Summer thus far...

So, I've started a lot of blog posts and not finished them. This is one of those. I started a photo dump at the beginning of summer but we were busy having so much fun and I continued to take so many pictures that I thought I needed to add them to this post before posting, in the meantime it got shoved aside and forgotten. I still want some of these memories to be solidified so I'm just going to post this...so I can relive the glorious summer days. I think most of these are from June and July...so my boys look a lot younger. 

Oh the hammock-time...I've been itching to get it out again

  

A neighborhood walk to the lilacs and playground

This was when  Charlie said "it smells like gummy worms"

These were the days!

And Charlie likes to set up his own obstacle courses.

Bathroom Visitors.....ALWAYS!!

I love Costco shopping carts!

We planted tomatoes and they grew and we ate them!

Oh yeah, I'm reminded that there was a time when we played in the sun daily!

Even if it was inside!

And we planted a peach tree which has since grown, I will need to take another picture of the boys standing by it in the Spring to see how the boys and tree have grown!

One of our many Summer trips to the "park with the green swing" as Charlie likes to call it.

There was one time when we went to the children's museum and it was randomly closed on a Friday so we went to the massive park right next to it where everyone else went that wanted to go to the Museum. It was incredibly stressful because my kids each wanted to go in different direction and it was too huge and busy so I couldn't see them both. I ended up holding Miles most of the time.

We liked to have weekly lunch dates at Costco. That way Max would get lunch on his lunch break and help me shop, or at least take the boys for a bit.

This may have been his first experience finger painting.

They didn't get the memo that it was a silly face picture!

One time ducks came to visit us at our front door...so we fed them!

Another Children's museum outing, this was a really fun exhibit!

Charlie put those eyebrows on Miles. I think this was the first time, we do it almost every time now...and mustaches!

Playing in the tent in our yard

Ummm...It's supposed to be 60+ degrees, I'm tempted to put the hammock up!

More tent play, this was when Miles first really started loving books.

Remember the days when bedtime was before it got dark? Charlie didn't seem to like that much and we often found him like this. Especially when Max and I went out to the hammock after putting the kids to bed.

Waiting for Daddy to come home from work! Oh yeah, it was still light back then!

Art project. So this is totally something I did in Kindergarten and it left such a lasting impression that I did it with my kids. Marble painting!

My little workout buddies!

Oh yeah, and there were a couple months when we didn't have a couch.

And then there was a time when I dressed up in one of my prom dresses (a prom which I attended with max) and made chocolate covered strawberries and I was sitting on the floor (since we didn't have a couch) when he got home from a meeting. Haha! Gotta keep things exciting.

And there are some memories...I guess it's better that I have some documented instead of none. Life is great!

Mud Puddles

 Surprise Surprise. We went to the forest to get some wiggles out! I love our little hikes, and that each time Miles is able to walk a little more of the trail. My children can be grumps if they stay inside too much, and when they have chocolate chip banana bread for breakfast. So, this time we went to the forest to bring down a grumpy sugar high.

Oh, and I love seeing how the landscape changes with each season, it was like we were in a forest of moss and ferns this time.

 And sometimes they are cute and smile at me!

And this time the forest had Mud Puddles. I think that was the highlight of this trip for the boys. 

Charlie was coveting Miles' large stick...

 

...so he went and picked up a big log! Boys!

 cool moss jungle right?

Exploring!

I love my rough and tough (and sometimes gentle) boys!

Miles' binoculars

There is occasion when they both decide to run in different directions...

 

 And then I decided to let loose and just allow them to splash in the mud puddle...and they loved it. So many squeals of delight going on!

 (Sidenote: Look how beautifully Charlie's eye is healing!!!)

 

They were some happy boys. Although, once we left the mud puddle,  Miles realized he was tired and cold and hungry so he made me carry his muddy self and screamed the whole way to the car, and most of the way home. We made everything right with a baby-wipe bath in the car and hot cocoa with lunch when we got home. 

 In the meantime, I still have a pile of muddy clothes I need to get out of the car. But yes, it was worth it!

Miles' Jokes

Our boys have been cracking us up lately. Miles has found a series of jokes that get us to laugh every time so he just keeps doing them. If these don't make you laugh, you can kindly remind yourself that they come from the mind of a one year old...I just wanted to remember his sweet little humor so here are a list of Miles' original jokes! And I sometimes miss that I didn't write as much down when Charlie was starting to talk so....there you go.

Miles blows raspberries on his arm, hand, or anywhere else he can, then puts on a sly grin and says "stinker." he waits for our reaction then laughs and laughs!

This one he picked up from Charlie...
We have taught Charlie that if he would like to say something while mommy and daddy are talking, it is polite to say excuse me. He is actually pretty good at this and it comes up nearly every dinner time. Miles has picked up on it and sees that it is a way to get attention. He starts quiet and gets louder and louder
'scuze me mommy 'Scuze Me Mommy "SCUZE ME MOMMY!
Until I say "Yes?" He then scans the room looking for something to say, usually while pointing. His usual responses include "dinner" "charlie" "water" "wall"  "mommy" "house" It makes us laugh every time so then he starts laughing and starts it all over again. So, pretty much every dinner is filled with the noise of my boys yelling "Excuse me mommy" While Max and I are desperately trying to talk to each other.

In the movie Inside theres a song that goes..."who's your friend that likes to play? Bing Bong Bing Bong!" Miles loved singing the bing bong part but he decided to change it up to keep us on our toes. So when we sing  "Who's your friend who likes to play?" He says "Nemo!" and laughs and laughs!
I have no idea where he got this idea and why he thinks it's so funny.

Juke Box Miles!
Miles likes to request songs and then interrupt those songs with another request. Usually he asks for Twinkle Twinkle, once you start singing, he'll call out "Jingle Bells!" Once we start singing jingle bells, he'll immediately request twinkle twinkle again. Those are his usual requests but sometimes he throws in Hallelujah, Bumblebee, or "song" which is any song he doesn't know the name of. 

I love his little personality and how he acts all shy but proud when we laugh at his jokes