Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Memorial Day Weekend

Sunday we went down to Casa Grande to visit Grandma and Grandpa. This is the only photo I took - a very tired Sarah after swimming and playing (and being up since 530am and not having a nap...) Is she just SO cute or what?


Monday, the Phoenix Art Museum was open so we headed there for a visit. We bought a family membership at a ridiculous price through Groupon, and we've already gone 3 times! We love the big dinosaur outside..


The kids also love "Mr. Blob" who is downstairs in the modern art portion of the gallery. (this is them watching him - I was afraid to take a photo of the actual piece and get in trouble!)


The museum's children's area is open - last time we visited it wasn't. They have several fun activities for kids - drawing on easels, tracing, and magnets.


Sarah loved the magnets.


Another HUGE hit? An exhibit called "Fireflies." The museum recently purchased it and it is crazy. You walk into the room, it's pitch black with all these little lights. The walls are mirrors and the floors are black shiny tile. It's very disorienting and needless to say, the kids were freaked out by it at first. But then they were begging to go back over and over again. I did sneak a photo inside.


And even though it's not technically the weekend anymore, we visited the Children's Museum and the kids love the dragon named "Rainbow" who sits outside the door.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

The WEDDING!

My cousin Jenny got married this past weekend in Wisconsin. I would have loved for all of our family to go, but it just wasn't feasible, so I went to represent the Roland clan. It was weird to be out and about for so long with no children or husband. I did feel a little sad at the wedding to not have Shawn with me, especially since I cried like a baby!

Here are some of the highlights.


My lovely Mom and I at the rehearsal dinner Friday night.



Friday night - my awesome, lovely, beautiful, sweet, bestest friend Shannon came to visit me at the hotel. I haven't seen her since 2005!



This might seem weird, but we visited the cemetery where my Busia's grave site is. I brought her a little geranium - we always used to plant them on her Mom's and husband's graves. It was a little emotional, but I did okay.



I spent a lot of Sunday afternoons here growing up. It wasn't weird or creepy, it was just what we did.



Another cemetery shot. Since it was May 21st, and we were kind of joking about the rapture that was supposed to happen, we decided the cemetery was not the place to be when all that started going down. (The other side of the crypts had "The Dead Shall Rise" on it.)



Off to the wedding - me, Mom and Ronnie.



Jacob, Noah, their Roy Rogers, and Ronnie (post wedding cocktail hour)



The lovely bride and groom make their entrance!



Let the dancing begin!!



Soon after the music started, the HATS showed up. It was total silliness from there on out.



You can't really see it, but his hat has dreadlocks on it.



Noah and Kristen. Awww!



See? Totally silly!



There were also...blow up guitars.



And just like that, it was the last dance!


What a great, beautiful time. Congratulations to Jennifer and husband-dude. (just kidding, his name is Nick)


Meanwhile, back at home, Jeremiah had his last t-ball lesson of the year. :( Coach Eric (who Sarah loves) brought popsicles! Yum!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Chalk paint and the white sunglasses


I made chalk paint for the kids the other day...Jeremiah shocked me by painting a "J". He was so proud!



Another J.



Sarah was too busy to even look at the camera.



These white sunglasses are an endless source of entertainment. The kids were sliding them to each other before lunch. I don't know why he's making this face!



Sarah also had to have her picture taken. she looks SO cute!

Saturday, May 14, 2011

The Latest


Sarah loves her big brother so much!



It's gotten hot enough for the splash pad!



Jeremiah loves the water!



Visiting Scooptacular, of course.



Jeremiah found Shawn's pilot headset. He loved it and pretends he's flying a space ship!



Jeremiah also had his awards night for Cubbies! I'm looking forward to next year.


Sarah is definitely an opinionated, smart, sweet, active 2 year old. She loves to help out and actually throws a massive fit if she can't 'help' do something. She loves to cuddle and when you lay her down for bed she'll say: "Forgot kiss!" so you have to give her a kiss, of course...her language is developing so quickly and she speaks pretty well for her age, in my opinion. Her favorite phrase right now is "I go??" - she asks whenever we're discussing a place - any place. We talk about our upcoming vacation to the beach and she says: "Mommy, Daddy, J, Sa-ah, go?" it's really cute.

Jeremiah is hilarious and sweet, yet so strong willed and assertive. He's already got the little back-talking attitude going on, and is so much more a four year old than a three year old. He loves to tell stories and jokes, even if they don't make any sense. He's sensitive and really, really dislikes getting into any sort of trouble. He is a major rule-follower, and, um...makes sure I know when other kids are breaking the rules.

These kids are awesome, we are so lucky they are ours!!

Monday, May 9, 2011

Mother's Day

I'm not really 'into' Mother's Day. I'm not a card person, and while I like getting gifts, I prefer them to arrive on my birthday. But, because Shawn spoils me, we still had fun.

We visited Scramble for breakfast on Saturday:

(If you ever go there, get the Santa Fe Eggs Benedict. So delicious, just spicy enough (for a wimp like me!) and it filled me up all day!


Hey! Almost perfect photo!



My fantastic husband and I


Sunday, we played hooky from church and headed down to visit Grandma and Grandpa G in Casa Grande. We had a great time swimming in their community pool - Jeremiah gets those water wings on and he just swims laps and laps! It's amazing. Sarah also loves her little green flower innertube...she can swim with that alone, too. I forgot the camera, so no photos. But trust me, it was warm, sunny, and gorgeous.

We had dinner over there and some pie. It was a fun, relaxing Mother's Day!

Friday, May 6, 2011

Mops is over for the summer :(


My awesome table at Mops - Go Daisy Table!
(Yes, I'm wearing a hat!)


I love my MOPs group. And I love being a 'discussion group leader' - I pretty much lead a single table of women through the meetings, pray for them and their specific prayer requests during the month, email them throughout the 'off' weeks, and help lead discussions during the meetings. It's a time committment, but one I happily take because I love working with the women that both 'manage' Mops and the women who come to Mops.

I also LOVE that my children are cared for and loved during the two-two and a half hours (sometimes three hours!) that I'm away from them. The kids sang two songs for their year end program - "This little light of mine," and "Jesus Loves Me."

Sarah spent most of her time searching for me, but staying in her spot. And even though it looks like she found me in this photo, she didn't.



Jeremiah and his light - he actually sang this time! I was so proud. (At the Christmas program he just stood up there.)



He did spot me at this point, but he only waved and smiled proudly. He didn't cry, run, or otherwise freak out. I was so happy!


Sorry the photos aren't better - I was hiding in the back so the flash didn't work, and the lighting was a bit dim in the church.

And, in other news, WE HAVE A CAMERA AGAIN!

The short story - we bought a new camera in December. Just before Easter, it gave a mysterious 'lens error' and wouldn't start. I called Canon, they said to send it in with the reciept. Only problem? I lost the reciept. I called Fry's Electronics, and was told I could come in and have a copy printed. I went in and was told I had to email someone. *cue furious Rachel*

I emailed the right people, and, while requesting my reciept, told them how inconvienenced I'd been by having to drive out there and back for nothing. I had a copy of the receipt the next day in my email! So I shipped the camera back, fully expecting (from extensive Internet research) that they'd email me and tell me it would cost $200 to replace the camera and that it wasn't covered.

Imagine my surprise last week when FedEx shows up with a box from Canon - in it was a brand new camera! It sounds like this 'lens error' is a common problem with our particular model and it can't be fixed, it can only be replaced. I was soo happy! My poor other blog has really been suffering with poor quality cell phone photos.