Ft. Worth ZOO!!!

Last week Michael was on vacation and we decided to save money and not go on an actual "vacation" this year. We had the best time just hanging out as a family and being together all week. We went swimming at Club Kerby and on Wednesday we took the kids to the Ft. Worth Zoo. This picture was taken right inside the gate right after we got there despite how tired Aubrie looks. I left the house without getting Emma's hat, so we got one there. She looks so big! Ofcourse Aubrie wouldn't look at the camera in any of the pics, so I had to make do with profile shots!
Needless to say I did NOT get fixed up to go to the zoo!
Kaitlyn was so sweet to stay with Aubrie and show her all the animals.


She also was good about trying to get Aubrie to show her face, but no such luck.
Emma was very fascinated as well! Not really, but she did very well!
Look how red her hair looks here. It really isn't at all.

Aubrie's favorite thing was the monkeys.
Where's Aubrie? No need to ask....hiding from the camera.
The flamingos......
were laid back so we thought.....
until one came right over to Kaitlyn and started making a noise! Did you know that they have a sound? I didn't. Love K's face here!
Not too scared to try some Kung Fu!

Emma was being highly entertained at lunch....what could be so funny?

Big sister ofcourse!

It was hot and crowded, but we found a nice little place to cool off in the "Texas" section of the zoo. This was a great area for kids UNDER 48" tall! Michael, Emma, and I sat back and enjoyed being off of our feet while the "big kids" played!
This tunnel led to a cool.....

winding slide, which they did over,

and over,and over again!
Emma did get tired of being in the stroller and the floor was nice and squishy in there, so we let her crawl around for awhile.
"Here I come Momma."
Sweet girl!
This was a little area where the girls could look at this TV screen and see themselves. That was right up those two dancing queens' alley.
Meanwhile Emma started playing her newest game with Daddy - Peekaboo!

They had a carousel ride.
Here they are waiting on the train.
and riding the train...."Say cheese, Aubrie....yeah right!"

We had a great time! I highly recommend this zoo for those who haven't been!

Saturday night, we went out to eat with Mimi & Poppy after a long day at Club Kerby! The girls got all dressed up in their matching shirts and Aubrie actually asked if I would take her picture! I grabbed the camera before she changed her mind!!! This is a new favorite of mine.

On Sunday, Emma wore her matching hat with her sundress. These are favorites too!

I wish I had a baby pic of Kaitlyn at this age to post. This looks just like pictures I've seen of her!
Back at Club Kerby on Monday....I cannot keep Aubrie off of the diving board!
"I'll jump off the diving board, but don't think for a minute that I'll show my face to that camera!"
She had so much fun with her buddy Daniel! Thanks Kari Ann for getting some great shots of the kids!
Afterwards we went down to Gran Gran's house to visit with our new cousin - Leighton. Here is Gran Gran with all three of her great granddaughters.

This is Leighton....I would have NO idea what to think if my little blondies had all that dark hair! She's so cute and sweet!Emma did NOT like the idea of sharing Gran Gran! Back off cousin! Emma, shame on you for making that sweet baby cry!
Aubrie had to hold the new addition ofcourse!
Sweet little smile!

Whatever Gran Gran was saying must have been pretty funny!

While we were ooin' and gooin' over Leighton, Emma decided to entertain herself!

"Let's see how they taste."
"Eeewww, not at all what I expected!"
These kids are wearing me out, but I truly LOVE every minute with them! You stay at home moms never cease to amaze me! You work WAY harder at this job than any other!!!

Road Trip to Uncle Ryan's House

Last week my mom, Granny, Aubrie, Emma, and I went to Conway, Arkansas to visit my brother. It was so nice to get away for a couple of days and especially to get to spend time with Uncle Ryan since we don't get to see him very often. His wife Lacey was doing an internship for several weeks out of town and Ryan sure was getting lonesome. I think his little nieces kept him busy for the last few days before Lacey got home. Here is Aubrie ready to hit the road. The picture is blury, but look at her fingers....a ring for each one.This is my brother and this picture is out of order, but I wanted you to see who I'm talking about in case you don't know him.
In the car sound asleep. Gran Gran couldn't stand for her neck to be strained like that, so she made her a pillow out of diapers. Silly Gran Gran!


On the way, we stopped in Texarkana at Cracker Barrel. I think we spent more time on the porch playing and rocking in their rocking chairs than actually eating.
Aubrie showing off her dancing skills.
This move is called the "chicken wang"
Playing checkers

Emma and Mimi with her eyes closed.

Ryan manages a sporting goods store in Little Rock and was still at work when we came through there so we stopped to see his store. Aubrie thought that the mirrors were pretty cool and was having quite a conversation with the girl she met in this mirror.
She also thought that hiding in the clothes racks was too much fun
Lounging in a chair
When he got off of work, we all went to eat at On the Border and Aubrie was showing Emma some major lovin'

She didn't mind at first, but then......

it started getting old. This expression is priceless!
After dinner we went to see Kung Fu Panda at the new Imax Theater there. Emma has never been to the movies and I know she is way too young, but she hadn't had a nap all day and it was nearing bed time. I really thought that I could give her a bottle and she would be out. Emma, on the other hand, had a much different agenda in mind. Being couped up in the car in her car seat all day had the opposite effect on her and she was ready to PAR-TAY! About 15 minutes into the movie, Emma and I moved to the side of the theater so that she could move around. I wouldn't normally let her crawl around on the floor of a movie theater, but since the carpet was only a week old, I decided that it beat trying to wrestle her in the seat while disturbing everyone around us.
"Okay, so maybe I am a little tired."
Back at Ryan's apartment, the girls had fun with their favorite uncle (okay so it is their only uncle, but still their favorite). Oh, and it was like 11:00 p.m. before Emma FINALLY went to bed and after midnight for Aubrie. They both slept until 9:00 a.m. the next morning, so it was okay.
Emma had a blast getting into things that she wasn't supposed to. Sorry, Aunt Lacey! We tried to put everything back where it belonged before we left!

Uncle Ryan was so sweet to give the girls and me his bedroom and he slept on this air mattress in the living room. Aubrie ALMOST slept with him, but changed her mind.
Aubrie gave Ryan some pointers for work during his 2 hour "conference" call he had to do the next morning.
That morning we had breakfast at yet again - the Cracker Barrel. My mom and Granny really love that place! Here's Ryan and Emma waiting for our table.
Emma is trying more and more table food. She had eggs and a biscuit for breakfast. YUM!
Then she started reaching for an orange slice from Mimi's plate. She had that thing gone in a matter of seconds!

That night we went to a pizza place that had arcade games. Aubrie had a great time!

Can't you tell by the look on her face?!
Skee-ball was more up her alley than the video games.
Look at that hoodlum child climbing on top of the game!
In the meantime, Emma and Mimi were having a great time back at the table.

It was hard to get Aubrie out of the game room!
and Gran Gran too! Party animal!

A little B-ball!

Back at the apartment that night, Aubrie was in awe of the fountain at the complex. The picture doesn't do it any justice, but it has all these different colored lights around it and it really is pretty!
Ryan rented a movie for the grown-ups to watch and found Aubrie a Caillou cartoon to watch on the computer in the guest room. Major points scored there!
That next morning, this is what I found in the living room.

Ryan & Aubrie playing football in the house! Shame, shame!
SCORE!
Emma & Gran Gran trying hard not to get hit with the ball!

Then Ryan made a big slide out of the air mattress! Too fun!

Thank you so much, Ryan, for showing us such a good time! We really enjoyed our visit! When we got in bed that night after we got home, Aubrie said, "I want to go back to Uncle Ryan's house." AHHH!