Bowling with the boys!

Yesterday I got to take James, one of my favorite guys bowling. I have been working with James for eight years now. Every Summer we do one fun activity. This year we went bowling and out to lunch. Brayden was very lucky and James said it was ok if he came with us this year! I had such a good time watching the boys. They were both frustrated at first, but by the second game they were on FIRE!

After bowling we got in the car and I asked, "Ok, what's next?" James, the sweet guy that he is said, "We should go someplace healthy and nutritious for Brayden." This is the guy that enjoys eating 3 cheeseburgers, fries and a drink at McDonalds. I assured James that this was his special day and he got to choose where to go. He was a little hesitant, but I told him Wendy's would be ok for all of us.

We had a great time with lots of laughs. I have to give James a call, today was his first day of high school!

We wear short shorts.... but Summer is ending!

Ok, here are a bunch of random pics. that are too cute not to share, but I haven't been as consistent as I should have been on blogging all of them. The first ones crack me up because it shows how lazy I am. I dressed the girls last week in their shorts and we were going to go for a walk. But I later realized it was way cold outside, but I didn't want to change them, therefore.... knee socks!

The other pics. are of Brayden at swimming again and the girls keeping busy on the scooters there. Also, B got a new easel and paints, markers, chalk etc. from G & G Wagener. He has been very busy creating master pieces, (you can tell from his concentrated look).

We are sad to see Summer go, but I am looking forward to B starting his 2nd pre-school year and hearing about all the cool stuff he learns.

Brayden's 4th B-day party!

We always seem to celebrate Brayden's Birthday early, since it is always around Labor day weekend. This year I won a B-day party at the gymnastics place in town. It was amazing! The kids loved it, and I barely had to do anything. The kids were the perfect age to participate and learn new tumblling/jumping routines.

We were lucky that cousins Hunter and Noah were in town to celebrate with us. Brayden was very pleased that he got to spend his B-day with big cousin Hunter. It was a very fun day, I can't believe my baby is already four. He can't wait to start his second year of preschool in a couple of weeks!

Swimming lessons!

Brayden has started swimming lessons! I think it is the best money I have ever spent. We are taking lessons from the Jacksons. Grandma Sal has been giving lessons for over 30 years from her house. She is wonderful, and a natural with the kids. She had all 10-12 kids in the pool and comfortable within the first five minutes! Three of her grandkids help her. Plus she knew everyone's name before the class ended the first day. AMAZING! If anyone lives in the area I totally recommend it! Brayden has been doing amazing, I am so proud of him. He got to be the leader yesterday and was the first one to jump in and swim across the pool. (They use a floaty that Grandma Sal calls a boat). I can't wait to take him tomorrow and see what else he learns!

She also has a wonderful, safe yard where the girls can play while I watch. That is one of the best parts!

Julie and Carter's visit!

YAY! We had a visit from Julie (my freshman year room mate from college) and her son, Carter. Brayden was looking forward to this for weeks (So was I)! We had so much fun, it was super-hot, in the 90s and 100s all weekend. All of the kids played in our wading pool the afternoon they got here. Which got kind of wild by the end, but the kids had a great time! Then that evening the four of us went to the movie in the park. It was the best thing ever, it's free and it was the perfect night. They played "A Bug's Life." The boys got to run around before the movie started and Carter even got an ant painted on his face. (Brayden was a little nervous about that). We didn' stay for the whole thing because everyone was tired from our big day.

The next day we went to River Front Park. Kent took the boys to an IMAX movie, which apparently they weren't big fans of. They couldn't wait for the rides. Julie and I shopped a bit, and then met them after the movie. They got to go on every ride at least once. Kent was a trooper and rode almost every ride with them. They even went on the spinning ones that made me sick just to watch. I was impressed!

After the rides and some lunch at the Pita Pit all the kids played in the fountain downtown. Ellie was the bravest, and was drenched from running all the way through while everyone else watched. As Nick Kralj says, "She's an animal." I have to agree, she is funny to watch, I think she will be keeping up/chasing the boys just like I did as a little girl. :)

After the park, we all came home and had naps. When everyone was rested after dinner, Julie and I thought it would be nice to take the boys for a bike ride down to the park. The boys hopped on their bikes and I loaded the girls in the wagon. Not so fun. Brayden fell before we even got to the park and had a total melt down. We had to go back to the house to get a band-aid to fix it. Julie and Carter went on down to the park. Later I found out Carter had a melt down also. Too much fun jammed into a day! Two tired moms learned their lesson.

It was a great weekend and visits like this make me miss Julie even more!

Great-Grandpa is 86!

We celebrated Kent's, Grandpa's 86th birthday last weekend. What a fun day at Grandma Phillips' house! It wasn't too hot and the kids got to run and play all afternoon. Plus, Grandma had special push-ups for them. They were even better than the cake. We love you Grandpa, you're lookin' good!

Fountains anyone?

My baby-sitter told me the pony tail on top of the head is called a "fountain." I never knew this, and I have been wanting to have cute pig tails on the girls since they were born. They are now almost 18 months old and they barely have enough hair for this fantastic hairstyle. Dani has more hair so it works better on her. Poor Ellie's was a little sparse. They lasted for half the day, which is longer than I expected. I thought for sure they would rip each other's out, but I think they thought they were funny! (Brayden picks out his own clothes, don't the green and orange go together nicely)?