We celebrated Katie’s birthday at the Ramada again this year. She didn’t want to go in the pool, though—choosing the playground instead.
Of course Owen wanted to swim!
Caught mid-jump!
She finally decided she wanted to swim!
We FINALLY got her to jump in the pool again!
Owen also received a few gifts…Papa and Grannie gave him a roll of quarters to use in the hotel game room!
He shared his quarters with his sister!
A great time was had by all…
This year the party was at my mom’s house! Katie “helped” with the party prep!
Katie loved her Anna dress from Grauntie Rose!
The cousins being silly!
If there’s water, the kids will come.
Bubble wands at the ready!
The annual by-age lineup: Katie (3), Owen (6), Aubrey (7), Gracie (9), and Nick (11). You’ll see a direct Owen/Nick comparison tomorrow. 🙂
Everyone always complains but I think they secretly enjoy the family photo! 🙂
Our little Santas.
Owen was GIDDY with the bazooka Grauntie Rose got him! It’s almost like she knows him exactly like I do. :p
Katie LOVES her Frozen magic music wand from Grauntie Marilyn.
No snow? Grass angels!
Ice cream face!
Overall it was a great day—the kids all had a blast together, the food was abundant and delicious, and everyone had fun relaxing and playing games. I think it was the right decision to move our Christmas to the middle of summer!
We taught Owen on the exact game board Gramma Jean taught me to play on 35ish years ago!
We were getting the house ready for our Len Christmas in July and got out this ceramic tree. It’s old—my mom made it for my Grandma Katie (Len) in the ’70s and I’ve always loved it. Katie was enthralled with it, too…and one of the first things she said was “There’s no star!” My mom said that Grandma Len had said the very same thing and even attached a fake star to it. I don’t think I ever really noticed that it didn’t have a star—or I did, but didn’t think it was any big deal. Amazing how the original Katie AND her namesake both had the same thought. 🙂
Gramma Jean said there was a new playground by the house so on the way home from Kid Fest we stopped to check it out.
HOLY CRAP.
It’s bigger and nicer than the playground at Owen’s school!
Hopefully we’ll make it back at least once before we leave!
It’s Milltown week so we took the kids downtown to Kid Fest! They had a blast!
She LOVED the popcorn. The SnoCones…not so much.
Making bracelets and necklaces with Gramma.
Then Owen got to ride in a racing canoe!! Some of the racers were the back seat paddlers and took the kids up and down the river. It was his very first time in a canoe and he loved it!
If you notice, he’s watching what the pro does and copies him to steer the boat!
He said he was a little scared at first but then he was okay! We were SO proud of him!
Owen loved sitting in the big fire truck—and even got to turn on the lights and the siren! Katie wanted NOTHING to do with any of it. 🙂
Getting a ninja turtle mask!
And lastly, our crazy photo booth pictures!
Gramma Jean has been teaching Owen how to play Yahtzee!
Wow, flashback time! This was supposed to have been posted on July 16 of 2014! I’m not sure how it got lost, but it’s here now!
Katie was holding Gramma Jean’s travel Yahtzee.
Katie: I want Sophia the First please.
Grandpa David: Katie’s a muppet.
Katie: No I’m Katie.
Katie, to me: Are you Katie?
Katie, to Grandpa David: Are you Katie?
Days after I painted Katie’s toes, she keeps bringing me the bottle of the polish:
Katie: Mama! Katie’s toes!
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse was on and Gramma was singing The Hot Dog song.
GJ in a normal voice: Hot dog hot dog hot diggity dog!
Katie: No sing.
GJ in a loud voice: Hot dog hot dog hot diggity dog!
Katie: NO SING!
GJ in a whisper: Hot dog hot dog hot diggity dog!
Katie in a whisper: No sing.
Owen was testing out a new scooter. Katie was running in front of him clearing the path.
Katie: Watch out! Watch out!
Opening her presents:
Katie: Oh my goodness.
How is it we always seem to wait until the last minute for certain group photos? And we missed an entire clan photo…
Looking up at a plane going by. We saw lots of jets and planes and helicopters the whole week!
She didn’t go in the water much, but when she did, she did some STOMPING and SPLASHING!
The one thing she liked to do? Throw shovels full of sand into the water. Yes, kids are strange.
And a fun screenshot I saw while I was editing the video:
It was impressive watching the beach guys carrying in the chairs in the evening.
Grannie had bought a ring/horseshoe toss game so they played that. I wrote in the sand. Katie played in the sand. Owen and daddy played with the glider. I took some artsy fartsy pictures. The men sat in chairs.
Gramma Jean had a kite that we took out for the kids. (We thought we had brought one but it turned out to be a glider instead of a kite.) The kids LOVED it!
