Read!

No.  9 on Summer Fun List:

Participate in Library Reading Program!

The reading program is pretty simple...read 20 minutes a day and you get to color in a star.  After 30 days you can hand in your sheet for some prizes.  We typically read way more than 20 minutes a day, so it wasn't a challenge, but both of the kids were exited to color their stars and bring their sheets in to the library.

The prizes included a sticky hand, sun glasses, free cone at DQ, $5 coupon for a local toy store, free Pheasants tickets (local baseball team)...and probably something else that I'm forgetting.

Way to go kids!

(Next year Addie can participate:)

 Nathan has become quite the avid reader.  We think he's probably reading at about an average 2nd or 3rd grade level.  He's become a fan of Beverly Clearly and also The Magic Tree House series.  Though if you were to ask him what his favorite thing to read is, he would probably say easier reading books about Legos, Transformers, Star Wars, etc.



Berry Fun!

No. 5 on the Summer Fun List:

Pick Strawberries!

We returned to Sanderson Gardens for the 3rd straight year...This year we were joined by Nana & Papa, my sister Amy and her kids, and my sister Brenda and her family. It was also hot and very windy!  But, the kids worked hard and we came home with about 23 pounds of strawberries! 

Several were eaten, two batches of homemade strawberry ice cream were made, as well as strawberry shortcakes, and the rest were frozen!

My nephew Micah loved to eat the strawberries!  We tried to convince him to pick his own and eat them, but he ate them out of the buckets:)

Evie

Sweet Evelyn is now over 2 months old.  She's definitely doesn't seem like a newborn anymore!  Everyone comments on how little she is, which is strange for me because I'm always in awe of how big she is...or rather how quickly she is growing.

At her 2-month well child visit she was 11 lbs 6 oz (40th percentile) & 23 inches long (60th percentile)

Here she is enjoying some outdoor time with Daddy (which has been the most effective remedy for evening cry spells)

When Life Gives you Lemons...

#50 on Summer Fun List: 

Make Homemade Lemonade!

We actually did this twice, the second time making strawberry lemonade...hence the seeds and pulp on the edge of the glass.  (which by the way, we all decided we were not a fan of if you are ever making homemade strawberry lemonade).

Summer Fun List

OK, so life is a little crazy.  I feel like I'm busy all the time, but when people ask me what we've been doing, I can't really give them a solid answer. Such is life with a new baby. 

Thankfully back in May we made a list of things we wanted to do this summer.  I'm looking at the list, and we've done a few things, but we better make the most of our last month and a half of summer!

Here's the rough draft list Nathan, Ella, and I made...which ended up also being our final list:

1.  Go Swimming

2.  Watch Fireworks

3. Visit Papa & Nana

4. Go to Homestead

5.  Pick Strawberries

.  6.  Go Fishing

7.  Go to the Zoo

8.  Backyard Campout

9.  Participate in Library Reading Program

10.  Family Movie Night

11.  Go to a Movie in the Theater

12.  Go on a Nature Walk (Park or OutDoor Campus)

13.  Have a Pizza Party

14.  Have a Watermelon Night

15.  Waterballoon Fun

16.  Make Popsicles

17.  Make Smoothies

18.  Have a Family Picnic

19.  Do SideWalk Chalk Art

20.  Go Miniature Golfing

21.  Chase Butterflies, Dragonflies, Fireflies

22.  Play at a Beach

23.  Go Stargazing

24.  Blow Bubbles

25.  Go to a Baseball Game

26.  Make Rootbeer Floats

27.  Throw a Birthday Party for Nathan

28.  Throw a Birthday Party for Daddy

29.  Go to the Washington Pavillion

30.  Create an Obstacle Course

31.  Go to B&G's Milky Way

32.   Get Slushies at Sonic

33.  Go to a Play at McKennan Park

34.  Go to the Spray Park

35.  Make Strawberry Jam

36.  Play Baseball

37.  Launch Bottle Rockets

38.  Paint Outside

39.  Have WaterGun Fun

40.  Attend Outdoor Movie Downtown

41.  Go to Farmer's Market

42.  Have a Family Grill-Out

43.  Build a Fort

44.  Go to a "First Friday" Downtown

45.  Go for a Bike Ride

46.  Have a Tea Party

47.  Listen to Live Music in the Park (or Downtown)

48.  Go on a Sculpture Walk

49. Complete Swimming Lessons

50.  Make Homemade Lemonade

51.  Family Trip to the Black Hills
52.  Make Homemade Ice Cream