Our niece/cousin, Brynna, turned one in May.  Her party was over Memorial Day weekend so we headed down to join the celebration.  Her mom had decorated everything so cute with pink, green and zebra stripes!  Brynna was all decked out to match and seemed to enjoy/tolerate the celebrations really well.  :)  We enjoyed being there for this special occasion and look forward to watching Brynna grow and change even more this next year!

While in Dallas we also took the kids to Legoland Discovery Center as part of Ben’s graduation celebration.  This is not a big theme park like the Legoland in San Diego or Florida, but a smaller version with great displays, a few rides, Lego movies and more.  It was the perfect size for our kids and we enjoyed about three solid hours of entertainment.  I think they would have repeated a few rides again if we hadn’t been pushing bedtime already.  It definitely whet their whistles for the “real” Legoland.  Guess we’ll have to start planning that trip. . . . 

This Legoland had three 4-D movies.  We got to enjoy two of the three.  The kids did great with their glasses and enjoyed it much more than the ones in Disney.  What a difference six months makes!  We also got sprayed with water, blown in the wind, and snowed on during the shows.  Ben and Mom chose some seats the first time that were right in the “splash zone” and got pretty wet.  We also enjoyed a ride where we got to “shoot guns just like laser tag to get points” while riding through.  We did that ride twice and would have kept going if we didn’t stop to shop.  There was also a ride similar to Dumbo, but the controls to go up and down were based on how fast you pedaled.  The kids legs were pretty short, so Mom and Dad got a good workout on that one!  Miniland was a big hit and we saw lots of miniature sized buildings from the Dallas area including two sporting arenas and other icons.  There were several places to build with Legos.  We were able to even build some cars and race them.

It was a fun weekend filled with family time and a little extra fun for the kids! 

Garden Update

Our garden is definitely growing and would be growing even more if we didn’t have a bunny that liked to visit our yard.  The bunny particularly likes the squash and the green beans.  When Dad went to water the garden one evening, he found a hole had been dug in it and there was a bunny nest.  Six little baby bunnies were all snuggled in and getting their first bath by the sprinklers.  We are sure we just planted vegetable seeds!  Who knew we would grow bunnies too!  

We showed the kids later in the weekend and they loved to go check the bunnies.  One evening Elizabeth and Dad went to check.  As Elizabeth bent over to take a closer peek, they all hopped out in six different directions and hid throughout the yard.  Guess they were tired of being checked on and ready to explore.  We still see a couple of them that seem to live in the backyard now.  Our vegetables may be a lost cause and many of the flowers in our front yard are definitely a lost cause.  The bunnies are fun to watch though and the kids enjoy them more than the plants anyway.

Jenks!

There was a parent meeting at Ben’s new elementary school in May and we are so excited for him to start this fall.  There are really great programs, curriculum, facilities, etc and thanks to a great year at preschool this year, Ben is totally ready to move up.  At the meeting they suggested that you could bring your new student to lunch at the elementary while school was still in session.  Dad and Ben picked a day and tried it out.  The meal was successful.  Ben got to pick two fruits and no veggies so he was thrilled!  He also learned to drink from a milk carton.  What a day!  :)  This summer we will visit the playground some too and prepare for Meet the Teacher in August.  We are all so excited and already look forward to Elizabeth joining him there in a year or so.

Elizabeth and the dentist

Elizabeth seemed excited to go to the dentist.  She told her teachers and her friends and could not wait to go like all the big kids.  We arrived and she still seemed pleased.  There was a toy laptop in the waiting room that she had all to herself until Ben arrived, but they used it together after that and seemed content.  She started asking questions if it was a “boy doctor” or not.  Mom told her there were both.  There was a man that would check her teeth and a lady that would help clean them.  She also wanted to know if they would look in her nose too.  Nope, just your teeth today.  :)  She got to watch both Mom and Ben get their teeth cleaned beforehand.  When the dentist (boy doctor) came in to check Ben’s teeth he tried to check hers as well.  She was not so excited about that!  She cried and climbed up Dad.  The dentist left so she would calm down and then she let the hygienist (girl doctor) check her teeth.  Maybe next time they will actually get cleaned.  We have learned to clean first and then let the boy doctor come into the room last.  She tried really hard though and got a balloon, bracelet and bouncy ball for her troubles.  Sounds like a pretty good deal!

Coupon Updates - May

Ben

Date with Dad – mini golf!  It is not shocking that Ben chose to repeat his previous date with Mom, with Dad this month.  He has also convinced Grandma and Grandpa that mini golf is something they should add to their list of activities.  He is crazy about it.  He has already decided that for June he will plan his family activity to be mini golf so that Sister can go this time.  He has also requested real golf clubs and a trip to the real golf course with Dad.  He seems to enjoy this sport!

Pick meal and help cook – Ben selected breakfast for dinner as “that is all he knows how to cook”.  He is also pretty partial to eating pancakes and maple glazed sausage links.  :)

Elizabeth

Date with Mom – play outside and painting toenails!  Mom listed many choices for the date and Elizabeth just kept asking to play in the backyard.  Easy enough and plenty fun!  Elizabeth had also been begging to have her toenails painted after seeing Mom’s painted.  It is the most still she has ever sat!  She was so excited to have pink toes and pretends to repaint them all the time.  There was also time to explore the garden, swing, slide, blow bubbles, etc.  

Plan a game night – Elizabeth chose to play I Spy as a family in the backyard.  It may have been just another ploy to get outside, but it was fun just the same.  Elizabeth’s current version of I Spy is not very tricky.  She says “I spy something green – the grass!” or sometimes even less descriptive prior to the reveal, “I spy a bunny!”  She really enjoys it though and gets a kick out of her turn in the game.