SeaWorld San Antonio.....2012

 Peyton has always loved characters ever since he was little.  Peyton gives wonderful hugs!

 Hugging Cookie Monster.  Kael would have nothing to do with the characters.  

 I was surprised that Kael actually went on some of the children's rides.  He loved them.

 This however, was a little too much for Kael.  It was hard to climb up the nets. 

But Peyton loved it!

 Kael loved the splash pad.

 So did Peyton.

 Awww....brotherly love.  Sometimes they get along. ;)

 Splashing around was so fun.

 Watching the dolphins swim around.  I am glad that this year they stayed away from Peyton, two years ago he was pretty ticked!

Family picture with Sesame Street.  Kael was not too sure about this but Peyton loved it!

We took a picture like this one 2 years ago!

Crazy how time flies.  And we visit SeaWorld a lot.  Bryan has been 8 times in the last 12 years.  I think that he has a closet obsession with this place! ;)

May Vacation.....

 Kael packing his suitcase for the trip....all toys.

Bryan's parents came into town for Bryan's May break to vacation with us and to help us move.

I wanted to bring my BOB stroller along on the vacation because we were going to SeaWorld.  Bryan said it would be impossible to get all of the luggage and the stroller in the back of the rental van.  I made him try....and guess what?  It could be done.  Major tetris skills he has. 

We went to Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose, TX.  It is only about an hour and a half from our house. Bryan found a souvenir at the gift shop.  He thought his sisters would love this picture!

 They have a dinosaur fossil park nearby but we didn't get to that park, only the wildlife park.  But they decided to decorate with dinosaurs for good measure.

 The park allows you to drive through the park and feed the animals food from your car.  

It was very cool.

 They also had a petting zoo that you could visit halfway through the park.

I thought this sign was funny.

 And this goat was the naughty goat.  About 2.3 seconds after I took this picture, Bryan's mom got bit by the goat.  Her finger was actually bleeding.  That was the end of the petting zoo for my children...they are now terrified of goats.

 I sat down on the bench and the naughty rebel goat jumped up on the bench next to me.  Then he tried to eat my shorts...literally.  This goat needs to learn some manners.

 We came upon this elk-deer or whatever he was.  He wanted to take a ride in the van.  My kids were freaked out yet again.

 This giraffe was not going to let us pass by without some food.  

 We got to feed the giraffes!  It was so awesome.

 Even Peyton got brave enough to feed the giraffes...and he loved it!

 Battle over food between the giraffe and the elk-deer.  We wanted the giraffe to win. 

 The boys trying to put on a brave face but secretly terrified that the elk-deer was going to actually jump in the car. He he!

 We then came across these cool Zebras.  

Loved them!

 

And last but not least....the rhinoceroses! 

This park was awesome....unlike the hillbilly zoo that we thought was going to be cool. 

This park is totally worth visiting if you are ever in the DFW area! 

 I am sure we will return!

We then stopped at Hammond's BBQ.  Bryan's cousin's last name is Hammond so we thought it was fitting that we lunched there!  It was delicious.  I will miss this about Texas.  I love all of the little BBQ places that are around!!

Peyton had a Birthday....

 Peyton had a birthday.....back in March...yes, I am behind.  Anyways, he turned 4! He was so excited to turn four and Mamau came to visit during his birthday...so he was extra excited.

 

 Peyton and Kael playing with some birthday balloons!

For lunch he chose to go play at Chick-Fil-A...{we're a little obsessed in this family}and play they did....for 2 hours.

 When Bryan got home, Peyton got to choose where we went for dinner....he chose La Hacienda Ranch.  He loves to go there because they have and outdoor fireplace with some nice red chairs that you can sit in.  {too bad it was raining} He also loves all of the horses you can ride out front.

 We didn't know that they were going to do anything for his birthday...but they came out singing...loud.  There weren't too many people in the restaurant and so it was loud and scared Peyton to death.  He didn't know that they were singing to him so he said scared to death, "Why are those idiots singing so loud!"  It was pretty funny.  He turns a little defensive and mean when he is scared.  Ha ha!  Once he realized that they were singing "Happy Birthday" to him and bringing him ice cream, he loved it!!

 He got a lot of Star Wars toys....who is shocked?  

Certainly not me!

 Opening the t-ball set that Mamau and Grandpa Ron had got him.

 Opening a Star Wars present that he realized he already had.  

Oops.

He got a new Jedi outfit.

He looks thrilled!  Ha ha!

I can't believe that Peyton is 4!!

