Summer~ The First Half

True Colors~

Summer is half over.  We are making our way through the summer days, and I do love staying home with the kids, but it is exhausting.  I have finally gotten pictures downloading from the camera and edited.  I love the new camera, but it is so easy to get 1000 pictures with it in no time.  It has definitely added to my need to edit!  Here's a glimpse in our first few weeks of summer!

Buddies~

Ropes Course~

Isla's Goofy Face~

Chilaxin~

Sweet Boy~

She's a Builder~

How does this work?

Babies~

Maryn and I painted too~

So Intent~

Racing~

Concentrate~

So Innocent~

Go~

Weee~

At the end of May we finished soccer with both kids.  It was Isla's first year, and she did great!  Rowan had a great team, and he showed some miraculous improvement throughout the season!

Soccer~

Sweet face~

So much work~

Get it, Isla~

Throwing it over our head~

Throwing in Bounds~

Isla's Team~

Run, Rowan~

Rowan and his friend were on opposite teams~

Goalie~

Get it Rowan~

Rowan's Silly Team Picture~

Oh, Isla~

Every Moment is a Surprise~

Porch Sitting~

In June, we also did 2 weeks of swimming lessons with the kids.  They continue to improve in swimming, and I truly believe this is one of the best gifts I can give them!  Rowan is almost what I would call a proficient swimmer.  Isla was a bit manipulative with the cute high school boy and got him to hold her the entire time!  She has some skills, though, but she has a ways to go~  They had fun too!

Diving~

Rowan Loved Swimming Lessons~

Hi Sweet Boy~

Isla's Turn~

Floating~

Swim, Isla~

Pretty Girl~

Momma and Maryn~

And somewhere in there we baptized Maryn!  She did great!

This is as good as it gets~

My momma~

Pastor Maria baptizing sweet Maryn~

Maryn Grace~3 Months

And just like that Maryn is 3 months old;-)

The drool has started~

Weight: 12 pounds 5 ounces

Sleep: She goes down around 8:30 p.m.  On a good night, she will sleep until around 6 or 6:30 a.m. On a not so good night, we usually get up in the 4:00 hour for a feeding.  I feel like it is about half and half at this point.  Either way, she is doing great at the night sleep thing!  We are not such a great day sleeper.  She takes one 3 or 4 hour nap in the day, and she is pretty much awake the rest of the time! 

Love our swing~

Talking: Maryn is cooing up a storm now.  Rowan swore she said his name the other day, but I think it may have just been a strong coo;-)  She will talk back and forth to you if you give her the chance. 

Hi Pretty Girl~

So sweet~

Siblings: They are both loving her a bunch.  They will reach over and pat her on the head or lean over and kiss her face as they are running by.  Rowan and Isla both enjoy holding her and cuddling her which is pretty sweet.  

Dad reading to us all~

Our three kiddos~

Dad was in charge~

Isla is teaching her the ropes~

Dislikes: DAD!  Maryn doesn't love being held by her dad.  She typically yells at him if he must hold her.  Thus, Mom and Maryn have lots of cuddle time.  I'm beginning to think she is giving Alex a complex;-)

Firsts: We are headed on Maryn's first big car ride this week.  I think we are both more worried about the 4 year old than the 3 month old in the car!

Goal Update~ June

1. Pay off Alex's undergraduate loan by October 1, 2015

We had 100% of the loan to go on January 1.  As of right now, we are down to  76% 64%of the loan left.  I hope to keep pounding away on this throughout summer!

2. Establish a will

We have a new name of a lawyer!  We budgeted it in this summer, so I am more hopeful that it may happen in 2015.  

3. Read the Bible in 2 years

I have fallen behind.  Not a lot behind, but a little behind.  I need to work to find a consistent time to get this accomplished, but I haven't determined what that time is just yet.

4. Go on 1 family vacation

We leave for Breckenridge, CO early Saturday morning.  We will return the following Saturday.  I'm ready for a change of scenery and a husband that is around.  I feel like Alex's work has been really busy, and we have missed him this summer a great deal!  I think he is excited too.  I'm just not quite as excited about the 10 hour car ride, but I have faith that we will all survive;-)

5. Have a baby

Maryn Grace arrived March 14, 2015 at 1:52 a.m.  She's amazing!

Maryn Grace 2 Months~

So, it may have taken me a while to get the pictures off of my camera and uploaded;-)

I have no idea how this is even possible.  It seems like just yesterday I was pregnant, and now she is already 8 weeks old!  I'm writing this on my last day of maternity leave which also happens to be my birthday;-)  Can we just say most awesome birthday ever!

Weight: 9 pounds 14 ounces

Sleep: She goes down around 9:00 p.m.  We are still pretty irregular, but on a good night, she will sleep until 4:00ish and then up again around 6:30.  On a not good night, we are up twice.  Either way it is completely doable, and I am relishing in the sweet baby snuggles I get in the middle of the night in a quiet house!

Firsts: Maryn is smiling now.  It is so precious.  We are getting to the point where she will coo back to us as well.

Siblings: Isla loves to be right beside me when I feed Maryn.  She has named her own doll Maryn as well! Isla does all of the things I do with her own doll including changing her poopy diapers.  Rowan was fairly uninterested in the newborn, but now that Maryn is starting to respond more, he is engaging her.  Yesterday he was playing peekaboo with her and her blanket.  He received some smiles that he was pretty excited about.

I've gotten my footing back on life!  I'm looking forward to summer when we will all be home to spend our days playing!  Eleven days of work between me and summer!  I can do it!

Spring has Sprung~

I go back to work on Monday, and I am working my way through my final to-do list from maternity leave. How blessed I have been to stay home for 8 weeks getting to know our sweet little Maryn.  I feel I balanced rest and household upkeep well, and I am almost feeling ready to go back to the crazy world called school;-)

Life hasn't stopped here since I've been on maternity leave.  The big kids have still had activities, and Maryn has been a trooper going along for the ride!

Alex and Rowan volunteered at Harvesters.  They packed back snacks, and Rowan loved it!

Moving snacks along~

Helpful Row~

 Rowan had his 1st grade spring choir concert at school!  They did great, and he thought he was hot stuff showing us his part of the song!

The whole crew~

Love it~

Cool Dude~

Sassy started soccer this spring.  She is fun to watch and a go getter.  We think she really might be an athlete in there! She's enjoying it, and I truly do love watching her!

Chase the ball~

Isla figuring this soccer thing out~

Somewhere in there, we had Easter.  We colored Easter eggs, had Easter celebration at church, and hunted our own eggs on Easter.

"Is it good, Row?"

Isla's serious face~

Making them pretty~

Run, Sassy, Run~

On the hunt~

Get them, Isla~

Both of the kids sang in big church on Easter.  They looked so adorable with their actions!

Row and his twin~

Isla singing~

 Our Saturday mornings have been at the soccer field.  The kids play at a facility with 3 fields, so we are working the balancing act of having them play at the same time. Both teams have shown improvement, and we have great supportive parents on each team!  Isla's team is called the Ocelots, and Rowan's team is called The Crew!

Warming up with jumping jacks~

Observing the matchup~

Go, Row!

"Mom, did you see that giant?"

Hi, sweet girl!

Follow the ball!

Spring has hit as well!  The weather has allowed the neighborhood to come alive!  The kids have spent hours outside playing with friends and riding bikes!

Isla's method of carrying on her bike.

Intense

It was a little humid this day!

Must hydrate!

We needed a bath after this!