Category Archives: Playing
Playgrounds with Grannie and Papa!
Grannie decided it would be fun to have a mini adventure with the kids and take them to a bunch of the local parks and playgrounds that we haven’t been to. So they made a list of all the parks then drew numbers to decide where to go! The kids LOVED it!!
This is a legit Intramural game.
I’m not quite sure what game it was, but another mom confirmed it was legit and they were supposed to be doing that. 🙂
Owen made new friends!
We have new neighbors moving in across the street but they haven’t officially moved in yet—and we haven’t even met them. But today I looked out and saw two boys about Owen’s age playing catch. So I told him he should go over and introduce himself. He was so excited he couldn’t get out of the house fast enough, saying “I feel really good about this!” 🙂
Of course I spied from the living room. 🙂
He ended up playing with them for hours and they were back and forth between yards and Katie even got involved for a little bit.
Owen reported their names, that they are in 4th and 5th grades, they will be moving in this summer, and they also have one more younger brother in 2nd grade.
It was great to see him so excited!
Two climbing monkeys!
I’m proud of both of them. He would never have climbed that high before last year. And at Katie’s age? No way. Yet there they both are!
We met friends for a play date and the playground was wet from overnight rain so Katie was running around drying things off (I planned ahead and had towels in the car). Owen went to the top of a two-story slide and said “It’s dry up here” as he started down…before I could warn him to look at the bottom of the slide. The next thing you saw was his legs and a huge gush of water spraying out of the slide. Maybe next time he’ll learn! He didn’t let his wet butt stop him from playing, though!
Walking home from a battle.
Owen was at a playdate and the mom sent me this pic. Yep, that’s my boy.
A weekend with Uncle Rob and Miss Dee!
They came to visit us for the first time and to take the kids out for their Christmas presents—they had given them certificates for dinner and a movie!!
They also decided to take them bowling on base! The kids had a blast (they also got to play some video games and air hockey plus have lunch at McDonald’s).
On Saturday Katie monopolized Miss Dee doing puzzles and playing kitchen. That afternoon they went to a movie then to Unos for pizza!
Sunday we went out for breakfast and then it was time to say goodbye.
A nice day means burning wood, playing outside, and s’mores
It was a nice day so Tom was burning some scrap wood and playing football with the kids…
And a little dance:
Which meant when I took a break from my Facebook party, I was sitting out there enjoying the smell. And getting the coals ready (I’d already run to the dollar store to get marshmallows for roasting).
But before s’mores there was a costume change:
And then it was time.
Have you ever heard of a box maze?
This is the most insane box maze. When I first heard about it I thought it would be something simple like boxes taped together. Not even close. This is an annual event with a week-long prep with computer drawings and major construction and tons of volunteers and it’s amazing and so well worth a visit. There are slides and tunnels and stairs and rooms and moving parts and fireworks (LEDs on the ceiling) and people throwing “rocks” in certain rooms… They provide knee pads (soccer there’s a lot of crawling) and flashlights (which I laughed off but it gets pitch black in areas). I just wish it was easier to get pics inside (there are lots of kids and people and you follow each other through so if you stop you hold everyone up). Tom and I went through twice and didn’t even see half of it. We let the kids play for over an hour (we saw lots of friends there) and they would have stayed longer.
These two pics are grabbed from the Facebook event page.
And the computer layout they had posted on the wall.
Sticks make perfect fishing poles.
Why does it always seem to end in tears?
The kids were sitting together on the stairs of their own free will so of course I wanted to take a picture. This is what happened in quick succession.
Katie always manages to get bonked accidentally during their roughhousing and has a fit even though Owen apologizes immediately.
Jumping again!
A friend invited us to the local jump place and the kids needed to get rid of some energy on their day off…
Family Day at Katie’s soccer class
Her last class was tonight and they invited family down to play against them and have fun.
She was excited about her team getting a goal!
Getting her participation medal! (I dislike the practice of handing out medals to everyone but she loved it.)
Owen’s 9th birthday sleepover!
We decided to do a big summer party again so Owen invited two friends to spend the night.
Katie was thrilled to be able to play Xbox with the boys.
Pizza!
Katie helping get the cake ready. (Owen picked it out at Sam’s Club yesterday.)
