Oh my stars...

I turn my back for one second, and this happens.

Seriously, the kid can't even walk yet and he is already pulling stunts like this???  I have a feeling this one may give me a run for my money.  ;)

Splish, Splash

Last Wednesday, we went to a splash pad with some friends.  The boys had so much fun!  I was trying to figure out how I was going to keep an eye on a 7 year old, 3.5 year old, and a busy crawler that needs my constant attention.  I decided that bringing O's walker may be helpful.  If there is one thing that I know about mothering crawler/toddler, it is that containment devices are your friend.  Ha!

So, off we went.  Owen was a wild man zipping around the splash pad.  He had an absolute ball!  He would go from sprinkler to sprinkler as they went off an on.  He was a happy baby, for sure!

We got home and Drew took a 3 hour nap and Owen slept for 5 hours!  They were worn out - bless their hearts.  I have a feeling that we may spend a lot of time at the splash pad this summer.  :)

Legoland - Check!

Yesterday, we got to check something off of our Summer Bucket List.  Whoo-hoo!  We've actually already checked off several fun things - check, check, check.  :)

This week was Homeschool Week at Legoland, which meant that admission was only $8.  Yes!  We jumped on the bargain with some of the our pals from church.  The boys had soooo much fun!

Clayton and his buddy were all about the race car area.  They built cars and raced them over and over again - trying to get the fastest car.  It was pretty fun to watch them.

Drew was happy on the little kid playground for a little while, but quickly caught the racing bug.  He had to get in on the big kid action.  ;)

We rode the 2 rides, played, and watched the 3D movie.  Then we went to Miniland.  Apparently, Clayton and I missed this when we went 2 years ago.  Or maybe they hadn't built it yet?  At any rate, it was super cool.  They had built replicas of some of the DFW attractions out of Legos. 

Jerry World

Great Wolf Lodge

This one is for Kelli & Doug - Delaney Vineyards

Ballpark in Arlington

Fair Park

A certain cute little boy wanted his picture made next to the Ballpark in Arlington.  ;)

Dirk Nowitski happened to be there on Wednesday also.  What are the odds???  ;)

Of course we couldn't make it out of there without the boys spending every last dime of their own money in the gift shop.  Sheesh.  They bought Ninjago head wrap thingmabobs and key chains.  They had to pose for a picture with their souvenirs.   :)

So far, summertime is pretty awesome, I have to say.  :)

School's Out for Summer!

Last Monday was Clayton's last day of school!  It is officially summer at the Carpenter Casa - yay!!!  I am loving summer so far!  We have spent tons of time outside soaking up the perfect weather before it gets unbearably hot.  It's so nice to have no agenda, nothing to wake up early for (not that Clayton Carpenter would ever dream of sleeping in!), and an unlimited amount of time with my peeps.

During the last week of school, the 1st graders had 2 spelling bees. Clayton brought home two 1st place ribbons!  We were so proud of him!  I am the world's worst speller, so I am glad that he doesn't take after his Mama in that respect.  ;)

I must admit that I do have some reservations about this summer.  The problem is that someone is asleep at our house all. day. long.  Owen typically naps from 10-12 and 3-5.  Drew naps from 1-3.  Do you see what I mean?  There are few windows of opportunity to actually go somewhere.  Someone usually ends up missing a nap, which means that little person is tired and cranky.  I am totally fine with abandoning our schedule here and there, but I have to be purposeful with how we spend those days.  To give us some direction, we made a "Summer Bucket List."  I wrote down some fun ideas for things to do at home as well as places that the kids wanted to go.  We had fun making it, and will enjoy checking things off the list.  The goal is to do everything before summer is over. (Yes, I know that I goofed and put Legoland on there twice.  Oopsie!)  We do have some space left, so any fun ideas are welcomed.  :)

Clayton & Drew were playing together upstairs last week, and they came downstairs in superhero costumes.  I love that my big ole 7 year old will still squeeze into his Spiderman costume to play with his little brother.  I remember vividly buying that costume at Target when we had just moved into this house.  Wittle Bitty Clayton had just turned 3.  Ah, the memories...  It has gotten lots of use!  One of the best investments ever.  ;)

Here's to a summer of missing naps all in the name of fun, checking off every box on our Summer Bucket List, and squeezing every last drop out of childhood!

Owen's 1st Birthday Party

I LOVE 1st birthday parties!  I really do.  I think it is such a fun celebration of completing that first sweet year of a baby's life.  Soooo much happens in that first year - the good, the bad, and the ugly.  It is fun to celebrate that you made it through - that you kept this tiny being alive and thriving for a whole year.  :)

That being said, I know that I tend to get carried away with my kids' parties at times.  Having a project (their party) to focus on helps me not to be so sad that they are another year older.  Also, I want them to feel really special on their birthdays.  I want them to know that we are glad that they were born - that we feel like they are worth celebrating in a big way.  Plus, planning parties (showers, birthday parties, church parties, etc.) is so much fun to me!  :)

I started dreaming about Owen's party months ago.  Thanks to good ole Pinterest, I saw the Pottery Barn Kids Very Hungry Caterpillar party and thought that it was just perfect for my sweet little caterpillar.  Hence, the theme was born.

With just a little fabric and some scrapbook paper, I was able to make the invitations, party hat, shirt, table cloth, and birthday banner (with his monthly pictures).  I really enjoyed making everything for my sweet O.  He really has been the very best baby - so good to his Mama!  The least that I could do is throw him a fun party, right?  I think that he enjoyed himself.  ;)

The Invitation- Wade used his mad Microsoft Publisher skillz to do all of the graphics.  ;)

I bought Owen a hardbound copy of the Very Hungry Caterpillar and all of his guests signed the inside as a keepsake.  :)

I got some paper lanterns super cheap online and my Hubs (bless his sweet heart!) hung them for me in the shape of the caterpillar.  He was explaining the process to his buddy earlier in the week.  His friend said, "So, basically, when it comes to this party, she is strategic, and you are tactical."  Ha!  That was a pretty good description.  I come up with hair-brained ideas, and Wade makes them happen.  He's the best.  For real.

My favorite pictures of my sweet baby...

The Smash Cake - I ordered it way too big.  For the record, an 8" round is too much for a baby.  Ha!  Lesson learned...  I ordered just a plain white cake.  I made the little bunting flags and added Skittles to give it some color.

For the food, we served most of the things that the Hungry Caterpillar ate in the book.  That made it easy to come up with a menu.

 On Monday, he at through one apple.  On Tuesday, he ate through 2 pears.  On Friday, he ate through 5 oranges...

On Thursday, he ate through 4 strawberries...

On Saturday he ate through one slice of Swiss cheese, one sausage,

one pickle,

one ice cream cone,

one lollipop,

and one slice of watermelon.  That night he had a stomachache!

The next day was Sunday again.  The caterpillar ate through one nice green leaf (salad), and after that he felt much better.  :)

 

Let the cake eating begin!  Our little fella took his sweet time digging into his cake and had to be coaxed quite a bit.  Maybe he was intimidated by the sheer size!  Ha!  ;)

I know that I am his Mama, but....  Oh my word - he is cute!

                                      

Thanks to all of our friends and family who came to celebrate our boy!  It meant the world to us that you chose to spend your Saturday with us!  We are so grateful to have the support of our friends and family as we raise our 3 sons.  Birthdays remind me of just how very blessed we are!

I hope that Owen will look back on these pictures one day and realize how crazy in love with him that his parents are!  He is so very precious to us.  I look forward to many, many years of celebrating his life!  :)