Spring is Here!

We've been waiting for spring weather for what seems like forever!  Finally we've been having some days with warmer temperatures.

On this particular day last week, Riley picked the kids up from daycare and preschool since I had parent-teacher conferences.  They enjoyed getting to play in the back yard for the first time this year.

After playing outside, they headed to Wendy's for a frosty treat.  Mommy missed out!

This week the kids and I hit up Dexter Park after a nice long walk.  Paisley wasn't old enough last spring to enjoy the park much, but she sure is making up for lost time now!

Soccer Practice

I signed Oliver up for soccer this spring, his first organized sport.  Today he had his first practice.  He did pretty good other than the fact that he drank all his water on the way and was dying of thirst once they got started.

Here is what he had to say immediately following. 

(Please ignore Paisley.  She is still in her car seat wrestling phase where she grunts, moans, screams, and cries trying to get out of her straps.)

Spring Break in Branson (part 2)

One thing that Ollie really wanted to do was go "real golfing" so I found a good deal on Groupon for the 4 pack.  Riley, Ollie and I had planned an evening to go and asked Ollie who he wanted to take with us since we had one extra spot.  Without hesitation he said, "Grammy!"

We were not the best golfers, but definitely think we had the most fun and so many laughs.  On Grammy's first hit, her ball pinged about to about 6 different places before landing in the river.  Luckily a quick Riley fished it out.  Our laughs started there and never stopped.  It was one for the memory books that's for sure!

We started on hole 4 because it was so congested with people so we had to loop back around to catch the first three holes.  When we did that, we were behind a group of older people.  On this particular hole, they were all turned around watching Ollie as he sunk a hole in one and exclaimed, "Well, that was easy!"  We all got a good chuckle from that and then daddy got a hole in one too!

Donuts were a vacation staple as we had both Krispy Kreme and Hurt's Donut.

We had been waiting to head to Springfield until Thursday as it was suppose to be the nicest day.  Well, the forecast was wrong!  It was overcast and cold.  Not the best day for the zoo, but we made the most of it.

Our zoo crew!  

(I felt kinda bad for dragging Grandma and Grandpa along when it turned out to be such a cold, crappy day.  Sorry!)

Just as we were leaving, the sun finally poked out!

Paisley loved visiting the Disney Store and seeing so many Minnies.

This one was bigger than she was...

Ollie and Daddy went with a group to visit the Titanic.  It was on Riley's list of things he wanted to do and Ollie tagged along since he didn't cost to get in.

We had a great week and made lots of memories, but by the end of it we were ready to return back to our normal routines.  Paisley was so worn out (and still not feeling well) that she slept nearly the entire way home.  That made for a much better drive than on the way there!

Ollie gave vacation in Branson a thumbs up!

Spring Break in Branson (part 1)

Spring Break was last week so we ventured to Branson!  Ollie's last trip there was 2 years ago so he didn't remember much and it was Paisley's first time.

Oliver has always been a great traveler so there were no concerns there.  We recently got him some wireless headphones so he was set with those watching movies on the iPad.  He called them his "ear puffs."

This little one was the one we were dreading traveling with.  For several months now, she loathes her carseat.  She hates the straps and will pull on them as she grunts, moans, screams, and cries.  She did this much of the way there (ok all the way there, expect for the two times she fell asleep).

Don't let the cute grin fool you, she is a monster in the car!

We made a stop at Osceola Cheese on the way. of course.  I introduced the kids to the best ever gummy bears and gummy worms.  I look forward to cheese curds every time, but the gummies are incomparable. 

The kiddos were excited to try out their first indoor pool.  Ollie had to see it before he understood what I was talking about.  I described that it is just like an outside pool but it's inside, to which he responded, "That's called a bath tub, mom."

Grandpa and Daddy braved the cold water with the kids.  What good sports!

Oliver and Carter made great snuggle buddies for Grammy as they both spent most nights in her bed.

The first few days in Branson is usually spent shopping at Tanger Outlets and The Landing.  We like to hit them up at the beginning of the week so that we can also go again at the end of the week :)

Bass Pro is at The Landing and Ollie and Pais loved watching the fish.

I think this may be my favorite picture of the two of them from vacation:

Paisley caught a cold (and passed it to everyone, sorry everyone!) the first day there.  She had lots of sink baths to make her feel better.  Also, the giant jet tub was not ideal for giving baths so the sink was the perfect alternative.

Branson has a really good Cici's Pizza complete with arcade so that was a must.  It was Ollie's first time doing arcade games and he used his tickets to get a whoopee cushion.