Splash Park!

We met our friends, the Everitts, at the Hanna Park Splash Park this past Saturday. It was our first time there and I can't believe we'd never been before. However, it didn't entertain them as long as I would've liked, but they did enjoy it. They kept coming to the table for snacks, as usual. Why is it that when you want kids to eat, they want to play and when you want kids to play, they want to eat? I'm sure we will go back again this Summer. It's only $3 a car to get in, so you can't really beat that.

Big Apple Adventures

I taught Vacation Bible School for the first time this year. I taught, with another lady, the four year-olds at our church. They were a sweet group of kids, and I think they had fun and learned that Jesus loves them no matter where they are and what they are doing, as well as how to show love to others, and tell about Jesus's love. We helped them with crafts, told them Bible stories, sang lots of songs, and took them to recreation, snack time, missions, and worship. It was a blessing and I hope I can teach next year and many years after that. The best part is that the Sunday after VBS, I had two of my kids come up and hug me. It made me realize that I truly had an impact on the kids and they actually liked me. Yea! We love our church and they have a wonderful children's program. They truly love our kids and take wonderful care of them.

This was also Lyla and Caroline's first VBS ever. Lyla had so much fun. I was lucky enough to be in recreation and worship at the same time as her, so I saw her play everyday and watched her sing and dance during worship. I finally got the "fly on the wall" experience I've always wanted. Our youth pastor, Mr. Drew, dressed up as Jesus and they acted out the Bible story during worship. Lyla's teacher told me that when Drew came out dressed as Jesus Lyla said, "I didn't know he was going to be here," referring to Jesus. She truly thought she was seeing Jesus for the first time. Drew told me that when he later walked into her classroom to say hello that Lyla stopped what she was doing and looked at him as if he had a glowing light around him. I tried everyday to explain that it was just Mr. Drew dressed as Jesus. I think she understood on Sunday once Drew shaved his beard off. Such a good memory!!

Here is Lyla with one of her favorite teachers, Kelsey. They put shaving cream all over the table and let them "finger paint" in it. This is one of Lyla's favorite activities at church.

Caroline did great in her class as well. Her teachers strolled her through the halls a lot so she could see the sights and hopefully get some rest. They were very sweet to her and every time I peeked in she was either asleep or happy.

Caroline's teachers made this picture frame and I will cherish it forever!

To wrap up VBS, we had a lunch after church and water fun for the kids. I didn't think Lyla would go down the water slide, much less enjoy it, but she did, more than once. Her facial expression when she reached the bottom was priceless. It was fear mixed with happiness, not sure how to explain it. She was very proud of herself.

The theme for VBS was "Big Apple Adventures," so everything was New York themed. The songs were so catchy that Lyla came home singing them everyday. I caught a few of them on video.

"B-B-B-B Big Apple Adventures"

"T-E-L-L, I'm gonna tell. Y-E-L-L, I'm gonna yell!"

"Everywhere I travel, everywhere I go, Jesus Loves me this I know."

Happy Father's Day Tommy - 2011

This was Tommy's first Father's Day as a father of two. We went to church and had brunch at Mimi's Cafe afterwards. We had our Father's Day photo shoot afterwards. I have such a beautiful family.

Caroline was looking so cute I had to sneak in a picture with her.

Happy 3rd Birthday to Lyla!!!

Last year, we had Lyla's 2nd birthday at a playground, because she loved playing with her friends at the playground, still does. However, I could hardly stand the hot Florida weather in June. This year when I started planning Lyla's party, I knew it had to be indoors with air conditioning. No matter where I live I am always on the lookout for places I've never been, restaurants, parks, etc. As a result, I have taken Tommy to some hole in the wall restaurants, including a place called Mr. Taco and a BBQ place that was so small we all smelled like a fire pit when we left. We even had to wash Caroline's car seat after we left that place or else people would've thought she was on fire. I find most of these places reading The Jacksonville Magazine. That's how I found the location for Lyla's 3rd birthday party, Sweet Pete's. Sweet Pete's is in historic Springfield, an "up and coming" neighborhood in downtown Jacksonville. It's a very old part of town where people are buying old houses, gutting them, and redoing the inside. Sweet Pete's is owned by Peter Behringer, who is the Pete of Peterbrooke's in Jacksonville, which if you live in Jacksonville, you know that's the place to go for chocolate. Sweet Pete's has the old time candy shoppe feel to it. They have a "party room" upstairs decorated very whimsically with bright colors. I didn't have to take any decorations, because they did it all for me. I just brought cupcakes, goody bags, crafts, and music. The shoppe provided all natural homemade ice cream and candy toppings that the kids could add on themselves.

