We started this list:

so that Tyler could start earning a $10 train set addition thingie that we saw at a garage sale (still new and in the box...usually for $15 or more) and learn some general money lessons too. .....Here isTyler doing his first attempt at vacuuming the steps:

Getting lessons from Daddy....and both kids think the vacuums are WAYYYY too loud! 

 

Tyler has been working on this chart in spurts for about a month and he is almost done.  Hooray!

 

And, related in a tangent type of way:  Tyler decided he needed to mow the lawn in the living room one day.  Sure.  Makes sense. Right!?!?!

 

Well we had been at the grocery store earlier in the day.  I bought sushi/California rolls.  My carton didn't have the fake grass in it and it was a major issue....M.A.J.O.R!!!  Because he wanted to practice mowing with it at home.....so I made him some grass.  Lots of it!!!  Just glad he liked it! Phew!

 

Tyler is feeling super Snazzy after being able to go to a concert with Grandpa, Grandma, and Cousins A and W.....it was the Go Fish Guys at a local (mega)church.  We knew he loved music and them before...but he really hasn't been the same since!   He sent them a picture to their fan mail address...they sent a sweet personal letter back.  He has reinacted various parts of the show at various times and has announced that Jamie, Jason, and/or Andy are riding in the car with us at random times.....the kid is on fire or something!!!

 

Because my kids have heard some version of "no, not yet" so many times when it comes to playing in the rain, we broke into a semi-impromptu rainy play and puddle jumping fun one day in June....and we really haven't had any rain since!  Very Fun!

 

Beth has loved horses for a while now! 

 

But recently, she has taken to holding, caressing, petting, and totally caring about the well-being of........Nathan's feet.....because they are "horsies".

 

I introduce to you...Jacob and Stuffy.  Yes they are named....I hope it helps us learn/transition to the lessons of Right and Left in the near future.

 

 

True Love !?!?!?!

A Magnificant friend took these Magnificant pics while we were at the Magnificant Y pool on a Magnificant day in June.

Thanks TG!

 

 

 

 

Mmm Mmm Good.

It is so exciting to have access to my pics again, that I hardly know where to start because there are so many small stories to share!...but because the 4th of July just happened, it was a big family roadtrip, there were lots of pics....I kinda figure that I better tell the story before too much more time passes. 

 

 

Oh, our annual 4th of July/family reunion in Indiana with a large portion of Nathan's family.  It's at the lake, lovely.  Good food. Card games.  Water. Boating/tubing/skiing.  Lots of people to catch up with.    It is a great party!.....9-13 hours from home (depending on traffic, time of day, age of kids and potty issues...)

 

But ya know, the kids don't really mind the drive.  And we actually took in the sights of our splendid dairy neighbors to our east as we drove this time!  "Say Cheese(y)."

 

 

After driving most of the day, we arrived at our destination at about dinner time.  Nice.  When we stopped the car and opened the doors, all 4 of us pretty much ran for the beach/lake....and saved the unloading for much later!  This is Beth very excited to be at the lake!

 

And because Nathan's uncle is our dentist.....we were really due for a visit and it was the first time for the kids.  Our second day of vacation was spent at the dentist's office.  Tyler did super well the whole time and got the whole check-up and cleaning.  Beth was not so hip on the hygenist (a stranger) but did allow Uncle Dentist to poke around some for a check-up. 

 

 

The rest of the vacation was spent playing and eating, eating and playing.....

 But you should know that it was a little cooler than usual, but that didn't stop the FUN!

 

Tyler got on the tube (slow speed) for the first time and Beth was on the boat for the first time (and fell asleep).

 

Finally, it was the 4th of July and the festivities really ramped up!

 

 

Aaahhhhhhhhh.

Finally took Tyler and Beth to their first parade.  We aren't opposed to them.....just never went....timing, weather, and our own availability has always gotten in the way because the kids were so teeny and stuff.  So, when some friends of ours said a parade was going by their house and that they would be hosting a BBQ whereby all of us party goers could sit in their yard....well golly, that is a great thing!  Such fun, good eats....!

 

We were all very excited...can you tell!?!?!

 

And then the parade started with more emergency equipment (fire trucks, etc) than I have every seen in one location....the kids were totally pumped, wanted to greet everyone....but sometimes the horns were too loud. 

 

The CRAZEE DAISIES have come and gone for another year...all before I got these pics posted.....so I am putting these on now, because, well, I miss those CRAZEE DAISIES!

 

 

 

This one slammed our back picture window and (I looked up in time to see) it fell 2+ stories to his death.  We don't know what type this is...but we did make a small procession in the backyard to bury it (aka chucking it with a shovel over the fence into the woods) so that we could so some sort of object lesson with the kids....jury is still out on how that all went.

 

Then we knew there was a nest of birds somewhere close to our front door...in the bushes....just could never spot it....this momma kept squawkin' at us (thankfully never dive-bombing us)

....until our 9 year old friend "C" looked in and spotted the nest with in seconds of trying to find it.....SWEET!  So I took this pic:  ...and then, with in a few days or weeks, (sigh) well the nest is empty because the babies learned to fly (by banging into our front door some).  Aww.  They grow up so fast.    Here is a little guy trying to figure out how to get off our front step:

 

Tweet Tweet!

.....a day early!

 

Computer/picture transfer is almost complete.  We've been very busy (Ooo, lots of pics and stories to share) and then on vacation....so here is a pic from our vacation to the Lake Country in Indiana (never mind that we live in the Land of 10,000 Lakes ).