Summer Fun and Our Bucket List

Lack of posting for a couple of weeks = living our wild and precious life to the fullest. Indeed we are. We are crossing items off our bucketlist and spending as much time outside as we possibly can. We've successfully crammed two years worth of summer fun into one, and it's only June.

The only downside to enjoying every second of our summer is that my house is lacking in the cleanliness department. Most teachers I know save their major projects for summer because of all the time we have. I have a list of things that need to get done over break such as cleaning windows, organizing pictures, purging crap that we don't need, and deep cleaning every single room in the house. I can't say any of these things have been done except for deep cleaning the tiny bathroom and the laundry room/entry way. The weather has been so perfect that I don't want to miss a beat. Can you tell how badly I feel? Maybe we'll get hit with a string of rainy weather and I can try to get a few things done, but until then, we will live it up!

Between ball games, days at the pool, and playing outside, our days are filled. Pack that in with some items from our bucketlist and you have a pretty successful summer thus far. I do believe pictures will be able to tell our June story better than words, so here are some things we've been busy with and many items checked off our bucketlist!

Ball games have taken up 3-4 evenings of each week this month. We have so enjoyed watching the kids play ball and see how they've progressed since last year. Carter has come leaps and bounds since last summer, and we can tell he just loves baseball. He's played soccer and wrestling, but I haven't seen as much passion in anything as much as I have seen in this. Baseball is definitely a family favorite so I'm totally okay if it sticks around! ;)

Pool dates are the first things we checked off our bucket list this summer. Jaedyn is old enough to go to the pool on her own this year, and she has spent most of her time at the pool or the library this summer. She's a fish, and a tan one at that. Most of our days are spent at the pool in the afternoons. Sawyer lives in his life jacket in the deep end or going off the board. This summer has been one of the best for the pool yet! The three of them spend a lot of time together and are quite independent. I love watching my little water babies!

On days when it is too windy or chilly to head to the pool, we spend our days playing outside. The boys love their Jeep (which they call "The Gator" for some reason) and their riding toys, playing on the trampoline and their new favorite game..."House". Oh my how they are growing up. I enjoy sitting in my chair with my coffee/water and a good book. I've been duped talked into reading the Harry Potter series, and I've been sucked in. I'm currently on book four and can't get enough. Thanks a lot Amy!

In addition to pool dates, we've been steadily crossing items off our bucket list over the past month and already have a plan to cross of so much more in the next few weeks. I'm excited! Here are some of the things we've done so far:

Bonfires

Cloud watching....I've done a lot of this and have decided God paints such amazing pictures in the sky!

Cloud watching at the park

Drawing pictures of what we see in the clouds

Run a 5K- Color Vibe in Sioux Falls

Lemonade and Popcorn stand

Moon Walks

Picnics in the park

Jaedyn got to cross of camping in Yankton...she may be the only one. I don't know if we'll see that one out this summer or not.

In addition to all this busy-ness we've also had swimming lessons, Carter had day camp and we've made a trip to Des Moines to see Dan's cousin get married. Here are a few more pictures of our June.

Taking a ride in the four wheeler with Grandpa

Jess and Mark's wedding

Taking out the kiddie pool and slip n slide at Grandma's house

Taking a selfie at the wedding

Impromptu trip to Lake Pahoja while we wait for Carter to get done with Day camp

Playing in the park

Practicing our splashing during swimming lessons

Jumping off the diving board without a life jacket. #anxietyattack

As always, rocking the zumba class

We are busy, but we are blessed. Here's to July! What have you crossed off your bucket list this summer?

Happy Father's Day

For Dan.

Nine years ago, I watched you lead a team of teenagers into prayer. Prayers for other teenagers who were meeting Jesus for the first time and others who were trying to strengthen their relationship with Christ. I didn't know you then, but I felt like I was supposed to. I didn't know why or in what form, but I knew that there was a connection. Of course, this was the worst possible time to have one of these gut feelings. I was engaged with a four month old baby in tow, but still there was this voice in my head telling me that there was something I was missing.

In the days and weeks to come, I would see how you connected with my daughter. I saw something in the way you talked to her, held her, bathed her, and I knew you were someone special. Little did I know at that time, you would adopt her and become the father to my other children. I couldn't have picked a better man to travel along this wild ride with me. This parenting gig isn't easy, but there is nobody I would rather do this with.

We are so so far from perfect, but I wouldn't trade our life for anything. To be your child, Daniel, is to be very very lucky indeed.

Happy Father's Day.

And to my own dad: Thank you for being who you are every single day. You show up. You love wholeheartedly. I couldn't ask for a better man to be my dad. You deserve the world, and on this day, I hope you know how much you are loved. I am so blessed to be your daughter. My children are so blessed to have you as their grandpa. We love you.

To my father in law- Thank you for being a rock. Thank you for raising such an amazing father and husband. You are his best friend. You are stubborn and strong willed, but you've shown me how to stand up for myself. Thank you for being you. You are loved.

To Dave: Thank you for being a wonderful Grandpa to my littles. They love you so very very much. We are so thankful for all you do for our family. We love you.

Go a hug a dad today.