Sea World

The next morning we got up, went downstairs to eat breakfast, and came back to pack everything up again! Good times! We've gotten pretty good at this considering all the loading and unloading we do during the holidays. It's quite ridiculous=/  The kids did great playing together while we packed. So sweet to see them actually playing together.

Natalie was super excited to get her picture taken with Shamu, but did tell us that, "Shamu doesn't walk!" Can't fool her.  She actually went back and hugged him another couple of times before we pulled her away. I love that she's not afraid of the characters.

After Shamu we headed over to the Wooded area and met one of Natalie's favorite book characters: Franklin! Isn't he the cutest? She just hugged and hugged him, too, but wouldn't speak to him. Joaquin didn't care=)

The Sesame Street Bay of Play was next. This part is seriously cool for kids. They really did it up right. There is a huge play area that consists of a series of nets, tubes and tunnels and right in the middle of it is a couple of splash pads!  It truly is a kid's paradise. The only downfall Brian and I saw was how quickly you could lose your kid in the nets and tubes.  NJ and JZ were too little for it this time around (thankfully).  What I loved was that they even thought of the little ones with a tiny splash area like this:

We came back to this area a couple different times to cool off and it worked out perfectly.  Then we caught the Sesame Street show and characters.

Cookie Monster was the absolute best! I plan on writing a letter to Sea World to compliment this character. Very interactive and fun. Disappointingly (not sure if that is a word, but I just used it anyway), we didn't get a pic with Elmo because you had to pay to do that! What?! So stupid. Thankfully, Natalie didn't make a big deal about it. Whew.

Cookie Monster stole Joaquin's bottle and pretended to drink it. Then he went to talk to him. JZ wasn't sure at first but then as you can see started to giggle! I don't know why but I just love the one of her in his lap. So precious!  Bert was pretty cool too. Natalie went up to hug him, and he bent down and immediately lifted her into his arms. Sweet.

As for the shows we were also very pleased. The ski show wasn't running which was disappointing but we really wouldn't have had time so it was fine.  We saw the Cannery Seal Show which was fantastic!  Natalie didn't catch all the funny antics but she was still entertained. Our favorite part was watching the Walrus do sit ups.

Natalie loved feeding the seals. She wasn't so sure about touching the fish at first, but once I did it she was good. Neither of us wanted to pick up the squid to feed though. Ick.

The dolphins were my favorite. There is just something majestic and beautiful about these creatures. Amazing! I wish we could have captured the one that swam in circles at 90 mph then leaped out of the pool So cool!

We were told by multiple people and workers that the Beluga Whale (Azul) show was the best, and for the life of me I could not figure out why. I mean, how much can a beluga whale do, right?!  For all of you wondering the same as me, wonder no more. The answer is.....not much. It was all about the people IN the show that did amazing leaps and flips from high boards and rafters that was so neat. The dolphins that did tricks and flips were incredible. Then there was the beluga whale. Beautiful creature. He danced with a lady and pushed her through the water using his nose, but that was really it.  It was a well put together show. Great music! Great tricks. But it's not about the whale=)

(Sorry the divers are hard to see to the left, but you get the idea)

Last but not least we ended the day with Shamu!

Unfortunately for the kids, they slept through the entire show and all the way back to the car where Natalie promptly awoke saying, "I wanted to see Shamu (insert loud wailing here)!"  I hated to end the adventure that way but we couldn't keep that girl awake to see it. Her head was bobbing and weaving. She.was.out.

And big boy was in my arms so I was about to kill over in pain so these are the only pics we got.

Pretty good pictures if I do say so myself!

The weekend ended by staying with some good friends from college. Melodi was so sweet to let Nat help her in the kitchen, read to her and let her fix her hair. Yep, you're ready for kids, Mel=) You will be a fantastic mommy!

I'll leave you with what the boys looked like most of the weekend.

No words needed.

I'd say our first family vacation went superb! Blessed and thankful!

Family Vacation

Every good trip starts with a coke!

Last weekend we went on our first family vacation with no one except us and the kids! These are the memories I have always looked forward to.  Don't get me wrong. I love being with our extended families for trips and such, but taking our family of 4 out on our own was so fun! No one else's agenda except ours.

