Summer is here and we are loving it! It has been so much fun already and we are only halfway through June. I also am really loving not having the pick up for Joseph three days a week-that afternoon pickup was just such a pain juggling naps, errands, etc and loading them all in and out of the car so it has been great just to be out and about all morning and then home in the afternoons on most days for good. Joseph and Ella have been playing SO well together, too, that it has been a lot of fun having him not in school three days a week. Granted, there are moments when things look a little hairy but as long as I remind myself that it will pass then all is good!
We kicked the summer off by creating summer goals for everyone, thanks to the idea of my good friend, Emily. Joseph was ambitious and wanted three summer goals and as of June 18th he has mastered two of them! He rode his bike without training wheels on June 8th and stopped using pull ups on June 17th and has woken up dry! His third goal is to swim the length of the pool and he is working super hard on this goal. He started swim lessons on June 9th and has two more lessons to go next week and he is doing a great job! Definitely swimming just not sure if he can make the entire pool quite yet...hopefully by the end of the summer.
Ella, on the other hand, is very excited about pointing to her goal and talking about it ("No more pas pas") but when it comes to giving it up I don't think she is on board quite yet. Joseph and I went to get her one day from her nap and she had three pacis in her mouth. Joseph said to her, "Ella, your summer goal is to have no more pacis," and she just said with a big smile on her face, "Nooooo!"
Julia is making progress on her goal and I am proud to say that I met my goal already so have changed my goal to running 5 miles in 38 minutes now.
And, Daddy's goal of qualifying for the Boston marathon takes place on August 23rd in northern California so he is working hard at making that happen!
Joseph turned 4 1/2 on June 7th and wanted to hang up some decorations to celebrate his 1/2 birthday! He has been SO excited about turning 4 1/2 and loves telling everyone now that he is 4 1/2, not just 4! Ella played birthday games with the decorations (limbo underneath it) and we did have a special dessert that night to celebrate.
Ella and her best friend, Victoria (or affectionately known as Tor Tor) had fun painting one another's nails during boot camp on June 2nd. They were so cute as they would actually stand up and switch places as their roles changed of being the client and the manicurist. We have been seeing Victoria about 3-4 times a week so it really is sweet to see her and Ella really become friends.
We were at boot camp on June 3rd and there were three large trees filled with chrysalis'. There were SO many of them. Joseph asked to get a bucket that was in the car, on a sidetone, this summer I feel like I have everything but the kitchen sink in the car so it totally made sense that we had an extra bucket lying around in the car, so anyways, he got the bucket and asked to bring home some of them. reluctantly said yes, not sure if I really wanted caterpillars and chrsysilis' in my car but they all made the trip home and the transfer to the bug cage. It was pretty neat to see because by that afternoon some of them had attached to the side and top of the cage. Joseph and Ella checked on them for the next two days but there wasn't much activity, understandably so since it takes about 10-14 days for it to hatch, but Joseph decided that he needed his bug cage to catch a gecko so he very carefully (or at least I like to think it was very carefully) moved them back to nature hoping that they turn into butterflies in the side yard. It was fun while it lasted!
Ella was having too much fun on June 4th when she was supposed to be napping! She was so funny-she would get to the rails and then say "Woah, woah, woah" and then dive back into her crib. After watching her for a bit laughing, I finally went in and she wanted her paci that was on the floor so I gave it to her and she went to sleep. She hasn't tried it again. She's almost 2 1/2 but definitely not pushing her to get out of the crib anytime soon!
I was making meatballs on June 5th and Joseph really wanted to help. I was pretty hesitant about it because of the obvious reasons (you know, raw meat in the hands of a 4 year old) but he promised to wash really well before and after, which he did, so it was fun making them with him.
Ella was given this awesome Super girl costume from Elsie awhile ago and she recently became interested in it again. When I saw interested I mean wearing it for 4 days straight and planning on sleeping in it as well until the last minute when she changed her mind.
Joseph had his last soccer game on Saturday, June 6th. We were less than impressed with his coach this time around but tried not to let it bother us-it is the Y, they are volunteers and the kids are only 4 so not the biggest deal, but Joseph definitely is much more interested in baseball so we'll most likely do t-ball in the fall.
On Sunday, June 7th we went over to The Garza's home for the afternoon so Rich and Ricky could take the kids fishing at the pond across the street from their home. Both Joseph and Alexandra caught a fish so the trip was a success and they had fun swimming in their pool for a bit before we headed home.
