Wednesday, July 16, 2014

More updates (can you believe it?)

Isaac at 10 months!  This little dude is moving pretty much nonstop.

Oh hi, mom.  Can I get that camera from you? 

Violet climbing to the top of a huge rock. No surprise there!

Also swinging like a monkey
Also hanging upside down

Nate took Violet to the 4th of July fair in Forest Park and they had a lot of fun!



tea party playdate

cheers!
 This pool beauty will be a lifeguard at our pool in 12 years - I just know it!


If Isaac gets his chair picture taken...

Practicing blowing up a balloon for nearly an hour

Friday, July 11, 2014

More summer updates

Baby bird!  We had eggs in  a nest right above our back door and finally we had baby birds.  How fun!

Playing in the Eckert's sandbox.

Reason #4864 Shrewsbury rocks.  The firetruck stopped on our street and before leaving gave Isaac his own hat!

Had a friend over and made mud pies in the backyard.  Sorry about that, daddy.

Reason #4864 Nate rocks.  He made the kids an obstacle course in our driveway that is so Violet-themed it's excessive.

It involved jumping jacks, twirling, and even hooting.

Nailed it!

My big girl picked out her outfits and laid them out like this on her own - complete with shoes.

Peekaboo, I see you!

Gave the kids rice and noodles to try to keep them busy while I made dinner.  That counts as a sensory activity, right?

Pretty sure he ate 6 of those raw noodles.

Skyping with Grammy and Papa.

This is a Saint Louis kid!

Enjoying some park time
Look at my beautiful girl next to a beautiful tree! 

Just "hanging out" at the pool.  See what I did there?

Day in our (summer) life

 It's been a while since we've done a blog update.  Sorry about that.  Our summer days have been wonderful.  Predictably wonderful.  We've had time for trips to Tremont, Cape Girardeau visits (for a whole week!), Shrewsbury camp dragonfly, playdates, and HOURS and HOURS of pool time.  Our days have been set on repeat and it's been so refreshing for all of us.  It's safe to say that we love summer.  These days charge my batteries for the year ahead when our schedules are much busier.  I'm surprised at how content we all are (especially me) doing the same thing every day and not getting out as much as we normally do.  I'm so relaxed it feels foreign to me.  That makes me nervous because I love feeling relaxed and refreshed.  I cherish these days!

So, here are some snapshots into our daily summer routine. 



Isaac is first up - here is 4:27.  Recently he's slept until 6:00!!  But, he is an early bird like his sister.  Nate and I alternate days so it could  be worse.  Also, see that smile?  Yea, pretty sweet.  Even at 4:27 AM.
Early morning bottle time


We look at books.  Or at least that's what I think we're doing since I'm at most 40% awake.  He goes back to sleep about 45 minutes later for an early morning snooze and so do I!
Another bottle
Violet is up about 6:15 and likes to watch a show.  She exclusively sits on the ottoman now in the  back room.  Here she is watching Peg + Cat.

Breakfast time!  Around 7:30 we have a hearty breakfast of egg in a whole for Violet and scrambled eggs for Isaac and I.  One difference I've noticed between Isaac and Violet is the amount they eat.  Isaac often eats as much as Violet during a meal.  He LOVES food and isn't picky about what he eats.

After breakfast we have a few minutes to play/hug (?) before getting ready for camp. 
Isaac is a cheeseball.
I get everyone dressed and ready to go.  We head out around 8:30 to take Violet to camp dragonfly at a park in our neighborhood.  Our wagon has been the transportation of choice and everyone loves it - even Cinderella!


What a good big sis!

Holding hands with my sweet girl while she pulls her sweet brother in the wagon on the way to her sweet summer camp in the sweetest neighborhood.  See how I get in summer?  Too mushy to be around most people.
Then we drop off big sis.

Isy and I walk home and he takes a morning nap.  I am VERY BUSY during this time while he sleeps.  I usually read, catch up on laundry, occasionally do dishes, eat a snack, and generally putz around.  It's incredible.
Oh yes, and I pump.  I'm still doing that 3 or 4 times a day.  See - VERY BUSY.

When Isaac wakes up from his nap, we have a little lunch together.  I pack Violet's lunch and we pack up for the pool.  What feels like most of my day is spent packing and unpacking.  It's probably like 8 total minutes, but still.


We pick up Violet from camp and head straight to the pool.  Everyone is happy there and kids smelling of chlorine and sunscreen does wonders for my soul. 

Every day we smuggle our lunch into the pool.  Since nobody has said anything to us about it yet and summer is halfway over, I think we're good.

Just try to rain on our parade. 

My Violet girl has gotten so brave this summer.  We did a month of swimming lessons at Little Fishes swim school before the pool opened and I am so glad we did.  She was nervous to go under and be away from me.  Now she is super brave and will go under for as long as she can hold her breath.  She likes to swim laps with only her noodle and she is so confident in what she can do.  It has been so cool to watch her learn and thrive!


Isaac has turned out to be a water baby!  As if he had a choice, am I right?  Last summer I was at the pool every day and regularly swam laps with him in my belly so it only makes sense he'd feel comfortable in the water. 
  We come home from the pool around 1:30 and change clothes.  Violet has a snack and a little TV time while I get everything unpacked and our wet pool clothes hung out to dry.  Then Isaac takes a nap and the girls relax.  Daddy comes home at 4 and it's play time, dinner time, bath time, and bed time.  Isaac is in bed by 6 and Violet by 7.

For dinner we grill out.  This night it was grilled chicken and lemons with quinoa and feta.  Brats, marinated flank steak, and naan pizzas have all been popular lately! 



At night I do my workout from this book.  I'm doing the Shrewsbury triathlon in September for the 2nd time and although I know I'm not at the same fitness level I was 2 years ago, I'm pretty excited for it!

 What's not to love about these summer days??

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Fireplace remodel


 So, I painted our fireplace.  A friend gave me the idea a few months ago and I was obsessed.  I found this tutorial: http://www.lowes.com/creative-ideas/other-areas/modern-fireplace-makeover/project and got the exact supplies.  While Violet spent a week in Cape Girardeau, I went to work during naptimes and I LOVE THE result.  Like, LOVE!
Before

During
After - what a difference!!