Super Skaters

One of my favorite things to do as a kid was ROLLER SKATE!!! It was on my "Bucket List" of summer to-do's to take the kids skating! They had never been skating before, for shame momma!!! My friend Mandy told me that the Grapevine skating rink as these assist rollers for first time skaters. So we gathered the kids and ran up there, basically the last week of summer! It was a blast!
 
Ben was a natural right out of the gate. He started skating and didn't even look back to see where I was! Which is pretty much how everything goes with Mr. Ben...but oh well!

Jonathan was more cautious, but that is his personality too. Once he got over his initial fears he took off and had fun. He LOVED it when they turned the lights off and the black lights on! He talked about that the most!

ME...I felt OLD! I hadn't done this in 30 years, so I was working muscles that have been asleep all that time! I started getting the hang of it again -- until suddenly -- my feet were no longer under me! I have no idea how it happened, I just know how it ended! ME - flattened out on the floor! I hit my caboose the hardest and it STILL hurts. I must have bruised the bone. It knocked the wind out of me too...so once I got my wits back together I was faced with --HOW DO I STAND BACK UP??? Thankfully Reagan was skating by and gave me a hand! Whew. I took it nice and slow the rest of the time, and despite my fall, I had a BLAST and can't wait to go again!

Ben loved it from the second he started!

Jonathan, Riley and Ben are all practicing.

Loving it!

He is not sure.

Ben and Reagan took off without me!

Gage wasn't having a good time, poor guy.

Ben just going to town and the 2 big boys in the distance with Mandy.

My sweeties!

Our group, minus me and J!



My Birthday

My Birthday, which was almost over a month ago, was lots of fun and great memories! A couple nights out -- without kids -- which isn't something that happens often at all! And then fun times as a family at the circus. And then also celebrating my mother-in-law Pat on her Birthday!

Me on my Birthday-Eve at dinner with Shannon. We went to this super posh place in Southlake. We ordered the same thing, 'cause we always tend to that! It was amazing! Some pasta with shrimp and all sorts of good stuff!

Shannon!

Michael took me out to eat at Chamberlains in Addison! (Thank you to Pat for baby-sitting!) It was so yummy! And you know what is funny, Michael and I ordered the same thing too! We both got the "special" Steak and Scallops. 

My aunt and uncle Holly and Jim sent beautiful flowers!

And as a family, we all went to the Circus! It was so much fun! The boys loved it!!

 

We also celebrated Pat's birthday! We went to have dinner with her after the circus! It was a fun day!

The Summer of 2013 Recap

I am just now realizing how incredibly behind I am on updating the blog with our "happenings". After looking back at all we did this summer...no wonder I didn't have time to blog! I thought I would try to hit the highlights.

Heading into the summer, I was determined to have fun and make it memorable for all of us! Mainly since this was our last "quality time" with Jonathan before he started Kindergarten!!!!

I am so happy with what were able to do! Zoos, Aquariums, Parks, Ponds, Lakes, Oceans, Pools, Splash Pads, Museums, Art Camp, Music & Art Camp, VBS, Movie Theater, The Circus, Family, Friends, Birthday Parties, Road Trips...and so much more!

Swimming became Jonathan's favorite thing to so this summer! {Big check mark off this Mommas to-do list!}

We ate good this summer! Corn and the cob and smores was just the beginning!

Dallas Zoo with Cousins and Best Buds!

Nature Walks with Best Friends!

The Fort Worth Zoo. Monkey's looking at Monkey's!

The boys helped with our garden...we let this one grow a little to long.

Diggin' up dino bones! At the FW Science and History Museum.

Running the Groceries at the FW Science and History Museum.

Calling Dr. Ewert...it could totally happen! At the FW Science and History Museum.

Ben says, "Look mommy! Foot steps!" I don't know why, but I just really, really love it!

We did lots of projects at our art center. J is coloring his Batman cape.  

Jonathan and Taryn, not Ben, went to Art Camp for 2 days and did AMAZING!

Jonathan's free-hand whale! This one is a framer! 

Visiting Great-Grandma and Gran.

There is always time for silliness...

He discovered that this thing has food in it!

This guy had a noticeable growth spurt!

Again with the silliness!

 

Music and Art's Camp at Church. Jonathan was picked to "jam" with these drummers that came one of the days. It was really cool!

Bird watching.

Fort Building.

Trouble Making.

Pirate-Batman cuteness!

Lego building!

The shirt says it all!



Jonathan memorized the book, "The Giving Tree." And took every opportunity to read it!

So Jonathan decided that the Magnolia tree in our front yard was "his" tree. This made my heart so happy. I child's imagination jumping off the pages into real life! Maybe I am being sappy about the tree thing (pun intended).

 

Reading time, every single night, and always will be!

 

Feeding the ducks at our local pond.

Playing with old friends from Pre-School.

 

Meeting new friends at the playground and playing a quick game of soccer!

 

This was the official last day of summer. Once again, I was being sappy and had to take a picture. The boys were playing trains in J's room and getting along so well. I wanted to remember this moment forever!