Summer Wrap-Up

Even with the early hot temperatures, the summer zipped by pretty quickly. I think we were all ready to get back into routine, but we packed in plenty of summer fun before we returned to school.

June was spent mostly enjoying the freedom to do our grocery shopping on a Wednesday morning and going swimming whenever we wanted. Maddie and Steve camped out in the backyard one night. Charlie and I camped out in the living room after hearing a bat sitting on the attic door. At the end of June our downstairs air-conditioning unit started having issues. It is yet to be fixed, but we have learned how to manage.

Backyard campout before the burn ban was in place. Maddie entertained us by telling a spooky story she heard on Bubble Guppies.

 

 

 

Bathtime!

 

 

Lazy afternoons

 

Learning to eat with a fork

 

July started with Steve taking Maddie to see the Lake Sara fireworks, but she wasn't really impressed. She wanted to see the fire workers and could have done without the lights in the sky. The next day we took both kids to spend a few night with Grandma and Grandpa Fox, so I could get ready for Sarah's bridal shower. I was glad to have that over with because I spend a lot of time trying to make everything perfect for the bride. I think it went well and nobody told me differently. Maddie completed her second reading program at the local library and earned a book with her name in the cover. She was more impressed with the ink stamp and free ice cream cones. The Olympics took up a good portion of the end of July. We watched all kinds of events. I love swimming. Steve loves track and field. Maddie loves rhythmic gymnastics. Charlie loved the theme song. There was something for everyone! My brother, Michael, married Samantha at the end of August. They had a beautiful ceremony and a nice reception. Congratulations to them! Tyler and Helen made it back for the day and it was great to visit with them, if only for the day.

After her first haircut - I chopped off all of an inch off the very back to even it up with the sides a bit.

 

Charlie in his cage. Beau was recovering from a Gracie attack and had to be crated for a bit. Charlie thought he needed some TLC, too. Gracie has since left our home, and I'm sure she found a new one with lots of treats. That is what I tell myself anyway.

Future Gold Medalist in Rythmic Gymnastics?!

 

Before we knew it August was here. Steve took a week off to spend with us before we headed back to school. We went to the Effingham County Fair to check out the animal barns. Maddie is still talking about that. Who knew goats were so exciting? We went to St. Louis Zoo for a day. Both kids had fun checking out the animals. Maddie liked the chimpanzees and elephants. Charlie was mostly impressed with the fish in the hippo tanks. He also loved the chimpanzees. They were sitting right by the glass. Charlie got down on all fours and started his excitement rocking. Maddie had a complete breakdown as we loaded back into the car. Needless to say they both slept the whole way home. I had a birthday somewhere in there. I was sick all day but shaped up in time for a chop suey dinner at my mom's house. We attempted a camping trip mid-week. It was supposed to be a two-nighter. Due to some crazy storms in the forecast, we shortened it to one night. We set up our tent. Took Maddie HI-kiiiing (this is how she said it every time). Found a great beach on Lake Shelbyville that was located in Sullivan. Luckily there were no burn bans at the campground, so we had a delicious hot dog dinner cooked over a fire. Then we hunkered down for a rambunctious hour of bouncing on the air mattress until the kids finally went to sleep. A big storm blew in and lasted all night. Steve thought it was awesome. I'm not afraid of storms, but I wasn't too happy to be stuck in a tent that had an inch of water underneath it. When we woke up, there were probably one hundred bees on our tent. Maddie was very upset that everything was wet and covered in mud, so we packed up and headed home immediately. Maddie had a good time and that made it worth all the trouble. One of the next nights we sent the kids to my mom's so we could have an anniversary date. It was supposed to be dinner and a movie, but we were too lazy to make it to the movie. We finished the fun week by watching the Olympic Closing Ceremony. School started the next week for all of us. Maddie was thrilled to be back with her friends and teachers. She tells me her teachers aren't as mean as I am. Ha! Charlie didn't transition back in so easily, but I think it is just his age. Maddie did the same thing when she was 18 months old. He is doing better now, but has already been sick twice. Not a great start. We had a bachelorette/bachelor party in St. Louis for Sarah and Derek. We caught a Cardinal's game and then the girls stuck around for a sushi dinner. The next weekend was Xenia Fish Fry, which is mostly a day to visit with my family. I ended up just seeing my grandma and sister because we headed out early to make it t Steve's company picnic. They had a bunch of bounce houses and slides. Maddie had a blast. Her face was as hot pink as her shirt. We left the kids with my mom again and headed to my friend's wedding. Steve had worked all day and I had run all day, so we cut out of the reception very early for falling asleep on the couch before 9:00.

Maddie and Daddy at STL Zoo.

The monkies checking out the chimps.

We have started September with my sister's wedding. Sarah and Derek had a fabulous wedding and reception. Tropical Storm Isaac put only a slight damper on the day and held off until the reception had started. Maddie had been looking forward to the wedding for months. She lived it up to the fullest by dancing the night away. In fact, she danced until "her eyes weren't happy and she didn't want to walk any more". Those are her words. Tyler and Helen were back for this wedding and they are staying for a week to make it to Helen's sister's wedding next weekend. That meant we got extra time to visit with them, which always makes for a good time. The kids had a blast yesterday doing whatever they pleased at Nanny's.

The Bride and her wedding present from her husband. Derek better behave cuz Wifey if packin'!

 

The Lovebirds....and Josh.

 

 

 

The Demise of Tiny Dancer....She started with a smile and you could slowly watch the energy drain from her body. She kept dancing but had a look on her face like it was a mission.

 

I guess you can see that we have been busy. Baby #3's official due date is February 4. My doctor doesn't think I'll make it that far based on Charlie's size at birth, but I'm determined to make it. I REALLY want to have one February birthday for all three kids. Do you think my will power is stronger than nature? We will see! We find out in two weeks if we are getting a boy or a girl. Maddie is adamant that we are having a boy. She says that she will cry if it is a girl and that "a girl isn't her choice". I don't know what we are going to do about that one! I'm more excited to be half-way done. I continue to have morning sickness throughout the day. For me, there is very little to make pregnancy attractive or fun. It is a means to an end. I've been trying to prep the kids by telling them they have to be big kids and help mommy because she can't have a bunch of babies. Maddie has interpreted this to mean that Charlie is going to live with Sarah when the new baby comes because we can only have one baby. In the words of my Grandma Marva, "Oh, that child!"