Summer Fun!

Here are some pictures of the highlights of our summer!

Sadie and Braden were Tadpoles on the Swim Team. 

Since the Robert's kids were on the swim team too, Mackenzie played with Kira while the older kids did their practices.

At the end of the season, the tadpoles had a kick board race. 

Sadie and Braden were racing next to each other and both were very competitive against each other.  Sadie kept checking where Braden was instead of swimming as fast as she could.  It was a pretty close race!

(Sadie is in the closest row, Braden is the next one over)

Here they are with their prices!

Everyone received a participation ribbon and some candy and toys!

We went to visit the Morleys in Susanville for the weekend of July the 4th.  We were very busy boating on Lake Almanor, hiking the Burney Falls and visiting the Subway Caves.  We were able to see the fireworks over the lake as well.

The kids and I made a stop at the Train Museum in Sacramento.  It was really neat!  I had to go to Sacramento to renew Jason's contractor license so we got there for the last hour before it closed.  They didn't charge us anything to go in and look since it was closing soon so we want to go back again when we have more time to look at everything and maybe go on a little train ride!  :) 

We were able to go with the Robert's to Chuck E Cheese

and Contra Loma water park! 

(Our two look-alikes!)

(All the Robert's and Carter blondies together!  The had a lot of fun playing in the sand and water!)

We also went to a splash park with our friends the Anglsey's.

A funny story while we were here:  Braden loved climbing the rock and he was really good at it too!  One time he got to the top and pulled his shorts down and announced to me "I'm going to go pee."  I quickly yelled "No, No, Braden!  You can't pee on this rock!  People climb on it!"  It took a little convincing but he did not pee on the rock finally pulled his shorts back up.  When he got to the bottom I asked him if he wanted to go pee in the bathrooms now.  He then said "It's ok.  I don't have to go anymore."  I guess he just wanted to mark his territory!


We have done a few art projects together:

(Love how Braden had his tongue sticking out and mimicking the motions his hands were doing!)

(Mackenzie's art projects have mostly been on everything but the paper and coloring books she has to color on!)


Jason bought a new toy.  A kayak to use in the ocean. 

He loves fishing and now he doesn't need to wait for anyone to go out with him.  (This could be a bad thing... I might never see him on the weekend again!) 

The rest of us also were having fun while Jason was trying out his new kayak.  I think Braden was having a little too much fun...

 Glenden and Patty came down from Utah for a visit.  I took the kids to join up with them at Monterey to see the Aquarium. 

Webb Cousin Picture (the girls)

(looking at a sea turtle with Glenden and the twins, Mackenzie, and little Patty's nephew Liam)

We also went to Small World Park in Pittsburg with them (minus Patty)

(Webb cousin Picture)

(Braden insisted I take his picture in this cut out!)

It has been a fun summer.  I can't believe school starts next week for Braden already!  Sadie is the week after.  It goes by too fast!!!  :'(

Going Private!

I am so tired of getting these random messages and advertisements in my blog comments!  (Usually in old posts)  If you would like to have access to my blog in the future please leave a comment with your email address so I can add you as a reader to my blog.

p.s.  I always appreciate comments on my blog that actually relate to my blog and pictures!  :)

All about Mackenzie

Mackenzie Dawn, age 2

Born on June 10th

Favorite foods: Bread, Macaroni and cheese, pizza, candy & soda (which she is constantly sneaking in to!)  The other day she decided she really wanted a soda at bed time.  She had found a can of Root Beer and carried it to me to open.  When I wouldn't do it she instead took the soda and put it in her baby stroller and strolled it around until I made her get in bed.  She then took it with her and cuddled with it in bed!


Favorite toys: Cars, food, balls, stuffed animals, baby dolls.  I think cars are the most favorite though, one night when Mackenzie was crying in bed I asked her if she would like a toy to cuddle with.  I went through the list of toys she could have trying dolls, stuffed animals and such, and then (thinking of what Braden would want since she looks up to him so much) asked if she would like a car to sleep with.  Finally she nodded yes!  Who would have thought a car could bring so much comfort!

What I like to do: play outside, swing, be messy and make messes, put on make-up or marker and crayon like lipstick), color, play with brother and sister, watch Dora, name colors of everything

 

(throwing a Binky tantrum, while wearing red ink from a stamp that she applied around her lips like lipstick!)

