June Pre-Tot Fun

I am staying home with Blake this summer. He goes to have play dates with friends at Mrs. Dawns on some Tuesdays and Thursdays, but for most of the time he is with me! Of course we have to find cheap, cool (literally), things to do. Here is what we have come up with so far!

Sorry for some of the blurry pictures...

 

 



$1 beach ball!!! Oh yeah...



 

"Box Seats" to a few good movies... Tarzan, Horton Hears a Who, and Madagascar!

 

Connect Four

 

Sometimes we just need to chill...



 

Playing with water bowls...

 

Water painting!!

 

\

Thank goodness for Pinterest helping me out with some of these Toddler Activities. We will be sharing lots more next month. We will see where our imagines take us! 

Larsen Summer Bucket List

Ok, I hope this isn't cheating since technically Summer has already started...Here is our family Summer Bucket List. Yep, it contains all of the major things that we hope to be able to do. I hope we aren't being too ambitious here...

• Make family 72 hour kits
• Master bedroom makeover - nothing serious!
• Camping Trip in Boone - Just a Ryan and Sarah trip. Our first without Blake!
• Family beach trip
• Sailing Date Day
• Library Story Time with Blake
• Organize our office
• Zoo trip
• Concert
• Family Picnic
• Lake Gaston Trip
• Make a FHE notebook
• Read the BOM - again :)

Wow!! Looks like an awesome Summer to me! Can't wait to start marking these things off our list. Get ready to see some awesome adventure posts in the next few months!

Blake The Builder

For those of you who have children, you obviously know the little show called "Bob The Builder." It is one of Blake's favorites. This past Monday, we got to see BLAKE the Builder! He helped Ryan with a new yard project.

Boy bonding time...

 

 

Learning to use the big boy tools... very important!

 

 

So what are the building you ask?!!? Well remember when we put in sod? Yeah...you see what happened was... it didn't get enough sun in our highly dense forest-of-a-yard and it died. Very sad! We decided to replace it with something that we couldn't kill! A rock and stone walkway with flower bed borders.

 

 

 

I'm in love with the finished product! Blake was a huge fan of the pebbles. :)



Daddy's Day

Happy Fathers Day to all of the wonderful Fathers out there! Blake was able to spend some special time with all of "his men" this week.

We got to spend time with G-Daddy and Papa earlier in the week for some play time. He also got to Skype with Grandpa Larsen today.

More importantly, Blake got to spend the day with his daddy!! Ryan has been out of town for two weeks and he finally came home last night. Just in time for Father's Day! Today we spoiled Ryan with presents and food! We also ran a few errands and got Blake a baby pool. Fun times ahead!

 

Blake has always been a guys guy. He absolutely ADORES his dad. When they are together there is nothing but laughter and playing. They seriously make my heart burst. I fall in love with Ryan every time I see him as a dad. I love our family!!!

Class of '13

Normally Graduation doesn't really apply to us, but this year was special... I got to go to two graduations!!

The first graduation was for Taylor! I can't believe that my little sister has graduated!! So crazy. She will now be working this summer and then going to ECU in the Fall. Right now her current plan is to enter into the Nursing Program. I couldn't be more proud of her. She has always had the best attitude. She has always put family first. She is just amazing...and beautiful!! So proud of her!

 

 

The VERY next night I had another graduation. Since I am a teacher, I have to go to the graduation. I always think its so sweet to see my previous students walk. There is some type of school spirit that comes with graduation that I can't explain. It just makes me so proud of my job. This year was a special year for my school. First of all, I graduated from this school. Second of all this will be the last year that it is called Wake Forest-Rolesville. A new high school will open next year and they will split the name. Next year there will be a Rolesville High and I will still be teaching at Wake Forest High. The students really made an effort to make this graduation special!

 

 

I wouldn't have made it through this school year without these ladies. My English I PLT!! I call them my unofficial mentors! We also had lunch every day together. I don't know what I would have done without that hour of laughter with them.

 

 

It's now Summer Vacation for me!!! Although I will miss my job, I can't wait to spend the Summer with my family! We have lots of fun things planned! 



Blake & Mrs. Dawn

Have we mentioned the story of Mrs. Dawn yet?!?! It's like I am leaving out a member of our family!

When we moved back to North Carolina Blake was 6 months old. I was going back to work and I needed someone to watch my most prized possession!! I was very adamant about NOT putting Blake in a daycare. I wanted him to have a more one on one opportunity. I needed to know that someone would hold him when he cried and would be there for his every need when I wasn't. I also wanted him to be around a few other kids so that he could start to socialize. Man, I sound like one of those crazy picky moms right??!!

Luckily a friend mentioned Mrs. Dawn. She lived across the my moms school. She watched a few other teachers kids, she had been recommended by several people, and she just happened to have an opening. All signs point here!!!

I probably sounded like a crazy person, because I called her from Louisiana. I explained that even though I had not met her yet, I have heard wonderful things from people I really trust AND I wanted her to keep my child. Yes, I am very forward. Bless her heart because she said yes! When we got to NC, we met with her and things just fit! She started watching Blake in August.

I have never felt so comfortable leaving my child. Half the time he doesn't want to leave her house. She takes them different places to play, she teaches him right from wrong, she lets him explore and learn, and she loves him so much. I can't explain how much I have been blessed with her in our lives.

Anyway... let me just show you this picture and it will explain how I can go to work a happy mommy!

 

 

My summer will officially start next week. I am thrilled about being able to stay at home with Blake for 2 months!! However, because Blake has such good friends at Mrs. Dawns and because he will continue to go to her house in August...I have arranged for him to have play dates twice a week with his friends and Mrs. Dawn. Again...just blessed! 

Ryan's Birthday

Today is Ryan's birthday!!! The big 2-8! :)

Sadly he isn't here...in fact, he is away doing National Guard training. This will be the 6th year in a row that he has been away from friends and family on his birthday. All due to military training. Sad times.

We celebrated before he left...a little during the day today...and we will continue the celebration when he gets back. We just want to make him feel extra extra special!

 

 

While Blake and I are at home planning b-day and Father's Day fun, this is what Ryan is doing on his birthday. Lots of missions....

 



Ryan will be home on June 15th and we can't wait to see him again!

Late Memorial Weekend Fun

Last post I promised that I would eventually get back to the rest of our Memorial Day fun...

My mom wanted to have a Family Fun day. She has worked so hard over the past couple of months to get the family together and it finally worked! It was a fun day full of games and food. The kiddos were by far the cutest together. :)

Of course Blake had to spend some quality time with his Aunt T! :) They are buds.

 

 

He is always Mr. Big Stuff! 

Looking more and more like Daddy every day...

 

 

This was one of the first times that the cousins were old enough to actually play together. Precious! Blake and Hope!!! 

 

 

And of course we always squeeze in some Larsen Family Pictures. We love our family!