Monday, August 31

Laundry Find

It was laundry day here at the Lyons house. (Yes, it is blog worthy..it happens so infrequently..)Today I laughed out loud when I pulled Max's load from the was to find the bottom of the washer filled with toys. It appears that it is Max's pockets that I need to be searching, not Jon's.


money, two lego guys, yoda's head, two lightsabers, one lego, one tazer gun, one Bible school buddy, lego hat.

Friday, August 28

Summer Farewell | Seabrook

We decided to say a formal farewell to summer and hello to the start of school with one final trip. A little three day get away with Jon's parents to the beach town of Seabrook. It appeared picture perfect online and I had heard raves from friends so I went with high expectations. We were not let down. It was fantastic.


Day One
We arrived to find a very cute house, comfortable and family friendly. It had great proximity to the park where we spent the evening walking around, playing in the field, park and making s'mores at the community fire pit.







Day Two
We awoke, had delicious breakfast and then hit the beach. The boys loved the sand.We drew in the sand, flew a kite and enjoyed the sounds and the smell of the ocean.
That afternoon we borrowed bikes from the bike tent and biked around the neighborhood. Seabrook is filled with great houses, full of character and each with charming names. We weather was perfect, with just the right about of cool in the air.












Day Three
We awoke the final morning to clouds and cool, but still could enjoy a good walk around the neighborhood and the park before we ate our fish and chips lunch and headed home. We had a great mid-week getaway and hope to get back to Seabrook very soon.




Thursday, August 20

Bellingham Road Trip | The Fair


Wednesday morning the boys and I set out early to go to the fair...in BELLINGHAM, oh just a mere 2.5 hours away. Why you ask. Well because my little sister Kendra has worked her tail off over the last few weeks and this week to host the Habitat for Humanity | Build at the Fair event. We wanted to take a peek, support Kendra and visit some animals, so off we went. Kendra's booth(s) looked great. The boys and I signed "studs" at the house and then got to visit the fair with Kendra. The kittens, baby pigs and goats were absolute favorites. Then it was off to grab some lunch and settle into the grandstands to watch the draft horse demonstation, one of my personal favorites.AFter that it was off to sit in a hum-v, decorate tiles at the home depot booth, sit on a sheffif motorcycle and to the rides. Ahh yes rides. Auntie Kendra was nice enough to sponsor the rides. She and Jack ventured down the gigantic slide, through the "crazy house" and on the tea cups. Jack and I enjoyed the "screaming dragon rollercoster". Very fun. Max all this while sat content in his stroller watching the fun. After rides, it was back to work for Kendra and the boys and I finished up with some cotton candy, a snow cone and watching the "kids on unicyles" show. It was a great day, beautiful, hot weather and spending time with Kendra.









Tuesday, August 11

Happy Gotcha Day Max !


{hit the play button and turn up your speakers}

It was a year ago to day that Jon and I anxiously sat in our hotel room in Guatemala and waited for the call...the call that would say that our Max was down stairs in the lobby. The day was surreal. To finally be able to meet and to hold and to take home the little boy we had prayed for and loved from a far. This morning, as I type he is sitting across the table from me (in the exact same jammies he wore down there) eating a bowl of cheerios, talking to a lego guy and giving me the biggest milky grins every now and then. Max brings such joy to our lives. He has grown so much in the year that he has been home, He is not a baby, he is a kid....a kid who makes the Lyons house messier, louder, and oh so great. God knew exactly what he was doing when he placed Max Armando in our family. We are so greatful and feel so blessed that he is our son and we are his family.

Tonight we will celebrate "Gotcha Day" with a dinner of carne asada, corn on the cob (max's favorite) spanish rice, and dessert will be Tres Leche cake....yummy...and I suppose this mama should get to cooking.



Thanks Late Tuesday...for the tunes used with the video

Wednesday, August 5

Double Date | Lego Style


Late Sunday afternoon Jack and I departed on a double date with his good friend Jonathan and his mom Shelly. We went to the much longed for Lego store at Bellevue Square. Jonathan and Jack were both so excited and were at a loss as to where to start looking. At first Jack thought that he would "fill a cup", you purchase a cup and then can fill it with any random lego pieces that you want. But soon after our cup was full Jack noticed that Jonathan was going to purchase a set of StarWars Lego magnets/guys that included Yoda, Count Duku and Mace Windew...so Jack also opted for that set. With both boys adequately lego-ed it was off to dinner. Of course since the evening was about the boys...we dined at Red Robin. It was such a great night of good Jack and Mom time. All night Jack wanted to hold my hand or say nice things to me..he got the whole date thing....which actually make this mama a little nervous...come 25...when I finally let him date.

Showing off their new lego loot

Boys ready for fries

Jonathan and his mom Shelly

as per mom and jack tradition we took one nice photo and one crazy photo. the crazy photo is always our favorite.

Sunday, August 2

"We went out last night..."| Girls Night

I am not ashamed, my family listens to country music, and we enjoy singing along. With that in mind my mom, WHO ROCKS!, surprised my sisters and I by getting us tickets to the hotest country concert in Washington. We got to enjoy it this weekend. The Sun City Carnival Tour Show includes: Kenny Chesney, Sugarland, Montgomery Gentry, Miranda Lambert and Lady Antebellum. With such a line up my sisters and I were ecstatic to spend the day together with great music. The show started at 4 in the afternoon and did not end till 11pm. It was a great time. Thanks mom! Here is a little play by play photo recap:
2:30 pm | outside the stadium hydrating and fueling up for the show

We had great seats. Perfect view of the stage, and the stadium was packed

Mom said that since were grown-ups she would treat us to one grown up beverage. Nothing like sharing a beverage and loud music with your mother.



Prego Heather was sporting the water though!

Mom o- so embarrassed to be captured on film (and now on the blog)


Happy girls just prior to Sugarland's performance. They are the best.


Um, yes that would be kenny chesney suspended above the crowd.

Us "McNabb" ladies could have partied all night long.

Super Fun- Thanks mom, can't wait to do it again next year (wink..hint, hint)