Home Depot

Home Depot offers kid workshops once a month.  The kids get their own little orange aprons and are taught how to build something.  At this particular workshop they built and painted little wooden firetrucks.  Grace's firetruck is red and RJ's fire truck is green.  To celebrate fall there was also a little petting zoo, games, snacks, and snowballs.  Fun was had by all!

Kudos to Home Depot for providing free entertainment for families!!

My Birthday

I celebrated my birthday with my family at Buca di Beppo.  Dinner was delicious and I was happy to be with  my hubby and sweet babies.  I'm one lucky lady!!

Gracism

G:  "How does a baby get out of your belly?"

M:  mind totally blank..."How do you think a baby would get out of my belly?"

G:  "I think there is a secret trap door that blends in."

Dodged that one.  For now.

The Sensory Box

I found this idea online, but I remember having something like this at one of the preschools I attended and I loved it.  I bought 2 plastic storage bins and filled them with dry rice.  Then I added toys...spoons, shovels, scoops, trucks, funnels, etc.  Holy Moly, this was awesome!  Both kids played for a long time with their own box of rice!  So simple, yet so entertaining! (Disclaimer: it is really messy though.  You will definitely need a broom or vacuum on hand.)

To change things up a bit, I changed the rice for small pebbles for RJ and glass stones, clear, turquoise, and green, for Grace.  RJ uses trucks, bull dozers, and small Duplo toys to make a construction set sensory box.  I put mermaids, faux seaweed for fish tanks, a beaded starfish, a fish Zooble, Barbie dolphins and whales, and other sea creatures in Grace's box to make an "under the sea" sensory box.  They like the new change.

All the toys I put in the boxes were things we had around the house.  If you google sensory boxes you will get all kinds of ideas for themes and things to use.  It was kind of fun for me too, because I had to use my imagination to put them together!

I will be changing it up again soon to keep things interesting and fun for them!

Beating the summer heat!

Get in YOUR Bed!!

RJ has a new toddler bed!  We gave the crib to Aunt Rae Rae and Uncle Marc to use for baby Sunny.  The toddler bed is adorable and RJ does like it, but...

he has decided that it's fun to get out of his bed, lay on the floor next to his door, and peek out under the door and down the hall.  I've caught him playing with our new kitten, Sully, under the door.  Sully's paw is in RJ's room and RJ's fingers are in the hallway.  

Several nights in a row RJ has fallen asleep in this fashion.  One of the nights he was so close to the door that I had to push the door hard in order to move his body out of the way so I could go in and put him back in his bed.  

Daddy's Monster Truck

Bryan brought RJ this monster truck at his last visit.  Needless to say, RJ loves it!!

No markers for you!

RJ is no longer allowed to use markers in an unsupervised fashion.  That boy will color all over EVERYTHING!!  Thank goodness they are washable.  :)

Mmmmmm donuts!!

G and I had a Mommy-Daughter Donut Date!  We need to do more things like this!!

Magic Kingdom

The kids and I joined some friends of ours at the Magic Kingdom back in June.  It started drizzling as soon as we got out of the car.  We spent a good 4 hours there and it rained the entire time.  As miserable as it sounds, it wasn't. The light rain actually kept the crowds at bay and us cool.  

After lunch, however, the weather took a turn for the worse and it started pouring.  I ended up taking RJ home for his nap, while my friends kept Grace with them.  The walk back to the car was the worst.  Walking in a downpour, pushing a stroller, while holding a kid.  Yes, I was holding RJ.  He wasn't having anything to do with the stroller.  He was tired, cold, and drenched.  I didn't blame him, but I was still the one having to carry his 25 pounds for about two miles!!  Good grief!  

All in all, the day was fantastic, the kids were troopers, and I would do it again tomorrow if I could!

This picture melts my heart.  RJ had his hand on my knee the entire time we road It's a Small World.  I wanted to remember this moment forever!!

I had to remember this picture too.  Grace pointed out that this sign instructs us that there is NO DANCING on the It's a Small World ride.  God, I love that kid!!

Sharing a snack, while taking a break from the rain, on the train.

RJ

This boy has changed so much in the last 4 months.  He's grown taller and he hasn't stopped talking.  RJ is a funny little guy!  He makes us laugh with his facial expressions, eyes, and dance moves.  

