I am super frustrated with Blogger and may have to start a new blog. Basically their app doesn't work so uploading my pictures to my blog will be difficult and time consuming so I am considering a new one with a working app for my phone. I'm trying to hang on because I want to print this to my blog books so I want to do the switch at the new year. But now you will have a really long blog of the summer wrap up because I wasn't timely with my posts (thanks to not having an app). So here we go...
We have been doing a lot of camping and boating this year. We have made it Rathbun quite a few times and even made it to Sailorville lake in Ankeny IA. That was a nice change.
The girls enjoy their out door play when we camp. This face of Ella on her scooter cracks me up.
We have recently added our bikes into camping. Josie learned how to ride a bike the beginning of the summer and is ready for bike rides with mom. Ella, just this week learned how to ride her bike and is ready for some rides while camping. I love that they will be able to ride bikes with me.
I have been a little adventurous with our food for camping as well. There is only so many hot dogs and hamburgers you can have all summer long. We have had fire side nachos, lasagna over the fire and even some Cajun Jambalaya. It's all pretty good and different and fun.
The girls worked on a few of their crafts/projects they got for their birthday. This is their final of the color puzzle. We all worked hard on it and it took a little while to complete.
I was fortunate enough to get a girls weekend away. It was a lot of fun with a lot of laughs. We went to Galena IL where we could shop, eat and drink all in the same area. We walked everything and stayed right down town in a hotel. It was a really nice time.
This summer we also had a very special visitor come from Ohio, cousin Sophia!!! Grandma S was able to bring her out on the train when she came. The girls and Joey and I, hardly get to spend much time together when we are home in ohio because of the business of the holidays. She was able to come for 10 days. The girls LOVED having her here and being able to get up and play with a friend right away.
As with any children, the girls had their little bits of arguments and fights over toys, nothing major. They mostly got along great. How awesome is it that Sophia is 6 and can go on a trip for 10 days with out her mom and stay with some people she's not really used too? That's pretty awesome! Good job Sophia!
We were able to get them on the boat and let her experience
that as well.
Sophia and Grandma S TUBED!!! Here is Joey's mom tubing! WOW!!
And what a fish Sophia is! She was hardly out of the water, both the lake and pool. I swear she could have stayed in the water all day and night!!
And while they were here I celebrated a birthday at the end of July. Another year older and wiser, I suppose. I was pretty spoiled and had this awesome homemade banner from everyone!!
And just like that, it was time to say goodbye. What a fun visit!
We are playing/learning new games and we are also learning who are good winners and good losers are. We had to have a talk about being a sore looser to Josie because she was mad, pouting and even had tears because Ella won! Gotta love a good competition between sibilings.
That wraps up our summer in Iowa! It's been fun and flew by quickly. Tomorrow I go back to work and the girls will start kindergarten a week later. I cannot believe we are in the real deal of Kindergarten with them!! I am sure I will have a post about that, but it may be in December since I don't have an app..
So I will leave you with this video of Eli whatching his favorite thing--a train!
