Anything is her stage

Marin loves a good stage and she can make just about anything into one for herself.  Her latest is one that lets the world see her through the window while she dances, sings, tells stories, and acts out different scenes from her world.  Love love love to see her doing her thing.  Here's the stage all set up for the performance. 

A sleep over

Marin was pretending to have a sleep over with her babies.  She was so sweet as she covered up all the Babies and put them to sleep. 

Symeon shreds and Babes well does Babes stuff

Symeon is one of those kids who does not really play with toys.  He would much rather use the shredder.  Shawn and I were doing some cleaning and reorganizing so Symeon decided to shred.  Once I checked his fingers would not fit in and neither would Babes we set him loose with a large box of shredding we had and for several hours he shredded and emptied into the recycling.  At one point he said I need to take a break and child labor laws crossed my mind, just kidding.  He stopped for a break and then went right back to work.  Babes asked him to play and he told her he couldn't because he had work to do.  He shredded the entire box over two days and saved me a ton of work.  I told him what a big help he was to us and he was beaming. 

So what was Babes doing while her brother shredded...

 Yup she got her head stuck in the box of papers to be shredded.  Symeon tried to get her out and after I took my picture I actually had to help. 

Pretend Play

Symeon and Marin have been playing pretend so much these days and on this particular day they were taking turns being the baby and the other one was putting the baby to sleep, tucking them in and reading them books.  So sweet!

Summer Craft

 I remember making these when I was a kid so when I saw them in the store I had to get them.  The kids loved putting in the beads then we put them in the oven.  They turned out great Marin made a cupcake and Symeon made  a sun with a smile face.  Symeon did not want his picture taken but Marin was more than happy to pose with her art. 

Our First Camping Trip

Well we finally made it camping!  We really wanted to take the kids last summer but we just ran out of time but this was the summer and we hope to go more often next summer.  We went with our dear friends Betty, Alvaro, and their daughter Sophia (Marin's best friend :).  We had to leave early on Friday so Betty and I loaded up the kids and headed hoping to find a spot well we did find the last spot that would work for us.  People in CO take their camping very serious so they make their reservations in January for the summer but honestly sometime we don't know what we are doing next week never mind in six months.  It all worked out and we had a great sight and great time.  We could not have a fire because of all the wildfires and although we all missed that aspect there was lots to do and we kept busy. 

 Betty brought them little scavenger hunt books which was so much fun for them.  

 Our campsite a big open space perfect for games. 

Sweet Sophia

 Sweet Babes McGee

 Friends

 River Expedition

 Kite Flying

 Forest Fires

Pony Power and I pray friends for life!

 

 Best Friends

 Beautiful!

 Pony needed  a bath just like the rest of us but she was able to get one in a pony size tub.  

 That's my man with his magic blue bin which had everything we needed to have a great camping trip.  He was on it organized and prepared so sexy!

Symeon loved doing camp dishes. 

Babes Music Class

 When Symeon began preschool last fall Babes was besides herself with grief so I decided her and I would take a class that was just for her.  We decided on a weekly music class and she loved it.  She had the same teacher for the entire year and for her this was her school.  At Christmas we made her teacher the same gift we made Symeon's on Valentine's Day she brought Valentines she made into her class.  On her birthday she brought in her favorite cookies to share with her friends.  She was like a celebrity in her class the other parents, her teacher, and anyone who visited always commented on how much she enjoyed it.  She had some of the same kids in her class all year and she had the same teacher so it was really fun to visit with all her friends every week.  I enjoyed every special minute with her during this past year.  When Oma came she came to her last class as well as her brother and her Daddy.  It was fun to get some pictures of her in her special place that was all about her.  

 Here she is giving her teacher a thank you present for the whole year.  Her teacher cried, Marin loved her so much and she did a great job.  

 Marin always liked to sit right next to her teacher.  

 She was excited to have Daddy with her for her special class.