So much has been going on lately that I decided to give a quick update. I am a little overwhelmed with all that I have to say, but I hope to give you a glimpse into some of the highlights.
To start, I almost finished the mural at my parents' house; I just keep forgetting to take a pic of it to show you. At least I remembered to take the camera out for this tooth-filled grin Hayden flashed me in the moon bounce, while celebrating my sister's college graduation (the party was also at my parents' house).Little lady loves to bounce, as you can see in this less than flattering pic. Us mommies have to sacrifice what we look like in photos sometimes just to capture the true joy experienced by our children. Hunching over and letting it all hang out can cause some criticism (poor Janet Jackson received her share with this photo, although she appeared very tone in this one taken at the same time), but it is well worth all the fun we were having.
Jacob also had a blast bouncing, but I'll refrain from posting a pic of him in the moon bounce. He was wearing only his swim trunks at the time, as there was also some Slip and Slide action, kiddie pools and the jacuzzi. Both Jacob and I took turns in the dunk tank, where he was bare-chested again and I ended up in my bikini (yes, this 34-year-old mom of two still opts to rock a two-piece bathing suit). Although I have no issues with us sporting swimwear in a public setting, I don't feel comfortable having these pics displayed on the Internet (you never know where they could end up). Therefore, I'll just share this photo of Jacob playing with his new hand-held Nintendo DSi.Don't worry; I made sure he hasn't been glued to this device all summer. His grandma bought it for him to recognize how wonderful he has been to his sister this year, as well as all the other things he has done. Did I mention he got a perfect report card for all four marking periods in 1rst grade? He also far exceeded the recommended number of advanced reading books/quizzes for the year (for every five books they read and pass the test on, they get to "travel" to a new location on the map; he made it all over the globe).
This summer, we've been working on a "Reading Passport" package, where we are "traveling" to a different state with every book he reads from the list. Each week, we get a hefty stack of books from the library, each one representing a different state. After he reads it, we have a mini ceremony at home, marking off the states with star stickers. His passport map is filling up fast.While at the library, he and Hayden also participate in a weekly activity group, where they listen to stories, go on scavenger hunts utilizing the references in the library, do science experiments and make crafts. Even Hayden has gotten involved in the coloring. Now I've got two artists on my hands.
Other summer activities have included Jacob's basketball camp (Hayden loves to watch her big brother play), swimming in the pool (Jacob is getting better everyday, and Hayden likes the water, too), going to the farmers market, the carnival, the boardwalk and more events. I'd tell you more, but I need to get back to what's going on now (Hayden is working on walking, taking multiple unassisted steps; she'll be taking off running by the end of the week).BTW, I apologize for the lack of food pics, as I also was ill for much of July (it happens when I try to do too much; a little sunshine, fresh air and cayenne pepper-spiked lemon juice shots made me all better again). I guess I wasn't really in the mood to take pictures of food. Thank goodness for Heidi (who's quite the artist, too), I've got her yummy raw cupcakes to share (the pink icing is perfect for Hayden's upcoming 1rst birthday on August 21). She even remembered to add Ellen. Love it, don't you? :-)
