I couldn't find the kids yesterday morning... I finally looked in their bedroom and they were reading stories to each other! I could hardly believe my eyes. They really are sweet to each other, especially when no one is looking...ha! Last night we went to the Shute Park concert in the park. It was an a cappella group, really neat! The kids had a great time picnicing, dancing and playing with friends.

Anne eating her dinner...

The boys oogling over the cool bike...
Nathan pretending to eat something... I don't think he ate anything the entire evening!
This morning I decided we should try our hands at berry picking... turns out, they turn red! It was a really fun time. Anne was a berry picking fool for about 25 minutes. She filled her bucket, climbed back into the stroller and proceeded to eat the entire loot! A "family shot...Here she is picking her berries... you know it wouldn't surprise me if she was the berry queen one of these years. She didn't pick one at a time, she only went for the bunches of 3 or more... time maximizing.
Nathan filling his bucket. He did really great too! He made a friend at the berry farm and palled around with him the rest of the morning.
Here's a sweet shot of Nathan and his new friend Andrew. Anne, after she had eaten her share of berries and a few more, looking a little full...
We spent the rest of the afternoon at home eating berries and I made a rasberry pie. It looked really great, but then I expected it to taste like Marie Callendar's, which of course it didn't, oh well. It was fun anyway.

Anne's new feat... standing on their table...nice.

Anne looking out the window
A picture perfect ending to the day...
We have had a very busy few days! Yesterday on top of the picnic and concert we went to the pool and the ZOO! The kids were happy to have a sole activity today.

Thanks for looking in on us!
Love,
The kidletts, Mark and Joy

Summer continued...

We have been busy every day! I get up and get the kids to the pool child care center by 8:30 then get off to work by 8:45. They have a great time playing at the center while Mark is working!!! I like working at the Sylvan center. The kids are really great and the working environment is very relaxed and structured.

We have been exploring some fun things!! Last week we got out the flour and cars & made tracks. Here's Nathan's handy work...

Next he decided he wanted to try his hand at photography. Missed his mark, just by a tad... Maybe he thinks mom looks better with no head?
Almost got it!
Here they are out on the patio having a snack on Friday. It was warm, but not as hot as his had been the days before. On those days, Nathan refused to go outside, "It's too hot mommy, I too hot!" Fair weather friend as it were...I had to put these in... they are playing 'Up See Down' (upsidedown) & Right Side Up, which entails bending over to look at stuff upsidedown...too funny.


Playing in the water table on the patio...

A pic of mommy & Nathan... just for times sake!

This video is of the kids blowing you all kisses from afar! I am pretty sure they repeated, "I love you" in there somewhere but it sounds more like, "I wuff ewe."

This last video is Nathan's Dare Devil Stunt... he's getting more adventurous!

Thanks for checking in on us. Hope you have had a great July... I can't believe it's coming to a close as well, where are the days going? Nathan loves the game "I Spy." We played it all the way home from church tonight. Anne chimed in with "I pie... boo core" meaning, I spy a blue car. Oddly, it was incredibly accurate but only the first 3 times, ha!

My gardening is going fairly well. Though it's been several weeks, I still don't have any green beans on my vines and some type of small animal, maybe baby racoon size has eaten my bell pepper blossoms and my two tiny, green tomatoes, and of course the cucumber blossoms as well. At least if we don't get to enjoy our veggies, someone or something else will! We did get to test our snap peas, the 5 that grew, ha! I am glad we didn't do too many veggies, we needed to learn about growing them!

We will post again soon!!!

Love,

Joy, Mark & the Kidletts

Happy Independence Day!!!

We spent the weekend in Central Oregon for the fourth of July weekend but before we left, we stopped in at the Hillsboro Parade. Anne was a little antsy until she got a lollipop, then she was happy to hang out on daddy's lap and wave to the passing participants. Nathan's favorite part of the parade was the spray bottle he borrowed from some friends...ha!
Anne waving at the horses...

Here are two photos of electric cars that actually do drive around our town all the time, we've seen them several times... This was my fave, it looks like a shoe and seriously this guy barely fits in there!
Back in the pool again, just like last weekend.Home again this afternoon and Anne and Nathan back in the toy boxes. Aparently it's still fun 3 months later! I had to put this photo in here, it's the first one I have of them being nice and giving kisses to each other. SO CUTE, well they are mine so I think so anyway, ha!

Nathan really thinks this is fun!

Thanks for checking in on us!

Happy July!

-Kidletts, Mark & Joy