RJ's favorite things are trucks.  Cement mixers, tow trucks, delivery trucks, bull dozers, diggers, tankers, tractor trailers, it doesn't matter...he loves them!  He has one in his hand pretty much all the time; even when sleeping.  

He also likes his little train set.  I got a pretty good deal on a wooden set with several accessories for his birthday.  After he's done playing with his trucks he usually asks me to put the train set together.  

I never imagined I would have little tiny trucks, cars, and trains all over my house.  I love it!

RJ loves his sister.  He likes to copy everything she does or says.  Most often she can tell him what to do and how to do it, then he does it.  As the saying goes, imitation is the biggest form of flattery.  

RJ is also a Momma's Boy!  He asks for me to hold him and he wants to snuggle with me a lot.  My hope is that he and I will always have a close relationship.  He's a cool kid.  He's very smart, extremely sweet, and he's going to be a great brother to his big sister.  

I couldn't be more proud of this beautiful person!

Grace

It's been a while since I've posted an update on either child.  So here we go...

Grace is now 4 1/2 years old.  She has become such a big girl, in what seems almost overnight.  


Her intelligence continues to amaze me.  Puzzles are a new favorite.  Grace will put together four or five puzzles at one sitting, some even have as many as 50 pieces, all by herself!

Coloring is her passion!  She takes after her Mom.  I still enjoy coloring.  It's therapeutic.  It's fun to sit down at her little table and color with her.  Sometimes we talk.  Sometimes we just quietly enjoy each other's company.

Grace still has a compassionate heart.  She is a gentle soul.  She's sweet to everyone, animals, her toys, and especially her brother.  She will do great things in her lifetime because of this trait.

I couldn't be more proud of this beautiful little person!!

Funny conversation with Grace!

As I'm mopping the kitchen floor, I can hear the kids fighting over something in Grace's room.  I called out to them and asked what they were fighting about.  Grace came into the kitchen and says...

"We were having dinner at our beach house and RJ ate all of his dinner so I gave him some pie.  He finished the pie, so I took his plate away and he wanted more pie."  I said, "You can't find RJ another piece of pie or cake somewhere?  Maybe you could make him a brownie."  She went on and on about not making him more dessert (I can't remember everything), then said "he would keep on freaking out if I made him more!"  With that she turned around and went back to the beach house.

Their beach house, by the way, is a tent I made out of sheets in Grace's room.

I love listening to their imaginations work!!

Happy Father's Day!!

Dear Bryan,

Thank you for being such a wonderful husband and father.  We are truly blessed to have you in our lives.  Your hard work and perseverance have been an inspiration, and we are so very proud of you!

We LOVE you,

Rie, Grace, & RJ

Mother's Day Reflection...

Today, I am so grateful to be called "Mom" by this little girl...

(school portrait by Leonard's)

and this little boy... 

(school portrait by Leonard's)

They are two very different people.  

She likes flowers.  He likes trucks.

She could color for hours.  He jumps from one activity to the next as fast as a gnat.

She is all girl.  He is all boy.

She's a Daddy's girl.  He's a Momma's boy.

She kisses her brother.  He hits his sister.

She loves macaroni and cheese.  He hates macaroni and cheese.

But, they are both MINE!! 

Both call me "Mom".

I am truly honored by this title because this girl and this boy are the two most amazing little people on this Earth!

Thank you, God, for sending them to me!

Gracism

So, we are watching House Hunters this evening.  This episode featured a gay couple searching for a new home in Los Angeles, CA.  Grace asked me "Do those boys have wives?"  I said "No, they don't."  She asks "Because they don't want to be bossed around?"  Yep, that's it!  They don't want to be bossed around!!  What a funny, funny kid!!!

One more Gracism, from a few days ago...

This conversation occurred as we were walking out the door to go to school.

Me:  "Grace, do you have your gippy?"

Grace:  "Yep, I have everything I need.  I have junk in my trunk!"

RJ turns 2!!

Our baby boy turned two years old!  I can't believe it! 

