When it's hot outside...

When it's hot outside...get creative! It was almost 100 degrees outside this morning so I decided to keep the kids inside to swim. We had to get a little creative. I let them play in our bathtub with the jets on. Holy Bubbles!! Here are some fun pictures of their crazy 2 hour indoor swim. We love it. EVERY. MINUTE.

DIVA

I'm a diva and I know it. :)

Making the best of every day

When you don't have extra help to go places, you make the best with what you have around you. Today, we played our little hearts out in the front yard with our "choo choo stroller road" game. We also decided to do some serious swimming in our backyard and got a tasty Gatorade from Mommy when it was time to re-hydrate. Overall, I think it was a pretty good day at home. :)

Date Night with Sarah and Sean

Ben and I got to have a date night while visiting my parents. We were fortunately to double-date with my best friend from elementary-high school, Sarah, and her husband Sean. Here are some pictures of our fun date night. Loved this night. SO. FUN.

Sarah and Sean

Us

Oops....too late

Strike a pose

Great night with my bestie

Um. We match the sculpture...not planned but quite funny

Still kids when we're together and I LOVE THAT!

Vacation with Family AND a Coffee Date

Talk about spoiled. I got to spend two weeks with family this Summer. What an awesome time!! Ben also set aside some special "girl time" for me and the ladies to go shopping and out for lunch. Yahoo!! Unfortunately, I don't think I got any pictures of that special day. :( Angie had to return some stuff on Friday so I got to go out AGAIN! Here is a picture of the two of us enjoying a much-needed caffeine boost. :) It was a wonderful afternoon of girl talk and fun. LOVED. EVERY. MINUTE.

Blue Bunny...AGAIN!

Well, when you can't get it at home, you OD on it during vacation. ;) We decided one more trip to Blue Bunny's Ice Cream Parlor wouldn't hurt. We were passing by the city on our way home anyway. Here are some pictures of our second stop there. Yummm-ooooooo!!!

Daddy, Simon and Solomon

Isla and Mommy

The Whole Family

Such Cutie Patooties

Ellingson Lake Vacation

Each year the Ellingson family gets together to enjoy some family time. This year, we stayed for a week in a lake house. We had a great time of fellowship and got to experience many "firsts" for the kids (boat, lake beach, etc.). Here are some pictures of our special week with precious family.

Wanna Join Our Party?

You're welcome to join our party...but only if you're a pirate, porcupine, princess, or penguin. It's located in the party parlor and we're having pirate potion (apple juice) and penguin pickings (goldfish/fruit snacks). Yum.

Craft Time

We spent a week with the Ellingson family and had a blast. We were blessed to enjoy a week in Ben's Uncle's lake house. It was beyond gorgeous and felt like a home away from home. Here are some pictures of one of the many crafts we enjoyed on vacation - making pine cones into adorable, creative birds.

Nana's running partner

Mom hasn't ever had a running partner. I mean EVER. So, I decided to change that. Each day we enjoyed running together and it was really fun. Here is a picture Mom took of me that week. Too bad I didn't get one of both of us together. Next time! :)

Story Time with Auntie Angie

Ah, story time!! Our kids love books and they love it when someone volunteers to read them a story. Here you'll find their Auntie Angie reading them an all time favorite, "Do Baby Bears Sit in Chairs?" Thank you, Angie! (Also pictured - our niece Rachel and nephew Grant)

Pool Time

Mom and Dad don't have a large pool in their backyard but that didn't seem to bother my kiddos. They had plenty of fun getting Nana and Mommy wet with buckets and splashing in the kiddie pool. Here is a picture of the kids attacking Nana. :) Don't worry, she had fun too. You can see after a while, even they needed to rest. :)

Nana getting attacked with water

Mommy, Solomon and Isla soaking in the sun

Iowa Trip

We had a great time with Nana and Bompa this Summer. We spent a week with them and even got to see my sister and her kiddos (Andy had to work so we didn't get to see him - boooo! :( ) Our drive was loooong but we got to enjoy several wonderful things while visiting - overall, a great trip!

Parks

Pools

Slip and Slides

Play Dates

Tea Parties

Zoo

...and the list just goes on and on!!! :) Here are some pictures of our fun week with my parents:

Meeting Andrea in Le Mars

Andrea is our best friend from college. We love her to death! She was in town with her two kids visiting family and we decided to take a short trip to visit her and meet her little ones before heading off to see the Ellingson family for one week. Paul, Andrea's husband, was stuck back at home in Alabama due to starting a new job recently. We certainly missed seeing him too. It was a short trip but we loved every minute. Here are some highlights.

Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor - Le Mars, Iowa

Ben, Isla and Solomon

Andrea

Destiny (Andrea's Sister's Daughter) and Elijah (Andrea's son)

Maya (Andrea's daughter) and Simon

Lunch at Subway (Maya, Elijah, Isla, Solomon and Simon)

The. Whole. Group.