Summer Guest

My niece, Ellyn, has “moved in” with us for the summer.  This is so very special for her and for us. 

She is a huge help.  My kids love her to pieces and don’t ever get tired of seeing her.  Never.  Ever. 

I signed her up for 4 weeks of summer school at the public school here.  She absolutely loves it!  It is fun summer school – swimming, photography class, cooking classes!  She bravely rides her bike to and from!!  Which is a huge help because sometimes my kids are still sleeping and if there is anything I don’t like more it is waking sleeping children!

She had a break from summer school for a few weeks and it just happened that Mallory had swim lessons during that week at 8:30 in the morning for 30 minutes.  I talked Ellyn into staying home with Max and letting Mally & I go.  She (Ellyn) was a rock star at staying at home with Max.  She would get him dressed.  Feed him breakfast.  Clean up breakfast dishes.  Get dressed herself.  Make her bed.  Brush teeth… all in 45 minutes!! 

Then I had the brilliant idea on the second week of swim lessons to potty train Max.  Ellyn would put him in his underpants and make him go!  No accidents on her watch!  This is how she did it “Max you want a marshmellow??”  He would of course say yes and then she would say “Then lets go potty first!”  Off he would go! I’m not sure how many marshmellows were consumed in those 45 minutes – but hey!  No accidents!  I’m not going to judge/complain about her technique!  : )

It has been a huge blessing having her with us this summer!  We have truly enjoyed her company!

Bowling

Mallory’s birthday party this year was at the bowling alley.  We were living in the camper & had no house – so I wasn’t really too excited to have everyone over here and throw together a party out of the camper.  We decided to have everyone meet up at the bowling alley and it was great.

I had a cake made… wasn’t confident that I could cook a cake in the camper oven.  : )

Opening presents!  Another swimsuit!  Mallory has so many swimsuits – she just finished swim lessons this last week and they made comments every time Mallory walked in “Another swim suit!”  I was sure to tell them that I have never bought her a swim suit – her Grandmas have swim suit issues and they buy them for her.  : )  But oh my they are all super cute!! 

A little personal shout out to my sister, Shannon.  Thankyouverymuch for the Doctor Kit!  I have pink rubber gloves everywhere!  I have bandaides stuck on my couches!  I have them dressing up in doctor gear from head to toe and chasing after me telling me that I need a check up!  Then shoot me with pretend shots and dose me with pretend medicine!! 

Mallory & Her cake!

She was really shy when we were signing to her.

Blowing out candles!

When I was putting the candles in her cake – I only put three candles in.  I didn’t think anything about it.  Then my Mom says… Lynn!  She needs FOUR candles!  WHAT?!!  OMG!  She isn’t turning four is she?!!?  ; )  I pouted my lip out and stuck another candle in the cake.

All the cousins.

Can you see each child’s personality in these photos?  I even think Max is sticking his finger in the cake!!

On to the bowling!

Bothering Uncle Adam… or is Uncle Adam bothering her?

Uh-oh!  Max is going to get in on this!

Grandma Great made it!  She loves watching all these kids run around… then she was off to the gambling machines!  : ) 

Now Auntie Steph got in on the action!

 

Oh my favorite guys!!!  These two are so similar sometimes!

Jesse would hold the ball on the ground and Max would kick it.  Yeah… that’s how they teach him how to bowl?  Lets hope he forgets that style before he becomes a teenager!

It was a fun little celebration for our little Mallory!!

Back to June 7th

I’m afraid we have to go back and catch the blog up on all the other important highlights that happened during all this remodel but never made the blog.  First up… Mallory turned 4!

The day before she turned 4 we went to a ballet recital for Katherine (our nanny’s daughter).  Mally was in love with that!  She wants to do that so bad.  Anyway, while we were gone Jesse and Max were in charge of putting together her birthday present for the next day.  I got a text that Max was super excited about putting her present together and jabbering non-stop about it.  Her present was a little kid ride on, battery operated RZR – but in green her favorite color.

So we get home late from the recital and I am telling Mallory we need to be quiet (we are still living in the camper then) and we walk in and Max is sitting at the table eating string cheese, wide awake.  He runs up to Mallory and starts jabbering about a present for her and “a new four wheeler”.  However, she didn’t understand a word he was saying so she didn’t pay much attention.  She was too excited about the flag she got from the recital. 

I can’t remember what we did on her birthday – but I have pictures of us giving her her present.

Jesse opening the door to the shop for her to see her present.

Walking to where it was hidden.

Running to get in it!

Max is going too!

Climbing in

And they are off!

Waiting to get outside.

Free!  They are off and this kept them entertained for hours!!

Now today, July 16th… it has been a month now since we had it and it has become Max’s.  Mallory lost interest in it – she can now ride a bike without training wheels so all she wants to do is ride bike.  Max is lazy about physical work – he knows how to peddle – but he would rather ride around in something with a motor/battery.

This past weekend Jesse decided that they were ready to go full speed in it – so he removed the screw that kept them from going fast and now they can go fast.  Mallory runs in the house instant and tells me that Jesse made it go fast.  I look out the kitchen window and I see Max going super fast with a gigantic smile on his face and screaming with glee.  This kid loves fast!  I can’t get him out of it anymore.  He doesn’t want to sleep – he wants to ride rzr.  He doesn’t want to stop for lunch – he wants to ride rzr.  He is so very much Jesse!  So very much!  Although Jesse likes physical work.  : )