Vacation - Did it have to end already?

We went to Hot Springs, Arkansas for a week on vacation with JR's brothers and parents. We enjoyed ourselves and had plenty to keep us busy most days. We took it easy some of the time we were there. When we were not out doing vacation type stuff, we stayed cool indoors. Here is NR cheesing it up for the camera while playing.

JR's brother brought his Wii, so we played Wii Olympics to gear up for Bejing 2008. This was the 400m relay, and we were perfecting the hand-off. :)

On Monday, we went to this cool putt-putt golf course called Pirate's Cove. The course was really nice and some holes were pretty difficult. NR, of course, loved this boat being nearby that he could see.We had to split into two groups to golf since there were 7 adults and 2 little guys. This is the second group working on the 6th hole. It was bloody hot out already, and it was only around 10:30 or so in the morning.

After Pirate's Cove that morning, we went back to the condo and napped, then we got greased up and geared up for an afternoon on the lake. This is NR after we got back on safe ground. He liked the boat when it was going slow or stopped. He was not a fan of the faster speeds while pulling the tube behind. He did enjoy watching us fly off the tube though!

Tuesday was an all day event at the local amusement/water park. We started the day in the ride portion called Magic Springs and then relaxed in the water park, Crystal Falls, for the remainder of the day. It was so hot that the water was a nice way to end the day. During the water park portion, NR must have gone done one of the slides in the kid's pool area at least 40 times without getting bored with it.

JR and NR riding the spinning police car.

Grandma, me, NR, Lisa (James' girlfriend), James, and Ethan (girlfriend's son) on the carousel.

Since we were pretty drained on Tuesday night, Grandma helped with bed time by reading a book to NR. He loved having Grandma nearby to play with and give hugs and kisses. On Wednesday, we visited a local alligator farm and petting zoo. NR fed the goats and saw tiny alligators and full grown gators. I don't have any good pictures of that day, but when I get them from others on the trip, I will post a couple. NR was a little nervous being in a pen with a bunch of baby and mama goats, but he adjusted quickly when they started nibbling on his shorts pocket. He thought it was hilarious.

For Thursday's activity, we went to the Mid-America Science Museum with the kiddos. They had a blast playing with all the discovery type stuff....I think the adults enjoyed it as much as the kids did.

Learning how burps are made......lovely to teach your son right.

Learning about snot....as you can see the boys were the only ones in the picture. Enough said?
The Telsa Coil demonstration.
NR and Ethan (JR's brother's girlfriend's 3 yr old) in the gravity pit. Family shot after the museum.

In some more of our down time, everyone enjoyed being a kid again by playing in the sand.

NR also enjoyed the see saw right outside our patio door when he was not playing in the sand, feeding the ducks and geese, or watching boats come in to dock for the evening. It was a good location for having little ones to keep busy during the afternoon and evening hours. We enjoyed the time with family and away from work. Too bad it is over and back to work on Monday. :(

Where is NR? Where is NR?

Here I am! Here I am! How are you today sir? Very well, I thank you....Run away. Run away.

So we don't exactly sing this song as we play hide and seek, but it seems to fit. NR will go hide and wait for someone to come looking. When you find him, he will run to the living room and jump up on the couch or chair. He thinks this is the best game ever on most nights. Usually, he is pretty impatient; however, Sunday evening was a different story. Armed with a water bottle, he looked at daddy and ever so sweetly said, "I go hide, Daddy." JR, Uncle D, and I were watching television, and we had not completely realized he was going to hide. Normally, he will hide for less than 30 seconds and then come out. Not this time....he was in there for a little bit. When I realized he had not returned, I went looking for him. He was perfectly content 'hiding' behind the curtain in our bedrooom and drinking his water. Honestly, it might have taken me longer to find him if he had not been taking drinks and making the curtain move. It was not a hiding place he had gone before. JR and I had hid there while he was searching but never him. When he realized I was in the room looking for him, he peeked his head out. HOW CUTE IS THAT PICTURE! He amazes me everyday with how quickly he learns new things.....oh, and he repeasts EVERYTHING you say!!! :) What a fun age this is.

It is SUMMER time!!

