Bookworms

Today was the day, the girls finished the summer reading program and were awarded their prizes for reading 20 books and making 4 visits to the library! You would have thought they won the lottery. I swear these girls will do anything for a prize. We attempted this program last year, but were gone so much, and I'm slightly lazy when it comes to this sort of thing, so we never finished. For being a teacher, I'm pretty pathetic at encouraging the library. We have TONS of books at home because I started buying books in college for my classroom. Therefore, the thought of going to check out books and having to keep up with them for a week or two didn't appeal to me. (How lazy is that?) Anyway, I'm trying to be better, so we actually made regular visits to the library this year, returning all borrowed books, filling out the appropriate forms and officially completing the summer reading program! Who wouldn't be elated by a blow up crayon (which Skylar blew up herself) , medal and coupon book?

Free Entertainment

If you haven't noticed, we enjoy taking advantage of the cheap and free things to do in the area. I'm so glad we live in a community that offers such a variety of affordable things for us to do as a family. Last night we went the Broken Arrow Music on the Park. They have this every Tuesday in June, but this was the first time we made it there this year. We made the usual QT stop for snacks and drinks and then headed to the park to savor the evening.

The best part of the night was that we actually won a $30 gift certificate to Santa Fe Cattle Co. How lucky is that? Not only was the entertainment free, but we actually walked away with something!

Twister and Josh's Sno Shack

What better after dinner entertainment than a game of Twister and a Sno Cone Outing.

I've been craving a really good sno cone for a while now, but didn't know where to get one. We have been in Tulsa for 6 years now, and last night was the first time I've ever been to Josh's Sno Shack which provided me with the perfect shaved ice type sno cone. Why didn't anyone ever tell me?

Summer's 5th Night

Last night we joined our friends Faith, Adam and Gavin to enjoy a picnic and the Summer Concert Series at Utica Square. We had a great time hanging out visiting and watching Gavin bust a move. The girls were a little too shy to show off their moves ( I hope they stay that way), but still enjoyed their time outside.

There is something fascinating about running around a pole. This picture reminds me of when we were little and used to eat at this little place in our small town (The Tastee Treat if you are a reader from Belle). They had poles that we would swing around forever while we were waiting for our food.

Apparently Skylar also decided to take up pole climbing, and was quite proud of herself.

More About the Name

Below I posted a baby name poll, and wanted to add more of an intro to it, but couldn't. Anyway, it's quite possible you'll hate all the names, that's ok too, just let me know in the comments:) I know they're a little out there. We are looking for a name that is a little different, sounds good with Skylar and Londyn, doesn't start with L or S, and that isn't the name of anyone we personally know. We haven't necessarily narrowed it down to the five listed below, it's just a start. I'm looking forward to seeing your opinions. I have a personal favorite, but Kevin is a little hesitant. I'd love for you to comment and let me know what you voted for, but you don't have to. (Sorry Shannon, I couldn't bring myself to add Barack to the list. Maybe next time.)

Baby Name Poll

We Need A Name!

We are having trouble deciding on a name for our baby boy. Vote below and let us know your favorite of these five. Thanks!

Which name do you prefer?

Kingston
Cruz
Beckett
Ryder
Journey

View Results

Myspace polls

I Said I Wouldn't...

But I lied. I said I wouldn't spend the summer at the pool this year given my current physical state. However, there's not much else to do to beat the Oklahoma heat, and there's not much else that can entertain my children for hours while I sit back, relax and get a little sun. So, I forced myself to go buy a maternity bathing suit (as if bathing suit shopping isn't bad enough!) and thoroughly enjoyed a little time in the sun. It's not pretty, but it's worth it. There will however be no pictures of me at the pool, but here are few of the girls enjoying their first real pool outing of the summer.

They were so cute playing together today. The would walk around holding hands and then get in and out jumping in together holding hands. They really are each other's best friend, and love being together. They definitely have their moments, but for the most part, they really do have tons of fun with each other.

