Summer House Projects

Although we've been gone a lot this summer to trainings, lessons, workshops, family traveling, and Dr. appointments, we've managed to do a few things around the house. Except for our flower bed cracks that re-cracked within three weeks of being repaired, the other projects have been pretty successful!

A Clearly NOT Fixed Flower Bed Crack...we do not like Brick Magic. There is nothing magical about their company or work. $600 bucks down the drain. Boo. They say the re-cracking was due to soil shiftment and poor footing. Umm...I think it's because they failed to actually fill the crack in the back.

New Backyard Trees!

Our New Roof! Cross your fingers for no hail!

My Expanding Cross Wall!

Swimming at Bebe's

We went over to Bebe's today to swim with my cousin Mary Kathryn and her little boy, Will. So Will and Caiden & Ashlyn are...(have to think every time about this!) third cousins? Who knows! We had a blast and I am so jealous of Will's curls. Maybe Ashlyn's hair will start curling up! I have a feeling the two little ones are going to be a little mischievous together as they grow up! Bebe made a wonderful lunch for us and Ashlyn tried cottage cheese for the first time! We'll have to have round 2 to tell if she likes it or not!

Lunch Date!

Susan invited us over for a summer lunch and we had a blast! The babies played, the big kids found the water hose, and the mommies ate! Love Susan and love her house-to die for!

Sophie and Ashlyn

Rowan, Addi, & Caiden icing cupcakes with Susan

They made a band!

Just playin'!

Summer Trip to Leander

We made our trip down to Leander in two cars because Jon had to come back for bus training so I got to stay and play for a few extra days! Connor and Ashlyn are going to have so much fun together once they're both moving around-and at this point, Connor may beat her! Caiden is so sweet with both babies and always helps out! The family came over for a cookout one night so we got to visit with everyone. Now that Jon has football every night, there is a chance we won't make it back down until Thanksgiving. Holidays will be so much fun now that we have a cousin!!!

Swimming!

Aunt Kimmy & Ashlyn

Aunt Donna, Ashlyn, and Grandpa

Grandma, Ashlyn, and Jon

Grandpa, Caiden, Jon, and Ashlyn-3 generations

Jon with Caiden and Connor

The Cousins

Casey and Connor

Ashlyn is 9 Months!

Weight: 21 pounds, 90%

Height: 97%

Head: 75-90%

Current Nickname: Lil' Fluffy

Her hair is pretty thin and constantly sticks up like a little, baby chick!

*Eating three meals a day

*Loves Mum-Mum crackers

*Tried some table food-beans, yogurt, Grandpa's banana pudding (loved that!)

*Trying to crawl...mostly scoots around backwards!

*Very vocal, very ticklish, very curious!

*Sleeps 9 hours at night

*Loves swimming

*A little bundle of JOY!

Proud Moments!

Caiden has mastered a HUGE swimming task! I picked him up from swim lessons with Mrs. Stephanie and out of nowhere, he was wearing his green band! At our pool, in order to wear a green band, you have to be able to swim the entire length of the pool. And, he swam it without even knowing he was "testing!" A lifeguard happened to be watching while he was swimming and saw he could do it! He can now swim in he big pool without mommy and daddy (yeah right-he's only 4 1/2!) but more importantly, go down the slides without a life jacket! He's a little fish!

Caiden also tested for his yellow belt in karate and earned his second patch in the same night! What big accomplishments! And, because he is already on his yellow belt with most everyone else in his class still on their white, his teacher wants him to move up to the 5-7 year old class! WOW! He only takes karate once a week so it takes 4, 6-week sessions to move up a belt color! He was so proud and got to celebrate at Chili's with his favorite Molten Lava Cake for dessert!

July Camping-Boooooo!

Camping in July was HOT...duh! But, we enjoyed the family time we had! The kids had a swimming pool and the AC in the camper was hardly turned off! We really wanted to try a pull-through all concrete site so we headed back to Texoma for a few nights. And, we loved it! So much more space and not near as dirty! Hopefully next time we camp the temps will be a little cooler...maybe at least in the 90's!

Camping Cuties!

Daddy Time

So Stinkin' Cute!

Love This Guy!

VBS-Pandamania!

Now that we have precious little Ashlyn in our lives, Caiden and Mommy don't get to do too many things together. Spending a week at VBS with him was so much fun even though I opted to be an elementary crew leader and not a pre-school one! We had so much fun singing the songs in car everyday, playing with the bible buddies, and talking about the daily lessons. I didn't get as many pictures of Caiden during the week bc we weren't in the Mommy and Me class together. Caiden did much better than I anticipated with a new teacher and met lots of new friends!

Caiden singing in the front with the Jr. Pheasants

"Red Monkeys"