VBS 2016!

Our ward organized a vacation bible school again this year (click here to see VBS 2015) and it was even bigger and better than last year.  Several of our neighbors came and the kids had an awesome time!

Family Reunion

Two years ago, Brandon's parents told us to block off the summer of 2016 because we were going to have a reunion!  The day finally arrived this summer and we headed to Utah.

We stopped to see Nate and Jen's family and the girls were so cute together!  I love that these cousins are so close in age.  We also stopped to see Jack's tombstone for the first time.  We sure miss Jack!

On our way to and from the reunion at Bear Lake, we stopped to see Great-grandpa, which was definitely a highlight.  It was wonderful to see him and talk to him, especially since we knew he was so sick.

We spent the rest of our time in Bear Lake, where we were all crammed into one big beautiful house.  It was five days of wonderful chaos!  We played at the lake (which unfortunately got no pictures), had a family olympics (including marshmallow-on-a-string and toss-the-cheese-balls-on-the-shaving-cream-shower-caps)...

...went to Minnetonka Cave...

...had a family talent show (Kiddo played piano and BG stood on her head--both via video--and B and I did a magic show)...

...and spent a lot of time together.  It was a blast!

On our way home, we made a stop at the Russell Stover factory store in Corsicana, where I made the mistake of leaving the rest of the family unattended.  What began as a modest 3 lb. box of chocolates evolved into much more by the time we left.  It was an epic way to end our vacation.

18 MONTHS!

Oh my baby girl!  It's so hard to believe that G2 is 1 1/2 years old.

G2 is definitely our most shnuggly baby.  She loves to cuddle, especially when she's tired.  She weighed the most as a newborn, but has since become our smallest toddler.  What she lacks in stature, however, she makes up for in hair--and we love her curls!  She is our only thumb-sucker and is on par with Kiddo as our best toddler traveler.

She shakes her head "no" and nods for "yes," but she also says "nah" for "no" just as frequently.  Sometimes when she's not getting her way she yells "nah!" over and over.  She can say daddy/dada, mommy/momma, puppy, baby, this, that, hi, please, whoa/wow and go!

She loves all kinds of animals but especially dogs; whenever she sees one she starts barking or panting with her tongue sticking out.  She loves looking through books and being read to.  Animal and touch-and-feel books are her favorite, but she also loves "Blue Hat, Green Hat," "Peek-a-Who?" and "My Pirate Ship."  She prefers BG's toys to any of her own.  She loves playing dress up in all of BG's jewelry and playing with (or sitting on) the doll house.  She will often carry a baby doll or stuffed animal around the house with her, but also loves to play cars, trains, or Legos with the other kids just as much.

She loves fruit and pasta, and will try a piece of anything while I'm cutting it up--even though she may not want to try it again once it reaches the table--which is how we found out that she prefers to eat her onions raw.

She is a joy and delight!  Happy 18-month birthday sweet girl!

(To see Kiddo's 1 1/2-year post, look here.  For BG's, look here.)

Summer Swim Lessons

Most summers I try and sign the kids up for something or other, but regardless they always have swim lessons.  This summer they had eight weeks of swim, and they both improved so much over those weeks!  Kiddo is finally confident in the pool and BG is a pro at swimming on her back.  G2 didn't have lessons, but she was definitely jealous of all the pool time.