Life Lately

A look at our summer life lately.

Oliver's first ice cream cone. :)

We met the Stille boys for a morning of bounce houses one day. Elle conquered the large slide that she was so scared of at Ryker's birthday party. She probably went down it no less than 30 times this day. 

The sweetest girl I know.

One of her favorite things to do is talk about "bad ladies" - she means villains in Disney movies.  We always have to start with Ursela, her most feared movie villain.  We talk about what she does to Ariel, why she's mean, etc. Elle probably asks me daily, "do you want to talk about bad ladies?".

One of my all time favorite things in the world are these babes fresh out of the bathtub and in their pj's.

I looooove baby jammies and don't even get me started on holiday pj's. 

I will sometimes find Ollie in this tent with a book.  The boy still loves to have books read to him and he is extremely demanding when he wants one read.  I love the way he crawls in my lap and loves to turn the page. 

This girl and Henry had a super fun Friday with MawMaw and PawPaw.  They started by seeing Finding Dory, then went to lunch then to the Dinosaur Quest exhibit. 

She had such a fun day!!

Saturday morning breakfast. :)

Tow things about this picture - 

1. If I put my hand on my forehead like "Ollie what are you doing?" He puts his little hand on his face too.

2. Look how tame his hair is when I brush it after a bath. It's as the day goes on that those curls start coming alive. :)

My girl.

Selfies with sissy, we were laughing so hard!

Summertime desserts = popscicles.

A morning at the splash pad. Mary and the boys ended up meeting up with us too. Elle saw a family of ducks and became obsessed with them.

This girl loves birds. She always asks me why birds don't like her.  She wants nothing more than to have them come up to her. 

I was out with Mary, Mom, Paige and Will picking up my bridesmaids dress then out for Mexican when Eric sent me this picture. 

My babies.

This boy loves to be held and is learning more words.  The ones we hear most often are "mama" "look look look", "more" and "go"

And this girl will talk your ear off about just about anything. 

Mary brought this back for Elle from DisneyWorld and the bubble wand is very popular at our house.  Oliver loves to stick his little finger in the top and stop up all the bubbles.

I'm beginning to understand his deep love for Toy Story.  This Jessie doll get lots of kisses from Oliver Russell.

Elle has her gymnastics class every Saturday through the end of the summer.  Girlfriend is not doing so great in the listening department. When we get in the car after class it's usually a huge lecture from me on listening and following directions. 

I'm out of town this weekend so Eric will be taking her, hopefully he can talk some sense into her. ;)

And this boy loves to test his boundaries while she is in class. I come prepared with the iPad and lots of snacks but these bleachers normally grab his attention more than anything else.

4th of July weekend and I had the windows open in our house. Crazy! 

Made me sooo ready for fall. Halloween costumes are already being discussed.

Look at those chubby toes!!

Flying around the house with daddy.

#ducksflytogether

We took a walk after dinner and Elle rode her scooter.

Girlfriend has no need for speed.  She is a tad slow on that thing! And try as I might I cannot teach her how to steer her powerwheel, scooter or bike.  I have asked Eric to step in because what I'm saying she is not understanding.

Oliver is constantly at the fireplace. Pulling at the baby- proofing foam that covers the edges and getting as close to that vase as he possibly can.

This boy and his cuteness gets him out of so much trouble. ;)

The kids are back at MawMaw's this week!!!! Yesterday was their first day back.  Elle has asked every week since her surgery if MawMaw was feeling better and if it was time to go back to her house.  She was SO excited!

And obviously Ollie was too. :)

I leave tomorrow for Paige's bachelorette party at the lake! I'm excited...but also nervous.  This will be the longest I have every been away from the kids (I'm leaving Friday, coming home Monday).  Elle requested a fun dinner tonight before I leave tomorrow, done and done. I also picked up some surprises for them at Target on my lunch-break. I'm going to miss my babies so much but so excited for a weekend celebrating Paige!

Pool Day

We spent the day at the pool with the Voss crew a couple weeks ago.  We went to the pool by Mary's house and Elle hadn't been there since last summer so she didn't remember much about it.

The car ride to the pool may have been the highlight of the day for both of my children.  The pool is super close to Mary's house (like one street over from her subdivision) and we learned our lesson last year when we walked (caught in the rain with 4 babies, no thank you) so we drove and just all got in Mary's car.  The 3 big kids sat in the back - and kept commenting that it was like a school bus...Elle's never been in a bus so this just must be what she imagines one to be like. :) And Oliver loved being in a forward facing car seat.  Mary and I could hear him squealing and giggling from the front. 

