While Daddy is Away

While daddy is super busy with football we try to fill our schedule with lots of fun things.

bike rides

our dryer was leaking gas from the inside so we lost our 

dryer for about 2 weeks so I took 4 loads to trinity to dry 

while we played at the park and had dinner with daddy

Early morning trip to dunlin donuts in our pj's

the kids loved this treat

smore's with my superheros

Bike Riding

I mentioned in a Kansas post and Cincinnati post we had been working on the no training wheels thing.  Well, she has had not training wheels for a while but is very stubborn I am sure you can't believe it.  But she hates me trying to teach her, she believes she should just be able to pick up on anything and just go.  Finally she got frustrated enough she did just go.  One day I was trying to give her a few pointers and she got so mad she stomped her foot said fine I'll do it by myself.  She was so mad she got on her bike and took off.  Yes, seriously!  Troy and I just stood there watching waiting for the moment she would just crash but no she went all the way down the street and back.  She is a full rider but her bike is a little small can you tell?  She has had this one since her 3rd birthday and she will be six in November.  She does use her breaks but it's a sharp break with a skid.  I have been trying to tell her to break slowly and that has not gone well either.  Man she can have a temper, sure your not surprised by that either.

The below are the only pictures and video I have, sorry I was not very good at commemorating this occasion as I should have been.

Troy was trying to get Gracie to say, Gracie riding her bike taught be her mother...something like that but it was all jumbled and I started the video late....can you tell I am a pro:)

Do you love Nolan's jealous attitude?

p.s.
she does own a helmet and usually wears it but we just totally for got on this ride, I know the importance, I promise!

Practice Bus Ride

A week before school starts we all get to go on a practice bus ride.  Although G won't be riding the bus from the start, at some point once fall schedules are more concrete she will most likely ride to school only and I will pick her up.  As of now there are only 5 moms that drop off, the rest ride to school and then most get picked up.  Anyway, we all love the new buses and mommy loves that they had seat belts.  I was sold on the new buses and all the safety rules they have for the kids.

waiting for the bus

loving it and convincing mommy why she can do it all by herself

funny faces

so excited!!!

Road Trip #5 {Tabor College}

Yes, this is road trip number five for us, just think 2 of our trips were cancelled.

I was recently reading over a blog that I adore Scissortail SILK.  I love her stuff and there are post and situations that she can put perfectly into words that I can't.  She wrote a post a while back about how she had not heard from God in a while and realized it was due to the lack of time she had taken to sit and listen.

There are times in my past I know I have heard from God and felt him speaking to me.  But it has been a while and didn't know why.  I have been praying but when I read the above I felt convicted to slow down, wait patiently, and listen.

I won't go into detail regarding the whys of this trip but I will say that our hearts long to be near family.  We also have longed to be where God wants us and this August showed us two different options and God was so evident in all the little messages he was sending us.  My faith cup was filled with feeling God guidance and just saying that which ever way he leads we will follow.  We just felt blessed by another lesson.

on with pics from our fun little road trip...

we rented a car which the kids loved the bluetooth

they did awesome on the way down.  no accidents, 

lots of books, coloring, and movies

Happy we made it to uncle Jakes

yumm icee's

mine was delish

mowing the lawn

movie time

G got to participate in her first parade.  The
played the song girls just wanna have fun,
 threw candy, and shot water at the on lookers.

she loved it...this girl belongs in a small town

park time

enjoying the parade with Mema

Next time we see Mema and Papa I am recording

the reactions.  This kid is so in love with his family I love it. 

 I don't come from a big family so it is fun to get to see this kinda love.

our little money maker

they won 2nd prize

For memory purposes:  When Marlene and Breckyn showed up at the park, I pointed look there's Marlene and before I could get out the name Breckyn Nolan took off running yelling Marlene's name and gave her the biggest hug.  He then realized Breckyn and hugged her as well.  He really loves Marlene and Breckyn.  It was fun to see him react like that...Gracie was super excited too.  Just Nolan's reaction was so dramatic it was hilarious and he sometimes acts shy when he first sees people he knows.

Family Week

The week before Troy headed back to work I had put together a list of things I wanted to do and what the kids wishes were, we had a blast. Check out the pictures and our little events.

 A day at the beach complete with sand castles made by daddy

 We also went to Ikea one day on kids eat free Tuesday which I love.(no pics)

We headed to barefoot bay which means we drove 5 minutes.  We had a lot of fun and Troy and I took turns going town the over 4ft water tubes.  I felt like I was 16 again.  The kids loved the lazy river and everything there.  These pics were before the water action.

 On our way out we got a few pics.

 Happy Family

Our next event was to go on a train ride and have lunch for the afternoon.  This was fun.  I have not been on a train since I was in Germany, and Troy when he was in college.  If I worked downtown, I would totally ride the train and watch movies.  Sounds great to me!

 The kids had a lot of fun watching 

and then waiting for the train to pick us back up.  We might do this to go 

all the way downtown for a weekend.  we had lots of fun and it was super easy.

Video Friday {cincinnati}

While in Cincinnati we did lots of swimming.  Turns out my little Nolan is a natural swimmer.  He is not afraid at all which is a little scary.  Not that you need to know this but when I was little I watch my brother almost drown.  A neighbor jumped the fence and jumped in the pool to save him.  My mom was inside cleaning a house and had no idea.  So when it comes to water and my kids I don't handle it all too well.  Anyway I am excited to see Nolan so excited to learn how to swim more and more.

School is Coming

Yeap my Gracie Girl is getting ready to start school and the day this posts will actually be her first day of school.  We are all so excited!  The first day of preschool I didn't shed a tear it was no big deal nothing and she loved it.  BUT Kindergarten, shopping for supplies alone, made me tear up.  And I love shopping for supplies.

 we had our little date of supply shopping, very fun

 most important item folders with princess, she even picked out a spiderman one for her brother

 overly excited

 I have no idea but the is what I got

we were going to order a purple normal back pack and well she saw this princess pals one and she had to have it.  so this is what she will have this year and she is super excited!

she even wanted to carry her bags