Random Thoughts

• Why is my life being navigated by poop and pee lately??? Oh yes, we have a puppy and a two year old that sporadically potty trains, plus I'm a nurse, enough said.

• How much cleaning is too much, too little and just right?

• When will they invent a machine that folds and puts away laundry? My laundry fairy broke-up with me and it just doesn't get done anymore.

• 6 weeks later........this isn't too bad for thank-you's to go out from a 6 year old is it?

• should I change my bloggy title or leave it as is?

• a day in the swimming pool is considered a bath, right?

• I can't wait for our tomatoes and eggplants to ripen and harvest from the garden! If we are lucky, we'll have one zucchini.

• How did I get to italic?

• I guess I better get packing, because the packing fairy hasn't knocked on my door today either.......the fairies must be on vacation!

Shout outs.....

Happy Anniversary, John and Sarah!

Hope you two did something wonderful together and here's to more memories yet to come.

Happy Birthday Alyssa!

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Another week flying by.........

lots of swinging this week and playing outside....the weather has been incredibly wonderful.

been hanging out with the neighbors and playing too

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We decided to check out Living History Farms, it's been awhile and the weather wasn't going to be scorching hot, so we took it up.......we visited farms starting at 1700 and all the way up to the 1900 farm......if C-man had a choice he would live in the 1900 farm.....because there was a piano and more things to do (entertainment-wise). I also decided I'd want to live in the 1900 farm too, but I wouldn't like going out to the outhouse........

A Huge tractor, or is it a train? I'll have to ask the neighbors, he works on the Farms.
anyways, this is the kids' new pose....too funny!

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TIme to get down and dirty....finger painting outside.

C-man's master-piece........

Check out our hands Mom! A great time was had by the two kiddos.

How cool is it to get dirty and be okay with MOM!?!

Pool Bumming

Indy found a new place to sit in our car...won't be much longer and he won't fit! (the kids thought it was hilarious)
C-man "relaxing" and floating with Grandma.
OMMMMmmmmmmmm......OOOMMMmmmmmmmmm....

Time-out for chocolate.

Indy caught some zzzzz's during our pool time.

Indy found a place to cool off! In the baby pool with Miss-O.

Floatin' in G&G Robert's pool.....a good, relaxing time.

Thanks G&G Roberts for letting us come and use your pool for the afternoon....let's hope for some more hot days ahead....I know, kinda weird to beg for hot weather in July.

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Saturday Night: Ice-cream night......

I scream, you scream, Mommy's screaming cuz' there's ice-cream all over O's face!

(but wait, let me get a picture of it before I wash you all off....thank goodness for bath nights!)

Art in the Park

The library had its last event of the summer; "Art in the Park." We decided to check it out and turn in the kids' reading programs. What a good idea! The kids had fun painting with their tongues! A paper plate, Karo Syrup, and Kool-aid.......makes a fun tongue painting mess!

C-man took the dive first, Miss-O was a bit skeptical of it at first.......check out that face!
Miss-O designing a pretty, sticky design....

Chalking by the Library.

All in a week......

True Fashion Queen. Miss-O came out of her room with this get-up.....lovin' the head band! I think Indy is admiring her taste as well.
The dogs are starting to play with each other, look at the smiles on their faces! The first time they played, they played for about 2 hours, then slept the rest of the day.....what a work-out for the pups.

Another style, Miss-O fashioned all by herself....very chic. She might have to talk to Aunt Paula about fashion/fashion merchandising!

"I'm working on my Tubabu drumming...how do I sound?" Miss-O found one of my wine bottle holders (empty) and carried it out to the living room, then she ventured down stairs specifically for the red chair and came up with this at the end......always busy....

C-man finished his two weeks of swim lessons. He's still in Level II and will remain....but has gained tremendous confidence in the water.....way to be!.....keep doing a great job! His favorite part of swimming lessons was jumping into the deep end with a life-jacket on....!

Flutter By.....Butterfly

Rieman Gardens

We heard there were dinosaurs at the Rieman Gardens and decided we better travel up and see them. It was a nice day.....got a little hot, but glad we went when it wasn't scorching HOT!....

Butterflies at the Butterfly Garden....way cool.

We got too see the whole life cycle of the butterfly.

Marin spots a butterfly!

The kids find a big Allosaurus and pose by it.

Taking a break in the gazebo....

It's a maze in the Children's Garden.

Follow Dad, he knows where to go.

Marin adoring all the pretty flowers.

Miss-O likes the big "snow-ball" flowers.

Senior picture pose.....

The Gardens at a distance.....

Dahlia

Cooling off with water, what a HOT day!

Getting in some culture.......

Tubabu Drummers......

