WHEW! This is going to be a long one!

Well Summer is finally here and I'm excited to say that it is off to a fabulous start!  Of course we have been busy busy (It's a trend around here)  Okay I guess I should back up and start where I left off in May.  Well Blake had his last t-ball game and was super excited to have a tropy pizza party.  You see after the first game he wanted to know where his trophy was.  I told him he had to wait until his last game, and he informed me that Kenedy got a trophy after she danced or did gymnastics on stage and he wanted one too.  So we had a little talk and he accepted that he had to wait but was not going to let us forget.  Here he is eating pizza and holding his WELL DESERVED trophy!

The month of May is also when baby Troy turned one.  (I am aware at some point we will no longer be able to call him baby Troy but in my house now one says Troy, it always comes out Baby Troy)  At his party Jacob, Kenedy and Blake had a great time amusing them selves with straws while swimming in a splash pool.

This is what Baby Troy thought about being left out of the fun:

But he did have a great time eating his cake:

School ended in June YEAH! and Ryan and I went to Biloxi Mississsippi with some friends, Kenedy and Blake stayed with Mimi and Papa (THANK YOU Mimi and Papa) for a few days so we could go.  We had a wonderful time and the beach was nice.  We were lucky where we stayed their was no tar and we spent lots of time just hanging out and relaxing!

Us on the balcony

Since we have been back the kids have stayed busy, This week they did VBS at their friends church and Blake started swim lessons.  We have gone swimming every day and they are a great time.  Here is Blake 

 

Jumping off the diving board.  I thought it ws a great action shot.  It looks like he is going to jump right over the water and onto the side but really I swear he has plenty off pool space, My zoom just happened to be working at the time. 

this one makes me laugh because Kenedy appears to be annoyed that her brother would like her to go, even though she is tecnically not in his swim class.

Allright so here is what is on the agenda for the next few weeks.  The kids are going to my moms for the weekend and then next week Ryan and I are headed to Dallas with Kenedy, Jacob and Blake.  Kenedy's Jazz group qualified for Nationals so she will be performing her Solo, Her group Jazz and group Ballet dances.  Since she will only dance Wed and Saterday morning we decided to take the kids to a ranger game, water park and medivel times.  I know they will have fun and I will be sure to get lots of pics!

OVERDUE UPDATE!!

We are long overdue for an update.  Lets see what has been going on?  Last Month Kenedy's Girlscout troop modeled at the Mall in Tyler.  They were able to pick out any outfit they wanted too, then were taught about how to take care of your clothes, how to accessorize (okay so my thinking was they are 8 do they need the ability to accesorize?  Apprently this starts much earlier than I remember)  They were taught to walk and pose, oh and the lady threw in a lesson on manners.  Then the girls got to go out in the mall and model the clothes.  After they modeled in the mall they went back to JC Penny and practiced their manican modeling skills and the moms had to search the children's dept to find their manican.  The girls had a blast!

                                         

Kenedy posing at the end of the runway.                      Here  is the  troup together

Ryan and I took the kids to the circus.  We had a great time.  Kenedy has been to a few and new what to expect, but Blake was too young at his previous circus exprience so this time he really got into it.                                    

The Kids in the car on the way to the circus.

Blake really liked this hat, it came with our cotton candy, however he just knew it was a Mickey Mouse hat.

 

Kenedy in her clown nose.  Kenedy and Blake at the end with their circus treasures.

Ryan and I even got our pictures taken (Kenedy took it for us)

This month we also made a bitter sweet trip to Knox City.  For those of you who are unaware this is where Ryan grew up.  It is a little bitty town (I am not kidding when I say LITTLE BITTY) town near Abilene.  The trip was for Ryan's grandfather's funeral.  He had been very sick and is no longer hurting.  The kids got to see family they sadly only see a couple times a year.  Ryan and I have vowed to make at least 1 extra trip a year from now on so that we can see family. 

Aunt Doris with Kenedy and Blake and Little MaMa with Kenedy and Blake.

And we cant Forget Mimi and Papa

School is almost out (6 more days for Kenedy 9 more for Ryan, Blake, and I)  On the summer agenda is: Dance recital (June 5th)  Ryan and I will be going to the Mississippi with some friends the next week in June, Blake and Kenedy will spend a week with Mimi and Papa.  Blake will take swim lesson, Kenedy will go to Girlscout Camp, and both will spend a few days with Gmom and papa. I'll be sure to take plenty of Pictures and keep everyone updated!

EASTER, First GAME, and COMPETIONS

Easter weekend Ryan and I took the kids to the zoo in Tyler.  We have been a million times but we love it!

Ryan and the kids.  Take note that Blake still not looking at the camera.  I think he does it just to torture me!

