California~Part 1

Finally, our California trip so get ready for LOTS of pictures!!!
In fact there are so many I will have to break this post up into a few :)
So, for Alexee's spring break we packed up the kids & headed out to California for a fun family vacation!!
My kids love Shamu & were begging us to go see him again, we went for Alexee's 3rd Birthday so a family vacation was long overdue.
We arrived Thursday night & they wouldn't go to bed till they saw the ocean. So we took a walk to the beach, but they hated it because it was DARK & SCARY. So off to bed we went so we could wake up early & head off to meet their friend, the famous Shamu.............
They loved loved loved the show, even Carter was squealing with excitement.
We meet the beautiful Budweiser Clydesdale horses......

Alexee & her Daddy rode Atlantis, Braiden was most upset because he was not tall enough....


We had to go meet the beluga's & polar bears, Mommy's favorite....

Yes, that is Carter Bug in the black :)
The exhibit is quite cold, the kids loved the ice walls...

We bought some food & headed over to feed the Manta Ray's which the kids loved!!!

They were ready to attack for some food, of course we got soaked because they were fighting for the food.

We couldn't leave without checking out the pet show......

They found a grassy hill that quickly turned into a ride, because they rolled down it 10+ times.



Then we just hung out & let them run around & play.....




We headed off to dinner at our hotel, The Carlsbad Inn. While we waited for our food I chased the munchkins around, with my camera of course.......

Would somebody teach that little baby in black to LOOK AT THE CAMERA!! This was almost a perfect picture, stinker.


After we grubbed we took a little walk, found some ice cream & then headed off to bed for anther busy day!!

Me & My Bug

So, you know that California trip I promised to post about, well I have not forgotten.
I it is coming, very very soon.
You see my Mom came to see us & so on Friday afternoon she suggested she take the 2 bigger kids swimming at my Grandma's. That left just me & my little Bug, & we had a wonderful afternoon. We ran some much procrastinated errands, the ones you just dread taking 3 kids to do, it was just me & him. Then we grocery shopped & ended the errands at 1 of my favorite spots, Starbucks. We got our Mocha's, OK I got a mocha, they gave Bug a little cup of water, he was absolutely thrilled about that!!!!
So, to the point, we came home, Bug took a loooooooong nap & I got to work on editing ALL those California pictures. I know right, luck girl. I had no clue how WONDERFUL working can be WITH NO KIDS. Wow, it was great, I always have 1 or 2 underfoot while I am editing, it was SO QUITE!!! It is quite amazing how much more I got done.
So thank you thank you Grandma for the break we didn't even know we wanted, but so enjoyed.
I have a couple more to work on, but here is a little sneaker, it was our little Bug's 1st time at the ocean!!!

20 Months, but whos counting?????????

This post started out as my babies 18 month post, then moved on to the 19th month & here we are at ummmmm almost 20 months old.
My baby, turning the corner to 2 quickly.
He is still the sweetest little stinkin baby ever.
His little personality is starting to just shine.
He truly is the brightest, happiest, giggliest, smiliest little guy ever.
I am trying to enjoy every minute with him because he is changing everyday.
Some if my favorite Carterisms......
He loves to be rocked in the rocking chair now, he points to it at bedtime & says "rock a bye, rock a bye baby" That is what I sing to him while we rock.
Bradley & I now say it to him, "Carter do you want to go Rock a bye", kinda funny how things stick.
He loves to say, "no, don't want it." About everything, but he may really want it I think he just like this sentence.
He calls Braiden by his name, but Alexee is Sissy & he loves those 2, he wakes asking for them.
Daddy is Daddio, I don't know where he came up with this one.
When he wants to go outside, he says "flowers, flowers" over & over & over.
Everyone & everything is goin,
"Daddy is goin to workin/ or golfin" he says both :)
"Turtle is goin"
"Shamu is goin"
He is in love with that Orca I tell ya, he either says" Shamu is going" or "Shamu....... did it"
Did what I don't know.
If he is being naughty he puts his nose in the corner, that is what we do with the bigger kids & he quickly caught on. He ran up & hit Brad & then ran to the corner & put his nose in it.
His 1 thing he does when he is feeling ornery is bite, he bites & then runs over & pats you & says "sorry, sorry"
He eats anything & everything.
Most things no matter what they are he calls pizza.
He loves Diego, he doesn't really stop for the TV, but if he sees Diego he yells "Eego Eego"
He loves to dance & he has some moves!!
He is in love with anything loud & motorized, he makes Brad play sand rail videos over & over, he will bring you a magazine with sand rails & dirt bikes in it & look through every page.
He calls them Brrrrrr Brrrrrs.

Our little Carter Bug is such an amazing bundle of joy. He stops people with his smile & beams with light & laughter, we love you little bug, more than anything, you have brought such a happiness to our family, you make us all giggle.
My sweet sweet little baby..................
This is the famous Carter look, he makes the silliest faces :)

Ready for 1st Grade

Where oh where does the time go??????
Sorry I have been MIA, things have been a little crazy around here.
So, my 1st post back in action has to be all about my beautiful little red headed girl who graduated Kindergarten on May 28th.
Can you believe it???
Neither can I.
I don't know where the year went.
I can't believe she is in the 1st grade already.
Her last day of Kindy I told her Mommy was not ready for her to already graduate Kindergarten.
She says, "Well Mom I am cause I am ready for the 1st grade."
Somebody please slow things down!!!

I was never good at updating all she accomplished in Kindy, so I think I will sum it up now.....
Every Quarter they passed out awards & she received.....
3~A/B Honor Roll Awards
1~100% on All Number Tests
3~100% on All Bible Verses
4~Certificate Of Citizenships
1~Most Improved Penmanship

She also started the year out in the lowest reading group,
The Mouse Club....
After a lot of hard work she moved up to,
The Cub Club
Then she kept on working and moved up to the highest club,
The Puppy Club.
She was soooooo excited to be in the Puppy Club!!!
We are so proud of how hard she worked to improve her reading!!!
She started the year knowing her Alphabet sounds & ended it reading small word books.
She started the year knowing her #'s & ended adding & subtracting up to 8.
She started the year knowing how to print her name & the alphabet & ended it writing in beautiful cursive.
She memorized over 30 bible verses, including the Lord's Prayer.


My Sweetest Little Alexee Lynn,
We are so so very proud of you & all you accomplished your 1st year of school!
You were always so willing & eager to learn, you never ever got in trouble with your teacher & got upset with the kids that did.
You are such a smart, beautiful friend, student, daughter, sister, niece & granddaughter.
Me, Daddy & your brother are so happy & lucky that you are a part of our lives.
We love you to the moon & back my big 1st grader.