Aqua Babies!

It's hard to believe that summer is really almost over! In just three weeks Kate will be back in preschool! We have had a very fun summer....and it's not over quite yet!

For living in a pretty small town, I feel we are very lucky to have this great water park less than 5 minutes from our house. But, as crazy as this is, until today we haven't gone to swim here this summer. I have wanted to take the kids, but really just wasn't sure if I could handle them here by myself without someone drowning! So, knowing my cousings (Jonie & Cody) would be here today, we decided to try it....and it was great!


Kate & Gabe couldn't get their shoes off and sunscreen on fast enough.....

Just look at those smiles!

Unfortunately, Gabe was climbing to the top of the giant structure when the big bucket dumped. He wasn't expecting it...and was TERRIFIED! After that, he wouldn't go anywhere near it and really just wanted out of the kids area all together!

So, while Gabe and I sunbathed on the sidelines with our cousins, Kate found an old classmate, Cooper, and they had a blast together! Kate & Cooper were great Yellow Apple friends last year and we were excited to learn that they will be together again this year!!!

Aside from our field trip to the Aquatic Center, we have also spent alot of time this week in our little backyard pool. Today I was Ariel, Kate was Melody (Ariel's daughter), and Gabe was Flounder. And as you can see, they also needed sunglasses today!

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Happy 6 Years!

In just one picture I can pretty much sum up our entire weekend! If there was one thing Jon and I needed more than anything else this year for our anniversary it would be this: to get away and just have fun! With the stress of a new baby, moving to a new city, living with my parents, and trying unsuccessfully to sell a house, the past two years haven't exactly been easy on us or on our marriage. But, we've made it to 6 years and things are looking up! Gabe is no longer a baby, we are mostly settled, we have the house to ourselves now, and we are finally closing on our house in just a couple of weeks! And, thanks to my parents and Jon's parents, we were able to get away for a weekend without the kids!!! We went to Orlando for 3 days: Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios, a luau, and Sea World! We got to ride LOTS of roller coasters and had so much fun! We loved every minute, but we were also ready to get back to the kids!

Tumbling Toddlers

So, I finally found some boys for Gabe to play cars, trains & trucks! Gabe, Victor, & Gavin are all three pretty laid back and fun to watch...so different from the girls! But, sadly, just as this friendship is forming, Victor is about to move. :( This is the one thing I really hate about living in a small military town! It's so hard to get close to other military moms knowing that within a couple of years we will have to say goodbye....

Kate and Madeline also wanted a picture!

Kate was in regular clothes but she loved dressing up in her princess dresses and pjs!

Thursdays mean....GYMNASTICS!!! In the morning Gabe meets up with all his "baby" friends for what is really open play time on all the gym equipment. He has a blast playing with friends, jumping on the giant airwalk and trampoline, doing flips, and chasing balls.

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And because it's summer, Kate gets to play too!

Then, after class, lunch, and a "too short" nap, it's time to head back to the rec center for Kate's class. There are about 5 little girls in her class and parents only get to watch the 1st class of the month...but I did sneak this picture of her about to FLY! She loves swinging on these rings, but today the teacher sent them flying about 10 feet in the air! I about had a heart attack....maybe that's why parents aren't supposed to watch! :)

While Kate is in class, Gabe and I always tour. First we stop by the basketball courts and watch for a while, then we always end at raquetball....Gabe's favorite! The guy on the left always smiles when his littlest fan settles in the watch him play!

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Family Reunion

We had some visiting relatives (great to see you again Buster & Nick!) so of we course we took the opportunity to get the whole family together. And what better place than at Jocobi Farm! Our cousins have the most amazing farm house that you almost feel like you need to pay admission for a full day of fun!

(Almost) the whole family.

While we all chatted, the kids immediately found the kiddie pool and jumped in!

Cutie pie Zane learning to crawl!

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And beautiful Miss Hannah!

"Sharkboy" & "Ariel" are now ready to move on to the big pool!

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Kate is truly a fish in the water!

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Even Gabe has gotten brave enough to leap in this summer!





Splash your daddy Zane!!!

All the little cousins!

After a bit, Billy brought over a turkey!

Kate immediately jumped out of the pool for a closwer look.

Then, Billy put down the poor turkey....and the chase was on! That turkey didn't know what to do or where to run! Kate never actually caught him, but she gave him a good workout!

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Next we walked out to the hen house where Billy brought out one of his recent finds....a rattlesnake skin! Kate wasn't so sure she wanted to pose with that thing!

Kate was then asked to step into the hen house and look for eggs. She found TWO!!!

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And finally, the most amazing event. Kate looked at these two chickens, reached down and picked one up like she was grabbing a cat! I think we all looked at her in shock and disbelief that she caught a chicken like it was nothing. She's a natural farm girl....who would have thought?!?

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Kate & her chicken!

My Aunt Janie & My grandma.

(In the background in visiting relative Buster)

Water Wars

We drive by this giant submarine statue almost every day. Kate & Gabe both love to point it out to me and say "That's where daddy works!!!" Well, not exactly, but they are sort of right. :) Jon works through the security gates behind this submarine, but he is not in the Navy. However, he does maintain/fix the missiles on the sub....so they are almost right! Anyway, Kate has been here before, but Gabe was still in his infant carrier the last time we actually stopped to look at the giant statue. So I decided to call Jon to meet us after work to climb on the giant submarine! The kids were soooo excited!!!

Look close.....Jon, Kate, & Gabe are standing under the wing.

The next day, after learning about the submarine, we decided to BE a submarine! Okay, not really, but we did go to a water playdate! Kate & Gabe decided to slide together into the waiting arms of their buddy Walker.

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Later the boys were playing very well together collecting and dumping water when all of a sudden Madeline came over and climbed into the water table. Notice the scowl on Gabe's face as he quickly scooped up all the buckets! He was NOT thrilled that she came over and intruded their "guy time."

This morning Kate was very anxious for her little brother to wake up! So, the moment she heard a peep coming from his room she ran down the hall, threw open his door, and jumped in the crib!

Then she announced, "We're going to Emma's pool party!!!"

Happy 2nd Birthday "Little" Emma!

Lions, Tigers, & Bears, Oh My!

Despite the fact that it is nearly 100 degrees outside, I decided to take the kids back to the zoo today! They don't seem to mind the heat, love seeing the animals, and know that it also means a trip to the water area at the end of the visit!

Happy to be at the zoo!

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Madeline also joined us today.

She was loving all the attention she was getting at lunch as she gobbled up this orange!

Yes, I will someday have an entire album full of this very shot, but Kate wants a picture here every trip to the zoo!

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Whoa, look at those lizards!!!

Hot & sweaty, it was time to head to the play park!

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After a while, this little girl came up to Kate, introduced herself, and asked it Kate would come play. Kate told the little girl, "No, I'm playing with my brother." But, what Kate didn't count on was that Gabe would then follow the girl to play! The little girl was very excited and immediately ran off with Gabe...leaving Kate by herself! Well, as you will see below, Kate was NOT happy about this! The next 30 minutes became a game of tug-o-war with Gabe in the middle! Gave loved every second of it!!! Finally realizing the girl wasn't going away, Kate told me she was ready to go home! :) Jealous or protective big sister?!?

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Kate tried everything she could think of to pull Gabe away from this girl!