Roller Skating!

A couple of weekends ago we went to a friend's birthday party at a skating rink!  Josh and I had not been skating since middle school so I was interested to see how we'd do.  Aurora and Alex have never been!  I just have to say that 4 year old size skates are super cute!!

We got them all strapped in their skates (which was quite a bit of work).  They were both really excited, but Alex would NOT let go of my hand.

They had a good time hanging with their friends (and onto chairs, tables, and whatever else they could hold onto).

Aurora went out onto the rink a bunch and tried her hardest to do it herself.  She fell TONS of times but she kept on getting up and going!  Alex got halfway around the rink with me (and killing my back in the process) and decided he was done.  He was not too happy when I told him we had to finish the circle before we could quit!  Once we finally finished, he was content to watch through the window.

In the end, Aurora was doing pretty well!

And Josh didn't do too bad himself!

Cliffs Amusement Park

For Aurora's birthday, she got the Cliff's tickets she had asked for, and also lots of money to spend. So this weekend we headed down there! We were a little bit crazy because it ended up being the hottest weekend in several years at 105 degrees! Luckily, they have lots of shade there and we got there right when it opened so it was only in the eighties.

This was Alex's first time going. We were a bit nervous about whether or not he would do the rides, because he is pretty timid when it comes to things like that. The awesome thing about Cliffs is that it is a small amusement park and kids 36 inches and taller can ride most of the rides as long as they have an adult with them. And we started out big - with the roller coaster!

Waiting for the roller coaster

When we first started moving, he looked terrified....I told him it was going to be loud and superfast like Rocket and would be fun. I wasn't sure how he liked it throughout the ride...but when we stopped he said he loved it and wanted to go again! I was relieved that he enjoyed it!

Second time on the roller coaster

After that, Daddy and Aurora went to ride some "big kid" rides and Megan and I took Alex to the little kid area. He was so excited to ride a helicopter and car! The helicopter was cool because they could make it go higher or lower by pulling on a lever. Alex had to use both hands and pull as hard as he could to get it to go up!



Both kids also did the bumper cars...I've never seen Alex grin so big! They didn't want to bump into anyone; just drive around and around! Afterwards, he said "Sister drove crazy!"


We let them play a couple of games too and Alex won this cool snake...

And Aurora won the biggest prize on one of the other games!!

We had a great time despite the heat. We love this place! Here are two videos - one of the bumper cars, and one of Josh and Aurora riding the Super Fire Ball - that girl is a dare devil!!!

Aurora's First Story

The other day I was helping Alex with his homework (identifying shapes and colors), and I needed to distract Aurora, so I asked her to write me a little story.  Here is what she wrote:

 

Translation: "A green dragon with the blue stripes was hungry.  He found the blue berries.  The end."

Not bad for a 5 year old I say!

Lost Tooth!

Aurora lost her first tooth yesterday!  It has been wiggly for a few weeks.  She's been very patient about it and yesterday at lunch it started bleeding and when she put a tissue on it, it came right out!  She was so excited!

Several years ago I picked up a special tooth fairy box for her to put her teeth in.  It's been sitting in my jewelry box just waiting for this moment!  So we cleaned up her tooth and put in the box and under her pillow.  When she woke up this morning she had $8 covered in sparkly tooth fairy dust!  I explained that the tooth fairy gives a lot for the first tooth and a little for all the rest.  She didn't seem to mind!

Alex Christmas Program 2009

Alex had his very first Christmas program last Friday!  I was already nervous about it because it didn't even start until 7pm and on school days he is ready for bed by that time.  Once I picked him up from school that afternoon and saw what a foul mood he was already in, I knew we were in for trouble!

We got home and had dinner and got dressed up.  He was supposed to wear a santa hat for the program.  I put it on him and tried to get some pictures, but he wasn't having it.  When Alex makes up his mind that he is not going to cooperate for something, there is no changing his mind!

I got Aurora ready as well and managed to perk him up a bit to get a decent picture of both of them (Aurora's outfit is the one from this day).

When we got to the building for the show, he was happily playing with all of the other kids - until I had to leave him with his teacher to get ready while I waited for the show.  He had a total meltdown about that.

Then came showtime...the school's director walked him up to the stage, and I turned away so he wouldn't see me as he walked by.

They went on stage, and Alex got this look of pure torture and sadness.  He did not move while the other kids danced and sang.  He looked like he was going to cry so I snuck up to the stage and sat down in front where he could see me, and tried to encourage him to move his bell to "Silver Bells."  He wasn't having it.  He just stood there with his head down, looking miserable, the whole time.

When they were done, I took him off stage and sat down with him.

Poor guy!  I don't see a career in performing in his future!

First Field Trip!

With all of the Halloween excitement, I forgot to post about Aurora's first field trip! On October 27th they went to Wagner's Farm, a local farm and pumpkin patch! Aurora was so excited, and Daddy got to go with her!

They pet and fed animals, played in hay bales, and of course, picked their own pumpkin! Aurora's teacher warned them that they would have to carry their pumpkin all around, so Aurora was careful to pick a small one that was not too heavy.

Overall it was a great time, and I'm a tiny bit jealous I didn't get to go. But I'll go next time - we're taking turns!

First Dentist Trip and School Shopping!

Alex had his first trip to the dentist last week! I was worried that he was going to be difficult but he did fantastic! Of course it helped that he watched his sister do everything first. He let them clean his teeth and do the fluoride and everything. What an awesome little guy he is!

Watching sister
Checking out all the equipment
I'm ready!
See my clean teeth!

Yesterday Grandma S. and I took Aurora on her first school clothes shopping trip! One of my favorite childhood memories is going clothes shopping and to lunch with my mom and Grandma every year before school started. Aurora is not very big on shopping (I'm working on her!) but liked being able to pick out clothes and a backpack and lunchbox. We also went to the Elephant Bar for lunch, at her request. She is all set to start Kindergarten on Wednesday!

Out shopping!

Some of the styles she picked out:

Preparations...

This coming Sunday, Grandma S and I are taking the kids on a road trip - to Missouri! We are driving up there for a week to visit my grandparents (Granny and Gramps) and my Aunt, Uncle, and cousins. It's a sixteen hour drive, so we are planning on stopping in OKC halfway and getting a hotel room. Aurora LOVES staying at hotels so she is super excited! She is also excited about staying with her cousins in Missouri (they are teenage girls and Aurora thinks she is sooo grown-up when she is around them).

Our last road trip with the kids did not go too well...we drove with them to Alabama last year. Three days in the car with kids is just TOO much...especially with an 18 month old that has no patience and refuses to sleep in the car!

But Alex is a year older now, and a *little* more patient! We have a DVD system in the Jeep, Mom and I picked up some new movies and activities, and she is super patient...so hopefully it will go well.

Anyway we spent this weekend getting ready. We had hair appts on Saturday...


Then on Sunday I took Aurora for her first pedicure!

Excited!
Amazed at all the colors to chose from...
I picked my color!
Pretty toes!

And then the kids "supervised" (aka pretended to sleep) in the laundry baskets while I cleaned house and did laundry.


Come on Sunday!