big boy!

Levi LOVES his crib - he is such a good boy when it comes to going to bed and down for a nap and I think it's because he loves his crib so much.  About 3 or 4 months ago he started regularly climbing out of his crib when he woke up from his nap or in the morning.  He never once got hurt because he is such a monkey!  On June 13 Mark took the railing off Levi's crib!   I wondered how it would go since he loves his crib so, so much.  It has been a very smooth transition!  He continues to go to bed very easily and stays in bed for the most part.  Sometimes he will get up about a half hour after I put him down and say, "just one more minute" and want to be with me doing whatever it is I'm doing.  But really, it's nice to have the sweet little company.  He continues to nap well - usually from about 1-3 - and we've had no trouble with him climbing out -- AMAZING, huh?  However, he does have just a few small requirements when going to bed-

1 - Binky

2 - Blankie

3 - Go Fish Guys' Snooze CD (playing on repeat LOUDLY)

4 - at least 3 or 4 blankets covering him up (we use 3 thick crib comforters and the quilt my mom made him)

silly boy! :)

He also goes down great in the pack N play as long as he has 1-3 above too. 

Here he is his first night without the railing. 

 and another night a few weeks later -- with a new addition to the list of things he likes at bedtime - a fan (although this doesn't seem to be a complete requirement).

I guess a rough first year of sleeping paid off for me the second and third, huh?  (Levi slept through the night for the first time on the night after his first birthday!)  What a big boy in his big bed! - the next transition - sleeping on one of the bunks in Isaiah's bunk bed?

Umbrellas!

After several days of rain we just couldn't stay inside one more morning so out came the umbrellas!  The boys had a blast running along our walkway with the umbrellas in hand.  

The toy mower had been left out by the side of the house and Levi found that and they mowed in the rain too.

Shortly after we came in from the rain Grandpa and Grandma came over to see us -- they were home from their trip to Canada and the New England area - check out their new shirts!  Glad you had a good time!

If we are looking for fun, my boys will find it!! 

Small Group fun

This summer our small group has been planning lots of fun things!  One evening we took a trip to the Waverly McDonald's to play.

and then off for a campfire with smores...the boys had fun running up and down the hill.

...ate lots of marshmallows and at least one smore each!

Gotta love summer nights!

VBS

Our church had vacation Bible school for a week in June and Isaiah was old enough to participate!  He was so excited - especially because the theme was super heroes this year - but not just any super heroes -

 Captain Compassion

and Kid Confidence 

...along with Guts Girl and the Forgiveinator!  

We started the week with a Sunday night family worship time - singing several songs that'd we would sing each night of VBS and then a picnic.  Then Monday-Thursday Isaiah was in (one of ) the 4 year old room(s) while Levi and I were in the 3-year old nursery (for volunteers with little ones so everyone could be a part of the fun!) 

Both boys had a lot of fun!  Here's a couple pictures of Isaiah with his group.

On the second (or third?) night Isaiah's group got to go up on stage to sing with the leaders!  He was very excited about this!

Levi had fun playing with the few other kids that were in our room - and LOVED dancing to the music - our 3 year old group took the back row seats so they kids could run around and dance - I got some good video of Levi dancing with his new friend Evangline (which he couldn't ever get and called her Trampoline the entire week :)

The boys also had fun each night with the giant cut outs they had of the super heroes -

This was definitely a great experience for the boys to learn more about God and the confidence we can have in Him -- and also see that church is a great place for fun and to meet new friends!

On the last night each kid got a popsicle - both boys got one of the huge double stick popsicles - much bigger than anything they've ever had before - we finished them outside when we got home!

and shortly after Isaiah looked like this -- still in his VBS shirt.  That's what staying up past bedtime 4 nights in a row does to a 4 year old boy :)

What a great week!  Can't wait for next year to do it again (but note to self, do not volunteer in the room with Levi - now he won't go to Sunday school because he thinks I need to stay in the room with him!! )

smart boy!

The boys and I were reading bedtime stories tonight, just like every night, and it was my night to pick the books!  (We usually take turns picking them either by night or by book - it's actually surprising to me just how often it is my turn!  I think Isaiah likes it when I pick - and Levi, he is so go with the flow, he'd give up his turn every night!  We normally read 3 plus a Bible story, but some nights they talk me into more:)  

My first pick tonight was this one...

 Then Isaiah went to pick which book we were going to read next (out of the books I picked) and he says, "HEY!  is that the same boy that was in the last book?" as he looked at the cover of one of my next choices...

and what do you know - if you check out the illustrator in both books it's the same one!  Her drawings in the books were similar - especially the little boy who was in each one.  It's incredible to me how smart my boys are, how much they notice and pick up on! After all the times I've read both of those books, I still hadn't noticed!  I love the little things in our lives.

by the way, after noticing this he decided to pick my other book as the one we would read second and save Tumble Bumble for last.:)  Wonder what my third book was?  

Strawberries!

We made it to the strawberry farm twice this year!  (I'm still hoping to get there one more time, but I have a feeling my time has run out)  The first trip out was crazy - I had talked with Isaiah several days about going to the strawberry farm but it just didn't work out - I really wanted to go, Isaiah really wanted to go - and Levi's always up for whatever so on the way home from somewhere we went to the farm.  Rain and storms were in the forecast and the sky looked dark, but I told Isaiah we'd go - so we were going!  

About 10 minutes from the farm it started to sprinkle and then rain and then pour.  Isaiah had tears in his eyes as the rain got harder - "we still get to pick strawberries, right mama?"  So I kept driving to the farm.  We were the only car in the parking lot - but I ran in and asked the owner if we could please, PLEASE pick strawberries or my sons would be so disappointed.  Although the rain was back to a steady sprinkle, it was thundering (AHH)  the man said, "okay if you want to" and he directed us to the closest field.  So we ran to the field ...

And I picked and picked and picked as fast as I could while the boys ate and ate and ate the berries as fast as they could

We picked for 5 or 10 minutes before the rain started coming harder again.  We only picked about a quart and the nice owner wouldn't let me pay for them!  We sat in their building and ate the entire quart of berries and then washed our hands and left!  What a night - a fun memory.

So a few days later we went back as a family again - I was determined to bring home enough berries to make jam - this time the weather was beautiful!  The boys were great helpers and picked several berries for me (and ate several more!!)

 Mark was determined to help me get our box full so he picked hard right along with me - thanks honey!

 We ended up picking almost 9 pounds - not quite as many as I wanted - my goal was 15 pounds - but I was still pleased.  The berries were very tasty!  and we had to continue my family tradition of making strawberry shakes after a trip to the farm.  The boys were definitely excited about that!! 

I did get some jam made - only about 2/3 of what I made last year - and I was hoping to make more this year than I did last year since we ate right through it, but that's okay - I may get back to the farm or I may try with store berries -- or we may just enjoy the jam I was able to make.  

I love strawberry season!!

best buds

There's nothing like a playdate at the park with your best buds.  

 I love watching these four play together - 

 sometimes it is weeks or even a month or more between playdates 

 but they pick right back up where they left off

 best buds.

 And then there is Silas who is just about ONE!  Where does the time go?