Summer Starts

Summer is eluding us today... 50's and rain. But last week we had a day warm enough for some water fun, so we made up a new game--water slide! We put the hose on the big slide and a pool at the bottom, and called it our own Seven Peaks. The kids thought it was pretty awesome.

This is what the boys thought though. They woke up kinda cranky and  it took awhile for them to get close.

Our summer has been kinda slow also because we caught a yucky bug. Mike, myself, and Maddie were all bed-ridden for a day (separate days). We tried not to share it with friends so we mostly stayed inside and took it easy.

One day I decided to have a little map lesson with the kids. By the age of 2 Maddie knew about 20 countries, Ella knew about 15, and Ty knows about 2. That's okay, at least he knows where WE live now.     

We had a picnic on the back deck to get some fresh air.

We ventured outside when the UPS man delivered Maddie's Dollie & Me jammies! (This was her prize for finishing the No Sugar Challenge in May. Ella's was the movie Frozen, which she loves, but it had lost some of it's savor by the time Maddie's came, and she was a little sad she couldn't match her dollie too.) These girls have played with their dolls a ton the last few weeks. I love summer because they get to use their imaginations together more!

Jake escaped and we found him exploring the shade garden. This kid loves dirt!

This is a typical Ty moment. He is often partially in costume, doesn't want to take his pajamas off, and surrounded but his tractors.

A few other quintessential summer pictures... The library has saved us from doom and despair! Ella had so many books to choose from, she would start one and move on to another before finishing. Meals often interrupted her reading so she started using her stool as a bookmark! Funny girl.

As often as possible we go on family bike rides and walks. This was a Sunday when everyone had already changed into jammies, so they just put their shoes over the top and hopped on the saddle!
That's how we roll.

There are lots of tractors around us working on landscaping projects, so the boys are often at the window watching. This was a sweet moment--often Ty is stealing the stool or knocking Jake over, so I'm glad I caught it. 

Tyler's 3rd Birthday

I like to remember birthdays, dawn to dusk.

Ty woke up and was excited to see his Spider Man streamers and the birthday banner he's been waiting for. I love this age because they really grasp the birthday idea and know it's their special day.

He wanted to help with breakfast and got the bowls out of the dishwasher. 

After lots of errands and a nap, Daddy came home early and played with Ty all afternoon.

He took the kids on a walk, which was fun for them, and nice for me! I was able to have a quiet kitchen and caught a last minute delivery from the Fed Ex man, just in the nick of time!

Then the party started with a bang! Auntie Noelle and her kids sent a huge balloon bouquet with Auntie Dana and they were on Face Time as he received it. What a cool surprise!

We had grilled pizza for dinner, and everybody picked their own toppings. We attempted to make the little ones look like a spider web, you know, just to be festive.

Then came presents! Ty could not wait and ripped through them faster than a tornado.

A cool Spider Man car from Bodie and Daxton!

A hat (he asked for... his first one) and shoes. A Super Man piggy bank from Auntie Em! Also a Spider Man sleeping bag (that he has been sleeping in since) and clothes from G&G Jensen, and a cool Cosmo book from Grandma Osmond.

Best of all... his Spider Man bike! He has been riding the little pink tricycle up until a few days ago when the front wheel broke off, just in time for a big BOY bike! :)

Happy 3rd Birthday to our silly, mischievous, pestering, loving, full-of-life little boy! OOOooh, I love to squish his face with kisses, while I still can.
 

And he's off! He is beyond excited about that bike. It's all I can do to keep him inside now.

Memorial Day and Family Week!

Last week was wonderful. We had lots of family time and visitors.

Memorial Day we had both Mike's family and my parents and sister's family over for a BBQ. The kids played on every wheeled toy we own and Mike set up a net for volleyball and badminton in the back.

We also got out the frisbee, batting tee, and every other yard game we could think of. It was a fun day!

Auntie Em and cute little Jaymison got to stay with us for 5 DAYS while Ren went home to work. She was also here to see our new baby nephew, but I'm afraid we hogged her! 

We went to lunch at Wild Zucchini Grill (yum!), went on a walk, played at a park, and played outside a lot. They enjoyed our temperatures, since it's 100 in Mesa where they live!

While Auntie Em was here our butterflies came out of their cocoons. It was fun to play with them and watch them fly away.

  

We tried out the bike trailer with Jake for the first time. Our bike ride lasted as long as Jake survived Ty's badgering.
 

It makes me happy when everybody plays on the playset. Ty likes to push Jake in the swing, and Maddie likes to take him down the slide.

Emily and I even tried the monkey bars and the trapeze. They are harder than they used to be! But sometimes it's fun to be carefree like a kid. Mike took this embarrassing picture of me but I want to remember that I let my hair down.

There's nothing like a warm summer night. 

Goodbye 1st Grade

Maddie had an AWESOME year in Mrs. Terry's class! She was the best teacher we could have asked for, and every day was a joy. Maddie might have a little bit of hero worship... so it was hard to say goodbye. She made some sweet new friends too, and is already planning lots of summer play dates!

The 1st grade worked really hard on their dance for the dance festival. Of course I didn't have a good view, but there she is right smack dab in the middle, with a neon pink shirt and shoes. She was such a cutie!

We stayed afterward to eat lunch with her, but it was super windy. We ended up running home to get her a sweatshirt while she ate with her class.

There is Mrs. Terry in the middle, surrounded by all her little ducklings. She has the sweetest, positive way with kids that makes them want to be good. I need to take lessons from her.

Speaking of lessons, Maddie has been taking piano lessons from Grandma for a little over a year now! She recently chose some hymns she was proficient at playing (High on a Mountain Top, We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet, and I Stand All Amazed --from the simplified hymns and Friend magazine)   and played the prelude in Primary. It was a great way to set a goal and work toward it, and we're proud of her.

Jake the Toddler

I am so used to doing monthly updates on Jake that it's hard to stop! He is a walker now, but I don't have a picture! He toddles and does the monster walk (arms up by his ears) all over now. As much as I love it, I miss the crawling already.

He also has a huge love for balls. He squeals and giggles and throws them. Its cute to play back and forth with him. 

He's into everything. That mess behind him was his own doing. But look at that snaggly grin--can't help but love it!

And those overalls... nothing like a baby in overalls.

You get him outside, and he's even more trouble. All he wants is the dirt. You would think he might know after one try that it's not chocolate, but I guess he keeps hoping.

Jake is a peacemaker in the family, especially with Ella. A squeeze from him makes everything better, even scraped up knees. Not so much with Ty... usually Jake is screaming "uncle" because Ty has him pinned somehow. Oh the joys of boys, already beginning.

Bye bye babyhood! It's been sweet.