The Villages Resort vacation with Grandma

This past week we went with Grandma to the a resort in Flint, TX called The Villages. It's about 15 miles or so outside of Tyler, Tx.

http://www.silverleafresorts.com/resorts/the-villages

It's through our time share with Wyndham, we can exchange points to stay anywhere with RCI. 

We stayed in a 2 bedroom condo, which was still kinda small, but didn't really matter.

This is one of the things I LOVE most about my husband. 

He works hard, but he ALWAYS makes time to take us on a vacation. 

Not just for a weekend, but a whole week. I think he gets 2 full weeks of vacation a year and we always get to go somewhere fun. 

We spent a majority of the time at the swimming pool. I am so proud of my kids. 

Not ONE TIME did we use their floaties while we were there. 

They spent a lot of time playing in the little splash park area here, but they also practiced their swimming with Daddy in the deep end. 

They are both swimming with their faces in the water, holding their breath. 

They can both jump off the side or off the diving board and swim back to the edge without any help! 

FANTASTIC!!

 At the resort they had a miniature golf course and the kids had a blast doing this. 

(on a side note: DON'T EVER buy the Canon "G" series point and shoot)

I absolutely hate it. I almost want to buy another Canon Rebel to take my snap shots. 

This is why I ended up taking my big camera to the pool for the images there (above). 

Anyway, we also went to the Children's Museum and took Erik's other son Jacob with us. 

(thanks to my friend Jennifer Hyde for suggesting it)

 Starring in their own Kitchen Show!!

 Jacob (I finally realized...LOL) is Libby's 1/2 Brother. I had to take their pics with one another.

I just don't see the resemblance....(insert sarcasm here)

They actually do look a like and even looking at Jake's baby pics they have some of the same features. 

LOVE

One of the days we went to Chuck-E-Cheese....the food was AWFUL...but the kids had a blast. 

The kids also got to check out games at the Activity Center and one night we played Chutes and Ladders! Hadleigh won. 

 Evidence that I was ACTUALLY there! 

haha.

Isaac and Hadleigh's FOURTH Birthday Party!

This past Saturday we celebrated my two oldest kids' FOURTH birthday party!

I still cannot believe (I say this every year I'm sure) that we have had them in our lives for almost FOUR years. 

Time really does fly when you're having fun!

Over the past year our family has gone through some big changes...one being adding another child to our family...biologically.

It has been somewhat of an emotional roller coaster, but we thank God everyday for our beautiful family. 

We had their birthday party at the YaYa Bee in Fredericksburg, TX. 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/YaYaBee/366941569215

It was FABULOUS! 

I didn't have to decorate ONE THING!

I just brought the balloons and the cake (actually brought cake balls).

Everything is so colorful and there is art everywhere. 

I did make a "Happy Birthday" Banner thanks to my friend Lauren and my SUPER DUPER Mom, who sewed it together for me!

I made rice krispie treats that looked like paintbrushes, brought lemonade and some fruit! 

That was it people. 

I usually go all out with food and what not, but not this year. 

We did our party in the morning from 10-11:30, so I just sugared all the kids up and sent 'em home!

hahaha

 http://blog.amyatlas.com/2011/05/art-party-guest-feature-giveaway/

this is where I got the idea for the rice krispie paint brushes. 

 

The cakeballs were made by Jen the Cookie Chick out of Kerrville, TX. 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jen-The-Cookie-Chick/113406928679011?ref=ts

This is where I got the idea for the cake balls on the painters pallet.

http://karaspartyideas.blogspot.com/2011/04/art-birthday-partyartist-painting-party.html

Angie at Yaya Bee is the greatest. She had the art projects ready for them and all the kids did great and they got to take home a fun canvas!! 

WHAT A GREAT party favor....and I didn't have to come up with one. 

Except the skittles they took home in the bag (idea courtesy of my friend Lauren)

 

The tags for the goodie bags and the display cards were designed by 

My Delightful Designs. 

 Hadleigh and Isaac's t-shirts were made by She She Made out of Fort Worth, TX. 

http://www.sheshemade.com/

Libby and Hadleigh's bows and tutu's are from CamBows Hairbows out of Midland, TX.

http://www.facebook.com/cambows.hairbows

 

I found these sparkly candles at the party store and every time they would blow out the candles they would light back up! It was so funny. They thought they were so fun.