Summer O' Fun

Ok, I was only gone for two months this time. Not so bad, right? Here's a glimpse of what will be coming up in this next round of posts:
My parent's 50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration
Girl's Camp
Grandpa Tom's Memorial
4th of July
Zoe's 4th Birthday
Yet another visit to Payson Lakes

Summer has been good to us. We were gone most of June and then had family visiting for the first half of July. Now we're just enjoying playing with our friends around here and going to the pool. Only a few more weeks until school starts so we are really trying to enjoy the time we have left.


Zoe is potty trained! Huzzah! A couple weeks ago she decided that she wanted to wear underwear and with a lot of positive reinforcement she is now wearing it full-time (even at night). She wasn't having any accidents for a while, but now she's a little over-confident and has had a few problems over the weekend, but at least she's in underwear. We had our pediatrician refer us to a specialist so hopefully we'll be able to get a diagnosis soon and find the best resources for her (and us).


Owen is a parrot. He says everything. His favorite phrases include, "What are you doing?" "Have it" and "Bonk a head" (regardless of what has been bonked). His favorite color is yellow and he loves cars and trains (anything with wheels) and animals. He's at a really fun age and we enjoy him so much.

Here are a couple random pictures of our summer exploits.

Slip-Sliding Away

Cool summer nights are the perfect time to play on the slide. Owen figured out how to climb up by himself in a matter of minutes. He was so proud. I was less enthusiastic.

Enjoy these next few posts as they will be the last..... of the kids with long hair!

Farewell, Summer. We'll Miss You!

I can't believe it's Fall. I already miss Summer. It went by too quickly. We are summertime folk around here. Some of the things we've enjoyed this summer include:

Countless trips to the pool

Walks and bike rides around the neighborhood

Visiting the aquarium with friends

Veggies! We even eat them sometimes.

Bold new hair styles

Turning {cough} 26

Goodnight "kisses" (also known as open-mouthed head butts)

But that's not all - Come back to see more Summer fun in the next few days!

Take Me To the River

I have a confession to make: in nearly five years of marriage to a Nevada City Boy, I've never been to the river. Well, maybe once, but it was spring time and much too cold to swim. So, technically I was a Yuba River virgin. Not anymore! On Tuesday, the 7th, we met up with some friends at Bridgeport. The weather was perfect and I was amazed at how wonderful and clear the water is. Owen fell asleep after a while and stayed asleep nearly the whole time, and with Grammy K there to watch the little ones, James and I had fun in the deeper water.

Before heading home, we checked out the covered bridge - for those of you who might not know, it's the longest single span wood arch bridge, and was built in 1862. Pretty neat.

Tuesday night we got together with the Greens, the Counihans, and the Biggs - the girls went out for dessert while the guys stayed home and watched the kids. You'd think since it had been over two years since we had seen some of these people someone would have thought to snap a picture. You would be wrong. Oh well, next time.

Wednesday night we met up with the Greens for an evening swim at the 49 Bridge. It was a bit cooler and the kids were getting tired, but it was nice to hang out in the water one more time (Plus we had Port Of Subs for dinner!). Of course, instead of taking pictures with old friends, the only picture we got was the old bridge.

That Time of the Year...

Swimsuit season is upon us. Last year I was in a maternity suit, and my suit from two years ago was not looking so flattering, so I decided to treat myself to a new suit this year. I had heard a lot of good things about Modbe, Shade, and Layers and in previous years had liked their selection. This year, I wasn't too ecstatic. Not that they are grotesque or anything, but for the prices they charge, I wanted to absolutely LOVE my suit. Then I stumbled upon Lime Ricki and this little gem:

I love it love it love it! The top is super long and seems to be triple-lined. It is cute beyond belief and I love wearing it. As an added bonus, it was much cheaper than the other sites I had been checking. I am so happy with it, I just had to give the company a plug. They're in the process of restocking a lot of their styles so check them out!

Srawberry Fields Forever

We've already picked about 100 times more than we got last year and we are loving it!

Setbacks

Summer is right around the corner. Yes, it's February and still freezing and there is snow on the ground more often than not. But in my head it is May. I am already envisioning playing outside, walking to the park, working in the garden, lounging around in the lazy summer evenings, and making endless trips to the pool. So of course my focus lately has shifted to getting my body to a state of swimsuit readiness.

James surprised me and got me Wii Fit for Valentines (it's romantic if you know how much I wanted it and how he tricked me into thinking that he wasn't going to buy it until after we got things settled with his car). I've also picked up some lotion from the Body Shop to help with some problem areas (stretchmarks). So for the last week I've been playing games/working out, and basting myself, all the while daydreaming about laying out by the pool and not feeling self conscious (or at least not any more self conscious than I was before I had kids). Of course it was all too good to be true.

Owen has been getting a bit fussy lately and hasn't been eating well. And it hit me - when I was nursing Zoe I started up my previously normal yoga routine and she reacted the same way. For me, exercise + nursing = unhappy babies. So I will be cutting back on that or cutting it out completely until Owen is on solids. He is still refusing rice cereal so that could be a while.

Then my other dilemma. I have used my "special" lotion (read: expensive) twice. Last night I went to the bathroom and nearly shrieked at what I saw - a huge red rash all over my stomch and hips. It itched like crazy and looked atrocious. I'm hoping it's not related to the lotion, but it's the only culprit I can think of. I've stopped using it to see if the rash goes away. Then I'll cross my fingers it doesn't come back when I get brave enough to use it again.

So, for now, my dreams have been stifled and it is winter again. Or I might just start looking into wet suits.