JAMSquared

James and I drove up to Midland the Friday before Memorial Day. We stayed at his grandparent’s house Friday through Monday. We celebrated his Mom’s birthday (see previous post) and otherwise just enjoyed family time.

Monday afternoon, I put him on a plane back to Austin. Texas Painting painted the majority of our interior walls plus installed crown molding in our living/kitchen/breakfast room and master bathroom. Being pregnant, I didn’t really want Jessica or myself to be around the paint fumes, so we stayed in Midland at my parent’s house until Saturday morning when drove back to Austin.

It just so happened that this same week was the week my nephews Cameron and Trevor were visiting Nanny too, so Jessica got lots of play time with her cousins. Tuesday morning, we went to Opportunity Park to play. A cooler day with highs only to reach the mid-90s, it was a perfect day to go to the park. The kids thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

That afternoon, we let the kiddos play in the wading pool in my parent’s backyard. I hadn’t known that my Mom had gotten a wading pool, so I didn’t bring swim stuff for Jessica, but my sister had packed more than one swim diaper for Trevor, so she just wore that. Jessica enjoyed the wading pool immensely. I think she might have enjoyed being in the water more than Cameron and Trevor as they kept going in and out of the pool, but Jessica just stood or sat in the water pouring water from one cup to a bucket and back.

Thursday morning, the Midland Library held the annual summer reading program’s kick-off event, so we went to check it out. While we waited for the activities to start, Cameron, Trevor and Jessica worked some puzzles.

This year’s theme is Dig Up a Good Book and the kids made toilet paper roll dinosaurs.

Then we went to the library patio where they served popcorn and lemonade and had an area where the kids could dig for dinosaurs. Cameron really got into digging in the sand.

The entire time we were in Midland, I would ask for Jessica to give kisses. When I would say this around Trevor, he would give kisses too. I finally got some pictures of the affectionate nature of these two on Friday.

My parents left at lunchtime to take Cameron and Trevor home. Before they left, the kiddos played while my Mom packed.

We then walked to the mailbox. All of them loved the sidewalk “balance beam” between my parent’s and neighbors yards.

Friday after Jessica’s afternoon nap, we went over to her Nana’s for some playtime and dinner.

My nephew Cameron turned three yesterday. His party is this weekend and we’re looking to seeing him. He loves to wear sunglasses, so I decided to make him a card with sunglasses on it. I chose this cool cat image from Hambo Stamps and used the sketch from Hambo Hoedown Challenge #8. Since I was printing out the digital stamp, I decided to print out a sentiment of my own choosing as well. I also printed out a strip that reads “Happy 3rd Birthday Cameron!” to put on the inside of the card.

I’m also entering this card in the following challenges:

• Sentimental Sundays Challenge #48 – cute and cuddly
• Phindy’s Place Challenge #49 – all about the animals

Stamps: Hambo Stamps Cool Cat
Cardstock: Stampin’ Up Whisper White, Tangerine Tango, Pacific Point, So Saffron
Designer Paper: Stampin’ Up Uptown
Ink: Dell printer
Embellishments: blue brads
Tools: Stampin’ Up modern label extra large punch; Nesties small and large circles; Cuttlebug Polka Dots embossing folder; Stampin’ Up markers; Prismacolor colored pencils

Thanks for stopping by and have a fabulous day.

I’ve been a little slow in sharing pictures from all our Christmas celebrations. I’m sorry it’s almost the end of January before I get the last Christmas-related post in.

For New Year’s, we traveled to Keller for the Dzubinski family Christmas celebration, held at my sister’s house this year. You might remember, we went up a day early and visited the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History.

Friday, New Year’s Eve, Sarah had a little party, although it was mostly just us with the addition of her neighbors across the street. They have a little girl that is Cameron’s age and you can tell they are great friends.

Here’s the newlyweds, well the newlyweds of the bunch, since they’ve been married the shortest at 2.5 years. Isn’t that sweet that Jason is so affectionate?

After the neighbors left and the kiddos were asleep, the adults exchanged Christmas gifts. This year, our family decided the adults would draw names. I was a little disappointed about that since I love shopping/making gifts for people, but that’s what everyone else wanted to do. It’s a good thing I didn’t start my Christmas shopping for the adults in June like I did for the kiddos. Although it worked out that at least one of us drew at least one of my parents since I did have Jessica’s Shutterfly 1st year memory book in the works when the decision to draw names occurred.

New Year’s morning, the kiddos opened their Christmas presents. In addition to a toy, a book and some clothes, we got all of them a hat from Beany Bling, the Etsy shop my friend Jillan and her sister Jennika run. Right now, they have some really cute hat and tutu outfits. The bumblebee one is adorable. You’ll see lots of pictures of Cameron in his new hat. He loves it.

Of course, every time all the Dzubinski cousins get together, we try for a photo shoot. This time, Jessica didn’t want anything to do with it. Remember last Christmas with them all as little munchkins. Our babies are growing up, sniff.

