Bubble Wrap and Big Boys

It's amazing how simple entertainment can be for toddlers!  We had some of that bubble wrap with the really large bubbles left over from Ethan's birthday present and we decided to spread it out and have at it one day!  Ethan thought it was the best thing ever.

 Tristan getting in on the action!

 Our boys are getting so big!  It was finally time to move Carter out of the infant carrier and into a convertible car seat.  Ironically, he was more interested in Ethan's new seat than his own new seat.

 Ethan seemed to remain loyal to his old seat!  Eventually we got both boys into their own new seats and the rest is history!

 We took the boys over to the Regional Athletic Center to play and let Ethan ride his bike one sunny afternoon.  He did really well, but was really uncertain about how to stop still.  Maybe by next summer he'll have it down!

 Watching those feet pedal, pedal, pedal!

 Me and my big boys!

It seems like our mile stones are getting closer and closer together these days...they are getting so big so fast.  I love all the fun our boys bring into our family.

Uncle Kelsey's Birthday

The day after my birthday we headed up to Manchester State Park to celebrate Tristan's brother, Kelsey's, birthday.  We arrived there ahead of everyone else and took some time to scout out a good gathering place and enjoy the scenery.  

Ethan liked watching the ferry go back and forth.

 The boys played in the sand in the volleyball pit for a bit.

 Trying to figure out how this shovel-thing works!

 When the rest of the family arrived we broke out the trackball!  Ethan had fun trying to catch the ball and had some help throwing it from Uncle Kelsey.

 Tristan, Kelsey and Ethan playing trackball

 Our little picnic shelter had inside and outside seating, so we could stay nice and cool on the beautiful, hot day!

 Eventually we got Carter to go down for a nap and laid him on a blanket in the shade.

 Cake time--seriously, the BEST carrot cake I've ever had!  Nicole did an amazing job making it.  I love how excited Ethan is over the cake--and don't think that he accidentally ended up next to the cake.  He beelined straight for it when he saw it come out!

 Birthday boy!

It was such a pretty day and it was fun to get together with most of Tristan's family--it can be hard to get us all together at once!  We had a blast celebrating Uncle Kelsey's birthday!

Sand in the City--2012

Sand in the City fell on my birthday this year AND Tristan was home for it!  He took his vacation so he would be home for both my birthday and our anniversary (a day later).  The weather was great so we met up with Kelly and Anderson to go explore.  We stopped at the bubble station first and the boys had a great time blowing bubbles with all the different kind of wands.

 We stopped by one of the big digging sandboxes and Ethan and Carter dove right in!

 Checking out what's inside that bucket...you can never be too sure!

 At this table you got to dig up shells and make necklaces out of them.

 We found a digger!!

 Feeding the baby alpaca

 Carter straining to see it

 Sculptors hard at work.  I didn't get any pictures of the completed sculptures this year.  We normally go on Saturday when they are closer to being finished, but we had plans to go up north and see Tristan's brother for his birthday this year.  So Friday it was!

 This is the new river feature in front of our new Hands on Children's Museum.  It was a summertime favorite.  It's shallow and the kids love running and playing in it.

 This is the other end of it and that is the new museum in the background.

 Stopping to make a visor craft

 Just finishing another fun craft

 Ethan loved this little duck run that used water to push the duck down the chute.

 Time to play in the stream!  Look at all that energy!

 Carter enjoyed looking on, but didn't enjoy the stream much.  I think it was just a little too chilly for him.

 Ethan and Anderson getting wet and cooling off!

Spending the day with family and friends was the perfect way to celebrate my 33rd birthday.  It was especially nice to have Tristan home for it this year!

Eat, Play, Sleep, Repeat

It seems like we were able to just enjoy a lot of lazy days this summer even though we were actually really busy.  Carter seemed to turn into a bottomless pit, whereas Ethan seemed to become a pickier eater.  Both boys spent a lot of time playing and running outside, which meant we also had lots of good naps and early bedtimes.  It's nice to just stop and enjoy the simple life sometimes!

Carter wanted to eat corn-on-the-cob like dad was!

 Gotta' teach them how to share somehow!

 Snacking at the park down by Capitol Lake

 Ethan decided to curl up and sleep in the Chariot.  If I remember correctly, he was pretending to be a "kitty".

 The sandbox was never lonely!  Every day I had to strip both boys down at the door and put them in to the bath tub because they would get so dirty!

 Spaghetti is a favorite meal...but the mess it makes is NOT my favorite to clean up!

 Anderson came over to play one morning in August and the boys had some fun inside...

 ...before heading out to the backyard!  It was so funny how Carter kept grabbing Tristan's swing and holding on to it while he was swinging.

 When Tristan got out of the swing, Carter kept holding on.  I can't remember how he got the other one, but we didn't hand it to him.  It was funny!

 Anderson and Ethan had fun running and racing in the backyard, too.

I really love August in Washington.  It has always been one of the prettier times of the year.  All that sunshine means lots of playtime!