summer

Life in an Instant: Never a Dull Moment

by Stacy on August 12, 2011

The kids have been keeping me super busy lately, exploring and adventuring and making friends all over the place. It’s hard for them not to, wherever they go, they strike up conversations, make others smile and occasionally put on quite the performance.

Check out these crazy pics — tidbits of our trip to a local frozen yogurt shop. Sweet decided it was a great place for breakdancing and brought in quite a crowd with her killer moves. Seriously, she cracks me up!

The days are long and HOT around here, but we’re still managing to make the most of them. This requires lots of fluids. Usually of the frosty kind. And waterparks, don’t forget waterparks! We met some of our friends at a cute little ranch in Bandera and made a day of splashing and playing and lazing on rivers. We just HAD to stop at Sonic on our way home and sample some happy hour slushes. Raise your hand if Sonic Happy Hour is your favorite kind of happy hour? Me, Me!!

When it’s too hot to picnic outdoors, we say bring the picnic — indoors! and while you’re at it why not do it UNDER the table. Makes for an uber cool other wise boring lunch and if done in PJ’s, you get extra points.

We haven’t been able to water our lawns for months, thanks to serious drought restrictions in our area, but the boys are doing their best to keep things green. No, really … we are starting down that potty training path … yet again, and big brother has been quite the helper. Things get easier the more you do it I guess. Little loves to use the potty just like he loves to do whatever else his brother and sister are doing!

Nothing like a little girl time to make the ones you love feel special. First, cookie baking wearing our favorite aprons (psst, did you know we make them for you guys too?). Next, some Carebear hugs! Finally, a trip to the Farmer’s Market to sample some of the finest cold limeade there ever was!

Finally, there were homemade pizza nights. Lovingly kneaded and rolled by these goofy chefs.

Days at the park with the bestest of buds and Pimento Cheese sammies & cupcakes smashed in ice cream that really just can’t be beat.

There you have it. Our life, in an instant. Never dull, although may be a bit too sweet. I guess a little more sugar than normal is alright when you’re as active as these guys are. So, how was your week? What tasty treats did you sample or meals did you make with your kids?

Our gaggle at Kate’s Frosting, the sweetest cupcakes in San Antonio

Great friends thanks to S. L. Smith Photography and Family Loves SA. Tasty Treats courtesy of: Fruity Frogurt, Sonic, The Lemonade Company and Kate’s Frosting

Everyone is on Facebook now!!

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Life in an Instant: Our Summer Staycation

by Stacy on August 1, 2011

Eek! Where has the time gone? I am horribly behind on updating you with all the blessings we’ve received this summer. One of those being an all expenses paid trip to a premiere resort in the Texas Hill Country, the Westin La Cantera. It was a truly AH-Mazing experience and a real blessing for my family. We were in need of some time to just get away and focus on each other. This trip gave us a chance to do just that and I really can’t wait to tell you all about the fabulous time we had — the people we met, the memories we made, the food we ate! Here’s a sampling of our trip in Instagram photos. Yes, that is a rose hair tarantula!! And no, I did not touch it … but I know someone who did!! More to come on this experience real soon! Can’t wait to catch up with all of you!

Did you go on a family vacation this year or do something local? Inquiring minds want to know.

* The Westin LaCantera hosted my family for a 2-night stay and let us sample all the hotel had to offer. This trip was part of a local bloggers event, they did not ask me to write about or promote this visit in any way. All photos, experiences and opinions are, as always, my own.

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The Joys of Summer

by Stacy on July 8, 2011

Summer is in full swing, filled with all the things a summer should be: sunny days on the beach, homemade ice cream, babies in buckets, bare bottoms, picnics with the ones you love, creative water play, days at the park, lots of cuddles and a little silliness thrown in for good measure.

The perfect summer defined, the only problem is this summer is flying by way too fast! The kids are growing and times are changing, Happy will start an actual Kindergarten this fall and I find myself wishing I could just hit pause. Slow things down a bit and learn to appreciate the moments while I’m in them; something I am always striving towards. It works too, as long as you keep focusing and walking that tight rope. Take your mind off enjoying them for just a minute and they’ll slip away like sand through your fingers.