We took our time getting to San Antonio and even stopped to see some dear friends along the way.  It was nice to enjoy lunch and a little break at their house instead of in a restaurant.  We stayed a couple of hours and then were on our way again.  

Unfortunately NJ was being totally rotten=/

We arrived around 5 pm and quickly unloaded into our room.  **It is also worth noting how well our kiddos traveled this time. This was huge because we have nearly sworn off traveling altogether after a couple of terrible trips with screaming and nonstop chattering!  JZ helped us out on this one with being able to hold his own bottle while in the car! Can I get an AMEN?!

Swimming was first on the agenda so we suited up and went down to the pool. I think we were one of four groups staying in the hotel so we had that pool and hot tub all to ourselves.  The Holiday Inn even provided toys and floaties! How cool is that?   Sadly, Brian and I had to enjoy the hot tub separately whilst the other took the kids in the pool.  Not ideal but at least I got some hot tub time.  **Really thinking I need one of these at my house.

As you can see, the kids had a blast, especially Joaquin. This boy loves LOVES the water. He just splashes and splashes and doesn't mind a bit that it is in his face (so unlike his sister)!

After about an hour of swimming we were all getting hungry so we ordered a pizza to be delivered to our room. No sense in loading the kids back in the car just to have an unpleasant dinner at a restaurant! It was perfect. We ate in our jammies on the bed (Pizza Hut even provided our plates) and everyone was happy, happy, happy.

NJ's newest craze is popcorn. We had promised her all week that we would eat it one night "on our adventure." She did not let us forget it either, let me tell ya. So, as you can see, we enjoyed some popcorn and a movie in bed, too!  The pack and play served as a nice play area. You know me and my tents....gotta have one!

The worst part about having little ones in a hotel is that everyone shuts down when the baby does=/  The movie helped keep NJ under control for awhile but that only lasted so long. We managed to keep Joaquin asleep but it took awhile for the other one to settle....Nothing new there.

Stay tuned......

Old Mill

Sadly, a couple different play dates with friends were cancelled due to illnesses (I mean, really, what are the odd? We were so disappointed).  So, we decided to visit The Old Mill...

I grew up visiting this place and took plenty of pictures here for various events and activities.  But, it has been years since I've seen it.  Such a beautiful place.  Here's a little tidbit about this mill:

"The mill was seen in the opening scenes of David Selznick's 1937 movie classic "Gone With The Wind", and is believed to be the only remaining structure from the film."

Pretty cool, huh?

We, of course, had to take some pictures so here they go!  Unfortunately Mimi had to work so we didn't get to snap photos with her and the kids=/

As you can tell by the photos at the bottom of this collage, Natalie was in a foul mood for these memorable shots with mommy.  She was mad because she wanted to take the pictures in her spot, not the spot I wanted. Sheesh.

However, prior to this pout, she was all smiles for me!

Can't win them all, I suppose!

After our trip here we loaded up to meet Mimi for lunch and show off the kids at her work. Glad we were able to see her and make her day since she was stuck at work.

These are the days

Our Arkansas trip continues with a trip to Granny's house.  Mom and Dad had a lot of work to do between grocery shopping and mowing about 2 acres of land for Granny so me and the kids entertained Granny!  She took NJ on a ride in her walker.  Then NJ took Granny on a ride (that one didn't last long)!  I was so proud of Natalie and Joaquin that day because they did really well! Natalie didn't throw any fits or get whiney at all!  And that is saying a lot these days, folks.  She loved on Granny and talked to her and all this without a nap. We were there from 10:30-5:00.  Joaquin was in a good mood and even took a 2 1/2 hour nap on the floor at her house.   He also gave some good loving to Granny. Sweet, sweet.

One morning while Ashley and the kids were in town, mom and dad let us go off shopping while they kept all the kids. Here's what they did:

Tents in the dining room, volcanoes on the table, and spoiled moments on the couch=)  We came back after a couple hours or so and we got in trouble for not staying gone longer. Our money ran out=)

This trip has been full of precious moments:

Even with the heat, one of our favorite things this week has been eating outside. Nat has wanted to eat outside several mornings so we have enjoyed some cooler weather but still a little muggy.

We got the whole family out for a fajita dinner and had a great time.

