Labor Day Camping

I wanted to thank everyone for your willingness to continue to follow us after we changed the security measures on this blog. We changed the privacy mainly after I added the Feejit bar to the side. I started seeing some strange people viewing our blog, and decided to tighten things up quite a bit. So thanks for hanging in there with us and still showing interest in our crazy and at times ordinary lives!

Since we had Labor Day weekend free...one of the few all summer...we decided to attempt camping as a family. Because we've never done this with 3 kids, we decided to start small-in our backyard. It definitely was a huge success! The kids had so much fun, the weather was perfect, and we really enjoyed time together as a family! Maybe next summer we will actually leave the backyard--it's definitely WAY easier to attempt at home then somewhere else!!!


Helping set up the tent the day before
Thanks VanderVeens for a wonderful wedding gift--the tent that is still in great shape even after many uses!!!
Loading up the tent with all their treasures (C & J were so excited to use their new sleeping bags their cousins handed down--they are Lightning McQueen!)My eager campers!

Getting all organized!
Learning how to open & close the tent
Roasting hotdogs and eating pudgy pies. Mmmmm!
Our style of smores...just plain marshmallows. Ryan and I made hot apple pies after the kids went to bed.
Splitting wood to add to the fire
Good example of the teamwork they often showA very excited camper. She and I slept out there an extra night just the 2 of us.

The campers all ready for bed...they did mess around for quite awhile, but slept until 7:30 the next morning! We were quite pleased about that!

WA 2011

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We had an amazing 3 weeks in WA. We really enjoyed being spoiled by family and awesome weather!! It never rained a drop the entire time we were there.

I flew out with the kids early on July 22. I was a little nervous about flying with the kids by myself, but they did awesome! They were so excited and didn't even play with half the stuff I bought. I even managed to read an entire magazine on the flight!! On our flight home we had a red-eye and they surprised me with how well they did. Caleb went right to sleep and I gave Joel some Benedryl and he and Kiera slept too! It was such a blessing to have the kids do so well!

Much of our time in WA was spent just sitting around either at my parents or my sisters house. Those who know us best know we love to sit around and chat while drinking diet coke! We made sure to enjoy this daily! The kids were able to play outside a ton and I rarely saw Kiera as she LOVED being with her girl cousins. We took a trip to Jungle Playland again, enjoyed playing in the sand at the beach and having a picnic, and digging in Opa's bark pile at home. A highlight was getting to ride Amtrak up to Bellingham. It was a 30 min. trip and the kids just LOVED it. It was so beautiful riding along the water and lots of fun to see my train loving boys so wide-eyed!

We were also able to celebrate some birthdays while out there. Rylee had turned one just before we came, so we were able to give her our gift. Rhyson turned one while we were there, so we had a fun b-day party with him eating cupcakes! My mom also turned 60, so we HAD to go to Red Robin to celebrate! Sioux Falls really needs to get one!

We enjoyed family reunions on both sides of the family. My dad's side had a fun afternoon barbecue complete with water gun fights and ice cream! My mom's side got together for the first time in 11 years! We celebrated my grandparents 61st wedding anniversary! It was so fun to spend a weekend with all of them reminiscing and eating GREAT food!

Overall, we had a blast and made lots of fun memories. Enjoy the pictures!!!

Fort Casey

One of the last days we were in WA we headed out to Fort Casey on Whidbey Island. This is one of our favorite places to visit and the weather couldn't have been more perfect! We packed a picnic and then spent the rest of the time walking through the darkened fort with glow sticks and flashlights. We ended with our traditional hike down the beach to throw rocks and build driftwood houses. The kids had a blast and we really enjoyed our time with extended family!

Lunchables and Subway...mmmm!
Helping Opa fly a kite
Heading down to check out the fort
Walking through the rooms
Beautiful WA state ferry...I love this place!
Some of the kids in front of one of the canons
Hiking down to the beach
The kids found a driftwood fort already made!

Joel
Caleb
The big boys building their house


The finished product
Cousin Cody showing the boys a snake he found--typical boys
Some tuckered out little boys on the ride home!

Good-bye Cribs!!!!

Well, the big moment has arrived! The boys are officially out of their cribs. Since we will be heading to WA in a few weeks, I wanted them to be out of cribs and used to sleeping on the floor. It makes it much easier to travel when they are used to not being in their cribs. Anyway, we dismantled the cribs and for now put their crib mattresses on the floor with a toddler rail. We hope to get regular beds sometime this fall. They were pretty proud of themselves and never even got out of bed! Whew! This morning they were up at 7 and I heard the door open and Joel informed me that he was "all done". Caleb was surprisingly just laying in his bed waiting for the okay from me. So far, we are doing pretty good! It is so crazy to think that they are old enough to be out of their cribs. They are growing up fast and I am looking forward to them leaving the terrible two's!


One crib down, one to go!

All three kids trying out the "new" beds...
Joel all ready for bed
Caleb all ready for bed
And later...two tired little boys fast asleep. Their room looks so empty now!

Children's Museum

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Vacation Bible School!!!

Last week we were able to enjoy Pandamania VBS here at our church. I volunteered to do the games, so the boys were able to attend the 2 year old class (the Panda Cub Club). I wasn't sure how it was going to go and since Ryan was gone, I was a little nervous that they wouldn't want to go. Thankfully my mom was here the 1st 2 days, so she was able to sit with them during opening ceremonies and then they felt comfortable enough to attend. Once my mom left I sat with them at the beginning and Joel kept saying "No go bye-bye mommy" and then once his teacher came, he said "you go bye-bye mommy". I'm so relieved that they loved it so much. They knew the actions and the songs and I'm amazed at how much they learned!!! They even knew all about their Bible buddies (little plastic animals they got each day) and had to wear them on their key chain on their belt loop just like Kiera! Kiera, of course, had a blast! She had listened to the cd long before VBS started, so she knew all the songs! It was fun seeing her enjoy it so much!

Panda cub club members!
Waiting for everything to start
The boys hard at work
Kiera at her craft station
Kiera and her friends

Two wild pandas in the jungle...
The boys stood through the whole program! (Joel in grey on left and Caleb in orange facing us)
Kids posing with their panda masks...the boys wouldn't wear them of course
Kiera in the 3rd row singing at the final program and the boys between the two heads in the forefront.

Oma comes to visit

Kiera has lots of influence on the boys. Let's just say they are well-rounded. Here she's having a tea party with them...they were quite waterlogged by the end.
Oma read LOTS of books to the kids!
Aunt Joni's tutu's were well like this day. These pictures will come back to haunt them some day.
Caleb learned all about ballet from Kiera

After our trip to Duluth, my dad flew home and we took Oma back with us to visit for 2 weeks! We had so much fun with her! She spoiled us rotten! We did lots of day trips and had fun spending time with her and showing her our everyday lives here. She was only able to stay for a little bit while Ryan was gone due to weddings, but we appreciated all her help and generosity. We can't wait to see her again in a few weeks!