Our evenings

This is how we end each day...

Cuddles on the couch

Foot rubs and Prayers

Life does not get much better then this :)

Mini Doll House Museum

With a day off of school (teacher meetings), the girls worked quickly to complete their chores and things around the house in preparation of their afternoon Nana adventure.

Right after lunch, Nana came by to pick up the girls and off they went to the Miniature Doll House Museum. They had a grand time.

 After the museum they walked around the town square, posing with the statues (Lillian thought this was rather amusing).

And of course, no adventure with Nana would be complete without a treat (or 2). The girls enjoyed their ice cream and brought home some delicious cupcakes to share. 

Meanwhile back at home, Cooper enjoyed a long nap and a bit of art time.

 He has everything he needs on his tray: a snack, juice and a flash light :)

Thanks for the adventures :)

I'm a Little Prince

Yes he is :)

Fruity Sparkles

Fresh Picked (showered) and ready to go :)

Tuesday Snuggles

Sharing a Seat

Nothing like riding in Albert to the bus stop

Too funny.... I asked Lillian to get in front seat while I finished loading the trunk. I came around to the driver side and she was still standing in the garage. Rather impatiently I asked why she was not in the car. Her response: "Cooper's in my seat"
I told her to get in, they would both fit and sure enough they did, with room to spare.  :)

Cooper's First Day

Cooper did awesome on his first day of preschool.
He attends one day a week at a local church.

He loves his classroom and his teachers are fantastic.


I am looking forward to the adventures he will have this year.

Here he is when I dropped him off- he put his backpack and R2D2 lunch box in his cubby and headed off to play- NO TEARS :)

When I picked him up after lunch, he was all smiles and even blew his teacher a kiss good-bye (she asked for a hug but Cooper had other ideas) .

Can't wait until next week :) 

Happy Learning 

Snorkel Lillian

Lillian has been asking (and asking and asking) for a snorkel all summer long. She has been desperate to buy one.

And this Saturday she bought her snorkel. Her biggest debate was which animal to buy- the whale, the crab or the frog). She chose the Frog because it would match her bathing suits the best :)

She could not wait to try it out today at swim lessons and did a fantastic job with it.

Well done Froggie Lilli

More Ice

Cooper-man sure loves his Ice Cream Cones

Love that Ice Cream Beard :)

Milk Carton Flower

Last year in Preschool (for Mothers Day) Lillian planted some flower seeds in a milk carton.

Her flower was the only one to sprout in her class. Little did we know what would grow (she put in 5 different kinds of seeds :)

Here it is now:

A beautiful sunflower that is almost as tall as Lillian

Dirt

BOY, (n): Noise with dirt on it

Yup thats my life :)

 A bucket a shovel and a pile of dirt

What a way to start the day

Ice Ice Ice

Anyone that is around our family in the evenings can hear the loving chant of a very happy 2 year old when he hears the freezer open (or thinks it might) and the prospect of ICE CREAM is possible.
(He has even asked at 10 in the morning).

A boy and his ICE and a sister and her popsicle

Plus their favorite pajamas- I would say it was a lucky day.

Some BUNNY

got new clothes and LOVES them.

It is color week in kindergarten and I had one happy 5 year old who not only got to wear her new shirt to school but it was YELLOW for yellow day :)

Its the little things in life that remind me I am blessed :)

And this is why...

I don't want to go back to work full time (at least not yet and definitely not forever).

My afternoons would just not be complete without cuddles and snuggles with my Cooper-man.

Many know and if not then ask about the ups and downs around the Sparkman household. I only need to spend moments like this and know that we will find a way :)

Boy and His Lunch Box

Well I finally got the call I have been waiting for since February.

Cooper has a spot in the 2 year old classroom at a Christian Preschool. I put his name on the wait list as soon as registration opened up and he starts this Monday (the same as all the other students).

Thursday was meet the teacher so we quickly scurried to buy his supplies.
Yes a 2 year old has a supply list for preschool- 1 box animal crackers and 1 box of baby wipes
Plus a backpack and lunch box.

This Mama was super excited about the lunch box. You see, last week while I was out I saw an R2D2 lunch box (on sale) that I knew Cooper would love but what does a 2 year old need with a lunch box (and lets face it I am not much of a pack rack so buying now to save for later is just not realistic).

But little did this Mama know that he would NEED one for school and it would still be on sale and now he has his lunch box.... which he sleeps with and carries every where.

I am still not sure what he will do when I put his lunch in it on Monday.

So Wednesday afternoon after getting his lunch box this is what happened at nap time.

This is Cooper crying when Mama suggested that he not sleep with his lunch box and wouldn't he rather cuddle is actual R2D2 stuffed animal

 And this is him drifting off to sleep with the lunch box clutched in his arm- because life is too short to argue about it :)

3 days later he is still quite attached to his lunch box :)

New Employee :)

He's the best office helper a Mama could ask for :)

This is what I get to enjoy everyday at my office by my desk...

Feeling blessed

Just Chillin'

This is what happens after a week of school, full day kindergarten and just plain being exhausted.

Week day movie nights.

Now Playing... Superbook :)

Kindergarten Bound

Look out Kindergarten- here comes Lillian

At the Park

The Sparkles love going across the street to the Town Hall Park.

Lillian loves doing tricks.
Here she runs as fast as she can, jumps up to grab the bar and then counts to see how long she can hang on.

 Still hanging :)

 Cooper- man

 Off to climb and do other tricks

 Wagon rides :)

 and Fireman poles

Sprinkler

What hot summer day would be complete without running through the sprinkler :)