How Sweet It Is

What do you do when daddy is working long hours and out of town off and on? Go to the grandparents house, of course!   All this excitement and it was only the first day we were there! We spent all afternoon outside as the weather was perfect!  The kids had a blast in the sandbox and played there for quite awhile.

My favorite part of Natalie growing up is that she can really play and have fun with cousins now.  She and Audrey had a blast together. They were on a hunt for mushrooms that they could demolish with their sticks.  I love the picture of Natalie chasing after Audrey with a stick. They were cackling so hard!

Mimi & Poppi added a slide to the ol playhouse and I love it! Natalie isn't convinced yet, but I've enjoyed it.

(I told Poppi he was in style with this headband)

Joaquin may not be big enough to play with the big kids yet, but he wasn't left out. He got plenty of attention from Evan, Uncle Josh and Aunt Ashley.

The real excitement of the evening came with the discovery of this bat under the table umbrella!

Josh had been telling us that his head got buzzed by a bat last week but I don't think anyone actually believed him=) We do now.

Poor thing was shaking like a leaf until he had the courage to fly away.

Mimi and Poppi brought back gifts for the kids from their trip and Evan was beside himself with excitement. I think he knew what was coming and boy was he thrilled to have this!

Natalie had a little accident in the midst of this so that's all the pics I got for this gift unveiling party=/

Daddy Days

Like many daddys, ours works hard and we don't see him as much as we would like. But when we do, we make the most of it!  I'm so blessed and thankful to have a hardworking husband who takes time to stop and 'be' with the kids; not just sit in the room with them. He's rolling on the floor, changing diapers, singing songs, playing games, etc.  For the life of me, I don't understand men that don't interact or play with their kiddos. After being at work all day and not seeing your kids, why aren't you running to meet them, grab them up and squeeze them tight?  Our daddy does.  So many men refuse to change diapers, feed the baby, etc.  It has been my experience that those moments are some of the most precious with children.  My kids laugh the most on the changing table.  They are chattier and happier on the changing table. You have their undivided attention and they have yours. You don't get these moments back.

So here's how we have treasured our daddy moments:

 Making cookies

 (I'm actually not certain if Natalie or Brian was more excited about this activity)

Family movie and popcorn night

(I DO know that NJ is the most excited about this activity. Girl loves her some popcorn)

 JZ was looking to get in on some of that popcorn action! Don't worry, we didn't share.

AND

Mending fences

She thought this sounded like a good idea until daddy started making a lot of noise.  She quickly ran inside crying. Sorry, Kayla, we haven't made any progress there.  She has super sensitive hearing, I guess because she is not a fan of loud noises. BUT, she looked super cute with her tools. *Next sewing project will be a girlie tool belt!

We are so thankful to have such an involved daddy. I know it's rare these days with so many broken homes and lazy dads that are too wrapped up in their own work to stop and love on their children.

Don't miss out. It's these moments that bring them to you in those difficult teen years.

Sewing Fun

My Granny would be so proud to hear that I am having a blast with my new sewing hobby! I don't have as much time to do it as I would like, but when I do, I want to do it all day! I love making personalized gifts for people that have a labor of love attached to it! I feel a sense of pride and accomplishment when I finish a project and can wrap it up and send it to someone.

Here are some of the projects I have been working on for folks. Some have been given as gifts and some have been bought by others for gifts (if you are interested, let me know).  These baby items are my favorite:

Stay tuned to see the prettiest car seat cover. I just fell in love with the fabric and almost wished for another baby girl to use it on. Almost.

 

This project took a little longer than planned but I conquered it and now I plan on making at least two more for my neice and nephew at Christmas.  I also fell in love with this monster fabric.  Perfect for a boy!  It's hard to see the pockets in this picture.  On the left are two pockets for notebooks or coloring books. On the right, there are 14 slots (I think that's the right number) for crayons or skinny markers.   Fold and go! The perfect traveling companion. And I know all about that traveling=/

 

My goal this year is to have a hand-crafted Christmas again as much as possible.  Let the sewing continue!

 

* A big thank you to my crafty friends for inspiring me.  Thanks to my mom for teaching me the basics.  Thank you, Kayla for keeping me busy trying to stay caught up with you!  And thank you, Ashley H. for giving away all those sewing scraps you didn't want. That's what started it all!