Swim Lessons

Evan has the opportunity to take swim lessons from an incredible swim school here, Dolfin Swim School. Ms. Linda and her staff do a great job teaching kids. As a former swimmer and coach - I am a huge fan. Evan ended up being the only one who came to class today so I got some good pictures with just him. He has such a great time - just don't ask him to jump in the pool unassisted. He will do anything else, but just not that - he is very adament about that.

Singing the beginning song.

Picking up the "big torpedo" (this week's toy) from the 3 yr old step.

Motorboat and rollover the length of the pool (with some assistance of course). He has improved so much this year it's amazing.

Kicking the dolfin kick. He has learned the flutter kick, backstroke kick, and is learning elementary backstroke and the whip kick (breaststroke).

Floating.

Rib Fest 2009

Jeff and I decided it was time for the inaugural Rib Fest to take place and Saturday was a perfect day. We invited a few families for this first year to kick it off and hope to make it an annual event. Seeing that it was the Saturday before Easter we let the kids dye easter eggs on the driveway. As you can see, Evan used his hands mostly and when finished he looked a lot like a dyed easter egg himself.

Sadly I did not get a single picture of the 6 racks of babyback ribs, porkloin, cole slaw, applesauce or stuffed jalapenos - all homemade. The food was awesome! Maybe next year on the pictures! (Sorry Jeff).

Flying Kites

We have great wind here in Dallas for flying kites. I have to admit I do not always like how windy it gets here but on this evening it was perfect.

Houston Trip

Evan and I went to Houston for a few days over our Spring Break. We had a great time visiting family and going to the Rodeo Livestock Show and Carnival. Evan's cousin Paige was quite a trooper taking him on all the kids rides.

I Love This Boy!

Evan found some earmuffs at Grandma and Grandpa's house. He put them on and wanted me to take his picture so he could see himself on the screen. He would then change up how he was wearing them and wait for another picture. I love this boy's humor.

Snow!

We went to Iowa for a long weekend to see family as well as for Jeff to lead a day long training at the church he grew up in. He did a great job and we had a lot of fun seeing family. While we were there it snowed a few times. Evan has seen and played in snow before but never while it was snowing. This brought a whole new level of joy to our adventureous and fun boy.

The snow was just starting to fall and he couldn't wait to get outside. He was actually outside before I could get his shoes and jacket on.

"Look Dad, it's SNOWING!"

Pure anticipation of the small snow hill

This is my favorite picture from the weekend. He has just been hit by his first snowball. The look on his face is priceless to me. The combination of wondering what happened, did he like it, it is okay that someone (Grandma) threw snow at him, and so much more. I love it!

First we taste it....

Then we throw our first snowball at Grandma. "This is fun!!"

Now he's into it. What form! Throwing at Grandma and Daddy throwing at him. Grandma was quite the trooper letting Evan throw snowball after snowball at her. He has good aim and quite an arm for 2.5 - you can see the snowball he threw in the air heading towards Grandma.

Making a snow angel on the driveway. He was so cold but would never admit it. He has snow all over his clothes and in them. Come on, we live where there is very little snow so here is his "snow outfit" - Grey long sleeve ISU t-shirt, target sweater, target pants, and Kohl's shoes. He was soaked! And of course went straight to the bath as it was evening and 9 degrees outside. However I am not sure he would have come in on his own until he was a popsicle.

This "face plant" was completely on purpose and repeated over and over as he loved to just jump and fall into the snow. It was hilarious.

Pure joy and advetureous fun.

"I Want to Cuddle"

These are my four favorite words to hear these days. It means that my sweet boy, who is growing up way too fast for me, wants to just sit on the couch with me and read a book, talk or watch "one of my shows" as he calls TV. He climbs up and scoots as close as he can to my side. He wants both my arms around him and he just wants to cuddle. It is amazingly sweet and he can get me to stop doing almost anything to cuddle - even if only for a few minutes as I know someday the cuddles will stop and I don't want to miss a single one. Lately while we've been cuddling, he puts his hand on my growing belly and just waits to feel his baby sister kick or he "tickles" her and thinks it's so fun. He is a joy, a challenge, a cuddler and I love him. Only 3.5 months until 3 - I hope he still wants to cuddle.

A Day at the Museum with Friends

We went to the Science and History Museum with some friends last week. It's a fun museum with areas of learning and activity all over. There is a children's area too, but Evan is starting to like the other areas more and more. He loved "digging" for the dinosaur bones and watching how things work.

