LaFeber Life Lately - Summer Days!

So much happens in between each big event I write about and yet I never find the time to write about it! However, it's the day to day life events that makes us who we are and gives us a reason to live the life we lead. So here is a little picture show of what we have been up to lately!

Summer means fun at Chuck-E-Cheese!!!

Summer means buying new fishing poles for our exciting Utah vacation! Austin told me he wants to go fishing for his birthday so we headed over to Bass Pro Shop and got all prepared! I don't know who is more excited, me or the kids!

Summer means  LOTS of time spent at Wet 'n Wild water park!

 

Summer means early mornings out on the porch to get the kids' energy out before it hits 100 degrees and we are forced to retreat.

Summer means trips to the Library for story time and to play quietly in the kiddie corner!

Summer means LOTS of cooking time with Mama in the kitchen!

Summer means lots of early morning yoga to keep Mom sane!

Summer means Austin started swim lessons! He was scared on the first day and refused to participate. Then we had a long chat about choices and facing your fears and he suddenly came out of his shell and showed us this amazing hidden talent! By the third lesson he had already graduated to a level 2! I love watching him and send videos of his lessons to his Daddy while he is at work so he can be a part of it as well :). Needless to say, swim lesson day is his new favorite day :).

I had originally planned on teaching him how to swim myself but it didn't go so well. He refused to remove the floatie and I finally gave up. So All Star Swim Academy here we come!

Day one: a boy who blatantly refuses to participate and one very upset Mom who paid a ton of money for him to have private swim lessons at an expensive academy!

Day three: one extremely happy boy who is showing me the anklet on his leg that proves he passed his level one test and is now kicking butt as a level two!

 

Summer means rain storms and playing outside in the "not so hot" weather! Oh and don't forget all the water balloons!

Summer means play dates to Run Plus Fun with Austin's new best friend from Preschool (Jacob)!

These two have been inseparable at preschool and it melts my heart to watch Austin make new friends :).

Summer means picking the last of our tomatoes before all of our beautiful plants died from the extreme desert heat :(.

Summer also means a new bed for Austin because Mom finally decided he had been sleeping on a mettress on the floor long enough.... The kid wasn't even 4 yet and this was his 4th bed! To say he is hard on them is an understatement :(. This one is made out of metal and hopefully withstands the test of time. OH and it has a slide and a fire station fort underneath so our litte firefighter BETTER enjoy it! ;)

He requested Batman bedding, which Grandma and Grandpa Ronnenkamp helped out with by buying him this awesome comforter for his birthday!

Let us not forget that Summer means dance parties after everbody wakes up from their afternoon naps! Austin was a genius and used his night-light to make a spot light! Game changer. haha!

As you can see, we have had one AMAZING summer so far and it's not even August yet! I sure do love this little family of mine and all the special moments we share :).

Happy Independence Day 2017!

Sparklers are always a big hit!

This year baby girl got to hold one! Sadly she burned herself and will probably be traumatized for life :(...... big time Mom fail.

We had a wonderful 4th of July this year! It was hot (go figure) and full of good food, the sound of children's laughter, and fun conversations :). I was in charge of the dessert this year, so in honor of the red, white, and blue spirit, I made a strawberry shortcake trifle! It had layers of shortcake, berries, and creamy pudding and I topped it off with my own rendition of the American flag made out of blueberries and strawberries! It was beautiful, but sadly, by the time I got it to the party, the berries had started to sink into the pudding and it didn't look so great :(. Oh well, it tasted fantastic!! And the time spent in the kitchen with my baby helper was priceless :). Have I mentioned how happy teaching my kids how to cook makes me?! There's something so fun and cozy about it and I cherish each memory.....

Don't you just want to eat her up?! Don't worry, she doesn't normally have a pacifier, she just happened to find that at the bottom of the toy chest and refused to part with it ;).

We went to Grandma Helm's  house that afternoon and spent the rest of the day outside! We ate a ton of food, the kids swam in the awesome pool Great Grandma splurged on for them, and we had fun with pop-its and sparklers! Such great memories! Uncle Ken and Aunt Diana were there too which was awesome because Ken had been in the hospital the week before for a blood clot. So it was good to see him up and about! Sadie showed up late (as always) and brought her latest boyfriend with her. He was nice,  but I'll give him another month before she dumps him. That girl is infamous for throwing boys away like trash.....

The picture with my awesome dessert! I wish I had gotten a before shot :(.

We don't get much time with my Dad, so it's comforting to hang out with his brother. They have so many similar traits! It makes me smile :).

Lounging in the shade and enjoying the day. PERFECTION!

Sweeping up the leftover pop-its! Such good children :).

Just look at that smile :).

Watermelon in the summer is always a good idea! So is cuddling with Daddy :).

Evie's not shy!

Decisions, decisions.....

Oh how I love my boys!

Evie was nice and shared her olives with Grandma haha!

The amazing shark pool! They had a blast!

Evie gathering up all the rubber duckies hehe!

This woman means the world to me and my family. Doesn't she have the cutest smile?!

Grandma wanted a family picture :)

Helping Evie figure out the whole sparkler thing. At first she was too scared..... then she burned herself and had good reason to fear :(.

But Austin wasn't scared!

Doubling up like a pro!

Even Daddy got in on the sparkler action!

Once the sun started to set, we took the party to the golf course! This is my absolute favorite tradition with Grandma and is possibly the best kept secret in Boulder City! We lay out our blankets on the lawn and watch the kiddos run around on the grass, happily laughing and screaming with glee! Then, once it gets dark enough, the glow sticks come out! We always forget to bring our own but there's always a kind soul around us who is willing to share! The kids had a great time throwing their glow sticks up in the air and running around wild until the show began and they were entranced by the sky! Oh how I love hearing little voices say "WOWwww!!" and "OH LOOK!" My Mama heart was in heaven :). I can still feel the warmth of that summer night and smell the sweet smell of the grass. Those are some memories I hope I never forget! And how lucky are our children that they get to have such beautiful memories with their Great Grandma?!

Running wild with abandon.

Hanging out and chatting while the sun goes down...

My whole world.

I always want to remember this blanket. It belongs to Grandma and has been with us on more picnics and firework shows than I can count :). It's the little things like a blanket that makes its appearance at every happy event that creates the most beautiful memories :).