Ella has mastered the pout at the age of 2! I was trying to snap her out of a funk so was asking her to pout as big as she could for the camera.
On June 8th, Joseph mastered the first of his summer goals!!! He can now ride his bike without training wheels which I'm not going to lie, brought tears to both mine and Rich's eyes. There is something about them meeting this milestone which just makes them seem so grown up. It was in the afternoon and Joseph asked to ride his bike-I told him it was kind of hot but he persisted so figured might as well. As we walked out into the garage he said he wanted to ride his big bike, not his balance bike. I told him that it was going to be tough for me to help since I had Julia and suggested the balance bike but again he persisted so told him that I could try. He is a boy who knows what he wants!! We got out to the cul-de-sac and sure enough after about a minute of me holding on to him he said, "let go" and he was off!! He then ran into the house to tell Daddy! Rich came out and he was just so excited riding around and around the cul-de-sac! SO excited for him! And I love that he said that night that he was proud of himself for meeting his goal!
Julia loving the swing on June 9th.
On June 9th we started swim lessons for Joseph through The Woodlands recreation program. We were so happy with their private lessons that he is doing those again this year. He has eight 30 minute sessions and we started off with 4 lessons the first week so we were at the pool Tuesday-Friday. It was a long week (especially since Rich was traveling all week) but we had so much fun especially because our friends, the Garzas and Valoras, were there with us all week long. The kids bounced back and forth between the toddler pool and the big pool and the best part about this pool is that there is a large portion of the big pool that is only 3 feet deep so the "big" kids can touch there which makes it so much easier. Ella wears the puddle jumper and I hold Julia and Joseph just plays/swims around so it is actually really manageable with three. I am so thankful that Emily and Leti were there all week though, too, because it makes Ella's frequent bathroom breaks much more manageable when I can leave Joseph and sometimes Julia in the pool with them. Joseph's lessons are at noon so we have been arriving at the pool around 11ish, normally after working out, and staying until about 2ish. Here are Ella, Marcy, Joseph and Addy checking out the turtles one afternoon before heading home.
Julia has been loving the pool, too! She has been really easy there and enjoys the water, sometimes, so much that she has even taken a few naps on me in the pool.
Julia and Owen ready to swim!
One day Julia had an explosion in her swim diaper (always fun!) but thankfully Emily had an extra suit packed for Owen so she wore it for the rest of the afternoon. She didn't seem to mind!
Hanging in the toddler pool-they played alligators for over an hour one afternoon.
Just about 6 weeks apart (Julia is older!)
Julia and I having morning snuggles on June 11th.
Looking so big later that day!
I had to run to HEB on Saturday the 13th to pick up a few things for Daddy's birthday celebration the next day and it just happened to be Kids' day while we were there so we ended up staying at the store for over an hour checking out all of the activities. They had passports where you had to go to different parts of the store and had an activity at each station and then had face painting, balloon twisting and a TON of samples. This was Julia's first time in the rocket ship and she enjoyed it, although she doesn't look quite so sure from the picture!
Ella looks like she is up to no good here!
Buddy even made an appearance!
Ella modeling her balloon headband that was made for her at HEB. Pretty creative!
That afternoon we headed to the Waterway for the concert and pizza with the Enia family. They were giving out glow sticks on the walk up which provided plenty of entertainment while waiting for our pizza.
It was a gorgeous evening!
We always have such a good time at the waterway concerts! Tonight they even had a juggler roaming around entertaining.
Ella, Elsie and Joseph posing!
Too cute!
Julia enjoyed the pizza, music and just hanging out.
Julia showing off her clapping on June 14th.
I just love those chunky thighs!!
Our garden is in full force this year! After a tough year last year with the invasion of mice who destroyed pretty much everything we were etched about our first crop of cucumbers!! Joseph came in saying "cucumber alert!" He wasn't joking! We've had a few yummy tomatoes, too!
On Sunday, June 14th we celebrated Daddy's birthday (which is on the 17th but he was going to be out town for). Since Daddy loves bbq we checked out a recommended place downtown Houston called The Hickory Hollow which was delicious and then we celebrated at home that night with ice cream pie and presents.
Julia and I watching all of the excitement.
Happy Birthday Daddy! Looking forward to another great year with you.
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