Happy Birthday Big Girl Kate!!

I have a FOUR year old in the house who is as happy as she can be that today is her BIRTHDAY!!!!!

Katybug is all smiles all the time! She has a beautiful smile and loves to show everybody how happy she is!

In fact, Kate LOVES just about everything. She must say "I just love (insert: Wade, popsicles, hot dogs, Daddy, Momma, tomatoes, or just about everything else)" about twenty times a day, and everybody is her best friend. I wish I had such a happy and loving attitude all the time. She is still our "Sweet Baby" and very much a Daddy's girl.

Some of Kate's favorites are swimming, pestering Luke, tomatoes, hot dogs, jumping on her trampoline, Dora the Explorer, purple, ponies, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Barney, Upside Down Show, cupcakes, donuts, pickles (she calls them tickles), popsicles, dancing, and Chuck E Cheese.

Kate is famous for rolling her eyes....we think it is funny for now.
She is also our most accident prone child. If someone is going to get hurt it will be Kate. The ice pack can heal just about anything....but it can't grow teeth!
She wants to go to Chuck E Cheese and have a pool party for her birthday. Sounds like fun!!
We just love this little girl to pieces!! You are such a blessing to our family!! What a wonderful gift God gave us four years ago!! Happy Birthday Big Girl Kate!! (she prefers not to be called Baby Kate anymore:0( )

Sea World

On the way home from Lake Livingston we headed to San Antonio. We were going to Sea World!! The last time we had been to Sea World was when Luke was about 2 1/2 years old. When we went it was in March when the weather was still cool, actually is was down right cold that day. This time was a completely different experience. It was miserably HOT! Kate and Wade were crying while we waited in line in 95+ degree heat for over an hour. I was so worried about how the day was going to go. The first thing we did was head for the water. The kids splashed in the splash pad and cooled off while I found drinks. Once everybody cooled off we headed for the walrus, otter, and sea lion show.

We were all smiling, but we were still very hot!
The sea lions were swimming around hoping people would feed them little fish.
There were even babies. The little one on the right was one week old. The one on the left was a month old. They were bigger than I thought they would be.
The little otter was the kids favorite. He was so cute and made a cute little sound. The kids want to get one to keep at home....I don't think so!!!
Before the show. Luke and Rachel sat in the splash zone hoping to get wet and cool off some. The water missed them.

Wade napped during the second show.
The second show was probably the favorite. They had acrobats, dolphins, birds, crazy costumes, and a silly guy/clown. It was very entertaining. The kids sat in the splash zone again...I don't think they were hit with even a drop of water.
The big Shamu show was next. It was neat to see the whales flipping and doing their tricks. Kate gasp the first time the whale jumped out of the water.

Luke and Rachel were sitting in the splash zone again...even in the Shamu show they did not get wet. I guess if you did not want to get splashed you needed to sit next to them. They were so disappointed they had not been splashed all day.
The water skiers were next. It is amazing what they can do on water skis. The kids finally got splashed during the show!!! Kate tried to run out and jump in the water during the show. I caught her just before her toes hit the water.
Rachel, Luke, Kate, and I went on the water ride. Rachel did not like the height of the drop, but Luke and Kate thought it was the greatest thing. They wanted to go again!
The alligator and turtle pond. I had never seen so many alligators just lying around.
We closed the park down that day. It was a long hot day, but we managed to have a great time! We know to never go in the middle of the summer again. March or October would be much cooler and more enjoyable.

Happy Birthday Daddy's Granny!!!

Happy Birthday to you Daddy's Granny!! We love you very much!! Hope you are having a good day!

PS. I told Kate today was Daddy's Granny's birthday. Kate said well she is our Granny too!

What's So Funny?

Hope this makes you smile....

I wonder if he will laugh until he passes out when he is older like his Grandpa!!

The Lake

As always, the lake was so much fun this year!! You just can't beat a fun filled weekend of swimming, fishing, singing, and eating. Not to mention all the kids there were to play with.

Wade was really not a big fan of swimming in the lake. It kind of surprised me since he likes water so much. I guess the water was too rough for him.
There was lots of jumping off the pier. This is Luke, Avalon, Tenley, and Rachel jumping together.
Lukie swinging on the rope.
Rachel and Avalon were great friends this weekend. We had not seen Avalon since she was about five. My she had grown up. Rachel has a friend/cousin as tall as she is and they are both ten years old!!
Tenley ready to take a plunge.
Miles enjoyed his time on the dock much better than his time in the water. He was not a fan of the lake. He did swim in the pool though.
Uncle Beaubie and Ian.

Grandnanna with Wade.
Uncle Aaron turned back flips off the rope!!! I was impressed!!
Johnnie and Sydney.
Grandpa with his buddies for the weekend.
Wade's curly little mohawk.
Kate's turn on the rope.
Luke being a stinker.
Uncle Aaron and Sydney.
Katybug swimming and smiling....what she does all summer long.
The kids did a little fishing too. Rachel caught three and Luke caught one.

We are so lucky Carol and Cecil open up their home for us to come every year. It is always so much fun, and we always look forward to coming back next year. Aaron and Johnnie and their kids got to come for the first time. We were super excited about that! We just want to thank Carol and Cecil for all they do to make this weekend possible we truly appreciate it!!

Eleven Months

Yesterday was the Fourth of July and Wade turned eleven months!!! He celebrated his first Fourth of July by going to Snyder. He watched the parade and ate his first sucker. He enjoyed a chili dog, baked beans, and home made ice cream at the picnic at Shirley's. Then he watched the fireworks in the park. The fireworks were interesting but lasted too long for him. It was a great day!

Wade has fourteen teeth now!! The excessive drooling has subsided. He is eating and feeding himself more finger foods. He likes Cheerios and cut up grapes best. He can drink pretty well out of a cup too. He weighs 23 pounds even!

He thought his brother was pretty funny in the picture below.
He is pulling up on everything and has even stood alone for a few seconds.
He enjoys playing the piano some.
He is also fascinated with ceiling fans. Every time you walk into a room he pauses to look at the ceiling fan. He prefers them to be on, but he looks and studies the fans whether they are on or not. He also loves things with wheels. He loves to turn wheels around and around.