Trying to get Katie to smile for a picture…
I hate to wake a sleeping kid, but if we were to stay on any kind of a schedule, I had to.
She actually woke up quite easily and agreed to go see Gramma Jean. And that’s when it all fell apart. She was sitting with GJ, but gently wimpering and whining…which eventually turned into full-blown crying with tears and everything. Hoo boy. It went on and on and on. She didn’t want milk, the iPad, M&Ms, or her B. After a half hour, talk of going to the pool finally got her attention.
Last year the gang went to Fudpuckers while I stayed home to let Katie get a good nap. This year, we both went along.
They are known for the alligators…and I have to be honest and say they just creep me the hell out. /shudder
Beth and I decided to split this 40 oz margarita-ish drink.
And made mom try it, too. 🙂
Feeding the alligators.
Being a ham.
Attempting to get a cousin pic…and failing. 🙂
More creeptastic alligators.
Owen by his name that he wrote there last year.
Then this happened on the drive home.
Just two of the projects we built today—thanks to the expander set Gramma Jean gave Owen for Christmas we can build bigger things now!
Owen picked these new PJ pieces to wear tonight! Thanks, Gramma Jean!
She slept in the ballerina outfit and didn’t want to take it off, so I added tights and a long-sleeved shirt…and she added the backpack (another gift from Gramma Jean) first thing!
We had one of these growing up and I always wanted one of my own but I never lived anywhere with a lamppost!
Until now!
I asked, and Gramma Jean made one for us when she was here! After seeing the neighbors with their decorations, I put it up after getting Owen on the bus.
We all went for the morning program!
Then they told us it was Halley tradition to have the VIPs participate in Tooty Ta with the kids! (This is the dance I posted awhile back that Owen learned in Pre-K but did again this year.)
You can’t see us very well, but me and Gramma Jean are up in the front. 🙂
Owen’s cubbies:
Owen’s table:
I love his hopes and dreams: to do more homework! 🙂
This is why I can’t take Katie in the classroom…all my attention has to be on her.
She just wants to play and take out every toy. Here she was having a tea party. 🙂 I have no idea where she learned the words tea party.
Owen is Calendar Helper. We didn’t get to see it this morning because the morning program ran late. I have yet to get a good description out of him on what Calendar Helper does. 🙂
Getting ready for snack time!
What’s left of the ant farm from last week:
Getting ready to go to lunch.
Everyone gets hand sanitizer!
LUNCH! We asked who he usually sits with and he said “Somebody.” 🙂
After lunch, daddy was back in the classroom helping.
Owen loved every minute of it—and so did Tom!
Gramma Jean and Grandpa David babysat so we could go out for dinner. This was happening as we left…
And the driveway was full when we got home.
GJ gave this house to the kids ages ago and we finally got it out and set it up (and colored it) while Katie was napping and Owen was at school.
Gramma Jean helped Owen with this homework!
Candy, Cookies, Cat, Car, Cow
And this past week was ant week!
At dinner, Katie started asking about going to the playground. It was still early enough and the weather was still gorgeous, so off we went!
We got a box from Amazon that just called out to be made into a house. 🙂
Katie loved it, but it got CRAZY when Owen got home…
It’s perfect for Katie but just a bit too small for the both of them together…but they don’t let that stop them!
Look at all the cool stuff on it!
See part 1 here!
Today Gramma Jean and I tried to get a better shot of Katie in the dress with the doll—and with the bonnet that I found (and didn’t lose after we moved!).
First, Katie was thrilled to get new shoes (I’ve had them forever and finally had a reason to get them out). Second, she loved her “long socks” and sat very patiently while I put her tights on. Third, she was excited to finally hold “her dolly” that she had seen sitting on the table waiting. 🙂
Here’s a comparison shot with the original picture and the closest one from today (out of 147 shots):
And a collage of the rest of the best:
Two of my favorites:
Some pics mom took:
Showing grandpa her long socks!
Heading to the bus stop to get Owen, with a brief detour to see the pumpkins and try for more pics:
As always, excited to see Owee getting off the bus!
Back at home, refusing to take off any of the outfit:
Mom and I went to Kohl’s this morning and Katie was enamored with the mannequins. She kept saying “He’s over here! He’s over here!”
Katie was SUPER excited to go to the playground and knew right where to go from our house.
After all that running around and sliding and swinging, she took an 8-second rest with Gramma.
Every time I would sit on the bouncy animal, Katie would say “NO! My horsey!”
We took Gramma Jean and Grandpa David to the park to go on the nature trail! It was a gorgeous morning!
Where’s Katie?
Here I am!
And the route we took. I knew it was up and down but a few of the big jags really surprised me. And aren’t GPS apps cool?!