It is officially summer in TX, and it is HOT! We will be spending a lot of time playing in the water this summer. NR loves water so much that sometimes it is very hard to pry him away from it. He would play in the water all day if we let him. Today at daycare, they had water play day with a new 'toy' that she purchased for them. It is an oversized beach ball that sprays water. NR had a blast playing with his friends in the water.
He is growing up so quickly. He loves to 'say prayers' at night before bed. If JR or myself try to start the family prayer before he has said HIS, he will stop us and say Heavenly Father and wait for us to tell him the next thing to say. So cute!! He also likes to use the phrase: "I do it mommy/daddy, I do it!" He is Mr. Independent for sure. NR also tries to tell the dog what to do, but of course she does not understand and/or listen to him when he gives a command. This causes him to be frustrated with her. :) He is so much fun right now with all the learning he is doing I can't believe in a few weeks he will be an official two year old....does not seem like it has been 2 years already. I love him very, very much and am so happy to have been blessed with him.

Well, here is another fun pic of him playing at daycare today! HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY EVERYONE............

Catching up.....

So we have been busy once again......NR is growing up so fast, and things change so quickly. Since the last time I posted, I have been promoted, I started helping my sister plan her wedding in September, I got a new church calling as nursery leader, and I am trying keep a good balance of everything else in life. :)

My promotion has brought a lot of stress to life, and it is more challenging than the last position I had. I was getting a little bored with my last position. This new position has quite a bit of pressure that comes along with it. I think it will slow down soon and that will make it more enjoyable. I am thankful I still have a job though since my company laid off about 10-15 people on May 1st.

NR has started really talking and repeating everything you say. He thinks he is so funny when he repeats something and you chuckle at him. He melts my heart each day, and it makes me wish I had more time to spend home with him. I was off work with him on Friday (daycare was closed and I needed a break from work), so we hung out and played and shopped for groceries. He is such a good boy and he does really well listening and doing as told. I can't complain.
My sister's wedding is only 4 months away, and we got her a dress last weekend. That was exhausting and we only went to one place. She tried on about 8 dresses and ended up getting the very first one she tried on. It was one of my 2 favorites on her, and she was beautiful in it. She has a lot of work to do still to get her wedding planning done or at least up to speed. She just wants a small, simple wedding, so we won't be overloaded with intricate details. :)

This will be my second week in nursery at church. I am hoping things are a little less chaotic this week since I 'got my feet wet' last week. I had about 8 kids excluding my own in there. We had fun but I never realized how exhausting it could be. I have lots of fun ideas for the kiddos to do for activities and things to help them learn and stay entertained while mommy and daddy go to classes. :)

Well, I have a couple new pics of NR to post since last time.......so ENJOY! I love him so much and can't imagine what it would be like without him around everyday.

Playing with his cups that he got as a gift when he was just a baby. Recently, he has learned how to play with and enjoy them.

Playing with the water hose after swimming with his friend across the alley. He loves to play in the 'pool' in the backyard. (He has one of those little kid pools you can buy.)

It is a little blurry, but it was the best action shot we got of him with the water balloons. He loves them. :)

Last but not least, his newest talent. He likes to turn on the CD player in his room and 'sing'.

Busy, Busy, Busy

We have been pretty busy this past month or so. We have done things around the house, visited my family for Easter, had some friends over, had some family come visit, and just trying to keep up with everyday life.
In the meantime, NR is growing up so quickly. He is talking so much more and asking for things instead of demanding them as he points in the general direction. That helps to make all of our lives much easier. :) He loves to say Mommy, Daddy, puppy......He is learning that things have possession. For example, when I pick him up from daycare, he sees other parent's cars as they approach. He is then quick to identify that is _____'s car! How cute and smart is that?!?!


We have had some storms recently, and NR has discovered that he loves to play in the rainspout in the backyard. He was just stomping and splashing in it right before this picture. He is watching it drain from the spout onto the guard he is standing on.

















NR and I participated in a walk to raise money for Asthma research. He was such a good sport about it all...he sat in his stroller for the first part of the day and walk. Then, he walked with me or rode on my shoulders while someone else pushed the empty stroller. Needless to say, he was pretty tired when we got home. It was nice to get out and enjoy the weather as well as get some jogging/walking in!

That is a little bit of what we have been up to lately. I love this time of year...I feel so much more productive because of how beautiful it can be outside. Well, off to grocery shop and do some cleaning!