Home, home for a week

The boys and I headed back to my parent's house for a week in July. It was a great time and very relaxing. I refer to my parent's house as home, home. I confuse them a lot when I say I came home from something and I mean to my own house so their house is home, home and my house is home. Anyway, it was a funfilled week with watching my nephew Isaac play baseball, going to a little splash pad in the ped mall, going on a playdate with my friend Jayme and her girls to the pool, and preparing and having a garage sale at my cousin Bridget's house. I know it doesn't sound like we possibly could have relaxed at all, but we really did. I'm so glad I got to share my boys with my parents for a whole week. I know they miss the boys so much and we miss them, too!

(L-R) Isaac, S.Jessen, Luke, girl stranger, Evan, and Tater at the ped mall splash pad

Granny taught S.Jessen how to really do the lite bright by following the colors with the letters. This is their final product.

Pops and the P0-Tater rock- a -bying

(L-R) Tate, S.Jessen, and Luke watching Isaac's baseball game

Praying

At the end of the school year a few friends were talking about praying before bedtime with their kids and I honestly hadn't even thought about it yet. We found a few that we liked and we start with this and then do an individual one, too. It's really going great and helping the boys begin their daily relationships with God. We also added the one for eating that S.Jessen learned at preschool. I've been impressed that Tate could memorize it so quickly, but I don't know why. He knows every word to every song after hearing it once. S.Jessen does, too. Enjoy!

Recess Go Bananas!

A friend of mine and I took our boys to Ankeny, to a place called Recess Go Bananas! It was super fun and had rides that they could ride on at any time they wanted, bouncy things, and of course plenty of token games, too! There was even a room to just dance in. The boys had a ball. The only thing they didn't like was this gynormous caterpillar that you have to climb in two entrances from the rear or the front and it was too scary to get in! We are definitely going to try to go back sometime this fall. It was only $7/kid for all day! Of course we were only there from 11-1 or so with tired boys ready to crash on the way home.

Tate is in the lead with S.Jessen and JT coming in behind
Chugging along on the train
The airplanes were cool, too!

These were fun hoops!

Here is the play by play of S.Jessen on the huge slide. We couldn't get Tate or JT on it, but I think you'll be able to see that S.Jessen loved it!

July 4th Weekend

Well I'm late as usual. Here are our pics from visiting my parents over July 4th. We had a super fun time. Lake Rathbun was low enough we could go for a boat ride. The boys still did not enjoy tubing, but one day they will. In fact later on in the month S.Jessen finally enjoyed rididng with his cousin Luke!

Uncle Adam and Tater pretending to sleep!

S.Jessen is playing with the race track on the couch. He really liked it!

Pops giving S.Jessen and Tate a ride on his golf cart. It worked out perfect because he was bringing it home to sell. They got to ride it the whole weekend, and now it's gone.
Tate requested to be Super Tater so here's Granny giving him a flying lesson! I don't know who's enjoying it more :) Slowing down for a moment to pose. I just love those faces!

Pops and Tate

Granny and Tater with his successful thumbs up
It really looks like Tate's driving and stressed, but they're just good actors Look out fishies! S.Jessen's gotta pee!

Mommy, Tate, and Granny while S.Jessen is sleeping on Daddy!

Daddy still has skills! He can still get up :)

The day after the 4th, Bridget came to visit with baby Evan, who is not much of a baby anymore! Look at him using a fork. He is 18 months old here! I'm impressed.