Saturday with Papa John & Nana

Papa John & Nana were in the area last weekend, so we got to meet up with them for a couple hours in Katy! The boys were so excited to see them. Ben and Papa John are BFF. Nana took some cute pictures and posted them on her blog... Check it out! 

Beautiful Week

This week has been absolutely beautiful here in Sugar Land! We took advantage of the good weather and spent lots of time outside...went to 4 different playgrounds and the zoo! I love spending my days playing with my sweet boys!!!

Bike ride to the park. Jackson is always the fastest! Ben likes to be pushed on his tricycle...no interest in actually working those legs!

Jackson and I do projects together while Ryan puts Ben to bed. He takes his work very seriously!

We spend most Monday mornings at Playscape with our friends Lincoln & Lawson. What's a morning playdate without donuts?! (Yes, that's my sprinkle donut sitting there. Don't judge.)

Pattern Blocks. So fun!

What's for Dinner?

I've been in a cooking slump lately. I'm tired of all my recipes and need to spice things up! I tried some new recipes last week. We all enjoyed them, so I thought I'd share them in case you're looking for some new recipes too! Feel free to send some of your faves my way!!!


Spring green risotto
Orecchiette with mini chicken meatballs
Sweet corn quesadillas
Pan roasted chicken with lemon-garlic green beans
Surprise cookies (this wasn't a new recipe, but they are a favorite I will never get tired of!)

I'm planning on trying these this week:

Spinach Mac and cheese (from the April issue of Everyday Food) & Crunchy Paremsan Chicken Tenders
Bacon- gruyere meatloaf with roasted carrots and onions

Happy cooking!

Ben: 22 Months

My sweet Benjamin is 22 months old (was on the 14th). I keep thinking that this was the age Jackson was when Ben was born!!! 

At 22 months, you are:
-wearing size 5 diapers
 -wearing 2T clothes
-sleeping 12 hours a night and taking a 2 hour nap in the afternoon
-eating anything and everything. Favorites include chicken nuggets, yogurt, applesauce, smoothies, grilled cheese, chocolate milk, apple juice,waffles, goldfish, and cookies. 
-helping mommy with housework. You like to put the spoons in the dishwasher, put wet clothes in the dryer, clean up your toys, and cook.
-really into books! You like to read the same ones over and over again. I'm glad we have a comfy chair in your room!!!
-a total boy! You love to be outside and get dirty. Your favorite outside toy right now is the sand box. You love to go to the park and play on the playground too.
-a communicator! You speak in complete sentences and ask questions. 
- learning something new every day! You know your colors, shapes, and some letters and numbers. Whenever you see a "B", you say "B for Ben." When you count, it usually goes "2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10." You like to tell me what color my shirt is most days. "Mommy's shirt is pink." Then you think it's funny to say it's a different color than what it is...like you're telling a joke! You crack yourself up. 
-loving that Mommy & Daddy are your Bible Class teachers right now. I'm thinking maybe this wasn't the best idea. We may be teaching your class through high school. 
-totally entertained by your big brother. You 2 are becoming big buddies! 


Oh Ben, I could write all day long about you. I love you!!! I'll end with your favorite song. You laugh when I sing it (probably b/c of my singing voice), but it makes you so happy!


Ben is a good boy
Good Boy
Good Boy
Ben is a good boy
Mommy loves Ben

Pictures

As I have mentioned before...Ryan is such a good and fun daddy to these boys! I fell asleep Sunday afternoon while the boys were napping. They woke up before I did, so Ryan took them outside where he was working in the yard. When I woke up,  I walked outside to the boys jumping (in very little clothing) with the sprinkler on under the trampoline! How fun!!!

The boys modeling their new cool shades!

I love Ben's lips. Is that weird? I think he has beautiful lips!

Do you wonder why Jackson is such a skinny kid? It's because he is usually too busy playing to eat. See?

We trade off babysitting with our friends the Leesers. It's a win/win. It's always fun to have their kids over to play, and it's such a treat when we get to go out on a date! The kids love this set-up!!! We had them over Sat night. Couldn't resist a bath picture! Too cute!

Love their little imaginations!

My parents have these awesome waffle blocks in their playroom. Ryan can build some super fun things with them! This was a train. He pushed them down the hall in it, and they couldn't stop laughing!!!

Happy 1st Birthday James

 Today is my precious nephew's 1st Birthday!!! Happy Birthday James! We had a little bday lunch over here today to celebrate. The real bday party is next week! Pops brought the Thai Cottage. Ryan brought the Maggie Moos. PARTAY!

Pops & GranMartha gave James a lawnmower. Jackson liked the box!

James, what a fun year it has been! We love you!!!

In Davis Family News:

My little Ben loves to help me cook. Ryan snapped this picture without me knowing. I laughed when I saw it upload on the computer...this is my life! haha

These boys still like to jump. We refer to our sons as Jumpin Jack & Bouncing Ben!

My precious Jackson. What an imagination he has!!!

Painting at the picnic table. Sweet brothers!

Beach Weekend

The Smith's invited us to join them at the beach this weekend for Mardi Gras. It was a quick trip (Friday and Saturday), but we loved every minute of it!

Friday evening we had a DELICIOUS steak dinner followed by homemade chocolate cake! Yum!!! Then we went to the beach to look for crabs with our flashlights and came back to sit around the fire pit.

 Jackson was relieved we didn't find any crabs. He was nervous they would pinch him.

 You can't have a fire and not roast marshmallows. DUH.

 Saturday morning we had a breakfast feast and got ready for the big Mardi Gras parade.

 We played on the beach while we waited for the parade to start. Jackson thought the waves crashing on the rocks was so cool!

 Sarah & Ben ready to catch some beads. Wondering why Ben is wearing his Dad's shirt??? He sure did fall in the freezing cold water, and super mom here didn't have any extra clothes with us.

 Ben was a bead magnet!

 So was Jackson!

 Someone threw the fake cigar right to Jackson. He thinks it's a bat. A bat it is.

 Fam Pic

 The Young Normans

Saturday afternoon we went on a boat ride!

Captain Ben & Sarah pretended to drive the boat while the big boys....

 tried to catch some fish.

 They couldn't be happier!

 Captain Ben & Captain Lynn

 Captain Jack takes driving the boat seriously.

Thank you Lynn & Sarah for a fun weekend at the beach!!! 

Here's the video of Ben in the water: