"play Jenna"

I love chronicling the tiny little sillinesses that encapsulate our days, even more so than the big, fun activities we do or adventures we go on. So, I cannot resist posting this!

On Friday night we were at Barro's for Cash's birthday party. After everyone had left we were still there with the Coxes and the Watsons just hanging out and letting the kids play for a little while longer. Jenna was sitting on the floor with Kadie and Taylor singing this song about jumping up and then sitting down and calling out their names. To be quite honest, I can't remember the tune or even all of the words. But, the girls were having so much fun and before long Cash and finally Cooper joined in!

Well, all week Taylor has been grabbing me by the hand, wherever I am in the house and pulling me into the living room to sit on the floor with her and "play Jenna"! She wants me to sing the song...I don't sing it right and she tries to correct me with saying "play Jenna, Mommy....play Jenna, BECCA!". That little bugger!

So, in the spirit of posting pictures with a story...

Dave and Busters

We joined a bunch of the Coxes on Saturday night at Dave and Busters to celebrate Eric's 30th birthday. We had so much fun! It's definately more of a place for adults as it's filled with mostly adults, but the kids had fun too! I'd say Conal and Bubba had more fun than anyone, but what's new? And...how come we never remember to take pictures of them?? Like...when Conal was spinning Bubba around on his shoulders like Superman. Silly dudes!

Quite a Party!

Let me set the stage....Cash's most favorite thing in the whole wide world is a firetruck. Whenever he sees a firetruck he makes the cutest sound, and he loves everything and anything that incorporates a firetruck. So, having a dad that is a firefighter is the super coolest thing for anyone, and especially for Cash!

Being a firefighter brings you great benefits....like getting to have your sons second birthday party at a firehouse. That's right, for Cash's birthday party, the kids got an all-access pass to one of the Chandler Firehouses. It was quite a party!

Uncle Bubba showed them all of the cool things on the firetruck, and Fireman Rob turned on the lights and let some of the kids sit in the drivers seat. He put the headphones on Hayden and let her listen to the radio...she was loving it!

Taylor didn't want to 'drive' but she was so busy and excited that just about every picture I have with her in it is a blur because she couldn't stand still!

They got to see where the firemen eat and sleep, where they workout, and where they spend time with their families when they go to visit.

At the end of the tour, Uncle Bubba gave each kid a hat, a sticker and a coloring book. That in itself was a gift to each kid, they loved their swag!

I'd have to say that this will probably go down as the best birthday party in the books, ever!

After the firehouse we went to Barro's for pizza, presents and cake. I think he had a great birthday party and we sure enjoyed being a part of it!

Happy Birthday Cash!

Today, we went swimming at Mesquite Grove with Pam, Cooper and Cash to celebrate Cash's second birthday. What a fun day! I cannot believe that Cash is already two years old. Time has really flown by. I remember they day he was born like it was yesterday. Cash is such a fun member of our family...he's got a personality and a half and he's quite a tease! Not to mention, he's so stinkin' cute! Happy Birthday Cashy, we love you very much!

First day of Pre-K

Hayden started her first day of school today! She was very excited to get back to school, and so were we! She's going five days a week and has a new teacher, Ms. Terri. She's got a small class, 8 students, but of course, that can grow. We're excited to see all that she learns and how much she grows this year!

Closing the book...Summer of 2008

Figuratively, of course. For those not familiar with an Arizona summer, the real book closes around Halloween. Hayden starts her first day of school tomorrow, which seems to kick off "Fall"!

For the first time since Hayden was born, I worked a seasonal administrative job last year, so now I really know what it's like to appreciate summer vacation! This summer presented a lot of opportunity to appreciate what our area has to offer, and also some challenges that come with a floundering economy! (That's a nice way to put it, right?!) We had a couple of big trips planned, that we scrapped due to the rising gas prices. Around the time that we anticipated those trips, gas was just over $4 a gallon here, and over $4.50 in CA, which is where we were headed. So, we reconstructed our plans and found wonderful alternatives!

The thing I appreciated the most this summer was not having a schedule! The only thing we had a standing date on was swim lessons four days a week for most of the summer. We also had our Friday movies every week at Harkins, which we thoroughly enjoyed and can't wait to do again next summer! Other than that, Tay's therapies were all put on hold over the summer and we had the luxury to come and go when we wanted and do what we pleased!

