I have failed as a blogger....

I know I'm failing miserably as a blogger...why do I wait SO long to blog? I always have too many pictures and I never want to put them all on, but I still have L.O.N.G. posts every time. Again...this is just a random assortment of a few things we have been doing over the last few weeks.

We are outside....ALL THE TIME...no really. We head out about 8:45 after breakfast and usually don't come back in until it's time for lunch and then we head back out until nap time, again after nap time until dinner, and after dinner until bath and bedtime. Really....we are NEVER inside. The kids love being outside and I do too. Unfortunately, my housework takes a major back seat during the warm weather months. Oh well...I'm enjoying time with the kiddos. Here is one of their new toys thanks to their Great Aunt Karlo. Matching cow bouncers. The kids enjoy them and Lauren especially likes when James falls off his. She laughs hysterically almost falling off herself.

I LOVE this picture of the two of them looking at each other....they truly are great buds!

Lauren enjoys being outside and following James around doing many of the things he does. One thing she especially enjoys is playing in the wagon. She climbs in and out, buckling the buckles, and putting the seats up and down.

This guy is just happy he's outside...nothing else matters to him!

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And...I turned the big 2-9 on the 21st. My girl friends took me out for a night of fun and pampering. We got pedicures, Italian food, and they took me to the most AMAZING scrapbooking store! It was a perfect night! They're the BEST!

Then a couple nights later, my sisters and mom took me out for a great birthday dinner and gifts without kids...this is a first....and we really enjoyed a dinner where we got to be completely selfish and do nothing for anyone except ourselves. I think I eat more when I don't have kids with me ;) We had a fantastic time. I have had a blessed 29 years on this earth!

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Memorial Day Weekend
at Grandma and Grandpa Carpenters We began the hunt for critters. Luke and his brother used to look in ponds by their

house for critters...crawdads, turtles, frogs, etc....Luke thought James would enjoy it too,

so Andrew, Luke, James and I begun our hunt....it was LOTS of fun. I enjoyed watching

James' enthusiasm as they spotted and captured many critters. We walked away

with 9 crawdads, 2 turtles, and a clam. What an adventure it was! We brought them home

with us and they are in an aquarium. And one of our crawdads had babies...lots of them! James has asked if they could take a bath

with him...funny boy...He loves them and checks on them frequently. He has already talked

about going back. I'm sure we will make a trip to the ponds and creek each time we visit

Grandma and Grandpa Carpenter.

Here he is bravely on a rock looking for crawdads. (yes, that is a pool skimmer) ;)

I love how patient Luke is with James...
My heart always swells with love and excitement when I see James and Luke doing these fun

father-son adventures. I just LOVE it! (I'm sure you couldn't tell by this post)

Here is one of the little turtles...it's so cute...James is learning to be very gentle with it.

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Our Lu-Lu

Our precious girl is officially one and a half years old! WOW!!! I will say what I always

say too...she continues to fill our hearts and home with joy and lots of laughter. The girl just wants to laugh....all the time....life is a big party to her!

We are enjoying her fun personality and how she interacts with us and James. She is a little social bug. If she's sees kids out in the neighborhood, she brings us her shoes, sits down, and begins squealing with delight. She is just precious! We can't get enough of her....