by my lack of blogging lately. It's been on my mind a lot...and how to get everything caught up that I want to. So hang on, get comfy and let's go!
Zane!- bugged, prodded and reminded me again and again that I had promised to make him a quilt out of Spiderman material....so I finally got it done. I stayed up 'till one in the morning the last night to finish the binding and then switched quilts on him while he was asleep! He was super surprised in the morning and thrilled with it!
- played soccer all of May and June. He was on the older team this year and learned lots of new skills. He loved being in goal, usually scored at least once in a game and was bitterly disappointed every time a game was cancelled due to rain - which was 3 or 4 times. Despite the cancellations and soggy conditions he had a great season and we're thinking of doing indoor soccer this winter for him. Auntie Kizzy was able be here for his year end tournament and Uncle Jamie even lucked out to see his first tournament game.
- had a great time doing swimming lessons with his class. I'm a slacker mom and he's never had official lessons so he thought it was great. And has been bugging to go back....only problem is that Brock HATES the water.
- had quite a few field trips in the month of June...what else do you do during that last month of school? They got to go see Toy Story 3 in the theater here in town, walk up to The Big Moo (an ice cream store) and have a tour, make a candy cone and get a scoop to go with it, and travelled to Innisfail to go to the Zoo there. I went with him on that field trip and it was a great day. His favorite story to tell about the day was that he needed to go to the bathroom and just as he got into the outdoor one a huge wind/dust storm came whipping through. He was safe and sound and the rest of us got blasted by dirt and wind. Good to know he made a good memory...LOL.
- passed grade one with flying colors and is enjoying his summer vacation. As soon as he was done school Auntie Kizzy and me and the boys picked him up and we made a mad dash to Raymond - he was in school until the 29th! And Cliff couldn't come because someone else beat him to booking the time off...so thank goodness for Aunties and their vacations! We spent a few days in Raymond, have played with friends, seen Auntie Lishe and Paxton and are counting days till we leave to camp with Grandma and Grandpa Johnson.
Rhett!- is busy....all the time! He has a great imagination and is always using it. His favorite is to make Lego people and act out things with them. I constantly find them around the house and in funny places!
- is learning to spell words and wants to know what everything starts with! For awhile when you asked him how to spell his name he would say "R H E T T dot. " Because when he typed it out on the computer he would always end his name with a period. He informed me the other day thought hat he didn't spell with the dot anymore.
- has ZERO interest in riding his bike. He prefers to run...and usually doesn't mind sitting in the bike trailer with Brock.
- is liking Zane home but I think he'll be happy when he goes back to school and he can do what he wants to all day!
- Is really so kind and thoughtful to Brock. He's always watching out for him and making sure that he is safe.
- Must be going through a growth spurt because he has been sooooo clumsy lately. He's constantly walking into something, tripping over something or just falling down. Part of it is because he just doesn't pay attention to what he's doing....and I admit that sometimes I get frustrated with him because of it. Hopefully he catches up to his body soon!
- Isn't scared of the lake this year. I wasn't sure what he would do...by the end of the summer last year he was in it and this year he just walked right in!
- Is really missing his friend Jake. Payne's left on a 6 week vacation and it will be a happy day when they get home!
- Kinsey took Zane and Rhett to a movie while we were in Raymond and then out for supper after. On the way home he started asking her how to spell things and Zane got in on it. Kinsey asked Zane to spell Grandma.
Zane: Oh, that's easy. G R A M...pause
Rhett: Zane, space bar?
Zane: ummm,
Rhett: Zane...space bar?
Zane asked for help but Rhett was really trying to help in his own way!
This makes me giggle every time I read it or think about it!
Brock!- Is a going concern! He is soooooooooo busy.
- New favorites : turning the computer on and off over and over, turning the TV on and off over and over, stealing the phone, TV controller or any other device with buttons on it, climbing onto the table, putting toilet paper into the toilet and occasionally his hands (ewwwwwww!), hiding things in weird places, and throwing stuff into the garbage when I'm not looking.
- he also likes to mess with my washer and dryer....and knows the only button that cancels the child lock - the power button!
- loves to kick a ball or hit it with a hockey stick and keeps quite occupied through the day with this
- loves to be outside - hates the water. So at least I don't have to worry about him drowning in the lake! But he is a road charger. As soon as he spots the road he heads straight for it. Thank goodness for fenced yards!
- likes to go for bike rides in the trailer or hang out in his Little Tykes car
- loves grammie and papa's trampoline
- jabbers lots now
- recently has had two big owies - first one he fell down a driveway and landed face first - scraped up his nose and forehead pretty good. Looked like a little clown for awhile because his nose was read from tip to the top. Second one he rolled out of our bed and landed face first on the frame and my bed side table thing. Not good. He got a cut above both eyes and a big bruise in the middle of his forehead. He was sleeping with us because he'd had a rough night and it's not a great way to wake up: thump - scream - and pick him up to see him covered in blood! His eyes are still swollen and he looks like I put purple eye shadow all over his eye lids. Honestly, people are going to think we beat the child.
- doesn't sleep in the crib anymore. He sleeps with Rhett in the double bed of the bunk bed and both of them sleep waaaaay better. I admit I shed a few tears when we took the crib down.
Other happenings:- the kids and I spent June 12 doing all the activities we could with Paynes to celebrate 1912 days here in Sylvan. We took in the pancake breakfast, community garage sale, parade, free ice cream and kiddie fair zone. Zane managed to somehow come flying out of castle jumper and scraped up his elbow but that was our only casualty of the day. From there we rushed into Red Deer to meet our friends, the Bakers, who were visiting from Taber, for a picnic and catching up down at Great Chief Park. It was a busy, hot, sun-burned day but lots of fun!
