August phone pics

 We finished up swim lessons in August, Benjamin swimming through the ring of fire.

Doing the spider walk along the pool wall.

Harrison and Me headed out to book club 

14th anniversary flowers! Michael got my two favorites, gerbera daisies and pink roses.

We went to dinner at Signature Grill for our anniversary celebration. It was as great as I remembered!

His and hers coffees at Syrup in Norman for breakfast

Leaving the library...again...

I went in to check on Isabella one Saturday afternoon as it had got quiet, and found her asleep and all covered up with her stuffed animals. 

I'm feeling  really tender about how big my kids are getting. Lots of sweet sleeping pics this month.

After Wednesday night church ice cream run to Roxy's!

The day before school started Isabella and I had a girls day together while Benjamin was at mother's day out. So fun to be just the two of us with school starting soon and baby brother on the way.

Night before first day of school lunch making

Michael was out of town the night before school started so Iz slept with me, as she likes to do when he is gone. Tomorrow she wakes up a kindergartener!

I was successful in making lunches the night before school, probably the two times that are documented in this post. Ha!

Watching Thomas in our pjs with my two boys in my lap. 

July phone pics

 Breakfast and playing with my mom and chickfila before she left for Australia for the month.

 He loves playing with these magnets at the library

 Her typical picture outside of the library

 Mom left us money to go to the cookie shop while they were in Australia and wouldn't be able to bring us cookies. :) 

 Michael was home for lunch one work day and the three of them had a "rockin'" dance party.

 Playing in the kinetic sand at the library family story time. 

 Headed to the toddler tea party at church

 Tea time at church

 We had our own tea party at home during Benjamin's nap time later that week

Afternoon play time

June phone pics

The kids and I went to play at Frontier city one day the week we got home from vacation. They rode a few rides, but we spent most of the time at the water part.

My big girl has needed some naps to get through some of these summer days. :)

Isabella and I had a great Saturday morning out at the farmer's market and store. Sweet times together. And HELLOOOO 3rd trimester! We were headed out on a date this night. My mom offered to keep the kids for a date night. Yes please! We went to La Brasa and loved our meal there!

Isabella broke her ankle....that was not fun. The walking boot made a huge difference and she was out of it in about 9 days. Still no gymnastics allowed yet though!

We went to see Finding Dory, a nice escape from the heat. Isabella was there too, just sitting with my Mom.

Isabella in her new room. We changed the kids rooms all around in preparation for baby #3. Its been a transition for both of them. Isabella has mostly enjoyed her new space, but doesn't love the air conditioning unit right outside her window and says its a little scary. But otherwise she loves her big closet and her new set up. Benjamin tells me a few times a week he wishes he could sleep in his old bed in his old room. The change has been a bit harder for him. But he's been sleeping well in the new room and likes having all of his toys in his room.

We had dinner with our OC group of friends. Our group has grown quite a lot since we first became friends!

At the Star Spangled Fried Chicken Dinner at church. Isabella was too fast to get a clear picture. She was able to make the rounds of the parade with her boot on.

Benjamin in the parade

At our "spall" time, as she called it. A friend told her about having a spa night, and she was all about asking me over and over if we could do it too. We soaked our hands and feet in fancy water and I gave her a full pedicure. And there was chocolate of course. She's now saying she wants to have a spall birthday party. We shall see, her party theme changes every week. "Wouldn't it be the best mom if there was a place that was half spall and half braums?!?! And you could get your nails done AND GET ICE CREAM?! BEST. PLACE. EVER!!!"

KATIEBUGS! They moved their trailer to downtown Edmond. So we went to check out their new location one afternoon. 

Some of our May

May was a busy and fun month.With the end of school coming, our family beach trip, birthdays, mother's day, and Michael's Africa trip there was much to plan for and we tried to have as much family time together as possible.
We went to frontier city a few times. The kids have found their favorite things to do when we go.

Benjamin loves this little train, and especially if he can sit in the front to be the "conductor" and ring the bell incessantly while it goes around. :)

Isabella and I attended the mother/daughter spa night at church. We had a fun evening and she enjoyed planning our matching outfits for the fashion show. We also went to Roxy's for ice cream afterward with Jillian and Heather and that was fun!

Mother's day morning out to breakfast.

Benjamin spent lots of time playing bubbles on the back porch.

I got an awesome coupon from zappos and got Isabella some saltwaters for just over $5! She's been so excited to have matching shoes with me.

Enjoying some after dinner backyard play time

She had her "Medals in May" where parents get to come in the gym and watch what all they do in their gymnastic classes. She had been excited about this day for weeks!

She's moving up to the 6 year old class now! 

We said goodbye to Michael for 12 days as he left on his Africa adventure. Isabella was quite tearful. 

Our first night with Dad gone, bedtime success. The evenings can be long when you're single parenting. Knowing that no one is coming to help with dinner, and bath time, and bed time and all the things that need to get done. But our first night went smoothly and that was a blessing to have happy hearts to start off our longest time without Dad.

We met my mom after the last day of school at the zoo and then my parents took us to cheesecake factory for dinner.

Playing tea party together. Also known as, making a huge mess with water everywhere...but they have a great time.

Michael sent us lots of pictures and updates from Kenya. This was a goat a village presented them with after a well was completed for them.

Benjamin's last day of mother's day out for the Spring. They had some special activities planned for the day. Here he is finishing up his letter B bread stick for lunch time.