Trading pictures

I sent this one...

Kinley has learned to climb the stairs.

Andy sent this...

Boy Scouts ready for some camping, and possibly swimming.

I sent...

Kella showing off her fashion sense.

Andy sent...

The campsite.

I sent..

Kella with her dolls.

Andy topped that with..

Apparently it rained a bit at camp.

Fun with cell phones!

'round here

We are well into our third week of summer vacation.  It has been pretty humid here and has rained every day for a little bit-like Florida.  Right now, we are coming out of a tornado warning for a storm that went to the south of us.  Yippee.  All plans I had for today are cancelled except for a run to the store for to restock our milk supply.

We've tried to keep ourselves busy here.  Some things have been checked off our summer wish list.

Ewan and Cale went to Cub Scout camp and loved it.  Cale actually passed his swim test (or, rather, the part he was tested on) and earned himself a paddle in the canoe he was in with Andy.  I think both the boys earned their belt loops, and maybe their pins for archery and bb guns, too.

Ewan, climbing a rock wall.

Cale, shooting.

I think we've gotten to 2 parks so far.  It's hard for me to coordinate park time with Kinley's sleep schedule and evening activities.  And, I don't feed like playing in this humid, hot weather.  

Look, proof that Kinley can be smiley.  She really likes these swings.

We've had a guest at our house-Flat Stella from Oregon.  We take her around so she can see some of central Indiana.

Sad news-Mr Orange is missing!  He went missing on Saturday night 6/14 and hasn't been seen since.  I think he got shut outside that night on accident and instead of sticking around, the next door dog ran him off.  I am hopeful that Orange ended up on someone's doorstep and that kind soul took him in.  I keep looking out the doors thinking I'll see his face peeking in.  I tell the littles that Orange is off having an adventure.  Kella says that he is fighting Doofenshmirtz (the evil genius from Phineas and Ferb-a show we watch a lot here.  In the show, the kids's pet platupus, Perry, goes off the fight the evil doctor in every episode).

A week after Cale and Ewan got back, Marcus headed off to Boy Scout camp.  Andy got to go, too.  

Looking spiffy in his scout uniform.  The scarf holder was made by one of the leaders.

The "boys" ready to go.  I think Marcus was tired of getting his picture taken at this point.

Marcus comes back Saturday morning and Andy comes back the night before since I have to work this weekend.  Andy is back for two days and then he leaves for a football camp (for work) on Sunday and will be gone for another week.  Crazy, I know.

We've also been working on the library reading program and have just been hanging out.  Lots of play time, lots of electronics time, lots of relaxing time.  Summertime.

Mother's Day swag

I love all my little gifts I get for Mother's Day. I love how the older boys will bring theirs in wrapped in tissue paper for me to open. All my gifts are sweet and all I need.

Flowers and artwork. Marcus and Cale did the wooden plaques and Ewan's is at the end-a clay starry night painting.

Also from Ewan. The hands say, "she is nice, she is fun, she is sweet, she gives me food, she helps, she likes me."

Necklace, strung together by Liam.

Kella's fingerprints on this pot. Done in her preschool class.

Summer wish list

School's out for summer.  For 7 weeks.  It would be 8, but we used all our flex days at the end of the year as make-up days for all the snow/cold days we had in January.  I've said it before, but I have a feeling that the time will go by too fast.  I've made a list of things I would like to be able to do this summer.  I won't call it a bucket list, things that we need to check off.  But I will call it a wish list, things that I would like to do. 

soccer camp (Marcus, Cale, Ewan, Liam)

basketball camp (Marcus, Cale, Ewan) 

swim lessons (M, C, E, L and Kella)

Cub Scout camp (C and E)

Boy Scout camp (M)

band camp (M)

summer reading program 

trip to Holiday World

camp at Lake Rudolph

geocaching

day trip to Warren Dunes

Indianapolis Indians game

Indy Eleven game

visit different local parks

trip to the Ft. Wayne zoo

use our Y membership and go to the swim park-often!
go to a movie
go bowling
go mini-golfing

Here's to a great summer!

end of year wrap up/start of summer fun

The boys are finished up with school last Friday, June 6th.  They were kept busy that last week with soccer camp and basketball camp, not to mention soccer games three nights that week.  Now we are relaxing our way through the first of 7 weeks of our summer break.  I have a feeling it's going to go by too fast.