• Peyton wishes that he was 13...and sometimes he acts that way. :)
• He loves to play with his little brother.
• He also loves to tease his brother...which pushes me to the brink of insanity. :)
• He loves going to primary.....he wants to give the scripture or talk every week...I think it's the microphone! :)
• He is so good in his sunbeam class. So reverent. 
• He loves preschool and all of his friends there.
• He is so good in preschool!  Love it.
• He loves to write his name...and he is getting pretty good.
• He loves to practice writing his letters.
• He loves to play "preschool" with Kael.
• He also loves to pretend that he is Kael's dad and Kael's name is "little baby Rail-Row".
• He loves to swim and go to the park.
• He is a great sleeper once he falls asleep....bit of a night owl, this one is.
• He loves to FaceTime or Skype with the Grandparents.
• He loves to have visitors....visitors are always welcome. :)

He is the sweetest boy.

I could go on and on about what he loves and what he loves to do.

Even though he is a little sassy and keeps us on our toes....all of the time....we love him so much and are so glad that he came to our family!!

We love you Peyton!

Hillbilly Zoo...Only in Oklahoma...

 Back in March we visited Oklahoma City.  When we were driving back to Dallas I kept seeing billboards advertising for G.W. Exotic Wild Animal Park.  I knew that my mother-in-law was coming down soon and she loves animals, so I thought that it would be a great day trip for all of us.I probably should have drove by first. Ha ha!  The picture above is the actual entrance to the zoo....aligned with trailers. 

 We drove an hour and forty five minutes to see animals and this was there favorite part. Isn't that always how it goes?  {after i saw what was inside...it made sense ;)}

 They are armed in Oklahoma...and Texas for that matter! ;)

 A pretty white peacock...my personal favorite.

 Doesn't he look bored? Ha ha!

 You could get pretty close to the animals and that part was cool!

 They had a big tower where you could see the whole park.

 There were some creepy hyenas.  They smelled really bad.

 Glad Kael brought his light saber! ;)

 Peyton taking his turn being the monkey!

 Kael always has to do what big brother does!

 Just in case you forgot your stroller...or wagon...or wheelchair!

He he!

We went back in March and it was St. Patrick's Day.  I love the fields in Oklahoma!

It was an interesting trip to say the least.  I think that we laughed the entire way home.  We couldn't believe that we drove to Oklahoma for that! 

Happy Birthday Kael!!

 Kael turned 2!  This year we didn't have any family in town, so it was just the 4 of us.  We went to Kael's favorite restaurant...."Chick-IL-A".  The kid could eat a 100 chicken nuggets or "chuggets", I swear!  Of course we had to watch Star Wars and play with balloons!

 I am not sure what is going on in the picture but I am sure that Kael is just trying to copy whatever Peyton is doing.  He loves his older brother!

 Waiting to Skype and Facetime with the grandparents.

 Opening presents!  He wanted to open every little box...right then and there.

 Of course he had to get Star Wars toys!!

And an Aqua Doodle....which he took a real pen to about two days after he got it. 

That is Kael in a nutshell!

I can't believe that my little baby is 2!

And I can't believe that I am not pregnant with another one!  Oh wait.  I learned my lesson....two years apart is a little too close for me.  Just kidding.

He is a blessing.  They are both blessings and I am grateful to have them!

Kael....

• Loves to eat.  He will eat his dinner, Pey's dinner, and then ask me for bites.  He is always snacking but is still so skinny!  Little kids are lucky!
• He is still very clumsy.  He is our little walking disaster.  The child could find the one banana peel on the floor and slip on it.  Oh wait...that really happened. :)  Needless to say, he has bad luck!
• He loves to swing.
• He loves the park.
• He loves Star Wars and anything that has to do with Star Wars!!
• He hates nursery....still.
• He loves, loves, loves his brother!!  He is always concerned about what he is doing, if he's okay, and when he is coming back.
• He loves his dad!  When he gets hurt he doesn't run for me to kiss it better, he runs to the door and cries for his daddy to come home.
• He hates dogs. Bad.  It probably added to the fear when we were walking down the hall to our hotel room while on vacation and a dog ran out of a hotel room and bit his leg.  This would happen to him.  I am telling you, the child has the worst luck.
• He loves his Mamau, Grandma Connie, Grandpa Ron, and Grandpa Chuck {in no particular order} :)  He wants to Skype and/or Facetime them constantly.
• He is so very sweet and very tender.  
• He hates timeout..."it's scary"  and it brings the saddest little frown and crocodile tears when we ask if he needs to visit timeout.
• He is finally, finally, FINALLY sleeping through the night! For reals. It's about time! :)  We just had to put him and Peyton in the same bed!  As long as there is someone next to him, he is great....and sleeps like a log!  I love it!

I could go on for pages and pages about all the funny, crazy, things that he does....but the bottom-line is...I am so grateful for him and am so glad that he is in our family!  I love him more than anything in this world!

Happy Birthday Kael!

We love you!!!!