Our litte fish

We've started a Sunday tradition of a group lunch at Margaret's house with several of our friends from church. We plan a meal, everyone brings something, eat and swim. This works out wonderfully for all of us b/c we get to hang out and catch up on everyone's week (although we usually see each other several times during the week anyway), have a great meal that didn't cost as much as going out, and get a little sun in the process. It's great for Caden and Keira b/c they don't have to be on their "restaurant behavior" and can goof off in the pool for a few hours. We were a little worried about Caden at the beginning of the summer b/c he seemed to have forgotten all he had learned in swim class last year and was uncertain of himself in the pool without floaties. That is long gone now. Yesterday he was diving - yes diving! - into the pool, doing backwards summersaults underwater and swimming back and forth underwater from one side of the pool to the other. He doesn't always have the greatest diving form (still quite a few belly flops) but he puts his arms up over his ears and dives in headfirst- hoping for the best. I'm working on trying to get a video of him diving on the website. Maybe later today I'll figure it out. Cade has also learned how to rescue someone in the pool who's in distress. It's so cute to watch. He lays on his belly on the side of the pool and dangles a noodle out to the person in distress, then pulls them to the edge. He rescued Ms. Jo in swim class and Daddy yesterday at Margaret's.

Keira is also doing much better in the pool. For a while all she wanted to do was sit on the side and scoop bugs out of the water with a net, but yesterday she got in and was holding on to the side of the pool and kicking. She's been taking swimming lessons with Curt each week too and is doing better. She still doesn't like going under water, but she does it!! Curt said this week in class she even lowered herself into the pool from the side and held on like she's being taught. I think watching all the attention and cheers Caden was getting for the cool tricks he was doing inspired her to try to be a little more daring.

Wish you all were here to swim with us and enjoy the hot summer!!!

Drama...Daddy??

Tonight Curt, Caden, and Keira were on their way to a restaurant to meet me for dinner before I headed to work. As they neared the restaurant, Caden (who knows the name of every restaurant by sight) asked "Are we going to O'Charley's?" Curt, in an ever silly mood, answered in a sing-song voice, "Yeeeeess." Curt knows it annoys Cade when he acts like that, but loves to get Cade going. Again, Cade says "Are we going to O'Charleys?" And again, Curt sings back a little louder and longer "Yeeeeeeeesssss!" Cade: "Are we going to O'Charley's?" Curt in his best opera voice sings "Yeeeessss." Cade shrieks "Stop it Dad! Stop being so dramatic!!"

And we always thought it was Drama Mama!!

Getting pretty

Tonight Caden came home while Mandy and I were having girl time and painting our toes. Cade had been with us earlier at Walmart and helped us pick out "pretty pink polish" (he has great fashion sense). So I was painting and he was commenting, like any supportive man should, on how pretty my toes looked. Then he asked, "Mom are you getting married?" I was a little surprised and said, "No Cade, what makes makes you say that?" He looked at me and wisely said "Girls get pretty when they get married." Boys learn at a young age what women do to make themselves look good for their men!!

Does this look like another Willis we know??

If I hadn't given birth to Keira, I would swear she's Margaret's baby. I took this picture on the way to the rodeo and I get chills when I think about how much she looks like Margaret. I showed it to Margaret this morning and she wasn't impressed by the likeness. Does anyone else agree?? Leave a comment to tell me what you think. Is she my baby or Margaret's!!??

Time to get country

We went to the Springdale Rodeo with some good friends of ours who actually are country. They have horses and cows and know lot of stuff about the rodeo. We just go for the funnel cake and corndogs. Plus, it's fun to dress like a cowboy every now and then!!

Hook'em horns!! Just for you Jeff and Julie! We miss you!

June 21, 2007

I know this is a week and a half post date, but I've been a little slow when it comes to uploading pictures to my computer. And...this is major news, so it had to be in accurate time.

Here it is!!!

Yep, you saw it first here. Margaret and Lonnie are expecting their first baby in February!! Can you tell I'm a little excited. I can't wait to finally have a niece or nephew that I can see everyday to love on. My other beautiful nieces and nephew live too far away to get regular lovin's from us.

I'll keep you updated and all the fun events and I think Margaret is starting her own blog as well.

Margaret broke the news to all our friends by wearing these shirts to softball that Thursday night. Other fun events from that day included Caden's first haircut in a loooong time (it was much needed), Cade's superhero baseball outfit and Keira loving on herself in pigtails in the bathroom mirror.

Before:

After:

Super Cade!! I don't know why, but he insists super heroes wear gloves (aka socks) on their hands. And they always must be the same pair of blue socks. I gues I'm not as well versed in superhero attire.



Keira's hair is finally long enough to do something with it. My latest favorite is pigtails. So Cute!! She seems to think so too by how much she was admiring herself in the mirror after I was done.

I'm back!

Sorry it's been so long since a post, but the last week has been crazy. I finished my Organic Chemistry I class this Friday with my final. Thank goodness it's over!!!! I survived but am anxiously awaiting my test grade. On top of studying for my final, it was one of the busiest weeks ever at work and I picked up 2 extra shifts to help out. And I work Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Needless to say, but I'm sure the family will be happy to see me return to them fully next week. I start Organic II on Monday, but it'll be a few days before I have to get into the thick of studying again.

The kids are doing great, being their usual silly selves. We are loving summer evenings because all the neighborhood kids come out around 6:30 and we pretty much have a block party until 8 or 8:30. We've become pretty good friends with several of our neighbors and Caden LOVES his friends Caiden Scott, Luke, and Kai. In fact, Keira can't (or doesn't) say many peoples names, but she has Caiden Scott down. It sounds more like "Ah goo got" but she is very clearly talking about her buddy Caiden Scott.

Of course, having a bunch of boys running around playing all the time does have it's...odd or embarrassing moments. Like the night we looked over across the street and one of the boys little brother (he's about 2) was standing out in front of their house completely buck naked, just hanging out. Will had to holler at his brother to head in and get some clothes, as his twin brother came running out of the house wearing only a diaper. I guess that's what happens when there are 5 kids under the age of 7 in the house. Sometimes they escape naked. There was also the night that the boys returned from taking a "potty break" only to drop their drawers and use the front lawn as a public potty. They play cowboys and superheroes, and race around on assorted bikes, scooters and tricycles. This is the way to spend the summer!!!!