Summer Fun

I kind of can't believe how fast summer is going! It is flying by and I feel like there aren't enough weekends for everything we want to do as a family. Every single weekend is booked with something fun to do. A couple weekends ago we had such a fun weekend planned. We were going to head to a wake boarding cable lake with Zeb and Leah in Waco and make day out of it. Our kids get along SO WELL with their kids and both families were really looking forward to it. But alas, Austin got whooping cough (I know, who gets that anymore right? All I knew about whooping cough is that a baby on Anne of Green Gables gets it)! Honestly I didn't think much of it but turns out I was the only one. Once his nurse called me and told me it was positive I was basically hunted down by the Dallas county health and wellness department. They wanted to know who all we had been around. The names and phone numbers of any friends I could possibly remember whose child(ren) have or had previously had cough. They quickly told me that Austin was not to be around anyone for the next five days, until he was done with his antibiotic and that the rest of the family would also be going on an antibiotic even though none of us had a cough. They even called it in for us so we didn't have to go see our dr. I asked them why all the fuss and they said two things. The first, recently there has been an "outbreak" of whooping cough in Texas and this is weird. Weird because these children have all been vaccinated and they shouldn't be getting whooping cough which means they seriously need to take a look at their vaccine. Second, anytime there is an outbreak of something that could possibly be fatal to anyone then there is reason to be concerned. And whooping cough as it turns out, can be fatal for babies. So I had to call all my friends and let them know they had been exposed to Austin and to keep an eye on their kiddos for the next 21 days, since that's the incubation period for whooping cough. 

Anyways, like I was saying. Our weekends are packed! Every single one of them and we have even packed our weekdays full of fun activities which means our summer is flying past us. Here are some pics to fill you in on what we've been up to.

So the recipe for this dessert came in a magazine we get and my kids begged me to make it. So if you don't know this about me then you may or may not be surprised to find out that I can't really bake! I can cook yummy dinners and some pretty delicious things but when it comes to baking, yeah, not so much! So the same night I told my kids I would make it I over heard Caleb saying his prayers and this is what I heard "And please help Mom not screw up the dessert so it can look just like it does in the picture!" I laughed so hard!

We recently tried a new babysitter (whom we love!) and when I drover he home after her first night of babysitting I asked her how it went and the first thing she said was "Well, boys are really very different then girls and I wondered often if they were fighting". I kind of wondered what she meant by that. But a few days later I heard major commotion coming from the family room. I thought the boys were killing each other. I ran in to see what was wrong and this is what I saw. They were screaming and laughing and giving each other raspberries and I asked them if they were playing and they both said yes. It was pretty funny!

The other day we had a cleaning day. I knew it was going to be a long day and I knew the boys would have a hard time hanging in there for all of it so I made a check list. And by each room in the house we cleaned there was a box next to it and when we were done they got to check it off. Then we took turns picking what music we listened to. So when we were cleaning Austin's room he got to pick the playlist and Caleb got to pick it for his room and I got pick it for the kitchen, you get the point. They loved it! Somehow with the check list and the playlists they seemed to hang in there for longer then I thought they would have. Towards the end Austin informed me that he wanted to go lay down in his room for a little while. That is so not like Austin! He never wants to go lay down. I was worried he wasn't feeling well. A little while later the door bell rang and this handsome boy is who was standing at my door step. I was about to say "Hi Austin" when he said "Hello ma'am. I am here with the city because I heard there have been reports if rats in the neighborhood. Have you had any problems with rats lately?" I told him I hadn't seen any and he informed that he needed to take a look around just to be sure. I told him to go ahead and check the outside first and then he could come in and check the inside. When he came inside he asked if I could show him where the garbage was in the house because that's where the rats liked to go (It made me smile, as if he doesn't know where the garbage is!) When he was done he gave me a business card and told me to call him if I ever saw any rats. I assured him I would and showed him to the front door. A few minutes later he came walking back into the room we were cleaning and thanked me for letting him have a little rest! 

Now Caleb, the little stinker! I was in the toy room telling him what a good job he had done of cleaning and how proud I was of him and then I noticed something that should have been in the kitchen oven so I opened it to put it away and this is what I saw! I truly don't understand this child. He does this so often. He just stuffs things places hoping he won't have to put them away. But I always come and check and I always make him put them back where they're supposed to go anyways! I wonder when he'' figure out it's just faster to do it right the first time? Silly little guy! (ps, I don't know why this is underlined but I can't get it to not be.) 

Yup, they climb! Everything and anything they can possibly get their hands on they will climb! 

Wake boarding with Claire and Hallie Fish at Hydrous Wake park in Allen Texas

I met a new friend! I know it sounds like I'm in kindergarten when I say that but she has become a really good friend! It was a friendship where I feel like God said "Here you go, here's a friend you didn't know you needed. You're welcome!" Anyways she lives on a farm, how cool is that! My boys love, love, love going over to her house! The other day she hosted a pony ride and petting zoo and it was  huge hit! 

We went to Chuck E Cheese for the first time in years the other day. We met up with Caleb's best friend from preschool named Abby. He has been asking to do something with Abby for a very long time and I finally gave in and sent the awkward text to a random stranger saying "Hi, it's Caleb's mom ..." Turns out it was totally fine and Abby had been just as excited to hang out with Caleb as Caleb was with her.

We invited Tai, Austin's best friend from school so Austin would have someone to hang out with while Caleb ran around with Abby. 

And here they are, Caleb and Abby. 

Pirates! Ahoy me hearties! 

We have some pretty awesome craft time at our house! 

Elizabeth and he kids drove up from Houston to spend a few days with us and the kids had a blast with their cousins! The first day here they had a bake sale and they made over $20.00! 

Kate, Caleb and Austin waiting for their first customers. 

The nighbors came over to buy some goodies

Just being Austin! 

 We headed to the Arboretum one day. Elizabeth and I were way too hot but I'm pretty sure the kids had a good time.

Robbie staying nice and cool

Austin, Caleb, Ryan, Kate and Robbie. 

For the Fourth of July we went up to Broken Bow and going right along with the theme of the summer we got in some wake boarding! That's pretty much all we did the whole time we were there and my boys we as happy as clams.

Jaren got on the wake skate with each of the boys and although they both loved it Caleb got the biggest kick out of it! He laughed and laughed and had so much fun. It was a ton of work for Jaren but Caleb was seriously having the time of his life. 

High Fiving after their ride!

On one of our Four Wheeling rides we noticed that there were A TON of blackberries so we stopped and picked them and Grandma made us a berry cobbler. Yummy!