Catch Up

It has been a while since I updated our blog. So much has been going on that I just have not taken the time to sit and write about it. We finished up Mike's last month of residency in June.

Mike graduated. (Here's a picture of him and his fellow graduatees.....and just FYI, he is standing on his tip toes and not really that tall).

It is hard to believe that 3 years have come and gone. Luckily, we are staying put for one more year so that Mike can do some sports medicine training here with Notre Dame and some other sports medicine doctors in town. He thinks it will be the funnest professional year of his life. Go Irish!

Summer is here and we finally feel like it is in full swing. The girls have been doing some camps these last couple of weeks: a soccer camp (through a local Lutheran Church, where they had devotionals every morning and learned things like God, Jesus and The Holy Ghost are ONE. That will take some undoing. At least we learned that they do listen sometimes...); and another camp put on by a friend's neighbor who is 12 (trying to earn some money for the summer). The camp is for 4-8 year olds with different themes every day... So cute. The girls have had fun, but I am excited to have less driving in my future, unless I so choose otherwise.

Mads is loving the freedom of summer. She is busy doing everything she can. She is also becoming a tad bit obsessed with food. And when I say a "tad" I mean REALLY. She is always concerned who is getting more food, her or dad, and if she can have dessert, and if there are options she always wants both. And seconds. And if we go anywhere, she wants to know when we are going to eat, and what we are going to eat, and then packs treats to go. One of Mike's cruel jokes is to tease Maddie that we ran out of food and won't have dinner. Boy, you should see her reaction! It never fails! I am a little nervous about her food obsession, and hoping that it is just a growth spurt, and nothing that I should be worried about. Luckily the kid never quits moving, so she burns much of it off.

Halle also loves summer. She loves that she does not have to get up and get ready for school everyday. There are some days that I do not even bother fighting her about her hair or her jammies. It is liberating. She is STILL learning to ride her bike without training wheels. Just a couple of days ago after a not so stellar attempt at riding, she jumped off of her fallen bike, threw down her helmet and yelled. "I quit, I am a quitter, I do not like to ride my bike" And proceeded to storm off into the house and down to her room. Oh yes, Halle has a temper. And apparently she is a quitter too. What am I going to do with her.

Colton is starting to walk now. A feat I was sure that was weeks away, but he is taking to it quite well, and is going to be a little busy body for the rest of forever. He is picking up any object and pretending it is a phone, and loves to look for airplanes. He is boy to the core, and is disgustingly dirty by the end of the day.

The day before the fourth, we ladies took most of our hubbies, and went to the beach to have some much needed rest and relaxation. It was a blast. We love getting out and playing in the sand. Mads spends her time building in it, and playing in the water


Halle spends her time rolling in it
,

and Colton spends his time eating it.
What could be better.

For the Fourth our neighbourhood always puts on a bike parade. They have police cars, and firetrucks that lead the way, and the kids decorate their bikes, and ride, and then at the end there is hot dogs, chips, drinks, popsicles (Maddie heaven). The kids rode great.

Mads was proudly sporting Red White and Blue.


Halle had her training wheels on of course (we did not want to endanger the other paraders).

And Colton strolled well.


Mads got to sit in the firetruck at the end and even tried on Fireman gear.
Later that night we went over to our friends house and had a BBQ and let the men folk indulge their inner pyro and and blow up fireworks...


Note to self for next year, if you come across a package of fireworks that is called "Butterflies and Flowers" it may not contain the big exciting effect that you may be going for.

It had been raining, so we set up a "viewing area" that was covered for the ladies, and any young one that did not like getting wet. (notice that Halle is plugging her ears.. This is a HUGE step from the last few years where I got to hide with her in the house, away from any and all "scary" noise. And yes, she has a phobia of loud noises)


The kids even got in on the pyro action, and did sparkers (kid friendly ones) Halle developed a very peculiar technique where she held her sparkler with one hand, while pinning her ear to her shoulder, and plugging her ear with the other hand... It was pretty funny to watch. We love that strange little girl.

All in all a great holiday and it is strange to think that it is our last one here.