This year Mackenzie has made some big changes and adjustments!  A few months ago her crib was converted into a toddler bed so she can get in and out of it herself.  She actually never really slept well in the crib, always crying to come into our bed, but since she has her own big girl bed she prefers it over any other options.  I think she has a hard time now when we go places to sleep anywhere else than her own bed.  Sometimes she climbs out a few times but after we put her back in and tell her it is time for bed she will stay in.  Sometimes I hear Sadie and Mackenzie talking for a long time after I put them to bed which I think is really cute, but I have to remind them to go to bed if it gets to late.

 
We also took Mackenzie off the Binky and bottle just before she turned 2.  It was torture.  For her and us.  She was really addicted and cried almost non-stop for the first week.  After that she would ask for it (mostly just at night) and when we said she was a big girl now, she would be upset for a second and then be fine.  I think it was probably 3 weeks later before she stopped asking for it.  If she sees another baby with one she will talk about it a lot ("Baby's? Baby's?" asking and reassuring it is for that baby)  In the one month since we took away the Binky we have noticed a HUGE change in how much she will talk!  Before it was one word here, one word there, but now there's no plug she talks all the time!  And she is getting very good at communicating most things and talking in simple sentences.  She even will say prayers now if we have her repeat after us!
 
Mackenzie will go poop and pee in the potty, but not consistently.  I really think she might potty train pretty quickly and easily when I decided I am ready to do it!
 

Happy 2nd Birthday!!!

Mackenzie is officially a toddler!  For Mackenzie's Birthday this year (which also happened to land on the last day of school for Sadie) we had family come over for a dinner (pizza - Mackenzie's request!) and cake and ice cream.  Nana and Papa were there along with Uncle Nathan, Aunt Betty and Andrew & Ethan.  The kids enjoyed watching Dora (Mackenzie's favorite TV show, she is OBSESSED!) while they ate.  Afterward, Mackenzie opened some presents.  I think she wasn't expecting to be the center of the attention because she seemed kind of timid about it at first but then got really excited!

Since the present opening and candle blowing (which there wasn't any from Mackenzie) was on video, here are some pictures from the breaking of the pinata.

Jason saw this Dora pinata while we were at the coast so he bought it for Mackenzie to use on her birthday.   It had been hanging in the pantry for a while before and every time she would see it she would yell "Dora!".  We actually were concerned that she would get upset when it was time to hit the pinata since she liked it so much.  But, we were wrong!  She had no reservations hitting Dora!

Papa stepped in to help her get a better swing:

Good think this thing was built super strong because Braden was hitting the heck out of it!

Sadie did the girly 'lift the bat over her head and hit downwards' swing:

After a few attempts to get the less violent cousins to join in, Betty managed to swing Ethan's leg to hit the pinata a few times too.

Eventually, Braden was the one to break it open.  Something is disturbing about the Dora head swinging from the trees while the kids gathered under to grab the candy.

We hope they didn't get the idea that it is ok to hang up little Mexican girls from a tree and hit them with a stick!

A day in Santa Cruz

My curiosity had been peaked for Santa Cruz after reading about trips Brad and Jackie made there, I thought we should check it out for ourselves!  We headed out to the Mystery Spot to see what the Mystery really was.

They say that your equilibrium or gravity is different there and showed us a two 2x4's that were level according to the level they had on it, but curiously, when Braden stood on the left side, Sadie and Braden were about eye level.  

When they switched, Sadie was about 4 inches taller on the other side!

They took us up the hill into an old cabin and showed us a few things that appeared to be against the law of gravity, like a ball rolling and water traveling up hill.  And inside the cabin it appeared we were all standing somewhat sideways!

It was a cool trick, kind of fun to experience!

Then we went to Boardwalk to check that out.  We bought the kids some rides

 (a couple we went on just because they were too short to do alone)

 Mackenzie was only big enough to do one or two.  

She just watched most of the time but got to go on this boat ride and she talked about that the rest of the night!

Afterward, the girls couldn't resist a little dance on the boardwalk!

And I guess Mackenzie really must have liked the boardwalk because Jason even got a kiss on the cheek on the way back to the truck!  :)