What We've Been Up To...

I have been off work for the past three weeks and the kids and I have had a blast. I wasn't joking when I told them we were going to just play. I meant it. Kam starts kindergarten this fall (not that that has anything to do with it) and I just wanted to have a fun summer. I'm sure that they would have been content staying home more, so I'm sure all the going and doing was more for me. What can I say?

Cooper showing off his tattoo and "guns." Ignore the dirty face. Also notice his short haircut. You all know how I have always opposed short haircuts for him but I decided he needed a faux hawk this summer since I've seen so many cute little boys with them. Cooper; however, has different ideas about his hair! When we left the salon, he was mumbling quite loudly about how he "didn't want his hair in a spike and he was mad at me!" And he wasn't kidding!!! He constantly brushes his hair down and he has a major meltdown on Sundays when we try to fix it. He is worse than Kam about her hair!
The kids were on no schedule whatsoever so we let them stay up later and then they slept later as well. One morning Kam slept until 11:00 a.m. I couldn't believe it! Unfortunately, most days I was up well before the kids. You know how it goes... you can't sleep when you have nothing to do. Most of the time we had lazy mornings and then played in the afternoon. Here are Cooper and Kam playing Barbie Salon yesterday. They didn't quite follow directions and my floor ended up soaked!
We spent a lot of time at DK's pool swimming, at the lake, shopping, or at Magic Springs. Kam has turned into a fish! She loves the water and has absolutely no fear, which I'll post about later. Anyway, the sun is draining and a lot of days Cooper fell asleep on the way home (because he had skipped his nap!).
On this particular day, he was exhausted and didn't move when I laid him on the couch. Mom told me one day their little bodies needed rest.... so hopefully I didn't do too much damage to them by letting them skip it for a few weeks!

On Friday Mark and I took the kids along with Brian and JJ to Magic Springs. JJ and I went weekly but it was the first time Mark had been this season. Because he was with us, Kam got to ride a few more rides that she couldn't ride last year. What a difference a year makes! Last year, we spent a lot of time on the kiddie rides and this year we are riding the Plummit Summit and log rides!

Kam is a dare devil and wants to ride "The Gauntlet".... I have no doubts that she and Mark will ride roller coasters together while Cooper and I wait on them. He's like me and is a little, or a lot, more hesitant to ride these things! I think they are crazy!
Mark insisted that I ride the Rapid Falls Raceway waterslide with Kam on the way out Friday. I've ridden it before but wasn't sure Kam was ready for it or not. I was wrong! She hesitated for a moment at the top, but then she was fine. She threw a fit to ride it again.
We went to Outback after to eat and Mark told Kam she needed to eat new foods so she could grow and be big enough to ride more rides. So she tried Alice Springs chicken, ribeye steak, and a french fry! She liked them all! She even tried meatloaf at Mom's yesterday so I think we're on to something!
So today we are back to school and work and routine. The kids were excited to go see their friends again. I'm only working 4 day weeks in July and I'm off again in August so I am already looking forward to time off again. It's always so hard to readjust when you've been off.... I think I already need a nap!!!

Cooper and Mimi's Perfume

This little guy really knows how to push his Mimi's buttons......
While Mark and I were in Chicago last month, Mom found Cooper in the bathroom pouring her perfume she got for Christmas down the sink. She said, "Cooper Ryan, why did you do that?" to which he replied, "I just wanted the sink to be clean!"

Mom then said, "I'm going to make you get a job and buy me some more perfume" to which Cooper replied, "but I can't drive Mimi!"

He's got a point, Mimi! I guess I know what to get you for your birthday now though.

Cooper the Artist

Cooper has really gotten into drawing the last few months. He is actually way ahead of where Kamdyn was at his age on writing his letters. In fact, he can actually write with both hands. Aren't you impressed? I am! Although I see him use his right hand more, his handwriting is much neater with his left hand. So we'll see, but it looks like we may have another lefty in our house, which would make Mark so happy!
I found this picture of Cooper that I don't think I ever posted a few months ago. He had tattooed himself outside and then taken his clothes off for some reason or another. Him dropping his pants is another post for another day! Let's just say he does it quite often--no matter where we are at!

Did I mention that Cooper was really into drawing lately? This is what he drew on my dining room wall a few weeks ago. It's one of three that he did for me!!!
I was in the living room folding clothes and he was sitting at the table in the dining room. I asked him what he was doing and he said "drawing" but I assumed he meant on paper. It was actually an hour or so later when I saw it on the wall when I was coming back in the house. There is one in my laundry room too. And then to top it off, a week or so later he wrote his name on the wall beside one of the smileys... and then tried to tell me he didn't do it. Sorry, Coop! Your autograph gives you away!

Looks like repainting the dining room wall is in our future because even Mr. Magic Erase won't take this off the wall!

Little Miss Social

I've spent the last two weekends running Kamdyn around to parties. Last Saturday morning, we went to EG's "splash bash" and Kam had a blast with her friends.
We have been so blessed with good friends from Mae's and I am going to miss them so much when she starts kindergarten in August.
After EG's party, we went home to change and head to Hot Springs for Jaxon's party at Play-by-Play. I had errands to run before and I think I was really pushing it with the kids... they were ready to play and not really into any shopping. They are very vocal now and say what's on their minds so it can sometimes be a little embarrassing when they shout, "ahhh... you said this was the last store. You lied to us!"

This weekend, Kam spent the night with our neighbor. It was her first non-relative sleepover and I think she did pretty good. Although, I think she used the "I'm the guest you have to do what I want" line a couple of times. The girls stayed up until about 12:30 and were up at 6:30 a.m. They knocked on our door at 8:30 to get a swimsuit so they could play on the waterslide. Are you kidding me?

She came home at 10:45 so we could go to her friend Dane's swimming party. She and D started at Mae's together and all the girls love him. He was having his t-ball party at his house and he wanted Kam to come since she played t-ball too. They didn't play on the same team, but it was so cute that he invited her.

We had a really good time at the party. Although Mark didn't go prepared to swim, he ended up in the pool with the kids. At one point, D hurt his foot and Kamdyn kept asking him if he was ok. His dad told me Kam was so worried about him. Finally, he told her, "don't worry Kam; his foot will be ok to take you to the prom!" So cute!

I think our parties are over for now but we have still stayed busy. I told Mark the kids and I were going to play all summer and I meant it! I love this time of year!

Superheros

I got these pics of the kids playing last week..... not sure what they were playing but I remember thinking it was cute. They were dressed in their Superman and Supergirl capes and played forever with a clothes basket.
Kam's get-up just cracks me up. I wish you all could see the things she puts on sometimes.
She now stops to pose every time I get the camera out so there may be no more candid shots of her! By the way, my wall color is so not good for pictures. Looks awful!

Where Have I Been?

I guess there's no point in apologizing for not updating the blog lately so I won't even bother with that. We've been enjoying summer is all I can say. Having said that, I have missed documenting so many activities and funny sayings. Whenever the kids would say something funny, I would tell myself to remember that for the blog and needless to say, I can't think of one funny thing right now. I even remember Mom and Mark telling me when things were "blog moments." My memory fails me now but I'm hoping when I download my pics that I'll come up with something. Check back soon!