Stanley's Are in Town

Updates on Clifton -
He is obsessed with numbers lately.  Asking about the clock and what numbers are on there.  Any numbers he sees and doesn't know he will ask what that makes.  We were in a parking lot and there was numbers on the spaces and he asked for every number we saw over 10.  "What does 8 and 8 make mom, what does 8 and 9 make, what does 9 and 0 make..."  I love his curiosity!

Updates on McKay -
We love a Nickelodeon show Wallykazam!  McKay especially loves a little dragon on it named Norville (he is a really cute character).  He doesn't speak but makes noises.  McKay talks like him all day long.  Its cute until I need her to use her words:/

Monday we got to go visit our friends in their new house.

It was great to see them and their beautiful new house.  And of course it was fun to play and explore their acreage!  Oh man I would love some acreage.  One day.... maybe!

That night for FHE we talked about serving each other.  And decided to do some chalk service.  We choose a couple friends and went to decorate their sidewalk with nice words and pictures.

It was a fun activity to do together.  All of us could join in and help decorate the sidewalk.

Wednesday my brother, Justin, and his family came into town.

 Of course we had to get Uno out.  My kids are seriously obsessed.  It was nice to have someone else play with them.

 Thursday my little preschool went on a field trip to the bug museum and my brother and family joined in on the fun.  It was really fun.  None of my two year old have been so it was fun to watch them react to the bugs and reptiles.  Such a cute place!

 After the bug museum the sun was shining so we went down to the bay and played.  Plus I had to show off the beautiful place that we live:)

Then lunch on the bay!  Man did we love having the Stanley's in town to play with us.  We sure do love them and it's always fun to get together with them.

Friday my other brother, Chip, and his girlfriend came into town.  Saturday our town was having a little festival so we went out to explore.

It was a lot of fun.  We walked vendors, played on bounce houses, rode the foot ferry, did some art, and touched some sea creatures.  It was fun to go out and adventure.  My kids loved having Uncle Chip and Gabby here too.  A fun weekend.  We of course had to make Chip and Gabby watch the Sounders game with us.  It was a rough game but still fun to watch.  Now if we could get Chip to join in on being a Sounders fan instead of Portland Timbers:) 

More Sunshine!

Updates on Clifton -
He is really into writing his name.  He wants to write his name on everything!  He is still loving to color and has to make sure his name is on everything he colors.  He often asks for a piece of paper so he can write his name and he will fill the paper with writing his first and last name over and over again.

Updates on McKay -
She has been Daddy's girl this week.  "Where is Daddy?"  "Is Daddy him yet?"  "No... I want Daddy!"  She wants him all the time and really doesn't want to share him either:/

For FHE it was a beautiful day so we went out to play miniature golf!

Clifton was all about it and had a blast!  McKay liked it until her pink ball almost went in the water.  She freaked out and refused to play after that because she did not want to lose her pink ball.  Heaven forbid!

Yep thats Alex scooping his ball out of the water.  A really fun night out together!

Our friends made our fun night an even better night by stopping by with ice cream bars.  We have the best of friends!

The weather was awesome this week.  So we spent a lot of time outside playing.

I was obviously taking it too easy.  I was laying outside soaking in the sun while the kids were playing.  Then all of the sudden I was getting squirted with a squirt gun!  They sure thought they were funny.

They love those squirt guns.

We spent a day at the lake enjoying the weather too.

 Clifton has always been afraid of water but he left his fears at home today and was going out deep.  I love watching him get over fears.  McKay was never afraid and was out there with her brother the whole time.

Of course we had to have a picnic at the lake too!

The rest of the week we spent outside enjoying the great weather.

 Catching frogs and bugs.

McKay is quite good on that scooter.

Playing at the park.  Spiderman was there:)

My kids have been extra silly in the bath lately.

Love my goof balls!

Mother's Day 2014

Updates on Clifton -
Still very interested in words and spelling.  He is always asking questions abut words and sounds.  He is such a curios little boy.  He definitely keeps me on my toes with all the questions.  But its great that he is so interested.
He is also super interested in coloring.  He will spend a long time on one picture and has a purpose to what color goes where.  It is really good because he has never really showed much interest in coloring.

