For our one outing over Spring Break, we ventured down south to the Arbuckle Wilderness, the drive through zoo that the boys and I had visited before. It is about halfway to the Big D, so it made the perfect meeting place for some of our Dallas besties.
We met up with Bethany and her boys Ilan and Castel as well as Sam and Reggie and their kiddos Ben and Sophia. That's alot of boys and 1 girl, in case you lost count.
We all loaded up in my car to start the drive. Notice BatMan, that's Castel...too cute!
Bethany drew the short straw and got stuck in the back with all the boys
I love this place, getting to see all the animals so up close. Christian LOVED it too. He would have hung out the window the entire time if I let him.
We had a picnic lunch after the drive and played for a while. We tried to get the kiddos to pose for a photo, but not everyone wanted to participate!
So glad we got there when we did. This was the line to get in when we were done! CRAZINESS!!
After lunch we drove down the road to Turner Falls Park. Bethany and her boys did not make to that, they had to head back home. I had never been here before but Mark had taken Connor once and the pictures were gorgeous. We did not get to see the actual falls because Christian was snoozing and we would have had to park and walk a ways.
Instead we just parked and played in the water while Christian slept.
We will definitely try this place again. It will make a great place to spend the day or even camp.
He has never had them before because he has wide feet, but we just found these that run a little wide. And they are Star Wars which makes them even cooler! He slept in them for 2 days!
(can't remember if I told this story or not)
Christian: Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!
That's all he says, every time he hears a door open
Daddy!
I'm jealous
Colton:
(phrase of the week)
"no way jose"
Me: Colton, want to go to the gym?
Colton: no way jose
Me: Colton, wanna go potty?
Colton: no way jose
Me: Colton, pick up your shoes please
Colton: no way jose
(you get the idea)
Me -to Mark:
Look at Connor, can you believe 5 years ago we were planning to bring home our first little baby. Now look at him. He reads and rides a bike and TALKS BACK
Connor: I DON'T talk back to you
Me & Mark: (laughing) of course not Connor
With 3 boys one who is 5(almost0 going on 15, one with middle child syndrome, and one babbling-there is NEVER a quiet moment in my house. I giggle to myself about the fact Colton use to be in speech therapy for delayed speech. And Connor has to sit with the timer on sometimes so I can have a quiet moment. Now we call the big boys Pete and Re-peat. What ever Connor says, Colton says.
On top of my regular washing, I am preparing for a trip and spring. That means I had to locate the box that was MIA that had Christian's next size spring clothes and I am trying to wash, ahead of my normal washing schedule, what I need to pack. Lucky for me I have a helper.
It is 4 days until vacation. I am very excited. The boys are crazy excited. And we, as parents, are certainly taking advantage of this feeling. Every bad behavior is followed by the "you're not going" threat. Hey, don't judge me...it's kind of working!
I am 90% complete on packing the big boys. Tomorrow I will finish their things and move on to mine. I have purchased $20 worth of Dollar Store crap to entertain the boys on the long plane ride. I would like to get the house cleaned so we can come home to a tidy place. I always feel like the house feels stuffy and musty after several days of being empty and extra dust makes it worse.
I need to finish Connor's birthday invitations tonights. (When we return home next week I will finish planning and preparing for the big LEGO bash). I am making his invites myself and I must say I'm pretty proud of myself.
And one BIG BIG decision has to be made this week. Here is where I need some help bloggie friends-
Kindergarten registration is next week. You have the opportunity to request a teacher and AM/PM session. Your request is not guaranteed but not the less, worth a shot. I have done my research on the teachers and I know which one I will ask for Connor to have. But the time, I cannot decide. Currently Connor is in the afternoon pre-K class. And I have bitched and moaned since August about it. However, we are sort of used to the schedule now. So do I rock the boat and try the morning? Here are my thoughts....
