Fun times at the pool

We've had some fun pool time this summer. When we first purchased this house I was a tad unsure about being RIGHT NEXT to the neighborhood pool (would it be loud and crazy and keep us awake, etc.). Having a pool next door has turned out to be AWESOME - it's kind of like having our own pool. No more packing everything but the kitchen sink when we want to go to the pool and no more worrying over nap time and transit time, etc. etc. etc. My sister and her crew have come out to hang out at the pool a couple of times and E was so stinking sweet in her suit I had to get a couple pics. 

Love her rolls!

This little boy is such a Momma's boy that I rarely get pictures like this one. My boys: 

The pool that Ellie never got in wore her out :)

This girl is a straight fish - she never wants to get out of the pool and is WAY too brave when she's in it. 

I really wanted a picture of the girls in their matching suits, but it was a lost cause - this was the best I could get. 

Nana purchased this float for Grey and we've gotten tons of use out of it. Whenever we use the float in the baby pool it's like a pool walker. 

Oh this boy - he's such a happy little thing. Give him a pool squirter and he's happy for a good long while. 

The Bobbsey twins all wrapped up and ready to go back home. 

~Sweet little Avery~

We've gone to the local YMCA a couple of times and Grey is all about the splash pad action.

More cousin pool time. They LOVED the Y splash park - so much fun.

One of my favorite pictures as of late is this one of all three babes before we walked out the front door to go to the pool. Love them to pieces.

Round 2

We enjoyed our strawberries so very much that we picked in May, we went back as a family early June to see if we could get some more. Tim had never picked strawberries before so he was excited to see what it was all about and of course the girls and I were thrilled to have him with us. 

Little did I know, the girls were going to be ALL ABOUT what was to be found at the strawberry patch. The thing they were most excited about wasn't the berries that were left, but the little berry patch inhabitants that had arrived since our last visit:

 These little bitty teenie tiny frogs: 

 I felt like Mrs. Frizzle on the Magic School Bus, because our entire lets get lots more berry picked mission turned into more of an impromptu little Biology lesson. We got more berries, but when I say we - what I mean is Tim and I. 

 If you really look, you'll see the tadpoles and between every row of strawberries were scenes just like this one: 

 Which meant - there were lots of frogs to be caught and played with tortured. 

 Look how cute they are! So little bitty...it makes you want to say "here little bitty sweet jumpy froggy....!". NO? Oh, maybe it's just me. I've no idea where they get their love of creatures. Ha! 

 See what I mean? ALL about the frogs! Some berry pickin' help these two were!

 Despite our "help" turned Jack Hanna and Bindi Irwin, we got the job done: 4 boxes more full of delicious berries for us to enjoy for months to come. 

PA Part V: The finale!

As much as I'm happy to be moving on along in my blogging (Hi, it's almost August and I'm in May {insert sigh}) it's kinda sad to be wrapping up my awesome trip to PA. 

The Rearick's hosted a fun cookout while we were there and my girls had so much fun meeting and spending time with some of their extended family members. 

Getting the yard ready for company"

 They seriously spoiled her - she was about driving the "tractor".

 Dave is clearly a wee bit bigger than she is. 

 Before company arrived, we ran down to Chelsea's Grandpa's farm to check out some animals. This picture makes me smile. Oink, Oink.

After our little farm field trip it was time for the cookout!

Let the weenie roasting begin. 

 Avery took a liking to Eric - it was really sweet. 

 Until she climbed up in his lap in the front porch rockers and for some reason lost the ability to form words and therefore peed in his lap. True story. So embarrassing. Luckily, Eric was a super duper sport and got right over it. This picture was taken after "the incident" - I told him he passed his initiation. 

 The last activity on the girls' bucket list for our PA trip was playing in the creek, or "crick" as they say it up there. Chelsea happily obliged their desire so off we went to find a creek. 

 This happy girl says: "check and check"!

 Oh this sweet boy - he's just happy to be alive. 

 Seriously: this is why we call him Happy Jack!

 Of course I had to get in too - who doesn't love a dip in a creek?!

 Greyson even wanted in on the action: 

It was all fun and games until I slipped on a mossy rock with both babies in my arms on our way to wrap up our creek fun. Lemme set the scene: Kennedy happily jaunts out with Chelsea's assistance from the bank - Avery starts whining about wanting me to carry her and I already had Grey on one hip but I do like I always do and swooped her up onto my other hip. So...we headed toward the bank and I stepped on a rock that #1 Kennedy had already slipped on and #2 I kept telling her to steer clear of. Y'all, I  BIT.IT! So...there I lay with babies up in the air as far as I can push them while water rushes over me, soaking me to the bone and still zinging from my impact all while thinking "did.I.just.break.my.tailbone?" Eric and Chelsea jumped to my rescue and grabbed the kiddos while I tried to regain composure. Nice way to end our trip, right? All I was thinking was how awesome my tailbone was going to feel after our long trip back home the following day. 

I'm happy to report that I did not break my tailbone though I did bruise it pretty badly and three weeks out it was still hurting;). Silver lining: we have a funny story to tell about our last day in PA. 

PA part IV: Fishy, Fishy

McDonald's has forever ingrained their clever little fish jingle into my brain with their commercials and I can no longer say fish without busting into song. If you've not heard it, here it is for your viewing pleasure. Consider yourself forewarned - it's terribly catchy.

I warned you. So...now onto our "fishay fishay" adventure. Chelseas Grandpa stocked their family pond and apparently feeds the fish regularly so let's just say it's ripe for the fishin' mkay? She had GUARANTEED me that the girls would catch something and I was really excited for Kennedy because despite the fact that she's only been fishing like two times in her life - she's always asking to go (random, I know). I'm happy to report that Chelsea wasn't over exaggerating - the fish were ready to bite and bite they did: quick like!

My girls got lessons on baiting the hook and releasing the fish - I know Chelsea's pretty awesome! 

Later fish! 

Avery's turn next: Lord help us because that child was ready to cast into the next state. Ha!

Avery's first fish! So exciting. 

Never to be outdone by her big sister, she wanted to throw hers back in too. 

Grey was a hungry man so duty called but once we wrapped up his little snack, Momma wanted in on the action!

Not only did I get in on it - I deeeeelivered our first and only catfish of the evening! 

I don't know how many fish we caught in total, but it was quite a few and the girls had a blast. 

Temps were perfect and scenery was beautiful so I went off to shoot some pictures and I'm so glad I did because I captured some sweet, sweet moments. 

I never did get to take official 9 month pics of Grey, so I've decided these are it. 

Our last catch of the evening: "C'mon Kennedy, pucker up buttercup!"

I'm sad to report that this poor little soul swallowed the hook and Chelsea had to do minor surgery to remove said hook. I like how her bling looks up against that stinky fish - ha! 

We had a fintastic time fishing. Ha ha, get it? Bahahahah.