The Possiblities are ENDLESS

Okay, so I stumbled across this fantastic shoe website a few days before our trip to Disney World in March (I was just checking it out for shoes for our upcoming trip to the mountains). The girls needed sandals and at the time, none of the 3 stores in town that carry children's shoes had any out yet. Of course, since I was starting my search so late in the game, I was fully prepared to pay an arm and a leg to get any shoes that I found here in time to make the trip. I know, I know it's the price that you pay when you procrastinate, right? Wrong! As luck would have it, I stumbled across http://www.endless.com/ which offers FREE and I mean FREE OVERNIGHT SHIPPING (they really were here the next day) and returns (men's, women's, children's shoes and accessories). Does it get any better than shopping for shoes on-line and getting them the next day???? Now if I could just figure out how to get groceries the next day without leaving the house, I would be all set!!!

WHO NEEDS THE POOL...

when you have a giant puddle in your driveway. Any time we get the slightest amount of rain fall, we have an enormous puddle in our driveway. Not sure if it was a design flaw or the drain is clogged, either way the kids love it. I made the mistake of opening the garage door today and off they went. Of course it started with some innocent wading through and ended up in a full fledged soaking. Left me wondering why I have been hauling them to the pool day in and day out for the past 2 months when all I had to do was turn on the hose in the drive!!!

KANSAS CITY HERE WE COME

Today my Mom and I took the girls to Kansas City to do some back to school shopping. Our main mission was to get backpacks and lunch boxes, school shoes and jeans. Of course they could all probably be bought here, but there is just something more fun about going to the "big city" to get them. After tremendous cooperation from the girls, we decided it was time for a little fun. Of course, if you have ever been to Oak Park Mall, you know that there is one main area to avoid! After a few hours of shopping, we finally gave in and hit the carousel, Libby Lu, The Disney Store and Build-A-Bear.

The carousel was a big hit for both girls, but of course the highlight was Build-A-Bear. Introducing Ella (left) and Bella, the newest members of our family. If you know the girls at all, it won't surprise you that the Diva cat belongs to Madeline!!!!
After Oak Park, we headed to Town Center for a little Janie and Jack fix. My brother picked up the girls and took them to Beach Bum Island www.beachbumsisland.com, a cartoon cafe in Olathe. Apparently, it was like Chuckie Cheese but more modern and cooler, again the girls had a great time! All in all, it was a successful day, we got all the we went for and by the grace of God, had no melt downs. What I really got from today, is the fact that my daughters are growing up because they showed a great deal of patience and if they keep making me spend money like this either they or I are going to have to get a J-O-B!!!

HIP HIP HORRAY FOR HIPPO

Could someone please tell me why as a mother of 3, I waited this long to discover one of the greatest inventions of all time (this was definitely invented by a women, it's counterpart, the highchair had to have been a man). With every child, I rue the day that I have to get out the highchair and deal with all that it entails. I hate cleaning and I am pretty sure that I have grown a few science projects in my day. Well, NO MORE HIGHCHAIR for me! I love the Hippo Seat by Chicco and Jack seems pretty thrilled with it too, must be something to do with the fact that he is no longer ostracized to high chair, but has an upfront seat to all the action. Now, as for what to do with that highchair??? I am thinking backing over it with the car doesn't sound too bad, but I am open for suggestions!!!

My Baby Girl

I walked into my bedroom just now to find Claire piled up with pillows, sound asleep. It made me cry! I was just looking at her thinking of the day that she was born and how happy Matt and I were. In the blink of an eye, she is rapidly becoming her very own person and I realize that the nearly 4 years have pasted and they will never be mine again. They are gone, I can do nothing, say nothing to get them back. This is how I want to remember her forever....

SAFETY 1ST

Given the number of times Claire falls in a day, I am thinking that a hard hat and safety goggles are not such a bad idea!!!

HAPPY 90TH UNCLE PETE

Today we journeyed to Topeka to celebrate my Great Uncle Pete's 90Th birthday. I used to love going over to my Aunt Betty and Uncle Pete's house, primarily when I was "sick" and had to stay home from school. Uncle Pete had this weird ability to make pets of squirrels in the back yard and was awesome at woodworking. I remember crafting some cool birdhouses with Uncle Pete.

Uncle Pete

My Girls

Madeline and Grandma Angie

Great Grandma Millie with Claire, Taryn and Madeline

Claire in the car ride on the way home. I think all the heat and excitement of her 1st 90Th Birthday party got to her!

Ten Things

Okay, since I was the friend that Heidi was referring to on her blog, I guess I better actually list the 10 things that you don't know about me, so here it goes....

1. I HATE coconut, won't try anything with it, if I eat it then I will spit it out like a 5 year old.

2. I still sleep with a stuffed rabbit that my brother gave me when I was 3 named Bun-Bun.

3. I have a Snickers bar and a Diet Coke every morning for breakfast.

4. I have a Masters Degree in Criminal Justice and if I had not gotten married, I would have tried to be a criminal profiler for the FBI. Silence of the Lambs is hands down my favorite movie.

