summer fun part 1

 REALLY!? I mean... I can't believe these children are mine. They are so beautiful.

 The love is real.

 sleeping children are the best.

 Our day at the zoo with grandma. The black bear behind Dennis was enjoying us as much as we were him.

 My never ending projects. Washing the glue off of my bedroom walls.

 The acrobats in grandma's neighbor's yard.

 Everyone loves Aunt Chrissy. Andrew had a special love for her pregnant belly. He was just saying hello to Aylin before she came.

 water can be so fun! Andrew thought it was a hoot to be naked.

 "Mom, do you like my hair like this?" She asks me almost everyday... with this same do. Everyday, the answer is the same, "no. I like it when it is brushed to the side."

 aw. The benefits of children getting older.

  A fun day swimming with grandpa and cousins.

tooth #4 came out! (at grandma's house)

Strawberry picking with friends.

the 4th of July was quiet this year at the cabin. Just us and grandma and grandpa.

Zola was so excited to wear her "parade dress".

Amazingly Andrew slept through a lot of it. He didn't even wake up to the sirens!

But once he did wake up he was so cute! All of his favorite things in one place... cars, trucks, candy, waving, clapping. He was in heaven.

Every time he saw a new piece of candy, he would scream out of excitement.

taking a break to eat a few.

Dennis was able to go around the lake several times on skis.

He also did some knee boarding... Over at Joann and Dan's they have a big "lily pad" which was so fun to play on. In fact, Dennis spent most of the weekend over there with the big kids because it was so quiet at the cabin. He is used to having tons of cousins to play with.

It was absolutely gorgeous.

... meanwhile, Ryan is working a lot, and when he comes home, sometimes he just needs to crash.

kobs picnic

Dennis often asks when the next kobs picnic will be... one of the main reasons we keep going. It is such a distant family reunion (descendants of my great great grandparents.) that I have no idea who half of the people are. In fact, this year we had a couple of rude and greedy people join in and who was to notice? Anyways, Dennis loves the traditions. 

Here is the shoe kick. 

 Zola was clueless on how to get her shoe to kick off and Dennis's went straight up in the air and didn't go anywhere.

 The crab crawl.

 Dennis got really close... but didn't win.

 The potato sack race. (note the ladies in orange and green do not belong)

 Andrew with one of his favorite people... grandpa.

 And, Dennis was super excited for the bubble blowing contest. He learned how to blow bubbles this year.

 Meanwhile, the little ones got to blow their own kind of bubbles.

 The water balloon toss.

summer sports

Soccer on the school team

 Zola's Dance recital

 swim lessons for Dennis and Zola

 Baseball on the school team.

 within 5 minutes of watching, Andrew found a girlfriend.

 Soccer on the U8 traveling team. Sorren, x, Eli, Jaxon, Kai, Dennis, x, Evan

 Andrew Loves to wear goggles too.

 Zola was so excited for swim lessons that she said, "mom, I know how I am going to pose for my swimming picture!" Unfortunately, they don't do swimming pictures like they do dance and soccer. She was happy with just me taking it.

 Then Andrew needed one too.

 During Zola's lessons, Dennis would get his reading done.

 The first day of swimming lessons was hard for Zola. Not because she is afraid of water but because she is afraid of new people.

 With enough bribes and the help of the pool manager, she was able to get in more and more every day.

 ... even without the pool manager! She really grew to love her boy teacher that when the next session came and she had a new teacher, she was super sad... and had to start all over with bribes and all.

 Andrew started riding his bike!

Dennis caught the biggest fish Memorial Day at the cabin.

He performed the entertainer at his recital. Thanks to Dorothy Edstrom for being such a great teacher. Dennis was so ready to perform that he didn't use his music and he walked right up to the piano and started playing before I even got there to take a video. It seemed that he started playing before he even sat down.

Dennis's self portrait from school.

Yes, he is practicing in his wet suit. Lol. He got his practice in before swimming lessons that day. And then while practicing he muttered under his breath, "i like piano." It makes all those days when its a fight totally worth it.

Yay for 65 degree evenings with straight from the tap freezing cold water. A lot of fun was had by all, head to toe... except for me.