Potty training

Oaks started potty training himself today. So I made him potty chart. Hopefully this time it actually happens. We had an unsuccessful attempt in July so, we just got normalized to being home after all of that crazy fun. So I will update this with some photos of his new chart after a few days.

The Zoo

The ZOO

And I mean that in the literal and figurative way. We actually went to Point Defiance Zoo this last week and had a blast and my brain has kind of been a zoo.

So the real-live zoo. NOT the dead animal zoo, aka Cabela's.

We frequent the dead animal zoo too often but we love it and the elk, moose, and bird we see there. Any how, Lulu didn't seem to impressed with the zoo except for the monkeys. She seemed to enjoy them. Oaks on the other hand was really interested in the elephants, sharks and fish, as well as the reindeer. I tend to worry about going to places like the zoo with Oaks. Mainly because he is stubborn, strong willed, adventurous, and curious. Which truth be told, he might have inherited those traits from his parentals, but please, please I beg of you, don't ever tell him that!

Every time we have asked Oaks, since being at the zoo, what is favorite part was, we get a very different answer. He has told us, the sharks, the sleeping elephants, the monkeys, the birds, and the show.

In my opinion my guess would have to be the sleeping elephants that were really doing nothing. One had their head against a hill and the other looked like it was passed out tired on it's side. A note about the elephants, Oaks says they have big feet.

Lulu basically slept and babbled her way through the zoo on my back. It was a fun time.

Its kind of crazy, we've been living in Tacoma for about six months already. Honestly, Oaks misses our hikes and camping. I can tell. That little adventurous boy is dying inside the city. He needs some mountainous adventures sometime soon to help cure his lack of them recently. We have done a ton of beach and South Sound adventure days, but it is still not like hiking a mountain to find some huckleberries or going to play in the new lagoon.

I am going to start putting in some older photos into my posts as well. I will make sure to identify them hopefully by location and date-ish.




These two pictures are of Lulu in my best friend's back yard in the end of July.

 

 

And just because I almost forgot, Oaks likes to rock out.
Air guitar in all.
It's too bad these photos don't show him really doing it. He got distracted by the knowledge of someone taking his photo, but cute anyways.

Good morning peaches!

So we are eating peaches... Canned peaches during peach season. Doesn't really make much sense really. Anywho we are eating them because I haven't bought any fresh ones recently.
Last night Oaks would not go to bed because I had put his half eaten icecream cone in the freezer and was freaking out. So I told him if he went to bed he could eat it with peaches for breakfast. He was pretty excited and went to bed. I have a feeling I pulled a trick out of my mom's book. But he went to bed and I went to bed and we all woke up happy.

Plus Lulu eats peaches like they are the best thing on earth. (I wanted to use the word inhale but then I realized it might worry some of you, thinking that she's choking on them. Nope she just LOVES them)

Ps Oaks always is making funny faces when I want a cute smile.

The Nose Book

Last night as I was trying to convince Oaks that bedtime was a good idea, we were reading The Nose Book by Al Perkins. This book is one of his favorites, absolute favorites, only beat by Hop on Pop.
Anyhow, we get I think the second page and there's a moose. Oaks always gets excited about the moose. It can be a drawing, stuffed (as in stuffed animal) or actual stuffed moose (taxidermy). Oaks loves them. He's talking about the moose and the points to the antlers, or what ever they are called. So I tell him that those are antlers and his reply was "yeah hunt moose". He kept saying it and saying it. I was about rolling on the floor in laughter.
I really really didn't want to forget this. Or for that matter how I went to check on Lulu in her crib because she was screaming and found Oaks. Laying next to her in the crib, wearing her sweat pants. But, because I have a tall son, they were shorts on backwards.

I love my kids, even on rough days they always make me smile.

Sorry no pictures today.

Champs!

My beautiful kids are CHAMPS!

I seriously do not know any other way to describe them. We have had a crazy month in August. I'm not even kidding. I will go in order in which we did things with some photos that go with both. I'm also throwing in the first week of September in there while i'm at it!

We went to visit family in Spokane for about a week

We went camping for a week or so with the Grands (or Grammie and Papa as Oaks calls them).

This was SO MUCH FUN! Oaks had a blast. He loves hanging out with all of the family. Especially his awesome Aunties and Uncles that spoil him to death. B&C are always giving him loves and K thinks he's the cutest thing in the world. 

We slept in a tent and had the most luxurious camping experience (as far as bedding goes) as my kids have ever had. Three inch foam with a foam/air pad as well, makes sleeping easy. Lulu had the pleasure of a pack n play that almost didn't fit in the tent, but all is well when we sleep well.

B&C stayed and played 

My kids are so lucky that their aunts and uncles are amazing people. They love them and I love them. So they stayed a few days after camping with us in our small little apartment. We played and hung out and tasted some amazing caked made by one of my best friends. 

We went again to visit family and for a wedding

Its so crazy, weddings make you realize how old your kids are getting. My children don't get to see my extended family as often as we'd like but it is when it works. My sister got married to a wonderful man this last Saturday. She was a beautiful bride with a wonderful party that followed. And Lulu and Oaks looked amazing. We took some family pictures that I am excited to see and Oaks got to play with his only cousin. He will have another by the end of the year though!!! Needless to say, Oaks really really enjoys hanging out with his cousin. Especially when they can look at frogs and run around all over the place. 

This picture to the left is Oaks' favorite part of the wedding... the cupcakes! They were super yummy too. Oaks had two but didn't eat two. Half of the first ended up in the pond when someone sneaked up on him and half of the second landed on a stair.

Lulu is so crazy cute and already a little adventurous like her brother and quick! She's got stairs down pack and we don't even have stairs at our house. I think this was like attempt number 5 ever and she was half way up before any of us knew what happened.




So after all of this we are hoping for a little bit more of a quiet and calmer September, but then again that's almost half over.