm thankful for organized people that make these wonderful VBS things happen...from the baby hall coordinator who puts up with babies that cry the whole time to the ladies that figure out how many juice boxes need to go to each room. The ladies in charge this year...you know who you are, June, Lorie, Steph and Bette....Ya'll ROCK!!! I'm thankful for each one of you and all of your hard work and many many hours!

6. I'm thankful for sweet and talented friends....from all of you that are just breaking your backs with your VBS rooms and decorating to my friend, Danna, my club sister from HU, that made the girls these darling dresses. You have to take a close look at them...they are hand made and hand smocked with love, by Danna!! If you want to see more of her wonderful creations, go to her business page, "Little Show-offs" and check them out!! Her prices are so great...I'm about to go later this week and order another set of dresses because we love these dresses so much!!

Okay, not the greatest picture of either one of my girls, but it was after church and lunch and they were both ready for Sunday quiet time...But look at the cute dresses!! I love them and all of Danna's great work!!

7. I'm thankful for my mom! She was here for a whole week while we went on vacation with our friends. She took the kids to swim lessons, out to eat, to the store and to church in a town that is not even her own! My mom...she ROCKS and I just love her so much! Can't wait till we see you again, Mom!!

8. I'm thankful that Aaron got to fly to Tennessee last week to be with his family for Nana York's funeral. I wish that we all could have gone, but there is no way that we could afford to fly 5 people at the prices the airlines charge for last minute flying. Really, you want us to pay $1000 a ticket and those are your bereavement fares? Yah, no thanks, we'll use our frequent flyer miles and just send Aaron. I know he was glad that he went to Tennessee with the family and I'm thankful that we had the miles to get him there.

9. I'm thankful that we had a safe and fun vacation with our friends. This is the first "friends vacation" that we have ever been on and we are signing up for another one next year (that is, if we get invited back!) already!! We all had a BLAST and are planning our next vacation spot! I'm so thankful for great friends...for the ones that got to come and for the ones that had prior comments and couldn't come...I'm just thankful that ya'll put up with me and my crazy family!!

This is just one of the pictures from our trip...I'll have to do a whole post later this week on all of our fun that we had with our friends!

10. I'm thankful for my babies....who aren't really babies anymore! Now that Parker is 2, Grace's 7th birthday is next week!! WHOA...where does all the time go? We are having a great time with every precious minute that we are given so today we are off to the library and then to get Parkerman a much needed haircut before it's time to head off to church for VBS tonight!!

NOW.....it's your turn!! Post your 10 things on your blog and then go to X-Box wife and share your link with everyone over there!! It' s such a blessing to see just how thankful everyone is (and should rightfully be!) for everything that God has blessed us!!