Texas Tulips

This spring, Texas got its first Tulip farm!  It just happens to be in Pilot Point - about 15 minutes from our home.  One Saturday afternoon we took a spur of the moment trip out to see and pick some tulips.  What a different and neat thing to be able to do!

It was one big muddy mess out on the fields!  Thankfully they provided these blue shoe covers to lessen the muddy shoes.

So many pretty colors!

Playing at the hay maze

Those blue shoe covers didn't protect from when one certain little boy trips (multiple times) and falls in the mud while walking around.  He may have had to ride home with just his undies on to protect our car from turning into a mud pit. :-)

I loved every minute of our time at the tulip farm - beautiful colors, mud, and all - and look forward to going back every year!

This spring was also our first time to plant bulbs and grow tulips.  While Barrett was in Belgium last year he picked up some bulbs for us.  To our amazement they actually bloomed!

Tulips are my favorite flower, so it was quite the treat to have them growing in our front flower beds!

They didn't last long though thanks to our sweet little Amelia.  Does this look like the face of a guilty little girl?  Notice all the pretty tulip petals ON THE GROUND!  She couldn't resist picking such beauty.

Our tulips :-(

They were fun while they lasted....

We will have to try again next year. :-)

Snow, Snow & More Snow

The beginning of 2015 was a season filled with snow days!

 Jack and Amelia all bundled up and ready to head out to play in the first snow of the season.

 Crazy how you can spend 20 minutes getting all bundled up then about half that time actually playing out in the cold snow.  But it's worth it! Not everyday you get to have fun in the snow.

 They loved being able to use the new sleds they had gotten for Christmas from Mom-mom & Pepa.  They slid the best on the slick sidewalks the first day.

 Since it was so cold outside, we brought some of the snow inside to play with.  One day we painted the snow with water colors.

 We built a snowman indoors - using foam shapes, water, paintbrushes & a window.

 Mom-mom made Amelia an Elsa hat.  Amelia insisted that she must wear it during nap time.

 We built a miniature snowman. 

 Threw snowballs

 Shoveled snow

 Played break the ice with all the ice that had accumulated in the turtle sandbox

 Best friends!

 More of bringing the snow indoors.  This time we played with our plastic animals in the trays of snow.

 Family snow day picture :-)

 Amelia's hat made of ice!  I'm pretty sure Daddy had something to do with this happening.

 Counting practice with cotton ball snowballs

This was our first time to make snow ice cream! It was a hit! Well, for most of us.  Jack loved making it.  But he took a few bites then said, "Can I just eat an apple?"  Amelia was more than happy to eat her ice cream, Jack's ice cream, and whatever other leftovers she came across.  She is an ICE cream girl!!

So special having so many snow days this year (for Texas) and having plenty of fun activities to keep us busy!  I love days like these!

Valentines 2015

"We love because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19

Happy Valentines Day! So thankful for this little family of mine that is so full of love for each other not just on Valentine's day but everyday of the year!

 Amelia in one of her Valentine outfits

 Making valentine cookies

 Date night with my Valentine.  Some shopping at the mall. Dinner at Cheesecake Factory. Hot chocolate at Starbucks. Perfect night out.

 Valentine Donuts

 Valentine Treats

Our Candlelight Valentines Dinner at home. Barrett made us a delicious Salmon dinner. Love these people!

Art Museum

We have been LOVING our trips to the Dallas Museum of Art. The first Tuesday morning of every month they have FREE kids activities all morning long.  Each month has a different theme.

In February the theme was Fairy Tales.

 There was a room full of  Lego's and the kids could build castles with Lego's,

 draw castles,

  and there was a marionette puppet show with Hansel & Gretel - Jack's favorite part of the day.

 Looking in the mirror and drawing their self portraits.

 Sitting at the easel and drawing the statue

 In the craft room they made puppets.

 In March we went during Spring Break week so Mom-mom, Chandler, Cami & Madi came with us.  The theme for March was Colors.  We packed a lunch and ate in the courtyard.

 The craft was thumbprints & hand print art.

 Exploring colors on the projector.

Each month we also take a family tour where they take us around the museum and we search for special pictures of sculptures that have to do with the team.  I'm always surprised at how interested in the tours Jack is.

 After the art museum we took a walk across the street to Clyde Warren Park. Jack got to take a ride in the backpack. :-)  It was our first time to this park and it was amazing! So neat to be in the middle of the city but to be at an open park area.  Lots of places to run in the grass, a playground, fountains to play in, books and magazines to read, games to rent and play (for free), and many food trucks!  Since it was spring break it was VERY crowded but still a neat experience.

 In April the theme at the museum was Under the Sea.  We brought our friends Grace & Noah with us this month.  We arrived downtown before the Art Museum opened so went over to Clyde Warren Park to wait.  

This time they had these giant foam tinker toy type block out to build and play with.  What a treat! 

 Playing in the Under the Sea sensory bin - sea creatures in blue rice

 Art project - making a jelly fish with a coffee filter and construction paper

 Playing in the seashells and sand

 This sensory bin was a big hit! They are some sort of gel beads.  They could have spent hours here!

 Scooping up beads, pouring them out, playing with the plastic sea creatures in the bins - over and over and over again.

 Once done at the museum we went back over to the park to play in the fountains.  Another big favorite of the day!

Such a fun day! We look forward to our days at the Art Museum each month, and now our trip over to the park too!