Family Fun

Keith and I took the kids to see the Soap Box Derby competition. The kids got a kick out of watching the silly and creative cars going down the race course and various obstacles. They even got to climb in the cars after each one's competition.

Sweet Madison was SO tired that day. Keith and I were cracking up at her sleeping like this and it made her wake up just enough to take a tiny bite of banana with her eyes closed just before conking back out.

We oftentimes rotate taking the kids to various events and activities in an effort to not always have to buy five tickets everywhere we go, to help improve our experiences (less kids=less fighting) and, most importantly, to ensure we get one-on-one time with the kids. This time I took Payson to see the Cirque Du Soleil show called Kooza.

Several of his cousins were there too. Not surprisingly, he loved the show!

Rain! In Dallas! The kids wanted to know why it was so dark during the day and where the sun was! Poor things forgot about cloud cover after not having seen it for so long.

On the way home that evening we spotted this beautiful rainbow and, despite how very big it was, we could see its beginning and end - we just couldn't fit it all in our camera frame! Here is Madison admiring God's promise.

 On the flip side, Payson was taking his own pictures.

My sweet friend Melissa accompanied me to the Metro Cooking and Entertaining Show where Paula Deen was making an appearance and doing a cooking demo. She was a hoot!

After the show Melissa and I were ready to go home and try out Paula's chicken and dumplings recipe!

This week in chapel at school Hayden and Madison went up on stage to recite the bible verse of the week.

Madison and her friend Ryann received the Fruit of the Spirit chapel award for Love. Way to go girls!

Hello Preschool, Goodbye Summer!

First day of preschool!

Besties.

Daddy had the privilege of taking the kids to school on their first day!

The kids are going to school 3 days a week and every once in a while I get all 9 lunches prepared ahead of time!

Before we welcomed school, we finished off the summer with a bang. We bowled with friends...

...took a few ice skating lessons...

...shot some rockets...

...stayed inside and built tents to beat the heat...

 ...and we joined some friends at Chuck E Cheese's where Payson hit the jackpot!

This month the kids also made their very first stuffed animals at a Build-A-Bear birthday party. Hello Kitty is all the rage in this house these days!

And we finally got to meet Mr. James Marshall, the son of one of my best friends, Katie. Such. A. Cutie!

First Lemonade Stand

For Labor Day we decided to help the kids have their very first Lemonade Stand! The timing was perfect as we had just developed a family allowance system a few days prior. 

First up was squeezing out the juice from some fresh lemons to help supplement the lemonade.

Then the kids made their own homemade signs to help bring in customers. They really got into it, writing it all on their own and drawing lemons on their signs.

All set up and ready to go!

Now it was time to bring in the customers! It was such a great opportunity to teach the kids about sales, money and dealing with success and disappointment.

The kids were so excited each time somebody stopped. They would all run to get the lemonade or run to greet the customer and collect the money so it took some guidance from Keith and I to help the kids balance out their tasks.

Ahhh, with their hard work done, it was time to enjoy their own refreshing glass of lemonade. Cheers!

Princess Brunch

Princess Hayden and Princess Madison had a royal ball at the Princess Brunch we recently attended. They first noticed the treats and party favors upon walking in!

Before the princesses arrived the glamorous dessert table caught their attention.

The girls were anxious to see the princesses and kept looking around while they dined asking when they would arrive. Madison ate a few of her favorites: pancakes and macaroni and cheese! Soon, Cinderella was on the scene. Here's Madison and their friend Ryann asking her all about her slippers, castle and gown!

Madison and her favorite princess Cinderella.

Hayden was surprisingly a little bashful once she spotted her royal favorites, but she soon warmed up and spent some time talking to her #1 princess, Aurora.

Ryann and Madison posing with Rapunzel. My girls inquired as to why her hair wasn't long and dragging on the ground and they were satisfied with my response that it was because it was up in a braid like in the movie. Phew, good save Mom!

Rapunzel is also very popular in our home. Hayden chose to wear her Rapunzel gown and when I asked her at home if she wanted me to braid her hair she declined. But as soon as she saw Rapunzel, she asked that quickly put a braid in her hair to match. Here are Madison and Hayden getting their hands painted.

Madison with Grandma's favorite princess, Snow White!

Madison and Hayden received the royal treatment and loved every minute of their special morning. Upon walking out, Madison hurried back to Cinderella to ask her where her Prince was. Cinderella told her he was at home in their castle and with that all of her curiosities had been cured, at least for the day.

Future Olympians?

Our family really got into the Olympics this year and the kids loved being a part of the action. They had made these torches at gymnastics camp and were excited to help light this year's Olympic flame!

We had some friends over for dinner and for dessert, in honor the kids decorated their very own flags.

Even Daddy got in on the action!

Keith and Payson built an Olympic arena out of Legos and Payson added the spectators!

I have memories of watching rhythmic gymnastics as a child and now my kids get in on the action with their own hoops and streamers! They did this for over half an hour - it was quite entertaining to watch!

August also brought us the circus...again. Madison LOVES the circus and talks about it constantly so even though we were just attended the Shrine Circus last March, we took them to the Barnum & Bailey Circus. The tigers are always a big hit but this year they were old enough to enjoy and really take in a lot of the acts. And of course the cannon is Payson's favorite part!

Our friend Spencer had a really fun birthday party at a science lab and before they got to their experiments, the kids got to hold a real snake. This is about as close as Payson got. He let the girls do all of the holding!

Madison was brave but she didn't move an inch while she held him.

Pops and Nunie joined us for a summer swim and to see the kids show off their new swimming skills!

That reminds me that I haven't posted their swim videos yet. Back in late June the kids kicked up their swimming skills with the help of a wonderful swim instructor. We were hoping to take three swimmers on our trip to Florida and we did! Here's Madison, Hayden and Payson in action!
(Play video below)

At the end of the summer we took a week of tennis lessons, a first for each of the kids. They had a great time and we will definitely be getting them out on the tennis courts more.

The fun activities were even more fun with their good friends Reese and Shawn.

Future Sooner scholarships? Future tennis champs? We shall see!