Our quiet weekend...literally!

Ryan and I had an opportunity to have a child-free weekend and we jumped at the chance! Mimi and PopPop met me in Norman (about half way between Haslet and Tulsa) to exchange the girls on Friday morning and we met again yesterday to re-exchange.

We weren't really sure what to do with ourselves. Usually when we don't have kids for 3 nights, we are out-of-town, but the best part about this was that we were at our own house! So we did things that we normally don't get to do. We went to a sushi dinner on Friday night and met some friends out after, we went to the KU/OU football game on Saturday and on Sunday, well, we just didn't do anything. At one point I looked at Ryan and said "Is this how it used to be? I don't remember."

I know it sounds like it was a great weekend, and it was, however, we did miss the girls. They, on the other hand, may or may not have missed us. Kate had so much fun following Kamryn around and doing everything he did. They played and then played some more. She loves Kamryn! And Maggie was good because she was either sleeping, eating, or being held while sleeping or eating! Mimi and PopPop said they were good but I can guarantee that they were exhausted and maybe slept in a tad bit this morning.

We'll have to do a repeat performance soon...if we can talk Mimi and PopPop into it!

Our new and improved header

Don't you just love the new Butler Family News header that my dear, sweet, creative friend Laura whipped up for me?! It definitely adds personality to the blog. Thanks Laura!!

Early Halloween fun

Kate and I made Halloween cookies together. She loved standing up on the step ladder and helping me put the dough on the cookie sheet. She patiently waited for them to bake and then of

course needed to test them out...delicious!

On Thursday afternoon, Kate's friend, Kylan, hosted a Halloween party. This group is my friends that I used to work with and their kids. Most of us had our first round of kids about the same time with Kate, Caroline, and Kylan being just 3 weeks apart. And some of us are on our second round of kids as well...Clark in June, Maggie in August and baby Kynlee in about 10 days!

Terra, Kylan's mommy, did a great job. There were yummy snacks, a pumpkin painting station, a cupcake decorating station, and lots of outdoor toys to play with. (The teacher in Terra definitely came out with her great organization and activities!) Thanks Terra...we had a blast!

Kate the pig and Caroline the poodle

Kate picked blue as her first color for her pumpkin (blue is her favorite color)

Kate had so many sprinkles on her cupcake that you couldn't even see the frosting! And note that the girls have on the same shirts...we didn't plan that!

Maggie enjoyed herself in the shade. She will debut her Halloween costume at a later date.

Lazy day

We have had a couple of lazy days and so I decided to get the video camera out and do some video documentation.

Kate is really into dressing up these days. She likes to put on her "costumes" and pretend. Today she was Minnie Mouse, complete with the ears and a tutu (although Minnie doesn't wear a tutu, but maybe she does at ballet class?!).

Maggie has started to smile, and not just from gas! She loves when we talk to her and gives us a sweet smile in return.

Each day is completely different from the last, but we are having a ball (most of the time!).

Enjoy the videos!

The State Fair of Texas and Fletcher's Corny Dogs!

For those of you who have never made it to the State Fair of Texas and experienced a Fletcher's Corny Dog...well, you just haven't lived life to the fullest!

Last Sunday was Kate's first Fletcher's Corny Dog and she loved it! These are unlike any other corn dog you've had. For starters, they are called "corny" dogs. They aren't just your regular, run-of-the mill corn dogs. The breading is at least an inch thick and whatever they use for the batter, it's delicious! It's our only reason for going to the fair really. They are worth all 8 coupons ($4) and the long line you have to stand it to get one. (Kamryn bucked the system and went for a corn on the cob, which he polished off nicely.)

Oh, and we also rode a few rides as well. Kamryn is not a super brave kiddo, so we had to check out many rides first before he could be talked into one. Kate, on the other hand, has no fear so she was game for whatever Kamryn wanted to do. Daddy/Uncle Ryan took them on their first two rides, but the best ride was saved for me to take them on...The Haunted Roller Coaster! They both did great, but I did have finger marks on my arm from Kamryn gripping it so tight. The last picture speaks volumes to the "scariness" of the ride!

(Oh, and Maggie had fun too. She didn't get to eat her first Fletcher's, but she did get to hang out with Mimi in the shade which is almost as good!)

Trip to Haslet

We made a weekend trip to Haslet last week to visit Mimi and PopPop. We drove down on Friday afternoon and both of the girls were great in the car. Maggie slept most of the way and Kate watched videos so we had an easy drive.

Maggie met lots of family for the first time...Uncle Kyle, Aunt Melissa, and Kamryn, and Hite, Shannon, Jack, and Case. She didn't say that she was excited to meet them, but I'm sure she was!

Kate had a blast playing with Kamryn, whom she adores! However, when Jack and Case came over, the boys were a little too rowdy for her and she stuck close to us downstairs. She did love that she got to sit up at the bar with the big boys and eat her dinner.

Ryan drove home with the dogs on Sunday evening and the girls and I flew home on Tuesday. We mostly just piddled around the house, but did manage dinner at Mi Cocina...yummy! It was a fun weekend.

Playgroup

We have been meeting a group of moms and kiddos every Tuesday morning at the Jenks Rivewalk for a picnic, playing, and an ice cream treat.

It's basically two groups of kids: the 3 year olds and the 2 year olds. The 3s think the 2s are "babies," and the 2s think the 3s hung the moon!

Kate loves to run and play hard, but her favorite part is the ice cream. She eats Cake Batter with oreos mixed in. I'm not sure that this is her favorite flavor, but it's a white ice cream so it's mommy's favorite because it's easy to clean up! She usually tries to pick the electric blue ice cream, but I have yet to let her try it out. Someday soon she'll catch on to the fact that the blue ice cream isn't only for older kids! (They even sit according to age to eat their ice cream!)
Maggie, of course, usually sleeps through the entire playgroup, but she's in good company with Clark (3 months), who also sleeps through playgroup. I did, however, get a picture of the two of them sleeping peacefully.