Summer time favorites

Watermelon, slip-n-slides, and family reunions....it must be summer! Matt wrapped up classes this week so summer has official begun for him (and Grandma Val)! Brenner made me nervous this morning....he told Nola "Let's play Mommy and Papa, Nola". I asked him how that was played. He said "We take care of the babies." Whew :) Brenner's favorite saying "Mommy, I need to ask you something. I love you." Very sweet. Nola has been talking in so many sentences, it is hard to keep track. "I am singing", "Let's play Brenner", "Go for a ride", "Want to go night-night", "Love you, Brenner", "I want to swing"...she will pull you to what she wants if you don't quite understand!

 Brenner was begging me to cut up a watermelon. I was happy to oblige and was rewarded with a lot of laughs watching Brenner devour is huge slice!

 Brenner had to strip down before eating the watermelon as it was super juicy. Of course, what Brenner does, Nola must do too! I thought this picture was great - their ankles are crossed just the same! Shortly after this, Brenner grabbed his back pack and ran laps around the house while singing "We wish you a Merry Christmas"! Don't ask because I have no idea!

 Papa setting up the slip-n-slide.

 Nola did want to go down the slide but enjoyed the kiddie pool!

 Brenner loved the slip-n-slide. Here he is being a caterpillar crawling up the slide!

 We had the Moenhkoff family reunion on Sunday. My cousin Matt had to hold Brenner so he wouldn't run out of the picture! It was a great time.

 Brenner loved the big slide but I think it made Papa nervous!

 "Higher, higher" says Nola!

 Nola also loved climbing on the playground equipment!

 A trip to Concordia isn't complete without a stop at CreeMee Freeze! We got Brenner a kiddie cone and I got a small. He threw a fit so we traded......did I mention that sometimes life isn't fair for moms?!

My camera is still messing up - not rotating portrait pictures, but I wanted to share this great picture Brenner drew of him and Papa in the garden!

Enjoying my children.....

Do you find yourself hustling from work to practice to building project to playdate to birthday party to whatever all the while complaining that you are just too busy? Busy trying to plan for a better future for your family while missing out on what is happening with them today? We are all guilty of it......but my mind has been occupied with a little 4 year old local boy with a brain tumor. Doctors will try to remove it on June 1. The best case scenario is that he will have to relearn everything - language, motor skill, etc. I can't even think about the worst case scenario right now as it is just too upsetting. Please be praying for Carter and please take every moment to enjoy your children right now.   

 Nola running before church. Aunt Mellie - she loves the dress. Make sure to show this picture to Reagan!

 After I snapped this picture, I thought "wow, this is exactly what Matt looked like at this age!"

 Nola loves to swing with her brother!

 Brenner and Nola love "talking" though the fort.

 Matt finally got the garden in this past week....things are sprouting - just a tad late!

Brenner at his preschool graduation ceremony....no other caption needed!

Nola dozing at lunch!

Look at those eyes...."Tehehe, mommy, you just wait!". Nola is talking in full sentences now. When I asked her if she was reading to get out of the tub the other night, Nola said "No, want to play some more.". If you say "ouch!", Nola will tell you "I'm sorry, Mama!".

Brenner had broken his arms and legs while camping. He was healed in 5 days - just in time for lunch!

Nola after church cooling off with the ceiling fan!

We had a special guest this weekend - Caio came back for one more visit before heading back to Brazil. He got to shoot sporting clays with Matt and they also went to the movies. Nola adored him calling for "You, You". Brenner was a cling-on, of course, but hopefully learned a few soccer skills from Caio!

Sickness for Mother's Day

Boy have we had a rough week....the kids caught a fierce tummy bug and I got it for Mother's Day. Today (Monday) Grandma Val is also sick :( On the bright side, Grammy Vo came to babysit one day and the kids had a lot of fun!

You can tell how sick Nola is - those poor little eyes. She let Grammy know how thankful she was by getting sick on her - oh for the love of grandchildren.

Grammy couldn't stop raving about how great Brenner was that day. They did lots of playing and even found time to make and paint a tomahawk out of a stick and rock. Very cool, Grammy!

By Friday when we headed to Cousin Krystee's graduation, Nola was feeling better and even asked for some egg before heading out.

Unfortunately by ceremony time, Brenner had a raging fever and only wanted Grandma Val.

But Nola as very good for the 2+hours we were there. Check out the beautiful dress that Grandma Val had gotten her - very pretty!

