Keeping Busy

Summer is officially here and we've certainly had enough to keep us busy!  Trips to South Carolina to visit Aunt Jayne and cousin Oliver while Uncle Seth is in Ohio for training, discovering new parks with friends, sprinkler fun, saving cash, and just enjoying the beautiful weather!  Here are some pictures of what we've been up to for the past few weeks:  Enjoy!

Cousins in the tub.  I think Oliver appears scared for his life because he's just realized exactly who he's been put in the tub with... Not one, but TWO crazy Wilde boys (who wouldn't be crying?!)!

Eddie sporting his new tattoos and running around the backyard in just a diaper.  He's all class.

Slip-n-slide fun at the Johnston's house.  The kids were having a hard time figuring out how to slide down (they couldn't grasp the run-and-slide technique) so Justin stood at the top threw each kid down the slide.  Somehow Eddie ended up completely naked.

My last day teaching Sprout School!  We had peanut butter and honey dinosaur sandwiches, popcorn, rice cakes, and fresh pineapple to celebrate.  Then my sister (who was up visiting) and I covered each kid with temporary tattoos (you know, the kind that don't come off for days unless you take some rubbing alcohol and steel wool to them? :).  They LOVED it!  (Clockwise from bottom:  Eddie (honorary Sprout), Riley, Jack, Austin, Arwen, and Kate.)

   

This was Eleanor's first experience in a jumperoo.  She meets the age requirement, but probably needs to grow a few more inches before she'll really enjoy it. :)

I tried stacking magazines under her feet so she could reach them to push up on.  She just looks so cute and little peeking her little head out of that seat! LOL!

See...I told you he somehow wound up buck-naked.  It seemed to make him much more slippery, though. :)

Norah is exactly two weeks older than Will and Nellie and I have secret hopes that if Riley and Jack don't manage to get married when they're older than maybe Will and Norah will.  :)  I think they make an adorable couple - even if he does have more hair than her. :)

I love Will's adorable little cheeks and he's such a smiley baby!  Seriously, Baby Girl, he's a catch! :)  

  

Cousins!  Eleanor June and cousin Oliver in their Sunday best.  So cute!

Mommy and Norah at the petting zoo portion of the park.  We loved looking at the domesticated animals (Jack and Eddie's fave was the male peacock that had its plumage in full display) and the preserve animals as well.  There were bears, bobcats, fox, snakes, and many other things that Jackson would refer to as, "creatures."

Portrait of a happy kid at the park.

Justin was Eddie's temporary taxi whenever Ed was too tired to walk.

Silly kids.  Cooling off after all of our walking around at the water area of the park.  

Will Thomas and Eleanor June practicing their poker faces.

Just because she doesn't have more than a few hairs on her head doesn't mean I can't still put headbands on her!  Here she is posing with one of the styles we offer at Hucklebaby.  

Lately I've been playing the Grocery Game with a few friends.  Love it.  I got EVERYTHING in this picture, after coupons, for $6.00.  I saved over $45.00 this trip!  

Another adorable headband to accent Norah's beautifully bald head. :)  

Oliver, Jack, and Eddie.  Jack was crawling like Oliver and Eddie decided to join in.  Aren't these some seriously handsome boys?!

Jack found a nest at Aunt Jayne's house and was in heaven.  (Don't worry - it had blown out of a tree.)

For a treat one day at Aunt Jayne's we stopped at the store and bought the boys Lunchables to eat at the park.  Eddie ate the cheese and the creme filling on the cookie.

Norah just watched the action while the boys played at the various parks we visited on the Air Force base.  She could watch her crazy brothers for hours!

The boys discovered a millipede in Aunt Jayne's backyard.  Obviously there are few things as exciting as a millipede in the backyard!

The SC sun was so intense at our visit to Swan Lake that I had to break out Norah's sun hat.  She looks adorable in it, but usually doesn't like to wear it because it's too big and slips down over her eyes.  Luckily Jayne caught her in a happy-despite-the-hat mood. :)

Jack, Ollie (in the stroller), and Aunt Jayne at Swan Lake. 

Eddison went CRAZY at the lake!  The swans and geese are all so used to being fed by people that they'll come up and get right in your personal space to get to the bread.  Eddie solved this problem by chasing them.  He could have spent hours chasing the birds!  LOL!  

Me and my flock. :)

Aunt Jayne had a super-fun blow up pool that she set up outside on the lawn for all of the kids (including the neighbors) to play in.  It was a hit!  THANK YOU for allowing us to come visit, Jayne!