Where is Gerrit?

One Sunday in August after church we couldn't find Gerrit.  Now every Sunday I come home from church and put on pajama pants.  My poor kids have picked up my bad habit including my cute 3 year old.  Well, I started to panic because I had looked all over the house and didn't realize he had gone outside.  I called his name with no answer.  I began getting frantic and started on my walk around the block to see if he took off.  I found him asleep on the neighbor's RV pad in his pajamas as it is about 95 degrees outside.  He was out riding his trike and decided he was tired and laid down right their on their asphalt.  I couldn't stop laughing and had to snap a picture before we moved him.

Kaymin's New Haircut

We have another new next door neighbor and she cuts hair in her house.  It is heavenly.  Kaymin went to her to get a new "look" for 5th grade.  She came home with this haircut...minus the pink strip.  Don't pay attention to her "punk rock" look.  Her and the other neighbor girl were making up dances and this was their "look" for the day.  She sure looks cute with this haircut.

Kaymin has the Flu Again!

Poor Kaymin cannot catch a break from the stomach flu.  The poor girl throws up more than anyone I know.  This particular night during the first of August, she was throwing up about every 30 minutes.  She fell asleep on the bathroom floor.  I went and got her some blankets and put them in the tub.  There she slept until the morning when the other kids found her because they needed to go potty.  She was so warn out that she didn't even wake up with everyone using it.

She woke up because sleeping in the tub looked like too much fun for Gerrit.  He hoped right in with his blanket.

Girls Late Night

Deilen was having a late night with a friend so I told the girls that they could have a late night too.  We had some new neighbors move in right next door.  They have girls 7 and 9 years old.  Our girls love each other.  So Arrin and Alexis came over and the girls decided to do crazy Lady Gaga makeup and then pose for a picture.  Aren't they cute?

Gerrit Swimming

Gerrit is terrified of water.  He had NO desire to have swimming lessons, which was great for me since they don't do them alone until they are 4.  But I was bound and determined to get him in our pool.  So I finally psyched myself up (I knew I was going to deal with a whole lot of screaming) and put him in our pool.  He did freak out until he realized he could touch.  Pretty soon he stopped crying and actually walked around the perimeter of the pool by hanging on the edge.  He then began to beg everyday to get in the pool.  He never got super comfortable, but enough to where he actually enjoyed himself.  I just hope he will continue to get better and do swimming lessons next year.  I may have to wait another year before I put him in.

Deilen Lost His First Tooth

During swimming lessons Deilen lost his first tooth.  I see him and Kameni practically on their hands and knees over by the diving boards as their class continues to walk and get in the water. Pretty soon his instructor is over there and then Kaymin joins in.  I couldn't figure out what he had lost.  Then Kaymin came and brought me his tooth.  There was NO way he was losing it.  He could hardly wait to lose one.  Kameni has lost a million and he was sick of her getting treasures from the school's treasure box.  He wanted some too!  Finally one came out and you would know it...it was summer.  Oh well, he was just as excited to have the Tooth Fairy finally pay him a visit.

Swimming Lessons

Like every year, my kids can hardly wait to go to swimming lessons.  They put Deilen and Kameni in level 2.  They were by far the youngest kids in the class.  The head person sat and watched them for 2 days to make sure they would be okay in that level.  I was actually nervous for them because they sat and had to swim back and forth across the deep end and poor Kameni's asthma was so bad.  I ended up having to give her a breathing treatment each time before we left.  They did really well, but they didn't pass.  I wasn't surprised and I am glad that they don't just pass everyone.  They need some time working on their skills.

Kaymin was in level 4 this year for the 2nd time.  She didn't pass last year because she needed to work on one of her strokes.  She started to cry and the head lady said that 99% of the people have to take that level again because it is so hard and they learn so many strokes.  She did really well and I would say she was by far the best one in her class.  Her instructor would have her do the stroke and have the other kids watch her.  Her dives are looking great too!

Star Valley, Wyoming

Two weeks after Blake's family vacation, we went with mine to Star Valley, Wyoming to a ranch that some of my parent's friends own.  It was SO much fun.

 It had a private lake with a paddle boat and the kids (especially Kaymin) spent a ton of time out there. 

There was a big bunk house that slept all of us.  So we all stayed together, except for my parents.  They slept in a sheep camp.  It was a little camper that only had a bed.  I think they wanted a little peace and quiet.  Heavens know with about 30 of us in the bunk house, it wasn't quiet. 

My parents and Justin took their 4-wheelers so we went 4-wheeling, roasted marsh mellows, played at the lake, and just hung out.  It was very relaxing and a ton of fun.  The only problem was our hay fever.  We had so many problems with our allergies and poor Kameni and Blake had asthma so bad.  Gerrit didn't have any problems, so maybe his is only in the winter.  But Kameni got to try her inhaler for the first time.  All of the kids gathered around and thought it was so cool.  It took her a few times to get it right, but the mist kept coming out her nose.  The kids thought she looked like a dragon and thought it was the coolest thing they have ever seen. 

Justin brought up his expensive karaoke machine.  It was so much fun.  It was kind of like a blast from the past with songs from the Ramones and Vanilla Ice.  We had a lot of fun and got the kids all wound up before we went to bed.