Summer Fun!

Okay so last night I temporarily lost my mind and went to a midnight showing of Eclipse. The whole day I could not figure out why I was going. I didn't even really like the first two movies, they were lame. But even though I feel like I've been hit by a bus this morning, I am glad I went. It was a blast, and the movie was so much better than the first two. It stayed much truer(is that even a word?) to the book, the actors finally got the characters figured out and stopped acting like cracked out twitchy freaks, and they included a lot of the funny parts of the book that were left out of the first two. I think those directors focused way too much on the whole teenage angst aspect and ignored a lot of the other details. But this one was fabulous. Loved it.
We have been swimming a lot lately and Thad has been playing with the waterproof camera. Here are some shots of the kids in the pool the other night.
I liked this action shot, and don't worry, Sammy stood up right after she landed and jumped in as well.

Fun under water shot.

Sammy really wanted the camera.

Underwater shot of The Belly, and the sun ;)

I just really liked Andi's cute little ballet toes.

And this is how we Sam out of the pool. Bribe him with apricots from my parents tree.

A - you're adorable!

Today was Andi's first dance recital. She absolutely loved it. From the costume, to the make-up, to being on stage and having everyone clap for her, she loved it. I loved being backstage and watching her and feeling like I was sharing something amazing with her because it was always such a joy for me. She is dancing at my old studio, at the same theater we always performed in, and 24 years after I did my first show it still holds the same excitement and anticipation and it was bizarre and fun to see it from this perspective. Here she is at home before the show.

And haming it up backstage. 

With her teacher Miss Stephanie, who I actually taught before I went away to school .

And one of both of us with Miss Cathy, who taught me from the beginning. I can't even explain how happy I am that Andi get's to experience dancing with this amazing woman.

Clones

So last week we saw on the local news a fathers day contest was going on. The "spittin image" contest where people sent in a picture of them and their dad and who ever looks the most alike wins. Of course Thad couldn't resist, so we sent in this picture, which doesn't even really do the clone-ishness of these two justice. But they won anyway. Now we are waiting to find out what they won ;)

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Sammy has been sick this last week, which has made it a very long week. He started coughing Friday morning and just kept getting worse, so Monday we were at his Dr bright and early to get some antibiotics for this new strain of pertussis that is going around town right now. Yes, they vaccinate for that, but I guess this strain is new. Lovely. I think there is also something in the yard making his allergies nuts because we were out back for seriously 2 minutes Monday before he came over to me fussing because his whole face was draining. Eyes, nose, mouth(because his throat hurt so he was drooling a lot). But he seems to be feeling much better today, thankfully. Here his is having a breathing treatment and holding the mask all by himself. Andi used to fight me on this until she was like 3, but I think Sammy gets that it helps him feel better so he just holds it while we read books.

Andi would really like Sammy to get better so we can resume our afternoon pool routine. I sent her over to a friends Tuesday because she just kept asking me to take her to Grandmas to swim, and when I'd say no she would say, "Mom, just call someone to take care of Sam and we can go swimming."
I also started P90X this week and am proud to say that I am only slightly limping today, as opposed to the hobbling around I was doing last weekend. Andi's daily swimming routine is what motivated me to get working out.
Today is Andi's last day of dance class for the summer. Her recital is next weekend and she is really excited about the costume and make-up. We'll see what she does when she has to go out on that big stage. I have a feeling we'll have a harder time getting her off the stage than on.

Has it really been a week?!

It's been an interesting week. Thad was in Vegas for a few days last week doing another training, got home Thursday night and came home from work Friday with the news that he had to leave again on Sunday morning. So we crammed as much as we could into Saturday and got a lot accomplished. One of the things Thad worked on was finishing the entertainment center re-vamp from a few weeks ago, and he had some help.

"This is where it goes Daddy"

"Oh, let me do it."

"There, perfect!"

Sammy get's so excited when he hears the power tools going, and can entertain himself for hours with a plain old screwdriver .

We got a new hose reel for the backyard, which has turned into just one more thing for Sammy to climb. 

And, despite the "fence" we put around the garden to keep the kids out, they sneak in to dig. 

Yes, he's rubbing dirt in his hair. Awesome.

We finally got to the bank yesterday and brought Thad's truck home. And now we are fighting over who gets to park in the driveway ;)

You say Good-Bye and I say Hello

I'd like you to meet Thad's new friend. He is going to come live with us this week.

Mater will be retiring (for the second time) to Thad's parent house where Thad can still visit him on occasion. Farewell Mater!

Memorial Day

For the first time in three years we remembered to bring our camera to the Memorial Day festivities. Which was a very good thing because Thad's Mom was not there to be our paparazzi like usual. She was up north with Tenille and Matt helping out with the newest grand baby, who I'm told is a perfect angel already :) I'll call you in two weeks Tenille and you can let me know how things are going then ;) Congrats you two, and good luck!
We started the morning off at the cemetery and then headed to G&G Richards for the annual BBQ/swim party extravaganza. Thankfully there were no sunburns or fun island casualties to report. Just a ton of good food and fun with G&G and the Morgan cousins.

This is the face Sammy made, accompanied by gasping and pointing, whenever he saw a flag. Keep in mind we were at a cemetery on Memorial Day. LOTS of flags.

He finally stole one from one of the cousins, whose parents wisely brought their own so they didn't have to keep chasing their kids to stop them from yanking up all the flags.

Thad brought the water proof camera this year and had fun playing with it in the pool. He even took a video while doing a front flip into the pool, just to see what it looks like. If you watch it too many time you will probably puke. But this one if from halfway in the water.

And this is how excited Andi was all day. In the few minutes she was taking a break to eat she said, "Mom, I love this day!"

Sammy was pretty brave around the pool.

No, we did not let him jump off the diving board, and that is the face he made when Thad told him to smile. Mostly he sat by the steps in the shallow end playing with squirt guns or trying to get Thad to let him play with the camera.

It was a great day, and seems to be the official kick off to summer. It's been crazy hot ever since.