July 4th, Zoo and other fun things

Well, I said it before and I will say it again....we have been busy this summer!
On Father's Day, we decided to visit the Dallas Zoo. They have a new exhibit with elephants, lions and giraffe's....it was amazing!
Unfortunately, it was also very hot that day! Here I am with Sloane and Brooks....
Elephants!

Steve and I...he is wearing his "Daddy Needs a Time Out" shirt.

You could actually pet and feed the giraffes!

Sloane feeding...

Reese feeding...

Brooks feeding...

Leopard!

We had lunch next to some lions! The cafe has windows into the lion exhibit. They were taking a break from the heat that day...

Brooks kept saying "wake up lions...wake up lions..."

Off to see more animals!

I love this picture of Brooks and Reese

Penguins!

Sloane and Daddy looking at the animals

Waiting to ride the monorail....don't they look excited?

Our family

Monorail!

Sisters...

Daddy and the girls....notice Reese's hair...she had a meltdown just before the picture and decided to mess up her hair!

Brooks likes the ride!

We have had lots of fun playing at home. The girls have become extremely close this summer.

Naps have become nonexistent in our house! On occasion, I will find one of the Trio asleep somewhere in the house. Here's Reese one day asleep in our bed...I went in to put my head down because I had a headache and there she was laying next to me!

Well, the girls have become so close that they were beginning to sleep in the same bed together. That is when we knew it was time to move to the big girl beds and give Brooks is own bedroom!

We attended a pool party over July 4th weekend. Brooks "posed" for this picture.

Just before the neighborhood July 4th parade...

Happy 4th of July!

Choo Choo train!

During the fireworks that night, Sloane was afraid and asked to get into the car. The next thing we knew, she was sitting on the potty! Such a good girl. :)

On our way to see some fireworks!

Watching the fireworks...

Reese has become obsessed with her princess dress up clothes! She wore this pink top for 4 days!

The next day, we took Brooks, Reese and Sloane to see Toy Story 3 in 3D! I love this picture of Sloane in her 3D glasses. Too bad no one left them on during the movie....well Mommy and Daddy did....

On July 5th, Brooks, Reese and Sloane were pictured in the Dallas Morning News with an article about fun free and cheap things to do with your children during the summer. This shot was taking while we were bowling one day!

A VERY long post

Well, Summer is in full swing and we have been busy! I know shocking....busy but having a blast! We finally got to play with our Quad friends......
Here we are.....7 children and 2 mommies.
Brooks, Reese and Sloane have been taking swim lessons. I thought these goggles might help with the swimming. They are not the best for keeping water out but they sure make a fashion statement!
Brooks...

Sloane...the water bug!

After each swim lesson, Brooks, Reese and Sloane wrap up in their robes and I take them through the drive-thru at Chick-Fil-A for dinner!

The Trio LOVES to swim! I take them to the gym with me when I workout. One day, Sloane, Brooks and Reese discovered the pool at the gym and were very upset that I would not take them swimming! Here they are chanting "swimming Mommy...swimming!"

This summer, I signed up for a program called Kids Bowl Free. Each child can bowl 2 games a day Monday - Friday every week! We have been twice...so much fun! As soon as Brooks, Reese and Sloane got the system down...(and they learned to take turns instead of all throwing a bowling ball down the alley while Mommy had to go and retrieve them....) they had a blast! I could almost sit back and read a magazine....ha ha ha...almost!

Sloane, Brooks and Reese....my little bowlers.

Brooks rolling the ball.....

He bowled a STRIKE! Yea!!

Taking a break after my Strike...

Sloane and Reese striking a pose!

Some of our close friends (Tanya and John) threw a 1st birthday party for their son Jack Henry! Tanya and John are one set of god parents to the Trio....they helped us out quite a bit when the babies were first born. Here are Sloane, Brooks and Reese at the birthday party:

On Saturdays, we usually do something fun with Daddy (aka.. Steve)

Here we are out for lunch at Blue Goose Mexican....Brooks LOVES sour cream....he eats it with a spoon!

Eddie Coker happened to be in town for a free concert, and we got to meet him and sing with him. Here are Sloane and Brooks with Eddie:

One of my close friends, Melanie, met us at the Eddie Coker concert. She has twin girls: Madison and Sydney.

One Sunday evening, we decided to take Brooks, Reese and Sloane to a Rough Rider baseball game. Before the game, I caught Brooks wearing a pair of my shoes:

Sloane looking out onto the field....

Before the game, Sloane was asking to be in an animal sound contest on the field. Guess which animal?

Sloane on the field....she was the youngest child in the contest!

Me and the love of my life....

The Trio watching the game!

Our family after a fun night of baseball!!

The day after the baseball game, I took Brooks, Reese and Sloane to swim at our friends' house (Rebel and Philip). They have an amazing pool with waterfalls, etc.

After swimming, Brooks found a hat and decided to model...

We have been busy!

What a busy yet fun summer we are already having with our family! So much going on...and yet Brooks, Reese and Sloane NO LONGER take naps! Yikes! Long days in the Hickey House...

A friend of ours had a 4oth birthday party at his house. There was craw fish, cake and...oh yes margaritas! Needless to say, several people were in the pool by the end of the evening...including me and Steve...
Here we are....yes with our clothes on...fun!
This was before the "pool time"....Steve and I with our friends Buck and Lisa. Buck and I went to high school together and now we hang out with our spouses and our children.

The girls really seem to enjoy their bikinis. Here's Sloane striking a pose! Steve saw this picture and told me from now on he needs to approve of any swim suits for the girls....already the protective Dad!

Sloane and Reese...

Sloane with my best friend's son, Jack Henry. Maybe she will be like her Mommy and marry a younger man.....future romance?

I have been trying to work with Brooks, Reese and Sloane on a few skills before they begin preschool in the Fall. They already know all of their letter and letter sounds as well as a few numbers. Here's Brooks attempting to write his name. He is not really excited as you can tell...

Reese working on her numbers...

Sloane wrote her name all by herself! So proud!

Sloane working on hand writing...

Sadly, it is already hot in Texas! So I took Brooks, Reese and Sloane to a local splash park to cool off....

I love this picture of the girls...

Lunch!

We love to splash!!

Another bikini picture!
A friend of mine from high school (Kristin) is getting married and I was able to get away for a girls' weekend to a spa in Austin. Here we are after a relaxing day at the spa...just before dinner.

This trip was the FIRST time I had been away from Brooks, Reese and Sloane since they were born! I actually enjoyed myself and had just enough time away to feel refreshed and ready to come home to my babies!