I love how my two children love books.  They can sit for long periods of time by themselves and "read" them.  He tends to do so quietly to himself, while you can hear her retelling the story.  And when they get together to read it just melts my heart.  And here with a Toy Story book it is pure love for them.  This was after the trip down to the beach where they got to hear the story on CD while flipping through the pages (wonderful investment for traveling!), but before they got to see the movie.

That's right these two got to go the movies and see it (though not in 3D - we weren't sure they were up to that part of it).  He was excited though I don't think he completely understood it.  This was his first movie in the theater.  His sister had to wait until she was older - she was 4, while he was 2.  And I was pleasantly shocked that he was free.  (Wow something free at the movies?!!)  He was rather puzzled when he and I went to go take our seats and Daddy and his sister went to the concession counter.  That really threw him off.  But he walked with me to a seat and was quite proud to sit beside me.  And when they showed up later with popcorn he was really excited.  And then we just had to work on getting him to not shout out the movie characters as they showed up on the screen (something he's learned at home with watching movies with his sister).  We all enjoyed the movie.  He did quite well until they very end where he started to get restless.  But when asked if he wanted to leave, he managed to find it in him to sit still a little bit longer.  Yes, our boy loves Buzz and Woody (and everyone else too)!

So it seems that the potty training is back to where it was.  I have no idea what possesed him to go on the potty the one day, but it appears to be a fluke versus a trend.  But he does seem more interested now than he did.  So maybe it was just a luck of the timing that day.  Who knows.  But he keeps trying!  Oh, I dream of diaper and pull-up free days.  Not them older necessarily, just no more pullups or diapers. 

Honestly I'd like to be here right about now.

Just pure peace and quiet.  Nothing but the sounds of the ocean.  Yes, that sounds lovely.  But I'll settle for peace and quiet after the kids are in bed after a day full of work, gymnastics, and book reading.

But looking back at the beach helps some too.  These two had lots of fun in the sun.

Our oldest still poses for pictures without prompting.  But she does it when there isn't a camera, so I guess it is a "natural" shot of her.

And he is usually too busy to be bothered with a picture.

I have no idea what was so funny.  I think he was laughing at her, but I can't say for sure.  I just know trying to get two kids together in one frame can be challenging.

But I love the smiles!  :)

Today our youngest reached a milestone - he peed in the potty!  I couldn't be more excited!  You see he has been talking a good game about going potty for months now, but hasn't actually gone potty.  So apparently today instead of just going through the motions, he actually went.  Yeah!  Now, I don't expect that he'll be fully trained overnight or anything, but I have just been hoping for progression and this is a good first step. 

Instead we have been....

spending time at the pool and the beach (the perfect place this time of year if you ask me),

the kids have enjoyed popsicles (outside), and they have enjoyed water play at school.  She has had her physical / 5 year check up and all the necessary paperwork has been completed and submitted for kindergarten.  Along with that she got four (4?!!) vaccines.  I had warned her she was going to get a shot, but even I didn't imagine it was going to be four.  So later that day she got to tour her new school when we dropped off her final paperwork.  We don't know exactly which class will be hers, so we peeked at them all.  :)  And tomorrow she will be at the dentist for a cleaning.  Then next week he'll be back at the dentist to check to see how well he's healing.  The funny thing is I know he'll be upset tomorrow morning to learn that she is going to the dentist and he isn't.  Sigh. 

I have been working on some of my "projects" around the house.  This includes turning this free desk from Craigslist

into this

I think it turned out rather nicely.  I did learn thought that I should not be conservative when buying the fabric.  I guess I had a measurement wrong or something as I thought I was buying a little extra and I had JUST enough.  As in if it were even the tiniest bit smaller it would not have worked.  It will be the kids desk for homework, etc.  For now it is where they are doing puzzles.  She has a Princess Tiana (100 piece) one on the top and he has a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (25 piece) in progress in the pullout keyboard drawer.  He has done that puzzle over and over and over the past several days.  As soon as he finishes it, he starts over.  And boy it is hard to convince him that he should do something other than that when he's busy working on it. 

I have another project in the works, but well it's hot out and I'm feeling lazy today so I'm not working on it.  I did some yesterday and am just now realizing that I didn't take a "before" picture.  Hmm...  may have to get one before I continue on.  We'll see if a remember to do so when I start back on it.  Oh, and we also have done some yard work recently that we need to do more on.  But again it is hot.  And since they aren't urgent, we are putting them off for now.  :)

Ok, trying to edit this to see if it will show up to anyone besides me.  Right now I can see the post when I'm logged in and not any other time.  So let's see if this fixes it.  :-)  At least for now I know it is "saved" somewhere.

We let our little girl have a "big" party this year at BounceU.  Ever since she went there like 9 months ago for a party, that is where she wanted hers.  And since it practically doubled as a graduation party for all of her friends before they all got split up, it seemed like a good year for a "big" party. 

In addition to knowing exactly where she wanted her party she knew exactly what kind of cake she wanted.  She wanted it to be square.  Ok - easy enough.  And she wanted it to have two levels.  Um, ok.  And she wanted Princess and the Frog.  Hmmmm...  ok.  At this point I hid my cake class book (she thought it was a catalogue) and said ok.  I'll take it from there.  Here is what I came up with.  She was thrilled.  It was everything she'd asked for.  :-)

A closer look at each layer.

