Ameliacanmonkey backwards

Biggest Smile

We have been staying in hotel earlier this week and one night we sent Gemma to bed and then sent Amelia to bed 15 to 20 minutes later. I went to go check on them and I found Gemma's pack-n-play empty (Gemma insists on sleeping in it when we travel - her "yittle bed") I walked over to the bed Amelia was in, and found Amelia sleeping with her arms around and snuggled up to Gemma. Gemma was still awake and had the biggest smile on her face.

Summer fun

The summer is heating up- we are having some fun!

My strawberry crop

I have strawberries growing outside. I don't do anything to them. I don't weed or fertilize or mulch or spread hay in the winter. Yet, they still grow and I am amazed every year.

How many tadpoles so you see?

I didn't see them at first. Then, it was all I could see. Tadpoles everywhere. More tadpoles than I have ever seen before. This is just a small area that was part of a bigger area that was just covered with tadpoles. It was amazing.

A hike at quarry hill

We went to Minnesota for Memorial Day weekend to help pack and visit with my parents. One afternoon, we squeezed in a visit to Quarry Hill to hike and peek in the pond. The kids were fascinated as always. Stay tuned for a video of all the tadpoles we discovered!

Kids+teachers+ Boy Scout graduation

Here the kids are with their teachers on the last day of school. Both kids had a good years and learned so much! We are proud of them and their hard work!

That evening, we had Boy Scout graduation and gymnastics to attend. We had 2 tired kids (and parents!) that night! William graduated and crossed over to the next level of the Boy Scouts with his group.

Becca's confirmation

Our niece and god daughter was confirmed in May. We made the trip to Des Moines to be part of her special day. I have no pictures on my phone of the occasion, but I do have pictures from the ice cream treat afterwards!


We had a wonderful visit and we so pleased to be invited to be part of this special day!

What makes a car ride faster?

Stickers. Lots of stickers. This was on the way to visit our cousins in Des Moines back in May.

Gemma helps

Here is Gemma helping daddy make dinner for Mother's Day. It is good we have such a dedicated helper!

Valentine love

I borrowed this idea from the internet a, but the kids loved it. Every day in February, I put a new heart on each of the kids' doors with something we love about them.

I'm thinking about doing it next year, but the kids still won't let me take down the ones I out up this year!

It's graduation time!

Tonight is one of my favorite events: graduation night! The college holds a ceremony for the students who have completed their credential in the last year.

I had 7 students participating this year- I am so proud of them!

How Gemma feels

About getting to wear a dance costume to costume night at the dance studio.

Run grandpa!!

How do you say no when this face asks you to run with her?

How to go for a family walk

You obviously need some reading material.

How to walk

Like Amelia

Gemma find grandma's cookie cupboard

It's 58 degrees.

Guess whose kids are in the swimming pool?

There is some Minnesota in their blood.

Can you spot the

Raccoon?

Aren't they supposed to come out at night? This one was bold enough to approach during daylight and only moved away when John approached it.

Gemma yikes broccoli

She likes it so much, she will put it on her pizza and eat it. No really, she will.

It's daddy's birthday!

It's daddy's birthday! We have a lot of birthday-ing going on around here!

We are grilling burgers and have an ice cream cake to celebrate. Then, it will be business as usual as we have gymnastics and Mama needs to work tonight for the graduation ceremony. Busy busy!

This picture is from our weekend hike at Cuivre river state park. It was in the upper 80's and daddy carried Gemma for close to 3 miles. What a trooper! William and Amelia also get some recognition- they hiked the whole thing as well. I was impressed by the lack of complaining from our oldest child until I realized he was getting happier and happier to be in the woods. The more his sister complained, the sunnier his disposition became.

Happy birthday John!

Behind, behind

We have been running around like crazy.

The weekend before Memorial Day, we traveled to Des Moines to attend John's niece's confirmation.

The next weekend we drove to Minnesota to visit my parents and help them pack for their move across town.

The weekend after Memorial Day was Amelia's Big Dance Show.  She was amazing and wonderful!  But, a busy weekend with rehearsals, show times and a bonus soccer team pool party.

This last weekend we attended Boy Scout family camp with William's Boy Scout Group.  We camped out Friday-Sunday and had a wonderful time.

In between, we squeezed in the last day of school for the kids and have been attending outdoor concerts in the park, eating from food trucks and composing summer wish lists.  It's been busy and it's been fun.


The laundry is finally getting caught up and it looks like we are going to be home this weekend.  All this to say, I know if has been quiet around here and I am hoping to change that up soon.

The birthday girl

Will not cooperate. Of course not.

Happy 3rd Birthday Gemma!

Gemma, the Bean, is 3!   It is just a little unbelievable that she is THREE!

Gemma was the first one up today and informed me "Get up!  It my burpday (birthday)!"

Yes, it was.  So I got up.

She requested a pint (pink) birthday cake, so we made one for her last night.  She received many, many generous presents from family and friends.

She heard many, many rounds of "happy birthday" from her siblings, parents, grandparents and one plucky great grandma.

All in all, it was a very fun day to be Gemma and we were so lucky to spend it with her.

Funny things

1.  We went to see my parents a few weekends ago.  We left later than planned and ended up picking up dinner on the road instead of eating with my parents.

When we pulled up, the aroma of grilling filled the air.

We walked into the house and my parents were in the middle of eating.

Amelia popped herself up onto a stool next to my dad.

Amelia: That smells sooooooooooo good!  Especially the french fries!!  They smell sooooooo good!

Grandpa: Didn't you already eat?

Amelia: Ohh.  Yes. I already ate.

Amelia: But, you should still share with me.

Grandpa: I should?  You think so?

Amelia: Yes.  Yes you should.  You should share with me because I am so funny!

Grandpa: (snort and gives a half laugh) Because you are funny?

Amelia: See? I just made you laugh.  Share with me.


and then grandpa handed off the french fries.

______


2.  Keeping summer hours with the kids has been fun.  Gemma still needs to sleep early as she has dropped her nap, but the big kids can stay up a little later as they don't have school in the morning.  Tonight, the kids picked to have a scavenger hunt.  John and I wrote clues for 2 separate scavenger hunts and hid the clues.

On William's clue I wrote the following in my best handwriting:

A picture of Mom and Dad before they got married.

Then I put it on the picture of us from when we got engaged.

William looked and looked before coming to us for help.

Turns out, he was looking for a picture of John and I before we were maimed.


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3. At breakfast, William and Amelia were fighting.  Fighting and fighting and fighting.  Fighting the only the way brothers and sisters will.  Despite my best efforts, there was no distracting or dissuading them from their endless fight.  Soon, Gemma started trying to get them to stop.  In the end, three kids were yelling at each other across the table at each other and no one could hear the other.  It was absolutely a picture of domestic bliss.

Finally a lull in the fight occurred and I loving told my gorgeous children the next one of them to talk, scream or peep would be losing their privileges.  Gemma wasn't done yet.

She stood up in her chair, spoon in hand and pointed her spoon at William.

"You not listening!"

Spoon pointed to Amelia.

"You not listening!"

Both hands pointed back at herself.

"I not listening either!!!"