Yes, that is a Rosa’s cup in her hand. We went there for New Year’s lunch. I would love to make that a tradition, but alas no Rosa’s in Austin.

Once the kiddos all awoke from their nap, they shared a snack at the little picnic table. Aren’t they cute?

Afterward, we walked to a nearby neighborhood park. Cameron started off on his new scooter, but after only one house away from home, he decided he would rather ride his tricycle and he rode it the whole way. Jessica and Aspen rode together in Cameron and Trevor’s wagon, but Aspen didn’t like the rear facing view or James pulling fast for a stretch bothered her and she ended up riding in style on Jason’s shoulders for most of the walk to the park. It was really chilly out and I kinda wish I had changed Jessica into pants, but she had a blast and the cold didn’t seem to bother her.

Can you believe Cameron can now swing in the big kid swing and make it swing all by himself?

On the ride back, Trevor rode in the wagon with Jessica, while Aspen rode Trevor’s car. Trevor ended up annoying Jessica by playing footsie and she ended up being carried by James for a bit and me for quite a bit on the way back to Sarah’s house.

The kiddos continued their play while our New Year’s dinner was being prepared in the kitchen.

The cousins played together Sunday morning.

Notice those beads? Jessica enjoyed the beads so much that once we got home, I dug some out and she has enjoyed wearing them for at least a little bit almost every day since. And yes, her bangs are shorter than the day before. Sarah trimmed them for me.

Everyone else left an hour or two before lunch, but we left shortly after the early lunch (first to arrive and last to leave).

For New Year’s we traveled to the DFW metroplex for the Dzubinski family Christmas celebration. We arrived on Thursday, one day before everyone else. This gave my sister and I some scrapbook time Thursday night and we took the kiddos to the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History Friday morning. They have a museum membership and since Brian was working and James wasn’t feeling very good, I got to use the 2nd adult part of their membership. I love museums and could have easily spent much more time looking at the exhibits, but toddlers don’t have that kind of attention span.

The first exhibit we checked out was the Cattle Raisers Museum. There Cameron got to try rounding up the cattle while riding a horse. He did a pretty good job with Sarah’s help.

Trevor was really into this cow who changed colors.

Then we checked out the special exhibit about Egypt. We tried to put Jessica in between Cameron and Trevor on the camel, but Jessica didn’t want anything to do with the camel.

Then we checked out the Children’s Musuem, definitely the part where we spent the majority of our time. The next picture shows a case that had a number of ping pong sized balls in it. When you put your hand on the brass hand just outside, you caused the balls to be blown in the air.

Jessica didn’t truly get the cause and effect of putting your hand on the hand outline, but she sure thought it neat when the balls blew up in the air.

I think Jessica’s favorite part was the mini grocery store. She enjoyed pushing the child-sized grocery cart around and filling it with fake food.

Cameron definitely knew how to fill up his basket. If that grocery game show was still on air, Cameron would be a contender.

Jessica didn’t really get into checking out, but Cameron sure did.

There was also a medical section with an ambulance you could drive, babies you could care for and stethoscopes you could use.

We were probably at the museum for three to four hours, including time spent in the museum cafe eating lunch. We easily could have spent a lot more time there as there was much more to see, but naptime beckoned. In fact, on the drive back to Sarah’s house, all the kiddos fell asleep in the car.

I love parties. Hopefully, Jessica will grow up loving parties as much as her Momma. I tried to trim the guest list for the party, but I think I still ended up with too many people in my house, but oh well. It was a ton of fun and Jessica will be able to look back at the pictures of all the people who came to celebrate her 1st birthday with her.

Unfortunately, I didn’t take any pictures during the party; however, my Dad and my sister using my Dad’s camera took lots of great pictures.

Here’s my Mom with her two youngest grand-children. We’ll be celebrating Trevor’s 1st birthday in less than 2 weeks.

I had sent James and his Dad to pick up the balloons and pizza. Don’t all those balloons look fun?

The balloon place was kinda backed up, so James didn’t have time to set up the circus tent before people arrived. Here’s Trevor and Cameron checking out the pieces prior to erection.

Jessica was enthralled with the balloons. She kept looking up at them.

My friend Lori is so good with kids. Noah, Anna and Parker all enjoyed the jungle story she read them.

Before people started arriving, our nephew Dawson asked what he could do to help. I showed him how to make popcorn and he filled up all the containers for me after each batch popped.

Jessica’s birthday cake was a small two-layer affair.

At first, she didn’t know what to think of it.

She eventually figured out that cake is pretty tasty food.

I think everyone enjoyed the cupcakes.

Jessica is so blessed to have so many people who care about her. She got a bunch of neat presents. She’ll be stylish, well-read, and have lots of active fun.

Previous party posts:  Part 1: Decorations. Stay tuned for Part 3: Favors and Thank Yous and Part 4: Food.