Fun at the Fair

The fair is in town and boy did we go all out!  The fair here is HUGE!!  I know that doesn't tell you much, but we were there for about 10 hours and didn't even scratch the surface of all there is to do there.  IT ....IS....MASSIVE!!!

This is still Lily's favorite ride.

We planned on staying only for a 4-5 hours bc we had to get home for naps and Grady gets antsy ala bored at places like this because lately he doesn't ride any rides anymore (not even merry go rounds) so he gets antsy while Lily goes on every one she can get her bracelet hand on!  Well, I think Grady saw the massive fair and suddenly had a change of heart!  I couldn't believe my own eyeballs.  He suddenly wanted to go on all the rides.  That was a major game changer in our day at the fair.

We skipped naps for fun and kids did great which was such a surprise to me.  They can't make it through the day without naps (mostly G) or fall apart if we do push our limits, but it was 6-7pm and they were still smiling.

and posing.

and riding more rides.

Seeing them this happy (and stunned) makes me smile so big inside that there was no leaving this place.  It was kind of expensive so we definitely got our moneys worth and i wish we could go back again.  30 more times.

Seriously couldn't believe my eyeballs every time he'd beg to go on a ride then actually hop in and take off.  (he'd usually chicken out and protest once the gate opens)

she's always been a thrill seeker.

This was lily's 2nd favorite "ride" and made me laugh so hard as she resembled a gerbil.

G looks fearful here, but was excited to go on rides more.

I love this picture.  Grady has always loved his Uncle "Dan-Dan"

Exhaustion doesn't describe how tired and sore I was when we got home, but it also looked like i was in a bar fight that was in a pig pen.  We got caught in about 10 minutes of rain that day so we were all muddy, wet and DIRTY, but it was worth every bit of fun we had.  

I can't wait to go back next year!

Playground, headstands, Elliot and Sleep

we love to goto the neighborhood park after dinner and they couldn't be cuter sharing the slide together. 

Lily is trying to join Grady with the headstands bc she sees all the laughter G gets when he goes vertical.


I thought i posted this already, but maybe not.  One morning she brushed her teeth and i found her in the bathroom like this because she was so tired.  I'm sure she'll fall asleep at the lunch table  during her first week in kindergarten.



Grady makes friends wherever we go.


We have more Curious George stuff than I can even describe from my teaching days so I think L&G have picked up on the bug too.




I was lucky enough to watch Elliot and he followed suit when he was hanging with Grady cakes.  How cute is this picture??



this is what my backseat would look like if i had 2 sons.  lol How adorable are they?????



Jumping boys while watching Cars.  Some things never change.



Lily got to hang with Aunt Jen like she was already in Kindergarten.  I can't even think about her in Kinder w/o tears and a giant lump in my throat and tummy turning inside out.  I never thought I'd be that mom I used to counsel every year after drop off, but I am already and sure I will be even worse once the big day comes.  sigh.


Grady was having trouble falling asleep in the pack n play at dad's house so Lily took it upon herself to lay next to him and whisper reassuring words until he settled and was on his way to dream land.  Can't handle moments like this when my heart feels like it'll blow up in my chest.




SLEEP
Lately i've been obsessed with watching them while they sleep and taking it all in what this all means.  I never come up with what it truly means, but my heart always swells in gratitude and helps me sleep soundly no matter what kind of day we had.



She always starts off all tucked in under the covers, but things always get a little crazy throughout the night.


These pictures are making me sleepy.  I think it's time to check on them, sunggle with Lily for a little bit and head off into dream land myself.  Night night. :)

Christmas in January

Still wrapping up holiday photos and some special ones still to share.  Like when we went to see snow at our church.
Lily's favorite ride of all time.




they play in bounce houses now together and it's so cute to see them fall on top of each other.

and a Christmas show to boot for her Sunday School.  Chewing the tongue and all...next to her best bud Ella!

and with her class...all her best buds.
Love looking back on all the fun we had in December and there's something so magical sharing it with kiddies - 2&4 is awesome because of their innocence...now if we could figure a way just to freeze time!

Book to Babies

Lily brought me a random book the other day to read to her because it was filled with pictures of us and loaded with pictures of all our closest friends and family too.  It was a book I made in Snapfish before they were born.  We waited and tried for a long, arduous 4 years that felt like 40 so I had a hurting heart for sure, aching for them to be with us never knowing for sure if they'd ever come.... so I made them a book to let them know how much they were wanted in this world and all the people praying for them that would play a vital role in their life.  I read this to Lily as tears welled up in my eyes remembering the yearning and ache I had as I wrote this back in probably 2006, long before they were conceived.






























and now they're here...





and sweeter than we could have ever imagined.


and they give us excuses to be a kid again like going to parades...


Grady used to be scared with all the sudden noises during parades, but he sat there with the zoned out stare face the entire time....until it was time for scooby snacks.






I still can't believe they're here, but I also can't remember life without them.

and they help us find the joy in the little things in life...

and remind us to read books everyday...which Lily and Grady do times 100.


I'm not even kidding how much this little one reads...it's constant. Indescribable really.  Studies letters and numbers like he has an exam coming up.  Runs up to me randomly to show off his literacy skills while he's "studying".

some days are just what I imagined...

and some are even better than imagined.

some days are easier than I imagined and we got our mojo flowing.

and other days knock me on my keister and I dont know what the hella I'm doing.

but they know they're loved each and everyday so Im hoping it will all average out to healthy, happy, well adjusted human beings at the end of all this after putting every ounce of love, thought, energy, and heart into their sweet little souls.


Being a kid again was never more true for us when we had the Elf visiting the kids daily.  Some nights I think we were more excited about where he'd go than the kids' feeling when they woke up looking for him.  Here he is covered in snow ala flour with his snowmen friends.



and riding a tricycle at dad's house.  
one of my favorites...


On another note, our little Grady is quite the gymnast.  Everyday we wake him in the morning or after nap, he rolls over, smiles his coy smile, and immediately goes into this position.

These are just few of the many pictures I have of the same pose.


He's now taking it to the living room and can stand on his head without any support for a few seconds at a time.  I can't tell you how much he makes us laugh.


He's considered a "talker" now, but I can't wait until he really starts talking!  If this is what he does with his body, imagine what will come out of his mouth when the sentences start to flow.


Feeling overwhelmed with gratitude for these precious children, feeling overwhelmed with love for them, feeling overwhelmed with the responsibility and love that I get to read that book to them instead of writing that book to our mythical children.  Holy full circle moment!