Summer update

Warning: Boring post. 

What we've done this summer:

Brinly enjoyed pretending to be a dog

Michael loved jumping off the HIGH diving board.

Pretending to be a dog again....

Playing with the camera while mom and Chelsea shop online for school clothes. 

helping Grandpa walk the dogs.

Free bowling

Michael loved catching the balls when they came up and organizing them.

Washing the car. First time we have done this by hand. I like drive-through car washes.

Floating on the columbia river....until our oar broke.

Playing with her birthday play-doh in Chelsea's night gown, giving her typical "cheeser".

Mariners' game with Dad and Grandpa

Overheard at our house

So, we are TRYING to get back into family scripture study.

Tonight we read 2 Nephi 9:4 "For I know that ye have searched much, many of you to know of things to come. wherefore I know that ye know that our flesh must waste away and die; nevertheless, in our bodies we shall see God."

Michael pulls up his pajama shirt, looks at his tummy and says "I don't see God!"

Love this kid!

Yard Work

This will probably be a boring post to most, but we are excited about our improvements!

We'll start with this landscaped island. 

Do you see something wrong with it?

No?

Look Closer

See those? They are hideous! Big puffs of weeds? Who calls that landscaping?

So, maybe we don't appreciate wire-y sticks, and no offense to those that do, but they just weren't for us.

So, we dug them up and replaced them with something we think will be much more attractive. They are a little tiny now, but when they are mature...ooh lah lah!

Next up, after 2 years of living in our home, we finally got a fence!!

 It took much deliberation and compromise. Our city has a 20ft set-back from the sidewalk to where you can put a 6ft fence. A 3ft fence you can place ONE foot away with no laws on vegitation.

 We have a funny corner lot, so if we went with the 6ft fence, we would lose half our yard and the fence would come 3ft from the corner of our house. My good friend moved in behind us and put up a 3ft fence to maxmize their yard space. Dan and I finally agreed to go that route.  

But first, we had to decide on the placement of the fence. 

I went to Home Depot and got some wire flags, in yellow and white. I placed my yellow flags where I thought the fence should go, and Dan placed his white ones down. After getting advice from lots of friends, giving each other our pros and cons, we finally came to an agreement.

Then we called, got bids, measured, waited for ordered supplies, etc. and the fence was finally completed today! YAY! 

See this cutie-patootie? She's what motivated the project to get done. She was constantly running down the street to her friend "Myno's" house. Hopefully the fence will slow her down...a little.

Now...to plant some trees to give us some privacy and make our yard pretty!

Review of June

School let out! YAY!!!!

Chelsea performed in a dance recital. She was in a beginning jazz class. They danced to "Step in Time" from Marry poppins. She did awesome and is excited for more dancing in the fall.

Grandma and Grandpa Perry came down to see her dance.

We so appreciate them making the 4 hour drive! (We couldn't pick Chelsea up until the intermission, and by then, she was already changed out of her costume!)

 

This is typical of Brinly on Sundays. She crashes. She picked Grandpa's comfy arms, handed him her night-night and settled down. 

 Speaking of settling down...here is Michael's latest sleeping spot. Glad he has good balance!

 We finally put together the bunk bed a friend gave us, so he's finally sleeping in a bed, more than his other locations. (The floor, hallway, Chelsea's floor)

Michael performed in his first piano recital! I was so proud! This picture was after the fact, since I didn't want to make him more nervous while he was performing. 

Chelsea also played and did an awesome job. She played "The Tap dancer" and had to "tap dance" with her hands on a sheet of tin foil during the song. 

I have 14 piano students now. They all played awesome! It's a heavy load, but while I'm not accepting any more students, I can't part with any that I have! 

Brinly got some "cool dudes" aka sunglasses. She loves to push her babies around the block.

And me? 

I'm getting better at my ironing. 

Summer Time!

I have a few "cool mom" moments. They are few and usually rare. 

one non-cool-mom moment was when I sold this:

It was adorable yes, but I had my reasons...

I used the money I got from it to buy a slide for our deck.  

Best decision ever!

Instant playground right outside!

And stick a pool at the bottom, and WAH LAH!

Instant water park!

Chelsea lost a few brain cells....

Briny loved it! But the water was so cold she got out as quick as she could...which was not always and easy feat.

Michael is very innovative when it comes to tricky tricks!

Hope you are having a fabulous summer!

Miss Brinly is TWO!

Brinly is now two! 

She woke up to her favorite breakfast: Trix and blueberries

Trust me...she was happy. Just a little bit.

Michael wasn't too disappointed either. Notice the double spoons? Can't shovel it in fast enough with just one, I suppose.

She had her birthday check up in the morning. The Dr. tried to make her laugh but she refused to even smile. You could tell she was holding back that smile.

She had to have two shots, but she only stuck out her bottom lip and said "hmmmph" and she was done. 

So brave.

Besides, shots = suckers!!!

We opted for an intimate family party. We played her favorite games: Ring around the Rosies, Head Shoulders Knees and Toes, Motor Boat, If you're happy and you know it. And just crazy dancing!

She has a crush on Elmo, so I found this cute idea for cupcakes. 

Her sister had the same crush when she was two, but I'm glad I found another option to the elmo cake. 

 Michael blew up all the balloons himself!

 She loves her new shoes (although her feet are too fat to fit in them...)

Lately, she gets into markers. Doesn't care for crayons, just markers. So, we got her some color wonder paper. Good stuff!

She did a great job blowing out her candles!

And eating her cupcakes too!