Rockets

Thanks to some amazing friends, we were able to attend a Houston Rockets game this past weekend and had a blast.  The kids are already asking when we can go to another one!  

 The closest thing to a family shot that I could get!

 Garrett and Spencer...Rockets Fans through and through!

 E enjoying the coveted seat next to Dad!

 Cute Daddy/Daughter shot!

 Olivia eventually gave up on the game and just wanted to wander up and down the stairs...good thing we had an aisle seat!

Post-game shot, with E posing as a 7 foot player.  Too cute!  :)

Sweet Olivia

Here are only a few of the joys that Olivia has brought into my life today.  How I love this crazy/spunky girl!

Olivia, while riding in the car, has started taking off her top seatbelt and trying to roll down the windows. Ugh.  Doesn't help that she is the most stubborn child on the face of the planet and does not put it back on without me having to pull over the car and put it back on her myself.  And yes...I have her seatbelt as tight as I can get it!!!!  She's just so stinking skinny that she can wriggle out of ANYTHING!!!
    Me:  Livvy...put your seat belt on!!!  We are driving in the car!!!  Put it on right now!
    Olivia:  Why?   (asked innocently and sweetly and repeated over and over in every conversation)
    Me:  We wear our seatbelts to be safe.  PLEASE put it on!!!
    Olivia:  BUT I DON'T LIKE SAFE!!!!  I DON'T LIKE SAFE!!!
 
Heaven help me!!!


Hollering from both boys upstairs...
   Boys:  Mom...you NEED to come up here.
   Me : Okay.  What's wrong?
   Boys:  Olivia.
   Me: (already taking the stairs 2 at a time, knowing a disaster has already ensued, if that was the reason they gave) Okay, on my way.
   Boys: (as I'm rounding the corner, into the room) Uh, mom.  You're probably going to be sad.

So, I walk into the room.  Olivia, only being alone for a short time, had climbed up on the bathroom counter.  Pulled the drain on the sink so she could fill it up with water.  Added every hand-towel and/or washcloth that she could find and started to wring them out while leaning over the edge of the counter.
 
But at least I got my bathroom cleaned, right???  Most other things on my list of to-do's for the day got pushed back because of the constant chaos surrounding sweet Olivia...but I guess I should look at the things that she forced me to do...such as cleaning the upstairs bathroom today instead of tomorrow and getting all the laundry done...since she had soaked every towel in sight!  :)

Soccer Star

One of the hundreds of reasons that I haven't posted in a while, is that we have been busy with SOCCER!  It was fun while it lasted...but for my sanity/scheduling sake, I am so thrilled that it is over!  :)

Here is E and some shots of his season...

He loved it.  

He improved a ton.  

He had FUN!  

GO STEELERS!!!

Beach Day

A few weeks ago, Steve's brother, Ryan was in town...so what better to do, than take a trip down memory lane, as long as memory lane includes an afternoon at the beach!  :)

After driving by their old elementary schools and old homes where the boys lived when they were little, we hit up Surf Side Beach and enjoyed every minute of it! 

Ryan's lizard creation!

Cute Olivia's footprints

We even got to watch a storm roll in...quite beautiful!

Hot Hot Hot

You know you live in a place that is far too hot, when your 4 year old asks for directions on how to put on a long-sleeved shirt.  Yes, E was completely baffled today at the thought of putting on long-sleeves!  How funny!

In Olivia's Words

Today, I took the kiddos to "Dolphin Pig-Tails" according to Olivia!  :)  

The kids earned a movie/fun-day a while back and we decided to cash it in today since Garrett had the day off of school...thank you Mr. Columbus!

We all really enjoyed the movie...even if there were no pig-tails on any dolphins at all.  Olivia decided that it really didn't matter...we were just happy the cute dolphin was swimming!

Soccer!!!

We are blessed this year to have two teams to cheer for!

Garrett is back on the field and LOVING every minute of his great soccer comeback...he hasn't played since he was 3!  :)  He is having a blast though and is picking the sport up rather well!  An added bonus, 4 of his buddies from his school class are on his team...not to mention that he knows everyone else from past school classes, church or swim team!  Needless to say, these boys are comfortable with each other and are as goofy as ever when they're together!  Go Knights!!!

Ethan is making his soccer debut...and is loving it too!  (cue Mom and Dad's sigh of relief!)  He is loving having an activity of his own and loves to put his cleats and shin guards on any chance he can get!  He had his first (accidental) header in Saturday's game...and had second thoughts about liking the sport any more...but I'm glad to say, he's back to loving it and can't wait for this Saturday's game!  :)  Go Steelers!