Updates on McKay -
This girl is always dancing.  Always, whether there is music or not.  She is so cute:)  She still loves coming to Zumba with me and knows some of the routines pretty well.  I hope she keeps this love and we can both share the love of dance.

Monday for FHE we had a lesson on good words and bad words.  We have a few words we don't want to be using in our house that the kids have been saying.  So I put words on pieces of paper (good and bad) and they took turns finding a piece of paper.  We would read the word and talk about whether that is a good word or a bad word.  If it was bad we would crinkle it up and throw it in a trash can.  They really liked that part.

We had a couple nice days this week and we were able to take advantage of them and play outside.

Oh summer I am so excited!

At preschool Thursday we had a Mother's Day tea.  All the moms came and we had snacks and did crafts together.

I love how my tote bag turned out!

Mother's day was this weekend so our ward put together a father/son campout.  Alex decided he was going to take Clifton.  This was Clifton's first campout and he was so very excited.  Alex was nervous of how it would go.  But even with that fear and rain he still took Clifton.

And they had a blast!

Clifton did wake up in the middle of the night cold and confused but as soon as he got in to Alex's sleeping bag he slept great.  Alex however did not get much sleep.  He is such a good father doing things he does not particularly enjoy so that Clifton can have good memories.  And so I could have kind of a night off.

While the boys were out McKay and I took a trip to Bluberries and got some yummy frozen yogurt.

McKay approved of that:)
She also requested we paint our nails.  So we came home and painted our nails blue and green for the Sounders game this weekend.

She loves them.

Sunday was Mother's Day and I was spoiled.  My favorite gift I got me was my new phone cover.

Just love it!

 My kiddos each made me cards.  Clifton is getting so good at writing.  And Alex made me breakfast.

The kids made sure to tell me I was beautiful and give me lots of hugs and kisses.  I sure love my family!

That afternoon we got to go over to Alex's sisters and spend time with his family.  And his nephew got to Skype home from his mission so we got a couple minutes to see him and say hi.  It was a wonderful day.

I know I say this all the time but I am so happy my kids know and love their cousins.  It is something I did not get to have growing up.  And I see how important it is in my kids lives now.

Here is a funny video of Clifton singing to Frozen on our way home from Alex's sisters house.

Love this guy!

Soaking in the Sun!

Updates on Clifton -
He is really catching on to reading.  He is always telling me what sound words start with, what words rhyme, and what letters he hears in words.  And we are working at reading and he is doing quite well.  Its fun to watch.

Updates on McKay -
She really enjoys reading books.  She always has enjoyed books but she really loves it lately and loves to pretend to read books.  She will turn pages and tell the story in her own words.  It is so cute!

For FHE we had our friends join us.  This was one of my favorite lessons we have done.  We talked about spiritual crocodiles that we have in our lives and what we can use to keep us safe in the jungle. Then went on a crocodile hunt!  It was so much fun and the company was great too!  Here is where I got the idea.  I changed it up a little but pretty much did this. http://www.scribd.com/doc/19717166/Spiritual-Crocodiles-FHE

This week was a beautiful week.  The sun came out and it was so nice.  I am such a better mom when the sun is shining.  There is so much to do and enjoy.

Playing in the sprinkler, bought a water table, got squirt guns out, played soccer and football, bubbles, picnics (with delicious watermelon), and just soaking up the sunshine!

We even took a trip to Manchester and played by the bay.  One of my favorite places.

Such a beautiful place.  Water, sand, view of Seattle on one side and mountains on the other.  We had a blast playing.

We even washed my car.

Clifton is a great helper.

Clifton had his last gymnastics class this week.  He has really enjoyed it and I probably sign him up for the next session.

He is a goober!

Thursday we got to go to our friends birthday party.

It was such a nice evening with friends.  I am so blessed to have great people in mine and my kids lives.

My kids love doing Zumba with me.  I think it is the cutest thing ever.

My favorite Zumba partners.

Saturday our stake had a day of service in Port Orchard.  There was land that we cleared to make a dog park.

My kids only lasted about an hour and half but it was a great opportunity for them to learn to serve our community and to work.  It was a fun morning.

That evening we got to go to another birthday party.

My kids love Chuck E Cheese.  We had a blast!