The Fulton Family

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Our Backyard Campout!

The weather allowed us to campout in the backyard last night and it was wonderful!

We started with dinner on the patio- all cooked on the grill ( we tried not to go inside to much)

Check out our awesome tent we borrowed from our neighbors ( we still have our tent and two sleeping bags in unopened boxes that we registered for 7 years ago for our wedding!)

We spent the evening in the yard playing games like bags.

Oh and with potty training still underway, it was VERY important to bring Mara's potty out in the yard.

Croquet and Horseshoes too.

Then we made homemade icecream using our icecream ball. The kids were most excited about this. We simply added cream, sugar, and vanilla to one side of the ball and then ice and rock salt to the other and got shaking!

We kicked, rolled, shook, etc to get the ball moving!

The ball was heavy so the kids found it as a personal challenge to get it moving and start making ice cream!

YUM!

We loved our first campout!

Then our kids second favorite thing....a bonfire with friends ( it was still 90 degrees out). The Smiths brought sparklers so that was exciting!

Hanging out with friends, eating Smores and Popcorn, and relaxing! Not a bad Saturday night!

We were all exhausted from our day so sleep came fast. The kids loved sleeping in their sleeping bags.

and Brian and I were forever grateful for our Aero Bed and being so close to the house so we could use all the pillows we wanted.

Goodnight stories and our bedtime routine were the same.

And around 10:30 we headed to bed, exhausted and excited. The night went well. The trains were loud and Brian and I woke up a few times but the kids did amazing. I think we might just be ready to move onto Lodge Park....just two miles down the road!
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Shake it!

We survived the night!

Saturday, July 9, 2011

My children's obsession!

I could tell you now about thier obsession with Star Wars. The fact that Alaric thinks and acts it out and dreams about it and talks about it 24 hours a day. I could share with you that every imaginary game involves Star Wars and when he has to play "girly" games with his sissy or neighbors, he's found a way to turn it into Star Wars House with the daddy as Darth Vador and the sissy as Princess Leia, etc. And Amara just loves everything Bubba does so she too can swing a light sabor like no one else and prefers to be R2D2 when playing house now.

But that's not the obsession I'm sharing today. Instead, its my children's obsession with their daddy and I hope its one that lasts a lifetime. They adore him. They cry if he leaves before they get up in the morning and they run to him every evening when he pulls in the drive. They pray for him throughout the day and can't wait to share the day's activities with him.

Recently, I was listening to Bubba and Sissy playing in the basement while I was walking through. Here's the conversation:

Bubba: "What do you want to buy?"
Sissy: "Chemicals."
Bubba: "What kind? You gotta tell me. I'm in charge. I buy them."

Then I walked in and asked what they were playing.

Bubba: "Chemical Science Storeroom."
Sissy: "We are being like daddy!"

Bless their hearts! I loved watching them take items from their play kitchen and pretend they were chemicals and then buying them and selling them...what they know Daddy does at work everyday. And then I reflected back to Allerton and Brian's other two jobs there. It didn't matter if he was the Chef there or the Conference Manager, I remember other times that they acted out something daddy did and thought it was pretty precious.

While I wish, at times, that they wanted to be just like me- I couldn't be happier to know and see that their adoration for their daddy runs deep and he is their hero- just like my Daddy was ( and is)to me.

TV turnoff week is over. It has been for 2 weeks but the TV has remained off except for the half hour of tv they get to watch each morning while the other is having their lessons for Mommy & Me Time. The kids aren't talking about TV like they used to and know that when we do turn it on for a few minutes before bedtime, its a BIG deal. So our morning routine has changed some too and it's been pretty impressive that the kids have adapted so well.

Alaric wants some time with just Daddy each morning so he's been waking up early so he can share breakfast each morning with Daddy before he has to leave for work. they talk about Star Wars everyday.

Yesterday, Mara got up early and ran right to her Daddy. Brian was already reading one of his old Star Wars books to Bubba while Bubba ate. They both listened intensely to their Daddy and I loved leaning against the wall just watching.

I love it, every second of it!

Friday, July 8, 2011

A Change in Color!

We do NOT love our kitchen. It's very small, not inviting, and is pretty UGLY! But- if you could have seen it when we first bought the house- you'd think it was beautiful now. When Bri saw the kitchen 9 years ago on our walk through, he walked out! Seriously. It was pink. Pepto pink with a floral border. It had a drop ceiling that sat on top of these lovely cabinets you see here, a weird piece of wood that seperated this chopping block area in the middle and made the room seem even smaller, and the oldest brown stove and mircrowave combo you'd ever seen. It had white countertops and ugly yellowish plastic flooring. And did I mention it was PINK!

Since then we've done what we can to put a bandaid on the problem but since there are a million cabinets with 100 layers of lacquere on top, we've done all we can without having to gut the room ( which we can't afford.). After ripping out the weird wall and taking down the ceiling, we painted it blue. Two years ago we did new coutertops and wood floors.

And this winter I decided we needed a change in color. Nothing was wrong with the blue but I like change. If you know me and my hair and how I when i get bored with my life, I cut or color my hair, this is the same thing.

We went green! There will be black accents. I'll take pictures when its all put together but for now. Here are the changes from blue to green!

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Happy 4th of July...Parade and Pool!

We took our neice Veronica and headed to the parade route with my parents to celebrate the 4th!

The girls danced and giggled!

and were giddy to finally get their flags to wave!

American Pride!

The parade was awesome and the weather was incredible! Afterwards, we headed to get an icecream treat and drop V off and then The Fultons headed straight for the pool! Wow- was it great! The kids love the water and we love watching them! There is nothing like seeing pure joy through your children's eyes!

Oh and relaxing alittle too!

and finding a few friends to laugh with!

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Videos I just had to upload of their mad swimming skills and of the parade!

Monday, July 4, 2011

Alaric begins his training!

Alaric told us he wanted to train for his first 5K and that he didn't want to do anymore kids runs. So, this morning, we decided to run as a family and see how it would go!

We stretched appropriately and took off on a two mile run with our stroller empty and two very excited little kids!

Alaric ran ONE WHOLE MILE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And really without a huff or a puff! I think if the stroller hadn't of been there and we had some water with us, Alaric could have ran the whole way! He did amazing and made us so proud! He walked and strolled the last mile home but had a great time!

Mara did her best too and we ran the last block or so together. My kids made me so proud!

What a great way to start the holiday!

Sunday, July 3, 2011

3rd of July at The Germans!

Tonight was the annual 3rd of July party at our friends, The Germans, who live behind the park where the fireworks are lit off and host a huge party. We have so much fun every year!

Just a few friends take a picture

There is tons of food and the kids love to eat together as quickly as possible so they can get to the fun and games!

Look at my cutie pies!

Amara's first sack race! She did great ( thanks to her helper, Emmie)

Fireworks or StarWars-a tough decision!

Weekend at the Lake House!

18 neighbors from 5 households headed to Lake Mattoon for the weekend to celebrate the holiday weekend and enjoy our neighbors, The Millers, lakehouse together.

The kids loved being on the boat together

and we ate and ate and ate!

We had an absolute blast in their swimming cove and spent hours upon hours with the kids here!

Each time we get in the water, our kids amaze us more and more! It was so fun to simply sit back and watch them swim their hearts out...and snuggle them too!