Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Zoo Fun 2012!

To say that my girls are animal lovers....is an understatement! They both love seeing/touching animals, reading books about them, watching show about them...they just love all of God's creatures. We got to take a trip to the zoo last week with several of our dear pals. It was a beautiful day, with perfect sunshine-y weather. The zoo is a favorite place of ours!!!

We zoo-ed until, literally the girls couldn't go anymore! They had a blast!
My girls were both up and ready early...I shot a few pics of the girls having a breakfast smoothie on the front porch waiting on our zoo buddies...Gigi (my Mom) and my nephew Joshua (age 7) to arrive to go with us.

Cutie pie girls in the best "Zoo" outfits I could come up with...a little cheetah print on Sadie and a Zebra shirt on Mags. Ha! It's a girl thing!

Maggie Caroline...4.5 years old.
Sadie Rose...20 months.
Flamingos.

Gazelle.

Boa constrictor.

They loved the pond with turtles and...

Mr. Crocodile!!!!

Amazing snake...from Africa.

Up close and personal with the animals...a snake and a tarantula.

LOVE this pic of the boys...Landry, Drew and Clayton. They weren't posing. They were just taking it all in. So cute!

Blue hyacinth parrot.

Mags and a comodo dragon.

my girls...

Mr. Meerkat.

Joshua and Maggie.

Asian Elephant.

Gigi, Joshua, Maggie and Sadie.

The Giraffe family.

My precious bestie and I.

Silly Sadie.

Learning about crocodiles at the outdoor classroom.

Kangaroo.

Tiger nap time. HA!

ROAR!!!! Lion.

Chimpanzee family, with their swinging little 3 month old baby.

Cheetah.

Some of the cutest 5 zoo-goers, EVER!!!


Love to all,
Leah

Friday, March 16, 2012

Parents Night Out!

Parents night out...such a must in this dear, busy season of life. Even if it is only a few times a year...what a sweet time it is! Finishing complete sentences, dining with cloth napkins, no kids menu, siting next to my hubby and grown up conversation. Priceless!

A few weeks ago we hit the town with our 3 favorite couples for a night of yummy food and fellowship. We had dinner at the Vineyard Steakhouse in Grapevine. We had a private room just for the 8 of us. It was really a lovely evening! Can't wait to go again!

So thankful for Godly, loving, caring, fun loving, like-lifed couples to call, friends.

Precious friends...Wade & Sarah, Tim & Holly, Brent & Abbey

Darling girlfriends...Sarah, Holly & Abbey.

Don't I have a handsome hubs??? Love my Todd-ey!

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Swimming in February!

Yes, that's right! We went swimming in February...and it was so much fun! If you know me or my girls...you know we LOVE the water and swimming. We are fish, and would be at the pool everyday if possible. This past Tuesday, we got to dive in (pun intended, ha) and enjoy one of our Summertime favorites in the middle of Winter.

My girls and I, and my bestie and her 3 precious boys went to our towns awesome indoor/heated pool. We had a great time. The kids swam for nearly 2 hours straight, and were so tired afterwards. We enjoyed a $5 pizza for dinner, poolside and made a super fun memory.

Maggie is so fun to watch in the water. She is just a little natural. She has never had one swimming lesson and she can seriously hold her breath, forever! She is all over the pool, diving down, doing flips under water and absolutely loved the lazy river feature to the pool. This was Sadie's first time to swim in her "puddle jumper" (her life jacket like device that fits around her arms and chest). We used it with Mags and really think it helped her to learn the feeling of swimming as well as the technique, just by being in the water. I put Sadie in and she stretched out her arms and legs and started kicking...like a natural too. She would go from front to back and dip her head under. So cute!!! Love my little mermaids!

So thankful to have such fun things to do like this in the middle of Winter. I think we may make it a Winter-ey tradition from now on.

My Sarah has an awesome water proof, digital camera that took these FUN wet pictures! I think we may be investing in one of these cameras very soon. Neat, huh?!?
Maggie Caroline 4.5 years...loving her winter pool date!

Sadie's first solo swim in her "puddle jumper", 19 months.

All smiles and screams!!!

Me and my precious mermaids!!!
Cutie patooties ready to GO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can't wait for summer time!

Love to all,
Leah

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Happy Valentines Day, 2012!

Happy Valentines Day, from our hearts to yours!!!

May you feel loved and show love on this special day!




Love to all,
Leah 

Monday, January 23, 2012

January...in i-phone pictures...

Nothing too out of the ordinary been going on in our lives during January. But everyday stuff is my forte! 

I like plain ole', simple, routine kind of days. We enjoy being at home. I love seeing my girls interact together...playing together inside and outside...being creative and silly, making memories. I know all too soon...our life is going to get busier and more scheduled with school next year. Lately, I have been trying to take a picture almost everyday with my phone...so I can remember what the days where like with a 4 and 1 year old.

