More Flowers

Grandma and Papa came to visit and wanted to do something fun. So, we went back to the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens. We had a great time. All the flowers were beautiful and we even went to see the butterfly exhibit.

Under a beautiful rose bush

See no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil

We took the their picture in this chair a couple of year ago

So sweet

What's in there?

Butterfly Exhibit

Gracie

Lizzie and Gracie's foot

Sweetness

Momma and her girls

Grandma and Papa with their babies

Hugs

Love Lizzie's expression. A butterfly scared her.

Two Girls and a Fountain

 With the girls getting older, we have stopped using the stroller. Sometimes I miss it and sometimes I'm glad they are walking everywhere. When I really miss it is when one girls goes one way and the other goes another.

A Short Visit

My sister and family came for a visit this week because it was Sydney and Sam's spring break. They arrived on Thursday afternoon and left today, Saturday. We crammed as much as we could in the time they were here. Wes was traveling all week but joined us on Friday.

When they arrived on Thursday, we went to Ikea for Swedish meatballs and shopping. We put the kids in a shopping cart and pushed them all over. For a short time, Grace and I got lost with no cell phone and we kept hunting for the rest of the gang. We finally found them.

Sydney and Gracie

Sam and Lizzie

By the time we got home, it was bed time. The kids shared beds Lizzie and Sydney together and Sam and Gracie together. The big kids read and sang a song for the little kids. It was so sweet to watch. Sydney and Sam did a great job reading and Lizzie and Gracie did a great job listening. Then it was lights out, with a couple of times having to go in and tell them to go to sleep.

Friday, we got up and Paul made breakfast. He's on a gluten free diet so everything was gluten free. We then went to visit Wes's work to show everybody what he did. Wes's flight got in early.

After Wes's work, we went to the Japanese garden of the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens. It was so pretty and in bloom. The kids loved it and especially loved feeding the koi fish. Sydney was brave enough to put her hands in to pet them.

The crew

Feeding the fish

Lots of turtles sunning themselves

We ate lunch and decided to drive by Laura and Paul's old apartment. It's where they lived while Paul was in physical therapy school and Laura taught her first couple of years. On the way back, we picked up Wes from work and went to Cabela's. I'm not big on hunting and fishing so this didn't seem exciting to me, but Paul wanted to go. We had a good time but Wes and I were tired because the girls weren't listening and grabbing everything.

On the way home from Cabela's and to dinner, we stopped by an Asian market for Paul to pick up rice flour. I love going in there, so many things to see. Sydney and Sam loved looking at the seafood area.

Saturday, we went to the Coppell Farmer's Market and then went to Grapevine Mills. We shopped, the kids road the carousel and we ate lunch. Sydney was excited because she got some clothes.

Gracie and Daddy on the carousel

Lizzie and Sam (Lizzie doesn't like the animals that go up and down)

Eating and waiting for Laura and Sydney to finish shopping

We had so much fun with my sister and family! The weather was perfect, sunny and mild.The girls were so excited that Sydney and Sam were coming and they were not disappointed. They loved having them here and I enjoyed time with all of them.

Papa's Birthday, So Much Fun!

On Friday, we made the trip to Oklahoma for Papa's birthday. When we arrived, the girls gave Papa his goody bag. They were so excited and Papa loved his goodies! Grandma loved the M&Ms we put in for her too.

Saturday, we got up, had yummy waffles that Grandma made and took Lizzie and Gracie shopping for Easter dresses. For lunch, we met up with my sister and family and Aunt Betty. My dad and Wes were stuck at home because of plumbing problems. Calling an emergency plumber is no fun on a Saturday. The girls were really interested why this stranger was fixing Grandma and Papa's toilet.

After lunch, we went out shopping again. This time, it was for Sydney and Sam. It is always crazy when we take all four kids out. The girls were not listening and driving me insane. They were crawling on the floor, and in and out of the dressing rooms that Sydney and Sam were using. Finally, Sydney and Sam made their selections and we were on our way home.

Crazy Sydney

Silly Sam

Gracie with Papa's flashlight

The flashlight became the centerpiece of the kids table

Saturday night, my cousins came over to mom and dad's house for steaks. Wes grilled the steaks. It was really yummy. It was fun to see Chris, Angie, and Kassidy. We have about a month until we get to meet baby Dawson.

The kiddos

Wes showing the kids his computer games

Gracie in her fancy dress-aka Grandma's shirt

Lizzie playing with Grandma and Papa's toys

Grandma and Papa's wonderful toy closet. It is packed full.

This was my Little People Toy when I was their age

Playing up a storm with cousins

Sunday, we had breakfast at Braum's (which the girls tell us is Grandma's favorite) with my parents and my sister's family.

