I'm way behind on my blog these days.
I got home from Utah and hit the ground running.
Life is full, to overflowing sometimes, but with all good things.
So, I'll post about our week and eventually I'll catch up, working backwards.
Our week began with swimming and rootbeer Popsicles for family night.
The three big kids had swimming lessons everyday for two weeks, and at the end they were given free passes to come back and swim once more.
So we made it a family outing so the kids could show off their new swim skills to their Dad. We all enjoyed a few trips down the water slide, and trying to see how high we could climb on the in-pool climbing wall.
We laughed so hard when Ellie was at the top and had been counting in her head, "3,2..." then she turned toward us and said dramatically, "1" and launched herself off the wall and into the pool. I guess you had to be there, but it was pretty funny.
Trevor told us he was a "green, mean shark!"
Ryan did puppet shows with his hands for Sterling with his head underwater, and we all had a good time together.
Sterling loved swimming just as much as the rest of them, but once he got in his towel he was 'out like a light.'
Swimming can be quite exhausting!
Sterling is sporting a whole rainbow of colors lately as he is really enjoying eating solids (he kicks his legs and squeals when I am getting food ready for him).
He is also sporting
two new teeth!
Ellie earned a statue of the composer, "Bach" at her piano lesson this week for having practiced 25 hours! We got home and turned on a CD of Bach so we could know what music he composed. Ellie has loved her piano lessons with Ginger Bitter this summer, and really enjoys practicing and keeping track of her practice time with the kitchen timer. Ellie also has enjoyed playing a Disney Fairy game online called, Pixie Hollow, as well as reading her American Girl Magazines. A new magazine came this week and Ellie disappeared for the next two hours to read it.
The kids have spent much of their waking hours playing outside in the backyard and jumping on our neighbor's tramp this week. It has been quite hot and muggy for a few weeks, so we are glad it is starting to cool down.
Sterling took his first drive in the red, car swing in our backyard this week.
It's amazing how kids grow, we bought this swing for Trevor when we moved in!
Wednesday, I taught my last Zumba class at the church for the summer.
I had planned on only teaching it for the summer, but it was so much fun I had a hard time letting it go. Finally, I had to step back and take a reality check, and a responsibility check, and realize that with school and preschool for the kids starting, as well as teaching at the Summit, etc. etc. It was too much to keep up.
I brought muffins and juice as a thank you to everyone who came all summer (thanks everybody!). It was really fun, and worked out really well!
I am now teaching Zumba at the Summit once a week, and although I get better and learn more each time I teach, it is going better than I had hoped it would. In the middle of my work out this last week I thought, "I can't believe I get to do this, it's such a blast!" I've also spent time choreographing a bunch of new dances, and I am loving that side of Zumba too.
Did I mention that teaching Zumba is fun? It is. :)
We also had a spontaneous outing (with Daddy Rob even!) on Wednesday to the free concert in Plymouth park. The drummer was awesome, Ryan and the other kids had their picture taken with him afterward. Ryan really wants to be a drummer someday, like his uncles. This guy reminded me of my drumming brother Nate. He had such a unique drum set I had to get a picture (just for you Nate!). He said he always buys new instruments when he travels to different Countries.
He showed me his most recent addition, a percussion instrument from Korea.
(My drumming, brother Nate just came home from a mission in Korea last week!).
Super cool.
After the concert we splashed around in the fountain.
Ryan has also enjoyed practicing piano this summer, as well as reading "Nate the Great's" from the library and watching the PBS show "Fetch" in the afternoon.
Since we met a bunch of our friends from the ward at the concert, we asked one of them to take a family picture since it's not every day we get Daddy along on our adventures.
We are still growing into our new family size in many ways.
I posted several pictures of all 4 kids because I think Trevor's arm poses are so funny.
The other day I took Trevor in my arms in the rocking chair to talk to him about staying up at the table until he's done eating. When I was done I asked, "Can you do that?" and he said, "I'm not Trevor, I'm Eagle Claw!" Eagle Claw didn't have any trouble staying up at the table, as long as I called him by his right name.
I'm looking forward to having more time with Trevor when the big kids go to school during the day. He's been a little lost in the shuffle this summer as he's become a middle child.
Sterling loves tummy time.
He's starting to scoot.
Life is about to get even busier.
The kids enjoyed several play dates this week, as well as having all the kids over when we babysat for our date night trade. (Well, when I babysat, Rob had a late case as well as a case and a conference on Saturday, so it was busy weekend for both of us).
The 3 year olds were adorable playing Twister. They took turns spinning and telling each other what to do.
I'm sure you've noticed by now how much we are enjoying our little butter ball, Sterling.
He has acquired some family nicknames lately.
Ryan calls him, "Sterzies"
Ellie calls him, "Ster Baby."
Trevor calls him, "Sterly"
He's also, "Mr. Cuteness, Sterz, and Chunky Monkey."
He's at my favorite baby age, and we are really enjoying his chubbiness.
He sits up by himself now too!
The week ended with adopting 2 extra kids for the weekend!
Our good friends the Cuff's flew to Utah for an extended family reunion and we kept their two oldest kids, Russell and Natalie.
We don't usually have sleep overs, so they enjoyed the chance to have a few along with playing pioneers in the basement, jumping on the tramp, making cookies, building roller coasters out of legos, making a bow and arrow with a stick and string, playing puppies, digging up rocks in a hole in the front yard, and watching movies.
This week we also met friends at the park for visiting teaching, and met my visiting teachers at the pool (summer is an easy time to get kids together!), and I read a wonderful historical fiction, "The Guernsey Potato Peal Pie Literary Society"
(It's a World War 2 book written completely in letters, I'd recommend it!).
Life's full...with all good things.
