Dishes

This boy



likes to help empty the dishwasher.

First day of kindergarten

Patch quilts

I finally finished the travel patch quilts for the kids. I'm so glad Casey wanted to do these, because I don't think I would have had the motivation to do them just for my own children. I did the ones for Bennett and Mallory here (finished them in time for Christmas 2009) and just finished Nate, Lucy, and Levi's this week. I'm not too concerned with the actual quilting (the stitch lines holding the quilt together--see how they aren't perfect on Lucy's?) because it'll eventually all be covered up with patches! So far, the only patch we have is Disneyland (on Nate's and Lucy's), and I have a Camping 2010 patch arriving this week for all 3 kids.




Update to add the following pictures, for which Nate was absolutely not cooperating. Lucy was uncharacteristically cooperative, and Levi was clowning around, as usual. :)

Fall is here?!

Next month, MOPS, AWANA, and school all begin. (Well, school technically begins in August.) Lucy is so excited to be in AWANA this year (in the 3- and 4-year-olds class, Cubbies), and Nate is moving up to Sparks. We're doing MOPS every other Tuesday evening. (By the way, any friend reading this who is available, we would LOVE to have you! Info here.) And I was just asked to work one day per week at the graphic design studio I do freelance work for. Jennifer is going to come over to watch the kids on Mondays (Nate will get a ride home from school) while I go up to Long Beach. I am so excited because I like the work and think one day per week is ideal. That will start on September 13. Yay!

Last week of summer

I think I'm still recovering from the camping trip. I can't think of anything smart to post. :)

This is our last week of summer before Nate starts school on the 30th, so I plan on one last splash park day (the kid pool in Ladera), a library trip (of all the children, Nate likes the library most, so it's a bit sad when we go without him during the school year), and a new park or two (just went to a new one in Irvine today).

That's all I have!

Singing

Levi likes singing in the car.



And here's an old video I found of Lucy (from January):

Camping recap

I spent quite a bit of time preparing for our 4-day camping trip at San Elijo State Beach, as demonstrated by my partial list:



The wives (6 of us) got together several weeks before the trip to plan meals and equipment. We borrowed a great camping stove, and each of us was responsible for bringing and cooking one meal (I made a pancake-and-sausage breakfast). We did a few take-out meals (pizza one night, donuts and coffee one morning, etc.) and did packable lunches (sandwiches, snacks) for the beach each day.

Jon and Scott figuring out our tent



Lots of beach time










The "baby pools" were a big hit.



Lucy learning from Kim





We learned to "just make it work" for babies' nap time (Hailey on Lissa and Mallory in a little pop-up tent):




Everyone loved marshmallows, of course.





Dirt time and tree time were also a hit.




The kids told me their 3 favorite things about camping. Nate: 1) marshmallows, 2) playing in the water, and 3) sleeping in the tent. Lucy: 1) going over to DJ's campsite, 2) eating s'mores, and 3) playing with the glow sticks Daddy brought. We had a lot of dirt, a lot of sand, a lot of marshmallows, and a lot of fun. I'm glad we went, and the kids loved it!




Some videos:

The differences between boys and girls in the water:



Lucy having fun:

Camping sneak peek

We just got back this afternoon from camping. I'll post more tomorrow, but here are a few pictures right away. :)

More Levi words

"Blip blop" = Flip flops
"Bli-blane" = Airplane
"Guck" = Truck
"Gah-guck" = Garbage truck
"Boo-bo-bo" = Bulldozer

(What a boy! Although "Bee-bell," or Tinkerbell, is also in his vocabulary.)

He picked up one of the pull-ups we have (for Lucy) and said, "Ee-ee, bopper!" (Translation: Lucy, diaper!)

He's in such a cute stage.



And here are the kids all ready in their new chairs for our camping adventure, which begins tomorrow after church!

Sewing basics

Here are the pages from the handout I made for the MOPS sewing night. We all did the yo-yos, one wrist cuff, and the pants hemming (well, no one hemmed pants, but I showed everyone how). Also, although the instructions I used in the handout for hemming pants talk about measuring, I usually just try the pants on, pin, try them on again to be sure, and sew.