Playing with Grandma Potter's exercise bike, Grandpa Potter was telling them how to do it

 Then we made a visit to Grandma and Grandpa Potter. They just returned from wintering in south Texas in their RV. They stated for three months! We missed them and are glad to see them.

My dad (the birthday boy) and my mom

Waiting for food!

For Papa's birthday lunch, we had burgers and then went to my sister's house to plant potatoes with my brother-in-law Paul. The girls had a blast.

The Oklahoma wind was blowing. Check out the girls hair

Covering up the potatoes

After the potato planting, we headed home. The girls were happy eating Cheetos for the ride home. When we pulled up to the house, the girls burst into tears. They were upset they didn't get to watch a movie. So, we took them inside and they watched Tangled. They were happy girls again.

Spring Break

This week was the girls Spring Break. We had a really fun week and played with lots of friends. I forgot my camera so my phone pictures will have to do. This was our very first spring break from school. I was good until about Thursday morning, then the girls stopped listening and started acting naughty.

Here's how our week went:

Sunday night: The girls spent the night at Nana's. They got to decorate purses, go to Walmart, eat pancakes on a stick and watch movies.

Monday: After I picked the girls up from Nana's, we went to church for the girls to play and for me to have a meeting. The rest of the day we spent at home and played.

Tuesday: We met up with our friends Anna, Isaac and EJ to play at a fun playground and have a picnic. It was a blast. After nap, Daddy took the girls to fly their new kite and have a picnic. Lizzie and Gracie had a blast. They were so excited to fly it. By the time the kite was in the air, both girls had lost interest.

Our future cowgirls

Wednesday: We met Reese and Riley at McDonald's for lunch. The girls loved playing and I always enjoy talking with Amy. That night, we made a trip to Walmart to pick up stuff for a goody bag for Papa's birthday. Papa's birthday has been a topic of discussion for a couple of weeks now. They can't wait to celebrate with him.

I love the size difference between daddy and the girls. So cute

Thursday: Back to McDonald's again to play with Avery, Collin and Noel, our friends from church. After dinner, the girls helped Daddy clean out the car. It amazes me what they think is fun, but they had a blast. Daddy looked a little frazzled though.

Friday: We met Karla and baby Bria at Central Market for lunch and to play. The girls were really interested in Bria and were good about not touching. They had a blast playing. Each girl wanted to taste Karla's sweet potato fries, neither one liked them. So funny to watch them eat something and not like it.

It was a fun week and we slept in every day. The weather was really nice and warmed up every day. The girls worn shorts or skirts with no jackets.

Fun Week

We had a fun and busy week. It was my first full week of (part-time) work. The weather was really nice, 70 degrees most of the week. By Thursday, the weather changed. In the morning, it was in the 70s and clear and by 2pm it was in the 40s and raining. 

Sitting silly on their chairs watching TV

They decided to turn the chairs around

Yoga with Reese and Riley. Really fun.

Everything is blooming. The girls wanted me to take a picture for grandma.

On our trikes, we only stayed out for a minute. Too cold

Yay! Swings!

Next week is Spring Break around here. We are staying here and are going to be busy playing with our friends. Speaking of spring, I pointed out some flowers that were blooming while we were driving. The girls told me that we can't pick them because they will die, so we should take a picture. They are so smart and silly!

Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?

What a busy day for us! I started my new part time job at my church as the marketing person (very excited about this opportunity), Grandma and Papa came last night and left today, and we went to Sesame Street Live!

Wes and I wanted to take the girls to something like Sesame Street Live since last year when we missed the Nick Jr show. About a month ago, I started doing research on what was coming to town. The girls love Sesame Street, so I knew they would love this and I was right!

Gracie was a little unsure and a little scared at first, but then she was glued. Lizzie loved it from the start. She was up dancing, clapping, and smiling. In the first few minutes she said, "Momma, I love this!".

During the intermission, they came out with $10 Elmo balloons. I couldn't bring myself to buy something that will only last a few days, if we are lucky enough to make it home with them. I guess if you spend $10 on a balloon, you will not lose it. Every parent who bought one was clutching onto it. Wes went and got the girls pennants that they loved. Intermission is hard to understand when you are 3 1/2. They wanted to know where all their friends went. I told them they were taking a nap, Lizzie and Gracie wanted their friends to wake up.

Wes and I love adventures like this. The smiles and pure joy on the girls faces were worth the hour stuck in traffic because the GPS got confused.

Waiting for our Sesame Street friends

Gracie didn't want her picture taken, she was still mad about the balloon

Love this of Lizzie and I

The infamous Elmo balloon

In front of Abby with their pennants

Zoe is one of our favorites, she is orange and wears pink. The girls favorite colors