At the car wash . . .

No this is not child labor! I was helping too!
After lunch yesterday, we (I) needed to get the kids out of the house! My car has needed a wash since before Kate was born.
(okay it's been washed since then, but not many times!)
Anyway, what better way to keep the kids entertained in the heat, than with soapy rags and a water hose!?!
Little Pumpkin looked so cute in the swimming suit. . . she just enjoyed being outside. However, she did learn that leaving her shoes on was much better than walking on the burning hot concrete!

What's it gonna take? Team Work!
They do not always play well together, but everyone had fun with this project. Even Cousin Cheetah ~ mostly because he was able to squirt the little kids with the water hose!


After the car was clean, well as clean as it was going to get with a 4 year old and 20 month old, we turned on the sprinkler. It was so funny to watch them. Little Pumpkin just stood there. . . I don't think I've EVER seen her that still in my entire life (except for sleeping).

Even Little Lion was a bit bashful at first. So I decided to video this phenomenon, and of course like every other gotta get this on film moment, it was gone. Little Lion did start running through the sprinkler, however Little Pumpkin still just stood there.

They were sure ready for nap by the time we were all done. Too bad it wasn't enough to actually get Little Lion to sleep! I'm not extremely strict on sleeping, but he sure needs the extra sleep with the crazy summer schedule we have been keeping! Here's to another great summer day of memories in the making.

Where a kid can be a kid . . .

NO, it's not Chuck E Cheese's. It's Lolly and Pop's house!

Hanging out on the couch coloring and reading books. I was trying to get Little Pumpkin "reading" her book. It was so cute . . . we'll try again.

Just plain SILLY! That's what Pop's are good for. Pure silliness!!! Thanks Pop.

I really love this! There is a picture of me not much older than Little Pumpkin with my mom's glasses on! I'll have to try and find that and see how similar or not we are . . .

He was showing me the chocolate covered cherry that Lolly let him have . . . he just ended up looking like Rudolph!

It's the joker!?! It's lipstick!?! NOPE . . . it's candy!

I don't know what Lolly was thinking! I turn my back and the child has more candy . . .

We had a great time hanging out at my parents place. We made kabobs and I tried a new dessert recipe . . . mmm, yummy . . . I think I hear it calling me now. . .

Blackberries anyone?

Now don't those just look luscious!?! *smile* My tummy sure thinks so!

Oh, a purse . . . sure I'll carry one, how about two? Yes, she took my basket too!

Lead the way Little Lion!

At first Little Pumpkin was not interested. But after I showed her we could put them in the "purse," she was surprisingly good at it! Out of 3 1/2 pounds of berries there were only two red ones!

I love this picture! I was trying to catch Little Lion picking berries. After I downloaded the pics I realized you could also see Little Pumpkin in the background! Too sweet. *wink*

Cousin Cheetah (nickname by request ~ because you know cheetahs are cousins of the lions). Not too happy ~ the raspberries were done! I think he found 6 . . . and promptly ate them. *smile*

The good news is we don't have to share blackberry cream pie I made tonight! *licking my lips*

Little Lion was done first . . .

even with a little cooler temps, the humidity was thick!

I believe he was saying I love blackberries . . . not too convincing I know!

Friday's Food for Thought

I just love this picture of Little Pumpkin! This is one of my favorite outfits (thanks Mer) and this is one of her favorite things ~ the tide to go pen.
It's the simple things.

I got in a bit of "trouble" for letting her play with this, from a number of people this evening at a party we attended.
I guess it just wasn't a battle I felt like fighting . . .

Friday's Food for Thought:
What does not kill me, makes me stronger. - Friedrich Nietzsche

Something New

Loving the slow summer mornings! I decided to try something new with Little Pumpkin's hair ~ it's getting so long!She was a little unsure of why I was taking pictures at the breakfast table ~ as you can tell by the look on her face. Not to mention the breakfast that is all over her face - REAL life people, real life! *wink*
And of course, you can't have one without the other . . .

Yes, it's Poptarts for breakfast! And knock knock joke Poptarts at that ~ with a budding comedian, we couldn't pass them up!
This is Plato . . .
"Plato Who" you ask . . .
Plato mashed potatoes!
HA HA HA (don't forget the courtesy laugh or you'll hear it again!)

Hope this started your day with a smile! *wink*

A little cooler . . .

After dinner, the Wii was turned on . . . actually resumed! I decided that we should enjoy the cooler weather that the cold front brought in only 89 degrees outside! *smile* So Little Pumpkin and I went for a walk. Our sweet neighbor lady joined us and I was able to have some adult conversation! When we arrive back home, Little Lion and Daddy Lion had found their way outside too!

Little Pumpkin decided she wanted to help . . .
it was more she wanted to do it and really didn't want anyone else to touch it!

Our neighbors came over with their "motorbike." It needed some extra help!
As Little Lion would say "It's out of juice."

Why not?!? Free manual labor . . . we are taking advantage of that!
mean Curt is loving helping out around the house. *wink*

Look at that face! Don't you just wanna pinch those cheeks . . .

All in all good day; even if our picnic got rained out and we ended up in the break room of Daddy's office! *smile* Curt got to see where Daddy Lion worked and we got to visit with some co-workers we hadn't seen in a while! The summer will be gone before we know it. Enjoy!!!

