Dallas Arboretum

We took the girls to the Dallas Arboretum on Monday and we had a ton of fun! It was seriously hot so we took a ton of water, but we didn't need to worry! There were several water features, and even though you weren't supposed to play in them Melody managed to get soaked at every one! She kept trying to take her clothes off so she could go swimming. Melody really enjoyed being able to just run around, smell the flowers and chase the squirrels. Katelynn on the other hand, was very unhappy that Mellie got to walk while she was stuck in the stroller. She's getting quite opinionated lately! So finally we took her out and pushed around our empty stroller, go figure! Jared occupied himself by taking pictures of EVERYTHING! There were so many beautiful photo opportunities. I think he most enjoyed taking pics of the kids playing though. He got some really good ones and we ended up with over 60 pictures! I just enjoyed the opportunity to get out of the house and move around no matter how hot it was! I was an extremely beautiful place to play and explore. We'll definitely be going back in the spring when everything is in full bloom.

Sunday Best

The girls were all dressed and ready for church and we just couldn't resist a few pictures. They looked too sweet! Katie hated that hat, but it was too cute to take off. Melody was just being a ham. We have to bribe her to let us take pictures. Usually with M&M's, but our supply is running low so we'll have to come up with something new! Melody really enjoys church. Sacrament is hard for her, but she LOVES nursery. She comes home every week singing a new song. This week she wandered around for the rest of the day yelling 'Sunbeam, Sunbeam. Sunbeam, Sunbeam' She gets the basic idea. Katie I've discovered would much rather play with the big kids than the babies. We have a few babies and a few toddlers that are in class every week and when I try to encourage her to play with the babies she turns herself around and heads for the back where the bigger kids are playing. She just doesn't know what to do with herself without Melody around to entertain her!

Melody's Project

So I've come to the conclusion that I'm a bad mom. It's been so hot here lately that we haven't been able to leave the house beyond the quick trip to walmart, so I was browsing online looking for project ideas to keep melody busy. As I'm looking I come across a blog ran by a SAHM of 5 kids! First of all that made me feel incompetent because I can barely handle my two! Then she proceeds to blog about all the fun projects she does everyday with her kids and how she structures the day because it helps them feel secure when they have structure.
As I'm reading this I begin to feel worse and pretty soon I have myself convinced that my children's eternal salvation depends on having structure and doing crafts! So at this point I close the laptop and go find 'project' materials. I pull out paper and letters and glue and fancy scissors and card stock for cutting out shapes. I decide we should make a crown because all little girls like wearing princess crowns right. About two minutes into it I discovered melody had no interest in making a crown and ripped the first one I made. when I gave her shapes and letters to glue on she rubbed glue on the back just like I showed her and then stuck them to my carpet. It needed some sprucing us anyway! Finally I get her to find the letters for her name and with some help she got them in the right order. We managed to glue them onto the crown and the she promptly went back to gluing shapes to the carpet. After we finished she had no interest in putting it on until Dad came home and raved about how beautiful it was. Today she brought it to me and asked me to help her put it on, I did, and then she disappeared. I followed her to see what she was up to and found her admiring herself in front of the mirror we have yet to hang up! I ran and grabbed the camera, but she hates it when I take her picture (she poses for Dad: ) so I had to snap fast before she got the crown off. I only got two but I thought they turned out cute. I guess I'll have to risk their eternal salvation because I don't have the energy for anymore projects this week!

Melody's ABC"s

Last week Mellie started singing twinkle twinkle little star, then yesterday she started singing her ABC's from start to finish. She would only do it when she thought I wasn't paying attention and if I dared turn a camera on she would run the other way! So I did what any good mather would so, I bribed her! I told her I would give her MnM's if she would sing for the camera. That's what she's talking about at the end of the video she wants me to pay up! Oh well, it got her to sing didn't it!

Katelynn's upto mischief

We have a big toy basket we keep in the living room and Katie figured out how to get into it! At first she would just pull out toys that hung over the edge, but it didn't take her long to figure out how to pull over the whole basket. She only does it when Melody's not around though because She's always telling her no and taking away toys that she doesn't think Katelynn should have (which is almost all of them!). As soon as Mellie's in bed or eating Katie will scoot over to the basket and pull it over so she can go through the toys. It keeps her occupied for a good twenty minutes which is like a mini vacation to me!