YEA MANDY!!!

As ready as I am to be out of diapers (for good). I am not ready for potty training again! However I believe Mandy is telling me otherwise...just now she said "Mama pee pee" I asked her if she wanted to go pee pee and she uttered "uh huh" so off we went. I didn't think she actually would since that hasn't happened in my presence, until now. She DID IT! I heard it and just about fell over. Here we go..........

Play time

Today we had a little time before lunch to ride bikes and play in the driveway. Kyler was all over and loving it. He also taught Mandy how to pedal today! Yes, you heard right, Mandy pedaled the tricycle that Aunt Kelly gave us. She did it all by herself. Sorry the video clip is sideways but you get the picture.

Aunt Kelly

Just an update on Aunt Kelly...
Her surgery went well and we took dinner up to her and Uncle Shawn. No worries, everything went well and Nana is braving it up with all three in Oklahoma. From what I hear they got there looking for Kyler...KIDS. Kyler got to the hospital said his hellos and wanted to go back out of the room because his cousins were out there. Hmmm. I am sure Austin, Alex and Gage are having a blast with Nana and Mimi. One more down, no more grandkids from them, Erica and Jeremy will be our last hope for anymore Goulding grandbabies. (Smile!)

It's finished...

Thanks to a little visit from Aunt Jaime and Mrs Christy we finished Mandy's wall.

Girl's morning out...

Friday Kyler and I got some time together so today Mandy and I went shopping together. She was soo good and had soo much fun that she fell asleep on our way home with the baby that Grammy bought her and the turtle purse that she got on vacation.

Tomorrow I return to work officially...It is going to be hard on all of us but her most of all. I pray that God is with us and gives us the strength to appreciate the time we do get together. So please forgive me if I get a little selfish with my time with the kids in the upcoming weeks.

Daddy's Girl lately...

Friday night sleepover...

Friday night cousins Austin and Alex spent the night with us. We had so much fun. We played and slept (eventually)and had breakfast and played some more until Aunt Kelly came to pick them up. We can't wait to have another one.

Saturday Party

We had a party at Uncle Richard's and Aunt Charlcy's house for the end of summer and to celebrate Grandma Sarah's upcoming birthday. We had so much fun swimming, playing and eating that Kyler wanted to stay and spend the night with 3rd cousin Jacob. They came up with a plan, Kyler was going to hide under Jacob's bed and Jacob would tell us that he didn't know where he was...thank goodness kids are poor liars. Leigh said he could stay the night and she would bring him home after back to school shopping and so he stayed. Apparently he played so hard he just collapsed and slept from 7:30pm to 7am. He was extremely well behaved (aren't they always for someone else?) and is now welcome to stay any time. Mandy went with us to east Texas to see some land we are interested in and have a SHORT visit with Aunt Kelly at the hospital where she works. All in all a great day.

Little Leaguers Story Time

Today Kyler and Mama went to Little Leaguers Story Time at the Legends of the Game Museum in the Rangers Ballpark. It was a last Mama Kyler outing before I go back to work. I am working on an idea for Mandy too. So while Mandy played with her cousins at Aunt Kelly's house we were off. Kyler was shy for the first time in a LONG time. He warmed up as time went on. We learned about baseball, listened to a story, make a sticker craft, played a game and spent a lot of time in the Learning Center. Oh the fun we had there. Kyler learned about how they make baseballs and gloves, played hands on science, math and history activities as well as some arsty baseball themed rubbings and coloring on the walls (yes, they have dry erase walls to color on!). We can't wait to go back and do it again. It is a once a month activity so maybe there will be one scheduled during some of my vacation time.

Visors

Today in our Tiny Tots craft class the kids got to cover visors with glue and stick feathers all over them! OOOO what fun... here are pictures of everyone but Gage. He wore his briefly but not for a picture. Mandy took hers off as soon as I put her in the stroller but the 3 year olds wore them all the way home, including a trip into Petsmart.

Cowboys and Christians

Tonight was the parade to open the Johnson County Pioneers and Old Settlers Reunion and Kyler got invited by Mrs Terri at church to ride on the float for VBS "Avalanche Ranch". He said he definitely wanted to participate so we took him. He had to wear his cowboy hat and bandana that he got at the VBS.


When we got to our designated meeting spot he reminded me that he wanted to do it "by myself". So I got my pictures of him with the float and went to pick a spot on the parade route. I cannot believe he is big enough to do these things "by himself". He is growing up so fast and so independent. He wasn't too grown up to kiss me goodbye, thank goodness!



He looked sooo proud and confident when the float went by. He just stared off and waved, he looked right at us (parents, grandparents and sister) and smiled after a short period of looking like 'do I know you?'.

