Celebrating our D-A-Double-D-Y!

I have no idea what these videos are doing, but they are a bit funky... and smallish... and I'm just not going to go to too much more trouble to fix them... so squint and enjoy! :)

We had a super laid back weekend celebrating our D-A-Double-D-Y... after cousin camp and Kk's visit and it was nice to have the time to veg as a fam! :)

Saturday morning we had a super fun time with KK's water slide... it was overcast and lovely. Justin and Caden had an early start to their morning with dude cuts and donuts and Kaki-girl and I enjoyed the cooler weather with a walk, so we were all ready to relax and take in the day!



Kaki had yet to get the "hang" of doing the slide with the board... but there is nothing like a Daddy to teach her these things!

Later that afternoon we had a wedding to go to... it was fun to get dressed up and celebrate two people who we have grown to love and who will be living just around the corner!! :)

I know I'm cheesy, but I still like to dress these two alike... whenever I can... and by alike I mean coordinating... :)

We snapped fast and furious and ended up with a few cute ones... LOVE those two little munchie-moos so much!!

Eating moon pies at the reception...

After the wedding we had made plans with a few friends at a winery right outside of Gtown... who knew, right?! It was the perfect way to celebrate our Daddy... great wine, great company and kids who were allowed to run wild!! It was perfection on a warm, summer night! 

Next morning we got ready for church... whoo hoo!!

Kaki sported her FIRST BIRTHDAY bubble... it still fits!! Love it!! :) Just a bit shorter!! :) 

Later that afternoon we fixed Daddy one of his favorite meals, chicken parm... and played in the backyard! 

Happy Father's Day, Daddy!! We love you and are so thankful for all that you do for our family. You work so hard and so selflessly and allow me to live my dream. We appreciate you, are grateful for you and adore spending time with you! 

Happy Day!! :)

KK Comes to Play...

So... Cousin Camp...

was fun...

BUT our fun wasn't over that week...

After Cousin Camp we raced home in time for Caden to take his very FIRST golf lesson!

He did great and had an awesome time!! I snapped a quick pic before he left... he DID NOT want Kaki in the picture but it was unavoidable! Justin captured some great shots with his phone, so I'll have to post those later... this golfin' dude deserves a post of his own!

Meanwhile... back at the ranch, Kaki and I were gearing up for KK to come and visit!! We were SO EXCITED for her to come and play...

I'm not sure I even remember why this little one was throwing a tantrum in the midst of KK prep... BUT she was...

And I found it hilarious! :)

So KK got here on Monday around lunch and we took off and running!

We had lots of fun around the house that afternoon and planned our fun for the next few days...

Which included...

The Monument for breakfast!! YUMMO!!

And the KIDDIE PARK!!! 

Kaki had never gotten to go like Caden had! Caden was probably just a bit younger than Kaki when KK took him to the park in San Antonio... I was so excited to watch Kaki have the thrills of her first amusement park! We are so glad KK was there to watch too! :)

And of course Caden was old hat and had a great time showing Kaki the ropes! :)

There were hardly any people there and it was a cool, breezy morning... hard to believe, but it was perfection! KK bought the kids the family pack or some craziness like that and that meant they each got to ride every ride twice... YAY!!

Future race car driver???

The Ferris Wheel was a hit!!

The carousel...

KK and I got to participate in this one... actually, I hopped up on the horse once, not having read the sign on the outside of the fence that said NO adults are allowed to ride the horses... OOPS!! I felt SO bad when I got called out by one of the workers... I had just disobeyed the rules in front of my kids... NOT ideal!! :) But I apologized all over myself and I think it was a good learning lesson for all of us!! :) Hehe!

Planes...

It was such a fun morning for the kiddos and KK and I too! There is nothing better than seeing those two with smiles as wide as Texas is big!

The next day we went to the park, took a walk, saw the CUTEST baby deer, and then the BIG event... the WAVE CRASHER! We painstakingly set it up and then it was time for the fun! Caden and Kaki loved it and KK was gracious enough to stand there and spray it down since neither one of us were strong enough tot get the spray handle off the hose so we could hook it up to the slide appropriately!

We used that thing all weekend... because guess what?? KK was SO SUPER COOL and let us keep the slide at our house!! I mean it's only fair... KK has a pool and we just have a big backyard! :) Sob, sob... :)

KK was a HUGE help to me while she was here watching the kids while I got out and about to accomplish a few things that needed to be done! We are always so thankful for the help KK offers when she is here and the fun she brings along with her! She brings prizes... takes us shopping... cleans our kitchen and shares all her love!! We appreciate Albi sharing her too! :) The only thing better than KK coming would be if Albi could come too... ;)

Thanks for all you do for us KK-inator!! We love you!! AND you bag of fun!!

First Annual Cousin Camp

There is always some catch-up to be done... 

The next stop on my quest to catch-up brings us to COUSIN CAMP 2013... our FIRST! Nana and Bop so graciously invited my two, alongside their crazy cousin G-dawg, up to Waco for a week of fun which they affectionately, named "Cousin Camp!" We had been gearing up for Cousin Camp for weeks... the kids were excited to see what activities that crazy Nana and Bop would have planned for them! All we knew it was that it was going to be non-stop action... 

