Pretties

Kendall's bangs have been hanging in her eyes for some time now, and I finally got her to wear a barrette to keep them out.  Ryan has taken to calling them "pretties".  He is very interested in having Kendall wear them.  They usually stay in about 5 minutes and then come out. They don't quite fit the tom boy persona she's mastered, but do look quite adorable.

Strawberry Picking

We took the gang up to a local berry farm to pick strawberries last week, so we could make some freezer jam.  It was an adventure to say the least.  Not the best activity to do with a toddler and an infant.  1.  You can't pick strawberries with an infant strapped in a front pack,  2.  Toddlers eat berries faster than you can pick them, 3.  You spend most of your time chasing a toddler around than you do picking berries.

We figured out a pretty good system after a little bit.  I would feed Natalie while David picked berries, then he would burp her as I picked.  By the time our adventure was over we had a load of berries and 17 jars of jam!

Adventures in Hiking

We were all going a little stir crazy at home last week, so decided to take the kids on a hike.  David carried Kendall in the backpack while I had Natalie in the front pack.  Ryan did awesome as we hiked on the trail.  Kendall got down and hiked part of the way, too.  She was very interested in every tree, leaf and bug she spotted along the way.  It was adorable to watch her take it all in, but we had to put her back in the backpack or else we'd still be on the trail.  The salmon berries were ripe and ready to eat, so there were many stops along the way for snacks!  It turned out to be the perfect outing for all of us.  It's amazing what being in the wilderness does for the soul.

The 3 Amigos on the trail.

Kendall checking out the slug.

Ryan pointing at all the salmon berries.

Checking out the caterpillar.

Observing

Natalie has been spending more and more time observing the world around her.  She loves to be outside, and loves when Ryan and Kendall talk to her.  I'm positive she gets more kisses and gentle head butts (Kendall's specialty) in a day than the average baby.

Arrrrgh

Ryan showing off the pirate hat he made at summer camp.

Best Buds

Ryan and Kendall have become the best little buddies since Natalie arrived.  They play so nicely together, especially when Kendall does exactly what Ryan wants her to!  It's been so much fun to watch them interact.  Kendall usually copy cats everything Ryan does, which is hilarious.  I did catch her watching him throw a tantrum the other night, which I didn't think was so hilarious!  I could just see her taking notes.

Their favorite things to do are downhill racing, jumping, playing on the slip and slide and in the pool and "going on a trip".  Going on trip is where they pack their suitcases and wheel them around the house.  They are usually going to Minnesota, but sometimes they go to Hawaii.  One day they went to Hawaii on one plane with Natalie, while David and I went on another.  It's fun to see their imaginations run wild.  I love it!

Playing on the slip and slide.

Enjoying ice cream on the deck while admiring their chalk artwork.

100% Silliness.

Bowl Of Berries

Most of our garden is slow growing this year, but our raspberries are producing like crazy.  We've enjoyed every last one!