What a Week!

With summer here it feels like we just never stop!! It feels good to be busy but there's nothing like getting the kids to bed and just crashing on the couch 'til my bedtime!

On Saturday we went boating. This is the first time that I've been out since I had Jace (so it's been awhile). I don't like taking the kids out when they are so little because they hate their life jackets and I hate for them to be without one (although I don't think they'd hurl themselves overboard you just never know!). So Darren convinced me to go out and then convinced my parents (extra babysitters!) to come out too.

We had a great time and I didn't even feel that rusty on the wakeboard considering it's been 2 years. Unfortunately, a few hours into it and several miles from the docks our boat stopped working! We had to flag someone down (which was a feat) and they towed us to the docks (which was also a feat). The people we just happened to flag down had an aluminum fishing boat which stopped about 4 times on our way in. So consider it a blessing that we made it back!

The girls swimming with Dad, Jace and Pa

Our first boat outing ( meaning mine and Jace's together)! By the way, Jace's hair is standing up like that because of the massive amount of sunblock I sprayed directly onto his scalp! He refuses to keep a hat on - I had no choice.

Abby's getting pretty good on the kneeboard - she just goes on her stomach.

Daddy and his boy. Jace loves the water - he just doesn't love his life jacket as much! But he did great swimming around. A little fish in the making!

I guess the only person who avoided the camera was Grandma Suzette. She was there though and was" just about to go on the skiis" when we broke down! The good news is Darren just finished fixing the boat so maybe we'll do it again next weekend!

Bug Hunting

We like bugs at my house. I don't know how it happened. Maybe we were always destined to become buggy people. I'm not sure. All I know is that it has become an obsession. Maybe not for me but definitely for my 5 year old! Abby wants to capture anything that flies, crawls, or buzzes. We've caught butterflies, roly-polies, grasshoppers, beatles, and even a hornet! My neighbor who loves nature (aka bugs) has become a mentor for my girls and even bought them their first butterfly nets. Here's Abby after a small butterfly. She actually even got it!

Here's Brooklyn at the said neighbors yard. Caterpillars. How delightful! I even have a video taken by my neighbor showing Brooklyn with her caterpillars. A lot of caterpillars. I'm talking like a dozen green, crawly caterpillars. Spilling out of Brooklyn's cute little hands. Not so delightful. Kind of disgusting actually.

Here's a picture of the caterpillar after it's formed the chrysalis. I find all of this very fascinating really. The caterpillar just curls up and forms kind of a C shape and then, magically morphs into this. I know some of you think I'm crazy at this point but have you ever thought about it? Just stop and think.......a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. Amazing! Notice how it's only held by two thin little strings.

And then, one day out comes a butterfly! This one happens to be a Black Swallowtail. And in case you're wondering, he is indoors. Abby and Brooklyn's room to be exact. We watched it up close and personal until he emerged. We wanted to see the whole process of him breaking out of his home, but we missed it. But I did see it jump the day before he was "born". Kind of like a baby kicking I guess. It scared me. But that's neither here or nor there. Look how beautiful he is!

And here's my little bug lovers. I sure love them!

Carnival Day

I was just looking through some of my pictures and realized I never posted about some of our "important" events. You know, like Carnival Day! So just for a quick recap, we were lucky enough to have a traveling carnival set up directly across the street from us. It has become tradition for us to take the kids over for a day of fun-filled activities.

Brooklyn's favorite things were the big blue slide (shown) and the huge obstacle course. The obstacle course was one of those two story netted courses with punching bags to go around, bridges to go over, slides to come down..... you get the idea. She loved it. She didn't love the dragon roller coaster so much. Which just happens to be one of Abby's absolute favorite rides. We have the pictures to prove it. Abby began going on the dragon roller coaster as soon as she was able to be let on. Actually before she was legally tall enough to go we got her on by accompanying her. Fun you must be thinking. And it possibly would have been fun if I was one of Snow Whites seven dwarfs and didn't mind whiplash. But that's beside the point. Abby loves the thrill of scary rides. Brooklyn gets a thrill watching Abby on the scary rides.

Anway, Abby really wanted Brooklyn to go on the dragon with her and she started prepping Brooklyn for it days before we went. One day Brooklyn really wanted to go on the dragon. The next day she made her "I'm so scared face" if Abby mentioned it. Long story short. Brooklyn went with Abby on the dragon and two times around began yelling to the carni let her off. He stopped the ride just for Brooklyn. And off she came with a huge smile on her face. "I did it. I went on the dragon!" She conquered her fear and that was enough for her. She never went on the dragon again.

The Big Blue Slide (Brooklyn and Abby)

Here's Abby on the parachute swing. This ride looks harmless enough until it really starts going. And once it goes you begin wondering how such a good mother like yourself could have ever let your little girl go on this ride. But Abby loved it and really, how many children have ever been thrown off these kinds of rides?

We were able to go to our Pancake Breakfast in the morning, hit the parade, come home and walk to the carnival, walk home for lunch, walk back to the carnival, walk home for dinner and walk back to the carnival. Hey, if you're going to buy an All Day Pass you've got to use it!! Until next time Carnival!