end of july...

We came home just in time to spend the last few days of July here in Spokane, and for Tucker to start swimming lessons. This was his first year in swimming lessons and let me tell you, it was awesome!!! He went to a lady named Rhonda who is amazing. She is SO good with the kids. He became so comfortable in the water, and after just two weeks was swimming with his head under and actually stroking in the water, not just doggy paddling. It was awesome. He loved it, he became my little fish! I couldn't get him out. We were swimming every single day! It was so much fun. I love to swim so it makes my heart happy to see Tucker enjoying the same! I can't wait for next year to put him in again and for him to learn even more!!!

Learning to dive...

Unbeknownst to us, a girl from Tuckers pre-school class, Araleigh was in his swim class as well, so that was fun for him to have a friend...

I quickly learned to bring toys for Taylor to play with during the lessons. She wanted so badly to be right in there with him. But Rhonda doesn't take kids with swim diapers. Next year, Taylor Rae! :) (If she ever goes on the big girl potty! I was hoping that spending a month in Alabama with her cousin Kaiya who is potty trained would help, but not so much--the stinker!!!)

We were also able to squeeze in b-day party for my dad at the end of July. He does so much for us, it was nice celebrating him and doing things for him for a change! We just had a small family dinner & dessert.

Taylor helped Papa blow out the candles:

And then he told her she couldn't have a cupcake. She was less than thrilled to hear that.

Luckily Papa was only teasing and she got to enjoy herself a big ol' cupcake!

My sister was in town with her family for the whole month of July. Unfortunately I missed most of it because I was down south, but we did get to spend the last week together, and we had fun! They went back to Milwaukee for the month of August, but are going to be here for the months of September, October and November while my brother in law is doing rotations. So, at least we will get to see a lot more of them soon!!! :) And my dad had surgery on his shoulder while we were in Alabama. He's not the kind to slow down, so it's either really going to bother him, or it won't even phase him at all! We'll see how it goes!! :)

I just love having this girl around to love on!

It was a night of desserts, Kathryn brought over my dad's favorite German chocolate cake, just for him. Then the cupcakes for the rest of us. Then we had to have some home made ice cream with our cake. So, we got all three desserts. Oh, and Tucker made a special dessert he had been wanting to make papa all week on his birthday, consisting of whip cream, chocolate chips, chocolate syrup and sprinkles. It was a masterpiece and he was so proud of himself! :) So cute! :)

While we waited for the ice cream to churn, Tucker and Kathryn played their made up game of 'Marshy Ball' as Tucker likes to call it. It is baseball with a Marshmallow. They play this every time we come over to Papa's house!

It all started because when Kathryn got Tucker a Marshmallow gun to keep at Papa's house. He plays with it whenever we are there. One day they found a dried and hardened marshmallow in the back yard and started playing baseball with it. And the rest is history... :) Uncle Jason  came up with the great idea to use the marshmallow gun to pitch the mallow to the hitter! Tucker was, of course, all over that! Thanks Uncle Jason!!! :) If someone gets hurt (most likely Kathryn) we know who to blame! :)

Taylor loves to dance, here she is, really into her robot dancing...

And finally the home made ice cream as done and topped with freshly picked raspberries and it was Heavenly!

Happy Birthday to the greatest Papa around!!!

Oh...and we also came home to a brand new swing set in the backyard that daddy put up for the kids while we were gone! He loves to surprise us when we get home from Alabama with fun things!
Thanks so much to our neighbors who were getting rid of it and thought of us. Ben got it, fixed it up a bit and the kids love it! Taylor calls it her playground! The girl loves to swing

My kids have the BEST dad!