Weekend at Grammy's and Papaw's

This past weekend we went to Tyler.  We had a fun-filled weekend.  We started Friday off with the Science Place.  Grammy, Macie, and I stayed for about two hours there and could have spend the entire day there.  What a great place for kid!  There are all sorts of learning experiments/science hands-on activities, a pretend play area, and I think one area we didn't get to.  Macie loved it.  I loved watching her love it.  Zack and Weston stayed back at the house for a nap.  It was great fun and I look forward to going there again.  Friday night we pulled off a surprised birthday for Janet.  Her sisters came in for dinner and we all gave her an IPad for her birthday.  She was shocked and loved every minute, I think! Saturday we were off to the Azalea Run.  We did it last year and have decided to try and make it an annual event.  We had to get there early so Macie and Finley could participate in the 50 yard dash. However, as we were walking up they finished.  BUT they let them run it anyway!  It was so cute...the two of them running with Grammy and Papaw.  Once we got home the kids did Easter activities since we were all together.  They dyed eggs AND Macie dyed her hand.  They hunted eggs and had decorated Easter cookies. Both Macie and Finley were wiped out and took 3 hour naps. After naps they were ready to go again.  All four of the bigger kids played outside and enjoyed the beautiful weather.  It was really cute because Jackson and Jillian were taking turns pushing the wagon.  Finley, "the bad cop," was riding the little trike and trying to get the other kids.  I told Macie she could be the good cop and she said, "No, I am a princess."  Grammy and Papaw were very kind and kept all the kids at the house and let all of us have a quick dinner out.  My phone started vibrating and I knew exactly why she was calling.  Mr. Weston sometimes has a hard time going to sleep especially lately as we are waiting on those front two bottom teeth to come in.  Poor guy!  Anyway, we loved the weekend.  It is not always easy to get everyone together but I love family time.

Spread your wings...

 Macie and Grammy were rolling the golf balls down the ramp.

 Brookshires grocery store was probably Macie's favorite.  Macie bought lots of veggies and fruit on her second shopping trip.  There are all sorts of foods to buy and then check out with at the counter.  It is the real deal.  There was also a bank, post office, court house, bakery, hospital, ambulance, theater, and art center. and Bistro.  Oh my goodness, I loved it as much as she did.

 
At first Macie wasn't so sure about climbing the wall.  Plus she was taking all of it in.  After a while she decided to "be brave" and climb the wall.

 Jackson was sweet of enough to pose for me.

 Weston hanging out with Rosy.

 Dying Eggs and a Left Hand

 Egg Hunt

 I love that Jillian loves playing with the little babies too!  She is so sweet.

 Decorating Easter cookies with Jackson and Jillian putting on the icing was a major hit and a LOAD of sugar.  There cookies were extra sweet.

 Yummy

 Weston was napping during the Easter egg hunt but I still got a few pictures of him with his pail.  Lyndsie added both his and Macie's names to the pails and they turned out adorable.

 Of course I took about 10 plus pictures of him and could have uploaded them all but I settled with 3.

 On Your Mark!  Get Set!  GO!!!!!

 Macie took off!   The first thing she said Saturday morning and actually in the middle of the night was, "I am ready for my race."  She was!  They liked when everyone cheered for them. Finley started acting silly!  I am sure they would have been 1st and 2nd if they would have been in the first race with all the kids.

 They brought home the GOLD!

 All the kids were ready for the 2 mile run/walk. 

2nd Annual Azaleas Run

Spring Break

Spring Break was this past week!  Macie, Blake, and Nonnie were off from school and Pappy took the week off as well.  What a great week to be off too!  The weather was perfect for playing outside and having a good time with family. We had a wonderful time!  We were FUN busy each day and how they days flew.  Bed timewas always so nice especially as we adjusted to the time change. 

 Macie loves Blair.  She took a minute to hold her but then was off to play with Blake again.

 Memaw came down for a few days during spring break.  It was her first time to meet both Weston and Blair.  We loved having her here.

 On Monday Mom and Memaw came over our way.  We went to Sam Moon and bought sunglasses.  This has been Mom and my tradition for a long time not (for at least 7-10 years we have done it).  Memaw and Macie joined in.  The crazy thing is Memaw, Mom, and I all ended up with the same pair. 

 Memaw and Blair

 Macie and Blake were messing with the neighbor's hose.  Macie was encouraging Blake to take it off.  I think she thought if she did that it would be him that got in trouble instead of her.

 Toes TASTE so GOOD.

 Nonnie has little chairs for all the grand kids.  Macie and Blake were playing like the chairs were a train. Weston joined in on the fun.  They went everyone in them...the zoo, park, Great Wolf  Lodge, and outer space.  Something so simple can be so fun.  It reminded of when we were little and we would play for hours at my Meme's house in her backyard with these big barrels.  We would pretend like we were in the circus and put on shows.  Those are some of my fondest memories with my cousins when we were little. 

 One day during spring break, we all went fishing.  Thanks to Pappy for doing all the work.  He kept the worms on the hooks,  the fishing poles casted, and made sure neither Blake or Macie fell in.  We didn't catch any fish though.  Macie kept saying "The fish are taking a nap."

 Fishing is not that much fun to Weston. Maybe he will like it better next year.

 Macie looks like she is really concentrating.  I was impressed with how long they stuck at it.  However, once Macie and Blake were finished fishing they were playing with each other and off to the park.