Oliver and Brandon
Everything went really well. They were crazy loud at times but they were all really well-behaved and were in bed by 11 and had stopped chatting by 11:30…
She loves her new elephants.
The kids recently got stuffed elephants from friends for Christmas. Katie has really enjoyed dressing them up.
Family night at primary!
Katie’s school had a family night with lots of fun games and activities.
Glow-in-the-dark mini golf:
Pictures with Wiley, the district mascot:
An attempted family selfie:
Revealing their magic notes (after drawing pictures with white crayon):
When kids make their own fun!
I love what they come up with when I won’t let them use their devices or watch TV. This is our Christmas tree storage bag.
Fun at Nerf combat
Owen is taking a 5-week Nerf Combat class. They bring their own guns, bullets are provided, and they run around playing games for 45 minutes.
Katies clay creations
It’s amazing what she can do when I won’t let her watch movies or use the iPad. This is a birthday cake! She also did a very cool bracelet!
Zombie makeup
This is what happens on the last day of holiday break.
Uncontrollable giggling
After the movie the kids were playing downstairs. First they came up to show us some dance moves they’d been working on. Later we heard them giggling and laughing uncontrollably and we wondered what on Earth could possibly be happening. And then they came crashing upstairs, giggling all the way.
Oh. My.
They were dressed in each other’s clothes—Owen in Katie’s new pink jacket, pink kitty hat, and her Beauty and the Beast Belle heels…
And Katie in his hat and oversized coat.
But the sight of Owen in those shoes hobbling across the floor (obviously only his toes fit in so it was nearly impossible for him to walk!) and listening to them giggle made Tom and I both lose it.
Crazy makeup and clean face
Yes, those are mittens on her feet.
She also pretends they’re high heels (the thumbs are the heels).
Bringing in 2018 with bingo and the fam!
Katie has been obsessed with bingo lately so we all played tonight. She knows all the numbers so it’s good practice!
This is what happens on laundry day.
Really? The ornaments?
So I come downstairs and Katie says “Mom! Guess what I’m doing? Playing with ornaments!” And yep, she has taken all “her” ornaments off the tree (Olaf, Elsa, Anna, Sparty, Doc McStuffins, Sofia).
I know in the grand scheme of things it’s not a big deal but seriously?! She has a thousand toys plus all the stuff she just got for Christmas and she HAS TO TAKE ORNAMENTS OFF THE TREE TO PLAY WITH?!
Kids. 😣
Santa found us in Grayling!
As is tradition, we set the kids’ phones outside their rooms so when they get up in the morning they have something to do until we get up and are ready (which is always by 7). This morning Katie was still sleeping at 7 and Owen had already had enough of his phone and was laying by the door just waiting… So Tom woke Katie up!
Katie got a note from Santa telling her he left a big present at home since he knew she was at Gramma’s—a Barbie power wheels!!
Then the kids opened their gifts from each other… Owen loved his sword, yoyo, and Lego Ninjago stuff and Katie was happy he was happy. Awwwww.
And then it was her turn to open and she LOVED what Owen got her (a Belle doll and matching Belle dress)!
And Gramma’s picture of the same scene from a different angle! So cute and so thrilled! 🙂
And then they put together their Lego figures they got each other.
Tom said Katie saw this wine key when they were out and about and she had to get it for me. So now whenever I want wine, I show her the key and she will bring me some. 🙂
And she also picked out this painted stone at a favorite store of mine in Grayling—Tip’n the Mitten!
The one thing she repeatedly asked for—a Sparty cheerleader outfit. She used to have a hand-me-down from the Besons but it is too small. This one should fit for a few years (Gramma had to take in the skirt because she’s so tiny).
Gramma Marsha had all these Barbies packed away so we held on to them until this Christmas. She loved them.
Playing in the snow at Gramma’s!
Owen wanted to be buried!
She’s quite happy with herself.
She loves ink stamps. As you can see. 🙂
When it’s snowing as the kids get home from school, this happens.Â
#snowangels #neighborkids #momtographer
And then I looked out and the kids had multiplied! 🙂
And then it was my dad’s idea for them all to make snow angels!
And then left to their own devices, they buried Owen.