Morning is from 8:30-11am everyday. Colton will be in school on Tuesday's and Thursday's. That would leave me M,W,F to have some (sort of ) one on one time with him. Then after I pick up Connor the little one's will nap and I would (theoretically) have some one on one time with Connor. Now truth be told on that, nap time is my quiet time too and my clean up time a little bit as well. The good is Christian could go to nap early and sleep later if need be. As it stands now, I have to keep him awake and often have to wake him up to leave to go pick up someone. The bad part is there would be no time for the family fun things like zoo visits.
Afternoon class is from 12:30-3pm. I could have some one on one time with Connor (and Christian) on Thursdays while Colton is in school. All 3 boys will actually be in a program on Tuesdays so that I can have some "me" time. I would never really get one on one time with Colton with this schedule. It would be the same for Christian and his napping but he is getting older so maybe he will continue to work with this schedule. And, as mentioned earlier, we will have time for morning outings. Plus we do like our AM swimming lessons.
I don't know what to do!!! Please give me your opinion! THANKS!
And on a final note....
I love ziploc bags. I use them in the kitchen on a daily basis. They are great for toting around the boys "spare" clothes and then you have somewhere to put the dirties when you change. They have saved my clothes in the suitcase on more than one occasion when a lotion bottle has leaked. It must run in the family.
Connor is obsessed. I find baggies, big and small, full of crap toys everywhere. He totes a bag of around everywhere.everyday. I think it's kind of cute. I guess it's a possession thing at this age? I find it funny....until I go to get myself a ziploc and the box is EMPTY!!!
Tomorrow is check ups at the DR for Connor and Christian. I think we are on a no-shot visit, here's hoping!
This past Saturday was nice weather
Colton had a birthday party at the zoo
Connor had his first soccer game of the spring season
Then we did some yard work
I had 3 little helpers on my job
For ever plant I got in the ground
someone
(not naming any names)
got one pulled
Finally got them preoccupied for a bit
I ran out of flowers and cleaned the patio table
We opted for dinner outside
pizza and beer
we went all out
I really hope it doesn't freeze again
and kill everything I planted
I bought a few more flowers this morning
to finish off the 1 section I started
(3 more areas to go)
We have been to the zoo
several times in the last couple of weeks
The temperatures are up and down right now
So if it is a sunny day
We are there
However
Christian wants to walk
EVERYWHERE
now
so we don't get very far inside the zoo
We have been spending lots of time
in the driveway
riding bikes and scooters and trikes
Mark just took the training wheels off of Connor's bike
gasp
so hopefully I will have news on the that to report soon
success news
not broken arm news
If I have to pick up all the food off the floor
one more time
From Christian dumping it
I might just put my head through the wall
I bought some straps to try and lock it up
They don't work
He just pulls harder
I bought storage bins with lids
(the shoebox type)
to put food in
hoping that would deter him
He gets the lids off
And he's obsessed with the mixer
Yes I still have an old school hand mixer
He drags this thing around everywhere
He has been entertaining himself more though
He, too, loves legos
He will play for 30 minutes sometimes
until he gets himself in a situation
that makes him mad
then he screams
he got on the windowsill and couldn't get down
I hope this video works
I seem to be having issues getting it to play here
But the big boys entertain me lots lately
That's most of what I have for now
We are on spring break this week
Have a few play dates planned
and hoping to meet some Dallas friends
halfway at the
Arbuckle Wilderness Drive thru zoo
Trying to finish preparing for vacation leaving next weekend
I don't think I have even posted about it
We are headed to San Diego and Disney Land
We are going to see Casey while we are there
And meeting up with my fave cous Cindy at Disney
our kids have never met
so I cannot wait
Let's try this video
Connor reading like a champ
Connor turns 5 while we are on vacation
4 was really hard for me
I thought 5 would be no big deal
but now that it is approaching
wowza
kind of hard
Every day he seems bigger and smarter
I love that boy
Oh yeah
Christian's off the boob
He just stopped
bittersweet
The other night he woke up with a tummy ache
and it was the only time he asked for "boobie"
Toodles
my friends
(let me know if the videos work)
