A day at the zoo with cousins...

All four cousins paitently waiting to leave for the zoo! (I had told them to scream something, but for the life of me I can not remember what it is they are saying in this picture)
Jack and Rynn showing some love and posing for me oh so good! (This might be one of my favorite pictures in a long time. I love to see how they are growing up and becoming friends - enjoying one another's time together)
Molly and I doing a little goat petting. She really did not want to go in, and I had to hold her hand. However once she saw they were not going to do anything to her, she loved petting them.
There is an area at the zoo with farm animals. We got the kids to do this funny thing. I thought they looked oh so cute. We tried to get Molly in the little hole under Eleanor, but that was not working out so well, so...
...we got Molly by herself after the big kids were done and gone! We had a super day at the zoo. It was beautiful weather - it did get a little crowded at the end. The animals were fun to see. Jack and Molly loved seeing the giraffe. We got to see some really cool fruit bats, and spent a long time watching the polar bear swim in the water. We also got some really good family time with Jason, Caroline, and the girls. Jason took the kids on a bike ride to Trader Joe's for some ice cream. Jack, Eleanor, and Rynn turned two jump ropes into a homemade water ski time. Jack ran around with one handle from each jump rope in his hand, while Eleanor and Rynn each had a handle in their hand. I laughed and wished that I could have had that on film for Pops to see. They even came up with it on their own. I am not sure they knew what they were doing, but it sure looked like waterski practice to me!

4th of July...

Here are a couple of pictures (late) from the 4th. We had a church picnic at a park, then went home with the kids. We did not even stay up for the fireworks. I was tired and worn out, and the kids were the same. I figure we have many years when they actually will know to ask to stay up for the fireworks ahead of us that I did not fret about not seeing any this year.

Grass, where have you gone?...

In the midst of trying to get the final permit accepted for our addition, we decided to redo the grass in the backyard. We had to do some drainage work per the city in order for them to give us a final permit, which meant that Kyle had to dig a really long trench across the backyard. There are many long stories to accompany the drainage issue in the backyard, but I will leave it at this...the end is in sight and the city seems happy with what we came up with to solve the rain water in the winter. Hopefully by the end of August, I will be able to post some new pictures with pretty new grass and the kids running around in it!

I'm trying to post new pictures...

but the site won't let me. Check back another day. I do have lots of photos and stories to share, so hopefully it will work another day. Don't give up just yet! Sorry it has been so long...life has been too crazy that the computer has not been turned on most days unless a bill has to be paid.

A monster...

Tonight as I was putting Molly to bed, I told her to scoot over toward the wall so that she would not fall out of bed. For the second night in a row, she replied..."no mommy, there is a monster over there." Last night, I played it coy and said there was no monster. Tonight, I asked her to show me where the monster was in her eye. She pointed to the wall and said..."right there." I, of course, did not see the monster. So, I said touch the monster. She touched the wall and told me that it was right there. The only thing that I can come up with is that she thinks there is a monster that is in the texture on the wall. She is not so afraid of it that she wants to move the bed or won't go to sleep, but she sure is not going to lay too close to the wall. Funny what kids pick up on...Jack has never even mentioned a monster in his dark room all of these years.

Friends came to visit...

This is Wyatt and Darby Rapp, some friends of Jack and Molly. They are all really close in age, and have lots of fun together. The Rapp family is sadly moving back to Texas sometime soon, so I thought since they were over today I would take a minute to snap a photo for a memory. Kyle thought I was a little crazy to watch all four of them, but I knew it would be easy. They are all old enough that it is less work and a true joy and blessing to listen and watch them play together. I love to listen from the other room while their imaginations go wild. The joys of childhood!

"The end of an era..."

Tonight as I was walking out of Molly's room to go and start dinner I hear Kyle say..."this is the end of an era." Indeed, it is! We are officially out of the crib, and have bought Molly a big girl bed complete with pink sheets. They did this while I was hosting a baby shower at the house. They came home with the mattress and box spring. I was excited to make the switch. Molly was more than pleased to sleep in it. We put them down for a nap, and we don't think Molly moved from the position we left her in as we closed the door. Although it is on the floor, it is fun to see the kids grow up...at least she can climb up into this way. Before naps...
After baths, before bedtime...