Start of Summer

I guess that you could say that last week was our official start of summer around our household.

It was Memorial Day, Micah is done with preschool, the kids have had their swimsuits on, the loads of laundry are smaller because the clothes are smaller, we are talking about getting the wading pool out, we are cleaning my parent's old camper, Nick played his first softball game of the season, etc, etc.... Lots of little things that indicate to me that summer is here.

It is so nice to have things a little more relaxed and out of the ordinary for a few months. Our summer contains some exciting events as Nick and I plan on going to Cedar Rapids for a 3-day work time with a group from church, we have a week-long camping trip planned (locally), a weekend camping trip (if the first one goes well), a trip to the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad along with all the unexpected fun that comes with the summer time.

There are a few things that always seem to remind you that life isn't all fun and games during the summer time. Nick has been a little bogged down at work as he is working on an extremely long spreadsheet and I have some situations at work that I wish could just disappear (probably not happening any time soon). Becca has also taken a strong dislike to bugs (should be interesting during camping) and we are trying to get her potty trained (she can be pretty stubborn.)

All in all summer looks to be lots of fun and hopefully relaxing! Hope your summer is looking good as well!

I will leave you with a picture of Micah enjoying his Memorial Day with a yummy and rather large bowl of grapes! LOL!

Prayer Request

I am requesting prayers for fellow blogger and friend, Carey. We know Carey and her husband Brandy from when we lived in NW Iowa. They have quite the family story as they have 3 biological children (2 girls, 1 boy), a son that they adopted from China about 2 years ago and 3 children (2 girls, 1 boy) that they adopted and brought home from Ethiopia just over 6 weeks ago. You can follow their story here: http://journeytojaden.blogspot.com/

On Thursday evening Carey was walking through their home and stepped on a toy (how many times have we all done that?) However she feel and broke her ankle in two places and tore the ligament in her ankle. She had surgery on Friday and had pins, a plate and screws put in. She is on bed rest for a week and then limited activity for another week with no weight to be put on the foot for 6-8 weeks.

I can't even imagine what she is going through right now. Being laid up with two children would be one thing, but being laid up with 7 (all 10 & under) children with 3 that they just brought home is a whole other ballgame.

As you read this please lift the family up in prayer. They have a wonderful church family and support system, but they still need our prayers. Carey has listed some specific prayer requests on their blog.

Please check out their blog for the full story of their family. It is an incredible story of faith and trust in our heavenly Father. I know that He will carry them through this time as well.

Thank you for your prayers!

Graduation

Thursday night was an exciting night for Micah. He graduated from preschool! He was excited, but I don't think that he really grasped the whole concept of graduating. The kids sang a few really cute songs and then were awarded their diplomas. This song is their "Good-bye Song" that they sang everyday at the end of class. Micah is in the second row 3rd from the left. Otherwise look for the 2nd girl in the front row and Micah is behind her to the right.

Here is also a picture of the graduate with two of his church friends, Alexis and Anthony.

Preschool Camp Day

This year Micah's preschool teachers came up with a great idea. They decided that the 2nd to last day of preschool would be like a day at camp! Both sections of the preschool class spent all day at day camp doing a variety of activities and craft. Every child had to have an adult with them and so I went with Micah. It was a wonderful day and both of us had a great time, but came home absolutely exhausted. (I think I was more tired, but it is catching up with Micah today!)

Chasing bubbles blown by another group.

Micah attempting to blow some bubbles. It was so windy by the time our group got there that it was almost impossible.

Camp story time!

Singing Camp Songs!

Decorating a tamborine. We also came home with a drum.

Enjoying a yummy smore! (with a little dirt thrown in by the wind.)

Planting a flower and decorating the pot!

Shaving cream mess or is it shaving cream fun?!?!

Gooey Gunk

About a week or so ago the kids made what is called Gooey Gunk (sp?) at the babysitter's house. The stuff is actually 10x better than play-doh and much cheaper. My kids love to play with the stuff and the babysitter sent some home.

The kids are missing their clothes because they kept leaning over the table and getting gooey gunk in their them. (It does wash out quite nicely though.)

Wonder how gooey it is? Micah left his pile lay on the table to go do something else (probably go to the bathroom) and this is what I found.

Glad I caught it when I did....

Those Other Kids

As Micah continues to learn new things he has learned that he can get by sometimes with out telling the whole truth or, as I like to call it, lying. We had an instance of this on Wednesday morning.