 The GREAT FISHERMEN

 Lyndise, Blair, and Memaw watched the little ones from a swing.  Holland Park is a great park in Weatherford! 

 We brought bread for the ducks; however, Macie and Blake decided to run around with it on their heads and then eat it.  They were starving.  Luckily, Nonnie got food from Yesterdays for our picnic.

 Jay, my cousin, was down with his family.  They brought Memaw down with them when they came to visit friends.  Jay is probably one of the sweet young men I have met.  He has a heart of gold.   He immediately held Weston and Blair.  It was the sweetest thing.  I would be honored for Macie to marry someone like Jay and I know Lyndsie was thinking the same thing.  AND I would love for Weston to grow up just like him.

 Kissing Cousins

 On Wednesday we were running a few errands. Macie said, "Mom, is it spring?" I replied that it was and she said, "That means I can get a bike." We have been telling her that once spring hit she could get a big girl bike to ride with her friends. So Nonnie, Macie, and I set out to find the perfect bike. We found it at Wal-Mart put together. We got back to Nonnie and Pappy's house and Macie hopped on. It took her a little bit to figure out that pushing backwards would hit the brakes. She started going and it just made me so very proud. My little girls is getting so BIG. Then the girl across the street hopped on her bike and took off. That gave Macie the courage she needed to pick up the pace and even turn. We rode around the block twice. Once Macie stopped and sat on the curb. "I need to rest," she said. Then as she rode she sang a song that she made up. "I am riding my bike. I love riding my bike. This is so fun." (I love when she makes up songs to go along with whatever we are doing.) Anyway, we got home on Thursday and she was eager to show her daddy and neighborhood friends.

 

 Peas were everywhere...nose, eyelashes, hands, chair, and chin...I hope some of them made it to his mouth.

 Sis is making her brother giggle with delight.

 My sweet friend from college, Johnna, and her family came over Friday night for hamburgers.  It was absolutely wonderful to see her.  It has been a good 3 or so years since we were together.  That is too long but it sure didn't seem like it.  We picked up where we left off.

 We ended spring break with Blake's 3rd birthday at Chuck E Cheese.  It was a lot of fun.  Macie and Blake had a blast riding the rides and playing games.

 Since Blake was the birthday boy, he was able to get in this little area.  Tickets blew everywhere and he could keep all he could hold.  I don't know how Macie got in with him but I know it was super adorable to watch.   I know they came out with a few tickets.  Blake was very smart.  He tried to catch them in his shirt.

 

March is flying by...

 I love this picture of Macie even though her snack is on her face.

 Can't catch me!

 Hanging out with Daddy

 The other day I got this strawberry costume and a few other things out of Macie's closet to take to Blair.  However, all changed when Macie saw it. She was not ready to give up her first costume.  I showed her with pictures that she was really small when she wore it.  She insisted on putting it on.  We forced it over her head and her response was "It fits.  See I told you."  I wouldn't say it exactly fits but she has found another costume to dress up in...good thing Halloween isn't for a while.  Maybe I can sneak it to Blair later.

 Daddy and his boy

 Macie had her friend, Ellie, over to play last Wednesday for about 2 hours.  It was great fun for the girls and I loved it too! Weston slept while they played so I got chores around the house done!  They played dress-up, dancing, dolls, and hide and seek!  It is fun to see that Macie is playing more with others and not just by herself.

 We had a Groupon for the Indoor Safari.  So Macie and her sweet friend, Jacob went last Friday.  It was fun to play since it was cooler and rainy.  They were able to ride the animals and train and play with all the other toys there.  Macie woke up and said, "I am ready to go to my safari."  I had the weather on and it was saying that we were going to have rain.  Macie said in a disappointing voice, "Oh, I am not going to get to go to my safari."  I reassured her that it was inside.  Once we got there and played awhile she then told me, "I am ready to go see all the other animals."  I guess she thought she was going to see real animals.

 Waiting on the animal ride.

 7 months old

 Making Daddy's birthday cake with Macie.  I love that Macie and I can do these kind of things together now.  I have to keep her from taste testing everything but what fun we have.

 Sunday we celebrated Daddy's birthday with our friends and family.  It was a beautiful day so we were able to spend some of the time outside. Weston and Macie were waiting for their friends/cousins to arrive.  As soon as Blake pulled up, Macie started hollering, "My cousin is here!  My cousin is here. (I think they like each other)!

 Sunday we had Josh, Lyndsie, Blake and Blair over.  Beau and Jamie brought their twins, Tatum and Byron over too!  We had a little birthday celebration for Zack.  Zack made delicious homemade pizza (dough and sauce)!  It was a little busy but it was a fun busy/wild time.  All the babies were eating at different times or needing to sleep.  I told Zack after everyone left that I didn't even see Blake and Macie except when they were in the living room for pictures.  Those two were off having a grand 'ol time.  I know when Blake left he was sad and didn't want to leave.  Macie said, "I will make you happy."  It only seems like yesterday they we were back in college all getting ready to go out.  Plus, I know it wasn't too long ago that we all got together to go to Love and War and the Ranch House.  Beau and Jamie caught up fast by adding the twins.  Maybe there will be some "love matches" once these sweet little ones grow up! BUT THEY NEED to be at least 25 for that....

So I am showing off two pics that I took with the tripod.  I told Zack and Josh they couldn't make a peep because I was getting a group picture.  It wasn't easy but we managed.  I sure hope we can all get together again.  I think it will be fun to watch our children grow up playing together.