To start, we got some fun pictures of Lyla outside of the house. It is so cute with two huge flowers outside to welcome you.

I absolutely loved the stairway with all of its bright colors.

The Party Room! It was so festive!!

Here are the goodie bags I made for all of the kids. I took the ice cream theme and ran with it. The goodie bags included a lollipop shaped like a popsicle, a marshmallow ice cream cone, temporary tatoos, ice cream stickers, food/candy silly bands, and a pinwheel. I used different colored bags and tissue paper to make them match the rooms decor. I loved that I had a mantle to place them on.

Like me, many of my friends are having their second babies now, so we had a little "baby section" at the party.

The kids did two simple crafts. We decorated birthday hats with ice cream themed stickers and made candy necklaces & bracelets with fruit loops and cheerios.

I had the party on a Thursday morning, so it was a mommy & kid party, but of course Lyla's daddy came to celebrate with her. He took care of Caroline and took pictures for us. Caroline kept trying to grab the camera from him, so he took a picture of her to help entertain her.

There were colored bean bag chairs that the kids loved sitting on.

Here is Lyla and Jamison. Jamison is one of Lyla's older friends and Lyla looks up to her so much that she followed her around the party. I plan on framing this picture for Lyla's room.

I always talk to Lyla beforehand about what to expect at different places, so we had discussed that everyone would sing happy birthday, and she would blow out her candles and that her cupcake would be on top of the cupcake tree. She kept telling Tommy that hers was on top and his was on the bottom. She stood there so quiet and still with a little smile on her face. She was so proud. I loved it.

She blew out two candles but that third one was stubborn. I helped her out, because I'm pretty sure she was about to catch her hair on fire. :)

This girl loves cupcakes. She hates that she has to wait until the end of a party to get the cupcake. Maybe I should've started the party with cupcakes since it was for her after all.

Lyla's ice cream complete with gummy bears.

We danced the "Hokey Pokey" and "If You're Happy and You Know It." The kids really enjoyed jumping and dancing, so we just turned up the music and let them go to it.

Lyla was so excited about her presents, that I let her open one as soon as we walked through the door. She opened presents the rest of the day...actually the rest of the weekend.

Diego & Dora masks from Nana and Papa Morrow

Lyla's friend Anna Claire gave her this huge bubble wand. You mix dish detergent, corn syrup, water and go to it.

My tradition is to take a picture of Lyla waking up on her birthday. The past two years she was in her crib so it was easy. This year we had plans to go to Seaworld, so I got up early and woke her to get this picture before hitting the road to Orlando.

Hollywood goes to Seaworld!

Watching the dolphins!

Watching the Shamu show. Look at my cute baby doll.

Me and my girls! Love them!

The Shamu show got a little long.

Riding a sea creature on the carousel

No this isn't the real Shamu. :)

Our family picture. Caroline was so happy in this one. I love it.

Checking out the turtle shell

We had to get her pink ice cream for her birthday!

And eventually we had to leave Seaworld. Lyla actually held onto a pole because she didn't want to leave. She wanted to "see more mamimals." She loved Seaworld! She and Caroline did so good at Seaworld. Caroline chilled in the stroller most of the day, except for the places the stroller couldn't go and we carried her which always makes her happy.

When we got home she opened her presents from Nana and Papa Morrow on the webcam so they could watch her.

Then she opened her presents from me, Tommy and Caroline. Ballet & tap shoes & leotard. She is doing a dance camp at the end of July.

We also gave her a Play-doh Cake Making Station. She loves this thing!

Making cupcakes and cakes.

The next day, she opened her presents from Nana and Papa George on the webcam. They gave her this Lap top that you can program to say her name and sings songs about her. A great car toy.

Lyla's third birthday was so much fun and lasted four days. Isn't that great! I can't believe she's three. It was a big year! She started preschool and became a big sister! Lyla is a wonderful big sister. She is sweet to Caroline, loves to entertain and play with her and is always willing to get a diaper, wipes or burp cloth for me when I need it. She is so sweet and loves to have fun! I love this girl with all my heart and love looking at her cute face as much as possible.