Where has the time gone?

The summer has absolutely sped by and left me bewildered about where it went. I'm just now getting ready to post Charlie's 5 month pictures and I will soon be taking his 6 month shot. Once it hits the 4th of July, the summer is really over. I head back to work on Wednesday to do registration for a few days. After that I will be found hustling to get my classroom in some kind of order and a plan for the first few days. I'm teaching a geography class one semester and a history class the next semester this year to some of the special ed students, which is new territory for me. Steve will probably pass out when he reads this, because on our vacation last week I couldn't figure out directions to save my life!

Maddie continues to amaze us with her spunk. She is talking so much. I've probably hindered her learning a bit because I've really slacked this summer. I had great plans to do little lessons with her every day. You can imagine how that did/didn't go! It is back to 'school' for her and Charlie on Wednesday, too, so they will get her lined out. Charlie has changed a lot in the last couple of months. He moves around quite a bit and can hold his chest up at a 90 degree angle. Steve says he may not get to where he intended and he won't know how he ended up where he got, but he is headed toward mobility. Maddie is ALWAYS in his face for hugs and kisses. They are best friends....just ask her! I don't know if Charlie would agree. That is probably why he is so intent on learning how to move.

These are in no particular order....

Super cute Maddie enjoying the fireworks.

Maddie 'helping' Daddy fill up the old cement pond to make the deepest sandbox ever. Thanks Uncle Brian for busting out a big enough drainage hole! She loves to play in the sand as long as the weather isn't too hot.

A little sibling together time. If Maddie appears glossy, she was covered in 'lipshtick'. Chapstick can be a multipurpose moisturizer. :) Also, she continues to prefer to be clothes-free at home. Steve was mortified to walk around the house last weekend to find her naked in the wading pool on our front porch. I choose my battles and that wasn't it. If she tries it when she is 12, we'll have words!

Handsome Bubba - 5 months

He had had a rough day. He'd knocked his face on the floor because I didn't have him buckled in securely. Then Maddie was wound up and flung her wooden pizza cutter across the living room, nailing him in the eye. He made it through both incidents with nothing more than a red mark on his eye. Whew!

My pretty baby girl. She finds great joy in sitting in Charlie's gear. Here she had set herself up to face Charlie who was standing in his jumper. They were both having a grand old time.

 These pictures were taken one afternoon while Sarah and I watched Lucy and Will for a couple of hours. Thank heavens it was only a couple of hours. The babysitters were both exhausted and the children weren't!

Maddie was apparently a swashbuckling cowboy. At one point she even had on cowboy boots. Lucy was being sweet and taking care of Charlie for me. Maddie was seconds away from jacking her in the head with the sword. I managed to stop that one.

Poor Aunt Sarah was on her own. It was every adult for themselves! All the pictures are blurry because I was under attack if Sarah wasn't.

They actually had some good spars and didn't even fight with each other....until Will decided he wanted his hat back. That was another story!

 Black River Rafting Trip - July 2011

How many men does it take to light a fire? If trying to use Tyler's magic rock....several! Thank heavens we had matches....packed by the women. :) Really, Tyler, it was a great idea. You just need to practice a little.

Steve in his infamous head lamp. He looks for any excuse to wear that thing.