Jumpin' and Paint'n

This week, we finally had some time to do regular summer fun things! We went to a nearby indoor playground complete with tire swings, ball pits, slides, and mazes.


We also went to a paint-your-own-pottery place. Alek painted a shark, and Nora painted a plate! She added a butterfly, too! We'll go back next week to pick up the items - they will glaze and fire them for us!

To Market, To Market

In the last month, we've had the bathrooms tiled, the bedrooms carpeted, the exteriour painted, the interior painted, the garage ceiling fancied up, and the junk packed away. So, finally we're on the market! Wish us luck!

The exterior (No more RED!!!)

The living room 10 days ago while carpet was being installed.

(Yes, that's Walt in the middle of it all!)

The living room now!

Great Wolf Lodge

We spent a wonderful long weekend with my parents at Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, Texas. This is a hotel with attached restaurants, arcade, Magic Quest, and..... WATERPARK! There are indoor pools, outdoor pools, indoor little kid slides and big kid slides, a wave pool, a toddler pool, outdoor slides, a lazy river, and the list goes on! Mom and Dad treated. The kids LOVED it. Nora very cooperatively wore a life jacket; Walt didn't mind his, and Alek did fine without one. Another big hit was the Magic Quest. This involved a magic wand, a game book, and clues all over the hotel (lots in the 8 stories of stairwells- ugh). We completed five of the eight quests!

Thanks Granny and Grandpa!!!!!

Our room had a cool "Kid Kamp" tent inside our room. The kids had their own bunk beds and TV.

Looking for clues on a Magic Quest!

A view of part of the indoor park. The bucket spills every so often. Only Alek and Mommy braved the downpour!

Walt wading in the Wave Pool.

Outside with Alek and Walt.

Alek and Nora under the Wolf. When it howls, water rains down!

Like this!!!

Alek on one of the little slides.

Nora playing at the splash pad area.

Alek crossing the pool on floating slices of log!

Nora riding one of the outdoor slides alone!


Nora riding waves at the wave pool!

"I'm Going to be a Character"

Nora has been watching Shirley Temple movies lately. Yesterday, she said she wanted Shirley Temple hair. Well, I figured I could do at least a good enough job to impress her. I took her to the drug store to buy curlers (they actually still sell foam curlers!), and she was beside herself with excitement. Skipping, singing, telling the entire store. She had asked why sometimes Shirley Temple is named Shirley, and sometimes Heidi, and sometimes Curly Top. We had a discussion about actors and characters. What she took from that was that if she has Shirley Temple hair, she should be called a character. "I'm going to be a character!" is what she sang while skipping around the store, house, and yard!

She sat patiently while I rolled her hair, and she kept the rollers in for about five hours while they dried! She was THRILLED with the result! Of course, this morning she shed tears and wanted her Nora hair back. It was short-lived, but it was fun!

Walter is a Big Boy

So the kids were outside for approximately 20 seconds alone this evening. When Dave stepped back out, I heard him fussing at the older two asking who had put Walt up in the play set. Both kids professed their innocence. We didn't believe them until we saw this 30 seconds later.

And when he's told he can't do this anymore...

More Photos from Photo Shoot in May

Here are several other shots. I get such a kick out of watching the little hams pose. Nora specifically brought the bear for one of the photos. We humored her. She was thrilled.

See ya, Spring! Hello, Summer!!!

So, the heat is here. Alas. The kids are really enjoying any time at all that they get to play in water. They've been playing in the sprinkers and the pool. I love that stinkin' little pool. It's always been just perfect for the kids to splash around in.

Nora has said good-bye to her 3's preschool class, and she's looking forward to her last year at preschool! Alek's last day of first grade is today, and I could tell he was a little emotional this morning as we got ready to go. Poor kid.