macaron making - most time consuming cookie in the world.

we learned the macaron making process tonight at make it sweet.  omgosh.  who knew that making the tiny little morsels of heaven literally takes a week from the start of the process until the point at which you can truly enjoy them????  we may be devouring all of our goodies (60 of them!!!!) and choosing to purchase them from this point on!  we had so much fun with our besties... catching up and learning something new.  love.

half way to summer goal - running to the lake

my summer goal is to run to the lake and back - six miles.  when making the goal I kind of forgot how hot texas summers are!  I may need to adjust the goal and plan to make it there and back by November.  today, ken and I ran half way there and got a ride home.  so much fun to be enjoying runs with this kid who hated running.  we just run.  don't even talk too much... point out wildlife... and sweat together.  love.

jumbo jenga (and a little yatzee too)

these hot summer days are much better when you can spend them with a cool drink, next to the pool, and in the shade.  today we played jumbo jenga and yatzee.  we tried to capture the exact moment the tower fell... but missed it, as it crashed into b's face! great morning.  love.

mck heads to soccer camp

dropped sweet mck off at a&m for soccer camp today.  she is so excited!  hoping these five days go by quickly so we can pick her up. and hear all about it.  love this kid and love these girls she is spending the week with. love.

austin graffiti park

this place was awesome.  so many cool, beautiful, inspiring pieces of art in the middle of an austin neighborhood.  kids had fun exploring all the interesting goodies and walking to the top to get a view of austin.  can't believe it's taken us this long to visit.  awesome summer outing.  love. 

austin zoo visit

it's been years since we visited the austin zoo.  it was hot, but we got to see so many animals right up close.  it was a great morning.  the peacocks were in mating seasons, so the males we on full display.  kam loved the HUGE pig. b loved the alligator.  ken loved the cougar "cubs" that came up close and purred for us.  and mck loved too many things to list. love. 

kam's milkshakes

kam's been wanting to make milkshakes after reading some recipes in her magazine.  we tried the cookies and cream one today.  who knew it takes an entire carton of ice cream to make milkshakes for four kids?????  we topped them with whipped cream and an oreo thin cookie.  they were VERY happy kids. love.

night swimming

nothing cooler than watching the kids swim in the dark!  love these summer nights. 

4th of july

had a great 4th.  pool time, yummy food, grammy and grampy, relaxing, despicable me 3, catching the fireworks from the dairy queen parking lot, and then fireworks and glow sticks at home until 11! love.

aunt sarah camp

kids had a great time at another aunt sarah camp - camping themed this year.  the guest house was decorated perfectly... a giant tent, a campfire, yummy snacks, and tackle boxes filled with goodies.  they went on a nature hunt, watched a movie, played games, and enjoyed a cousin sleepover.  love.  

Big day today!

Kennedy learned to swallow Tylenol today!!!!  Poor kid had a bad ear infection.  We couldn't stop for medicine or we would miss tumbling... So after many tears and lots of instructions, she did it!!!!

My sweet kid

At soccer for kenzie and just found kamy sitting doing nothing while a stranger kid played on her kindle.  She didn't want to ask for it back.  She can be really sweet.

minion movie with the minions.

A great ending to a Sunday evening.  Kids couldn't wait to see the minion movie.  Kennedy had everyone wear their minion shirts (it is rare for her to want to match everyone these days...especially on a day when she isn't feeling good because of an ear infection!) 

Crossed another item off the summer list with a stop for dinner at Cherry Berry for frozen yogurt dinner!  Went through THREE tubs of popcorn and sodas during the movie... Along with minion colored candies!  

Was fun to hear the kids laughing out loud through the movie.  

Crazy boy

Bentley has started walking around without a shirt on...a lot.  Today he added a bow.  :)

Fun with friends and first four wheeler rides

All the kids get along.  All the moms get along.  Perfect summer afternoon.

b's birthday celebration at grammy's

g&g had special cupcakes and a gift for b as an early birthday celebration since we were visiting just the week before his big day!  he loved the batman cupcakes and couldn't wait to get home to set up his new wall tracks hot wheel set!  thanks g&g for making it a speical evening!

garner state park 2012

best camping trip.  ever.  okay, it helps that we were in our camper, and that our campsite backed up to the river, and that the kids loved every minute in the water, and that it was just plain good old fashioned fun!  we spent 5 days in garner state park.  the area was beautiful.  the water was refreshing and oh so clean!  we tubed the river twice, danced at night, cooked yummy food over the campfire, fished, swam - A LOT, and did some hiking too.  ken spent time building rick towers at the water's edge.  mck tried to be the first at EVERYTHING!  kam was the dancing queen of the trip.  and little b took everything in stride and was such a trooper . . . keeping up with the big kids everyday, all day long.  we played mini golf, hiked up to the crystal cave, and tried campfire eclairs!  i think garner is a new family tradition!

baseball game with daddy

what a treat . . . for all of us!  daddy took all four kiddos to the express game!  i was home ALONE for 3 hours!  i am not sure who was happier - me or the kids!  the kids had an all you can eat schmorgasboard of goodies, watched a little of the game and played around.  they came home tired and happy!  i got to watch trashy t.v. and take a bubble bath!  i was tired and happy when they got home. 

our monkeys . . . at the zoo!

we spent the day at the houston zoo with grammy before daddy's dr. appt.  it was a really hot day, but the kids were troopers!  they had so much fun and we really ran out of time!  they loved the animals, but ken and mck wanted to read almost every sign . . . i had to hurry them along!  b was content to chill in his hat and stroller.  and kam was a mess . . . just having a rough day.  you'll notice all of our pics from the zoo are the kids posing with statues.  i don't think they missed one!  they loved the play area (although we have a playscape at home) and the petting zoo (which only had goats - which we also have at home!).  we saw an amazing chimp exhibit (even cooler because we saw chimpanzee the movie only a few days prior!) and ate lunch right next to the elephants!