Daddy walked all the way up to the end of parade route and we went and picked the up where there was less traffic. It was hot but a neat experience and Kyler says his favorite part was "Sitting with his friends, oh yeah." If you know Kyler you can hear how he says the oh yeah in your head...too cute!

It was a great parade and I am so glad we are in such a wonderful little town for the kids to grow up in.

Happy Birthday Paw Paw

Last night we took Paw Paw to the Ranger Game for his birthday. It required a little help from Papa since I lost our tickets. Yep, lost...those of you who know me know I don't lose many things so this was a pretty big deal. Papa decided to let us take his since he wasn't up to the heat again. Thank you Papa for saving my booty. On the way there we had dinner and rode the shuttle bus from Lincoln Square for free! The best $12 saved in a long time. Kyler LOVED the shuttle bus. It was hot but gave the kids an excuse to get a drumstick ice cream (they are $1 on Sunday nights). We had lots of room for the kids since it wasn't too crowded. All in all a ton of fun.

Parker Farm Day...

Today the entire Goulding family went on an outing to The Parker Farm. The Parkers are good friends of Mom and Dad's and are wonderful people. They were so good to let the 14 of us run their property and Mr. Pat was so funny with his 3 shadows. The 3 year olds hung on everything he talked about with the horses, the dogs and the pond. We ate lunch visited the bird dogs, the older kids got to pet the horses and LOVED it. Mandy liked to look from a distance but didn't want to go touch them. She is a girl who knows what she wants. Gran brought the pool and the well water was very cold, Megan loved it but the rest weren't too interested. Mrs. Linda made an amazing homemade peach cobbler for dessert and she even grew the peaches. None of the kids wanted to leave and the whole way home Kyle decided 10 acres would be good and was planning how and when we can buy land and what kind of house we would build on it when the kids move out! Too funny. All in all a great day. Sorry for the lack of pictures of horses etc but my camera battery died (OOPS!) ... Silly mama.

Not nice...

That was Mandy's response when Aunt Kelly, Uncle Shawn, Austin, Alex and Gage drove off for Nana Geri's with her Bubba in the truck. Who knew at her age she could process information in just that way. I guess because she is my baby that I don't give her enough credit sometimes but I was surprised that it connected for her that way... Her feelings were hurt and she felt left out. Poor baby...it didn't take her too long to get over it having Mama and Daddy to herself. Nothing like a little undivided attention. Look out Aunt Kelly...Kyler is in for some competition for cousin time.

Final cousins day...

Unfortunately this was our final cousins day. I have to start getting my classroom ready and be able to get back to work. For me the school year starts the 20th. Woo Hoo. But today was at our house and lots of fun. We had a few extras with Mrs. Christy (our neighbor) and her daughter, Brianna, and her neices, Lexie and Mackenzie. A house full of playing and laughter, what better way could you end a summer.

Storytime...

We gave story time a shot at our library and we were the only ones there so it was perfect!

Look what I did!...

This weekend I painted Kyler and Mandy's rooms. I did the majority of Mandy's room by myself. Thank goodness for Gran rescuing me from the ceiling, she has a knack for that part of the painting world. Kyler's room had a little extra help, Auntie Em came to help. It was wonderful.

Here is Kyler's room...ofcourse it is still all sports. I never knew that some passions and areas of interest are just "born" into a child until my sweet boy joined my life.





Then there was Mandy who has yet to show me her true loves. So I went basic girl with her, purple with pink and green accents. There is a big blank purple wall that I hope to stripe when I figure out the most efficient way to do it. (and find the courage to try it myself).

Splash Station

This morning we went with Auntie Em, Gran and Papa, Aunt Kelly, Uncle Shawn, Austin, Alex and Gage to Splash Station in Cleburne with hopes of a picnic lunch at the playground after a couple hours of play...well...plans are meant to change! It turns out they didn't open until noon so we played on the playground, had our picnic and then went to play in the water park. The minor disapppointment of the day was that the boys couldn't take in spider man. Alex made a new friend of Auntie Em. Every step was fun but the water park was a HUGE hit! The kids had soooo much fun and thanks to Auntie Em we were not outnumbered by the kids. Mandy fell asleep and hour and a half into the fun and we last a whole three hours. That was big time. Everyone was starting to get tired and yet no one wanted to leave.

Base....

This is the newest addition to the family. Appropriately named Base by Kyler (yes, after baseball, is there anything else?) Here he is showing off his tricks, just a few seconds before he was doing a "handstand". Who knew...

Playdate with Sydney

 
 
 
Grammy kept Kyler and Mandy Monday and Tuesday since I have a workshop on gifted and talented education this week and they will be with Gran and Papa Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Monday Grammy took them to play with Aunt Lisa and Cousin Sydney. Their plans for the local water park were rained out but it was not going to keep them from having a good time. They played with Sydney at her house, had lunch, and watched a movie. I am glad we live close enough to do this from time to time.