Suppertime Chats

We were all sitting around the table eating tonight. The conversation somehow turned to drinking. No, not alcohol, just about drinking out of your cup. Lyric told us all, "You should always swallow your food before taking a drink because you don't want to have anything floating around in the bottom of your cup!"

Yes, this is true Miss Lyric. Now if we could only get her to practice what she preaches!

Summertime Fun

Today we spent the day at the lake. We went over to Mimi J's and Uncle Brandon's. We swam for a few hours and then we went back to the house for bar b que. The boys did a really good job cooking! We were a little worried because they were drinking while we were swimming and you just never know how the cooking is going to go when it is mixed with beer! But they did a great job. We all had a really good time. Cadence enjoyed a Cheeto on the way to the lake.

Baby Zayden caught some Zs while everyone swam.

Cadence spent some time hanging out in the stroller watching everyone enjoy the lake. The girls had a blast swimming!

Uncle Brandon taught the girls a neat trick with the noodles. You fill your noodle with water and then blow the water at people. Thanks Uncle Brandon!

When Baby Zayden woke up he went in the lake for the first time. He didn't really like it.

I think it was too cold!

Zayden enjoyed hanging out with mama better than that cold lake! After swimming Mimi J took the girls back to the house and we all just hung out and talked for a while. We really don't see each other that often, so it was fun to just hang out and chat.

The Cox boys cooking up some good bar b que! The girls hanging out with Katie. Be careful Katie, that chip could be soggy (yes, I am speaking from experience!). Story held Baby Zayden, I don't thing he was as scared as he looks! At least I hope not! The girls pushed Cadence around in the stroller. She loved it, but Lyric did almost give Katie a heart attack! She just pushed Cadence as hard as she could and then let go! Come on Katie, those rocks wouldn't have hurt too much:-) Overall, we had a really fun day! Thanks Mimi J and Uncle Brandon!

Story Has a New Passion!

Story has discovered a new passion in life! Laundry! That's right ladies and gentlemen the two year old LOVES to do laundry! She asks me about twenty times a day if we can do laundry. If she gets upset about something and starts to cry all I have to say is, "Do you want to help me do laundry?" It brings her right out of her funk. She loves helping me gather it, put it in the washer and dryer and she likes to give it to me to fold. I think her favorite part is putting it in the washer. We have a routine: I put the clothes in front of the washer and she picks something up and says, "Does this go in?" I say, "Yes, that goes in." She then throws it in the washer and climbs up the side of the washer to make sure it went in. She then picks up something else and does the whole thing... "Does this go in... " She helps put about half a load of clothes in this way and then as she is leaving the room she says, "I'm tired of doing this, I don't want to help anymore." But she always returns when it is time to put them in the dryer.

She totally keeps me on top of the laundry too. I don't know about you, but I have a tendency to take a load out of the dryer and leave it sitting there until someone needs something out of it or I want to watch Oprah and use folding clothes as an excuse to sit down and watch it. Not with Story around. As soon as we take them out of the dryer she says, "Let's go fold them now."

We have a little game that we play when we are folding them. It's pretty silly, but she likes it. She picks up something of hers and says, "Here you fold Daddy's shorts." and I will say, "Daddy looks so pretty when he wears these shorts." Or she will pick up my panties and say, "I better put my panties on," and then she tries them on. It is really cute!

I don't know how long this little obsession is going to last, but I am going to enjoy the help while I have it (even if it does take twice as long with her help!).

Just checking to make sure it went in (I don't really know where it may have gone, but you never know). Taking clothes out of the dryer. Those two year old arms aren't very long, so it takes the whole body. Getting ready to fold.

* As always clothing optional around here--even when doing the laundry.

I'm a Size 8

I have been reading the book Harmonic Wealth by James Arthur Ray. It is awesome. There is a website that accompanies the book if you want to check it out. I bought the book and Devon and I watched the movie The Secret which is also awesome, if you haven't seen it. They are both about quantum physics, The Law of Attraction and getting what you want in life. Some of the stuff is pretty far out there, but I find it very interesting! It discusses how you send waves out into the universe and the universe is responds like your genie in a bottle and says your wish is my command.

For example, the library is very busy in the summer. The girls and I go to story time every Tuesday and if there is no parking we have to park across the street. I have three kids, a huge bag of books, the diaper bag, and our bottle of water! Walking across the street is no fun! So a few weeks ago we went to the library and had to park across the street--it sucked! The next week Devon and I had just watched the movie The Secret. I visualized myself getting a front row parking space. I imagined how it would feel to drive up and get the kids and the "stuff" and just be able to walk into the library. We got to the library and right there in the front row was a parking space almost like it had our name on it and was just waiting for us! Sound like a coincidence, I know, but, wait, I have more examples... That night I went to my softball game, I kept visualizing myself making a double. I saw myself celebrating on second base and how good it would feel to be standing there on second knowing I just made a double. I got up to bat and kept visualizing it. I hit the ball and ran to first, the short stop overthrew the ball so I was able to run to second. I did it. I hit a double. It wasn't really how I had imagined it, I would have been out if the other team hadn't made and error, but I was standing on second...Crazy!

