Summer Babes

First because I couldn't help the comparison between the kids on their first trip to the Gilbert House and our most recent trip almost exactly 3 years later. Cheeks was adamant that I get a picture of them on the chair. And if they are going to hold hands while they stand there, I will not say no to clicking a pic. I didn't renew my pass when it expired last October, but I gave the kids the opportunity to go two places (I had to pay for) for the rest of the summer and the Gilbert House was one of their choices. We spent almost 5 hours there - definitely got our money's worth.

We've had some absolutely delicious lazy days. After the crazy first half of the summer with lots of fun visitors and busy days, we all needed some laziness. So you want to use your screen time while lying in my bed in your pjs and look cute doing it? Sure thing baby o' mine.

The last week before school started I convinced my sister Melissa to join us at Pacific City for one last beach day. We climbed around on the mega dune, played in the sand and enjoyed the Oregon Coast, even if it was foggy for half the day. It was so lovely to be there with my sister, watching my children thoroughly enjoy themselves.

Boy Howdy and his sister have started reading more in earnest. Cheeks tries to sound out just about any word she can find, and Boy Howdy is loving being able to read his beloved "Calvin and Hobbes" without needing to coerce his father or me into reading it to him.

These two. They have their moments of constant irritation, but I love watching and hearing them loving each other and the friendship they enjoy. This summer we didn't hike like I wanted, we didn't pick as much fruit as I wanted, but we played with family and friends, went camping, got to know the neighbor kids, and enjoyed having no schedule to answer to All Summer Long.

Cheeks Turns 5

And just like that my baby is a 5-year old. Cheeks desperately wanted to go to the beach, to go to the pool, to go to Super Bounce. . . . Oh child. Like her brother, she had not expressed enough specific interest in a timely manner so I had already planned another birthday playdate, just like we do every year. So when she wanted to go to the Zoo, I told her, that's fine. We can go to the zoo, but that means we won't be able to invite any of your friends. . . . She relented and we made cupcakes to give away to her friends at her favorite local park. And she got to invite her new BFF O to come special. And then afterwards BFF O and BFF G got to come over for more playtime. This might be my last year of getting away with my lazy shenanigans. I'm okay with that, I think.

Decorating their own cakes/cupcakes might be my favorite birthday tradition. I hope they never think this is lame because seeing how they decorate is infinitely better than trying to conjure up the perfect unicorn or robot in cake form.

This year Cheeks got new clothes from Grandparents Marler, a new art set from Grandparents Booren, gardening tools and sunflower seeds, jewelry making beads, and new Fancy Nancy books.

I love my sweet Cheeks. She has become so social and yet still retains her independent streak. This girl loves cuddling though, sometimes I think she only loves it in theory because she still has such a hard time sitting still. But she definitely loves her family, her friends and being happy and making others happy too. I don't know what our family would be like without her. She is my sunshine and love Every Day.

Cheeks Takes Tap

I did NOT ask her to pose like that. She might be a soldier in the making.

Cheeks was enjoying ballet class, but when I heard that her studio was going to be starting a tap class for 5-year olds I couldn't resist signing her up. Cheeks LOVED being able to pick out her own tap outfit (since there is no dress code). And like ballet, she was excited and nervous all at the same time on her very first day. When asked if she likes tap class, she says its fine, though I think that's really just because it takes away from playing with her neighborhood friends. She showed me some of her dance moves. What an adorable treat.

First Annual Marler Family Camping Trip

After our camping trip at the beginning of summer the kids asked if we could go again before school started. I said yes, Matthew said yes, and even some friends of ours said yes, but it still took me a while to actually make the reservations for the campsite. Finding one with only three-weeks notice turned out to be tricky, but I found something and went with it. 

I don't think we'll ever go back to that campsite which sits directly off of a busy Highway, but it actually turned out to be a perfectly lovely trip. We just had to cut out a night early because every semi that passed by at 3am sounded like a rocket ship blasting into space hindering Matthew and I from sleeping for the better part of the night. The kids didn't want to leave earlier than they absolutely had to but we promised to take them swimming on Saturday to make up for it. 

If you don't count the semis, the campsite was pretty great. Our site backed up to a little kid-friendly forest, complete with baby stream, in which they could play. A short walk away we found a safe part of the mouth of Detroit Lake to throw rocks, build rock creations, and in general, just be in the water for HOURS. Sadly I didn't bring my camera to watch wonderful daddies spending blissful moments with their adoring children. Nor did I capture my babes spending beautiful hours doing what children are meant to do, explore, get wet and dirty, and make up silly new games with each other. Those will just have to be kept in my heart.

But I DID take a picture of Matthew's EPIC no-match fire. He was able to take advantage of the coals from the previous night's fire, and extract the last remnants of heat they had to offer to reignite a fire of pure awesomeness. Seriously, so amazing. The skills of this man. Wow. They are on par with his amazing ability to catch ANYTHING I throw at him.

I also captured some lazy moments we enjoyed. Like Matthew and Boy Howdy playing games on his phone and Cheeks and her friend G spending SO much time doing only they know what in G's tent.

And I was able to capture the enthusiasm these babes had for getting dirty and playing in the fire. Next year I am reserving a spot far away from a highway, months instead of weeks in advance. Next year, we will camp for more than one night. And next year we will bring cooler food to eat. But this camping trip was pretty awesome and joyful too.