Chocolate chip muffins

As a special treat, I made mini chocolate chip muffins for breakfast one day this week. After consuming a half dozen of them (after he ate his yogurt and cereal), Alex reluctantly agreed that he had had enough, but I promised he could have two more after naptime. Owen, meanwhile, who never met a sugar-laden treat he didn't love, only had one and had no desire for more. Anyway, as soon as I released the boys from their rooms after naptime, Alex made a beeline for the muffin container and asked if he could watch a little Sprout from the kitchen while he consumed his muffins. (He knows better than to ask if he can eat in the living room.) After I approved the request, Owen decided he too needed a muffin, primarily for the novelty of eating on the floor beside his big brother. I thought they looked so cute sitting side by side, but I'll admit that right after these pictures were taken, Owen promptly crushed one muffin and left the others sitting in a pile on the kitchen tile.

Six Flags

Earlier this year, I bought Six Flags season passes for myself and Alex (Owen is free till next year) for those lazy summer days when we didn't have anything else on the schedule. As it turned out, we didn't end up with a lot of those days, but we did manage to squeeze in one more trip before Alex goes back to school next week. We went with Ryder and Nikki, and Owen rode some of the "big boy" rides that he hadn't had a chance to ride before, while Nikki was kind enough to take Alex on a few rides that Owen was too small for. And best of all, after the boys went to bed that night, Nikki and I got to go back for some big girl rides!

Sebastian's birthday party

After we went fishing on Saturday morning, we took the boys to their cousin Sebastian's 6th birthday party, which, as you can see, was a swimming party. Due to naps, we were 3 1/2 hours late, but better well-rested and late than cranky and on time, right? Besides, Sebastian hadn't opened gifts, blown out his candles, or done the pinata yet, so we didn't miss much. We bought this life jacket for Alex last week before a different swimming party. We should have purchased one long ago; it was infinitely easier to keep up with him this way. He even jumps off into the deep end with it on! Jason was a little stressed out watching him, as he tends to be more protective than I am (isn't it supposed to be the other way around?).

Fishing

Our city hosted a kids' fishing tournament this past weekend, so we all headed over to the city pool to give Alex a chance to catch something. He didn't, but he and his dad still had a good time trying. Owen and I spent our time walking around the jogging path surrounding the pond and eating the free pretzels they were giving out.

Swimming lessons

This was taken on our last day of mom & tot swim lessons. Alex was taking preschool lessons in another part of the water park. We hadn't gone swimming much this summer prior to starting lessons, and I was really nervous about how Owen would do, but he did a great job - he kicked and scooped and blew bubbles, and he'll even jump off the side into my arms. I wasn't able to watch Alex's lessons, since Owen and I were in a different class, but his instructor said he did well enough to graduate from the preschool class into Level 1 next year.

Another birthday picture

I think this is my favorite picture from the party. Along with Ryder (on the left), Alex, and Owen, there's Sebastian, who is Alex and Owen's cousin, and Sergio (far right), whose mom Matilde was in MOMS Club with me for 2 years before they moved to San Antonio last September. Matilde and Sergio drove all the way up here just for the party, and we were all so excited to see them after 10 months!

Alex's big day

This picture was taken at Alex's big birthday party in July. From left to right are Luke, who is six months older than Owen (Luke's mom, Kelly, and I are hoping that Owen and Luke become best buddies), Owen (I love the expression on his face here), Gavin, who is one of Alex's best friends (and also Luke's brother), and Ryder (the other birthday boy). Alex was MIA here.

Owen LOVES watermelon

While my mom was here in July for Alex's birthday, we took the boys out to play in Alex's new inflatable pool. Owen didn't care for that, but his face lit up when I brought out a bucket of watermelon. He must have eaten at least 4 slices.

Alex's fourth birthday

This is Alex at his first 4th birthday party. He basically had three celebrations: this one was at my parents' house, so my grandmother could be there. He chose a Baby Einstein theme for that day. On his actual birthday my mom and I took the boys to Six Flags, and after Jason got off work we all went to Incredible Pizza Company, a pizza place with an indoor go-kart track, mini golf, bowling, a bounce house, and games. And finally, he had his "big" party at an indoor play area called Glenview Treehouse. This was a combined party with his friend Ryder, who also turned 4. We've known Ryder since the boys were about 14 months old, and this is our third year to have their parties together. Alex wanted a Scooby Doo cake that day, and Ryder wanted Spider-Man, so we had a Spider-Doo party! I'll post pictures of those if Blogger lets me (I'm having issues!).

Let's try this again ...

I tried again last night to post and I failed dismally, so I'm trying again.

This is a picture of the boys in Arkansas over Memorial Day weekend. It took 3 or 4 tries to get them both looking at the camera at the same time, so we didn't even attempt dual smiles.

Another test

Okay, that first test came out alright, so I'm going to try another one. Still don't know how to upload photos from the camera to the computer, and Jason's at the movies so he can't show me, so this is a picture from our trip to the mountains in May. It was just Jason and me; my parents watched the boys. This is my favorite picture from the trip. Doesn't it look like a postcard?

Testing!

Before I invite anyone to look at this page, I want to test it first ...I don't even know how to transfer my pictures from the camera to the computer, so here's an old picture for now. This is Alex and Owen at our church Trunk or Treat party last fall (the date in the corner is very wrong!). Alex wanted to be a Spaceman, but astronaut suits were so expensive, so we convinced him that Buzz Lightyear IS a Spaceman. Owen is Roo (of Kanga and Roo fame).