7 Age Up

Carter rarely drinks soda.

Last week he was at Grandma & Grandpa's & he had some 7 Up with dinner. When Cory & I got back to pick him up they said that he had called it "7 age up."

I thought it was hilarious!! He's referring to the age you have to be to play certain games!!

Our Little Fish

Carter LOVES the pool. He has been swimming twice a day for the past few weeks. When his cousins get done with swim lessons around lunch time, they swim at Grandma's & then they have been swimming in the evenings after dinner. We can't keep him out of the water!! I'm not complaining though; I think it's great that he loves it!! It is really good exercise.

His favorite thing to do now is jump off of the waterfall. My Dad just poured some concrete steps behind the waterfall so that the kids have an easier time climbing up there. What a great guy!!!

It will really come in handy for the 4th of July splash contest!!! I know all of my cousins are getting geared up for that!

Drew & Carter having fun in the pool

Carter jumping in.....

and again!!

Just had to put this one on here!

I thought this was so sweet!

This Is What Happens When You Eat A Blue Raspberry Airhead....

Fairytale Town

We went to Fairytale Town this morning with Kristen, Haley, Sydney & Drew. It was nice going early, before it got too hot outside! The kids had a lot of fun running around. I feel like I didn't take many pictures since I was chasing Claire around. I think the last time we went she was still strapped in her stroller!!!

Carter going down the Old Lady's Shoe slide. The kids had a blast on this. Claire loved going down with Haley & Sydney. I took her a few times too!
They loved the tee-pee. They were getting pretty creative in here. They brought the big logs out of the tee-pee & made a "pretend" fire & roasted marshmallows. It was really cute to watch!

Not too sure what Claire is doing here!

Claire, climbing through tunnels

EBay

One of the best things I've won on EBay:

Salt Water Sandals for Claire for $1.25
and she looks so cute in them!!!

How Can It Already Be That Time Of Year?

image via: flickr

Happy Father's Day!!!!

Happy Father's Day Cory!!!!

Logan's 1st Birthday

We had such a fun time at Logan's 1st Birthday Party tonight. Yummy food & fun games!

The kids loved the pinata. Here they all are sitting patiently for their turn.

Claire pinning her "bug" on the flower

Carter had quite the swing
Julie got an 8 week old kitten yesterday & she brought it out towards the end of the party for the kids to see. I was shocked that both of my kids LOVED the kitten. They both held it & enjoyed it! It was so cute!!!

I never thought I would see Carter holding the kitten!!

Disney's "A Christmas Carol" Train Tour

Today we went to Old Sac to see Disney's "A Christmas Carol" Train Tour. Amtrak is pulling a train on a tour across the U.S., which stops in different cities every couple of days, to promote the movie which is coming out in November, starring Jim Carrey. The outside of the train was decorated with scenes from the movie and they had fake snow blowing around outside. We thought Carter would really enjoy going to this, but once there found that it was more for adults to enjoy. We waited in line for 1 & 1/2 hours to get onto the train (and it was quite warm in the sun!) and then we walked the length of a few cars where they had lots of different things from the movie on display.

The outside of the train



Jim Carrey playing Ebenezer Scrooge in 1802

A picture of Jim Carrey playing Ebenezer Scrooge in 1793

Carter looking at some of the memorabilia

Models of some of the actors

In the last train car they had it set up like a warm & cozy house during the holidays.

Claire standing near the fireplace.

Carter, Cory & Claire at the dinner table.

After we walked through the train Carter & I went into this blow up train where we watched a 10 minute clip of the 3-D movie. It looks like it is going to be a really good movie!

Carter's Last Day of Swim Lessons

We've spent the last 2 weeks at swim lessons & today was finally Carter's last day. He has done so well, I am really proud of him! Today was the "fun" day, where they just played around & worked on the things they have learned one last time. Half way through the class they had all of the other classes come into the little pool where Carter had his lessons & they did some silly things. All of the kids ran around the perimeter of the pool & then they turned around & had to try & swim the opposite way with the current. The made a big wave pool too! At the very end all of the classes went over to the big pool to jump off the diving boards. I really didn't think Carter would do it, but he stood in line & walked right to the end & jumped in! There was a teacher in the water to help them get to the edge of the pool.

He will have to repeat the "guppy"class, but he is doing so well. To graduate to the next class you have to glide on your front for at least 2 body lengths, roll to a back float for 3 seconds & recover to a vertical position.....maybe next year!

At my parents house he will now jump in from the side & off of the diving rocks.

He is doing so well! Carter, we are so proud of you!!

I remember jumping off this same diving board as a kid on my last day of swim lessons. We spent A LOT of time at this pool growing up!!

Carter had quite a fan base today; Grandma, 3 aunts & 3 cousins! Luckily Courtney had her camera or else I wouldn't have this documented with pictures!!!

18 Months Old!

I can't believe that Claire is 18 months old today. It sure has flown by.

