it was a hot day out today!! we spent a lot of time outside in the pool!! both kids napped (i had to lay with rex to get him to lay still and sleep!) and then we played in the pool a bit longer before it was time to go to dinner. we went to buffalo brewpub. it was malloy's choice. she wanted to go and get popcorn and peanuts and watch the fish before our food came - so that's where we went! rex did awesome eating on his own! malloy ate a little bi tof everyone's meal! she had fish fry (which was her favorite), macaroni salad, coleslaw, buffalo chicken mac and cheese, pieces of a breadstick, french onion soup, rye bread to dip in the soup, carrot sticks, and her own meal - pizza. we had a great time at dinner - it's been a while since just the 4 of us went out! when we got home, it was back in the pool until bed! 

cheese and crackers in the sun! 

smelling the peonies

hopscotch

double fisted coloring

tuesday 5/28: it was a rainy day. we went to the gym and to wegmans. nothing too exciting.

wednesday 5/29: we went to leaps n' bounce with lena and finn this morning. grandma val gave the kids money to go to the bounce house and they were ITCHING to go!! it's all i heard on tuesday!! "can we go to the bounce house yet?!" malloy was so excited that she woke up at 4:30am and didn't go back to sleep! the kids had a great time. we ended up meeting some more friends and we were the only ones in the entire place!! it was a very nice morning! the kids even got to ride the merry-go-round! (we usually don't do it b/c i don't have cash on me) after the bounce house, we had to stop at walgreens to get pull-ups for rex before nap (which he didn't take). we ended up getting 2 small toys each because the kids have been playing very nicely together and using kind words and manners a lot lately!!! we've done away with the behavior chart and pom poms for now, so i thought it'd be a nice treat! 

thursday 5/30: zoo day!!!!! we met up with gianna, kenadee, and baby myra this morning. it was a fun morning!the girls were so cute walking through the zoo holding hands and singing "make new friends" while rex ran around them putting his hands up yelling for them to stop. poor rex. he needs some boy friends!!  malloy just wanted to play on the playground, but when i told her we couldn't today, she didn't melt down. i was proud of her for just going with it!! rex fell a few times, but that's typical. malloy crashed on the way home but woke up when i went to put her in her bed. rex wasn't falling asleep but was exhausted so i ended up holding him like a baby in his bed and he fell right asleep. he needs to be held still or he can't sleep during the day!! weirdo! 

we played in the pool after naps but malloy quickly had to go back inside for splashing rex too many times! she was not happy but i told her the consequences. it's difficult to follow the rules when you're exhausted!! 

rex was talking about the zoo at dinner. i was telling neal how rex ran into the barn to play but i had no idea and i couldn't find him anywhere (it was scary!!) then rex chimes in (talking about a different incident) "yeah, i was looking around and i couldn't find my mama!" and reached out to hold my hand.  when he said 'couldn't find my mama' his face got so sad and his voice caught and his eyes welled with tears. it was so sweet!!! my sensitive little guy! 

i asked malloy to clean up the books and put them back on the shelf. these are the books she put back. she told me "i organized them. if you want clifford books, they're right here. if you want these fish, they're right here. and these are here." i was amazed!!! she loves to sort and organize! 

sunday 5/26: we stayed home and played all day. the kids played together so nicely for most of the day. there wasn't any fighting until about 3pm when they started to cranky because they didn't nap! i was starting to wonder who these amazing nice children were!!!  

monday 5/27: happy memorial day! we spent our morning playing around the house for a bit and then i took the kids to the park while neal did yardwork. we took an early nap and then went to the memorial day parade! one of the best things about where we live is that we're walking distance to the parades, park and pool for the summer!!!! the kids love getting in the wagon and going to the parade! malloy loved running and getting the candy. rex was woken from his nap and was very cuddly and lethargic the entire time. he was happy to eat the candy that malloy brought back to him. at one point, there were 2 small dogs next to us. malloy wanted so badly to pet them. i told her she could if she went and asked. so she walked very slowly over and said "um excuse me. can i pet your dogs?" it was super cute. and she got to pet them! 

when we got home from the parade, we played outside with the horseshoe/ring toss grandma val brought up. the kids had fun. i showed malloy how to play and she quickly changed the rules and ended up wearing the horseshoes and rings! 

the dollhouse was put away for a while. now it's a HUGE hit and has been played with for 3 days in a row! 

cutting fruit to make fruit salad

malloy loves to make up her own songs. half of it is jibberish but at least it rhymes! :)

just eating breakfast with our wings on

big kid swings! 

finally learning to climb! 

choosing a treat from her parade loot after dinner

 monday 5/20: rex and i went to target to buy a pool while malloy was at school!! they loved it and had a blast in it all afternoon! 

 tuesday 5/21: gianna and kenadee came over to play today! it was another hot one, so we played outside most of the time! they all played so nicely together!!! i only had to speak to rex a few times because he was being a little too aggressive!

back out in the pool after naps! 

trying to find some shade! sitting in their underwear out front after dinner

wednesday 5/22: i co-oped in rex's class today. he loves when i stay in the classroom, it's cute! except he was a complete booger when it was time to practice singing on stage!! he stood there and pouted the entire time. after naptime (which rex didn't take!), grandma val and roro came to visit!!! the kids were very excited!!! we visited for a while and then went to dinner at danny's for dinner. thanks for dinner grandma val!!! 

chocolate milk mustache

fun hair! 

last time walking into school together! :( 

pout

 thursday 5/23: we went to grandma val and roro's hotel and went swimming in the morning. the kids had a blast! it didn't take long for malloy to take off on her own (with her puddle jumper) swimming all around. rex took a bit longer to let go but once he did, he did great!! we got chilly, so we spent some time in the hot tub. it was a first for the kids and they LOVED it!!! then it was off to friendly's for lunch - yummy!!! thank you roro!!! after naps, roro and grandma val came back over to hang out for a while and then we all went to dinner with uncle paddy and auntie andi!! fun times!!!

friday 5/24: LAST DAY OF SCHOOL! today was the moving on day concert and classroom parties! the kids did a great job singing (videos to come soon)! they were so excited to have their daddy, grandma, and roro there!!! (and mommy, too, of course!) it was sad to say goodbye to rex's teachers - they were malloy's teachers last year and they will be missed! *tear*
we said goodbye to grandma val and roro and then we all came home. we spent the rest of the day at home, relaxing, watching a movie, and playing!

not the best picture of the school concert

rex and his teachers, Mrs. McGrath and Mrs. Messina - he really does love them!!! (and so do i!!! it was hard to say good-bye today!)
 

                                    

i was TIRED after school. we tried to take a family nap but it was unsuccessful! 

waiting for daddy to bring down their end of the school year presents! 

                                   

rex got star wars books and malloy got some ladybug girl books, lego friends books, and  a barbie sticker book!  

today: we're having a lazy day! we got out the pack and play and the kids turned it into a fort. they think it's the coolest thing ever and even made up a song called "the pack and play kids". it was hilarious!!!