Bringing up Baby Brang!: Here We Go, Summer!

Grand Rapids Children's Museum, we are back! This was me and the kids GO TO place, especially on rainy days, before we had Everson. I think she's finally ready to explore one of our fav's! We played in the grocery store area for quite a while and of all the things, Evie just wanted to climb up in the deli case.

Took our buddy Kate with us, of course.

The kids and I rode bikes up to Scoopers for some ice cream for our crazy Friday night outing. Let's just say Evie is a huge fan of ice cream.

Washing cars with Mr. Jeff Smoker on a hot, sunny day. Even earned $1.

Carson had his best friend Ryan over for a play date on one of their last half days. This kid has really helped Carson out in soccer this year and was his best buddy in his second grade class. Its' fun to see all the new friendships that form each year.

My Dad let me off the hook for an hour or so that day and took the boys to the park and out to get ice cream. Lucky kids!

Last baseball game!

Just my attempt at getting pictures of Everson's first pony tail. She didn't mind it at all compared to Laney at 1, who threw herself on the floor crying when I put ANYTHING in her hair. She hasn't gotten much better at that actually.

Soccer party! We wrapped up soccer and baseball for Carson and soccer for Laney last weekend. Laney won the "Best Hair" award :-) We will miss these Pink Princesses...they have been the best team for two seasons. We got so lucky with Mr. Jason as our coach...I mean SO LUCKY! What a fun, positive experience...and we have found that the coach makes all the difference.

That's our number 4 throwing it in!

Everson really caught on to being a cheerleader. I caught a little on video...but this girl seriously sat in that chair for the full 30 minutes of the game...cheering and clapping. She just gets it!

The end of the school year was emotionally hard on all of us, because we knew our days with Mrs. Lareau were coming to an end. I could tell the night before the last day of school that Carson was getting anxious and sad. His teacher had given each student a special crystal rock that went along with a special story about seeing beauty on the inside of people, so Carson wrote her a thank you note, ON HIS OWN, and added a few simple things that he had learned from her. She taught him so much more than academics, and she gave him so much more than just knowledge. She made him see that he is worth believing in. Mrs. Lareau made Carson a kinder, stronger, braver boy. He loves her with everything he has. I'll forever be grateful. Thank goodness for teachers like Mrs. Lareau.

Remember the pictures and video of that poetry jam that Carson voluntarily entered? He couldn't read all of his poem because he tried to get all artsy and write different directions on the page, and he just kind of quit reading it half way through. No big deal, we were super proud of him anyways, but on the last day of school this Poetry Jam packet came home with Carson's poem published inside. I couldn't believe it when I read it! This poem is amazing! I mean, I just couldn't love it more! I wish I had seen it typed up before this, and I wish he could have read the typed version that night...but oh well, check out this poem!

With school, soccer, and baseball FINALLY finished, it was time for this family to hit the pool! Carson tried to teach Laney how to play checkers but the girl just doesn't get it, yet.

We ended up running into a bunch of our neighbors at the pool that first day, extra fun we didn't even expect!

The pool was so fun we decided to head to the beach the next day! It was Evie's first time and oh my goodness...this girl is a beach baby for sure! But I bet you aren't surprised to see her in my beach chair. She spent about half the time just lounging in my, uh hum, her chair watching the kids. She'd get up to play and then head right back. She was so happy all day!

It was a high of about 90 in Grand Rapids on this day, but the beach was only like 70! We were shocked in temperature change in Grand Haven, just 45 minutes away from our hot house in Ada! The kids didn't mind a bit while Patrick and I had towels around us to keep warm. The beach is all of our kids happy place.

Check out those waves! Laney kept saying we were at the ocean.

Let me tell you that water was ICE COLD. I know I'm a wimp when it comes to cold water but Patrick isn't, and if you check out the video I have of the first wave hitting Patrick's feet...well it starts off with screaming. It took our breath away. And yet, Evie would just walk right out into the water like it was nothing. She wanted in so bad. Next time baby girl!

She LOVED the sand...just kept clapping, smiling, and screaming.

After a while our friends Kate, Max, Bennett, and Renley showed up to hang out with us!

Laney and Bennett tried to bury Mr. Max and Carson in the sand. I think someone got some mouthfuls.

This is my favorite picture....I told Evie to say cheese and I swear she did!

Even beach babies need a rest and their thumb every once in a while.

After a long day at the beach we always stop at our favorite ice cream spot on our way out. Evie was totally cool with this tradition.

Everson's newest thing is to step on anyone who is laying on the floor, or sit on them, or jump on them. Luckily everyone in this family is loving it. I know she has seen me do this to the kids with my foot, I pretend like I'm going to step on them but I just kind of tickle them. She doesn't know that though! Good thing she's so small.