Prince Naveen and I were not on the best terms.  Small feet plus a cape equals a tendency for the prince to fall backwards.  Not acceptable!

The characters were from a set from the Disney Store.  Without them I have no idea how I'd have pulled off the Princess and the Frog theme.  I can't draw a frog with a pencil and paper, so I don't imagine I could do it in icing.

I made the cake the day before.  And we got it there without a problem - yeah!  (Not a small feat considering the heat and humidity around here.)

Once there she was a flash of energy.  Seriously I don't know where she was at all times.  She was quick!  And I was busy keeping up with a little boy that discovered that he loves to bounce.  He could keep going on the big slide all day long.  He tried to escape back to play once we moved on to the second room.  There he discovered an inflatable where he could bounce and slide and all was good again.  Until it was time for cake at least.

They each went on the big slide over, and over, and over...

Wonder if she could go down with her mouth closed?  :-)

At first he went down with me.  Then with Daddy.  Then Aunt Bianca.  Then some repeats.

Then he was going down on his own.  Of course we still had to follow him up the stairs so that he didn't fall, but at least we didn't have to carry him up anymore.

Here they are in the second room (which did not include the large slide).

A look at our very calm birthday girl.  Yeah, right.

I love how even with all her friends there she let him sit beside her.

Happy 5th Birthday girl!

In addition to our little girl turning 5 - she also graduated preschool.  In fact it was the very next day. 

Preschool had a very sweet graduation ceremony.  Here she is entering into the gym for the ceremony.

Here she is singing one of their songs.  This was the alphabet song, complete with sign language.

Each child held up a picture they had drawn and told what they'd like to be when they grow up.  She wants to "fly things."

Each child got a diploma and an alumni t-shirt.  (And she was struggling with her hat once again.  Poor thing got so into a song early on she knocked it off with her hands and spent the rest of the time trying to make it just right again.)

Congrats to our graduate!

Can you tell she was a tad excited?

In case you couldn't tell she was a bit wired.  Just a tad.  Especially after cake complete with black icing (seriously that part wasn't thought out all the way).

He on the other hand had no idea what was going on.  Course he was napping during the ceremony, but either way he was oblivious.

And so we have our first graduate.  Does she really seem big enough for kindergarten?  Oh, well - whether I'm ready or not that's where she's headed this fall!

Our little girl recently turned 5.  Five?!!  Seriously?!  Aye!  Alas, it is true.  She is 5.  And on her way to kindergarten this fall.  Where or where has the time gone?

She enjoyed every moment of her birthday.  In the morning she was over the top when we sang to her.  But her brother refused to even tell her happy birthday.  :-)  He's just as stubborn as she is.  And he didn't want to do it, because she wanted him to.  But he did enjoy that it was her day. 

After school she got to open her cards.  She treasured each one.

And then there were presents.  As always I was amazed at how a little tissue paper and wrapping paper went everywhere.

And he even got a present too.  Grandma's are good like that.

Here she is opening her Prince Naveen.

However, since they play Princess and the Frog all the time and he's the prince, guess who thought it was his present.

Fortunately she understood.  Otherwise it would have been a bad situation.  He was not to be deterred.  Except to check what else she got.  :-)

She had a great 5th birthday!

So summer doesn't officially start for another couple of weeks, but it sure feels like summer here!  Then again we tend to go from cool weather to hot weather and seem to bypass the nice mild weather.  We have had some mild weather this year, but right now it is perfect pool weather.  And that is what we did for the kids this weekend. 

This was a pool we bought for her when she was a year and a half.  At the time it was the perfect size for her.  Now with two of them, especially as they get older, I'm thinking they could use a bigger pool.  So we bought a bigger one for them yesterday at Target.  Course this one will take much more effort to blow up, but Daddy has that covered.  For now they are happy with their little pool.

Granted he had to bring a duck.  Or was it bribed with a duck so that he would stand still for sunscreen.  This boy does NOT like to have sunscreen put on at all.  Which is kind of funny considering how quick you can do it with the spray.  Imagine if he had to stand still while I rubbed it all in.  Sigh

But splashing was worth the torture.

Naturally she decided she wanted her hair wet even though the water was very shallow.  So this is what she did.  Gotta love it!

He was not as adventurous (at least this time).

Both did lots of splashing!  Which in the end helped empty the pool out for me.

And I loved watching them put their two heads together.  So cute.  Now if only they could use that for good.

I love this little guy!  And I love that he is becoming more cooperative when it comes to pictures.

Not that he holds still per se, but he doesn't run away all the time which helps.  Course any little thing can be distracting (I have no idea what was fascinating behind the door).

But it is a huge improvement over a few months ago.

Now there are times he is more cooperative than his sister.

Together is always a mixed bag.  It may start off so sweet and innocent.

But then they have a tendency to hug to the point of wrestling.  Sigh.

But most of the time I can get a few cute photos in first.

And I've learned when to just give up.  :-)

So Daddy washed the kitchen floors today.  In order to do so he took all of the chairs out of the kitchen and put them in the next room (which doubles as my desk / playroom).  This was what you would see behind me at the moment in said playroom.

At first I could not figure out exactly what was going on.

And really when they are playing fairly quietly and getting along with each other, does it matter?  :-)

But when I stopped to listen to the chatter I learned they were "riding the train."  On their way to Disney World.  Apparently their kitchen table booster seats are SO much more fun in the playroom.  Now if only it really took us to Disney.....   :-)