The Halman Life: August

The month of August has flown by and that's because we've been busy having fun! I've tried to pack these last few weeks of summer with exciting activities to do with the kids. We started out the month with a special trip to the Alahambra to see Cinderella. It was Isla's day with mommy and daddy. When we arrived she got to sit on a throne and try on Cinderella's glass slipper. I think that shoe only fits Barbie Cinderella, but it was really cute seeing how excited she was thinking it might fit her.

We ate lunch and had our yummy chocolate mousse before the show began. She was quiet and still the entire 2 hours. She loves anything to do with princesses!

During the middle of the week one night we decided to go to the beach at dusk. WOW, it was just gorgeous and I don't know why we don't do that more often. The water felt so good and the breeze that comes out at that time of night feels like heaven. We dug in the sand, had water fights, and just ran around. This was one of my favorite memories of the summer. Our neighbors, and Isla's friends, Nina and Kiley, had a Lemonade stand and garage sale one Saturday so Isla got some money out of her piggy bank and we headed down to see what her coins could buy. She bought some sweet tea, a sugar cookie, and a Melissa and Doug puzzle. Leo got a big turtle sandbox. Her 7 dollars got her pretty far!

On the weekends John mows the lawn so we try to leave the house and do something fun if it's not during nap time. This Saturday I decided to take Isla and Leo for a walk down to our little park. Um, definitely not a smart thing to do in the middle of the day in August. But they had fun. I swear little kids never get hot...at least they don't complain if they do.

Leo loves to swing and he'll even cry now when I try to take him out of them. He's getting such a personality and we call him our little Tenderheart! He gets upset really easily if you tell him no, if Isla takes a toy from him, if Isla or anybody starts crying, and the list goes on. He's my sweet little guy and I love his sensitive heart.

And I love times of day like these....where we are just happy and cozy in our home and I catch brother and sister loving each others company.

Isla's last day of 2 yr. old preschool was celebrated with a Luau lunch. They ate dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, strawberries, bananas and cinotti's cupcakes. I was super upset to say goodbye to Miss Sheree because it was such a wonderful year but she's already started her 3 year old year and is loving it too.

And some of her best friends are in her class this year too. Saying goodbye to the rest was sad. :(
Here are Lauren, Addison, Nathan, Riley, Isla, Cate, Erika, Madison and Caroline on the last day.

Leo is in love with Miss Sheree. Every day he would lunge out of my arms into hers. He's going to miss her too but will hopefully have her in about 2 more years!

We've also just enjoyed time in our own yard blowing bubbles, drawing with sidewalk chalk, playing with playdough and swinging.

Coach's 70th birthday was August 13th and my mom surprised him with dinner at Eleven South with some of his closest friends. Nancy and Don Chao, Karen and Don Wolfson, his brother, Dennie, Brannon and Heather, me and John and my mom all had a great evening. Mr. Wolfson gave such a sweet toast with the Champagne that greeted us at the table and Mr. Chao told some good ol Eddie Shea stories. My Dad has lived such a fun and exciting life in his 70 years and his stories still crack me up even though I've heard them quite a few times. :)

That night John and Leo both got a horrible stomach virus that didn't leave the Halman house for a week. He woke up on our 6th Anniversary and instead of a date with me had a date with the toilet all day long. Needless to say we postponed our Savannah trip to this weekend. I'm so excited! Sunday night dinner still went on though and once again Isla got all dressed up in some of her new Old Navy clothes, which included skinny jeans. :)

Last week Isla had off from school and I was excited to have my little angel all to my self in the mornings again. I wanted to plan a really fun week for us so here are some of the things we enjoyed:

Chuck E Cheese...enough said.

After all the tokens were gone and the tickets were counted she picked out 2 lollipops and a tootsie roll. Good choices!

We went to the Cummer Museum of Arts which has the coolest kids section ever! Isla, being the little artist she is, had an absolute blast!

And then, one of my all time favorite things to do, Cosmic Bowling!!! That's right, we made sure to wear white tube socks so her whole long little legs would glow in the dark. She did pretty good too, for a 3 year old. She even got a spare and her ball only got stuck down the lane twice. We did only make it to 7 frames but the dancing down the bowling lanes was more fun to her anyways.

Leo didn't know what to think but he did get out of his stroller and crawl around for a bit. I had to put him back in though when he decided he would follow the ball down the lane.