Sunday, August 31, 2014

Labor Day!!!

Well, it's official, I am exactly 1 year behind on updating our blog!  How do I know this, well, because I am posing about Labor Day 2013, yet, Labor Day 2014 is tomorrow! So weird the timing of that, but it is important to me to keep everything in order, so I am putting other things aside for a bit, so I can focus on getting this past year up! Though I don't enjoy being a year behind, it's been a lot of fun going through all the photos! I've smiled the entire way though reliving it all! Hopefully it will all be caught up to date within the next few weeks!!! But for now, here's how we spent Labor Day weekend...a year ago! Hahaha!

It was spent going down some fun water slides!!!


It was spent getting our faces painted, with a little hula hooping thrown in there!!!


It was spent sword fighting!!!


It was spent relaxing poolside with each other!!!


As we watched brave men challenge one another in a belly flopping contest!!!


Oh, and have I mentioned it was spent going down this fun water slide! Over and over again! Sara decided to give it a try, and about half way down the slide she decided it wasn't her best idea yet! Oh how different that would be now that it's a year later! Hahaha!


Basically, it was spent having an awesome time with some pretty awesome people!!! Happy Labor Day!!!

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Green Hopper!!!

I'd like to introduce you to...Green Hopper!!!


One day, in the Summer of '13, Eric and I were out and about and we caught a tadpole! We brought him home to show Daddy and Sara, and before we knew it, we were raising a tadpole!

Each day we'd walk out to the lake, give him some fresh lake water, and we'd gather around the table to see what Green Hopper was up to! Day after day you'd notice a change! Soon enough the little guy went from tadpole to full on frog!


Soon enough the little tupperware we had him in was no longer big enough, nor was simple lake water! So it was off to the pet store we went to buy him a little home, some flightless fruit flies, and not much long after, crickets!

It was fascinating watching him get bigger. From not having legs, to full on hopping! Eric would get such a kick out of his hopping and say..."He's Hopping Crazy!!!" From learning to catch his first fly, to full on attacking a cricket!

Green Hopper became family, but towards the end of the summer, we (or shall I say, I... Daddy had a very hard time with this) felt it was time to set Green Hopper free! But not before taking a picture together on the table we'd gather around each and every day of the summer!


Green Hoppers first time out of his little home and into the real world!

We knew Green Hopper was going to be just find finding his way around his new home! Not only was he great at disguising himself, sometimes it would take us 5 minutes to find him in his aquarium, but he was an amazing hunter! Those crickets didn't stand a chance against him!


Green Hopper, I'll miss the time we were driving home and the container full of flightless fruit flies that Eric was holding broke open causing hundreds, if not thousands, of them to crawl ALL OVER THE CAR! I'll miss the excitement you brought to the kids, the extra special love Daddy had for you, and the time we spent as a family watching you grow! You were the best first little pet for us, and we miss you very much!!!

WE LOVE YOU GREEN HOPPER!!!

Friday, August 29, 2014

Lego Land!!!

With how much fun we had the first time around, everyone was so excited to hear we were heading to Lego Land again!

While we waited for everyone else to arrive, Eric, our tour guide, had his eye on our first stop. He was taking us straight to the...roller coasters!!!


Once the rest of the fam arrived...


...it only took moments to realize we had a set of twins on our hands!


And it took even less time for Eric to show Tyler his mapped out plan for the day!


On our way to our first stop, we found this guy! Not quite sure who he is, but the kids were excited to see him! :)


First stop, The Dragon!


Oh how excited these three were to find out they were tall enough to ride!!!


Grandpa decided to watch the bags...


...while I took the one not quite tall enough, over to a ride she was tall enough for! We had a blast going around and around! Hearing her little screams of excitement is so much fun to listen to! As are Eric's cackle laughs when he rides a ride!


Next it was time to take it down a notch, as they had fun in this little firetruck! Tyler was rocking this ride!!!


Shade time! The sun does a good job of beating down in late August, so we did a little indoor play! And also took a cute picture of Grandma!


Lunch time!!!


While Uncle Paul was busy swatting a bee...


...these three were busy building a lego castle together!


There's a rule that there's no swimming for 30 minutes after eating! According to Lauren, the same should ring true to riding a merry-go-round after eating! Though it was very cute to see the three holding hands, Lauren was ready for the "go-round" part to come to a stop!


Absolutely cracks me up seeing everyone stare so intensely, yet...


...this is what they are watching! Ah-hahaha!!!


Though we all found this part to be pretty amazing the last time we were here, the kids weren't as into it so we sped through it all pretty quickly. This time around was the exact opposite! These kids could have spent all day looking at this stuff!


While the older kids hit up yet another coaster, Sara, Tyler, Grandpa and I decided to ride the helicopters! Boy oh boy was Sara excited to see she was tall enough!


Up! Up! And Away!!!


It was so much fun waiving down to Grandma every time we'd pass her!!!


Afterward, we all headed over to play some games! First up, Grandpa!!!


First throw...BAM! Knocked the bullseye straight down! Second throw...BAM! Knocked the bullseye straight down!


We had no idea someone was actually going to win since these games are usually set up to take your money, but Grandpa totally beat it! And Sara couldn't have been happier! She got to pick out Grandpa's toy for him and he was so happy to give it to her to take home!


Lauren and Eric gave it a go...


...as did Tyler!


Tyler didn't knock down enough to get a toy, but he certainly knocked one down! Good arm!


Next up...Lego Cars!!!
Sara was too small to drive the last time we were here, so she was super excited to put her pedal to the metal!


O.K. Sara, GO!


Ummmm...let's try that again. Ready... Set...GO!!!


O.K., now turn the wheel! O.K., now straighten it out! Straighten it out! Oh no! Nice man to the rescue!!!


YEAY!!! She's getting it and rounded her first corner!!! We won't bother mention how many times the others have been around at this point! Hahaha!


None the less, she was very excited to get her first drivers license! And I was so excited for her, that I clearly didn't hold my camera properly! Way to go Sara!!!


There aren't words to describe the next line of events...
Just like last time, this gang has a competitive edge! So it's off to the races we once again go!


And we're off!


Now, notice who's truck is putting out the water first...that would be OURS!


And here's where things start to go awfully wrong! Though we were first to put out the fire, and first to start our return back to the finish line, our truck goes NO WHERE! No matter how hard we pump, we are standing still!


OUR TRUCK BROKE!!! And we had to be pushed back!!!


But noticed the Trobmley's claiming to take first place!


And as if that wasn't bad enough, Uncle Paul walked off claiming THEY were first! But it's OK, we all know, deep down inside, the true winners of our '13 visit, was the Downs Family!


All this excitement wore this little girl out!


But not this girl, she couldn't wait to race around in her little yellow car and get her drivers license!


Water Park!
This time we decided to try out the water park they had there! Boy are we glad we did! They had an amazing time!


That was until a huge black cloud decided to roll in! Unfortunately, it was time to wrap this party up :(


Wait, what's this?!? Even though this huge cloud is threatening to open up on us, everyone, BUT ME, thinks it's a great time to take a nice relaxing go at the lazy river!


Thankfully everyone got out safely and with huge smiles on their faces!!!


Grandma and Grandpa, thank you for giving us another amazing day spent with family!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!