Mini-Vacation

We went on a quick camping trip in July to the beautiful shores of Lake Michigan, this time from the Wisconsin side! We had a great time being together as a family in the great outdoors. Definitely our favorite thing to do! 

Nora put this dead fish in a bag and then left it in the back of the van..... it was a week or so before we discovered it. Stinky!

We played in the water, hiked through the sand dunes, played at a park, watched the sun set on the beach and had a practically perfect time.

Double Digit Birthday

Sophie turned 10 in July! We had some friends over to do a few crafts, games and have some S'mores. The girls all had fun and pretty much entertained themselves.

Sophie's real birthday was on a Sunday so we invited our friends, the Cornia family, to come over for cake. Brian and I got Sophie a microscope and Lainie (an American girl doll) for her birthday. She loved them both.

Nora made this little creation for Sophie. I think she was quite proud :)

We went to the park to take a few 10 year old pictures and Sophie didn't want to do it (shocking). After getting frustrated at her lack of compliance in the picture department she talked to Brian for a minute and then was completely happy to do the pictures. I kept asking what dad was going to give her or how much he said he'd pay her, and she just laughed and said she decided she really did want her picture taken. I didn't believe her so I kept pestering them about it. At the end I found out that Brian talked Sophie in to wanting her pictures taken just so she could see my reaction to it.... and I didn't let her down. We love this beautiful, amazing 10 year old!!

Sum-sum-summertime.

Our summer is flying by! The kids are taking some fun summer classes at their school and loving it. Sophie is taking: theater, archeology and cooking. Nora is taking: choir, art and cooking. Miles is taking a "Getting ready for kindergarten" class. Wesley and I walk them up in the morning at 8:15 and the girls walk home at 11 and we pick Miles up at 11:50. Their last day is tomorrow and we are ready for it to be over, but it's been a lot of fun for the kids, and some quiet mornings for Wesley and I to run errands or clean the house.

There are some advantages to having your kids grow up.... Sophie mowed the front lawn for the first time! :)

What do you do when you have 8 bored kids at your house? Pull out some boxes and duct tape...

Nora got to attend a Horse Lovers Day camp with her Girl Scout troop in June. She had a great day learning about horses and taking an hour long horse ride.

We have started preparing Wesley for saying bye-bye to his binky when he turns 3 in September. He knows a binky fairy will be coming the night of his birthday and will take all his binkies and leave him a present! This is what we did with Nora after 2 failed attempts so it's what we are doing with Wes also. I love his binky and am happy he'll have it on our long car ride in August!

One of our favorite summer activities here: catching fireflies! They are such fun bugs and are only around from mid-June to August.

Morning snuggles on the couch.

We consume lots of watermelon in the summertime. Yum!

Wesley playing on the swings.