I was trying to get the kids ready to get out the door. I brought the spray bottle, comb and hairties to the living room so that I could wet down Becca's hair and pull it back. Like most mornings, I brought the stuff to the living room and noticed the Becca had dirty pants. So I leave the stuff on the couch and go the bedroom to clean her up. Get her cleaned up and let her go back to the living room. Of course I get distracted and it takes me a few minutes before I get back to the previous task of doing Becca's hair.

When I get to the living room I notice a big wet spot on the couch and on the pillow we keep on the couch. I had a suspect in mind, but I asked the question anyway:

"Who sprayed the couch?"

Micah immediately responded "Not me!" (When they respond that quickly it usually means, ME!)

"Micah, did you spray the couch?"

"No."

"Micah, tell me the truth, did you spray the couch?"

Without looking at me "No".

"Well, how come the couch is wet then?"

"It was those other kids." (The only other "kid" in the house was Becca.)

Trying to keep the smile off my face, "Which other kids?"

"Those kids that lived here before we did. They sprayed the couch." (For those who do not know... we have lived in this house for nearly 3 years and a bachelor lived here before we did.)

"Micah, there are no other kids here. Did you spray the couch?"

"Yes, I did."

"Go sit in time out."

Tears.....

After time out we had our little discussion that he was in time out because he lied and not because he had sprayed the couch. Yes the water on the couch was naughty, but not time out worthy...

Wonder where he came up with the idea of the other kids?

Mother's Day

I struggled a little bit this year trying to figure out what to get our mom's for mother's day. One of the gals that I work with suggested that the kids paint flower pots for the grandmas. What a great idea! I purchased little clay pots and painted them white and then let the kids have at them with 4 other colors (purple, blue, red & green). They had a great time and the pots turned out just like they should in the hands of a 2 & 4 year-old artist.

The finished product in the beautiful Mother's Day sunshine!

Tulip Time

Once again we enjoyed the annual Tulip Festival. In all we took in three parades (maybe a little over the top, but the kids love them!), enjoyed lots of Tulip Time food, ran into a lot of familiar faces and spent a bunch of time with family! (We were reminded that this is one of the reason that we moved back - relaxing extended time with family.)

Here are some pics from the fun!

The first of many attempts to get a picture of the kids in front of the tulips. (The tulips were just about as good as you can get this year!)

The kids's favorite babysitter, Danielle, march with the Christian High School band. She is the 5th one from the left. Lookin good Danielle! :)

Auntie Tricia marched and sang with her school kids in the afternoon parades. She is in the pretty turquoise dress.

A rare picture of just Nick and I at the parade on Friday afternoon.

Tulip Time exhaustion at it's best!

Sunday Afternoon Fun

With the beautiful weather of yesterday repeating itself today the kids and I decided to get out and enjoy the beauty of it. (Nick was out mushroom hunting with his mom so he was enjoy the weather as well! However I am not so sure about the mushrooms that are currently taking up residence in my fridge.)

The kids enjoyed a little snack on our front step and then played on the driveway for a little while before we took off to check out the garden and go on a walk up around the school. Came back and the kids relaxed in mom's lawn chair while mom picked up the toys (something wrong with that picture...) :)

Here are few photos from the afternoon!

"Mom the sun is to bright!"

You can barely see Micah, but he is way ahead of Becca and I on his bicycle. He by the second pole - it is hard to distinguish him from the pine tree in the background, but he is there!

The kids playing with my Mother's Day gift from last year. I think that I am the one who is supposed to be sitting in the chair....

Spring Time

After several rainy/cloudy days it is nice to see the sun again. (Not so nice because it was shining brightly on Saturday morning and the kiddos were up early because of it. Oh well...)

Life has been moving along pretty much the same as normal. We had Becca in the clinic again this week and received another round of antibotics because of a probable lingering sinus infection. Other than that life has been pretty ho-hum. Just trying to enjoy the warmer weather when it isn't raining!

My "angel" helping mommy in the kitchen.

There has been a lot of coloring and drawing going on in our house these days. Artwork piled everywhere to prove it! :)

Nick was being a great hubby and dusting our bedroom on Friday afternoon. Micah wanted to be in the picture.

Daddy and Micah being silly. Do you thing dusting spray would make a good hair mousse?