Memories Made Lately :)

We have had so much fun lately! Time for a quick rundown of the memories we made lately.

Noah's group selfie he took during after church lunch :)

We went to see the Jungle Book at the movies! The kids loved it! We went on a Friday night so it was packed but the kids did great! I am SO thankful they love going to the movies as much as I do!

The next day we went and picked strawberries at our local berry patch. I have done this with my dad for years, but this is the first time for me to take the kids. They LOVED it! Even though it drizzled the whole time they kept saying things like "this is the best day ever" and "I am having so much fun" :)

I helped throw a wedding shower for my friend Laikken. Everything turned out so perfect! I was in charge of shower games and I am not going to lie - it scared me! I didn't know a lot of the people that were attending this shower so I wasn't sure how the games would go over. I went with a date night jar (guests wrote date night ideas on sticks and put them in a mason jar for the couple to use), The Price Is Right game (guests had to estimate how much they thought the items in a bowl cost - closest guess won a prize and the bride got the bowl of goodies), and the Who am I game (guests wrote down a memory with the bride and if the bride couldn't guess who wrote it then they won a prize). The Who am I game was SO fun! Laikken was such a good sport about it all! Now, on to the bachelorette party and the wedding!

I have been promising Ryan she can start ballet if she gets potty trained - well the time finally came! I get to sit in on the first few lessons and I was shocked by how great she did! She was able to do so many of the poses on her first try! We started lessons at a good time - right before picture day and she has a recital in a few months. You can just tell she loves it and that makes me very happy!

Recital outfit on picture day!

Noah took his first baseball to the face :( He was chasing another boy on the team around before practice and the boy turned and threw it and it got Noah right between the eyes! He had stitch marks from the ball and everything! He tends to be a little dramatic and was screaming "my brain is coming out!" and "it hit me in the thinking part, I don't even know what I am doing anymore" :) It was hard not to laugh :) But, he got back out there and finished practice - I was proud! Nathan has been able to help at practices lately also - which is nice. Games start this weekend so that is when the real fun starts!

Advice from Daddy :)

Noah was out of school Friday and asked if he could go to Ryan's daycare with her. Who am I to say no to a day free to clean my house? :) The babysitter had a popcorn, movie, picnic, pajama day for all the kids that day - they had so much fun! They were together so much before Noah started Kindergarten so they love getting a day together here and there again at Mrs. Lauries!

Our McDonald's is being torn down and they are building a new one. I go to McDonald's for breakfast several times a week and the kids usually get a Happy Meal about once a week so we will be sad that it is closed for 3 months or so. Noah asked if we could go and have one last meal in the old building and take pictures before they tear it down. Ryan asked if McDonald's was going to go to heaven when they tear it down :)

We went to  a wedding shower at Piney Bay for Nathan's cousin. The kids loved playing outside and we had a good time visiting and eating with family.

We have been busy lately and we are not slowing down this week - ball practices, ballet, music programs, ball game, crawfish boil and who knows what else!

Retail Therapy and ACH

On Saturday the kids and I spent the day together since Nathan had to work. First Noah had t-ball practice.  He is doing much better this year but that dang dirt and grass is still so tempting to play in - so he gets distracted very easy with it. This is the first year he has played on a team that required a certain color pants, socks, and belt so we  decided to go shopping after practice. Plus, we needed to get clothes for our upcoming family pictures. I like to try to get family pictures made every 6 months or so. That way we have them to look back on. I have very few family pictures from my childhood, so this is something I really want my kids to have.

So, the kids and I went to Fort Smith and we went to Old Navy, Target, Academy, Dick's, Burlington Coat Factory, Dillard's, JC Penny, Sears, Crazy 8, Candy Craze, Trinkets, and Francesca's!  My kids were troopers! Unfortunately, we were only able to find Ryan a dress for pictures that day. We did get Noah's baseball clothes though. We then had dinner at TGI Fridays before heading home. I love that the kids are old enough now that I can take them shopping or out of town for the day by myself and it isn't a disaster!

Sunday, after church we went to Russellville for lunch and to continue looking at a few more places for picture clothes. After going to TJ Maxx, JC Penny, Cato and Belk, I finally got the perfect dress at Ross! Nathan found him something at TJ Maxx so that just left Noah. Nathan then decided to get "Noah" an early birthday present and we ended up coming home with a playstation! So, once we got home, the boys played on the playstation while Ryan and I cleaned my car and took stuff to donate at the Mustard Seed. It was such a productive day - which it a great way to end the weekend!

Monday was Noah's appointment at Arkansas Children's Hospital for his hernia. The doctor was very nice and informative. He explained that his type of hernia is not anything we need to rush to fix but will need to be fixed surgically when we decide we are ready. We decided to wait until this summer so he is out of school and not playing t-ball. It was a relief to know it is not any big deal and can be easily fixed and that we can do it later when it will be easier on his schedule.  Thank you to all that prayed for us with this issue and we will need prayers again in July!

Ryan missed Noah while we were at the doctor :)

Our Weekend and a Special Request :)

Noah ended up with yet another tummy bug last week. Luckily this one was mild and short lived, but we had to stay home a keep him quarantined to help keep anyone else from getting it since we had big plans over the next few days! I had to keep Ryan home from daycare on Friday since Noah was sick (we have a rule at her daycare that everyone in the household is 48 hour symptom free rule to prevent shutting the whole daycare down again like we did a few years ago). So, we cleaned house, played outside, Ryan gave me a pedicure ;) , we went for a walk, and Ryan and I went grocery shopping once Daddy got home. Thankfully Noah was not feeling very bad and was able to eat normally and even join us outside.

Tummy bugs :(

Pedicures by Ryan :)

Felt good enough to go for a walk :)

The next morning was the Princess Tea Party that Ryan (and I) have been looking forward to for months! This is the 3rd year for the party and we haven't missed one yet! Ryan is very into princesses right now and she had the best time. She got to meet 16 princesses, Prince Charming, and Olaf. Mrs. Potts helped her decorate a cupcake. She also made a bracelet and got her make-up and nails done. I am SO thankful to have this little girl in my life to be able to do this stuff with - literally a dream come true!

Princess Ariel all ready to go!

Ryan and all the cast!

After the party we headed home to meet up with Noah (who was back to all well) and Daddy to get ready for some fun at the drag races again. The kids loved going the week before and begged to go again when I mentioned it. The kids loved watching Daddy help other cars race, help Daddy check air in the tires, play with sticks (literally, they love to do this everywhere we go), and made another trip up to the tower where they announce the races to check things out.

Watching Daddy :)

Helping Daddy check air in the tires :)

Sunday was full of fun and sun! We went to church and then back to The Sizzler for lunch - one of the kids new favorites :) (which is awesome to us because we have always loved that place). Then it was home to practice t-ball, play in the dirt, take a walk and mow the yard.

Now, hopefully more memories are going to be made this coming weekend! I would also like to ask for prayers for Noah. He has an appointment at Arkansas Children's Hospital Monday to check out a hernia and discuss our options. It is nothing life-threatening, but he is still our baby and even little things can seem big sometimes. Prayers for us and the doctors are appreciated!