a tiny re-cap

We are in the throes of the last days of July.  I hate this time, because school is quickly creeping up on us.  We don't have class assignments yet and I have bought a handful of school supplies.  You might say we are right on schedule.

The kids are enjoying lazy mornings and nights of playing outside until after dark.  It's been great.

The bigger boys have done scouting camps.

We made it to the YMCA for swimming almost once a week until scouting camps started and July became monsoon season.

We have completed the library reading program.

We have had lots of late nights watching movies.  The boys just finished the first 3 Star Wars movies.

We got to go to Grammy Pammy's for a reunion spectacular.

As you read this we are in the final stages of preparation for our trip to southern Indiana, staying in a state park cabin and going to Holiday World.

We've done lots and still have more to do this summer.

And, hopefully, I will post some pictures soon.

Let's hear from Marcus!

In an effort to keep my fledgling tradition alive, I dug out the birthday questions for Marcus to answer.  At least I got them done in July.

What is your favorite color?

purple

What is your favorite toy?

phone (he has taken great care of his phone this past year and just got some new games for it thanks to Google play cards that he got for his birthday)

What is your favorite thing to sleep with/favorite stuffed animal?

none (I beg to differ.  Marcus has a generic army man with movable arms and legs that he likes to keep with him.  Moving the arms and legs of the army man is relaxing for Marcus.)

Favorite fruit?

banana

Favorite cereal?

Crunchy Raisin Bran

Favorite thing(s) to eat for breakfast?

cereal, eggs, cinnamon rolls

Favorite thing to eat for lunch?

sandwich

Favorite dessert?

chocolate

Favorite book?

Ender's Game (he has started to read the series)

Favorite movie?

Ender's Game

Best friend?

Korbin

All the other questions he left with a question mark.  Stinker.  For the next year, we will be wondering what Marcus's favorite drink is, his favorite animal, favorite song, favorite game, favorite tv show, favorite thing to do outside and future career choice.  While I think I could fill those questions in with some accuracy, I will honor the question marks and leave all guessing.

My ladies

Look at my precious girlies!  I actually enjoyed taking them to get their pictures taken a couple weeks ago, and the photographer did a great job getting some sweet pictures.  

2 year old Kinley

4 year old Kella

Aw-sisters!

That face!

Kella loved having this mesh fabric to play with in her photos.

Gingers in nature-a visit to Camp Buffalo

It is late.  By the time this posts, we will be on to our next adventure.  Right now, I am multitasking-watching Netflix, updating our Garmin and blogging.

I've got a girl curled up next to me and a dog curled up on my feet.

It's good.

Today (Wednesday) we went up to see Marcus and Andy at Boy Scout camp.  It was family visit day where the scouts and their adults cook a meal for the families at the campsite.  Why not drive an hour and a half in rain to go?  

Worth the trip.  The kids got to explore a little bit of the campground.  We got to eat a great meal partially prepared by Andy.  We got to hang out and just be together with the other scouts and their families.  There were also the hordes of mosquitos, the rain, the mud and Kinley's temper.  But we won't focus on that stuff.  

Gingers in nature are pretty easy to spot most of the time.  Their fair skin and red hair make them easy to find.  

They like trees.

They are not shy when they know the camera around.

They like tents (like Daddy's new one).

Sometimes they try to be fast.

This tree again.

We went to the nature cabin where a couple very nice scout staff showed us their collection of animals.  Some of the stuffed ones they dressed up-like this gopher looking thing with the helmet and bowling pin.

They got out the corn snake named Bill and let all the kids pet him.

These gingers give the photographer a hard time by not looking at the camera all at the same time.

Then, they take off into the forest.

And, find the ropes course.

After that, it was time to corral the littles into Andy's tent.  It's like a pack-n-play with a lid!  The kids were excited because it was new.

Dinner!

Then, Andy got the pleasure of taking the kids back to the ropes course and taking care of Mommy's best friend, Kinley, for a bit.  A nice break for me and probably not one for Andy.

Got my photo with my boy.  Marcus is having a great time at camp.  

Forced the boys to pose for a pic, too.