Day 3: Swimming Lessons

Today was much better for me! I left Little Pumpkin at home napping with Curt. I think we all got the better deal this way! *smile*

Little Lion is doing great. I'm so proud of the things he has retained and amazed by the skills he has developed! Today they got to monkey walk down to the deep end! They watched some big kids go down to the bottom and Little Lion boldly proclaimed he wanted to touch the bottom. This impressed Ms. Kim! While in the deep end they practiced some floating:



After floating, they began jumping in and swimming to the side. Little Lion had a little incident the first try, but was not deterred by it! I was once again surprised by his maturity. As you see the injured Mrs. Phyllis about to dive in and Ms. Kim swim to his rescue, I on the other hand just kept videoing:



I'm glad it happened at swimming lessons! *smile*

Swimming Lessons: first day

Today was the first day of our long anticipated swimming lessons! (We scheduled them in Jan!)
However, Mrs. Phyllis has broken something and is unable to get in the water - bummer! Good news is, she's right there and you can tell she has coached Ms. Kim quite well!

Excited to finally be in the water, getting their first instructions!

Little Lion (in the swim shirt) is suppose to be blowing bubbles to make his dolphin move. He really did do it, just not when I snapped the pic!

I'm not sure how well it will turn out on the blog, but like any other time he concentrates; Little Lion has his tongue out as he kicks! I think this was one of his favorite parts.

Finally the games . . . ring around the posies.

Hopefully in the next two weeks I can get some better pics. I was having to keep Little Pumpkin from jumping in. She has reached that stage of what big brother gets, I get . . . not pretty people, not pretty! *wink*

Wrestling Grandma

When Daddy Lion and I were dating the first thing he told me about his grandma was that "she is so cool; she can beat me up." And the first time I meet her, she proved it! *smile*

Well, I don't remember what it was, but Little Lion challenged her and GG proved she still has it!
*wink*

She even took down the 13 year old great-grand . . . who will remain nameless for this post! *smile*
One thing led to another and out of Daddy Lion's mouth some snide remark about an old woman taking you down. . . turned GG into a woman on a mission! She barged through the doorway of this room looking for the person behind the voice. Loris and I thought she must have blacked out because she totally ignored Daddy Lion and kept looking for someone. Finally, we asked her who she was looking for . . . she didn't realized Daddy Lion had said it. About that time he picked up Little Pumpkin to hide behind her. GG wasn't falling for that! However, I think she may have gone a little easier on him; he didn't hit the floor like the other boys! *smile*

(Notice Little Pumpkin chewing on her lip . . . teething!)

Auntie Loris has kept some toys from her kids for future grandkids. . . so smart. Little Pumpkin and Little Lion played with these two sets for hours. I think this is even a smile of some sort on Little Pumpkin!

Just some more great memories made on our vacation! Thanks to Loris and GG for passing along the pics! (My memory card was full at this point ~ silly me for not taking more than one card!)

Joining the Jones'

For the next few weeks while Curt is with us, we also have the use of his Wii! We have finally played . . . I'm very impressed. We might just be debating our next major purchase *wink*.

Here are the boys playing, well my timing is off, but they were actually moving!

WARNING: The following pictures were taken by a 4 year old!
I love being able to "look" through "their eyes" when they are behind the camera!

Mommy Lion very intent on getting the bowling ball straight down the middle!

Not quite the middle! *smile*

Mommy Lion made a STRIKE! (however, more often it was "mommy didn't make a strike" in a sing-song rendition!)

Little Lion got a little trigger happy with the camera taking pics of the TV, couch, floor and walls! I finally said no more; only pictures of people!
So . . .

the self portrait! *smile*
His response: "I'm people!"

Here's to fun with the Wii and a camera happy Little Lion!

Friday's Food for Thought

Age isn't important unless you're a cheese. - Unknown

Such sweet innocence! I just love this picture! She is ready to go ~ notice her juice box carefully placed in the back? *smile* So glad she is starting to feel better!

Celebrating 90 years!

Besides graduation, the other main reason for our trip was to celebrate G'pa Roy's 90 years of life! You won't believe it but he is 90 years old.
G'pa Roy checking out the scrapbook that Grandma Lion made. I was so impressed with her work - great job! She even let me contribute a few pages to the book, I was so proud of the way they turned out: it was hard to give them away! Hopefully, the book will be passed down for many generations to come . . . mine being one of them! *wink*

I know this isn't the greatest pic, but I wanted to get one of G'pa Roy with Little Lion and Little Pumpkin. I have one from the last time we saw him (a year and half ago) and it is so neat to see the growth of the kids. And what a special memory when he is no longer with us on earth!

A rare moment on the trip - Little Pumpkin smiling! This is her cousin Payton, they are only 6 months apart. Hopefully they will be good pals! Even if it has to be pen pals! *smile*

Little Lion adding our b-day card to the basket. GG is so cute - loving the smile GG!

CAUGHT! Yes, this is during the party! *wink* Honestly, though after a great meal, who cannot resist a good nap in the sun?!?

The cute couple - Jerry and Sheena.
They will be wed in August and I pray they live to be like this:

You can see in both pictures the sweet love each couple has for one another! Here's to puppy love at any age! *smile*

Two Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed!

Have you ever read a book from the end to the beginning . . . well, me neither, but here are some pics from the end of our trip! *smile*

This was too sweet ~ Little Pumpkin grabbed Little Lion's hand to hold on the car ride to our hotel Monday. They (mostly him) were enthralled with the movie.
Poor cousin Curt: Doodlebops and Bob the Builder most the way!

Have you ever wondered why the hotel beds just aren't comfortable? *hehehe*



Because bad parents let their kids jump on them! But hey, after being in a car for . . . five hours, I think they deserve to have some fun!

Little Lion was jumping between the two beds, using his face to land on! He finally figured out how to land on his feet.



This is cousin Curt or as Little Lion introduced him today "The one we brought home." Having 3 older male cousins . . . it's hard to tell them apart when you're 4! *smile*

We rested for a short while (up at 4 am to return the rental car and arrive at the airport 2 hours early!) and obviously made it home. We even ran into my dad at the airport so we were able to say good-bye before he headed back to Iraq.