Busy June Part 1

What have we been up to this summer? PHEW! So much! I have filled our June with classes, trips, playgroups, and on and on. Have to say- I am actually looking forward to a slow, calm July! My head has been spinning all month shuttling the kids all over the place. Keira (and mommy) are taking gymnastics, dance, and art. Quinn and Keira are swimming. Today we had our next to last gymnastics class and Keira is finally comfortable and confident (of course at the end). We went and had coffee and chocolate milk (and a cookie) this morning before class so that may have helped! She also absolutely loves her art class which is set up in a very free choice, yet organized environment- such creative ideas. We have many amazing Keira originals hanging all over our house! Quinn is a little fish and has no fear of the water! He back floats, kicks his feet, and sticks his head all the way under the water. Next week I’m going to get some pictures of the kids in action in their classes- but for now, here’s us taking a park break (notice Keira’s new tongue sticking out quirk). She also loves helping me with the dishes!

The Twins

I just love dressing my "twins" alike!

Down on the Farmstead

Quinn's new favorite food...


It's not grapes! A little crunchy!

Keira stays neat and tidy playing beside the sandbox- she refuses to get in! They are only serving sand today.

Estimated time to complete setup of playset... (4-8 hours according to directions) ACTUAL time it took... 17 1/2 hours! We kept Daddy busy building most of the weekend.

Pictures of completed set coming soon!

Daddy took a break from building Sunday and we all headed to a farmstead- REAL cows, goats, bunnies, pigs, and sheep! It was a great time! http://www.opkansas.org/_Vis/Farmstead/

Happy ONE

We celebrated Quinn’s first birthday on Saturday with family and friends. The weather was absolutely beautiful and Quinn had so much fun on his big day! He was so exhausted by the end of his party that after the cake it was straight into the bath and then bedtime.

I still can’t believe what a little man he is becoming. This has been the fastest year yet! I had thought that after Quinn turned one, I might get that baby itch back again- NOPE! I feel so content and I am finally sort of starting to catch up on the lack of sleep from the past two years. The best part is that many of my one child friends are now entering into the second child on the way (or trying) time. I guess my Mommy’s Margarita Friday playgroup might start getting a little lonely- or I’ll be the only tipsy mommy anyway! Soon- oh so soon- I will have the dream of mini playgroup where my Irish twins will play, together, for more than 2 minutes- giving me “all this time” to do things like take a shower and eat sitting down.

Q-Man's First Haircut!

I took Quinn to get his first haircut yesterday! He absolutely loved most of it- until she tried putting product in his hair! He seriously did so great! Abby, my hairstylist, has suckers and cartoons going- so it was like a party! He sat there, watching cartoons, enjoying his milk, and I watched, kind of sad, as my little baby turned into a little handsome man right before my eyes. Every time I look at him now he looks more and more grown up. I just can’t believe that he will be ONE on Saturday. Where has the time gone?
Love you little man!

BEFORE


DURING

AFTER-- Handsome man!

Summer Time... finally!!!

For the first time in two summers I am not pregnant or with newborn! Reason to celebrate! We are getting out and getting wet, having picnics, going to the park, and by the end of the day the kids (and parents) are completely exhausted! Love it!

K and Q got their first push pops and had so much fun pushing up and eating the never ending treat! At first I was holding Quinn’s for him, but he quickly snatched it from me and dove into it all by himself!

Daddy got busy clearing a space to build the new play set. While he was digging out the tree, a nest of baby birds fell onto the ground. We carefully scooped them up and put them back into the pile of branches from the tree- trying to reconstruct the tree the best we could. Then we watched as the mommy bird, with a mouth full of worms, finally found her babies again and fed them. We’re hoping they will make it! It reminded me so much of being a mommy (especially of a newborn) – the mommy bird spent the entire day finding worms and feeding her little babies.

Keira drove her car several times through the sprinkler Coup Wash and then used her ShamWOW to dry and buff every inch of her car. This girl loves to clean things! Her brother, on the other hand, loves to push her buttons and destroy things!

Quinn had so much fun playing in the water yesterday- the pool, the sprinkler, squirt bottles, the water table- he loved every second! He is busy and fearless! He also climbed the stairs (with us spotting) yesterday, climbed up the slide all by himself, and climbed up and jumped on our mini trampoline. BUSY! He is great at climbing UP, but hasn’t perfected the graceful dismount yet! It’s more like dismount onto face and scream to get off or down! Nothing phases the little man, however, and he will climb right back up and go again!

We enjoyed a beautiful, kid-free hiatus to Seattle! Don't we look so relaxed??

Coloring outside the lines