Corn Dog

Papa Steve, Clint's dad, gave Layton a horse for his birthday.  Layton loves riding, and Corn Dog is the perfect horse for him.  Corn Dog is very laid back, gentle, and reins really well.  Layton's favorite food at this time also happens to just be corn dogs, so his horse came with the perfect name!  Thanks Papa Steve & Kay.

Happy 4th Birthday, Layton!

We celebrated Layton's 4th birthday on his actual birthday, August 15.  I threw it together in a matter of about two days, so it was definitely not the best party, but Layton had a blast and that's what matters!  We cooked hamburgers and hot dogs for lunch and then had delicious cake and ice cream.  Layton wanted a Batman party this year, so that is what we had!

My camera is not working properly, as you can tell in all of my pictures.

The Batman Cake

Layton, proud of his cake.

Layton got so embarrassed when we sang to him.

I put trick candles on the cake, the ones that relight.  Only one worked it's magic, though.

Layton was so excited about all his gifts.

He loves clothes!  

Layton and Tyler

The Batman pinata.  Layton had put a #4 on his belly, because he claimed it was Batman's birthday, too.

The pinata was put together very well, so it took awhile to bust it.

Once the pinata had been busted Layton put Batman's legs on and walked in them!

Layton, we have so much fun with you each and every day and love you so much!

Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum

Summer 2010 was one of the busiest summers we have ever had!  We had so much going on and so much we wanted to accomplish before school started that we were unable to take the boys many places during their summer vacation, like we usually do.  So, I decided to take them to Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum in the DFW area the week before we went back to school for a mini-getaway.  The boys absolutely loved the museum!  I remember going to it as a child, so I knew Kade would enjoy it and remember it for many years to come.

Here is Kade with one of the world's tallest men.

Kade having his fortune told.  He was very disappointed, because the fortune made no sense to him.  It was just a printout of stuff, but he was excited that it gave him some lucky numbers that he could play the lottery with.  Then I had to disappoint him again and tell him he wasn't old enough to play the lottery!

You were suppose to stick your hand in the hole where the skull was and try to reach for the ruby eye.  I tried and tried and nothing happened.  However, Babers tried and it blew air out at her arm.  We all jumped and screamed.  We laughed for five minutes!

Kade (amazed by something) and Babers

Kade running over hot coals!

At the museum there was also a mirror maze.  You had to put plastic gloves on, I guess so all the mirrors wouldn't get dirty.

Notice Layton's cape.  He was Batman this particular day!

There is also a wax museum at Ripley's Believe It or Not.  Here are the boys with Oprah!

Kade with the Ron, Harry & Hermione.

Kade & Layton on the Yellow Brick Road.

This is who they found at the end of The Yellow Brick Road.  Layton was not excited!

He was excited about finding this guy, though!

....and this guy!

After leaving the museum we took the boys to a restaurant I used to love to go to as a child, Traildust Steakhouse.  There is a huge slide in the restaurant that anyone can slide down.  My pictures are not very good--the boys were flying down the slide.  Here is Layton (Batman) enjoying himself.

Here is Kade just coming off the bottom of the slide.

We went on this trip during the week, so we were stuck in traffic several times, as you can see out the car window.  Layton had brought a Diego walkie talkie from his toy box to play with.  Well, my mom and sister and I were visiting and Layton kept interrupting to tell us that a man was talking to him.  We ignored him for a few minutes until my mom finally clued in.  The walkie talkie was picking up truckers' CB radios.  We got a good laugh! 

Finding Batman

The last weekend in July we went to Dumas for the weekend.  We went to visit, plus see the dentist and Clint took a hand-gun license course, so we were VERY busy!  I didn't get a lot of pictures because of the fast pace.

Chris and Dennis have a heated, saltwater pool that is so relaxing.  The boys, of course, drag every water toy they can find out and want everyone to participate.

We knew when we went up to the Panhandle that Layton was going to have a Batman theme birthday party later in the month.  So, when we saw a Batman pinata hanging in a storefront, we had to have it!

Here is Batman going into the Kerplunk (Dennis and Chris' motor home).  He was as big as Kade!

When we got him back to our house Layton insisted that Batman sleep with him each night.  Here they are right before bed one night.

Long Distance Friends

In July, a college friend, T, and I were able to see each other for the first time in approximately 10 years!  It was so exciting to catch up and meet her children.  They live in Colorado, where T and her husband are school teachers in a small community.  We have a lot in common, so it was fun to visit.  T is one of the sweetest, most geunine people you will ever meet and her kids are absolute dolls!  Our kids hit it right off and enjoyed an afternoon of swimming at the Iowa Park Splash Park.

T, if you read this, thanks again for getting our fun day together.  I hope we can see each other again soon!  Hope you guys are having a great school year, so far.

Kade was so sweet and offered to take a picture, so that T and I both could be in it.

Kade & C

Layton & C

Right before we decided to leave the pool I reapplied some sunscreen on Kade.  It was the same sunscreen he has always used, plus we even used it that same day when we first arrived at the pool.  It instantly turned his cheeks bright red upon the reapplication.  It, of course, began to burn and he was crying, etc.  We put wet towels on it and he put his face up to the air vent in the car, so that cool air could blow on it.  The pictures below are two days after the incident.  I was terrified it was going to scar, so we put Mederma on it and it looks just fine now.  All I can figure is that the saltwater pool at Iowa Park just didn't set well with the second round of sunscreen.  I felt so sorry for Kade!

Lake Fun

Babers, my mom, bought a boat for all the family to use this summer and we are so excited!  We try to go to the lake every chance we get.  I have not taken hardly any pictures of us at the lake, though.  I guess that is a testament to how much fun we've been having--no time to pull the camera out!  Here are a few for now.  We plan to go a few more weekends before it gets too cool, however, so I'll try to snap some more.

Kade

Layton

Kade & Layton

Hell's Gate at Possum Kingdom

Clint trying the kneeboard out.

Walking the Plank

Kade took gymnastics again this summer in WF.  Unfortunately, I did not get any pictures or videos of him at gymnastics.  He didn't do as well this summer as he has in the past, so I guess I just kept waiting for the right moment to take a snapshot.  It never came!

Layton loved going with us to gymnastics!  Kade's instructor would let Layton run around and play wherever he wanted.  I filmed him walking the balance beam in this video.  Layton dressed himself this particular day--notice the two different socks!

Layton vs. The Sheep

Layton attempted to ride a sheep again this year at the Seymour Rodeo.  He had looked forward to it all year long and talked about it all the time.  Well, when the big day came, Friday, July 9, it had been raining for a week straight, so the arena was extremely muddy!  You could tell as soon as we got there that he knew this was a bad idea, but he continued to act big & tough.

Layton & Clint watching the rodeo.

Layton & Clint behind the chutes watching the competition.

Out of the chute (screaming at the top of his lungs).  Notice his boot has come off.

Off the side.....

and in the mud!  He has his foot stuck in the air, so it doesn't get muddy.

Daddy to the rescue.

Layton is mad!  I love how he is holding his hands out because of the mud.

Now you can see the ride for yourself!  If you listen carefully, you can hear Layton screaming.

He claims he will do it AGAIN next year, if the arena is not muddy!  Yeah right!