At this pool on Tuesday's they open an hour early for kids 6 and under which was so nice! 

The kiddos played and rode down the slides and splashed until their little bodies were wore out.

One amusing part was all 6 of us on rafts in the lazy river.  Mary and I each had a 2 person raft, so Elle had a seat in my raft and Oliver sat in my lap.  Getting in the raft and on the lazy river was laughable and then getting our 2 rafts connected (and keeping them that way) was hilarious. :) Oliver somehow managed to fall asleep during the chaos, probably one of the oddest places my children have fallen asleep. We were constantly being splashed in the face and I know I tied my hardest to shield him but he even slept through that. 

Exhausted and ready to head back to Mimi's for a late lunch.

I could just eat this girl up. I see so much baby in her in this picture. 

Henry was not exhausted. :) He was already asking Mary if they could come back after lunch. 

We ordered Imo's, headed back to Mary's to eat and then we rolled out for nap time. 

Perfect pool day. :)

Father's Day - 2016

We started our Father's Day bright and early this year but meeting Eric at Cappucino's for breakfast.  He worked the night before so he drove straight to breakfast from the hospital and we met him there (that way he could go home and go right to bed so he could celebrate at my parents house later too). 

We finished up our shopping the night before, when we were in Wal-Mart we came across this shirt and Elle thought her daddy needed it. :) And I agree. My kids hit the jackpot with this guy. He is the fun one, willing to play Zurg, loves to play music and dance around with the kids and runs around the house with Ollie with their arms outstretched.  I'm never sure if they are pretending to be ducks or celebrating an imaginary goal...but they are always having fun. :) 

Here we are at breakfast as Eric opened his presents.

Headed to my mom and dad's to celebrate...Elle and Ollie weren't in the mood for pictures.

This year (along with the gift from Mary, Will and I) each grand-kid picked out their own gift for PawPaw.

You can't go wrong with ice cream -  this was from Oliver.

Elle was so excited when she spotted what she wanted to buy PawPaw.  We were walking down an aisle and she shouted for me to stop and said "Mom, PawPaw is going to looooooooooove these!"

Her gift was the red and blue tongs in the picture below.

Bear picked out Bean Boozled...which we played later and I think all the adults immediately regretted.  At least I know I did. :)

And when we were shopping Henry shouted, "I know what to get PawPaw, whiskeys!"

So that is what Henry bought. :)

After we ate the kids swam and then we played Bean Boozled.  Bear had a horrible track record of handing me terrible flavors (think vomit, rotten eggs, dog food). 

Elle decided to tuck her dress into some shorts. #fashionstatement

And doodles just hid in this cabinet during all the Bean Boozled excitement. :)

Such a fun day celebrating all the dad's, especially my own.  I have the best of the best in my corner and for that I am forever grateful. Not only are Mary, Will and I so lucky to have him but he extends that love to Eric, Nick and Paige. 

And Henry, Elle, Charlie and Oliver - that's a whole different category of luckiness. 

#worldsbestPawPaw

Life Lately

This year, like every year, is flying by.  I can't believe we are already this far into June. The saying is true, the days are long but the years are short.

So our life lately has been filled with fun outside, popsicles and cuddling my sweet babies.

We celebrated Eric's 32nd birthday!

Days at the park before the weather got too hot. It has been soooo hot/humid lately.

Sissy is a little mama to Ollie. When she saw him standing on the slide she immediately ran over to hold onto her "goo goo".

He loves to stand in the sink and wash his little hands. 

Elle wanted to take a bath in the sink one night, baby wants baby gets.  This, of course, ended in a huge mess of water all over the kitchen.

She asked every night after for a bath in the sink but mama needed a break from that mess. :)

I kicked off Memorial Day weekend with a night out with these two. 

So. Much. Laughing.

And then I woke up Saturday morning slightly hungover to this sweet little face.

Memorial Day weekend was also when the Disney Channel was airing all of their original movies. Will and I loved most of these growing up.  

Some early morning water table fun in the pj's. 

Then in the kitchen to create masterpieces. 

We spent Sunday on Memorial Day at the Stille house for a BBQ. Elle and Oliver loved their trampoline.