We decided to go to the library and check out the African Drummers. They told us about their drums and what they were made from. They told us stories about their songs and drummings they played. They had kids from the audience learn some African dances and then at the end, they paraded around the room. It was fun! I loved that feeling of the drums in my stomach, gets right to your soul.

Tubabu Drummers
C-man took a lot of pictures and this little girl was in them a lot looking just like this, guess it was a little too loud for her!

Lilly enjoyed the drummers! Here she is dancing in her Mommy's (Tanja's) arms.

McKai was intrigued with the percussions.

Miss-O didn't want to go in the front to dance, so she and Mommy did their own dancing where they were sitting.

C-man refused to have his picture taken. He admitted that he didn't even want to be at this event..........he sat with a pout and crossed arms......but I did get to take a picture of his feet tapping to the beat. GOTCHA!

Mommy and Miss-O dancing in a parade.

Birthday Annoucements & more!

Happy Birthday Heather! July 17th...

Happy Birthday Sarah! July 18th....

Happy Anniversary Paula & Rob! July 18th....

May you all have a "whale" of a day and a splashing good time on your special days!

Love, the Roberts

Puppy Influences......

Positive Puppy Influences...

• C-man is FINALLY sleeping in his own bed all night long! (just took 6 years)
• It's great to slow down and think like a puppy, new experiences daily, taking every moment in with great excitement and curiosity, living the day moment by moment.
• Tatum got her puppy-ness back and wants to play fetch all of a sudden and plays well.....she actually listens to her commands.....(just have to deal with the juicy fetch toys)
• Indy makes people smile where-ever we go....young and old! I love to see their smiles.....
• I might have Miss-O convinced she can potty-train and get treats just like the puppy....but she can have m&m's instead of doggy treats.

Negative Puppy Influences....

• The kids have taken up this PROFOUND whining......mmmmoooOOOOOOooooommmm...., I'm sure they picked this up from the puppy.
• I have taken up barking and growling like Tatum, but it's not at the passers-by...it's the kids and husband.....I'm going to need a muffle and shock collar....On the double and HURRY!
• Pee-Pee-Poop-Poop-Pee-Poop........breaks every hour, it never stops...........BUT on the bright side of that, we get out of the house for breaks and enjoy the nice days we've been having. May I add Praise the Lord for no pooping in the house! (now I've jinxed myself.)
• I have been a bit obsessed in knowing the puppy's whereabouts and if he's pottying.....I ask about every 5 min. Where is he? Did he pee?

Just like motherhood, I wouldn't change any of it for the world, he's such a sweet puppy...and Tatum is truly a lover too. She loves to snuggle up and she always knows if I need a snuggle.....it's cool how they sense those things.

and They call it Puppy Love!

Snuggle time!

Best Buds

Tatum and Indy like each other but there's some bonding that needs to be done yet. (note: body language!)
Uncle Chris make a great observation.....now we have dogs that are the Hawkeye colors!
Go Hawks!

Our new addition to the Family!

We'd like you to meet.....

INDY

our new puppy!

He's 7 weeks old

about 10 lbs.

and full of love!

Indy slept the 2 hour ride home in his kennel, buckled into the backseat. It was cute to see all three of them snoozin' back there. We made it home at midnight and kennel'd Indy. He cried and cried and cried. Tatum first barked at him, then joined in!.......what seemed like hours, was probably 20 min. of crying then he settled in......until 4am......then 6am he was up for the day!
No accidents so far in the house and we are loving him even if he sleeps a lot, eats, and plays.......what a life..........guess we have a case of Puppy Love going on in our family....come on over and catch it........it's very contagious!

Parties and Puppies, OH MY!

Happy Birthday Marin!

The Big 2!

"Cheese!" Posing with her presents.....all kinds of fun new toys to play with........
C-man and Miss-O sneak in behind for the opening of the presents while Aunt Angie reads Marin her card. "they'll never notice a thing!"

It was a Clifford Birthday with a Clifford Cake made by Aunt Angie.......very cool!

Birthday girl eating her birthday cake and ice-cream out of a dog dish! Love it!

This is great to eat like a dog.......but do dogs really use forks??????

Happy Birthday Sarah!

Birthday Party #2, our neighbor Sarah's 7th Splashin' Birthday!

Here's C-man taking a whack at the pinata!

good pals!

Miss-O thinks highly of Sarah!

Then we traveled up north to visit my brother's family and their puppies.
Turned out that he and his neighbors cut down some trees and there was a neighborly picnic that we got invited to........thanks guys, food was great!

The kids got to play with their cousins; Jake and Emma.
They also enjoyed playing with the pups and watching them romp around.

When it got darker they got out the nets and caught lightning bugs...too fun!

"I pick you!" says one puppy to C-man.....

Emma loves the puppies and rocks them and puts them in her stroller for rides.....