Fourteen Years (And More)

 Fourteen years ago today we got married!  We didn't do anything special tonight because we spent the weekend walking down memory lane at our 20 year high school reunion.

 One of the biggest highlights for me was seeing this room.

 

 This is where we first met almost 22 years ago--first hour Honors Chemistry, which I had no business being in and actually cried to the guidance counselor to get out of after a semester.  That's really probably a whole blog post itself, because sometimes when I hear Jay talking over chemistry with Jack I think I still have some unresolved issues about that whole awful time.

 At the end of our senior year (a year in which I took exactly ZERO science classes), we began dating.  Someone recently posted this picture from the graduation after party which I had never seen before.

20 years later we look pretty much nothing like that anymore, but I wouldn't change a thing.  Happy anniversary!

Bug Out (And More!)

 Thursday we took the day off from VBS and headed to Oklahoma City for the Bug Out.

 In the past it has always been held in May, but they moved it to June this year.  Since school kids could come now, it was MUCH more crowded than usual.

 We still had a good time, though!

 I love her expression in this one!

 

 They had some different creepy crawlies you could touch, too.  Neither one of the kids was too sure about this container full of dead tarantulas!

 Climbing the walls!

 

 

 The kids love the Children's Garden, so we spent some time there, too.

 I love this one!

 Cooling off!

 We had lunch at our usual Bricktown spot and fed the ducks afterward.

 We spent a little time at the zoo, too--mostly in the Children's Zoo because we were hot and tired.  The kids love the lorikeets and Jack can always get them to climb on him.

 Alice was very patient and finally got this one to hop on her arm for a bit!

We wrapped up the day with a movie at the park!  It was a long day, but a lot of fun!

Happy Birthday, Jack!

 This picture pretty much sums up how I feel about the fact that Jack is 10 today.  It seriously seems like he should still be that size.

 Somehow, though, it's been 10 whole years since he was born.  10 years full of laughter and smiles and hugs and cuddles and absolute joy.  I cannot imagine life without this sweet boy that I love so much.

 It only seemed fitting to celebrate a decade of motherhood by being awoken at 4:30 this morning.  Jack had been up since 2:09 reading the third Harry Potter book.  I finally got up at 5:00 and convinced him to try to sleep a little more since he had had less than four hours and he still had a full day ahead of him.

 When he got back up, we surprised him with his gift.

 One happy boy!

 4:30:  He's officially 10!

 The bulk of his day was spent at VBS and playing with cousins, but when he got home, he got to work on his new set.

This evening he worked on his birthday cake for his party tomorrow.

Happy birthday, Jackabooter!  I am so glad you are ours!

Summer Kick Off

 We started our summer break this week with a quick trip up to Bartlesville.

 We spent a little time at the splash pad before dinner.

 Then it was on to the Kiddie Park!  They were the first ones on the roller coaster for the night.

 They rode this thing over and over and over.

 

The kids had played with this little girl at McDonald's earlier and she and her grandma walked around with us at the Kiddie Park.

 Alice liked having someone her size to ride with!

Jack loved the ball toss.  He usually knocked them down on the first ball!

 

 

 You have to get cotton candy!

 And you have to ride the train!  We closed the place down and made it home by 11:00. 

Happy Birthday, Alice!

 How on earth is it that this tiny baby is five years old?!

 I absolutely love this child.  Her opera singing, her creative messes, her love for GodandJesus (you have to say it that way), her (usually) outlandish guesses at every.single.question. her brother is asked for school, her knack for sleepwalking to the weirdest places, her ideas.  All of it.

 She wanted an American Girl doll and was saving her money for one, so she was very excited to get one for her birthday.

 "Did you use my money to buy this?!"

 For her birthday party she requested a pinata.

 And pin the tail on the donkey.

 She also wanted her favorite neighbor to come to the party.

 For her cake, she wanted Angelina Ballerina and she frosted it and decorated it herself!

 3:31 picture:  Hanging out in her (completely wrecked) room with her brother and cousin.

 For dinner, we went to Coney I-lander for cheesy hot dogs and games.

We wrapped it up with The Wizard of Oz in the park!

Happy birthday, sweet girl!  We love you!