All about Anniston

Anniston, these are all of the things that you're up to now. I'm sure I'll miss some things, but I'll try my best (after all, this is my version of a scrapbook!).

~You are such a happy, smiley girl. Your personality exudes laughter and silliness.

~You have very good manners (please, thank you, may I please be excused, exuse me, yes/no ma'am and sir)

~You are very patient with Treyson

~You take 2 hour naps about 50% of the time. If you don't actually fall asleep, then you will lay quietly in your bed for 2 hours for "rest time".

~You are such a pleaser. You love to be praised for things you've done.

~You use alot of really big words, and amaze us that you use them correctly!

~You have all of the phonics down for your letters.

~You love to sing and dance in the car

~You love to help Mommy in the kitchen

~You love to play baseball with Dadoo, and jump on your trampoline

~You are swimming without floaties like a fish! Way to go!

~You like to ride your princess bike up and down the street, and Dadoo taught you how to use the handle bar brakes so that Mommy and Dadoo don't have to run behind you since the street has a slight incline on our way back to the house!!

~If somebody asks who your boyfriend is, you say, "Dadoo" (which makes your Dadoo very happy--you used to say Baylor!!)

~You've started back to gymnastics (we dropped dance), and you're so happy about it!

~You make your bed every morning, and are very good at picking your room up and hanging up all of your dress-up clothes. In fact, if Treyson is told to pick up his room, you will usually go in there and help him.

~If we tell you that we love you more, you respond that you love us the "mosty-wosty"

~You say prayers for everybody at all of our meals, and night-time as well.

We are so proud of you Anniston. You are such a smart little girl. We are amazed by how much you know, and also by how much you want to know. You are so sensitive and kind, and we are so proud to say that you are our sweet baby girl! (even though you're not a baby anymore ). We have so much fun playing with you, taking you on special "dates", and just hanging out. We love that you still want to snuggle at night before you lay down. It absolutely melts our hearts! We love you so much!!

Happy 4th Birthday sweet girl!

Love, Mommy and Dadoo

Summertime and popsicles!

This melts my heart... Cheers!

Yumm, yumm

The kiddos have been LOVING the popsicles for dessert! We strip them down (obviously) and let them go to town. They normally have juice running all down their arms and belly, so transitioning straight to the bathtub (or turning the sprinkler system on!) works out perfectly.

We're so excited for this fall weather, but we'll sure miss these evening popsicles in the back yard!

Playing Softball

Playing outside is our kids' #1 favorite thing to do. We can hardly keep them inside on days we're home (in fact, they were devastated today because it's been raining--Boo, for sad kiddos....YAY, for rain!!). Now that T is older, they will jump on the trampoline together, play in the sand box, and on their little clubhouse. They're also pretty cute driving their little John Deere Gator around.

But, bar none, their favorite activity together is playing softball/baseball. Anniston got a tee/bat/ball 2 years ago, and the kiddos have played with it all summer long. We live on an acre, so the kids have a large backyard to run in. Anniston is trying to get down the baseball concepts: hit the ball, run, tag home plate. She will hit the ball and run clear around the play area in our back yard (which is a fairly large area to cover)....and this goes on and on and on. Well, Treyson has picked up on this as well, and has gotten pretty good at it too (except in this video, of course!). They have one glove here, so they switch off who hits and who catches.

I just LOVE summer!

Gymnastics!

Well, we started back to gymnastics for Anniston. For about 6 months Anniston did a tap, ballet, and tumble class. The tap and ballet just weren't fast paced enough for her. She did very well in them, followed directions well, and learned alot. But for now, it's not her thing. That's ok with me.

Anniston told me she'd rather just do gymnastics. So we had her going for a few weeks, and then we decided to start Treyson. When I woke the kids up this morning, the first thing Treyson said to me was, "Bubby do nastics?" (yes, he does talk in the third person) He was so excited! Anniston is in the 9:30 class, and then Treyson goes right after her at 10:15.

Here are pics of Anniston from today. She's getting really good at her cartwheel. Now Ms. Katie is working with her on her landing. Her left bobo keeps hitting the floor before her feet!Doing her bridge:Then it was T's turn. (I was by myself so Anniston sat to the side and did sticker books and read her "Fancy Nancy" books) At first they do a circle time and do a little warm up song. Treyson just smiled and watched everybody. I had to move his arms for him. Then he got warmed up and began to participate. He was very good about standing in line, and waiting his turn. A couple of times he started to run off, but it was after another little girl who was WILD! This class should definitely be good lessons on listening to directions even when other's don't!! (and her poor Momma is due in 6 weeks and had to chase her so very big and pregnant!)

At the end, the kids get to jump into a ball pit, and of course my kiddos walk to the "back side" and climb up onto these really tall blocks and jump off (we're probably talking 6 feet high). The other kiddos looked at my two daredevils like they were crazy.....the mom's probably did think I was crazy letting my children do that, but they had fun (and they were falling into FOAM BLOCKS people!!)

Here's T right before class! (couldn't sneak the camera in today. I thought I should really work with him on learning the rotation and following directions today--maybe next time!)

Wooooo Pig Sooie!

My little stinker....

It's a big deal at our house to make "Happy Plates". You cannot ask to be excused until a "happy plate" is accomplished. . .

. . . so this was Treyson this morning. He was being a SLOW eater, and felt like he was missing out on the action, so he sped up the "happy plate" process!!

Have a great day! We're celebrating the kids' birthdays today with a family party. I'll have pictures to post tomorrow!!

Great Lake Weekend!

We headed to Lake Ouachita last weekend to enjoy one of the last few times of boating for the summer. There were hardly any boats out, and we felt like we pretty much had the lake to ourselves!

The kiddos got ALOT of tubing time in due to the very low traffic on the water. Uncle Todd took Anniston and Michael out first. That was the only time he took both. I think it wore his upper body out trying to keep up with 2 kiddos! Typical routine....climbing up the ladder, piggies to the edge, READY, SET, GO!

.....Just like sissy!

Too cool for words!

Mommy and Treyson took the "sitting up" approach to tubing. Treyson seemed to enjoy it more this way...alot less bounce!

Thank you MaMa and PaPa for another GREAT weekend on the lake!