Preschool

Look out preschool, here comes Laura!

Santa?

My conversation with Laura last night.


Laura: Mom, is Santa real?
Me: Of course he's real.
Laura: Well I'm just going to ask Daddy too (in a whisper voice) because he's a little smarter than you.
Me: Speechless...

Sayonara Summer

Summer break 2014 was one to remember. The highlights included neighborhood "school"/play dates, The Strawberry Festival race, buying a pontoon boat (with two other families), the Boyd girls sleepover, Green 4th of July party, Honey Creek Resort with the Illinois Schulzes, and endless picnics and park outings. This past weekend GG and Papa visited after Laura had her first slumber party at Maisie and Molly's on Friday night. Laura came home Saturday evening looking exhausted and dishelved. At her very first sleep over a bat came to visit the party too. The party was moved to M & M's other grandparents house that "had a bed inside of a couch" and all was well. Laura told me she's not afraid of bats and she is also not afraid of vampires either. She's a brave one!

School is back in session and the transition of laying out clothes at night, making sack lunches, and feeling famished after school has begun. This will be the last school year that doesn't include a child going to real school as well for the next 20+ years. What? Can that really be true?

Nevertheless, enjoy the pictures of our last summer break weekend. 

Eric took Sam on a Father Son Adventure on the Neal Smith Trail. Eric was able to rig up a way to bring along Sam's bike on the trailer so Sam could get some riding in too.

Sam rode 2.5 miles with Eric and wanted to keep going!

This contraption cracks me up!



Look at these young pups a week shy of their 41st wedding anniversary!



I think they're talking about bats.

Growing Up

I'm planning on having a garage sale in a couple weeks. As I dug through the baby clothes yesterday, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of heart ache that my babies are growing up. I felt nostalgic holding the dress that Laura wore home from the hospital and I even changed Sam on the changing table just for old times sake (it was absolutely ridiculous, he's huge).   Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to have my basement back and I really feel like our family is ready to move onto the next stage that doesn't require burp cloths, breast pumps, and baby swings.
Laura mastered the monkey bars yesterday which was something she's been working on all summer.  I figured this to be a sign we're ready for new adventures.



I asked Laura if she would like me to pull her hair back, so it wouldn't be in her face. She replied, "No, the hair helps my swinging."

Laura also can load the dishwasher now. Eric thinks she takes after her mom.

Family Vacation

We took a family vacation to Honey Creek Resort in Moravia, Iowa with Aunt Liz, Aunt Emily, and Grandma and Grandpa Schulz. Here are some things I learned.

1. Having a ratio of 3:1 adults to children on vacation is a very good idea. 

2. When water skiing, put your knees up and make a pizza.

3. Stand up paddle boarding looks harder than it actually is.

4. Driving a speed boat IS harder than it looks, but I can do it now!

5. You can never have enough snacks.

6. Eric's Tetris packing abilities never ceases to amaze me.

7. The kids eating trail mix on the front porch will attract raccoons at night.

8. The Schulzes love to take pictures.

9. Swim noodles at the beach really aren't necessary.

10. Honey Creek Resort is one of Iowa's hidden gems.

Day 1 was a little breezy and chilly.

Laura wanted us to look alike on our first day of vacation.

Grandpa Schulz's sailing/beach wear.