I do know that 18 months is not my favorite age!

Claire will definitely let you know when she wants something. She has a scream that is quite ear piercing. She has a mind of her own....which is good, but if she doesn't get her way you better watch out! She loves to throw things on the ground, whether it's her plate of food or her binky when we are walking through a store. She used to be so easy to put down for bed at night. We would rock her for about 10 seconds, lay her down & not hear from her until 8:30am the next morning. Now we rock for a bit longer, put her down & a few minutes later she's either crying or babbling on & on forever so we have to go back in & rock her.

Aside from all the craziness she is still one of the most lovable little girls around. She loves to lay her head on our shoulders & she will stay like that for a while. She loves to look at books & play with her doll. She LOVES to be outside. She likes to dance around to music. In the car when the music is on she will bang her hear against her car seat like she is a rocker. She loves the park. She's still a great eater, but she doesn't always want to eat. Mornings are the hardest. (Maybe she's like me, I don't like breakfast foods.) She loves icee pops.

She's starting to be shy around other people, although if someone walks by she will wave to them. She is getting really clingy! She wants her mama close by. She started Nursery last Sunday & it didn't go so well. I tried her in there about a month ago to see how she would do & one of the Nursery leaders brought her back out to me; she had been crying the whole time. Last week my friend Kathy took her with her daughter Lauren to see if that would be any better. The minute they walked in the room Claire started crying. She cried off & on for a while & then Cory went in with her. She did ok for a while but then started crying again, along with a bunch of other kids. Cory couldn't stand all the crying so he left with Claire still in there. After Sunday School I found Cory & Claire in the foyer. For the third hour I brought Claire back in myself & stayed with her. She did ok, although if she didn't see me in the room she would start to cry. I think this is going to be a long process!!

We sure do love this little girl so much! Tonight when I was rocking her she kept giving me kiss after kiss. It was so cute. After she would give me a kiss I would say thank you & she would sign it back to me. Here's to the next 18 months!

Claire pointing to the apples in Washington state. She loves to sign apple. Our little girl....growing up fast!

She loves to lay on pillows

Looking at books on Carter's bed

Reading with Carter

Swim Lessons

Carter started swim lessons this morning. Just like last year, he didn't want to go. But once we arrived we saw that one of his pre-school teachers, Miss Kelsey, would be one of the teachers in the "guppy" class. He felt more at ease with her being there. There were about 10 kids in the class & 3 teachers. Miss Kelsey actually ended up taking 4 of the kids & teaching them on her own, so Carter had the other 2 teachers. He did really well with them. He jumped into the pool from the side, went under the water and did a lot of kicking & bubble blowing.

He swims really well at Grandma & Grandpa's on his own, with his life vest on. We just need him to learn how to do it without the vest.

I'm so proud of him for going to the lessons, since I know that he really doesn't like doing it that much!

Bummer!!!

This evening as I was putting my deviled egg dish back into it's box, it slipped out the other end & crashed onto the floor into a million little pieces!!

Not only did I have to spend a few hours cleaning up the glass, but I no longer have an egg dish.

I just hope I got all of the pieces cleaned up so that no little feet step on them.

Peace & Quiet

In the car today, Claire was whining & crying. Carter says to her "Claire, stop crying. I don't like it when you cry." As she continues on he says to her "Claire, I just want some peace & quiet."

Hmmm....I wonder where he has heard that before?

This Girl's Got Style!!

I think we've got a girl with her own kind of style on our hands!!

This morning Claire brought me these black shoes to wear with her pajamas.

She walked around for hours with them on!

Then later in the day she brought out this skirt to put on over her clothes!!

I think she's going to be one of those girls that changes her outfits a million times a day! (Like cousin Kimberly!!!)

She loves to pull clothes out of her drawers!

If Claire finds the phone lying around she will pick it up & start pushing buttons. Luckily she hasn't called 911 ....yet! She looked so cute laying on the pillow with the phone to her ear. Watch out for her teenage years!!

Cousin Time

Since Carter needed to stay "near the bathroom" today, he called over to Grandma's to see if Drew wanted to come over & play. Olivia was over there as well, so both of them came over to play. They had fun playing the back yard & then in Carter's room.

"Livi" just relaxing
Drew & Carter messing around on the swing

Miss Claire trying to get into her car

Summer Storm

We don't get summer storms very often, but right now the thunder is rolling & the lightning is striking. The thunder has been going non stop for quite a while. It is so cool!!! I now hear rain drops falling as well. Hopefully Cory has no problem flying in late tonight!

Mmmmmmm....Good!

The kids got lollipops in their goodie bags from Maddox's birthday party the other day. Carter pulled his out today to eat & when Claire saw it she went crazy. I got one for her & she was so happy! She looked so cute sucking on that big lolly. She didn't even finish it though. After a while she went & threw it away in the trash. Good girl!!