Field Trip

A few of us were observing an Indian battle painting when Grace thoughtfully points out "so, this must be the perious fight." I questioned and she assured me, "you know mom, the perious fight." It took a minute but I realized she meant the "perilous fight."

Halloween

I love dressing up my kids (and husband)! Grace seranaded several adoring old ladies with Annie songs and Wade went around pointing to himself, saying over and over in amazement, "I memo! I memo!" Luke is such a good daddy! He really didn't want to dress up or have that "wig" (looks like something else if you ask me) on his head, but he did it because Grace pleaded, "but daddy, Annie has to have a Daddy Warbucks or she isn't the real Annie." What's a dad to do? Papa and Tita came up and went trick or treating with us. We had so much fun! I really look forward to this every year! But someone please come take the candy out of my house!

Deep Thoughts by Grace Lumpkin

"Mom, how did they make tools before tools were made to make the tools?"

First Day of School

So I'm not so good at this blogging thing. It has been a busy summer, with moving and trying to keep Wade out of the emergency room and all. In the last week he has consumed a dead brown recluse spider, learned to climb out of his crib, started climbing on top of tables, had an incident with a drill, started jumping off of whatever he can climb on top of, and other things that have raised my blood pressure. He also started mother's day out and had a wonderful day. I walked away with a tear or two, but thought "well, he's practically in a padded room, so he's probably safer there then at home."

Grace started kindergarten! It has been very emotional for me, but she loves it! On Saturday she begged to go to school. She is so confident and excited, I can't help but be excited for her. I just can't believe my little girl is school age!

First Day of Kindergarten

Daddy sent her flowers!

She wasn't even nervous!

Getting ready to drop her off. (sniff sniff)



First Day of Mother's Day Out

He picked out his lunch box.


Bye Bye!

Annie

One of the many things I love about this town is the wonderful Fine Arts program. Several Broadway shows visit every year. Wednesday night I took Grace to see Annie. She wanted to get all dressed up, "like Annie did when she went to the show." She loved it!!! It was three hours long and she was engrossed the entire time. Although we both thoroughly enjoyed it, we were in the nose bleed section. "I wish I could see their eyes and mouth, but at least I can see their hair." (I think an optometrist visit is due!) I will definitely be diligent to secure better seats next time! She has been tapping and singing all around the house and playing Annie in her room. Her largest doll is Ms. Hannigan and the other animals/dolls are the orphans. She, of course, is Annie. I can't stop singing "The sun will come out tomorrow." And when Grace was begrudgingly cleaning her room today, she was belting out, "It's a hard knock life!" Oh, having a little girl is even more fun than I imagined!

15 months!

29 inches and 22 lbs, they say he is in the 25% for weight and the 75% for height. Hmmm? Maybe it's just me but those stats seem to have been reversed.

Wade is all boy: so cuddly, but so independent! He constantly comes over to give me a big mouth kiss and lay his head on me for all of three seconds and then he is off. The boy has zero fear (except of Dr. McQ whom he is terrified of). His mission in life is to find a way to climb everything in sight. He is saying about ten words with his favorite being ball and shoe. He loves balls! And he loves shoes because it means we are going outside! A very social boy, waving to everyone in Walmart and trying to make them laugh with his fake exaggerated sneezes. If you wonder why Wade is blowing on your roses, he is just taking the time to smell them. Apparantly smelling is trickier than I thought. Dancing with his sis in the living room is a favorite past time. His dancing consist of running in a circle with one hand in the air and sometimes gyrating his left shoulder in a very rigid stiff motion. So funny!

And he loves to be danced with, but demands that he and his partner extend their arm and hold hands. He is quite particular about his hold. Have I mentioned he is sleeping through the night? (most of the time!) Most days he takes two, 1 1/2 to 2 hour naps and goes to bed around 7:30. If you are envious, trust me when I say that's how long it takes to recuperate from his wakeful hours!!! I can't get enough of this boy! I'm excited to get him out of bed each morning because I can't wait to see what he is going to do next.

