Photo Friday-More Oregon Photos

We are home now...just barely. Hence, the lack of explanation for these photos...

FYI-don't feed this boy spaghetti.

Watching all the fishies.Robbie was king of the bean bag chair at the nature center.

Padyn very proud of her otter pic at the nature center.

My river man...

Pretty girl.Robbie feeding Papa.

Rainbow Face Girl-this was her face painting from the fair.

It's a miracle! She likes the pool! (and looks super funny in those goggles...)

Happy Friday!

Out of the Mouth of Babes...

Kate, after watching an episode of "Little Bear:"

Mommy! It's HARD taking care of a baby!

M: Yes, I know. I've had three.

K: (with a look of total confusion) When?

Photos for Daddy

Photo Friday-Oregon 2010 Part I

The kids and I drove up to Oregon on Tuesday of this week to spend some time with Grandma and Grandpa and Leo Dog. We've been doing the normal things...playing in the river, watching TV, getting our face painted at the fair, watching pigs race...but more on that later. Yesterday we spent the better part of the day out on the lake. As you can see from the pictures, the girls had a great time. Robbie had somewhat of a good time. He was tired, so he was a bit clingy and I don't think he liked his life jacket very much. I mean, would you? Look at the thing. But he did like the water. And the sand. Especially climbing up the steep sandy embankment. He rolled down a number of times. It didn't seem to faze him at all. And don't worry. He was wearing his life jacket the whole time, so if he had rolled into the water, he would have floated.

The girls and Grandpa first exploring the beach. They found some "rocks" that floated. I think they still think Grandpa has magic powers. (The "magic rocks" are pumice).

The girls first getting in the water with Grandpa. We beached the boat at this steep sandy slope and spent our time swimming around.Robbie trying to see the girls on the beach. I hadn't brought him down there yet, so he was a bit jealous. Testing out the waters. Ever since Kate decided she could swim this summer, she's been super eager to get in any body of water. She kept swimming out from the beach to the boat or to the inner tube, then swimming back. But she refused to jump off the boat or get in the inner tube.

We were a bit afraid of the inner tube floating away, so we made whoever was in them hold onto the rope that was tied to the boat. Padyn REALLY liked the inner tube.

Kate didn't like climbing in from the ladder as much as swimming back to the beach.

Mr. Cranky Pants fell asleep as soon as the boat started moving on our way back to the boat launch. How he could sleep sitting up in that straight jacket is beyond me.

A few close ups of the kiddos...

Well, this one isn't such a close-up...

Happy Friday.

Swim Meet

On Saturday, Padyn participated in her first ever swim meet. Last year, she adamantly refused to do one. But this year, we had peer pressure on our side. Cousin Bella swam in one a few weeks ago when we were out of town and she wanted to do it again. Well, these days, if Bella wants to do something, then Padyn usually wants to as well. So, here they are getting ready for their first event, 25 Back.The meet was super low key. The kids could sign up for whatever three individual events that they wanted and when their event was called, they just got line up by age group. Then, the coaches walked them over to the start, 5 or 6 kids at a time (depending on how many kids wanted to swim). So, there were no heats or finals or anything. Girls and boys were mixed. And everyone got a ribbon whether you placed first or sixth. This meet was timed, but I don't think they will do anything with that information other than post it at the pool for kids who care.

Here's the girls walking to one of their events.This was their last event, the 25 Kick. They swam 25 Back, 25 Free and 25 Kick. Padyn did outstanding. Here she is with her ribbons. And check out that blue one-that was from her first ever event, the 25 Back. I was so proud of her. And quite astonished. She's good! The fourth place was the free and the second place was the kick. I spent yesterday trying to teach her a racing dive. I convinced her that if she can dive in instead of starting in the water, she'd place higher in free. I think she actually believes me.

I think she was pretty proud of herself, too. Oh, and look at that whole in her mouth!

Photo Friday-A Hodge Podge of Random Updates

It's hard to believe that we are already in the middle of summer! Before I know it, it will be time to buy school supplies and new shoes. I'm doing my best not to think about it, so please don't inform me when August hits. I just don't want to know.

For now, I can reflect a bit on how we've spent the first part of our summer. I don't have photos to cover everything, but I'll do the best I can. (That camera really has taken a bit of a hiatus. I leave it out on the counter, but it's not doing me any good there, either.)

