Fingerpainting

Only Theresa does messy things like this! I use to with Alex but now I can barely keep up with the messes of everyday life. Good thing for Theresa so Luke doesn't miss out on the fun of fingerpainting.

Monkeys Wrestling on the Bed

Sharing a Good Show

I often use my thirty minutes of "screen time" to quickly restore the house back to it's original state mid morning. I risked disturbing the peace to snap this photo.

Luke: 15 months

Luke and I finally got in a fun trip while Alex was at preschool. We went to the Botanical gardens. It was finally a nice cool, breezy morning. Luke loved exploring the children's garden.

Yeah For Alex

Third day of potty training and Alex was accident free! I'm out of prizes already. But, I think he goes just for fun now. I never knew a child could go so frequently. His chart is nearly filled.

More of Our Fawns

The fawns continue to sleep in our yard. Here they are today sleeping right outside the playroom window. The don't get scared anymore no matter how much noise we make.

Potty Training: No More Diapers!

Alex has been resistant to using the toilet. We have leisurely tried and attempted food rewards. But, it didn't work. He just kept going in the diaper and having a tantrum when it was time to use to potty. We took a break from it for awhile. Then yesterday Luke and I got some prizes and made a sticker chart while Alex was at school. This morning Alex had to face the fact that when we are home we wear underwear. No exceptions, no matter how many times the question is rephrased or how many tantrums you throw. We had a successful first day with five successes and two accidents.


Alex's first prize after five successes. Then he began to earn new cars for his track. A bit later he can get another track. Later in the day he attempted to trade his new cars and track for his diapers back on. It didn't work.


His sticker chart. Alex loves Thomas now. He seems to enjoy filling up the track more than the prizes. He keeps saying he is going to fill up the whole track. Good idea! The blue dots are for when he gets to pick a new car.

Making Cookies at Grandma's

Grandma Porter invited us over on Friday to make cookies just for fun. It was a great "it's too warm out to plan for long" kind of day. Both Alex and Luke had a good time "helping" and of course eating cookies.

Trip to Lake Secord

It's an annual tradition for my dad's siblings and their families to meet up at Secord Lake each summer. We haven't been up for three years and decided to give it a try this year. We took the three hour drive during nap time, stayed a night and came home during bedtime the next day. It worked well. For the drive there the boys napped for two hours, had a snack for half hour and then were a little antsy the last half hour but were entertained with toys. They slept decently and had a great time the next day. Luke fell asleep quickly on the way home and Alex of course did not. He was quiet and did fine. He fell asleep quickly when we put him in his bed at 11:30.


heading out, ready to nap, whew it worked :)


I had to keep Luke entertained since he woke up at 6:30, we took a walk, had a little breakfast, saw some animals, then went back to the cabin when Alex woke up to get washed up and joined the large group for breakfast. Some leftover water balloons in the stroller worked as great entertainment for some time.


one happy baby


watching the llama eat breakfast


I think the donkey was looking for something better than grass


happy, happy


sister and cousins hanging out on the boat, my uncle's band, "Empty Pockets" played for awhile during the day, we had a graduation party for the four graduating cousins


Luke and daddy swimming, I was with Luke napping while Alex was swimming, so no pictures of him


Rori and Garrett


Uncles Gary and Wayne, second cousin Jenny


cousin Zac


lots of swimming relatives, now my aunts swim and I'm on the shore because their kids are grown up and can take care of themselves, reminds me how fast kids grow


a picture to prove I was there, playing in the sand with Luke, watching the band


Alex playing in the cooler, ice and sorting cans/bottles, how we kept busy the last very tired hour before we left


more happy baby, can't get enough of that smile


quickly passed out in the car

Lounging at the Pool

We went to the pool two weekends ago. Luke preferred to eat and lounge in the chair. He did play a little on the side of the pool. But, he is like Alex and not much into playing in cold water. Alex is beginning to enjoy the big pool more. He still doesn't like the baby pool much. I think swim lessons may be a good idea for the both of them in the fall. There is a new swim center that is opening very close to our house at the end of August. It may be worth looking into.