Fun at Deer Run

This month, our church designated family month and set up fun events for the church to take part in. One Sunday afternoon, it was Deer Run.  We were really looking forward to it as they have lots of space and things to do. However, it was hot, but we came prepared to swim.  Bummer though, we had to wait for a life vest before we could get in the lake.  There were so many people as both campuses were invited and Dylan and I had to wait a while.  Once we got our vests we swam in the water and watched the kids to the zip line into the water. I asked Dylan if he wanted to do it, knowing he wouldn't want to, and he of course said no, that it looked scary.  However, he surprised me by saying he wanted to do the water slide. It wasn't a small water slide, it was really long and high up. We had to climb about 3 flights of stairs and the slide was probably 100 feet long if I had to guess. I let him watch a few people before I went first to make sure he wasn't going to back out.  I jumped and slid and screamed. I went fast.  Of course the heavier you are the faster you go. Dylan got on and scooted himself down. Bless his heart, he couldn't get the speed. Once at the bottom of the slide, he had to stand up and jump in.  Dylan doesn't even jump off the side of the pool, so I wasn't sure how this was going to go. He was about 6 feet off the ground.  I told him to hold his nose and jump in. The second his feet left the slide, he let go of his nose. Oh well. I praised him and told him how brave he was and how proud I was of him.  He said "really? you are?" Then he insisted on going again. I wished I had pics by Damien was taking care of Natalie and well men don't think that way. We played a little while longer and checked out the horses before leaving.

Natalie enjoying the outdoors

Later that night, we got in late so I tried to talk Dylan into taking a shower.  He agreed. I was shocked. He hates showers.  While in the shower, I asked him when he got to be a big boy and he said when I went down the water slide.  Since then he has taken a few showers and I am proud to say, he no longer hates them.

Before meet After

This post is way over do as the office was converted to the playroom back in May.  I realized that I never posted the reveal.

At Damien's office Christmas party, he won a new lap top.  Since we were getting rid of the old PC and Damien no longer worked from home, we decided to give the office a face lift.  I found that I spent a lot of time downstairs with Natalie since she was sleeping in our room and Dylan was always hanging around under my feet.  He barely went upstairs to play, so we thought, why not bring the fun down stairs.  Then when Natalie got older, she could play downstairs as well, since she won't have the stairs mastered like her big brother.

So here is the before....

Just a plain ole office...desk, cabinet, futon, filing cabinet and bookshelf. Of course not all pictured but in the room (only photo that I had)

and here is the new and improved play room...

 Cabinet we had built based on a PBK design.  2 framed cork boards from Hobby Lobby, one for Dylan and one for Natalie when she gets older. Baskets match perfectly from L@we's.

 I searched every where for the perfect kitchen.  Since this is in the front of our house, I was a kitchen snob. I wanted it to "match" and I finally found on on cr@igslist.  I hung one of my favorite pics of the kid thanks to my group0n.  I want a wall decal below it that says "give them hope, give them praise, give them love everyday"

 and the remaining "office". we still needed to house supplies, the printer and files so we had this piece built as we couldn't find anything that would work.

Dylan loves it. When we first finished it he would say thank you almost every day and tell everyone about his new play room. I have to say it's one of my favorite rooms in the house and is a breeze to clean up.

Swim Swim

Dylan hasn't had formal swimming lessons. I didn't think it was a good idea considering I can't spend a lot of time with him in the pool this summer, but every now and then we let him take his swimmies off and we let him practice swimming. I have to admit he does pretty good considering.

Turbo + Fireworks = scared

Turbo is not a fan of the 4th...or any holiday where people shoot fireworks, which around here is pretty much every holiday...I kid you not.  We can barely get him to go potty outside.  Here he is after hearing fireworks trying to get in.....

Bye Bye Paci Bye Bye

Dylan was not a paci taker or a thumb sucker, and Natalie loves her paci.  However, I was not loving getting up every hour to put it back in her mouth.  She only needed it to go to sleep when she slept in our room, but for some reason when we put her in her bed, she all of a sudden needed it all night.  I read up on it online and everyone said it was better to take it away before 6 months.  After debating it, I pulled the trigger.  I have to admit the first few nights were hard. She would be awake for an hour wanting her paci.  I just kept going in her room every 5-10 minutes to soothe her.  Now, 6 days later, it's getting easier.  I think she still wants it and she has even found her thumb at times, but I don't want her doing that either as I was a thumb sucker and I know the damage it does. Natalie, you will thank me later but at the moment, I seem cruel.  I wish you could have found your paci on your own without making me because I know how much you love your paci.

Cooking with Dylan

I had Dylan "read" me a recipe while I was cooking.  I don't think you want him in your kitchen any time soon. Where does this kid come up with this stuff?