We love a good balloon glow

My favorite part of 4th of July stuff in our town is the balloon glow.  I love seeing those hot air balloons inflated and lit up with their fires.  I love how casual the environment is, walking about, saying "hi" to friends and chatting.  And, this all goes down at the front of our subdivision.  Takes us 5 minutes to walk there, maybe.  Plus, this year, the church right there offered free snow cones and hot dogs.  The kids were all in.

Liam saw his friend Gam.  They were super excited to see each other and run around.

It was a little windy at first.  There was some concern that the balloons wouldn't be able to get inflated.  Look at this big guy trying to squeeze himself up between the other two balloons. 

Liam wanted his picture trying to hold up all the balloons.

Snow cones!

A great lead-in to 4th of July fun!

Grandpa needs to start shopping

The boys have been inspired by some robot battle show on tv.  They want to build their own and have their own battles.  Grandpa Jerry is on board for the building.  He told the boys to make a list of the supplies they need.  Here is Cale's....

"2 small stainless steel knives

1 small blow torch

20 wires

1 large chip

3 sheets of metal

4 medium of-road wheels"

Well, this list promises to be interesting.  Have fun boys.

Time for the girls to see the doctor

Mid-June, I was the lucky parent who got to take the girls to their joint doctor's appointment.  I knew it would be especially "fun" because 1) I worked the night before and 2) both girls were getting shots.  The appointment was as expected.  Kinley was tolerant of the nurse for the most part.  Each of the girls got a sticker after getting weighed and Kinley almost assaulted Kella for the Frozen sticker Kella got.  There was lots of saying "let it go" on Kinley's part and then she got herself a Frozen sticker, too.  Our favorite doctor was happy with the girls' growth and development.  Then, onto the shots.  There were tears.  Kinley went first, since she only got one shot.  Kella went next, and, although she cried about the shots, she freaked. out.  about the band-aids.  Really, I have not met another kid who cries hysterically about the thought of wearing a band-aid.  I looked at the nurse and said, "she is not going to wear these."  The nurse was like, "I've never seen a kid cry about band-aids before.  I guess we can just hold pressure with a cotton ball if there is bleeding."  Which is what we did.  One crisis averted.  Then, the girls were showered with more trinkets from the nurse, gum from the check-out lady and lunch from the golden arches from their mother.  I would say that recovery went smoothly.

The ladies were measured and weighed.  Here are their stats:
Kella: height 39 inches, weight 33.8 pounds 50th and 50th percentiles
Kinley: height 33.5 inches, weight 30.8 pounds 75th and 90th percentiles
(Kella at 2 was 33 inches and 28.4 pounds.  I really think Kinley is heavier at this age because she is still drinking her milk with each meal.  She has a kind of bottle/sippy cup hybrid she uses right now instead of a straight sippy cup.)

A boy is a magical creature - you can lock him out of your workshop, but you can't lock him out of your heart.  ~Allan Beck

It's Marcus's 12th birthday today and he is spending it at Camp Buffalo, aka Boy Scout camp.  Of course, knowing he would be spending his birthday at camp, Marcus's chief concern was when he would get to open his presents.  Us, being the kind parents that we are, decided we would celebrate his birthday on the 4th of July.  

Marcus made his wish list of birthday things.  Ok.  We got him everything he asked for.  Some of the stuff he asked for: larger soccer ball, new goalie gloves, Marcus needed anyway for the next soccer season.  

New headphones.  Our kids don't like earbuds.

Bigger soccer ball-Liam and Kella wanted in this picture, too.  

New goalie gloves!

Trying out the new gear.  Cale inherited the old gloves for as long as they last.

Sporting his new soccer jersey and shorts.

Kinley approves.

Time for cake.  Marcus picked out a devils food cake with white chocolate frosting.  

It took 3 tries to get all 12 candles out!

The rest of the night contained cake, ice cream and fire works.  And then a late night rush to pack for camp the next day.

Ah, the picture with Dad.

And, with Mom.  I still have a couple of inches on Marcus.  At least for a little bit longer.

Son, you outgrew my lap, but never my heart.  ~Author Unknown

Off they go....

All clean and ready for an adventure!