Summer Wrap -up

I cannot believe that this summer is coming to an end. This summer was definitely a great, relaxing summer for us...just what we needed after our doozy of a year last year with Aaron gone to the Academy. I loved not having a routine or schedule or really having anything that we HAD to get done. Just played hard all day, stayed up late, slept in late and just enjoyed each other!

For memory's sake, here are some random pics of this summer...

Look, here is something unusual...Maddie striking a pose ;)

Kobe & Kensi playing. I love how he is such a good, fun brother to her and how he loves her so much. (note the sad little bear paw...so sad looking and strangely cute all at once).

My little boy is starting to look so old. You are so precious, sweet Kobe.

And just because I love this pouty face she has.....

Kensi looking all grown up and ready for some pool time!

Kensi and her best pal Bri....doing a little swimming at a friend's pool. *check out the tum-tum on Kensi! I love it!!!

Kobe & Maddie having fun playing in the pool. Or maybe a more accurate description would be, 'Kobe having fun torturing his sister as he sprays her in the face and feels sweet victory as he hears her screams.' The joys of big brothers! hahaha
And cool, calm and collected papa just supervising the situation with his ultra cool goggles. Too bad I didn't get a pic of him with them on and wearing his sweet nose plug...Its a sight to behold!

Kensi enjoying some swinging at the park in our neighborhood...

Meanwhile Aaron & Kobe were practicing their swing. :)

Some of the neighborhood crew & my beautiful nieces on the first day of summer break!


Maddie and her neighbor buddies enjoying a cool popcycle on a hot, summer day.

These pics are from when we went out to our good friend Colleen's house. The kids loved it as she gave them a tour of the field with the goats and playing on all the cool things there. She is pretty much hailed as a rockstar around her now. :)

I love all these pics of Kensi so much I had to put them all in here. She was so cute. She waddled all around and loved watching the cows in the field thru the fence.

Look at all those rolls in those sweet, chubby legs! I love every last one of them.

Just taking a much needed break from all that waddling around.


Doing a little relaxing after a hard day's work of watching the cows

See. Just look at all this fun that is to be had at Colleen's house. And check out those beautiful views! They kids loved every last minute of it!



Colleen teaching Maddie the ways of the pogo stick...

Whoa, hang on Maddie....

She got it down! She was a professional 'pogo-er' by the time we left :)


At the county fair this year they had an elephant show. This little girl here is sweet Cora who weighs an impressive 9,000 lbs. Wow. That made me feel like maybe I don't weight that much after all. :) It was really cool to see these elephants up close and personal and Kobe even got to go for a ride on her after the show. Before Kobe got on, she decided it was a good time for her to 'take a bathroom break'. Kobe was laughing so hard and in total awe at the size of this girl's poopy....what can I say...he is all boy! It was a cool experience, but I still feel sad for this girl to have to live a life like this instead of galloping the bush of Africa.



A huge part of our summer was swim team. This is the first year the kids joined a local swim team. They had practice every single day and loved it. We actually all went every night to the pool. It was so great and we all really started to love the sport of swimming. The kids learned so many things and are so much better at swimming and even learned a couple new strokes! I really, really hope they keep with this sport. Its such fun to watch the competitions and I like it that they can do it together and be on the same team. It was such a great group....Go Waves! :)




Such a great summer together and precious memories. But now, we are getting back into 'school life'....a little more of a routine & earlier bed times. I am sure we will be back in the swing of things before long, but I sure am going to miss these lazy days of summer.