In the book it talks about when you have a goal you shouldn't think about it in the future tense. You shouldn't think, "I hope there is a good parking place when I get to the library." You should think about it in the present and how you are going to feel when you achieve that goal. So, I am a size eight. Any of you who have seen me lately can clearly see I am not a size 8, but I am telling the universe I am a size 8, so I will be! I have done a few things this week to help me towards that goal: Tuesday-I did the circuit at the gym, I rode on the bike for 20 minutes and I played softball; Wednesday-I went to the gym at 7:15 in the morning for a boot camp workout(it was bad and I am sore), and I swam with the girls in the afternoon; Today- I got up at 6:30 and swam laps at the pool (it was awesome!I loved it). The next time you see me you may not notice it, but I am a size 8!

Confident Four Year Old

The girls and I went to the pool yesterday. They decided to take their water football. After about five minutes of playing with they were done with it and just left it floating. A little girl, probably about 12 years old, came over and started playing with it. The girls didn't care and just kept swimming. When it was time to go I asked Lyric if she wanted me to go over and get the ball back or if she wanted to. She said she would do it. So she walked up to this 12 year old girl and said, "May I please have my ball back?"

How cool it that? Lyric can be shy at times, but she also has a confidence about her that always makes me proud!

Lunch Time Chat

The girls and I had a nice discussion during lunch today. This one did not involve weddings or falling in love, thank goodness. While I was making lunch I could hear them talking about things that scare them.

They then asked me what I was scared of. I told them that I am scared something will happen to one of my girls. It scares me to think of them not being safe. They then asked me what makes it better. I said when my girls are safe with me it is all better.

I then asked each of them what scares them. Lyric said it scares her that the house would fall on her and she would be under it. Story said a "LION!" scares her. Lyric then told us it makes it all better when she hugs her baby sister. Story said it makes her better when she hugs her milk. Typical Story finding comfort in the milk!

Sleepy Head

Lyric woke up this morning, as she put it "before the sun." Daddy made her a pancake and left the room. A few minutes later he heard her fork hit the table, so he went to check on her and found...

8th Wonder of the World

So, my mom, Grammy, decided she wanted a swing set in her backyard for when the grand kids come over. She asked Bob, my dad, to build her a swing set with a few swings and maybe a slide. It didn't take it long for her "swing set" to go from having a few swings and maybe a slide to being the "8th Wonder of the World." Anyone who knows my dad knows he doesn't do anything small. He can build just about anything you can imagine, but small is not a word that is used very often to describe the things he builds! They now have the coolest play scape in their backyard, I am surprised my kids came home when I went to pick them up last week! People driving by have stopped and asked if they could look at this thing it is so cool! It has a kitchen on the bottom with a window and a counter so you can walk up and order.The inside of the kitchen is complete with a table and chairs and yes Grammy did stock it with dishes. Above the kitchen is a deck where you can take a break from the playing and enjoy the breeze.It has a rock wall on one side and a rope to climb on the other side. Both girls were more than willing to demonstrate for me! There are two swings and a seesaw swing that hang from the bridge. At the end of a bridge is a steering wheel.The slide will shoot you into next week! Coming off of the side of the swings is a hanging bar and a baby swing. Story and Cadence really enjoyed these.This thing looks more like a playground instead of a backyard play scape. The grand kids are going to enjoy it for years to come! Bob, you rock for building this! Grammy, you rock for letting him!

Help, Help, who can help?

I heard someone in distress in the office yesterday. It wasn't the freak out kind of distress, but someone definetly needing help. I walked in the room and there was my little Story Bell stuck. I couldn't help but laugh! Only little Story would get herself in this prediciment! She agreed to let me take pictures before helping her out.

**Yes, as usual, she wasn't wearing panties.**

"Love" According to a 4 Year Old

We sat down for lunch today and Lyric informed me that she and Story were in a hurry because they were going to a wedding. Oh really, I decided to pick her brain a little...

Me--Oh, you're going to a wedding. Well, what does that mean? Why do people get married?

Lyric-- They're getting married because they fell in love.

Me (after picking my chin up off the floor)-- What does it mean to 'fall in love?'

Lyric (very matter of fact)-- Mama, you meet somebody and you think they are pretty, so you fall in love and get married.

Me-- Oh, do they have to be pretty? Is that the only reason you would fall in love with somebody?

Lyric-- Yes!

Me-- What if they are really pretty, but they aren't a very nice person, what if they are mean, would you still marry them?

Lyric-- Well, maybe if they dress real pretty then you could marry them.

Me-- What does it mean to get married? What happens after someone gets married?

Lyric-- Well, you fall in love, you get married, you buy a house and a car and that is how you have babies.

Me--... silent............ Oh.....

That was the end of our conversation, because I was so shocked! Where do they learn this stuff? Anyone who knows me knows she didn't get it from me! I have three hairs on my whole head and I never where makeup.

They get it from all that princess crap! That's it no more princesses around here! Our Cinderella, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast DVDs are going to have to disappear! Anyone who shops for my girls NO MORE PRINCESSES! I have already lost the four year old to all of that Prince Charming crap, but the two young ones haven't been contaminated yet. There is still hope!

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all of the dads out there. We had a good day with daddy today. It started out with Lyric and I making him pancakes. Then the girls gave him his gift. I was instructed not to spend any money on him this year, so I took some pictures of the girls and put them in some cheap frames. I just wanted a cute picture of each of the girls for a cheap gift for daddy. How hard can that be, right? Well, now I know why the photographers make the big bucks! Our little photo shoot did not go very well! Here are a few I had to choose from:

Even though the shoot didn't go very well, daddy liked his gift!

We all went swimming in the afternoon. Daddy gives great rides!

The girls really gave him a workout wanting to be thrown again and again! Cadence had a good time in her float. Overall, we had a really good day!