Of course if he is looking at the camera we have to have the fake smile that looks like someone has said "smile right now or I will hurt you"  (again I firmily believe that this came from a how to torture mommy class)  I just cant believe how big they both look in these pictures.

Easter Morning we went to church and then came home and hunted eggs.  Some of the eggs had confetti in them.  I thought this was a great idea because I have such fond memories of confetti eggs at my church festival when I was their age, however I did not factor in that the confetti would end up falling from hair and clothing for the rest of the day.  Needless to say the living room was swept many times that day!  Oh well they had fun.

Blake running to find the next egg, Kenedy getting her little brother with the confettie egg.

The next day was the much anticipated First T-ball game.  Blake is absolutely loving it. 

Blake right before the "big game"

The big game is what Blake calls EVERY game.  When I pick him up from school now he says "mommy today do I have my "big game?"  Fourtantely for him he has 2 "big games" a week all the way till the middle of May. 

         walking up to bat the first time                       The fisrt swing          

                            

                                    running to 1st base                                  his first time to run to home

The best thing about T-ball for me is that he loves to be cheered for.  I have strict instructions upon arrival of the game to make sure I yell go Blakers.  When he hits the ball the first thing he does is look at me so that I will start yelling.  It is very funny.  I am also amazed at how fast he runs.  One of the coaches even asked what we did to get him to run so fast.  (I of course having the personality that I do told him we chase him around the house trying to spank him)  He did know that I was kidding and has not reported us.  (that I'm aware of anyway) 

Kenedy is also haveing huge success in dance and Gymnastics.  At her last Gymnastics compition she got 2nd place on her floor routine.  She amazes me with the confidence that she has to get out in front of people and do the things that she does.  I dont think that even as an adult I could do the things that she does.  What is even more intersting is that if you really know her she is very shy and does not even talk to people she does not know, but something happens to her when she does gymanstics and dance.  I'm glad she has something that she can show such a different side of herself. 

Kenedy winnign 2nd.  I could not get her attention to look at me.  (Blake is giving her lessons)

This weekend she had a dance competion.  She received 1st place in her Jazz Solo and 4th place overall the 7 & 8 year old solos!  All 3 of her group numbers (ballet, Jazz, and Clogging) also received 1st place. 

I left this one big but it is still hard to see (Sorry in my hurry I did not zoom) she is the 2nd one from the left.  This is her 4th place overall award.

Here she is afterwards with all her trophies.  She had to set them on the ground for the picture because she could not hold them all.  Her last dance is next weekend and then it is time for a some weekends spent at home.  I am really looking forward to this. 

Ryan is almost done with Track (beg. of May) and maybe just maybe things will slow down a bit (I realize this is not really going to happen, it's okay though I really dont mind!)

Spring, Birthdays, and Braces

I am so thankful for spring.  I love the warmth and the sunshine, it makes me feel so happy. Kenedy and Blake are loving it too.  One of the first warm days Blake had his four wheeler out and Kenedy had her bike.  They both had a great time.

Over Spring break I got a new car, It's not new new but it's new to me and I could not be happier.  For those of you who don't know I have been wanting an SUV since the day we got rid of my Tahoe.  I could not have been happier when Ryan bought me my Ford Expedition.  Here is Blake showing it off:

Thanks to G-Mom, Ryan and I also got a night to ourselves over spring break.  We went to Dinner, and the boats in Shreveport, and spent the night.  This is all so rare I thought we should take a picture.  Of course the only way to do this was for one of us to hold the camera (apparently my camera has a timer but I did not know how to work it, oh well)

We ended spring break with a birthday party for Blake.  even though it was a whole week and a half  before he actually turned 4.  We had it at a place called Kids Station.  It is basically an indoor playground.  Lots of slides, climbing things, games etc.  Everyone had a fantastic time including the parents.  (Okay so the parents found this game called Deal or no Deal.  It worked like the game show where you pick a case only instead of the amount being in dollars it was for tickets.  I'm pretty sure we used more tokens than the kids did)

After Spring break it was back to reality.  School, gymnastics, Dance, T-ball (still working on getting pictures)  I spend all of practice cheering Blake on.  He will look at me and wait for me to yell GO BLAKE!  It's really quite hysterical.  The actual games start next week and I will be sure to have my camera ready. 

Other Hot news...Kenedy got her Braces!  She is so excited.  She has been stressing for a month over what color rubber bands to get.  I am not joking when I tell you that she put ALOT of thought into this very important decision.  Every night she would say I could get red and pink but that is too Valentine's.  Or I could get yellow and white (yellow is her favorite color) but that might make my teeth look like I did not brush them.  I can only imagine what she will be like planning her wedding if  rubber bands for your teeth are such a big deal.  Well the verdict is in and she went with (pink and green)

Great Spring Colors.  Now she has 7 weeks to decide what colors will be next!  She was such a trooper and has not been too sore.  Kenedy also had another big milestone, she got her own cell phone.  This is something Ryan and I have been discussing for the last few months and Kenedy has been asking for 3 years.  We decided that now was a good time.  With her doing so many activities especially gymnastics being in another town, and me having to have her one place and Blake in another (Ryan's in Track season and not available 2 nights a week)  This was just a good time to try it out.  She is so excited!