Since I've tried to keep my blog up to date this summer, all of the major events are noted. I'm just going to highlight a few things that I'm sure I'll have memories of forever, in no particular order (you know me...I've got to have documentation of everything!).

*Movie Fridays
*Camping with the Coxes
*Swimming, swimming and more swimming
*Playdates with Cooper and Cash
*Special Mommy and Hayden time
*Special Mommy and Taylor time
*Fun afternoons with Papa
*Dairy Queen Blizzards
*Evenings after dinner...popsicles, sprinklers and a silly family!
*Hayden's 5th Birthday
*Numerous trips to museums, the zoo, splash pads and indoor playcenters

So, as we close the book on the Summer of 2008 and face tomorrow, a new chapter in our lives will begin. I'm a bit scared and uneasy, but I'm also encouraged and confident. We're going to have a great year...we're going to MAKE it a great year. I'm blessed. It is what it is and all I can truly think to say is that I'm blessed.

Who Knew?

I know it's not a new concept (ha ha), but I've decided, after a fun trip to the library Wednesday night, (we only seem to go once every 3 months or so) what a great place to take kids! Granted Taylor's pretty loud. Hayden actually asked us to tell her to be quiet before we went in so it didn't bother "the peoples that are reading". It was too funny! Conal and I each looked for a book that we're wanting, yet they're both checked out, all copies. But the girls picked up books and sat on the floor and were just reading, quietly and minding their own business. For a few minutes, at least! There's a 'quiet room' that Conal took them in to while I was looking for a parenting book in the kids section. Needless to say, Taylor thinks quiet room (that's surrounded with glass and has a great echo, brightly covered rugs and lots of fun looking chairs) means to run around and dance and sing at the top of your lungs! We didn't get kicked out though, so I consider it a successful, fun night! Plus...what other place can you take your kids that they can ask for something and actually GET it and it not cost you a cent, or a meltdown? The girls picked out Bert and Ernie Go Global, Dora's Exploring Extravaganza, Four Friends Sharing, I left with The ADHD Autism Connection and Conal ordered a book on Babe Ruth. It was a fun night! Give the library a try, your kids will love it!

Special days with Papa

I'm not going to whisper, but I will quietly admit...we've enjoyed having Papa off over the summer! Shh...don't tell him (wink, wink)! He's picked the older grandkids up, individually for a special day and a sleepover, he took the two older grandkids to the movies and out to lunch, he joined us at swim lessons and he's pinch babysat for me a couple of times. It's been nice for the kids to spend good quality time with Papa and I've enjoyed my Dad!

I think because Papa had so much fun swimming with us on Hayden's birthday, he decided he wanted to do a pool party. Of course...that's right up our alley! Last Wednesday we met my sister and the kids along with Papa at his pool for a splash bash and lunch. We all had a blast swimming and Papa made a delicous, thoughtful lunch. Making sure that each grandchild feels important and not left out, he made a spaghetti lunch so that Tay could eat right along with the others!

With all that my Dad has been through in the last year, it's nice to see him relaxed, healthy and enjoying life!

Playdate

After a few minutes of complaining that the girls were already driving me nuts this morning at 9:30, Heather decided that Addison needed someone to play with too. So we went over to the Bell's for a playdate.

It was a great day. All three of the girls had a lot of fun. Hayden left there wanting to go back for a sleep over, wanting Daddy to add a ladder to her bed (like Maddie's bunk bed) and wanting a fish tank with a meerkat sticker in her bedroom. Thanks a lot Heather! lol

Really, other than Tay shouting my name about every 3 minutes and 37 seconds, just to make sure I hadn't left her...it was a fun, lazy day. Just what we needed! Oh wait...Heather was 'working'! ha ha

Children's Museum of Phoenix

I've been wanting to take the girls to the new Children's Museum of Phoenix all summer long. Last night, I finally decided that after OT today, we were going to go. It's in "The City", as Hayden calls it, and I just don't make it to The City too often.

