Friday, June 30, 2017

This and That

A completed goal feels great!  30 blog post in one month!  I am ending the month with a post of various photos.  None of them are too new.  None of them seemed to find a home with other posts.  We have had a very special June with many special June events to blog about AFTER I unplug from the blogging/FB world for a few days over the long 4th of July weekend.  

A random highlight worth noting... it was the first June by the Lake that we haven't had to run the furnace.  Every other year we end up waking up one morning to a house of 63 degrees and decide to at least blitz the furnace a tiny bit!  I guess we had a warmer than average June.  

Ok... on to the photos. 

M got two new pairs of shoes and they came with free tattoos.  He was eager to wear ALL the tattoos at once!  
M: This looks great!

Close up!

We put T's booster seat on night for a potluck and she insisted it stay on and that we add the tray.  She is continuing to eat with the booster (the kids like being up higher at the table) but the tray only lasted for one meal.
T: Sometimes I pretend to be a baby. 

A VERY full Burley cart.  Both kids went with Brandon and they "needed" to bring many treasures. 

T: My forehead felt like it needed something. 

Loving Uno!

After a LATE night the kids suddenly began getting along and sharing pineapple.  Worth documenting!

PJ night at iGnite with 4 of his classmates!  So special to have such a special group of friends. 


M and T: We got Mommy some flowers for Mother's Day. 
Roadwork update... street still not finished!
M: This would be a bumpy road to bike on!

T: I LOVE IT when Mommy colors with me!


Thursday, June 29, 2017

My favorite fisherman


While T and Daddy were practicing biking and I was preparing the preschool area for VBS, M was a little fishing adventure with some friends.  He had a great time and even caught a couple of larger fish.  He is used to catching very small fish so he was quite excited!

M: I love a nice afternoon of fishing!

M: I think this is the biggest fish I ever caught!

M: Look, I can even touch it myself!

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

The newest rider on TWO wheels!

The day before VBS Daddy and T decided it was time to learn how to ride without training wheels.  Sadly, with the craziness of VBS week and the prep week for the adoption event she only got in one good day of biking.  She came a long way but still can't start, stop or turn on her own.  Hopefully we can practice more soon.  If you ask her she says that she now can ride a balance bike.  We are trying to remind her that balance bikes don't have pedals and that will confuse people!

She is doing it!!!!

What a rockstar!
T: I really rode without training wheels. 

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Magic starts with M!

The kids and I had a pretty special adventure while Grandma Judy and Grandpa Tom were visiting.  Our local library hosted a magic show and we went to check it out.  It was a very quality production.  We had so much fun!  For the finale of the show the magician chose a child levitate and he chose M to be his assistant.  M was thrilled and did a great job.  I was there and truly don't know how he did it!  

A highlight for me was sitting next to my amazing friend Charissa who was willing to take photos and video for me.  She is pretty awesome. 

M watching the show with his buddy A. 
M: First he lifted me up on to this table thing.

M: Then he wrapped me up so people could see underneath the table. 
M: Once I was wrapped up he said he was going to remove the stands from under the table!

M: Then he removed them and I was floating on the air!

M: It was CRAZY!!!!  (The stands are well behind him.  This photo was taken by the librarian.)
M: Then he put the stands back under me and I got down and everyone clapped. 

Monday, June 26, 2017

The first visitors of the summer!

*I know tonight's post is coming to you a bit late, but as hard as I tried to work ahead, this weekend's big adoption event took up much time.  

The last day of school was on a Friday.  Later the same weekend (Sunday night) Grandpa Tom and Grandma Judy drove into town.  The kids were VERY surprised to wake up and see them on Monday morning.  Tom and Judy were able to stay until Wednesday afternoon.  

T had her first day of Safety Town (will be discussed more in a future post) from 10:30-12:30.  We played around at the house before Safety Town.  Tom and Judy brought up Legos and everyone enjoyed working and creating with them. T can spend hours doing this!  MANY games were played.  We gave M the Uno game for finishing 1st grade.  I thought it was a super clever gift, but mainly we didn't have the game and he loves it and I knew it would be a good activity for the summer, especially on rainy days. 

--- This is where my prep of this post ended a couple of weeks ago.  Now by brain is fuzzy so I am going to sort the photos by activities!


Uno was all the rage around here at the beginning of the month.  The have transitioned to "war" now, but maybe tomorrow that could change.  M has a card holder, but T doesn't so she used a box to block her cards. 
T: I like to keep the "Draw 4" cards for the perfect time. 

T: Grandma Judy and I played together. 
A few minutes later and dressed for the day...

T: Dad, are you looking at my cards? 
Brandon and the kids were really into kickball early in June.  Brandon really loves to get the kids out.  Grandpa Tom joined in the fun. 

M: Daddy can really throw the ball hard!
Legos were a huge hit with both kids!  T spends some time most days playing with them.  I am quite sure these legos (which are over three decades old) have been used for pretend make-up more in the last couple of weeks than there entire existence.

T: I love to make houses with make-up stations. 
M: I guess legos can be pretty fun. 
The kids and the grandparents had fun with indoor AND outdoor Yahtzee.  M even got a Yahtzee. 

M: Five of a kind!!!
One child had a better Yahtzee experience.  

M: Some games are pretty intense. 
Every year over the 4th of July we shoot off rockets.  The kids were able to make their rockets while Tom and Judy were here.  

They all had fun!

T: We had to make it in a very specific way. 

Grandpa Tom has a hunch that T might be a dentist one day.  She loves to look in a touch his mouth.
T: I am not totally sure I want to be a dentist.  

There were many books read.  The look on all of their faces tells you this was a pretty funny book.  

M and T: Read it again Grandpa!

One afternoon the kids decided to run through the sprinkler.  It was still way too chilly in my opinion, but they were eager and our backyard is pretty sunny. 

M: I made a waterslide for T. 

M: Hey T, come over here. 
T: Grandma Judy, do you want to get wet? 
T: First we tried the little star sprinkler. 
T: Then we got out the long one that shoots everywhere. 
M and T: Strike a pose!
It was so wonderful to spend time with Tom and Judy.  The adults even watched a movie together after bedtime.  We watched Lion.  What an intensely amazing film!  Tom and Judy also took the kids to Chick-fil-A and to the Y on Monday so that Brandon and I could have some time together and get some things done.  We were super productive.  Not only did we eat a favorite spicy meal together, but we weeded all around the house.  We are very thankful for our together time!

Sunday, June 25, 2017

A date and a party


One night while M and I were at therapy AND eating out T and Brandon decided to go out to eat too. This time T decided to dress up for the occasion.  Yes, that is her mermaid costume.  

T: Daddy, your date is ready.
She thought she was ready but then remembered that she hadn't put on any make-up.  I can go an entire year without wearing make-up, but T needed it for her date with Daddy!

T: OK, now I am ready.  I have my "nake-up" on. 

They started heading to the car and she remembered she really was not ready.  She needed to go back to the house for her phone and keys.  This is more like her mama.  I do tend to run back to the house for a few things each time.

T: OK, now I am really, really ready!

Around the same time our family was invited to a graduation party.  M and I were doing other things so Brandon took T.  She made an awesome card for the graduate and had a great time with the people at the party.  She loves to meet new people and always brings a little extra sparkle to the party!!!  The inside of the card had an awesome note too, but since it contains full names I left it off the blog.


T: This is what the card looked like.  I drew the lady walking the dog and Daddy drew the tree. 

T: Ready to go to the graduation party!

T: I got to sign in on this special thing. 

T: I used a couple of colors.