To Chicago

We went to Chicago for a family reunion. Nevermind that the kids had just started school. It's summer after all. 

Aaron and I had lunch together at a grocery near school. He had olive pizza and a crazy green juice that he would not share with me at all. For a kid who won't eat many greens (though that has drastically changed since then), he downed this green juice. 

Aaron was so happy to ride a bus at the airport

Aaron's Shasta puppies came on the trip as well. His Australian backpack from Grandma has the perfect places for them to ride. 

Kyle & Emily's 9th birthday party

For their birthday, Kyle and Emily each invited a few friends over for lunch, cake and ice cream and an outing to see the Minions movie. Everyone had a great time. I love making cakes and the kids both asked for an old favorite: chocolate monkey cake which is just chocolate cake with a whipped cream frosting decorated like a monkey face. 

Aaron swims

So this summer, Aaron decided that he could swim. With lots of practice swimming in our neighborhood pool with Kyle and Emily while wearing his vest, Aaron wanted to swim like his big brother and sister. It all started because Kyle and Em like to swim through our feet as tunnels and Aaron decided he wanted to do that as well. I told him that his vest would prevent that so he couldn't participate. He wasn't satisfied with that and wanted his vest off. He has had some vest off time with us in the water and had mostly opted to keep the vest on. Anyhow, we let him try and the rest is history. From that moment, he was done wearing a vest to swim. He does wear flippers which help propel him and keeps him swimming that much longer. 

Now, a few weeks earlier, he had shown us that he knows what he's doing when it comes to swimming. We had just eaten our lunch at the pool and I was scheduling with the babysitter who was also hanging out at the pool. I was under the awning with her and Aaron walked out to the pool (his vest was off because we were having lunch). So you don't think he was unattended / unseen, this distance is all of 5 feet. Aaron walked right into the water and started doggie paddling out to get his flipper that had fallen into the water. I immediately jumped into the water, but he didn't need me at all. He paddled halfway out, got his flipper and paddled back. By himself. The kid is 3 going on 9. Sure pays to have a big brother and big sister. 

Don't mind the splashy form mid way.

Happy 9th birthday Kyle & Emily!!!

Happy 9th birthday Kyle and Emily!! It's hard to believe it has been 9 years since you entered this world! We love you so very much!! 

The kids had school today, a first for them on their birthday. Aaron and I met up with the kids at school during their lunch and brought them some mini-cupcakes to celebrate. For dinner, we had one of their favorite meals: chicken lettuce wraps. And for their 'cake' tonight, we had ice cream cookie sandwiches, also another favorite. Actual cake will be with their birthday party. 

Happy Birthday to you!! We love you!!

4th grade

And just like that, Kyle and Emily are in 4th grade. Yes, year round school sorta stinks for having much of a summer vacation. Not to mention they changed tracks so their projected mid-August break became September. Thankfully, this year they are in separate classes and both LOVE their teachers. What a drastic change from 3rd grade. 

Oh and it just happens to be their birthday today. 

Bear in thunderstorm

We are certainly getting more weather here in North Carolina than we ever had in San Diego. Thunderstorms were a rarity there, but much more commonplace here. They certainly get the kids' attention. We had a late thunderstorm and Aaron came running into our room and snuggled right up for some comfort during the storm. Just too cute. Nice to get snuggles even if it's because of a thunderstorm. 

Rock climbing

Emily has been taking rock climbing after school for several months now. Emily wanted to go to an open gym time to climb with us. Kyle and Aaron were super excited to try it out as well. Everyone had a blast. They even make a full body harness for little guys like Aaron. Aaron was thrilled to climb and couldn't get enough of it. 

Aaron climbing

Emily climbing

Kyle & Emily climbing

Last day 3rd grade

Today is Kyle and Emily's last day of 3rd grade. This has been a challenging year of school getting used to a new system and way of doing things in North Carolina. Kyle and Emily did very well all things considered. 

New grill and grill monster

Milkshake

Back when Jeff went to Duke, there was a pharmacy in town where he would get an old-fashioned milkshake. Right after moving here, it was closed. It had been run by an older couple back when he was at Duke so time must have run out. It was a delicious and memorable milkshake. So we went in search of one in Raleigh and heard about a pharmacy near downtown that made milkshakes. They closed for remodeling for what seemed like a long time and it finally opened up again. So Aaron and I went down to have an old-fashioned milkshake. We shared a vanilla malted shake together. 

Kyle with his tennis coach

This is Kyle with his tennis coach Steve. Steve was moving on to the west coast to be closer to his son as he trains on the pro circuit. Steve was a great coach for Kyle and taught him a lot. Thanks Steve! 

Jedi knight

Aaron loves Star Wars. He loves dressing up in the costume that Alice sent to him and playing with the light saber also included in her package. Aaron doesn't go far without his light saber. He is very much a 3 year old. 

Bear flips

Little monkey Aaron

Bluegrass Blueberry Fest

If we hadn't felt like we lived in the south yet, this was definitely a southern type of experience for us. We went out to a small town, not actually that far out of Raleigh (about 40 minutes) for a bluegrass festival at a blueberry farm with our friends, also new to the south (they moved the same time we did but from IL). 

There was corn, blueberries, blueberry picking, slides, a pie eating contest, more food and music. And a lot of soaking fun. A thunderstorm rolled through briefly and soaked everyone and everything, but it was all good. When you're hot, stinky and dirty and out on a farm, rain isn't so bad. 

Anthony took 1st place and Emily 3rd place in the pie eating contest

Annie & Aaron

Em, Annie & Aaron blueberry picking

Kyle coming out of the slide

Annie feeding Aaron ice cream

Jeff and Tony very happy after their delicious burgers

Pie eating contest: Em & Anthony were chosen to participate. Kyle had no interest. Annie wanted to participate, but her number wasn't called. But there ended up being an open pie after it started so she wisely jumped in on the fun. 

More pie eating

Anthony is right next to Em and he took 1st. Em came in 3rd!!

Kyle coming down the slide

Annie & Aaron coming down the slide

Curious George camp

This summer, Aaron got to attend his first "camp". It was at his favorite place, with his favorite teachers and about one of his favorite subjects: Marbles Museum Curious George camp. Ultimately, he had a great time. He had a difficult time separating at drop off, but once he settled down, he had a great time. 

Getting ready for camp

His favorite teachers

Little Chef-frey

Aaron falling asleep

After our outing in DC during Aaron's naptime, he was exhausted. Nevermind that it was 5:30pm and we had just began our 4 hour drive ahead of us, he passed out. And I caught it on video. Isn't he cute? 

DC

After Kyle's tournament, we stopped over in DC to see some of our nation's capitol. There is so much to see and do there that we are seeing a little bit at a time as we are up there. We had planned to go to Mount Vernon with this trip, but our time was too limited for that when all was said and done with tennis match times. So we started at the Washington Monument and walked down to the Lincoln Memorial. Talk about spectacular. Walking between the two, we saw the WWII Memorial and Vietnam Memorial. Really a beautiful and moving walk. 

Washington Memorial

Washington Monument

Steps going up the Lincoln Memorial

Looking back at the Washington Monument from the Lincoln Memorial

Reading the Lincoln's inauguration speech. 

Steps of the Lincoln Memorial

Selfie with the twins

Blondies selfie

Brownies selfie