These photo are all snapshots of my Life as they happen, shared on Instagram. Join me there as steet for updates on your iPhone or stop by Kids Stuff World for a shot of us in action anytime, right there on the right side bar -> See us?. Instagram yourself? Let me know how to find YOU! I’d love to see what you’re up to this summer.

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Afternoon Delight

by Stacy on July 15, 2010

This post is part of the Best Days series (more info on Best Days coming soon)

Little Ones,
Our second summer in Texas is in full swing and we are doing our best to stay outdoors as much as we can while staying semi-cool in the process. This means we try to go out early in the mornings or later in the afternoons.

Daddy has been traveling a lot (about 3 weeks a month) and we’ve been doing our best to find fun things to do while he’s away. You’ve been such troopers through all the transitions and are truly growing up right before my eyes. It saddens me almost as much as it amazes me how much your are learning and changing each and every day. Happy, you live to build and create things and are always happiest when we are outdoors. Sweet, you’ve been on a quiet art kick for a few weeks now and I thought it would be nice if I could find away to combine all your interests. (Little, right now you’re just happy to be involved in any project Big Brother & Sister are doing)

Painting the sidewalks sounded like the perfect idea and boy did you guys have fun with it! We filled Daddy’s car wash bucket (another of your FAVORITE activities) with some water and I gave each of you a paint brush. We brought out the sidewalk chalk paints we made and you guys went to town painting your masterpieces.

It didn’t take long before Sweet got the idea to paint herself. (Every art project we do usually ends up this very same way )

Here you had just finished painting your toes candy pink (nice color choice)

I promise everyone had a blast despite these next few snapshots

It seems some of us still haven’t grasped the whole concept of sharing.

This is pretty much what our whole week looked like. Afternoons on the driveway (the only patch of shade in our yard), laughing, joking, being together, and having a good time. We even ate dinner out here a few times and Boy, Oh Boy … did that make me the coolest Mom on the block.

I love you guys and our lazy summer afternoons.

Hugs & Kisses

Mom

Psst, ….“Come play at the Childhood 101 We Play link up”

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DIY Sidewalk Chalk Paint

by Stacy on July 14, 2010

We’ve been pretty busy around here crossing things off of our Summer Do list (still need to share it with you, hopefully before summer is over ). I found this recipe for Sidewalk Chalk Paint on the Family Fun website and knew right away it would be the perfect post nap activity. Bonus points since I already had all the supplies needed for this on hand.

To make your own homemade sidewalk chalk paint, you will only need three ingredients ~ water, corn starch and a little food coloring. Quite possibly the simplest project with the kids ever! So simple in fact, I let them make the whole thing. The kids chose to make our first batch in purple, orange, green and blue but it wasn’t long before we had to come back in for a resupply. That’s when they cooked up some pretty neat red and neon green. The colors turned out so gorgeous, in a pastel sort of way.

To make you own, you’ll need:

1/4 cup Water
1/4 cup Corn Starch
Food Coloring in assorted colors
Paint Brushes
Leftover Containers
A clear patch of concrete

I found a great step-by-step photo tutorial for you over at the Petite Elephant. Note: I only used between 6-10 drops of food coloring for each paint color (and made one recipe’s worth of each color). I read later, on at the Idea Room, that adding too much food coloring could potentially stain your driveway.

This was such an easy craft (even Dads could do it) and the results were so cool I think it would be great for preschool, a play date, a birthday party or any event with lots of kids.

The paint has a nice chalky texture when it dries and can even be painted over again with water (when you run out of paint) to create a new blended look (see pic below).

All three of my children (ages 1-4) were able to participate in this summer boredom buster and the fun lasted for well over an hour so that ranks up there pretty high on my scale of activities for the kids.

Let me know if you give this a try, I can’t wait to see pics. (Here’s a few pics of us in action)

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