- Beck and I made two trips to Edmonton with the three youngest kids for chiro and pediatric appointments...and a little shopping as well! They were fun days :)
- I did a 3 week early morning boot camp - how early? 5:00 am early. Ugh. My friend Kathleen suggested it to me and so we did it on a whim. I learned some new things....but also really aggravated my runner's knee - hence the chiro appointments. And I'm really glad it was only 3 weeks - it's hard on a body to get up at a different time every day. The training sessions were Monday, Wednesday and Friday and then I did my own thing on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday - just not so early. It was hard to be productive during those weeks because I felt like I was constantly behind - either on sleep or house work because I was catching up on my sleep. But I can say that I did it.
- I've been reading a lot lately. Trying to get better at prioritizing the house and kids when I get into a great book....and sometimes I've been successful...other times not so much :) It's been nice to read again though - I generally avoid it because when I start a book that's all I do until it's finished. But I want to get better at that so I figure I have to practice!
- I got called to be one of the Sunbeam teachers at church. Rhett's age group has 13 or 14 kids if they all show up so they divided them into two classes. I had been subbing for 5 weeks and really felt like I needed to stay there so I told someone in the primary presidency that if they wanted to they could submit my name....I was called the next Sunday. So come fall I'll teach the 4 year olds on Sundays and the teenagers on Mondays! (I'm still the home-study seminary teacher as well)
- I've been able to go out on a couple of fun girls nights and it always makes me thankful for the wonderful circle of friends that the Lord has blessed me with here in Sylvan and Red Deer. They really are our family here.
- I've been experimenting with different recipes and perfecting others. It's been lots of fun - but not so good for me losing weight!
-Cliff's been able to sneak in a round of golf almost every week and we've been lucky that most of them have been tournaments that the company has paid for. Free golf is the best kind in my books!
We've been buys, happy and are looking forward to the rest of our summer!
A rare moment of Brock holding still. He loved being outside every moment of the day and was always on the move! He kept us all on our toes!
Zane, Rhett and I went for an Adventure! They were dying to take me adventuring and took me down a trail next to the creek. They'd already been down there lots with cousins and aunts and uncles so had picked out lots of things they wanted me to see and take pictures of. Zane got down to the creek by sliding down the bank on his bum...Rhett and I chose to walk upstream and find a nice little path down.
They both went over this bridge without blinking an eye...I was worried for a small second but then just enjoyed the moment.
My tour guides! It really was a great path...full of neat things to look at and cool enough to make you feel like you were miles away from anything.
Posing at the end of the trail....it actually led us to the fish hatchery for Premier Lake.
Cliff and Brock catching some down time in Grandpa's hammock. I think Brock stayed there long enough for the picture and then he was off again!
We drove 1/2 an hour to Wasa Lake and beach because there is no beach at Premier Lake. Rhett and Zane had a blast playing in the water and sand. Rhett wouldn't take his shirt off and was a little mad that he was soaked but got over it soon!
Brock wasn't so sure about all the sand....it was a big hill of it leading down to the water and he was quite happy to stay up nice and high and dry with mom under the beach umbrella! 
Just getting into my good book....
This is Brock's new squinty eye smile....I think it's because of the flash and maybe the sun now but this is his new pose!
Sandcastle that Zane, Rhett, Uncle Jamie and Amber built! Isn't it awesome!
Smile Zane!
They buried Uncle Jamie one day and made him a whale....the other day they buried Zane and made him a merman. I thought I had pictures of that...guess not. I'll have to steal some from my mom in law when she gets home next week!
Rhett was quite content to be with everyone but playing his own little game at the same time!
Grandma, Leo and Rhett morning of us going home!
Smile mom....this is for all the pictures of me :)
See mom, if you go over there I can make a run for the road!
Jammies, hoodie, and being outside. The boys thought this was a great way to start the day!
Zane was very casual about the whole thing....like "I do this all the time...no big deal..."
Cliff manning the pancakes. It's a good thing they like them because the boys ate them every day. And lots of them...one day Zane and Rhett both ate 4! And the day we were headed home Zane was sure he could eat six. He ate two, took 4 more, ate some but decided he was done. Knowing his mom wouldn't be happy about how much he left on his plate, he grabbed Rhett's plate to take the garbage and told me he almost finished it. I bought it for about 1/2 a second, busted him, and just laughed at him because of his scheming little mind. He really wanted a sucker that Aunt Judy gave them last night and I told them they could have it after breakfast. 
Mmmm, pancakes.
Brock posing for mommy. This kid was a layer of dirt, bumps and bruises from head to toe...but he was soooo cute doing it!
I'm off to see what I can see!
More exploring from Rhett! They've both asked me when we can go again already so I guess that mean they had a good time!
The next day after wrestling with Rhett and breaking open the scab....
Poor little clown faced boy....but still up for posing :)
Rhett wanted to get in on the picture taking!
The boys and cousin Paxton showing off their Canada shirts that I found at Children's Place...
Waiting for the parade to start
Slightly underwhelmed by the parade because mom won't let him join in...he kept sprinting for the road so he spent a lot of the parade in the back of the van
Or with Grammie
Jumping with Papa and the boys
Look close and you'll see all 3 boys in this picture....Zane was doing a flip for me
Being a table walker at Grammie's
Bruises from falling out of mom and dad's bed
.Auntie Lishe and Paxton came to visit 
Zane would run and dive up and down the slide while Rhett would throw the 
Great way to cool off on a hot day!
Showing off the bruises, the pot belly and his lawn mower
This is what a belly full of milk looks like!