Digging for dinosaur bones

Milking the cow

Evan is completely mesmerized by this ball machine every time we come. He is trying to figure out how it moves the balls up through traps and pulleys and then drops them through a series of "tunnels." I could barely pull him away to the bubbles.

Making huge bubbles, so much fun

The Dictator, The Lab Puppy and Smokey Bug

These three titles all refer to the 3 foot 2.5 yr old that lives in this home. Let me explain:

The Dictator: Yes, he thinks he is in charge all the time. For example he will tell you where to sit, when to clap and what you can't eat off your own plate because he is going to eat it. We are working on forming these commands into questions with pleases and surviving when the answer must be no. Another example is if he is doing something he knows he isn't supposed to be doing and you walk in the room - we are most likely going to hear, "I don't want Mommy to talk." In his mind then he doesn't have to stop - this doesn't work either. Many times this phrase is said amist tears as he is not getting to do what he wants. He even did this to the Director of his school - yes our little Dictator.

The Lab Puppy: Our Evan is a lot like a Lab puppy. Sweet, playful, fun, creative, happy go lucky, plays until he crashes, loyal, cuddly, smart, always moving, always talking or singing, etc. However he also chews and destroys everything in sight! He is a destroyer. He wants one car, he dumps the whole basket, he wants one book, he takes them all down, he likes to take every letter magnet off of the fridge and put them on the kitchen floor (have I mentioned we have a tiny kitchen and this is hazardess?). As for the chewing...he has always been a kid with the need to taste things (I like to think this is because he is smart and learning with all 5 senses, what it really means is that Poison Control is programed in my phone and they probably have a file on me). I loved when he started walking because the tasting became less, although now it's things that smell like they might taste good. Since he's been two a few examples are: vasoline, candles, shampoo, deoderant, tums.......

Smokey Bug: This is my favorite. We have called him "Bug" for awhile, not sure where it orginated, but it stuck. One day at Target I said "Okie Dokie Smokey?" He thought this was hilarious and wanted me to say it over and over much to his delight and laughter. Then he said he was Smokey and that turned into Smokey Bug. Ahhh, the creativity and imagination that has already begun - I love it!

This wonder of a little boy keeps us on our toes at all times and amazes us at every turn. He is full throttle most of the time but can pull up just enough to snuggle in for a book or a chat. I love it!

Branson

We met Jeff's family in Branson for a long weekend after Christmas. We stayed in a hotel with an indoor waterpark - smart idea when there are 6 kids from 2 1/2 - 12 yrs old! We all arrived Friday evening with plenty of time to hit the waterpark before dinner. Evan loved the "Toddler Area" as he could slide and run, jump, climb and play.

Playing in the "Basketball Pool"


Having so much fun!

Jeff, Evan and cousins Mary, Collin and Annie

Jeff, Evan and Annie in the "Tree House" with all sorts of water shooting out and 2 large slides going down. Even at a tall 37" Evan was 5" short of being able to go on the big slides - this caused a few tears each day but in a place like this - distractions were easy to come by.

The large water bucket that dumped ever 10 or so minutes. A bell would ring just before and kids would come running from all areas to get drenched - Evan loved it!

Evan and Mary

Amy and Evan in the hot tub for kids and adults. There was another one just for adults.

Floating the Lazy River

This is what happens when your girl cousins get pink nail polish...and Evan's current favorite color is pink. As are his toenails still today.

The product...

Bubbles with Collin and Annie

All the kids (Christopher got a Nike shirt because he is a Hawkeye Fan) got Iowa State shirts for Christmas. Here is the attempt at getting a picture of all of them before we go into the Dixie Stampede Show.

On the way home we decided to go through Arkansas and visit Hot Springs - why not, who knows when we'll travel this way again. Hot Springs turned out to be really interesting. On the main street are all the former bath houses that were open and used from about 1912-1965ish. One has been preserved and turned into a museum you can walk through. Beyond that one is a hotspring coming straight from the ground with temps that stay at 137 degrees. It was amazing. The history of the bath houses was quite interesting as you could see where medicine and wealth collided. Although it appeared that they remained quite affordable. Many traveled for the baths and steams and for rehabilitation from diseases.

Going through Arkansas made a 7.5hr trip a 12 hr trip (we did stay in Hot Springs for about an hour). Evan was a trooper and even got to watch a little "Max and Ruby" before dinner.