Wordless Wednesday: Summer Memories

This was from our trip to the Detroit Zoo this summer.



The boys are watching the Polar Bears play in the Arctic Ring of Life exhibit.


More Wordless Wednesday visit the WW HQ and 5 Minutes for Mom

Perhaps He Was a Cat in a Past Life

Sam likes to hide places small.



I can't believe he fit in this box!



I wish I were still that flexible!

Hello Out There? Is anyone still reading????

I can't believe it's been 2 months since I last updated!

We're no longer on vacation in Michigan with my parents... we've been home for quite a while!

Things around here have been so busy! Here's a quick update/recap of our life the last two months...

We got home from my parent's house and Josh decided to re-learn to ride his bike. He used to be able to ride it, but then he fell and lost his nerve so he had to re-learn this summer. Well, it didn't take him long and now I can barely get him off it!




Sam got a new bike too and loves to ride his. When they come home from school all they want to do is ride their bikes!



We started school here early August. Josh LOVES his 3rd grade teacher - and so do I! She's wonderful and just what Josh needs!

I went back to work two mornings a week at Sam's preschool as the teaching assistant in a 2 year old class. I really love it! It's so nice to have something to do! And the money is all going toward the kid's activities!

Both Josh and Sam are playing soccer this year. Josh is also playing baseball AND he's joined the Cub Scouts AND he's doing a project for the school Science Fair! We are going to be one busy family!

Today was the first day of sports - and Josh was sick! So we missed his games, but Sam had fun at his!

He's a "White Bear!"



Here he is scoring a goal on Daddy (the assistant coach) during practice.


Sam and Daddy, just before the game started!


The last thing I wanted to post pictures of is a project Josh did for ALP. He had to turn a clothes pin into a "Flying Animal." He decided to make a pheasant because when we were in Michigan, we went out with Grampa and watched Annie (Grampa's dog) point pheasants and show off what she'd learned at "Doggy Boot Camp" getting ready for hunting season. After, we got some of the feathers off the dead birds.

Here's Josh's pheasant --



Then he made an "Above and Beyond" project by making a diorama of the pheasant's habitat.




The whole project:



And Sam wanted to make something too so he made a Race Track! This ended up being his class project we didn't know he'd need! The next day he came home with a homework assignment called, "It looks like a box, but really it's a....."



That's a bit of what's been going on with us -- in a nutshell. I promise to make more time to post pictures and updates. We're busy, but having lots of fun! I just need to start getting into the swing of things again!

More Vacation Fun...

The last few day's we've spent pretty much around the house. Most of the time we've spent at Papa Don's pool... No matter that the High this week has only been 80F! They still go in and splash around!

Here's Sam's first ever jump off of the diving board. He did it twice but then said the water gets up his nose and he doesn't want to do it any more!


Today we went to Seven Pond's Nature Center in Dryden. We had a great time and we never left the reception center!

There was a man/guide there that was really great with the kids. He showed us the working bee hive and explained all about the bees and the hive.


Then he got out three salamanders and let the kids touch them.



He answered questions for us and told us about the animals and displays they have there. He was so nice and patient. It was lots of fun. I'm sure we'll be going back next week as we didn't even get to do our nature walk!



After we were done at Seven Ponds we drove up the road to my dad's club for lunch. We usually go fishing there every year with the boys and I expect we'll be back fishing next week too!

My parent's dog is there in "Summer Camp" learning to hunt so she'll be ready for hunting season this fall. While we were there, Grampa got Annie out and the kids loved all over her! You can see Josh and Sam were happy to see her!


We're coming back up there to pick her up on Friday. Grampa has arranged it so the boys can watch Annie work in the field and they can see how she helps him when he's hunting. I'm quite excited to see he working!

And the kids ran around, made daisy chains, looked at the fishes and just had a great time running around.

I love this picture of Chloe so I just had to add it in!

And Grandmother was happy to have five of her grandchildren around her, plus her honorary granddaughter, Ava!