Rylee turns 4!

We were so happy Grandma and Grandpa stayed long enough to celebrate Rylee's birthday!

 

Here's the traditional door décor.  Rylee woke up in the middle of the night to use the restroom and through sleepy eyes immediately noticed the heart balloon.

 We invited a few friends over for a little carnival. The invitations were the best part. . . . maybe I'll see if I can upload a picture of them. They looked like a ticket.  They were really fun to make.

The girls tested a few games before our guests arrived. Apparently not all ducks are created equal.  I was really annoyed these didn't float upright, maybe next time I'll read the description better. I was a nice enough day, a little humid but we were able to play outside for most of the time.

 Rylee's castle cake! It was very simple but really fun to make!

 Its can be very hard to watch someone else celebrate a birthday.  Here's miss cranky-pants playing on my phone.

 Rylee got her own doll nap-mat! She was thrilled.

 watching the cake bake.

 Rylee was a little under the weather but we pushed through it and partied anyway.

 The kids played games to earn tickets to buy prizes.

 the spinning wheel was a big hit.

 as were the crayon rolls

 We ate lunch, opened a few presents and just played together.

Later that evening she got to open the rest of her presents and eat cake (we just did mini cupcakes with her friends)

 who needs a spoon anyway?

I also made her a doll carrier.

 

Happy Birthday sweet girl! You are so special to us and a joy to be around. We love you immensely!

New Braunfels/Gruene

So, maybe My Mom and Dad didn't have the most exciting visit but we sure did! We took advantage of having built in baby-sitters staying in our house and left the girls alone with them for 24hours.

 

let me repeat:

We were kid free for 24 hours!!

It was the first night we've been away from BOTH of them. together.

It was glorious.

 

We knew we didn't want to go far as we wanted to spend time with them as well so we headed up to New Braunfels (about an hour away).

 I'm not sure why I thought the cookie and beverage snack Michael was given at check-in because he has "gold status" was so hilarious, but it was- and one of the few things I felt needed photo documentation the entire week my parents were here.

 We then headed up to Gruene (pronounced like the color - its a German town like so many others around here) to eat dinner at the Grist Mill and hang out at one of the oldest dance halls.  It was fun to just look at all the old photos seeing some of the famous people who played there.  Of course George Straight, and then part of the Jon Travolta movie "Michael" was filmed there as well.

We were happy a few of the shops were open late and we meandered through them because we didn't have children we were afraid would break everything in the antique shop with us.

 The Gruene Hall has live music every night. These guys were ok. I was disappointed they weren't more 'country'.  It was a Thursday evening afterall. so there weren't very many people dancing.

It was still a fun night spent in a small town. Prime for a little people watching.

Sleeping in was glorious.

We took our time heading home by seeing a movie (at a fancy Alamo drafthouse mind you) and headed to the outlets for a little shopping.  I did however comment that I missed being able to hang my shopping bags on the stroller. You win some, you lose some ;)

Thanks again Mom and Dad.  Rumor has it the kids didn't even realize we were gone. ;)

Grandma and Gramma

My parents came to visit for a week. The kids were very excited, well, mostly Rylee was very excited.  They hadn't even gotten here yet and she was very worried about them needing to leave.  A few days before they arrived Rylee made several piles of books and proudly announced that "these are the books Grandpa would read when he gets here on Tuesday".  :)

 

 

And, reading is pretty much what they did all week. That and eat blue bell ice cream, and just spending time with each other. It was lovely. I got a little bit of a break and they got to see some Grandaughters in their own element.

 

I had to laugh- you see, these girls don't get to see their grandparents very often and having two sets of Grandparents can sometimes be confusing, even when they're called different names.  Sometimes I do better than others at showing them pictures. Several times a day My Dad would point to himself and say "who's this?" Kelsey would then proudly announce "shirt!" "No, who's in the shirt?" Rylee then would pipe in "belly!" "No, WHO is in the shirt?" blank stares. . . . . . . .

Rylee "Grandpa?"

 

every time.

 

Those literal little things.

 

Kelsey did eventually start calling him Gramma though. The whole ma and pa thing just didn't ever click. He didn't seem to mind, and answer to pretty much anything, and she loved him no matter what she called him - he was the one handing out chocolate, ice cream and croutons.. . . yes croutons. go figure.

 

Sweet little spunky Kelsey.  My parents visited and that meant one of the suitcases was full of hand-me-downs from cousins.  Oh how we LOVE those! Yes, most of clothes are more Rylee's size in next little bit, but because she didn't immediately put the tinkerbell pajamas on Kelsey thought she should.  And she wore them ALL. DAY. and didn't seem to mind they weren't quite long in the arms.

 

Mom and I went to the local institute class and as soon as we walked in there was a very adamant and sarcastic "can't tell you two are related!" comment and lots more serious "you look so much alike" "like twins".  Mom tried to talk to Dad about it and he wouldn't give a serious answers.

 

Then at church on Sunday Mom went to RS while I was in nursery.  A friend told me later how she wondered who the 'new sister' was . . . . and then she turned and showed her face and knew exactly who she was visiting. haha!

 

Apparently we talk the same, have similar hand gestures.  I'm pretty sure I can out laugh my Mother but if that's what I have to look forward to I'm all in. My Mom is great. I have my Dad to thank for the thick abundance of hair but apparently not my appearance :) I love them both dearly. 

 

It may not have been the most exciting trip but we absolutely loved having you and it was so great to relax a little and for the girls to be around their grandparents.

 

The day after they left Rylee announced "Mom! We forgot to go to the beach with Grandma and Grandpa!" All in due time dear, and wrong set of Grandparents haha!

Let's Rodeo!

While we took the kids to the stock show and they saw a rodeo event (barrel racing this year), we were able to leave the kids with a sitter and go back another evening inside the arena to see the rodeo/concert.

 

As expected we had a really great time.

Love myself a date night. We seem to find fun wherever we go.

 Gotta love muttin' bustin'! I, as I'm sure you're well aware, miss the wild cow milk event. I can't seem to wrap my brain around it not a PRCA event. ;)

 The night we went, Darius Rucker (the lead singer for the band Hootie and the Blowfish turned Country artist) had the concert entertainment after the rodeo.  I wish we had closer seats- mostly because then the girl next to me who was singing terribly off key would  have been drowned out by the actual artist. He sang a few older songs and covers.  I must admit he fits well into the country genre. We weren't disappointed.