Oliver was trying to drink the water and thought it was absolutely hilarious. 

Elle and I ran to the mall to grab Paige's birthday present and she HAD to stop and ride this truck.  She wanted to ride the big carousel but Eric and Oliver were waiting in the car so the firetruck had to do. 

This girl. 

She is sassy, will interrupt any conversation I'm having, is stubborn as can be....but is the sweetest little thing in the world.  I just adore her. 

Princess Eleanor! :)

And Princess Henry! :)

Bubbles on the deck.  They all wanted a turn with the Little Mermaid bubble wand Mary brought Elle back from Disney World.  I would yell "switch!" and they knew to hand it to the next person.

That's not to say there weren't some tense bubble moments. :)

Mary has been helping watch Elle and Oliver during the week while mom is recovering. Mary sent me this picture one day of Henry and Oliver watching Toy Story.  Ollie is pointing to the TV saying "look".

Ollie LOVES Toy Story!

Chick-Fil-A picnic.  Oliver is a fan!

I made the kids pastina for lunch one day and Oliver loved it!

So, Mary and Nick went out one night to celebrate their anniversary so the boys came over to our house.  They all ate pizza and I had them create their own movie tickets.  Then they came inside with their tickets and I showed them to their seats at the theatre.

This is them waiting to hand me their tickets.

These children are all crazy! :)

Settled into their seats at the theatre with bowls of popcorn with sprinkles on top. 

Sissy's first day of gymnastics!

I didn't know how she would do just walking off with her class and her coach but she did great!!

Crawfish Boil at Eric's parents house.  Elle tried crawfish but she wasn't a fan and Oliver tried oysters and loved them.

Mulligan girls at Paige's bridal shower.

Elle helped her open all of her presents.

These little couches were the best purchase ever!

Will and Paige came over to watch Oliver one night while Elle and I were at her swim lessons.  I came home to Oliver passed out on his Unc.

Missy loves picking out her jammies herself.  She came to me to model her Halloween pj's.

And then she passed out at the foot of my bed while I was putting Oliver to sleep. :)

Park days with these two.

Teaching Elle to steer a bike may be the death of me. ;)

Don't mess with the Hylton crew.

I just want to eat him up!

This was an ant that she wanted to bring inside and make her pet.  When I told her it was time to come inside she walked up to me with her hand in a fist behind her back.  When I made her show me what she had it was her little ant friend.  She was planning to bring him inside and take him Lord knows where. I can only imagine how many times she has successfully snuck a pet bug inside.

Pool days!

My littlest. 

Gymnastics week 2 with a new leotard she picked out herself!

And a lantern that HAD to be in the picture. 

Dumping your goldfish out is apparently hilarious. 

Mary and I took the kids to the Dollar Store one night and they all picked out 2 things.  Elle got this princess pack and a hula hoop.  Watching her hula hoop is the most amazing thing ever!

Oliver picked out 2 balls.  This boy loves throwing, kicking, catching balls.

Bedtime with Buzz, he is a very popular guy at our house.

Oh Russell. This boy can not leave the toilet paper alone in the bathroom.  When Elle flushes she always waves and says "bye" and now Oliver always wants to put toilet paper in the toilet and wave and say "bye".

Elle loves going to the pool this summer.  She would go every single day if we let her!  I think a pool pass will definitely be purchased next year.

After a hot day day at the pool is the only time I see curls on this girl. She kept saying she looked like mommy. :)

Ready to do some baking, Ollie wasn't thrilled about his apron at first. 

Elle had gone to bed the night before begging to make cupcakes so the next day when I got off work we started baking. 

Elle is licking her spoon and Oliver is painting his toes with brownie batter. 

My Lord I love these two and I love to watch their friendship evolve. 

Oliver has found all of the stools in our house and loves to climb them when no one is looking. I can't remember what he was asking for but I know that little hand reached out means he was wanting something. 

I found him in the laundry room sitting in Elle's laundry basket one night. If you can't find Ollie the laundry room is my go-to place to look. 

I was selling our old barstools on Craigslist and right before the buyers came Elle grew an attachment to them. :)

She was so talkative with the buyers, explained that she had spilled a banana on the seat and the then as they were loading them into the car she was on the driveway telling them the chairs sometimes break and my daddy has to fix them.  

A salesperson she is not! :)