YES day!

Once a year, I try to do a "YES!" day with the kids.  I say yes to everything they ask.  Only 2 rules.  It can't go against our morality (LOL) and it can't cost any money.  Our kids look VERY forward to this day.  Interestingly this year, it was a very easy yes day for us.  Mostly they spent their entire day on the ipad, laptop and computer while off and on eating ice cream.  

Very early on in the day, Levi was on the computer playing games.  Usually they get 15 minutes per day to play on electronics so they were thrilled to have no time limits.

Ava played games on the laptop, while lounging in her bed.

Levi asked to go to Starbucks and spend his own money on a drink.

Ava asked to be taken to HEB to buy herself some ice cream.  Elle also bought some ice cream.  Ava's is completely gone as of bedtime....

Elle asked to be taken to a few stores she loves.  She spent time smelling every single smell in Bath and Body.

They asked to go swimming.  They also asked if I would get in the water and play...this was kind of hard to say Yes to...but I did with a big ol' smile on my face!

We had left over dry ice from a root beer recipe I made tonight and they asked if they could take it outside and play with all the leftover pieces...YES!

Shawn was going to put Levi to bed for me, but Levi asked if I could do it...YES!  The girls asked to watch a movie really late and sleep downstairs...YEP!  And with that, another YES day is in the books and because they zoned out on electronics, it actually wasn't too hard for Shawn and me!  But they will pay for all the screen time today...electronics fast coming up for the next 4 days!

Mother Neff S.P.

We seem to have started a tradition of camping right around the time school gets out for the summer.  This year, we headed to Mother Neff State Park.  We didn't really know what to expect.  We arrived around 5:30 Friday afternoon.  I was a little panicky when we arrived because the RV sites looks not pretty at all...until we found our site.  It was perfect for us! 

Dinner first.... 

Then, an evening hike to check out our park...and take advantage of it being a little less hot!

Top of the water tower, watching rain and the sunset.

After that hike we were all super sweaty so we checked out the bath house....this is the ABSOLUTE best bathhouse I've ever visited while camping.  It was wonderful!

The next morning, we had pancakes and bacon and headed out to hike some more.

Then everyone wanted to play me in checkers.  Everyone lost.

This is the smug look of annihilating every single member of my family.

Start the Celebrations!

My mom and sister planned a trip to San Antonio to celebrate my upcoming 40th birthday!

We started at Target here in town!

Once we made it to San Antonio, we started in the Market and bought all kinds of little Mexican treasures.

Then we headed to our hotel and quickly made our way up to the rooftop pool to check it out.  Made a mental not to DEFINITELY revisit it the next day!

We could see the Alamo from the roof down in the lower left corner of the picture.

We also visited the Pearl in San Antonio which is a cute little area with shopping and cool food.

I made it to that rooftop pool and pretty much planted myself in this little spot and read a book...I think I could have stayed for HOURS!

That evening we headed on a boat tour that was so pretty!  I wish it was twice as long because it was really pretty to look at everything from the river's point of view.

That night we headed to a cathedral that played a light show for free that lasted about 25 minutes.  It was super cool!

Saturday morning, we checked out of the hotel and headed to  Natural Bridge Caverns.  It was so so cool!  I wish I could have explored twice as much as we did.  It was such another world!  I haven't gotten to do that in a long time!

We ended our whirlwind 40th celebration with my very favorite ice cream ever!  It did not disappoint.  What a great way to celebrated a new decade!

Tooth and Hair

It has been 3 years I think, since Levi fell in HEB, knocking out his front tooth.  The permanent tooth is FINALLY reemerging!  (and yes, he is is full pirate costume...just because.)

In other news, Ava came to me after school about a week ago and asked if she could start shaving her legs!  Welp!  Here we go again!  I told her yes and we headed upstairs to learn how to shave and not bleed to death in the process.  It's a little surreal to be doing these things with Ava...I just never saw her as becoming a young woman, but looks like here we go!

Both Girls Bridge

Both Elle and Ava bridged to the next level in their Girl Scout troop in early May.  Ava bridged from a Junior to a Cadette and Elle bridged from a Cadette to a Senior!  We have just completed our 6th year in girl scouts....and I think it was my favorite so far!

I made camp fire inspired cupcakes for the event.

The Juniors bridging up, being led by our super cute daisies!

Our Cadettes running to Senior status!

All of us!

Patch addiction is genetic.

Fun times with these leaders!

Camping Out....without me!

The girls headed on a primitive camp out at the end of April.  I had been at a Ladies Retreat the night before and knew I wouldn't make it through a night of sleeping on the ground.  It was weird to send the girls off without me!  They seemed to have a great time though!  One of their favorite parts was picking and eating wild blackberries.  I met them back in the parking lot early the next morning and they had smiles on their face!  This was our last Girl Scout camp out till the fall.