5. I do not cook, Matt comes home from work and cooks dinner most nights.

6. I am totally grossed out by eating anything out of a can. There is something very wrong to me about anything thing that can sit on a shelf for years.

7. I am COMPLETELY afraid of snakes. If one was in our backyard and my children were with me, I would run and leave them to fend for themselves.

8. I used to eat raw hamburger when I was a kid (I know, gross).

9. I was only spanked once in my entire life. I was 3 and stripped off all my clothes and peed in the back yard, for some strange reason my Dad spanked me for it.

10. Ear waxes grosses me out. I gag when I have to clean out my kids ears!

Jackie Boy Gets a Haircut

Here's a before and after shot of Jack's 4TH big boy haircut! He has a head of hair that would make most grown men envious (thanks of his Dad). Hats off to Tracy at Avalon for not only giving Jack a wonderful hair-cut for $12, but for rewarding my 14 month old with a Ring Pop (as you can tell, he is in heaven!)

THE MARINERS

Oh, what an experience T-Ball has been. Let's start with the fact that the ONLY reason Madeline wanted to do it in the first place is so that she could get the pink glove and "Girls Rule" bat from Target. Follow that with the fact that they had the sum total of 2 practices before the 1st game and none since (the coaches figure that a game once a week is plenty). Add in 11 soon to be 1st graders who like nothing better than to chat and play in the dirt during the games and you have the Optimist T-Ball Mariners!!!

O-R-E-O

Oh, who's that kid with that Oreo cookie, eating up the creamy center like he did when he was little, it'd hard to hide the kid inside when you are crunching an O-R-E-O!

POOLSIDE

Matt, Madeline, Claire and Jack enjoying the beautiful weather in the backyard pool (someday maybe I will talk Matt into a real backyard pool).

"CANNONBALL"

I often wonder how 2 children from the same parents could be so different. Not only are the girls different physically, they have very distinct personalities. Madeline has always been a very reserved, afraid to mess up child. Now think of the opposite of that, and you have Claire.

Today was a perfect example. The girls were doing a swimming lesson and their teachers wanted them to practice swimming in the deep end. So off to the diving board they go. Madeline goes first, negotiating with her teacher the entire time. Making sure that she knows what the plan in once she jumps, who's going to be where and when. She does an excellent job and with a little assistance, manges to find her way to the side.

Now it's Claire's turn. Without prodding or negotiation, she walks onto the board. Of course, I know she is going to do it, she has no fears, no sense of consequence. And in typical Claire fashion, she get to end of the board and if you listen very closely, you can hear her yell "CANNONBALL" as she leaves the board. I don't know where it came from, but I can tell you this much my baby girl never fails to make me laugh!

4th of July

THE 3 LITTLE CROCKERS...

Would someone please tell my why it is so hard to get 3 sets of eyes to look in the same direction? This is one of about 50 photos that I took in a 5 second period and not a single one had all 3 of them looking at me! I am pretty sure that there won't be a good Christmas card coming from our house for about 10 years.

A BOY OF MANY HATS

I am hopeful that Jack will learn not to fall asleep around his sister too many more times. For some reason, they always feel the need to dress him like a princess.

Believe it or not, the photo below was taken while the "bombs were bursting in air". I think it will definitely end up in a wedding slide show someday!!!

This is one of my favorite photos of the day (taken by Keely). How cute would their kids be? Is is bad to be picking out your child's spouse when she is only 5?

FREE BEER!!!!

Ever seen grown men (and a few women) act like idiots over free beer. Okay, so you have. This video was taken on the 4th at the Manhattan Country Club as a few desperate folks (my husband included) dive for FREE beer. I mean, seriously is warm beer really worth drowning over? In case you were wondering, my hunk of man walked away with a 6 pack! Way to go babe, I knew there was a reason that I married you.

More 4th of July pictures to come!

Little Boy Blue

I have come to the conclusion that there is a fundamental difference between boys and girls when it comes to messes (and just about everything for that matter). I don't know what it is about Jack and eating all things blue, but he manages to find it, eat it and wear it. Yesterday was a mild incident compared to the blue Easter egg dye tab a few months ago. This picture represents what happens when you eat the tip off of a marker. Thank God for washable Crayolas!

I AM FINALLY JOINING THE BLOGGING WORLD!!!

I have finally given into the pressure of all of my fellow bloggers and starting a blog. I figure, if you can't bet them, join them!!!

I promise that I will do my best to update it on a regular basis because I know that there are others out there like me who are OBSESSED with blogs and get very upset when they are not updated on a semi-regular basis. With that being said, don't expect much in the beginning. It may take me a while to get up to speed with everyone else. I will be the first to admit that my header needs a little work.

The Crocker Clan seems to have been taken, so Team Crocker it is!!!!