Kiddie Park

Wade rode his first rides at the kiddie park. He even rode the airplanes, which is always carrying a few screaming kids, and he loved them!


So, Grace, what's the big deal about the kiddie park anyhow?

I guess this is alright.

I LIKE IT!

NO, I LOVE IT!

(after the ride actually starts) "WHOA!"

Give me a minute!

I could just kiss this boy's cheeks off!

Disney World

Magical! In the weeks leading up to our trip Luke and I made fun of Disney World and its obsession with the adjective "magical." We ate our words! It is magical, it really is! :) Watching Grace's face light up in amazement (like every ten minutes) was the highlight of the trip! I will warn you: you will most definitely need a vacation to recover from this vacation! We opened the park in the morning, went swimming in the afternoon, and closed the park in the evening...all five days. We had a blast; all three of us! And Wade had a great time at Aunt Marilyn's! We missed him like crazy, but cherished our time with Grace. Our better photos were captured with our photo pass but here are a few of our own.
Grace's first plane trip. We were held up on the runway and she got a little aggravated. "When is this thing going to blast off anyway?"
We ate lunch in Cinderella's castle. She was chosen to be the princess of the day.

She took making a wish very seriously.

The parades were her favorite!

A luau at Ohana's. (It is 11:00 pm!)

We hunted for Mary Poppins. Grace thought she must be tending to Jane and Michael.

I honestly did not think this was possible. This girl can go all day and night and we managed to knock her out two nights in a row!

The weather was beautiful! Grace and I were just a little chilly because we got SOAKED on the rapid ride. Lucky seats!

We stayed at Disney's Port Orleans and we loved it!

Grace made a ton of friends on this trip. Luke said I should have made a scrapbook of all the people Grace met on the bus. This sweet little girl watched the fireworks with Grace. After they started, she looked at Grace and exclaimed, "Isn't this the best day of your life!"
We missed you bubba!

April Happenings

First haircut, First sucker

Feeding the ducks

These geese can get pretty mean!

Papa and Tee-Ta spent Easter weekend with us!

Wade, like his sister, was obsessed with the Easter bunny. He was trying to push Grace out of the picture. I think he would have gone home with him!

Tee-Ta took Grace (and me) Easter dress shopping. After trying on literally twenty dresses Grace finally found the perfect twirly, beautiful dress. Of course she had to have a hat and a purse and Tee-Ta isn't one to say no.


My little girl is five! Even though she was a bit disappointed that she wasn't visibly taller, she was busting at the seams to be five.

Beaver Creek!

What a blast! Snow skiing at Beaver Creek was incredible! Our amazing dear friends invited us to stay with them in their parents' condo at the bottom of the lifts! Breathtaking scenery, immense amounts of snow, super convenient, and in the best company (The Kerrs have two precious boys, Ty (4) and Bo (9 months); we couldn't have wished for a better time.

We spent a lot of time getting dressed! (Thank you to our friends who loaned us ski clothes!)


Grace and Ty had so much fun at ski school. Amy and I spied on them often!

Ski school had face painting and Grace opted for a butterfly.

Gorgeous mountain, gorgeous hubby!

Wade jumped on the bed....

while Ty and Grace enjoyed the jacuzzi! (Courtesy of tired parents making the condo jacuzzi sound way more enticing than a boring swimming pool.)

Sweet beautiful Amy. We always have such a good time!

Much to everyone's surprise, our usually cautious children wanted to try the trampoline bungee. They loved it! Grace was doing flips and all.

Up...

Up...

And away!!!

Wade and Bo enjoying the sunshine!

"Hey, is that rice cake better than mine?"

Snow Angels

Snow wrestling! Luke did not win!

The Kerrs and Grace

The Lumpkins and Ty

Wade loved the snow!