Last day of school pic.

Liam, kind of running in his game.  Grammy Pammy says that watching Liam play soccer reminds her of Ferdinand the Bull (from the story Ferdinand).  I have to agree.

Saturday, the 7th, saw the last soccer games for Liam, Ewan and Cale.  Marcus has been done with soccer for a couple weeks now.

Ewan

Cale

Ewan's team

Liam, thrilled that he got a medal and a snack.

Cale's team got 2nd place in the U10 league.  

Cale's team

We started the library reading program on Monday.  The kids got to see a science experiment show and Cale, Ewan and Liam each got their own library cards.  Marcus already has one and his mother needs the pay off the tab she incurred returning books/movies very late.  $19.25 late.  Ouch.  

Marcus started 2 weeks of band camp on Tuesday.  Classes are in the morning and are section specific.  He is in the trombone, baritone, tuba group.  Marcus is pretty excited about getting his horn and starting to learn to play it.  

And, this morning (wednesday), Cale and Ewan took off for Cub Scout camp with Andy.  They should have a blast.  The weather looks like it will be great, too.  I can't wait to hear some of their camp stories when they get back on Saturday.

Story time with Liam

This girl is one.

Kinley is...

sweet

curious

crawling

pulling to stand

cruising furniture

showing off 5 teeth

a great eater

a great napper

shares a room with her sister

sleeping in her crib now

switching from formula to whole milk

an experienced soccer watcher

nicer to everyone she meets

enjoying playing around her siblings

a lover of books, her thumb, her blankie and baths
our little girl who we love very, very much!

The cakes!

How could I forget to add pictures of the girls' cakes? I found the idea of cutting out cakes in the shape of numbers from Pinterest. Grammy Pammy baked the cakes and cut them out and frosted them the next morning. I bought a lot of frosting for the cakes because I was afraid I would run out. Really, I just used a can of frosting on each cake and sprinkles from 4 of the frosting cans. I think they turned out great and the best part-there were no leftovers.

the girls' birthday party

 Kella and Kinley shared a birthday party this year.  We had family over to help us celebrate.  I didn't get a ton of pictures, but here are some.  I think everyone had a nice day.  It was definitely nice seeing everyone and especially having cousins over to play with.  Our kids really liked that part of the day.  Kinley did okay.  She only had to be removed from all the commotion twice.  A bottle at one point and a bath later on, calmed her down enough so she could rejoin the group.  I'm pretty sure, though, that Kinley was in bed before we had Kella's birthday cake.  

The day started with soccer games for Cale, Ewan and Liam.  Everyone went, including Grammy Pammy, Maddie and Abbie who had come over for a weekend visit.  I came home from work, took a nap, got up, straightened up the house a bit and decorated the girls' cakes

Everyone arrived/came home and the chaos/fun began.  Andy grilled out for us on his new grill/graduation present.  He made some corn-on-the-cob wrapped in bacon.  Pretty good stuff.

Kinley went to take a nap and then we had Kella's birthday time.

She's a princess and she's three!

hanging out, watching the present opening commotion.

Liam was all over helping Kella open her presents.

After Kella opened presents, the cousins all headed off to the park.  They had some awesome play time there and came back looking very warm.  And ready for more cake.

Time for a family photo requested by Grammy Linda

Kinley's birthday time (aka: cake, part 2)

I think she likes it!

Kinley wasn't super excited about opening presents.  Don't worry, Liam stepped in again to help.

Just a little bit of sandbox fun.  The kids made a mountain/volcano that they could pour water into and the water would come out a drain at the base.

A fun, exciting day.  A great way to celebrate our girls' birthdays.

a Liam intermission

Liam, from the other day.  I can't remember who he was dressing up like at the moment.  He just wanted his picture taken.