Random June

After Marcie posted about her kids painting with their feet, I had N2 paint with their feet.  It was somewhat successful.  I couldn't keep the paper on the driveway and I think it was too hot for them because I seem to remember them complaining about being hot.  The both slipped on the paint and then got paint all over their pants.  But we did end up with three strips of paper that they were excited to show Brian.  They got to pick the colors for all of the papers (I think we had too many colors and they got a little muddy but N2 didn't care) and they decided where they would step.

I tend not to like messes and there was a lot of clean up (figuring out how to get feet clean without tracking paint all over the house, getting clothes off kids without getting more paint on their clothes, drying the paper without getting paint all over).  I think you see the trend-not getting paint all over.  I tend not to get paint out very often because it is just too messy.  I need to figure out how to let my kids paint without me worrying about the mess.

I asked N2 what we should get Brian for father's day and their generic answer is an adult movie (no, not that kind of movie).  This year they also included beer.  They know Brian enjoys trying new kinds of beer.  So I took Natalie (Noah didn't want to go) to Trader Joe's to pick out beer.  She wanted a small shopping cart so all the beer went in her cart.  This made me feel a little wrong :)

This summer N2 got up before Brian and I.  It was not uncommon for us to come down and find N2 playing a board game.  This particular morning they were playing while eating and their animals were also playing.

Swim Party

My multiples group hosted a pool party last year and decided to make it a tradition and host one this year.  The pool and slides are open just for our club from 7-8:30 (we were able to swim from 6:30-7 as well when the diving boards were open).  This is such a great event that my kids really enjoy.  This year Natalie decided to be brave and jump off the diving board.  She went over and over again.  Noah would get in line to try but wasn't confident enough.

 I love this next picture because it looks like Natalie and the other girl (who is in my multiples group who Natalie has only met once or twice before) are trying to do synchronized diving.

Natalie and Noah spent the whole rest of the evening going down the slides.  There is a kid's area where there are things to play with and slide down but N2 were not interested in it at all.

Strawberry picking

We were fortunate enough to go strawberry picking two times this year-once in March in Houston and once in June around here.  We decided to buy big baskets because we figured N2 would pick a lot of berries.  We got out to the strawberry fields and they really didn't want to pick berries at all.  Natalie decided she wanted to pick snow peas, so she and I head back there.  Once we picked a lot of sugar snap peas, we went back to strawberry picking but Noah was done picking.  Next time we'll just buy smaller baskets so that Brian and I don't need to pick as many!

 I love that my kids still like to hold hands when they walk places.  They don't do it all the time but they are cute when they do!

I'm glad that we picked so many strawberries so that I could make Grandma's strawberry coffee cake! I managed to make 4 pans with one recipe and I still have 2 in the freezer!

Father's Day

I'll eventually get to posting about N2's birthday parties but the amount of pictures I have is pretty daunting.

For Father's Day this year we met up with Brian's brother and his family along with Brian's parents at Illinois State Beach on Lake Michigan.  The water was still pretty cold and my kids were pretty hesitant to go in the water.  Dan couldn't convince his daughter to go in the water (maybe she got her toes wet but that was it) so he got my kids to go in the water.  There were also dead fish all over (apparently this happens every year around this time so we just need to avoid the beach there in mid June).  No one stayed in the water very long.  I saw under an umbrella and read a book :)

After they played in the water, Brian got out the kites and both kids tried to fly their kites on the beach.  They have beautiful dragon kites that flow so nicely in the wind.

Spring soccer

My kids decided they wanted to play soccer in the spring.  We tried a new soccer league and it was OK.  We had a very rainy spring so lots of games and practices were cancelled and rescheduled.  It was somewhat of a pain.  N2 realized that they both like playing defense and goalie.  Neither one like to play forward (very similar to me).  Noah spent lots of time on the ground-he liked to fall when playing.  They both improved their soccer skills and had fun.

 They are playing soccer again this fall with the same league (and they'll play in the spring too) and I have better pictures (I wasn't able to attend many of their games last spring).

April/May

I was just trying to figure out why I don't have lots of pictures for April and May and I realized it was because I was so sick and didn't do much with my family during those months.  We did attend Chloe's birthday party before I got sick.  It was a beautiful day outside (warm if I remember correctly) and the kids loved playing outside.  I think they tried to make zip lines with a rope.  Dan had given Rachel a camping hammock (for her birthday?) and it was fun to see how many people could fit in the hammock.

Natalie had her bridging to Brownies ceremony in a park.  They couldn't find a place with a bridge over water so they used a mirror for the girls to use for the reflection.  I seem to remember saying very similar (if not the exact same) words when we bridged.

Marcie and her family were here (I don't remember why) and my kids and Amelia decided to have a history club.  Noah was Hellen Keller, Amelia was George Washington and Natalie was Abraham Lincoln.  They each said something about their character.  I don't know where they get these ideas!

Brian got a new (well new to him-it was free and used) kayak this year and starting teaching N2 how to kayak.  I guess they decided kayaking in the garage was the way to go!

April Fool's Jokes

We figured N2 would appreciate April fool's jokes this year.  I wrapped grapes in candy wrappers in their lunch.  We gave them mashed potatoes instead of ice cream and let them put sauce on them.  They didn't think this was too yummy (we did let them have real ice cream later).  I don't even remember what else we did but they really did enjoy all the tricks!

Birthday kids

I realized I never posted about N2's birthday parties.  I need to get on that but I have so many pictures to sort through before I can post!  Here they are on their actual birthday.  I ended up baking cupcakes and then freezing them for the party we were having with the Weidners at the end of February.  That was easier than making a cake!