"Just imagine how much cooler I'll be in summer..."

Making mud pies, a new pasttime

I love summer. Okay, not the heat in GA. But this summer has been fun, and we've packed in a lot, but we've had down time and relaxation too. We've visited the library and checked out many books. We've checked out beetles, a praying mantis, and dissected a dead bumblebee that Lailey found perfectly intact on a playground. Speaking of Lailey, she got her first bee sting and then her second, within two weeks. Good to know she's not allergic. I've read lots of books, lots to the kids and several on my own. I've tried to keep up with the blog, but this has not happened. We've traveled (and will hopefully travel again before the summer is out). All in all, a great summer. These are some of the fun things we have done and the memories we've made...

Maddox and I had a lunch date. Apparently this is how he takes a selfie. 

Shopped to update Daddy's wardrobe. They were troopers!

Made friends at VBS

Watched our friends, Lucas and Shelley, get married.

Played drums, drums, and more drums, as well as the couch and inner tube ("his cymbal" he told me)

Lailey rode her first big rides at Magic Kingdom...twice!

Berry picking with Addy and Julie

Blueberry and Blackberry Crisp - made from our berries

Went hiking with doggies

Lailey got 8 inches cut off her hair to donate!

Made tea and enjoyed playdates

Scared Davey 

Cooked up some beans with Matthan.
These boys are a year apart, but they don't look it in this picture.

Maddox discovered the joys of spraying his older sister

Maddox learned to swim

And leap! 

Check out these skills. He was fearless once he figured it all out.

Jumped and jumped and jumped in the pool!

Grandpa encouraged this behavior...not me!

Enjoyed lots of snuggle time

Visited friends in NC
Piper was happy the rest of the day. She just didn't want to be put down by her daddy.

Enjoyed a visit to Aunt Amy's house and also had her come to ours

Ate chocolate chip pancakes

Got new play-doh

And loved it!

Hosted an impromptu neighborhood water fight

I'm not sure I want summer to end. But I must admit I got pretty excited when I ordered Lailey's homeschool books and materials for this year. I can't believe I will have a kindergartener! She is very excited to get back to school, so maybe the summer ending won't be so bad after all.

Children's Museum in NC

We don't get to go on ministry trips all the time with Davey, so going for almost a week this summer was really special. I didn't take any pictures other than at the children's museum I found in the very small downtown area. It was $5 per kid, adults were free, and it gave us hours of fun.

Playing pirates on the ship deck

It was a cool place to go, especially for a small town like Lumberton, NC. There was a ship complete with a slide, a stage, a whole area of dress up clothes (Lailey was thrilled), a play baby hospital, a grocery store, and more.

Daddy enjoyed himself too

Playing on the slide on the ship

"Arrrrr, matey!"

 Lailey found the Buzz costume and gave it to Maddox who wore it for quite awhile until he probably got hot.

Workbench

Giving Lailey a ride in the truck 

Maddox was into funny faces that day

And another...

And another.

Washing his hands in the kitchen

The baby hospital had real x-rays and he could reach to turn the panels on and off.

Apparently the Respiratory System is one of his interests. Who knew?

Checking me out through one of the telescopes on the ship

The reason I have pictures of only Maddox and not Lailey is that she found some friends and ran off and had a grand old time. I would catch glimpses of her as she moved from place to place. She was always in some ballet outfit she had found in the dress up pile.

The grocery store was one of his favorite places. In fact, he spent the most time there, loading and unloading his grocery cart.

And checking out three older girls. Wait. That didn't sound right. He'd take the item, "scan" it and say "beep," then hand it back for them to put in their cart. It was adorable.

When he had finished the shopping at the store, he continued to push his grocery cart happily around the whole museum, finally making it to the tables and unloading all the groceries on the table.

And to finish this post, I must include this hilarious video. At least it's funny to me. My kids are obviously quite comfortable on a stage. Sometimes a little too much so! But these were their impromptu performances, plus a combined effort at the end. So fun to see their little personalities come out.

Water Fight!

What is summer fun without a little water fighting? Just grab the buckets, the hose, and two kids in bathing suits (and a zoom lens to safely stand on the porch!), and there's bound to be some good times.

Lailey and Maddox are able to share, play nicely, and use manners with each other, but it doesn't happen all the time. Siblings naturally want to "get" each other, and armed with a hose, the urge is just too irresistible. So, to encourage fun, instead of whining, I have tried my best to teach them to laugh when they get water poured or sprayed on them. It makes it so much more fun, especially when I join in and let them "get" me, and I model the good behavior.

I thought it was cool that Maddox learned to shoot the cup off of the sprayer. See it flying off?

So, for the most part, they were able to play nicely with each other, laughing and giggling and getting each other wet. Though I have to say Maddox is much more adequately armed.

 Here he is trying to get her while she pours the last drops on his head...

But even with all the good intentions, sometimes revenge is just too sweet...unless you're the recipient.

I guess he finally had it coming.