Random pics to follow...
Maggie adores her "My little Ponies"...it is has been a big phase, that has lasted a long time. She bathes/shampoos them almost daily. They have the best groomed hair in the house. Love the high-heels too! So flattering and precious to me that she wants to be like me.  
Snoozing in the car. I had to document this...because it almost never happens. She is just NOT a car sleeper, and never has been. Even when she was a tee-tiny baby. She is getting SO tall, she even looks big in her booster seat. She has grown 3.5 inches since August, and is in the 95% percentile for height (43 lbs-75% for weight). We are praising the Lord for her health and growth lately! She just had her 4 year pediatrician well visit, that is why I know those numbers. 
Mags dolling up Sadie! Oh...this is just the beginning of little sister being the guinea pig. HA! Trying out some blue eye shadow! 
Even though its January, we have had some sunny and nice days out. We have been enjoying our driveway, lots. Riding bikes, drawing with sidewalk chalk and watering the flowers are the girls favorites. 
Sadie Rose...trying to figure out the tricycle. 
Sweet sisters... 
This is our Charlie. He is the best cat. Sweet and tolerant, spicy and playful...curious and confident. He startled me and I screamed out loud when I came in our kitchen and found him perched ON TOP of my refrigerator. This was indeed a first for him! Crazy cat. He entertains us daily. We love our animals, and can't imagine life without them. 
The girls looking at the hamsters and mice at the pet store. We frequently make a trip to our trusty Petsmart. At least twice a month. The girls love it. Its free, a mile away, and provides at least an hour of entertainment. Both my girls LOVE animals and never seem to tire of seeing them.  
Grandma Flynt (my paternal grandmother) and the girls. Aren't they all three just beauties???
My Grandma recently moved to a new retirement home and we had gone for a visit to see it. My Grandma, even though she is 87 (will be 88 in April) ...still makes every visit for grandchildren or great grandchildren a fun visit. Here she was giving a ride to both my girls on her walker! They LOVED it! 

The girls got a see-saw from Gigi and Papa...just for fun. They have spent many an hour...just see-sawing. They usually sing or say "See-saw" or up-down while doing it. It's been a simple and sweet thing for them to share. This one is awesome too. All plastic, light weight and never dumps anyone out, when the other rider gets off.
We have been to our fun bounce house place twice this month too. I bought a punch card on Groupon, for $10 for 10 bounces and we have loved using it up! 


Learning how to climb from sister! 
My little crafty Mags got a bead kit for Christmas and this has been another fun thing for her and I to do together. Her fine motor skills are amazing, for 4. This is a sweet little ankle bracelet she made for herself. 
The girls do this pretty regularly too. But usually one or two of the animals is in the cabinet with them too. HA! They jump out and scream BOO! Love hearing their little giggles from inside the cabinet. 
Never a dull moment. Fun with 3D glasses left over from some movie we saw!!! 

Mags has been practicing and learning her letters. She almost can recognize them all. A few still trip her up. We have bribed (no shame) her with a trip to Chucky Cheese, when she can recognize and write them all. She needed a little extra motivation to get to working on them more. We want to be ready for Kindergarten next year! YAY! 
Mags loves to paint her own nails. And, yes, I let her. She does an amazing job, especially for 4! I don't even have to clean up the edges any more. I love that she is girlie and likes to change the color often. Like mother, like daughter. :)
Speaking of girlie...it is just in our DNA. My Nana (my maternal grandmother) loves jewelry and accessories. She recently cleaned out her jewelry box and made a goody bag full of "clip on" earrings for Maggie. She was in heaven!!! She sat at the bar for an hour and tried them all on and would admire them on herself in her little hand held mirror. It was so fun to watch. Nothing better than dress up, when you are 4.
Both of my girls have enjoyed playing in our dog crate. Sadie has figured out how to open/close and latch the door to ours. She can entertain herself for 20 minutes doing this. It's the simple things, right?


Okay---those are all the pics I have for now. Sorry that some of them are blurry. My camera on my phone isn't the best. 

Love to all & have a good week,
Leah

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Get to know ya Alphabet...

Just something fun I saw on a friend of a friends blog. Seemed like something fun to do and share with the blogosphere! Copy, fill in and pass on...Happy Tuesday to all!

Love.
Leah

The "get to know ya" Alphabet!!!

A. Age: 32

B. Bed size: Queen...we are snugglers!

C. Chore that you hate: dusting...makes me sneezey and it just comes right back! Ha!

D. Dogs or cats: 4 sweet little ones...Cody (9 yrs, Pomeranian, graying and loosing teeth...sad, but he has been a wonderful dog) and Jack (6 months, Morkie-playful, cheerful and a little timid)...then cats Max (9 yr, Domestic short hair and grouchy) and Charlie (1 yr, Siamese- curious and fun, and loves the girls).

E. Essential start to your day:  2 things...Prayer & caffeine...in that order. I try and pray before my feet hit the ground. I pray for blessings and safety for my loved ones, and patience and wisdom for the day for mothering my girls. I drink either coke zero or pepsi max...only coffee on the weekends.

F. Favorite color: turquoise

G. Gold or Silver: Silver

H. Height: 5' 8"

I. Instruments you play: none currently, but played the flute for 3 years in Jr. High

J. Job title: Wife & Mommy mostly, RN a few times a month at Cook Childrens Hospital NICU

K. Kids: Maggie Caroline, 4...and Sadie Rose, 18 months

L. Live: Texas

M. Mother’s name: Ginger

N. Nick names: Shorty, Leah-Lou, L-Belle

O. Overnight hospital stays: 2 times. See Letter K...

P. Pet peeves: People who talk about themselves a lot, being mean or snobby, and dirty fingernails.

Q. Quote from a movie or favorite movie: favorite movie is Enchanted (I love romantic happy ending movies, and there is singing in this one too!)

R. Right or left handed: Right

S. Siblings: 2 awesome brothers, Justin (39) and Jason (36)

T. Tell a bible verse that gives you encouragement or strength: Nothing better than Proverbs 3:5-6 for me. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge  him and he will make your paths straight."

U. Ultimate Vacation: Couples-Fiji...to stay in a villa over the ocean, Family-Atlantis resort in the Bahamas

V. Vegetable you hate: no hates...love them all

W. What makes you run late: see letter K and me trying to clean the house before leaving to go somewhere. I just love coming home to a clean and tidy home.

X. X-Rays you’ve had: teeth, gall bladder

Y. Yummy food that you make: lasagna, food is one of my love languages!

Z. Zoo animal: love seeing the lions, tigers and cheetahs and anything in the aquarium if there is one.