Summer has arrived...

I just uploaded 143 pictures from my camera... where in the world do I begin???  In other words, this post will have no theme... just random pictures and captions. 

The kids have been enjoying some backyard soccer games lately... check out their "mean" faces...

 

We've been enjoying the Farmer's Market lately... but do you see anything suspicious about the picture below?

A half-eaten strawberry on top... with Sophie's name written allllll over it.

The kids and I headed to Ohio for a few days while Eric finished up school.  Lucas attended VBS in the evenings. During the day the kids enjoyed climbing the cherry tree, playing croquet, and visiting Sauder Village... to name just a few activities.

 Waiting for the Erie Express train to pick us up at Sauder Village...

Sophie, gathering eggs...

We ate lunch at the cafe there and then enjoyed ice cream afterwards...

We drove home Thursday in time to go to Lucas's baseball game, where Mel & Scott and Kim & Nick joined to watch.  Afterwards Mel & Scott came to our place and Lil' Sam got to open his very belated birthday present.  What a sweet sweet kiddo he is... we're super excited they'll be living closer to us!

Backyard baseball practice and games going on at all hours of the day... Funny story:  You see those five wiffle balls?  Lucas would bat each one of them into the outfield and very sweetly tell Sophie, "Now go get them!" and she would...she'd gather ALL five of them in her little hands and bring them all back. 

 Favorite position:  catcher.

 Our first visit of the season to the Dillon Splash Park

 Daddy surprised us and showed up after he was painting all day.

Love these smiles...

Saturday evening we had Nick and Debbie Runyon (along with the "Rumble Boys") and Kim and Nick Best (and baby Hudson!) over for a backyard bonfire.  We also enjoyed some baseball, playing on the playset, and swimming in the pool.

For some reason Aidan and Sophie couldn't blow out the tiki torch. :)

And of course, we've been enjoying some fun times inside this summer too.  Sometimes we just need a little break from the sun. 

Playing Uno

Another funny story:  Below Sophie and Lucas were eating a snack of green grapes.  They each put them in a little bowl and sat on them pretending they were chickens laying green eggs.  (WHERE IN THE WORLD DO THEY COME UP WITH THIS STUFF?!?!)

Nali, they have put hours and hours in, playing with their sand and water table.

I suppose I'll finish with this interesting picture below.  While I don't approve of mohawks... Eric cut Lucas's hair Sunday and allowed him to have a mohawk, with the agreement that he'll cut it off within 24 hours.  No comment.  : )

Laugh.

My kids just make me laugh.... here's a few of the recent reasons why.

I dropped the kids off at school all this week.  Yesterday after I came home I walked in Lucas's room to find his game gear all laid out for his game last night.  This is what I saw....

 Lucas and Sophie were playing "jail" again today.  They decided that Trophy-bow and Cliffy were being bad so they "captured them" and put them in jail.  I laughed a reallllly long time at this.  PS- yes, Lucas named the brown dog "Trophy-bow"...no idea why.  Sophie named her dog, Whitey.  (not pictured)  Such unique names, eh?

 And these made me laugh.... because they were just so cute.  Sophie copied what Lucas was doing and Lucas didn't mind one bit.

 (love the blue eyes/brown eyes close up below)

 "Mommy!  We can't look at the camera... it's too sunny in our eyes!"

How can you not laugh?

Lucas's Pre-school Graduation

Hard to believe Lucas is graduated from the TOTS program.  It's still sinking in I think.  Yesterday was the kids last day of school and Lucas's last day of preschool... next year we're off to Kindergarten!

Sophie and Daddy, waiting for the ceremony to begin.

 Miss Jacque! (Sophie's teacher and our dear friend)

I had to post this video below... it shows just how nervous Lucas was last night at the graduation.  I just wanted to run up and hug him but I held back :)  He wasn't so sure about the bright lights and all the people in the audience.  

Below:  Miss Jeannie.... had Lucas as an infant and also when he was 2.... now is Sophie's teacher.  We sure love her... she's always watching out for our kids.  We think she's pretty great. : )

 Lucas and his buddy, Ryland. 

 Below:  Lucas's teachers this year:  Mrs. Baughman, Mrs. Perrin, Mrs. Victor, and Mrs. Livingston

 Lil' buddies-- Graham and Soph

 Not the greatest pic but the only one with both of my loves... I'll take it!

Oh how this picture makes me laugh.  Again... this is Lucas's "cheese" face-- haha.  He requested chocolate chip pancakes for his graduation dinner and I surprised him with cupcakes for dessert.

New Do's....

We girls got our summer hair cuts yesterday... Sophie's is put back in a cute little twist so it's hard to see she got 2 inches cut.  I went for the 6-inch chop.  I needed a big change.  I'm pretty sure my hair hasn't been this short since 3rd grade!