Memorial Day Weekend...a trip to the park!

We spent Memorial Day Weekend at home.  On Monday we decided to go for a walk and have a picnic at a park near the lake not far from our house.  Larkyn enjoyed the slides and climbing up and down the stairs.

Though not usually a fan of the swings, Larkyn did swing a little with Daddy.

Our child with "no fear" wanted to go down the biggest and steepest slide there...

"Wheeeeee!

After our picnic and playing at the park we went for a walk around the lake.  It is a beautiful place to take pictures once I figure out my camera a little more!

The view of the bridge over the lake.

More views from across the lake.

Another view...of a cute girl peeking out over the lake from the bridge...

Don't even think about it...

"But I don't want to go hoooooooome!"

Eagle spotting...need a bigger/longer lens!

New and Fun things in May...

The month of May went by so fast and was filled with many new activities and events for Larkyn.  The intent of this blog post is to highlight those events.

  

At the beginning of May we took Larkyn to the Family Fun Fest at my school.  She was able to play a few games and loved seeing all of the kids.  The first game we played was the "International Walk" (like the "Cake Walk"...we are an International Studies Magnet School...going with the theme:)) Larkyn landed on the Chinese Character for the number 3 (san) and they picked her number.  How are we ever going to explain to her that she can't win every game that she plays?:)

One day after we got home from daycare I was unpacking things from the day and noticed Larkyn had gotten into my purse and had taken out my chapstick.  She went over to the corner by the fireplace, took off the cap and started applying it to her lips!  The little rascal is quite smart!

Larkyn's war wound...she wanted so badly to climb down the stairs and was pretty clear that she did not want my help.  Larkyn did fine until the last step.  She fell off and cut her cheek on the edge of the trim at the bottom of the step.  

Aunt Courtney came to visit, play and watch Larkyn for a night while Shea and I went to an engagement party. Here they are playing "Pat-a-Cake".

Larkyn loves her Fridge Phonics, but has started a new trend...bringing the letters in bowls and on plates and storing them on the steps.

Once the hot and humid days began...so did Larkyn's curls!

Grandpa Jim sent Larkyn a bubble lawnmower so she could mow the yard alongside Daddy!

Larkyn had her first peanut butter sandwich this month.  She LOVED it and didn't have any allergic reaction.   YAY...because I LOVE peanut butter!

Nothing really new here...just a cute picture.  Larkyn has had pigtails before but now she has a little longer hair.  She also has more teeth to brush and keep clean.  Larkyn likes to try to brush her own teeth...

We brought out the potty chair around 14 months just for Larkyn to start sitting on when we go to the bathroom.  So far she likes sitting on it, but always keeps her pants on!

We had dinner and a playdate with Luke, Mike and Katie.

Larkyn and Luke checking out the birds in the backyard.

Larkyn went from sleeping in a small little ball on her stomach with her legs and arms tucked in and bottom in the air to "Stretched Out Sleeping Susie!"  This is pretty common now a days.

Larkyn is practicing feeding herself with a spoon (and a fork).  She had cereal with milk!

We were making pancakes together on the floor! Larkyn helped stir!

Larkyn LOVES books.  She loves to read by herself and loves to be read to. She is getting very good at turning pages and sitting through an entire book!

Luke's 1st Birthday...

We helped our good friends Mike and Katie, and Godson Luke celebrate his first birthday in May.  Luke turned one on May 12th.  It has been fun watching him grow, as well as observe the interactions between him and Larkyn.  I think they will be good buds as they get older.

The Birthday Boy looks a little worried!

Just relaxing in Dad's lap, taking in the whole party experience...

While all the girls play and play and play!

Mike, Luke and Katie...time for presents!

Luke did a great job staying interested for quite a while.

He even reads cards!

Once he opened the football from his uncle and cousins, he was done with the rest of gift opening.

He LOVED it!

He even pushed it around in his shopping cart!

The cake...

"Hmm...what is this and why are they making me eat it?" 

Luke wasn't thrilled about cake and didn't take more than a bite or two at the party. If only we all could have that attitude about cake!!!

The infamous photo shoot in the green chair...

"What are you making me do? She has a ball and I think she is going to throw it at me!"

"That's it, I'm outta here!"

"Please don't hurt me!"

It is getting harder and harder to get a good picture.  They are both at the stage where they aren't quite interested in it and mobile enough to do something about it!  Just wait until their 16 and still sitting in that chair, how cute will that be...ha!

Mother's Day 2011

I had a great Mother's Day spending time with my family. We went to church and then had lunch with Janny and May May before they left town.  The rest of the day was spent hanging out, experimenting with my new camera and having fun in the yard.  We did a little more work in the garden too. Shea and Larkyn got me a Canon Digital SLR for Mother's Day.  It has been one of the best gifts ever and a great investment.  The only drawback is that I'm now taking even more pictures than before (hard to believe, I know) and I can't catch up with the blog! But I'm surely not complaining:) It was a great 2nd mother's day!  I thank God for the gift of motherhood every day! I love you so much Miss Larkyn Kate!

Miss Independent wanted to sit by herself...

SO BIG!

SO FUN!

SO CUTE!

Gardening...

We began working on our garden in the beginning of May.  This is what it looked like when we started.  Hard dirt and lots of weeds!  Except for the green stuff in the back right corner...those are strawberries that have now taken over the garden.

Larkyn loved helping mom and dad till and rake up the garden. 

Until she got her hands dirty...hmm...wonder where she gets that from? Daddy?

"Look Mom, we could plant the tomato plants in this corner."

Oh how fun it will be to garden with Larkyn in the future!  

May May got a kiss from the "Gardener" 

Later on in the day Larkyn was helping Daddy and Scott pick out the top soil for the garden.

"Where's all the dirt?"

We waited until Memorial Day weekend to plant most of our vegetable plants because the weather was so cold.  In our garden we planted tomatoes, green, yellow, and red peppers, onions, carrots, strawberries, oregano and basil.  We also planted some flowers, marigolds included, with the hopes of keeping little critters like rabbits away! Larkyn has loved the garden and enjoys helping me pull weeds and pick "buberries" (strawberries) as she calls them now (July 14th).  We go wash them off and she gets a couple small strawberries to eat.  All I have to say is the word "garden" and she takes off around the house to go check it out.  We look forward to the days when she is helping plant and pull for real, as well as helping us choose what will go in our garden.  Below is a picture of our garden now.  We have some peppers coming in, our onions and carrots are coming in well, and we have already picked and eaten a handful of strawberries.

Our flowers in front of the house have also done quite well this summer.  I was experimenting with my new camera and took some up-close shots, which I posted below...