Congratulations, Krystee!!!!! We are so proud of her - she graduated with with honors and several scholarships. She will continue her coursework at DeVry - she has already completed two courses. Way to go!!!!!

We celebrated with a BBQ at Aunt Lynnie's house. This picture was taken at 10:30 pm but Nola was still wide awake. Brenner was asleep on the glider slightly out of the picture. This picture is for my mom - a great one showing all of her girls :)

Brenner snapped out of sickness by Sunday. He asked that I take this picture of him being a "Mohawk Monster". The face is a bit scary!!!!

A typical Saturday with the Turtle Wrangler and the Cucklebur

I thought I would share pictures from a typical Saturday! Brenner has been infatuated with turtles for a few weeks now and Papa brought a baby snapping turtle home from school so that we could turtle-sit while he went to Shootfest. (Note - not a good plan - he escaped out of his terrarium on the porch...no tears were shed except from Brenner).  Nola still is mommy's cucklebur (a new name givem by Papa) and is showing an exhibitionist side removing her diaper so that she can sleep more freely in her crib! But first a few Brennerisms that were too good not to share. On Friday, I had a navy knit dress on with some flip flops when Brenner asked "Where are you going?" "To work" I replied while gathering my things. Brenner chuckles and said "Are you wearing that with those shoes?" I asked "What is wrong with my shoes and dress?" "Mom, you are going to wear your jammies to work?! That is so silly!" as he had mistaken by dress for a black nightgown I had worn the night before. Recall how kids are tape recording sponges?  This morning during breakfast I had gotten up from the table and Nola started crying "Mommy, mommy, mommy". Brenner sang "Oh, Nola, it's the end of the world as you know" (Song credit to REM) and "You always don't get what you want" (Song credit to the Rolling Stones - yes he got the order a bit wrong) but he did have the right tune as he sang it :) Hmm....does that qualify for bad parenting of being unsympathetic? Lastly, Brenner is doing a great job using words in the right context most of the time. The other day he told Nola "Come on, let's stand together so we can compare our sizes" and then he told me "Can't you just imagine how cool it is" when talking about some story.

 The front of the house is looking great with dianthus, peonies, roses, and other flowers blooming. First up on Saturday morning, we went to pick strawberries - they are growing like crazy.

 See - we do stop to smell the flowers but it is usually at the beginning of the day. Once Nola and Brenner get going, it is hard to make them stand still!

 Our containers to pick strawberries somehow got filled with gravel.....

 After picking strawberries, it was time to have a monster truck wash! As you can tell, it was a team effort.

 "Bwen-er, Bwen-er!" Nola chasing after her brother!

 A hot day calls for a dip in the pool! The water was freezing which didn't bother Brenner but Nola was a bit more apprehensive!

 The strawberry containers turned gravel containers turned water containers found their way into the pool. Brenner liked pouring the cold water down his backside.

 This picture denotes the approximate time Brenner told Nola "Take a container and go splash mommy." He has her attention.....

 She has a container in hand....but was smart enough not to fall for Brenner's trickery!

 After all of that play, it was time for some rest! Nola loves Jesse and Woody!

Brenner didn't take a nap but konked out really hard that night. Who can sleep like this?!

Playing off one another

Brenner and Nola play off one another constantly....think good and bad. Nola has learned to cross her arms, put on pouty lips, and shake her head just like her big brother. I may have mentioned that a few weeks ago they both came running into the kitchen in their birthday suits with backpacks on (Brenner helped Nola with her backpack). They had decided to go to the beach. Tonight when they had on the same "outfits", I told them to get dressed because it was time for dinner. Brenner said "I can't because I am going to school." My response was "you have to wear clothes to go to school." Brenner's quick answer was "Nope, I am going to a naked school!" Lord help us! Nola also said her first sentence "No, I don't" when asked if she wanted to ride in the stroller (she was being a super pokey walker)! We are still struggling with Nola's eating habits - she hardly eats anything but meat but she is liking the fresh strawberries from our plants!

Nola chatting on her phone. When I asked whom she was calling, I was told "Nant Ninie" (Aunt Lynnie). We know who calls her the most!

Brenner grabbed the camera this week. Here is one of himself!

A robin had laid 4 eggs in a nest low to the ground at one of our willow trees. Brenner has been infatuated with them, but we told him we can't peek too often or the mommy won't come back.

Here is the first baby bird - so weak and tiny. Tonight I checked, and there was only one left to hatch. The others seemed to be doing well!