What a fun, educational, aerobic place to be! It's in the old Monroe School on 7th St. so it's rather large. They're still adding exhibits and activities as they've only been open a few short months, but they've got a few different things on 3 seperate floors. All in all, it's on a completely different level than the Mesa Youth Museum. Don't get me wrong, Mesa has some great exhibits come in and the girls have a lot of fun playing there, but this was really nice for a change. It's much more hands-on! There's really not much art yet. But they've got individual play areas set up in remodeled classrooms, and they've got something for everyone. They've even got a great looking playzone for kids under 3. You know, so older, more rambunctious siblings don't tackle or charge over the little ones? They've got a lot to offer, and at $9 per person (unless you're under 1) I think it's worth the price. We were there from almost 4 hours and the girls soaked in every minute. I enjoyed watching them play with one another. We did some fun crafts and some cute older lady volunteers were getting a kick trying to teach Taylor how to hula hoop! What a wonderful day!Tay, loading up on groceries

Hayden making some pasta while her pizza was in the brick oven!Scooping some ice cream for Mommy...they actually had a line of about 1/2 a dozen kids that they served. Of course, I didn't think to take a picture of that!Making a Mickey Mouse ears hat, with feathers!Taylor picked feathers that matched her shirt, go figure!

Fancy Nancy, Part Deux

The Fancy Nancy craze hasn't died out in our house yet. In fact, I think it's gotten crazier! Thanks to Jenna, Hayden now has some beautiful gloves (that she slept in the night she got them!) a new FN book and a fun Fancy Nancy game! With strict instruction from Aunt Meghan to let her spend her birthday money...she loaded up her wallet and off we went to Target. She was on a quest to broaden her FN wardrobe. And that she did!

If you scroll back a few posts to the first Fancy Nancy post, you will see how far her wardrobe has come!

Hey Baby, let's go to Vegas!

Well...my hard working hubby did it again! He qualified for another incentive trip with his company. This year...Vegas. We're going in October, and he's one out of only 5 from PHX going. It's not one of the better places we've been, but we'll take a free weekend away anytime. No kids, bonus! I'm hoping to not injur myself this year, at least not on the first night!

So mom, would you? Could you? Pleeeease!!

Here we are in Cabo last year!

Adventures in potty training

We've been hitting potty training heads-on, pretty hard for about 3 weeks now. For the most part, Taylor is doing great! She does have an occasional slip up, and I put her in a diaper at night (although she's waking up dry most of the mornings). There are definately days where she just doesn't want to sit on the toilet...and I could leave her up there for 30 minutes and as soon as she's off, she pees. I've determined it's a battle of the wills. She's a child that loves to test us and see how far she can push the limits! She LOVES wearing her "mannies" and dislikes diapers very much. In fact, if she has a diaper on, she takes it off--regardless of what's inside <--- so Daddy, quit putting diapers on your baby...she may be your baby, but she's not a baby anymore!
PS...We've graduated from the "baby twolet" to the "big Tay twolet"!!

Our Happy Family

One Cool Auntie!

Pam watched my girls all day on Friday, making my life stress and chaos free as I ran errands and cleaned my house in prep for the birthday party on Saturday. I'm sure I bugged her as I called about every 2 hours seeing if I needed to pick them up yet! Pam assured me that I could take as long as I needed to get everything done sans kids. Wow, you have no idea how easy life is without kids until you have them, and then get rid of them for a day! I got so much accomplished, and picked them up around 6:30.

When I picked the girls up, they had such cute face paintings! The ran in the sprinklers that day, Hayden and Cooper went on a 'camping trip' in the backyard, and Tay took a long nap in her favorite place, Auntie's bed! On the way home, Hayden told me she had "one cool Auntie". It's true, she is so creative and fun. She's a great mom, sister and auntie...and we're so lucky she's ours!

Super Special Birthday Party

In our family, birthdays are more like celebration weeks! You see...we celebrate in a fun way on the actual day, and then we always have a party on the weekend. This year was no different. With Hayden's birthday being on Thursday, she had a birthday celebration weekend! I want to thank all of our friends and family for helping to make Hayden's 5th birthday so special. She was sitting in my lap this morning thanking me for allowing her friends to come and letting them throw water balloons, and for the really good cake (FYI..I actually BOUGHT a cake this year!). I just love that girl...she's always so appreciative, even at such a young age.

We had the biggest birthday party yet! I wanted to mark her five years in a special way...she even created her own guest list, and other than a couple of last minute cancellations, we had quite a turnout!

The kids had fun running in the sprinklers and playing crazy until their hearts content! I do have to say, I think the adults had as much fun as the kids! We enjoyed lots of food and drinks, and a few hours of Guitar Hero dueling.

Again, thank you to everyone for making her birthday so special, for the wonderful gifts and the great friendship! Left to Right: Kadie, Addison, Maddie, Hayden, Haley, Morgan, Melissa. Taylor, Kadie and CashCooper and JT