And last on this update My BABY turned 4 yesterday.  4 can you believe it?  It brings tears to my eyes.  In honor of his 4th birthday (it really was  not planned and just happened to fall on this day) I enrolled Blake at my school for next year.  He will be going to Pre-K.  I have 2 children in school.  That just sounds Crazy.  I mean I know I'm not old enough to have a 2 children in school and no children at home.  Where did the time go?  Sadly it seems to go faster and faster every year! On Blake's real birthday Blake got the soccer ball and net he wanted.  So I will end with some pictures of Kenedy and Blake playing together:

BUSY! BUSY! BUSY!

Well life in the Marion house just might have more going on now then during football season, if that's even possible. Let's see Kenedy's 2nd gymnastic's compition went better than the first.  She improved her bars, beam vault, and floor score by 1 to 2 points for each event.  She scored 11th on bars, 10th on beam and vault, and 5th on floor.  We are so proud of her.  I am an including a vidio of her floor routine, (Thanks Nikki for your instructions, your the best!,  She scored a 7.2.
Kenedy's Floor routine
You will have to click on this link and it will take you to youtube where I have the vidio downloaded. 

Next Blake went to a birthday party for a friend at school.  It was a Mario Party. Here Blake is pinning the mustache on Mario and then Making his own personal Pizza.

Kenedy had to deliver some Girl Scout cookies to G-Mom's Work so we made a quick 1 day trip to Killeen.  Blake liked playing This little Piggy with Baby Troy.

I cut Troy's head off in the first picture so I tried to stage the next picture and have Blake come back and play Piggy's again (knowing I wanted to put it on the blog)  Blake was already intersted in watching something else so as you can see Blake is not looking at Troy anymore but I got Troy's face.  So much for Spontanous photo's.

Kenedy and Jacob had a great time together as usually.  They are getting so big and grown-up. 

I thought it was kinda funny that Jacob is pointing his nerf gun at the camera while Kenedy is throwing the peace sign. 

This past weekend Kenedy had her first Dance compition.  She performed her Jazz Solo.  In Dance everyone recieves a trophy based on thier score so Kenedy got top first.  Dance is new to me and I'm not sure of the order of awards but it must have been good because she also recieved 5th place in her 7-8year old age division. 

Here is Kenedy in the dressing room.

I have also included a vidio of her Solo performance.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPRe9gStVH8 (click on this link to view Dance Solo)

For those family members who have been asking me to give you the dates of her next performances here they are.

Gymnastics: in Allan March 27th,

Mesquite April 10th and if she makes it to state that meet will be May 1st in Garland

Dance: In Tyler April 17th

and Ft Worth April 24th

Yes that's right folks 4 weekends in a row starting on April 10th. 

Blake starts T-ball practice on Monday.  His team is the Pirates and he is super excited about that. As soon as we get a t-ball schedule I will share it with you. 

 If I'm sane at the end of this school year,  we will be on a long break.  Until Aug.  Kenedy will be Sad but I will be resting! 

I promise I will take Plenty of Pictures of upcomming events and post them.  Oh and one more piece of exciting news.  Kenedy has been begging to go away to camp.  She wanted it to be a gymnastics one but  one of the one's that is recommend has WAY to many girls at it for me to feel comfortable leaving her.  (maybe in a few years)  The next one you did not stay the night at so Kenedy was not intersted.  Well we have settled on a Girlscout camp.  She will get to swim, horseback ride, hayride, ride horses, go to a petting zoo, crafts, etc.  But most importantly to her she will get to stay for 5 nights and 6 days.  I tried to get her to got to a shorter one (like 3days) but she informed me that she wanted to be away for longer than that.  I'm a nervous wreck and she is PUMPED!  She has been telling everyone about it.  The only comfort I have is that I have talked her my friend Kristi into letting her daughter Alli go too.  (technically Kenedy's 3rd cousin, but that sounds like we are from hickville).  Alli is just a year older than Kenedy and they have always been close even though we live 5 hours from each other.  I'm sure they will have a blast.  (while I sit at home and cry!)  Good thing I'll have Blake with me to make me laugh.  Speaking of Let me end with a comment from Blake the comedian:  While sitting at luch today, Kenedy was telling us all she had learned about Texas: the state flower, tree, seal, etc  Well Blake pipes in "I dont know what ya'll are talking about but it's sure boring!"