Summer Reading

I haven't been deliberate about much this summer, but one thing we have done a bit is read. It's been really fun, especially as Abby is reading on her own now and spends time reading to us. At the beginning of the summer I looked into a few reading programs, and this week the kids finished up their book lists. So today, we went to Borders, Barnes & Noble, and to the library to turn in their reading logs and get their free books. They were so excited and got some great books. Looking forward to more reading!

Frisbee Golf, Food, and Friends

Over the last number of months, our family (along with various friends at church) has gotten somewhat in to frisbee golf (disc golf, frolf), and it's been quite fun! Aaron's pretty good, the kids have fun (though Abby usually ends up picking flowers and looking for Bigfoot tracks), and even though I pretty much just walk the course with them, I've grown to enjoy the sport and the time it gives us all to be together and outdoors. One thing I've really enjoyed is spending time with our friends and Frolf buddies, the Snow's. We'll get together of an evening, play disc golf, then eat dinner together and talk. We've grown to enjoy this time immensely. I'm so thankful for the blessing of good friends!

This picture is from last night at McLain.

Dirt Face

Lest you think I am a bad mother, I use the term "Dirt Face" in the most endearing way possible. Carson is adorable and sweet and adventurous, and he has the gift of dirt. My son seems to ooooze it. We always joke that we could put him in a sterile empty white room, and he'd still somehow end up with a dirty face. We laugh but I'm starting to think it might be true!

Playing frisbee golf the other day, after five minutes, there were just streaks of dirt all over his face. (This picture does not do it justice.) Where does it come from?!

Cousins Week (Part One)

I've been looking forward to this week for a while now. This is the week that Jackson and Reagan get to stay with us while Jason and Nat (and Madison) are in Dallas! The kids came over Sunday night and will be here until Friday. I "took off" of work this week so that we could have lots of fun, and so far it's been a blast.

This picture is (night one) Abby laying out all Reagan's clothes with matching accessories and planning out what she was going to wear all week. I think she's enjoying having her own little real life doll to play with for the week. Reagan seems equally thrilled about this arrangement.



Monday: July 4th
A nice, laid back day. We all got up (not too early), ate breakfast, and played a lot. That evening, Ammie and Poppy came over for BBQ and we all had a good time.

Tuesday
Uncle Moose left early this morning to head to Dallas as well for the next couple days. The kids and I got up this morning, ran errands, went to the store, had lunch and played at McD's, came home for naps, then went to see "If You Give a Pig a Party" at the library. It was a great little production and we all loved it!

We waited in line to get pics (and autographs) from the cast afterwards. The boys declined to pose for a picture and instead opted to heckle/flirt with the cast members, tossing names back and forth like "Cheese Muffin" and "Cheesecake". They hollered back and forth all the way out of the library and giggled for the longest time afterwards :)

After the play, we headed home for grilled cheese sandwiches, playing in the sprinkler, and Toy Story 3. It's now 9:30 and I think everyone is asleep. Ah... nope. I still hear some whispering. I'm glad these guys are getting to make the same memories I did with my cousins growing up. Stay tuned for more!