The joy of playing with a cardboard box!

How many times have you heard the old saying that kids prefer the boxes to the toys? Well I know that I used to play with boxes when I was little but I underestimated just how much fun an empty box can provide. After watching my kids and their friends play with/in a cardboard box the other day it reminded me of this simple low cost fun. A few markers or crayons and before you know it you can have a spaceship or the fastest race car in the neighborhood. I love to watch little imaginations at play!

Who needs water?

This week has been a loud one at the Reed house. They have been jack hammering rock in our backyard. My apologies to our neighbors! The 3 L's have had a blast everyday seeing how deep the hole is getting. Luke asked "Do we have to fill it with water? It is just more fun like this mom". ha!

Our beautiful Rock Pool!

We are now the proud owners of a beautiful rock pool! Oh, don't be jealous of our gorgeous oasis. ha! They started digging for the pool today. The kids were up early watching every detail. Luke and Landry have decided to go into the "rock clearing" business. They could sit there for hours at the window just watching the bobcat tractor do its job.

While Daddy was out of town.....

While daddy was out of town my sweet mother in law who I think the world of kept the kids this week while I worked. She is always so creative and so much fun to be around. Lauren was a little under the weather on Monday so she got the boys outside in this HOT weather and came up with a fun way to get wet. As you can see they just had a blast! Who needs a pool? haha. Luke and Landry had the best time playing in big buckets. We also attempted Chuckie Cheese while daddy was out of town. Wow, this place can be nuts sometimes! To an adult it is germy, over crowded, and high priced but to a kid it is a little slice of heaven. Ha! The 3L's had a great time and were sad to see their tokens gone in a hurry.

*To my mother in law I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are always so loving and we enjoy having you around. Thanks for the help this week!

(update: Daddy is coming home today early because of Hurricane Dolly. Yippeee)

Daddy out of town

Casey had to be out of town this week due to his job. I always miss him so much when he has to go. He truly is a blessing to me.

Pizza Hut look out!

The 3L's made their own pizza the other day. This was a huge hit. It made me realize that they are old enough to do more stuff in the kitchen. Even Landry got in on the fun. We talked about the food pyramid and what is healthy for our bodies and what is not. Although, poor Landry could not understand how ice cream isn't really that good for you. That brought up a new subject.....moderation. ha! I think if I also let them help on cooking things ( like green veggies) I will have a better chance at them eating it. Hmmm.....just a thought! Anyway, we are having a great summer and hope you are too!

Landry McQueen

My three year old LOVES the movie CARS by Pixar. I really have to laugh at this little boy and his obsession! Even his room is all CARS. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't find a Lighting McQueen in the washer, in his little hands as he falls asleep, or him zooming around the hard wood floors yelling at his brother and sister "Look out Queen is behind you". It cracks me up! He will line them all up (as you can see) and put them in order as to his most favorites to his least favorites. I am guessing there are PLENTY of little boys out there like him (uuhmm....one down the street! ha) who share this obsession. It is soooo bad that we even make trips to certain stores (Target, Toys R Us, Walmart, and HEB) to make sure there isn't any new ones in. Also, we even have our best buds on the look out if they see any at the store! I know, I know I am not helping his obsession by encouraging this but it is so darn cute to see him so happy when we get a new CAR! I think the CARS people know that kids get hooked on these so they only release a FEW at a time so crazy moms like me can travel around town waisting $$$ gas for a dang toy! haha. Oh my goodness! I just realized I too share the obsession! haha. Oh, I love this little boy with all my heart. I probably am spoiling him but I sure cherish these times with him. Love you Lanny McQueen!!!!

Friends Forever

Lauren has a best friend Hallie who is like another daughter to me. Hallie fits in over here! Casey and I love her like one of our own. She and Lauren have the best times together. Their personalities are different but yet they compliment each other. Does that make sense? Hallie is bold, brave, and in a good way out spoken. Lauren is reserved, careful, and sensitive to others needs. The two of them together bring out the best in each other. They have been in the same classes together since kindergarten. I am thankful for this sweet girl in my beautiful daughter's life.

