Summer list

I've had this little mental list of things I wanted to do with the boys this summer, and came to the realization a couple of weeks ago that summer is going fast and my list doesn't have many things crossed off!! Yikes!! Six Flags was on it . .cross that one off. Doing "school review" with Tyler (and Colby) has been going on a couple of times a week . . . .crossing that one off until school starts. Going to Rainforest Cafe was on there . . .we did that last Friday and loved it. Spending time with Aunt Moni at her little community water park . . .finally got to that one on Sunday. The last 2 items on the "list" are going to NRH2O and playing putt putt golf. Just so you know, about 80% of these items on my little list are there because I have coupons or free passes to the activities!! I am a very frugal mama, but do love to have some fun experiences with my kiddos! Here's a few pictures from the weekend of some fun memories we made:

Here's Uncle Aric bonding with Brady . . .my little one is one wild man in the water. He really liked this pool because it had a beach entrance, so he could walk in all by himself - at least until the water went above his eyelids and he started sinking!! He has a blast and wore himself out real good. The big boys loved swimming, playing on the big water park "center" (I don't know how you describe it, but it had a couple slides, some water fountain things, and a giant bucket on top that filled up then dumped out the water every time it filled up. Get it? They also have a really fun water slide that you go down that the boys loved. I went down one time with Brady and picked up too much speed at the bottom, which made for a very ungraceful, awkward and underwater landing. Lost my sunglasses, and Brady and I ingested a bit of the pool. Not doing that one again. I'm not a good "pairs slider" apparently.

Rainforest Cafe was lots of fun - I think the boys had a hard time eating because they were too busy watching all the animals come to life every few minutes, spotting the "red eyed tree frog" that walked through the restaurant (character from the RC logo), and watching all the beautiful fish in the aquariums. Brady wanted to make sure that everyone noticed every time the gorilla right behind our table started making noises - he would point the whole time the gorilla was "alive" and say "GOOK!" (translation: "look").

Six Flags

Tyler, Colby and I had an AWESOME day today at Six Flags with our best buddies, Kim, Kayla and Brooklyn! Tyler earned a free ticket this past year in Kindergarten for reading a certain number of hours with us at home, so I had promised him a trip there sometime this summer. Quite the nice little marketing scam they have going on there at Six Flags . . .give the kid a free ticket so his parent has to buy a ticket, which means the other sibling wants to go as well, then they have to buy the incredibly overpriced food there since they don't let you take any food in with you. Oh, and there's the $15 parking fee to boot. Little did they know, however, that this mama would get another free ticket for sibling, Colby, from Kayla, who earned a free ticket this year as well, but who didn't need it since she has a season pass. And since Kim has a season pass, she could get me in for only $10. And she paid for parking (sweet friend!). So, this mama didn't feel too overpriced at lunchtime paying for pizza when the only thing she had to cough up was the $10 for her ticket! ha! Take that, Six Flags!! he!

Really, we had such a fun day and Kim and I really had fun watching our kiddos get to be together. Here's some shots from our fun filled day:
You know those guys with the cameras who want to take your picture on the way in (and all over the park) then want you to pay so much money to buy it there? Well, when they told us to get together for a picture, I sweetly just asked him if he wouldn't mind taking one with my camera instead. Sweet man . . .he was so nice to do that for me.

Tyler declined to ride "the pirate boat", and when Colby got off, it was very apparent that he did NOT like that one. It made his tummy feel funny, he said. I knew exactly the feeling he was talking about . . I hadn't minded staying off with Tyler myself! It had so startled him that his gum that he was chewing fell out of his mouth and had gotten stuck in his shirt. Poor kiddo!

This was a fun little skyscraper ride, and a fun photo op to boot!! he!

Waiting for the train ride . . .had to have a "silly picture" after the "smiling picture". I thought the silly one was more true of our kids to be honest, so it's the only one you'll see here!

Oh, and Brady had a fabulous day NOT at Six Flags but with his super Aunt Moni! This is the shirt I wrote about earlier . . .the "I tried to be good, but then I got bored" one. Here he is trying hard to open a bottle of lotion so he can spread it all over his body. Thankfully his mommy caught him before he got the cap open. Little stinker!! And all that mess in the floor behind him - that's from his morning wanderings as well!

check out Monica's blog . .

Here's a shameless link to Monica's blog so you can see funny pictures of the big boys at her house. I'm thankful that they have her as an aunt, and I think she's pretty thankful that she has them as nephews!

"Put it on our blog, Mom . ."

Colby wanted me to share this picture with you of he and Tyler dressing up as some made up super heros, who were very busy saving the world from all sorts and kinds of bad guys tonight. I showed him the picture, and he said, "Now, you should go put that on our blog, Mom". Sweet that he is taking some "ownership" in this, I guess?? I loved it that they had sweet smiles on their faces until I said, "Hey - where's your super hero look?" This is what they IMMEDIATELY did . . .

I bought Brady a t-shirt yesterday at Target on impulse (and clearance!) that said, "I tried to be good but then I got bored." Here are a couple of pictures of what happens around our house when Brady gets bored:

The big boys thought it would be funny if Brady could dress up with them . . .and be Cinderella. He thought he was so cool because his brothers (and Mommy) were laughing so hard at him and wanting to take his picture. I can't wait to show this sassy picture to him someday when he's older and easier to embarrass!!

Homecoming . . .

They are finally home. After almost 9 years of ministry in Benin, West Africa, Randy, Kelly, Tori, Timothy, Jonathan and Lael walked off the plane last night to start the next phase of life . . .life at home in America!!!!

I know personally, I've been taken back mentally and emotionally to that day at the airport when we told Randy, Kelly, and 3 month old baby Tori goodbye and they left for Africa. It was one of the most emotional experiences I've ever been a part of.

This picture was from the day R&K boarded the plane to leave . .I've never before and never since heard my husband weep like he did that day.

It has been so fun to watch and listen to Donny the past few months as he's planned for, dreamed about, and taken care of so many details for this homecoming. He has been looking forward to having his best friend and twin brother back in "reachable" distance more than I can even probably comprehend. I think if Donny was a jumper, he would have been jumping up and down in anticipation of his brother walking through the airport doors!

I loved watching the reaction on Jonathan and Lael's faces . . .a little "deer in the headlights", but they warmed up to a welcome from a sea of "white faces" pretty well. It was sweet to meet that little girl who was chosen by God not only to be a part of this family, but to leave a 3rd world country and come to a land where her life will be forever altered from it's previous path. HIS hand on her little life is so evident now, and I want to have open eyes to see the leading of God on her life in the years to come! Does that make any sense? I'm kinda tired and rambling, but just pondering what is to come . .

So here's a few pics from the night's celebration! My hope is that I'm the FIRST one to post about it!! It's taken me so long this morning to get it pieced together that I may not be, but maybe so!! ha!

Here, Brady is trying to greet his new cousin (remember my littlest one is not the gentlest of creatures!), and Lael is saying, "Who in the world are you, and why are you messing with my pretty pink dress??"