Lately

We've been enjoying our last days of summer (even on those days when the weather already feels like Fall has set in!).  

Some monkey business during a church picnic

Gretchen had fun with these cute girls at the picnic

I often have little craft things planned to do with the kids.  Sometimes they work.  Sometimes they don't.  Rooke was really into this particular craft and requested to do it again the next day.  Fun!

I know I'm not the only one who feels like things often look perfect through the "blog lens".  Some of these photos are just to make sure you know that we have those "off" days like everyone else.  We planned a fun family outing on Saturday.  The weather was perfect and we headed North to a huge manor with a sculpture garden and kid-friendly water garden.  Ryan and I were really looking forward to it!  We got there, changed into swimsuits and were ready to giggle as the kids splashed and played on one of the hottest days all summer (I think it actually broke 90!).  

See that face?  No, not Ryan's.  The other one.  That pretty much sums up his attitude about playing in the splash garden and getting wet.

She got in the water for a minute, but the slouchy body language in this photo and the strap falling off her shoulder communicate how she was really feeling.  

 Baby Bridgette played while her siblings whined about wanting to go home.

And so we left the splash garden and moved on to the sculpture garden where we had lunch and attitudes slowly improved.  Thankfully, the day ended better than it began.

Ice cream always makes things better!

Backyard Camping

Some of my fondest childhood memories are from our family camping trips.  I want to pass that on to my kids.  So we went camping with Rooke when he was seven months old.  And then with Gretchen when she was five months.  Without our camping buddies, the McTaggarts, close by, and remembering clearly what it's like camping with an infant, I suggested that our family camping trip this year go no further than our backyard.  It was the perfect way to "camp" with our kids at their ages right now, and so much fun!  I think we'll make backyard camping just as much a tradition as real camping for years to come.  

When Daddy came home, we lit the fire and the camping really started!  Hot dogs and s'mores for dinner! 

Everyone had their own spot to enjoy the fire

I am richly blessed by my family.  Especially that handsome man in the middle.

More s'mores, please!

Good morning! 

Look Mom - Two Wheels!

Rooke can ride his bike without training wheels!  He tried a couple months ago, but just wasn't ready yet.  Sunday afternoon, I asked if he wanted to try again and surprise Daddy.  He had seen a photo of his three-year-old cousin, Evelynn, riding her bike and the picture made it look like she didn't have training wheels (thanks, Aubyn!).  He was encouraged by her and decided to give it a try.  I started him off in the yard, which has a very slight decent towards the house.  He was comforted knowing that the grass wouldn't hurt as much if he fell.  But he didn't fall!  I let go of his seat and he never fell!  He ran to get Ryan, rode the path in the grass again, and then moved to the street where he did loop after loop after loop in our neighborhood circle.  It was so much fun to watch!  I'm a proud mommy.     

She Brightens My Day

Olympics in London!

Being in England while the Olympics were going on was so exciting!  Thanks to my parents' thinking and planning ahead, we got tickets to join them for an evening of badminton at the Wembley Arena!  Such great memories.  Especially since we watched the infamous two matches that ended up disqualifying four teams for trying to lose.  It was ridiculous to see (I think Rooke and Gretchen could have done better than the efforts we saw from the China/Korea match!), but the drama made the evening that much more exciting.  Thanks, Mom, for the photos . . .

On the Tube, heading to the event

A Team GB fan on the Tube with us, ready for the football game that was happening that same evening.  The atmosphere surrounding the events was so fun!

There were three matches going on simultaneously.

Precious Bridgette was an angel baby the whole evening.  Her first Olympics!

Playing Outside

 I signed the kids up for a one-hour football (soccer) class.  They were both pretty excited.  Gretchen picked out a shirt I've been trying to get her to wear for months and deemed it her "soccer uniform", popped her glasses up, and declared herself ready to play.  

Unfortunately, she tripped and fell in the parking lot on our way to the soccer field, scraped her knee, saw some blood, and couldn't recover enough to join the other kids.  So I paid six pounds to get an hour of cuddle time with Gretchen on my lap while we watched Rooke practice his fancy footwork!

I made a batch of bubble juice to go with our bucket of bubble toys.  We had little dishes for dipping, but Gretchen went with the submersion approach.  I'm so thankful for the sunshine and getting to play outside!

July Flew By

Did July pass by as quickly for anyone else as it did for me?! 

 Just a random peek at our month from my phone . . .

Her first time to face out.  She loves to be held this way.  On sunny days, you will usually find us together like this from 4:00 to 5:00 while playing with the big kids outside

On our way to church, we ended up following the Olympic torch bus!  I thought they literally ran the torch from town to town.  Apparently they use a bus.  

Our newest passport holder

He said he left me a surprise.  I found this the next day and melted.  Pretty good drawing of my pancreas, don't you think?!

We love the library.  

My snuggle bug.

I give Ryan a hard time, but really I think it's cute that he usually picks up something extra to share with the kids on a quick run to the store.  

I had several errands to run with the girls.  Gretchen kept up a stellar attitude.  I saw the dress on the clearance rack.  Sold!  She was beyond excited and needed to change in the car before leaving the parking lot.  She wore the dress five days in a row and it still makes an almost daily appearance.  Depending on the day, she is any combination of a "princess fairy tinkerbell ballerina".