A Trip to Kansas City

Memorial Day in Kansas

At the end of May we headed back to Kansas for a week.  It was Brayden's first plane ride and a chance to introduce him to many of our friends and family. 

A Trip to Gage Park

We spent the day with Grandma and Grandpa.  Larkin had a blast going on the train and walking her grandparents around the zoo!

Larkin and Brayden with Grandma and Grandpa

It's family photo time!

Good Times with Old Friends!

Our good friend, Abby, was nice enough to let us crash at her house for the week. It was wonderful having all that baby stuff around and getting to catch up with some friends.

  Here are Brayden and Lily hanging out for the afternoon.

Larkin and Brayden enjoying a little Daddy time before he headed off to help BJ out with his new house.

A Day at Deanna Rose

So Deanna Rose is one of the coolest kid places we have been.  It is pretty much a giant petting zoo filled with places to feed the animals, spots to fish, horses to ride, and lots of play areas.  Not to mention that most days of the week it is free of charge.

Larkin and Noah BEFORE we got to Deanna Rose.  They must have known it would be a long day!

Feeding the goats

Posing for a picture in the flower garden

A Trip to Wonder Scope

Wonder Scope is another cool place we stumbled upon.  It is an old school that has been turned into an activity center for kids.  Each room has a different theme and kids get to explore many different activities.  I am not sure if the kids or the dads had more fun that day!

Mia, Larkin, and Brayden in the art room

Daddy helping out at art time

Fun in the motion room

Larkin and Daddy seeing which loop is faster

Brayden had some fun too!

Larkin carrying around her basket of veggies in the market place

Daddy and BJ watching their little girls shop

Family Time

We also got to spend lots of time with family. Larkin and Brayden had a great time hanging out with their cousins, Aunt Tara and Uncle Dan. The cousins LOVED having the little kids around. Sure wish they lived closer!

BBQ night for Uncle Dan's birthday

Larkin playing with Kaycee and Garrett

Another Trip to the Zoo!

Well we had plenty of time outdoors while we were in Kansas.  Here we are at the Kansas City Zoo.  It was a nice way to spend Memorial Day with both our friends and our family!

BJ and Mia enjoying the elephants

Larkin, Abby, and Lily taking a little break

Trying to round up our whole group!

Mia and Larkin checking out the lions

Larkin's first carousel ride

More animals to feed

Our Little Larkin Lou Turns Two!

Larkin celebrated her 2nd birthday on May 10th.  We can't believe how much things have changed in the past two years.  We are very lucky to have such a sweet, silly, and loving little girl!

    

Larkin's Birthday Party

    

Outside fun on Larkin's new swing set!

Getting ready for birthday cake with her little friends

Trying to figure out the party favors!

Time to blow out the candle

It's Abby Cadabby!  That is one hard cake to find.

Time to get cleaned up

Larkin and Rylee with their Build-A-Bears.  Rylee got Larkin Sugar Bear for her birthday!

Having fun opening presents!

Larkin LOVES playing dress up these days.  Here she is in her new fairy costume!

Still loving the fairy costume!

Trying out her new Mickey Mouse tricycle.  We are still working on actually pedalling and not just pushing all the cool buttons that make noise and light up.

Springtime

April came and went.....

Here are some of the things that happened in April and even the beginning of May

All Smiles!

Brayden began his smiling phase and Larkin continued hers!

Easter Time!

Larkin had a blast hunting for Easter eggs this year and Daddy had a blast hiding them.  The Easter Bunny also brought some playdough and a new pair of shoes for Larkin.  Brayden slept right through the Easter egg hunt!

The Car Show

One Sunday morning we ventured to Tempe to see some of the cars that the owners of ccrd were showing off.  It was quite the car show!  Of course Larkin was more interested in the motorcycles and was worn out by the end of the show.  Brayden again slept through everything.

A New Playmate 

Beginning in April Larkin got a new playmate.  I began watching Brody, who is almost the same age.  Brody hungout with us until his mom was done teaching at the end of May.  Next fall I will be watching both him and his baby brother.  Wish me luck!

 

Making one of many forts!

Baking cookies.  They are great helpers!

Chuck E. Cheese

Our first trip to Chuck E. Cheese for a school fundraiser made us adults realize that is was way cooler when we were kids.  Pretty much just a bunch of crazy screaming kids running around and a bunch of parents pretending they don't know them!  We will probably wait a few years to try that one again although Brayden did stay awake most of the time. 

Our Backyard 

Well no pool yet, but this year we (well Shaun) put rock down in the back and we decided to get a swingset for the kids.  This was Larkin's birthday present and she is loving every minute on it.  Kind of makes us wonder what we were thinking! 

Who knew it would come in so many pieces with no labels!  Here is just a little part of the setting up.

As you can see Shaun was definitely making progress.  He had it all put together and pea gravel put down within a week.  Just in time for Larkin's birthday party.  Those pictures are coming shortly!

Brayden

Our baby is getting so big.  He is actually awake much more these days and is working on that smile! 

Larkin

This little one is into everything these days and is talking up a storm.  We have begun potty training and Larkin finds it much more relaxing if she is reading a little something on the potty.  I think we have Daddy to thank for that one.  She also got rid of her beloved pacifier.  She still misses it from time to time, but she is sure growing up.