He's a Cool, Cool Cat

 Nathan gave an excellent performance as Jaguar #4 in the production of Rumpus in the Rainforest.

I wish I had a video of the way he shook his little hips, it was the funniest thing ever!

I even had other parents come up to me and say they tried to get it on video because it was so cute:)

He still wants to listen to the music for the play all the time. Since this is my second child who has done this play I have to object. I can only take so much of it, and already have all the words memorized. 

Nathan also recently learned to tie his shoes. 

And that he can climb over the top of the monkey bars. 

First Campout

Bailey finally went on his first over night camping trip with the Boy Scouts. He was SO excited. This kid never gets excited about much of anything, but this brought out giggly Bailey. It also brought out a hovering Dad:) I got a phone call mid afternoon making sure Bailey had everything and was ready and would I please be sure and send a picture. 

 Bailey chopping carrots with a hatchet.

The next morning, Bailey and Andrew (the other boy his age at Church)

Thank goodness for technology so leaders can share these pics with a worried mom:)

I got more than the "It was cool" response from him when he got home which is a big deal. 

Ben sadly couldn't go with Bailey on his first camp out because he was gearing up for his own night of fun.

GORUCK

Which he didn't get to do because the people who schedule told everyone the wrong time. So, he will be doing it in a few weeks instead. I'll let him do that post when it comes. If you want an explanation as to what craziness he is doing now, google GORUCK. FYI that pack on his back weighed 50 pounds...

Around the House

Sometimes the kids like to get a hold of the camera and take lots of pictures. Normally, I delete them, but this time thought I would share what they think is picture-worthy (I edited 50 pictures down to the ones seen here!)

 I would bet this picture was either taken by Emma or Kate, my hopeless romantics

 

 Is she grumpy, is she mad?! Who knows...

 That's a fun face...

 So is this one, I guess

 Little lounger

 Part One of the millions of stuffed animals on Emma's bed. It takes her about a half hour just to make her bed when she actually does it.

 Of course, Bananas gets his own place on the pillow. Ben made Emma cry one day when he tried to explain to her that Bananas wasn't real. I know she is 9, but this monkey is her best friend in the whole world.

 Accessories are a normal part of the day

I think this was a picture she took of herself. She likes to do that.

As you can see below, Emma loves any excuse to take pictures of herself. This montage was just on a trip home from practice...

I don't know how many people comment to me about Emma's personality. She certainly has a bright one!!

Crazy Bones

    A few weeks ago, Emma had a nasty fall during Girl's on the Run practice. They were all running in a group and she was near the front. A girl behind her tripped, causing Emma to fall on the gravel and get pretty trampled. She had a huge bump on her head and was very badly scraped up. These pictures are courtesy of her coach while she waited for me to come pick her up.

Emma hobbled home and I took her to the doctor the next morning just to get checked out. She had been complaining about her wrist and had trouble moving her arm.

The doctor sent her down for an xray, and then came in to give us the bad news- Emma's elbow was broken. I was shocked, especially at how the doctor described the severity of the break. She put Emma in a splint with an appointment to see the ortho on Monday to get a cast.

The poor girl was in this all weekend. Her fingers got blisters from the splint and she had trouble sleeping. To our even bigger surprise the ortho came in, took one look at the xray and declared she had nothing wrong with her! I don't think I could even wrap my head around it before he was gone and out of the room. Apparently the pediatrician had read the xray incorrectly, and even after getting the negative report of a broken bone from radiology never bothered to contact us. 

We switched doctors a few days later:)

 

Leftovers and other fascinating info

 This kid is nuts. Have I said that enough? He's worn through the parts on his bike, and even his four month old shoes...

How?!!

I don't know but I'm glad there are no boys after him because they wouldn't get any hand me downs!

I put together a display for Bailey's Cub Scout achievements. It will be put up next to his Arrow of Light display in his room. Nathan is getting excited for Scouts already...only 2 years to go!

 These two BEGGED to do dishes Sunday morning after breakfast. No idea why since they hate to clean their room.

 They worked hard, cleaning off the table and all the dishes

 They took turns rinsing off the dishes

I will take it when I can get it for sure!

Down on the Farm

 Ben has always made fun of my high school because we had an FFA (and maybe had some goats and chickens that would wonder around campus...) But Casa Roble doesn't have anything on Lincoln High School's 500 acre farm. It's the largest high school farm in California, and the students can take science classes there. Every year they have an open house, so we decided to head over this year. I thought Bailey would like to see it, since he is only a few years away from attending Lincoln High.

 Nathan feeding the animals

 Emma put together an outfit for the event. This makes me chuckle more when I see the high school girls that are in FFA helping with the event and they are in tshirts and jeans. I don't think Emma will ever consider that fashionable enough for farm events:)

 Our across the street neighbors came with us. These two girls all but climbed in the fence with the animals-NO FEAR! Kate wouldn't go near anything.

 Nathan petting the baby chicks

The hat he is sporting comes from Chris, across the street. Nathan is obsessed with anything army.

I didn't get any hay ride pictures, but we did get a long tour of the grounds on the back of a trailer with hay bales. The kids thought that was the best part. I liked the free BBQ because I didn't have to cook dinner. Bailey is now interested in doing a science class out there, which I think he would really love.

Playing Hooky

 My dad gave us his Groupon for Strikes that was expiring, and our schedule only seemed to work during school hours to go use it. The kids didn't mind being pulled out of school a few hours early to go have some pizza and go "bowling ball" as the twins call it.

 I think she hugged me five times saying thank you for coming bowling

 Bailey got some good moves in, a few spares and a strike. He ALMOST so close got a split.

 Emma excited she knocked down some pins

 Having some serious fun.

This summer I will actually use the free summer bowling coupons I signed up for. The twins are finally old enough to really enjoy it. It only took us an hour and a half to get through one game, but no one cried the whole time:)