A new splashpad

 We haven't done any splashpads all summer, since our Austin trip.  I guess because we've mostly been going to the pool.  I've dragged my kiddos on a lot of errands this week (and they spent the whole week in the church nursery last week, yikes) so I decided today was time for kiddo fun.  We tried out a new splashpad not far from our house and it was awesome!  Big, some shade, and lots of fun!  Beck had a friend--a big boy who followed him around.  Beck was not lovin' that and wanted to get away from him the entire day.  :)

 Quinn made some friends and they were engaged in all sorts of dramatic play about sharks and fires and running home to their house.  I couldn't keep up with it all.  :)

 And you KNOW she was the director of the operation.  Luckily they didn't seem to mind. 

 Here's Beck, on the "phone."  Of course you know who he's calling.  Mike. 

We stayed there a really long time, we were having such fun!  And are ready to go back soon!

No, Dave!

Beck's very favorite book right now is No, David! By David Shannon. He calls it "No, Dave." He has listened to it at least 3 times a day for the last week. :) When I taught in a two year old classroom at the lab school this book was one of our most popular, so that makes me smile thinking of my little guy becoming an official two year old, at least in his literature choices! Here we are reading it together. And now, we're not in a rowboat. Beck is going to spend the night at Mimi's in a few days and she got him a little air mattress to use there, since he's outgrown the pack and play. We've been practicing with it this week to make sure he knows it's a bed and to get all the "exploring" out of his system so he'll hopefully just be ready to sleep in it by the time he goes for his visit.

Mornin'

 We love slow mornings when we can 'ang out in Mama's bed and read books.  Of course my kids lay nicely next to one another and happily share stories together every morning.  Ha!  Okay, this was a rare moment, hence the picture where she was reading nicely and he was actually laying still and listening.  But we DO love our morning book time, even when it's a bit more crazy. 

Quinn's Horse

Around Here...a long one!

I take a ton of photos of my kids and the majority of them stay on my computer...well, that and on our blog.  But I decided in the last couple of years that I wanted a photo book for each year and each kid.  I was already well-behind, so I've been working slowly to catch up.  I am finally caught up!  Each kid has a book (nothing fancy...) for each year of their life.  I usually wait until I get free or well-reduced book coupons, so all the books are from various labs, but I love having them!  The kids enjoy looking through them and hearing stories, too.  So I have Q's birth, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year and Beck's pregnancy (well, mine...with him), birth, 1 year.  Just in time to get busy with a new couple, as they are both getting ready to celebrate birthdays--I've decided to do their yearly books around their birthday times each year so I don't get behind again.   Here's my little "planning sheet."  That stack of photo books in our living room feels like quite the accomplishment to me!


Q's writing table.....in the middle of some exciting piece of artwork!

I don't even think anyone would know he'd been here, do you?  ;)  Don't look under the highchair. 

Our playroom is set up for "birthday party" pretend play.  The kids are loving it!  Especially Quinn.   

 

 

Here's a map Quinn made--all on her own!  It shows how to get to Grandmother's house.  Apparently there is not a through route.....

Some of the signs posted around.
(Sorry, we are closed)
(Garage and Kitty's Home)

Quinn's illustration of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea (Red Seed, according to her).  "But I didn't make it red because I like too many other colors."   

 I love how our kitchen table gives a good picture of our life right now.  Yellow mustang on the centerpiece and beans soaking in little jar of water (Q was rooting them). 

Making cinnamon rolls for bread day a few weeks back.  

Impact Back to School Night

A tradition we love is Impact's Back to School night.  They bring out a bunch of buses of kiddos, Bammel families take the kids out for dinner and then to Walmart to buy school supplies.  We requested a little girl (Quinn's request) this year.  Here we are with Faith!

Hungry kiddos at McDonalds waiting for our food.  

Then off to Walmart to buy backpacks, shoes, uniforms, and supplies.

Here we are with Faith's goodies!  

Funny Quinnism--we were talking with her on the way to church to pick up our child about how tonight was about doing something for someone else.  We knew it'd be a little hard for her to see someone else getting to pick out all sorts of cool stuff and not get anything for herself, so we talked about why.  We often use the imagery that if we do something for someone else, we're also doing it for Jesus.  So I reminded her that when we buy school supplies for a child who needs them, it's like we're buying supplies for Jesus.  Quinn thought about that for a minute and said, "Yeah, cause Jesus is going back to school, too."  :)

Painting.

 

Just a little bit of Quinn.....

 

A few minutes outside with my girl and my camera...I love these because I feel like they capture "Quinn at 4.8" so very perfectly from her sparkly sandals to her letter bead bracelet to her sparkly rings to her dog embraces to her crepe myrtle bouquet.  

ViaBeck

This morning the kids were playing down in Quinn's ("Tinn"--according to Beck) room while I got dressed and brushed my teeth.  Eventually Beck came down to my room crying and came to me saying, "Mama, NO DRESS."  

Guess he's finally put his foot down on Quinn's dress up shenanigans.  She did talk him into wearing her green frog tshirt, but he's had enough with the dresses.  :)

Max's bday party

 

 Some long-time friends are in town from CA and we got to celebrate Max's 6th birthday together!  It was seriously one of the most fun kids' birthday parties I have been to.  The kids just played and played so well together.  It was amazing.  Which means I got to have complete conversations with other grownups!  Score!  Plus my kids were thrilled to have Mimi and Grandbob and Grandsue there!  Plus lots of little friends to run around with.  Poppy (Joey's dad) was telling Quinn tonight that he and Bob (Matt's dad) first became friends when they were her age.  Wow....a lot of history there, and here we are many years later and our kiddos are now the 4th generation of Lahmeyer/Boeller buddies to hang out together.  Such sweet times!

Quinn and Joseph had a blast on the slip and slide!

 Quinn got to have a small piece of cake and she made the most of it!

 Max was the sweetest birthday boy ever.  He made sure everyone else got a piece of cake before he touched his. 

 And this guy totally knows what cake is!  He loves it!

 After she licked her plate clean--she knows her sweets are few and far between, so she makes em count!

 Green-tongued Max...He is adorable.  He and Quinn played in the mud for a good long hour.  They had a blast together!

What a fun night and a good time catching up with some great friends.  And family!