Another Summer Night

The girls are now back home after having a great time in MO with their grandparents. It's great to have them back. Last night, we had a lazy night hanging out around the house. I have to say though, of all the things we do, I think we all really value our time at home. Maybe because it seems to come so few and far between. Anyway, we found a few thing to entertain ourselves throughout the evening... Multi-tasking at it's best, watering the lawn while playing in the sprinkler.

Londyn had to take a brief break due to a minor injury. Those scrapes on the knee can really get you down.

Sklylar doing the happy dance that she finished her third puzzle of the evening.

Londyn helping Daddy make his protein bars, yuck!

Artichoke Chicken

Since I've decided to cook dinner a few times lately, I've been reminded of some of my favorite recipes. We eat a lot of chicken around our house, and I'm always looking for ways to make it a little different. Once again, my 5 Ingredient Cookbook didn't let me down. If you're looking for a super quick, easy, tasty chicken dish and like artichokes, you should give it a try.

1 can water-packed artichoke hearts well drained and chopped
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup mayonnaise (do not substitute w/low-fat or fat-free in this recipe)
dash of garlic powder
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

In a bowl, combine the artichokes, cheese, mayonnaise and garlic powder. Place chicken in a greased 11x7 baking dish. Spread with artichoke mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 375 for 30-35 minutes or until chicken juices clear.

And They're Off.....

Usually once summer rolls around, life is calm, and we are able to just hang out and enjoy the days doing whatever we please. This year has been slightly different. We've had somewhere to be everyday, and when we are home, it's like walking on eggshells trying to keep things picked up in case someone wants to look at the house. Not to mention, my energy level has significantly dropped. I can't seem to get through a full day without a nap, it's ridiculous. Anyway, the girls have been asking to go visit Grammy Tammy, and I've been feeling guilty for the lack of fun we've been having, so Londyn called my mom to see if she had plans for the weekend. Fortunately she did not, so we met her and my Grandma tonight, and they're going to Missouri for the weekend. As you can see, they have terrible separation anxiety and can hardly stand to be away from us for a minute..... HA! Londyn actually asked if she could stay for 10 weeks. Mind you, she has no actual concept of time, but she knew that 3 days wasn't quite long enough. Have a great time girls! We'll miss you while we're sleeping and cleaning. We have such an exciting childless weekend planned.

The Little Guy

Hopefully this isn't the little guy's best picture, but it's the best I've gotten so far. I had my 24 week appointment today and everything looked great! He was moving around like crazy while I was there, but the doctor was able to get this one face shot. Some things you may be wondering at this point...
Do we have a name? NO-I'm open to suggestions. I haven't even narrowed it down. We've gone through quite a variety, but have come up with reasons that none of them will work.
Do we have bedding or a color scheme? NO
Do we have furniture? NO
Do we even have an available room currently? NO
Do we have one thing in our home that would indicate a baby is on the way? Again, that would be a NO
(I could go on and on with the questions, but i think you get the idea.)
Don't panic though, I'm sure we'll figure something out by the time September rolls around!

Summer Nights

I love summer evenings, especially when we're all home together. This picture is to document the first meal we've had at home in forever, like a month. Since we put our house on the market, school was coming to an end, and Kevin was working endless hours, we've eaten a lot of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, hamburgers and hot dogs, and that's not counting the fast food we've grabbed. The other night, I'm pretty sure the girls actually had cheetos and oreos for dinner. It was nice to have a real meal, especially since it's grilling season. Thanks to my grandma for the delicious ribeyes! They were amazing!

So simple, but after we eat, I always love taking a walk around the neighborhood. It gives Kevin and I chance to talk and the girls to "bond". They're getting a little big for the wagon and would prefer to walk or ride their bikes, but it's much easier when they're contained. I hope you're enjoying your summer nights!

Picnic in the Park

Ever since we've started talking about summer, the girls have been begging to go on a real picnic. By real picnic, they mean on a blanket on the ground. This evening, the weather was beautiful, so we picked up some KFC and headed to the park for a real picnic.

The evening consisted of some icees,

Some chicken legs,

A little swinging,

and some dandelion blowing. It was a beautiful evening, and nothing makes me happier than hanging out with the family.