RJ is such a funny little guy.  He's so quirky, going from clown one minute to straight man the next minute.  He is a special part of our family unit.  Grace adores her little brother.  She sneaks kisses and hugs whenever she can.  RJ loves his big sister, but he doesn't always show it.  

Since he's been going through the terrible twos he has been a pest to his sister.  He will hit her, pull her hair, push her, take her toys, etc. all to see what kind of reaction he gets out of her...which, as you guessed, is always negative.  But he really does love her.  For instance, he was sick today with a bad cough and fever, so I kept him home.  Grace still went to school.  RJ asked about "sissy" several times today and was happy to see her when she got home.  I love that my kids love each other.  I pray that they will always be friends and take care of each other.  They are the two best things that Bryan and I have ever done.  We are so proud of them!

RJ is still infatuated with trucks.  All kinds.  Monster trucks, dump trucks, mixers, diggers, garbage trucks, UPS trucks, Tractor trailers, any kind of truck he loves it.  Naturally his birthday had to involve trucks.

 Mommy and Daddy got RJ a wooden train set.  He REALLY likes it!

Getting ready for his party.

The cake wouldn't be complete without a truck.

A workin' man.

This just makes me smile!!  

(got to take the hat off to blow out the candles)

The boy likes his cake!

(hat's back on)

Happy Birthday Arj!!  Mommy and Daddy are so proud of our little Dude!  We are very blessed that God sent you to us.  WE LOVE YOU VERY MUCH!!

Grace turns 4!!

So,life has totally gotten in the way of my blogging.  I'm going to skip Christmas and jump into Grace's birthday, which incidentally falls before St. Patrick's Day, but St. Pat got posted first.  

Grace!!  Our beautiful LOVE!!  She turned 4 this year!  Yikes!!  Where in the world does the time go??  Grace was actually sick on the day of her birthday.  Thankfully she was much better for her weekend celebration, a Butterfly Birthday!

All her little friends got a pair of butterfly wings, a butterfly ring, a butterfly lollipop, and butterfly stickers.  It was really cute seeing them all run around the park in their wings!

Grace had a great day.  Her smile made all the hard work worth it!

Two of my three Loves!!

Butterfly Grace at her birthday party.

 RJ enjoying his cheeseballs.

 My birthday girl!

Celebrating her birthday at school.

Grace you bring Mommy and Daddy such joy.  You are a gentle soul and we are so lucky that God chose us to be your parents.  WE LOVE YOU WITH ALL OF OUR HEARTS!!  

Happy Birthday G-Bug!!

So Peaceful!!

I love watching my babies sleep.  There is nothing more peaceful!  

St. Patrick's Day!!

"Tricky" left a gold coin, from his pot of gold, for each of the kids.  This made up for all of his trickery.  That Leprechaun was so crazy.  I wonder what he will do next year?

Yummy!!

The green rice krispie treats were delicious!

I made rice krispie treats last night, cut them up, put them on a plate, then covered them with tin foil.  When we woke up this morning "Tricky" the Leprechaun, as we like to call him, turned our rice krispie treats GREEN!!

In celebration of St. Patrick's Day we were visited last night by a leprechaun.  Very mischievous was this wee man.  He turned the water in our potty green, then walked all over our toilet paper leaving tiny green foot prints.  He also left a tiny little rainbow on the seat.  

Mike and Sully

Grace has been talking about visiting Mike and Sully for months, if not years.  She saw the Monsters, Inc. movie when she was around 1 or 2 years old.  We visited them shortly after seeing the movie.  She was afraid of them, but after we left she kept talking about how she would hug them and not be afraid the next time she saw them.  

We finally went for that visit.  Surprisingly there was no line.  We just walked right up to them and Grace gave them both hugs!  It was cute to see her beaming face.  RJ seemed to be a bit skeptical, but shook hands with Sully.  That moment was perfect!

On a side note:  A shout out goes to whomever found RJ's gippy on the ground at Disney's Hollywood Studios and turned it in to an employee.  I realized it was missing within 20 minutes of leaving Mike and Sully.  As I frantically retraced our steps back to the monsters, I asked every employee I encountered if they had seen RJ's blue and brown gippy.  One very nice lady said someone turned a similar item in and ALAS it was his!!  I never in a million years would have expected to find a lost item at Disney World.  Thank God for small miracles!