Summer Week 2

Aiden continued with swimming lessons, working on floating and putting his face in the water while moving his arms.

We celebrated Father’s Day. These boys sure love their daddy.

We’ve been working on projects at home… Isaac continues work on the playroom, getting up some new paneling on the walls and installing a light this week. I have been going through boxes (and closets and drawers) doing the “spring cleaning” I put off to the summer. It is therapeutic to make piles of donate or toss and to reorganize the “keep” items. Aiden likes when we go through things like art supplies because his job is try to try out all the markers, etc. to see what still works. He also really likes “cleaning” the floors and pretty much anything to do with spraying some kind of cleaning product under supervision.

Aiden and I had dental appointments and got good reviews. Landon was excited to get a toothbrush too.

We had the missionaries over for dinner, and Aiden had fun shucking corn with me and picking lemons with Daddy to make fresh lemonade.

Isaac and I celebrated our ten-year anniversary. We went to the movies as a family to see Inside Out and we had Chili’s for dinner and ice cream for dessert.

We are anticipating being pretty busy the next few weeks, but we’re looking forward to it!

Summer Week 1

We have lots on our to-do list for this summer and couldn’t be more excited!

We started off by going to graduation parties and visiting friends, some of whom we haven’t seen in awhile.

We’ve been hanging out at home, getting to projects that have been on the backburner… tidying up the yard little by little, sorting the garage and attic spaces, etc. Of course, I’m just enjoying being with the boys more right now too.

Aiden’s getting a big push on his letters and numbers this summer in preparation for Kindergarten. We are writing, identifying letters, playing Star Fall, making flashcards, and doing whatever we can come up with. Ideas are welcome!

Aiden is taking swim lessons again this summer, half hour lessons M-Th for four weeks. He’s also practicing with the snorkel for when we go to Hawaii.

One of our big projects at home this summer is organizing a play room for the boys. Since we’re planning to have them share a bedroom this fall and put Baby Sister in Landon’s current bedroom, we have been devising plans to make the transition smooth. One of the things we think is cool about our house is that there is an 8x8 foot attic space off of Aiden’s closet. It’s only 4.5 feet tall, but it definitely works for the kids. It needs some finishing, so this summer, Isaac is logging hours on his days off to get it ready for them.

Isaac is enlarging the entrance, repaneling the walls, installing flooring and a light, and building a new door. Then I get to move things in and get it all organized and happy-looking. We’re pretty excited, but Aiden is the most excited of all for his “Secret Clubhouse.”

We also made a trip to the local theme/water park, which was a great way to get out for some fun exercise and to let the boys play in water during the drought.

We’re looking forward to the next 8.5 weeks of summer fun before I go back to work (for a few weeks anyway)!

Preschool Promotion

In the first of many small steps in his education, Aiden’s Preschool Promotion was this week.

The kids sang a few songs, everyone got his/her diploma and a minute on the mini-stage, and then there was cake.

Aiden was initially very upset to tell me that his kazoo didn’t work… then I explained to him the concept of humming and not just blowing like with a whistle, and he was elated.

I probably should have traded Isaac spots and taken the pictures during the ceremony… 75% of Isaac’s pictures were out of focus. Oh well. I was being wimpy because I’d just worked a 10 hour day following a 12.5 hour day at work, closing up my classroom and finishing grades… and I was super busy amusing a cranky Landon who didn’t nap long enough, so I’m just happy we can tell who that cute fuzzy kid is.

He is now excited to start kindergarten in the fall. His timeline of events goes something like “swim lessons, Hawaii, Aunt Sarah’s wedding, and kindergarten!” I’m not sure what he is most excited about, but it might be the airplane rides.

Our Little Artist & A First

Aiden got to show us around the class “art gallery” at Preschool Open House recently. He was excited to do that but maybe even more excited that his teachers had ice cream cones for the kids after showing us around. Landon had fun playing in the play yard while Aiden ate his ice cream.

This is the “Mom, stop taking my picture” face:

After Aiden’s Open House, we went to Chuck E Cheese with the Kobersteins and Evans to celebrate Brooke’s birthday. Aiden, and Landon nor I had ever been there, so it was a new experience. Aiden wanted to know if all kids in California got to go to Chuck E Cheese. Isaac assured him that even kids in other states sometimes get to go.