We arrived late Tuesday after one last REALLY good nap in our beds at home... I figured cousin camp might be too exciting to get many naps in, but turns out it was SO EXCITING that the naps were great!! Apparently cousin camp is the secret to great napping! :)

When we arrived at camp Tuesday, Camp Director Nana was ready with our uniforms for the week... Cousin Camp shirts!!

Aren't they cute???!!

I'm afraid no one really told G-Dawg what to expect... but naturally, he rolled with those youngest cousin punches like a pro! :)

Next up... painting our keepsake pillow cases... I know what my kids will be going to college with... a stack of Cousin Camp pillow cases... YES! :) They turned out super cute despite a few hand spreading issues! :)

After painting pillowcases we headed out to the great outdoors to do a little water sportin'... slip n slide!!! It was awesome and one of the highlights of the entire camp experience... it's amazing how far $14.99 can go in the fun factor! :)

And then we had the plastic pool for fun too...

After pool time it was time to hit the sack... we had a busy day ahead...

First full day of camp included a celebration of all of the wonderful things God made... this day... the animals. Nana had each day's activity coordinated with Bible verses... it's the teacher in her!! :) And each morning they were all so excited to get their index cards and learn their new verse...

So God made the animals...

And the water parks...

And He even made the naked children... but apparently went a little funky when He made this poor girl's mom's brain... she let her WAY TOO OLD daughter go nearly naked at the splash park and then pee in the gravel just outside of it... when there was a bathroom within spitting distance... SPITTING distance I tell you! I tried to just smile and not give her the mom glare... but come on people! Modesty is a severely underrated quality in our girls today... teach 'em young!

But nudity be darned... we still had fun!

Sittin' on the horses...

Kaki and the ladies...

Little girl, big slide!

Two boys in the mouth of a snake... EEK!! PS: G-dawg got to see snakes for the first time... Aunt Katie took one for the team and went inside the reptile room! :)

Three misfits...

After the zoo we did a quick run home to change out of our wet clothes and headed to lunch at Bueno... um yum! It had been too long! Then we popped across the street to Bop's school where classes had just ended for the SUMMER!!!!

And we got to do a little ballin'... big boy style... perks of having a Bop who is the principal!

AND we even got to go to the principal's office... my first visit I might add! :) And I am hopeful and prayerful that Bop is the only principal my kids ever visit!

But from the looks of it... I need to start praying HARD!! HARDER!!

It was super fun seeing Bop is in element... Thanks for the fun Bop!

Every day... several times a day the kids got to grab out of the goodie bag... and Kaki came up with this... I loved it... and so did Caden... go figure!

After naps, the kiddos painted their giraffe... which of course went right along with our theme for the day... coincidence???! :)

Then it was time of the main event... a treat that Grandparents will receive special crowns in Heaven for doing for their grandkids... CHUCK E CHEESE!! God Bless them!

I snapped a few pics while we were waiting to head out...

Work it...

Own it...

Oh yeah...it's too bad he's so shy!

And we survived... :)

And so did the Chuckster!

Until next time... 

The next morning we started off a bit slower... I had three cousins in a bed with me... they were pretty darn cute!!! :) 

We put on our cousin camp shirts and headed out to Baylor's campus and to the Mayborn!!

Where there is always lots of fun to be had...

Mischief to make...

Things to try...

Principles to learn...

Minds to implore...

Experiments to be done...

Smiles to share...

Ugly four year old faces to wipe off...

Lessons to be learned...

History to be relived...

Messes to be made... (this was her idea of a tea party... ummmm)

Things to crawl through...

Again and again...

Cars to drive...

Places to explore...

And wheels that go round and round!!

It was a great morning at the Mayborn!

Next we spent our life's savings at the Baylor Bookstore... or maybe that was after lunch...

We ate on campus in the SUB... YUM!

It took me back...

Ice cream for dessert...

Group pic...

On our way back to the burbs... we stopped at one of our favorites... CG... I've missed you!!

And when we got home the counselors got another special surprise... an afternoon to ourselves at the pool!

Where we still had to play mom to some silly middle/high school kids about the kill themselves by doing flips into the shallow pool... kids these days! :)

BUT it was a super nice treat nonetheless! Thanks for the rest time Nana!!

After the kids woke up we brought them back to the pool for an evening swim...

Then it was back to fish and eat dinner...

This face... oh this face... 

Don't worry they didn't catch dinner... all recreational!!

After the fishing and the dinner and s'mores outside it was as if we couldn't possibly do ANYTHING else that day... we had done it all... so off to bed we said! 

The next morning we had our closing ceremonies where camp awards were passed out...

Ree Ree and I were tied for Best Counselor... no doubt! :)

Kaki was FUNNIEST camper

Caden was BRAVEST camper (he had a BIG moment in the pool!!)

And G-Dawg was HAPPIEST camper (by far... no attitude coming from him yet!!)

They each got a medal and a Sonic card!! 

And they couldn't be prouder of both!

And finally, a closing ceremony pic with the Camp Director and her favorite Cousin Camp campers... it will be fun to watch this picture change as the years go by...

Although we are going to be counting on G-Dawg's parents to make the additional kiddos pop up! :) 

Thank you Nana and Bop for hosting the BEST possible first annual Cousin's Camp!! We all had a blast and felt completely blessed to have been a part of the fun!! Thanks for treating us to a week in Waco!!

Until next year...