Vacation 09 : Part Two

The Peterson gang hung out with us for the second part of vacation. Just like the first half, we had a blast and are so grateful for wonderful parents and sisters and their families that we now consider our closest friends.

Highlights from this half of vacation were tubing with Kara and Kasey, the kids running through a huge mud puddle, and my dad showing off his dance moves while watching Mamma Mia. I don't think I have laughed so hard in years. Despite it raining parts of every day, we managed to get in the water a lot. Can't wait until next year!

Vacation 09 : Part One

For vacation this year we took a relaxing 10 day trip to Grand Rapids. We rented the same private cabin that Eric found on Craig's List last year when we went on vacation with the Pankake Family. There was lots of swimming, boating, skiing, tubing, marshmallow roasting, and eating in general that took place over the 10 days we were there.

Both of our families were able to join us during parts of the week. Rog and Becky came to stay with us the first four days of the trip. Whenever we are with our families we are reminded how lucky we are to have such wonderful parents and grandparents. As I've said before, our kids can't get enough time with either set of grandparents!

I took 758 pictures on the trip. I'll post them one per day...here is my favorite family pic from the trip:

Okay, I am obviously joking. I won't put all 758 on our blog, but here are a few from the time that we spend with Gma and Gpa Newman...

Off to edit the other 473 so I can pick a few for part two...it might be days, people. =)

A new babe...

Our little niece and cousin made her way into the world on July 16th, weighing 7 lbs 8 oz and 20 inches long. We were so happy she decided to make her debut before we left on vacation so we didn't miss going to the hospital to see her. We all took our turns holding her...

Beckett was especially enamored. At his age the other two already had one of those of our own to take home with us. I will not tear up here. *sigh* I guess a niece will have to do. =)

The 2nd Annual Ice Cream Party

Yes, technically it should have been the third. I had our first annual party two years ago, but last year was a little more than crazy with starting my own business, and it just never happened. You've seen most of these pics if you check my biz blog as well, but in case you don't here they are!

We had such a fun day with our friends and neighborhood kiddos. Here is a pic of the whole crew (minus 6 who came later!)

Then on to the ice cream...

...and the water. I LOVE this picture of Zane! Can you tell he had a cast on that right arm until the week before this pic? He holds it like it is still on!

Such a fun day! Can't wait until next year!!

4th of July : Part 2

After we left the farm, we hurried home to get the kids ready for fireworks. We decided to stay pretty close to home this year, so we went to see the Mystic Lake display for the first time. I look HORRIBLE in these photos, but I had all I could do to get our kids clean and into pajamas and a shower for myself, so no glamor here!

When we got to the parking lot we were going to watch from, we set up our chairs and utilized our tailgating option with our Stow-and-Go van seats. Gotta love a mini van! I swore for years I would never get one, but as I've said before now I don't know what I would have done without it.

Then there was quite a wait, so we did a little running around and playing (not to mention two bathroom breaks in the weeds behind some casino busses!).

Kara came and met us to watch...she had to work at Canterbury immediately after, so she drove separately...but people must have thought a celebrity was showing up the way the kids greeted her! She and I sat in the tailgate seats with Beckett in between us. He was so dang funny loving us up so much...again I look terrible in these pics but I need to post them to remind myself how funny he was that night.

Ave of course was not impressed with the loud noise during the fireworks...it really freaks her out...but handled it pretty well. This is the first year Beckett really understood what was going on and he loved it. None of my fireworks pics really turned out, but you know what those look like anyway, right??

Because there were so many people in our neighborhood shooting off firecrackers when we got home, we knew Avery would NEVER go to sleep in her bed alone. We decided to take the opportunity to have a family camp out in our basement with the sleeping bags. It was totally fun (I should have taken pics, but apparently I was too tired??) and we plan on making it a yearly event.

4th of July : Part 1

We usually spend 4th of July at Becky's house, but we were still recovering from Swimmer's itch, so decided to stay away from the water for a bit so went to the farm instead. The kids got out the water table and sprinkler and found plenty of ways to stay busy for the afternoon!

It all started out so innocently...

...but so quickly turns into a water fight!

Some like it more than others...

I love these pics of Grandma Sandy and Tate...he always says she gives "the best underdogs ever"...."yours are good Mom, but she's just a touch better at it than you." Ha!

Overall was a nice and relaxed afternoon. Beckett napped during the whole water episode, but was there even though he is not in any pics. A few more snaps of the afternoon...

Speaking of the boat...

I couldn't resist sharing this pic from the lake today. Probably one of the best I have of the three of them ever.

Aaaah. Beautiful MN day. Beautiful kids. Beautiful life. :)

The Pool

At the beginning of July we took an afternoon with these two lovely ladies

to the Shakopee pool. Kara had the afternoon off of work and Kasey has been nannying for R & B on Thursdays and Fridays all summer, so the 7 of us decided to take an afternoon to soak up the sun.

Tate was being particularly squirrely that afternoon and loved the camera. I took full advantage since I usually get the look of annoyance from him.

I impressed my sisters, children, and a whole busload of students from the YMCA by singing and dancing to the ENTIRE Fresh Prince of Bel Aire theme song when it came over the loud speaker. You should have seen them staring. And I didn't care...I'm too old to care.

