So many things I want to share with you

Wow, I have been such a slacker with my blog this summer. I guess that means we have been busy. I always think that once school is out we can have a nice relaxing summer, but usually the opposite is true. Between trying to keep the yard up (which I am failing at miserably), keep on top of my veggie garden, keeping the pool up and let's not forget about all the housework, then add to that swim lessons, VBS, library reading program, birthday parties and playdates, I feel like I can't wait for September to get here so I can have a break!!! We haven't really had any pool parties yet and the summer is almost over...currently the pool is being treated for an algae bloom that hit right when we had one of our hottest days. It was such a bummer not being able to use the pool, but it should be ready for swimming soon.

Swim Lessons

Zander is learning to swim with his face in the water.

Natalie can swim really good and even goes off the diving board and swims in the deep end of our pool!

After swimming lessons the kids enjoyed playing in the newly constructed splash park...until Zander slipped and fell and landed on his head.

Here is a video of Hayden jumping into our pool, going under water and then inching his way back to the steps. He did this over and over for about 20 minutes one day last month. Dan and I couldn't believe how brave he was.

Fashion Show

My sister Toni works at Penney's at the mall and asked if Natalie and Zander could model some back-to-school clothes for the children's department. Their cousin Becca was in the fashion show too!!

Here are the cousins

My little models looking so sylish in their back to school clothes.

More Fun at Great Wolf Lodge

Let's Get Wet...

Here's the wave pool

This section is a series of things to climb up on and basically get really wet on your way to the water slides.

Here is the big bucket that fills up and dumps water over the whole area.

Here is comes...

No one is safe once the bucket tips!!!

Father's Day Dinner

We ate at the on-site restaurant and got to eat under the tents!


All you can eat crab legs for Dan!


Yum, yum...good food!

Bed time

At 8:00 pm all the kids get to wear their pajamas in the lobby for a special show at the clock tower.




Then there is a story read afterwards with Wylie the Wolf.


All the kids had a great time.

Here they are all ready for bed after story time.

Meanwhile, Dan was upstairs watching the NBA finals in the teen room. Father's got in free on Father's day!

Natalie summons me in...

to tuck her in to bed way up on the top bunk!

Zander was excited to sleep in the cabin...


Good night, sleep tight.

Father's Day Fun

Last Sunday on our way to the Great Wolf Lodge in Washington, we stopped off at a rest area for a picnic lunch.

The entrance to the lodge is really fun with huge wolf carvings and lots of rustic touches everywhere.

The lobby has huge vaulted ceilings with a clock tower that expands three stories tall.


Here is the check in counter...it was just like Disneyland...waiting 30 minutes in line. Fortunately, although check in wasn't until 4 pm, we got to play in the water park while we waited for our room.


Here is the other side of the lobby. Through the windows you can watch all the action in the water park.

For the price of a regular room (4 person occupancy) plus the extra person charge ($30) , I was able to reserve the kid cabin room with beds for all three kids in a cute cabin.

The kids were so excited to see that inside our room was a little cabin just for them with bunk beds and their very own tv. Natalie was sure to call dibs on the top bunk!

Our room also included a log cabin bed for us and a fireplace in the corner.



So that concludes the first part of the tour...I'll be back to post some fun water park photos later.

Swim lessons

For the past few summers I had been meaning to sign our kids up for swim lessons and it just never happened. Watching all our our kids' friends advancing in their swimming skills was staring to bring out the mommy guilt, so earlier this summer I marched myself down and registered Natalie and Zander for swim lessons...just in time too cause the only classes left for the beginner level were in August. I thought this would be fine since it was an outdoor pool, the chances of cool rainy weather would be minimal. But, wouldn't you know it, this week is grey and seasonably cool. Oh well. They are both doing great. After her first lesson, Natalie said she couldn't wait to go back the next day. Both kids are both getting more comfortable with their face in the water and are responding without hesitation to the instructors.

Hayden likes playing in the kiddie pool while his brother and sister are having their lessons and I get to chat with my friends whose kids are taking lessons too.