Photography Giveaway!!

My cousin Melissa....(well technically she isn't "my" cousin, she is married to my cousin Jake....but we are all family!) She is having a photography giveaway. You should check out her website. She is amazing!! You will enjoy looking at all the adorable pictures she takes! Plus....you can enter her giveaway for a free photo session! www.simplybephoto.com

Where oh where has my little Ben gone?

I was trying to get Jack to sleep and I could hear Ben in the house. (He had been at the neighbors playing.) Five minutes later I came out of Jack's room and couldn't find Ben. I searched the house and started calling his name. No answer. I went outside and called his name. No answer. I called the neighbors.....nope, he wasn't there. Went back in the house and called his name. No answer. Walked to the neighborhood park. No Ben. At this point I became a little panicked. I drove around the neighborhood looking for him and stopped at neighbor's houses along the way. No Ben. Now I was getting angry and even more panicked! Probably 20-30 minutes had gone by. I came back home and searched the house again. This time I heard something in my bathroom....I never looked in my bathroom because it was quiet in my room so I didn't bother walking back there.....Oh Ben.....there you are....

"Why didn't you answer when I called your name???"

 "Well, I heard you, but I wanted to do this first." 

"But, Ben....mom has been looking for you all over and I was really scared." 

"Well, I just was making a diaper...see"

Yes, Ben. I see. Now stand there before you clean up so I can take a picture for my blog! Yes, my "good" parenting skills kick in and say "wait......get a picture for your blog before you get mad!" Oh dear!

Mother I love you....

Mother I love you, Mother I do. Father in Heaven has sent me to you. When I am near you, I love to hear you, singing so softly that you love me too. Mother I love you, I love you I do!

I have the greatest mom and I think this song sums up my feelings really well! Happy Mother's Day mom.

A grand day at the Tulip Festival!

We spent a day at the Tulip Festival with my mom and sisters. It was my first time there and I really enjoyed it! It was so beautiful and the kids had a fun time playing in the children's discovery garden and looking at the waterfalls. Here are the cousins "striking a pose"

The discovery garden had lots of fun things for kids to "discover" like musical nature, secret pathways, a caterpillar slide, a lighthouse,  and my boys favorite was the bear cave! When their cute cousin Chloe came into the cave I was with her and she had a look of terror on her face when she spotted the "bear". I reassured her it was pretend and she bravely nodded her head a slowly walked forward....much different than the boys reaction! I think Sam and Ben were nervous for a second but then Sam "became" the bear and started growling ferociously! He loved crawling through the cave and hearing the bear growl. They also had a fun maze for the kids to play in and Noah's Ark...but, the water that is normally on for the summer wasn't turned on yet, so I guess that was a good thing for mom! (No wet clothes and crying kids because they got wet!) 

I do think though, that Sam's absolute favorite part of the day was being able to hold a bearded dragon! He loves reptiles and would give anything to become a proud owner of lizards, snakes, frogs, iguanas.....you get the idea! I have no doubt in my mind that one day he will have a room full of reptiles....we have already housed a snake for a few days before we sent the snake back home to "his mom". He has pure joy written on his face in this picture!

I think we will make the tulip festival a tradition. We really had a "grand" day! And I think Kaleb said it best when at the end of our grand day....we were all ready for a nap! 

T-ball Days!

My wait is over....I finally have a child playing T-ball!

It is so much fun to watch Sam play. 

I have been looking forward to this for years and we are all enjoying it so much.

I get just as excited as Sam when it's time to get ready for a game. 

He is so dang cute out there and he loves playing.

I hope he continues to enjoy it because I know I will! 

Let's play ball!