I might add that I have taken my kids to the pool a few times this summer and what a difference a year makes! Last year after one trip I decided it was not somewhere I should go with the kids by myself. Becks was constantly eating sand while the other two wouldn't stay close to me at all. This year the older two have become pretty self sufficient as long as they are relatively close to me and have swimming life jackets on and Beckett is happy to sit on my lap and kick his feet.

Some day I might even be one of those moms who can bring a lawn chair and a book to the pool to work on my tan. Hey...a girl can dream, can't she?

5 Twins Fans

My dad said that he would like to go to a Twins game with his daughters this summer. We of course were all game, so we picked a date (July 3rd in case you're wondering just how far behind I actually am). He really wanted to be circled by Bert as well, and if you're not from MN I will not even attempt to explain this phenomenon, but it involves making some sort of sign and dancing like crazy people trying to get on TV. Again, didn't take much convincing for the 4 of us!

So Friday night we headed down and had burgers on the plaza, where Rachel made Dad take this picture...so classic...

Apparently Gardy just told Dad a really funny joke. =)

Once we got inside, Kasey and I decided to try to talk to the camera man ahead of time to try to ensure that if we danced like wild maniacs with our sign that we would have a chance of being circled, but let's just say he really gave us the brush off...everytime I looked at him or tried to say something he'd turn around!

Then 5 minutes later Dad got hungry...

We enjoyed most of the game until Kip had to leave to go to work (around 9 o'clock). We thought this was toward the end of the evening, so we made sure to get a few pics before she left.

Turns out this was the longest. game. eeeeevvvvveeeeeerrrrrrrrr. Kip saw less than half the game.

Yep, that clock says 12:15 (ALMOST the end of the game) in the 16th inning. Did you know that they do a 14th inning stretch at a ballgame too? Unfortunately we lost, then GOT LOST driving home, so we made it to Canterbury to order a little food from Kip as a bedtime snack around 2 AM. Such a fun night. Thanks Daddio!

Grandpa's New Lawn Mower

While I was at the Twins Game from the last post, E and the kids went out to Hector to his mom and dad's house for a visit. The kids absolutely love their grandparents and are excited any chance they get to see them.

Rog got a new lawnmower this year...its actually kind of a funny story. Eric thought it was especially funny since he knows just how his dad operates. Rog isn't really a spur of the moment spender...shocker since he is the president of a bank, right? So he tends to talk about things he wants for a long time.

Becky must have been talking at work about how they needed a new lawnmower. Her boss, Van, who is also a friend of Rog and Becky's, decided to take matters into his own hands and ordered a lawnmower through their company and called Rog down to the office when it arrived and told him that he (meaning Rog) was buying a new lawnmower. He, of course, could have sent it back, but he really did need and want a new one, so needless to say it went home with him that afternoon. Way to go, Van!

To go along with his new toy, he bought a trailer to pull the grandkids around the yard. They are obsessed with riding in it with Grandpa. E didn't get any pics of them actually getting a ride, but even when Grandpa needs a rest they find good use for it. =)

And apparently the kids live by a different set of rules when with their dad...

Rule #1...Pants optional.

Boxers and bubbles, got to love it.

Rule #2...Dog food is a toy.

I have to admit that this one sometimes seems to be a rule, even when I am in charge. All the kids have enjoyed making "doggy cereal" at one time or another in my laundry room with Wrigg's food and water. Eeew.

Well, tomorrow is the 4th of July, didn't you know? Or at least on this blog it is!

Swimming Lessons

What kid doesn't love swimming lessons in the summer? Tate has taken them for a few summers now, but this was Ave's first year. We have actually been going to Stephanie, a college girl who gives lessons in her Mom and Dad's pool here in Shakopee, for the past two years.

It is really nice because Tate takes lessons with his best bud Garrett and Avery with Olivia, so they get pretty much undivided attention and have learned so much. Here are a few pics from this year's lessons...

Avery's 1st Lesson...

Then its Tate's Turn...

As you can see, neither one of them is scared of the water and they both did an awesome job! My only problem is that Beckett isn't scared of the water, either, so I spend the hour trying to keep him from jumping in. =) Good thing Stephanie's mom has a lot of flowers to smell!

We just finished lessons last week and are sad that Stephanie won't be giving lessons next year. We're planning on practicing everything she taught us on vacation next week!

14 Years of Tappin'...

Every year on Father's Day for the past 14 years, we've been doing the same thing...watching Kip & Kas tap at their annual dance recital. They have become quite the dancers & we have enjoyed watching them graduate from tutus to high heeled tappers. They started when Kasey was 4 and Kara was 6. Some years their costumes were better than others =), but the dancing is always fun to watch!

Since this was Kasey's senior year, Kara drove back from college to practice a special dance with Kasey and a few other post grads who couldn't stay away to the song I'm Yours. It was one of the coolest dances I've seen them do. Kasey was danceline and danced 4 dances this year...probably the coolest dance she's ever done AND the most rockin' outfit I've EVER seen her in was Mony Mony. I wish I could post the actual dances here because they were honestly so so good this year. Even Eric said that it was the best one he's seen ever!

So if you're from the area you'e heard of Lee Dummer, their dance instructor. K & K love her as do all the rest of the tappers in her show. This year Kare 11 News contacted Lee and said they wanted to do a story on her. It aired Tuesday night and was really nice. Kara is a bit embarrassed that they interviewed her seconds after she walked off stage and she was sweaty and out of breath, but I think she looked and sounded awesome. You can see short clips of both the dances I referenced earlier in the story as well.

To view the video, click here!