What We've Been Doing...

Now that I have a little more time and we're doing some fun and different things I've been taking more pictures- mostly on Instagram or with my phone because I don't usually feel like lugging my big camera around.  My posts will mostly be a bunch of random pictures about what we've been up to.

A few weeks ago Owen started Karate.  He had been bugging me for a few months (actually since the Karate school came into his school to do a demonstration) to sign him up and I kept putting it off because we were busy and he was already doing t-ball.  I'm not big on multiple sports at one time at a young age.  I know that time will come where we are running kids from place to place for practices so I'm trying to avoid it as much as I can at an early age.  There was only a little overlap of Karate and t-ball.

 

Owen LOVES karate.  I think it just fits with his personality.   The best part is... they offer classes every day and sometimes multiple times a day.  He is in the Tiny Tigers group so we pick any two days a week to go to practice.  If a certain day doesn't work for our schedule, we just go a different day.  Each practice is only 30 minutes long which isn't bad either.  They teach the kids such great life skills too like respect, self-control, attitude, self-discipline, and more. 

The best part is his buddy Gage also does Karate!  Owen is always a little apprehensive at first when doing something new so it's really helped to have Gage in his class.  Owen and Gage became buddies this year in Kindergarten.  Gage came over for a playdate last weekend and Owen had a blast!

 

Saturday night we took the boys to Lanco Speedway for their sprintcar races.  We stopped to release our tadpoles on the way.  It was amazing watching them grow and change into frogs.  I got a little freaked out Saturday morning when I woke up and found a frog at the top of the cage.  It escaped through the plastic wrap and that sucker was fast and jumped high!  It was so scared and hid under our radiator.  Luckily he got stuck in a spider web and Mike was able to get him, clean him off, and let him go in our yard.  We decided to take the rest back to their pond since they all had grown legs and were ready to leave the pond for the woods.

The races were a lot of fun and I think Owen would have stayed all night.  It was very loud and dirty since they raced on a dirt track.

On Saturday I finished a little sewing project I had been wanting to do for a while.  I didn't like the pillows that came with our deck furniture so I bought fabric and followed the directions for this 5 Minute Pillow Cover tutorial I found on Pinterest.  I wouldn't exactly call it 5 minutes, but it didn't take too long.  It took me three tries to finally get the correct dimensions.  The first pillow I made I didn't use enough fabric.  The second one I made, I used too much.  The third pillow was just right.  For that pillow- the first square I cut was 17in. x 17in.  The second square was 17in. by 22in.  That one I then cut in half so I had two that were 17in. x 11in. (just writing that for future reference!)

Owen was getting too big for his bike so he got a new bike and Adam got Owen's old bike.  Mike put training wheels on it and all Adam wants to do is go for bike rides.  He is so appreciative anytime we give him anything that is new to him.  He kept thanking us over and over for his big boy bike and talked over and over about how much he loved his new bike.  He's such a sweetheart.

Owen got a bright yellow racing bike and enjoys riding bike even more than before because his bike can go super fast.  He said he wants to race in a real race.  We'll see about that.  All that boy wants to do is race.

Sunday was Father's Day.  The boys and I are so lucky to be surrounded by great dads.  We went out to lunch with Papa on Sunday so I took a few pictures before we left.

Mike is everything (and more) that I ever wanted for the father of my children.  They are so lucky!

Speaking of Father's Day...I know, one day, Adam will kill me for posting this picture, but it's too sweet not to post.  He loves his baby so much and takes such good care of her.  The way he talks to her and loves on her is the most precious thing.  I have no doubt he is going to make a great dad one day. 

Yesterday our butterfly larva arrived in the mail.  We did the whole butterfly life cycle thing last year, but Adam was still a little too young to fully get it.  He was so interested in the tadpoles, I think he'll love this too and understand it more this time.

The pool we go to over the summer was all set to open and then a huge sinkhole caused all sorts of damage.  I kinda doubt it will open this summer so yesterday we tried out a new pool.  The boys really liked it and it was nice to finally be able to swim!

At the beginning of our summer vacation I made a bucket list of things we want to do over the summer.  This is what we came up with so far...

This morning we went to Cocoa Castle in Hershey and then to Chocolate World.  Fun, fun!

Last night, while I was lying in bed with Owen, he was showing me all of his boo boos and was a little upset that he had so many.  A lot of them are from his new bike, but not all of them.  I told him that boo boos are a sign that you are having fun.  I said that each one has a story and if we sat inside all day watching TV he probably wouldn't get any boo boos, but how boring would that be?!