2 Hot Days -- In a Row!

This summer has been cold.  Okay, maybe cold is a little harsh, but it has been cool.  Highs in the low 70s, somedays even 60s.  It has been nice -- if you don't want to be out swimming, or if you don't have outdoor swim lessons...

But, yesterday and today we were in the high 80s and today the heat index hit 100.  I like warm weather, so I was excited.

We finally got to pull out the pool.  Only I don't know how to blow it up, so we had the little blue plastic one and a slip n slide.  The kids had so much fun.  I love watching them play together.  Ryan was asking me to be the lifeguard when they were using the slip n slide.  He is unsure of sliding on his belly so he usually slides on his knees.  The giggles and squeals are priceless and make me forget (kind of) the dishes and laundry and all around messes that I have waiting for me inside.

I want to remember these days forever and always.  I want to freeze time.  I love these two so much!

Just a Typical Night

I love these two kids.  They are so silly and crazy.  So different, yet so much alike.

Ryan pulled up his pants as high as he could tonight.  Leah thought it was hilarious and couldn't wait to do the same.

Not a day goes by that they don't make me smile.  

Mulberry Lane Field Trip

Ryan went on a field trip with Tot Lot to  Mulberry Lane Farms today.  He was so excited.  He ran into our room fully dressed in the morning.  The smile on his face when he saw the bus was priceless.

The boys had a great time.  Cheryl even said that they got off of the bus thanking the teachers for such a great time.  How sweet is that?!  Ryan said that he rode a pony, petted some 10 day old baby chicks, fed goats.  His favorite though was milking the cow.  I am a bit of a wreck when he is gone, a little sad that he is off doing these things without me.  More than anything I am so happy for him.  I am happy for all of these great experiences and seeing him happy makes me happy.  He is getting to be so grown up (he even pees standing up now -- TMI?  Maybe, but he is so proud!).  

Ryan and Leah are already talking about Leah being in Tot Lot with Ryan next year and that she will be going on the trip with him next time.  I am not ready for that!!

Soccer

I cannot believe that next week is Ryan's last soccer game for the summer.  He LOVES soccer.  It has been fun watching him play.  He is more aggressive than when the season started.  He has scored a few goals and talks about the game that he scored the "hat trick" -- that is 3 goals in one game...

This was Mike's last game as a coach.  He is going to a professional soccer game at Miller Park next week so he will miss the last week.  

Celebratory ice cream with Macie.  Seriously, where did the season go?!  Where did the summer go?!  Where does time go?!   These two will be in kindergarten in less than 2 months and the little one on the left will be in preschool...

Strawberry Picking

I love strawberry picking with the kids.  They are so excited to ride on the tractor and go into the fields to pick (read: eat) the strawberries.  This year Mike said that we should go on our own.  The forecast wasn't looking promising for the weekend, so we decided to go with the neighbors.  It was a great day for it.  Hot, but not too hot.  Not too muddy.

They ate the majority of what they picked...surprise, surprise.  So we ended up going a second time with Mike on the weekend.  I hope they like doing this forever!  I don't remember ever going strawberry picking when I was little (I think mom went on her own or Grandma Krueger did), but I have very fond memories of Grandma Krueger's freezer jam.  I try to make it, and I think it is pretty good, just not the same.

Time to catch up

I knew it would happen.  It always does.  I started out strong and then...wham...I am super behind on documenting our lives.  So, my goal for the next few days is to get caught up...here we go.  

Mike had to work last Saturday so he decided to take Friday off.  We told Ryan and Leah that it was "Special Friday", we didn't tell them where we were going, we just kept telling them that it was a surprise.  The kids were super excited.  We packed up the car, stopped at Festival Foods for our "car doughnut" and were off.  Here are some guesses the kids had as to where we were going -- Jamaica, the zoo, Grandma Joan's, Grandma Seston's, Bay Beach, the children's museum, the airport.  GPS took us a crazy way, and we ended up going through Amish country (it was kind of fun seeing a horse and buggy, or 3 again though).  For awhile I wasn't even sure where we were going!  Anyway, when we got closer we said that we were by Baraboo and asked Ryan if he had any ideas.  He said "The Dells...Waterslides!".  He was right!  Mom had given us free passes to Mt. Olympus, so we thought we would give it a shot.  We had so much fun!  Both kids loved the little water slides and the wave pool.  

I love that Leah is getting to be braver when it comes to slides.  She has so much fun once she actually tries them!

Someone wants to be just like Daddy.

Everyone loved the wave pool.  The kids giggled the whole time we were in there.  

Ryan asked me to take this picture.  He loved the big orcas.  

Fun!

Mike and Ryan waited in line to go down a bigger slide, but when Ryan got to the top the lifeguard told him that he was too short.  On our drive home, Mike asked Ryan what his favorite part of the day was, Ryan said "when the lady said that I couldn't go down the slide.  I was kind of scared".  Now I can't help but giggle when I see this picture.  You probably can't tell without zooming in, but he does look a little worried.  Poor kid!!  

Leah wanted nothing to do with any of the bigger slides, so the boys took off and Leah and I hung out by the little slides and then "after word" (a new Leah-ism) we got an ice cream cone.  

Leah wanted to take a selfie :)

Waiting in line to go down a really big slide.  

After a full and very fun day at the water park, we went to dinner at Macs (a macaroni and cheese restaurant), walked around on the strip and the boys got ice cream (Leah didn't eat her dinner, as usual).  It was  a very special Friday.  Ryan said it was "better than awesome".  

On Saturday we went to Arthur Marble beach with the neighbors.  We had a good time, but Eric ended up getting hurt, which was a big time bummer.  

All of the kiddos.  

Playing catch before the injury.  

Leah just wanted to play by herself.  I think she was a little tired from the day before.  

Matching swim shirts.  We didn't even do this on purpose.  

Building their village.

After we got home from the beach, we offered the kids some candy from the candy store.  Leah was eager, but Ryan said no.  This seemed really odd.  Mike asked him why not and his response was because his chin felt funny.  A few seconds later he was getting sick all over the kitchen floor.  He said he didn't feel sick and acted fine the rest of the day.  Before bed he grabbed the puke bucket and went into the bathroom.  I asked him if he felt ok and he said "Yes, I'm just going to get my puke out for the night".  I explained that wasn't really how it works.  It was pretty cute.  I am glad to report that it seems like it was just a fluke...maybe all of the excitement or the heat.  Sunday was a low key day with the kids second fun run of the season at night.  The kids did great.  Ryan finished in 3 minutes and 34 sec and I didn't catch Leah's time. 

All in all it was a pretty terrific weekend...except for breaking our neighbor, that kind of stunk!