First, we've been spending a lot of time in the pool. Well, the girls and I have been spending a lot of time in the pool. We go in while Robbie is taking his nap so I don't have to juggle him or try to keep him off the super hot concrete. Both girls are also on swim team. Well, Padyn is on it and Kate is doing the "mini" program offered to younger siblings. It has been the greatest thing ever for her. After one day, ONE, she decided she could swim by herself, without her inner tube. And now she's a fish. She loves swimming. It truly is a summer miracle. And Padyn will participate in her first swim meet tomorrow. She's still a bit reluctant, but because cousin Bella is doing it, Padyn will, too. Sometimes peer pressure does work in your favor.

We've been spending our later afternoons inside the house, getting on each other's nerves. Here Kate is bugging Robbie by sitting in his chair. You can see his little feet there. I think he was yelling at her to get out. Right after is when I took these pictures of him standing up in it.Currently, Robbie loves to climb. You saw the trampoline pictures. Those were taken on Wednesday. Yesterday he climbed up onto Kate's bed. The bed! Waiting for his sisters to finish gymnastics today, he crawled back and forth between two folded up mats...up, down, up down....giggle, repeat. I wonder what it will be tomorrow...will I come into the kitchen only to find him already in his high chair? Probably not too far off, that one.

He loves to climb up on the little blue couch and hang out. Here he is perfecting his hang out pose. He even has the remote. All he needs is a beer.We've been fruit picking several times. Here the girls were trying to figure out which peaches were ripe and which weren't. They weren't very good at it. They should stick to blackberries.

Not pictured: Our house is being taken over by ants. Today they are coming in from the attic. They have made a hole in my ceiling (a hole that seems to be getting larger), are crawling into my kitchen, down the side of the fridge, and disappearing underneath. I can't tell what they are after. I put one of those bait things on top of the fridge and they have finally discovered it. I'm sure I'll have many more tomorrow and then by Sunday they should be petering out. That hole is going to continue to bug me, though.

One really nice thing about summer...everyone is sleeping in. It's quite a dream. Due to that, we have some pretty late breakfasts. (I mean, like 8:30, 9am late. Not like college student late). Here's a random breakfast picture. I don't know why Kate dragged her blanket out or why Robbie is on the floor instead of in his high chair. Padyn lost her third tooth on July 3rd. She didn't put it under her pillow until the 4th, and then the tooth fairy forgot to come! The next night the tooth fairy left a note with the $2 explaining that her not coming was due to the fireworks. I'm not sure if Padyn bought it or not. This picture is right before it came out. I don't think I have one yet of the hole itself.

And lastly, Robbie turns 15 months old tomorrow. 15 months, and finally, he will eat a banana. What a weird kid. I mean, just because I don't like them doesn't give him a reason not to eat them, right? I thought all children loved bananas!

Happy Friday!

New Skillz

It's something new everyday for this boy. Just this week he's been attempting to stand without holding onto anything. You can imagine how proud he is of himself. And yesterday, this was his new trick......climbing onto the trampoline all by himself. And look! He even knows what he's supposed to do on it! Yes, he was actually jumping. Jumping without his feet leaving the trampoline, that is. But still. He just climbed right on and jumped. This can't mean anything good for the near future. Maybe it's time to move the trampoline away from the sliding glass door...

Deployment, Day 3

Sadly, Daddy left a few days ago. He's off flying his airplane for a while. We talked to him via Skype this morning. When we got off the video call, a short conversation ensued between the girls...

Kate (all drama and whiny): We don't know what to do in our summer without Daddy!

Padyn(all practical and superior): Daddy is off making money.

900

That's the number of yards Padyn swam today in her Swimathon. She had 55 minutes to swim as many laps as she could to raise some cash for her swim team. We thought she'd be able to do about 20. Everyone, including Padyn, was surprised when she completed 36 laps!

Oh, and that was in 50 minutes, not 55, since we were 5 minutes late to practice (as usual).

I'm Sure She Has A Good Explanation for This

Padyn walked into my room at 7:30 this morning and asked where Kate was. Apparently she wasn't in her bed, which is where I thought she went at 5:45 this morning after she left my bed. Padyn and I found her a minute later here...

...where she managed to sleep for another hour despite the fact that the rest of us were up and conducting morning activities all around her. Her explanation upon waking? She was hot and didn't want any covers and the couch had no covers. Can't argue with that logic, now can you?