Landry's black eye

About a week ago, Landry was playing on the blow up slide and ran into Luke. He cried for a little bit and said his eye hurt. Casey and I didn't think much of it until the next day. Wow! Poor buddy. It has changed many colors this past week. Here it is today still black and blue. We went to church this morning hoping that his Sunday school teacher didn't ask us what happened. ha! He is still pretty darn cute to me even with his little beat up eye.

Pet Shop Party 2008

Lauren invited a couple of sweet neighborhood girls over to have a Pet Shop Party. She is into these tiny little plastic animals that are dressed up. Her friends are also into them so we decided to have a party celebrating Pet Shops. Abby and Jillian came over Friday morning and they painted pet shop bags, painted magnets, decorated cupcakes, ate McDonalds (which happens to have pet shops as their toy. Woo-hoo!), and did some swimming outside. It was a fun day at the Reed house. Even the boys got to do some pet shop things and loved it too.

Luke's Pumpkin

Luke helped us plant the garden this year. He picked out a package of pumpkin seeds to plant at the store. We gave him a little spot in the garden and let him do whatever he wanted. Oh my! He has the best pumpkins you ever saw! The rest of the garden is so-so but Lukey's pumpkins are beautiful. The little boy has a green thumb. ha! I always thought pumpkins are more of a fall plant and they are not ready to pick until then. As you can see Luke has a perfect, round pumpkin. He was so proud of himself (as we are too!). He is such a great kid:)

Trains, Trains, and more Trains

One of our favorite friends came over the other day to play with Lauren, Luke and Landry. They always seem to have the best time when Walker comes over. I was doing a little cleaning around the house when I came around the corner to see "Train City". The kids had put together all of the train tracks. It is so fun to watch kids play! I love listening to their little ideas and seeing their creativity. I want to cherish days like this and I hope they will always remember the fun they had with their childhood friends.

4th of July Fun!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Happy 4th of July!!

Happy Fourth of July from the Reeds! This past week Casey and I have been without the 3L's due to our sitter being out of town. My sweet mother in law took them all week for us. Wow, what a quiet house! ha. Casey and I worked and then spent some much needed time together. Like most parents we sometimes don't get to be alone with each other without a little one interrupting or a crisis that came up. Casey and I were lost the first couple of days without them. We soon quickly adjusted to being the two of us and enjoyed our time together. I love you Honey! Now we are ready to see them!!! It just reminded us that as hard as it is being a parent some days it is the best job ever to be a parent. We sure do love those guys. Today we are celebrating Freedom (thank you soldiers and their families) and we are celebrating our family back together. We hope you have a WONDERFUL fourth with yours!

July 1st we were in Sulphur Springs watching fireworks with sweet pea Zoe. Here are pictures from that fun weekend.

The Reeds at Six Flags

What fun!!!! We left Friday afternoon and went to Dallas to spend the night so we could get up early to be at Six Flags on saturday. We had a BLAST and it was HOT! The kids loved every bit of it. Lauren wanted to take a picture with every character she saw. She has come a LONG way baby on this! She has always been so scared of people in animal suits. As a child she couldn't understand how there was a person in there. This year she seemed to have out grown this fear. Yeah! Luke is our thrill seeker. He cannot get enough of rollercoasters. The poor child is going to have to find different parents to ride with on that scary Batman thing. Yikes! He cried when we left because he wanted to ride more. ( he was was so hot and worn out) Then there was Lanny Bob. ha! Oh, we should be turned in for the worst parent award with him. He kept saying he just wanted to watch the rides. We told him that we all were going to watch so stay in line. As the bar strapped him in the ride he was wide-eyed! The ride would take off and bounce him around with his little hands gripped to the bar but it never failed each time he would be giggling at the end of it. What a fun time with the 3 L's!

Good times

You just can't leave the room for a second these days without hearing the 3L's giggling over something. Who knew that McDonalds boxes on your head could turn you into a robot. I love their imaginations. I don't know if your kids are ready but mine are counting down the days till Wallie hits the movies!