AND THEY ARE MOVING ON

The last two weeks we have spent 30 minutes

each evening at the pool for lessons.

Alex's group was on the right side of the 'slide'

Brooklyn's group was on the left

Both groups got REALLY good at playing "What time is it, Mr. Shark"?

Sometimes it was Mrs Turtle.

Brooklyn was pretty much swimming before lessons but

she also learned how to float on her back and turn over to her stomach.

Alex got brave enough to put her head all the way under water

and 'dive' for sinker toys

They both PASSED their Introduction to Water Skills

Level 2 next year

Great job girls!!!

MY FOOD!

Riggs absolutely did NOT want to give up his bottle.

He made a fist as if to say...

if I could reach you & had any real control over my body

you would be in BIG trouble!

JUST ONE OF THE GANG

Thought I had a little baby but he is

sitting in his 'circus seat'

hanging out with his sisters
helping them create Wii people.

Seriously....you might as well put a Wii remote in his hands!

Where did my baby go?

"COOL CAT"

This little man of mine is stylin' in some new shades...

while loungin' at the pool.

Thanks Becky!

JUST WAITING...

The girls started swim lessons last week.

The pool closes at 4:30 to get organized for the lessons at 5.

So we wait.

The girls like to stay warm in the sun...

while Riggs and I hide under the umbrella to stay cool.

ANOTHER YODER

We have a new nephew / cousin!

Scott's brother, Kevin and his wife Stacey, welcomed their

third baby boy yesterday

July 26th
9:33 am

8lbs 8oz

Channing Coultin Yoder

Kevin, Channing, Anderson, McCoy, Brooklyn, Alex, Riggs, Scott


We actually did the hard work to get those cuties...
so we get a picture too!

A LOVE-HATE RELATIONSHIP

GREEN BEANS

Some love them. Some hate them.

Brooklyn loves to take a bite everytime I feed Riggs.

Alex tried it because her sister made it sound so yummy.

And, she hated it.

Riggs eats it because its food...and he loves his food!

And, I refuse to try it!

I love whole green beans.

Hate the idea of smooshed up ones.

78 LBS OF ZUCCHINI....

and a tomato

GARDEN BULLY

WE HAVE AN OUT OF CONTROL ZUCCHINI PLANT!
It is bullying everything around it and continues to grow
just to bully other plants further away.

IT'S ON A MISSION OF COMPLETE DOMINATION!

Stef planted the garden for me this year and part of that included 2 zucchini plants.
Those plants are well behaved.
But these other 2 plants decided to grow back on their own

and are taking over.


It tried to get Brooklyn but we got her away just in time.


Scott finally had enough and got the cutters.
3 "branches" this size...gone!
The strawberries and tomatoes can now keep their lunch money!

A WATERING WE WILL GO

Grandpa and Grandma Yoder went on a short get-away to

Lincoln, NE last weekend.

The girls were in charge of watering Grandma's flowers.

It's a job they love to do!

DO YOU EVER HAVE A MOMENT....

where God seemingly just shows up?
Unexpected.
And, all of a sudden something in your life comes into focus...

I love that.

REVERSE BRIBERY

I'm not above bribing my kids. I've said that before.

But, what does it mean when they start bribing me?

Brooklyn was trying to get me up to make another waffle for her. I was on the fence trying to decide (mostly because I just sat down to enjoy my coffee) since she already had 2 and my guess was that I would be eating 1/2 of a cold, syrup soaked waffle.

Finally, she squeezed my arm in a big hug and said

"Pleeeeezzzzeeeee....I will give you three cherries and a quarter!"

Just FYI...not so interested in the cherries but for a quarter....OK!

And, I really hope my bribes are better!?!?!

GIRAFFE 1 - RIGGS 0

Alex was in charge of entertaining Riggs while I ran downstairs to get laundry out of the dryer. On my way back up, I heard Alex crying as she was running towards the stairs. Figuring she was just mad because Brooklyn was taking over her job of playing with Riggs, my heart sank when she cried, "I said I was sorry!"

Needless to say, the basket of laundry was dropped

as I ran to a crying Riggs.

Apparently, with help from his sister...

this musical giraffe got the better of him.

It might look innocent but...

it gave Riggs a bruised and swollen left eye.
(not as obvious in the picture)

DADDY, HELP ME!

Well, it has started.

Riggs has become a dress-up doll.

Poor baby!

Smiling on the outside...crying on the inside!

SWEET FACES = SWEET TREATS

Brooklyn and Alex had their friend Avery over for a little while yesterday afternoon.

After hearing a rush of feet flying down the stairs, I had 3 cute little faces in front of me asking if they could make cookies out of the "Princess Cookbook".

How could I say no?

Really, all they wanted was the dough.

Each one had a different eating technique.

Sweetness all around...

DEER IN HEADLIGHTS TO HAPPY BABY

MAYBE SHE'S GOT IT TOO...

"OH, NO...THE EAST COAST IS COMING OUT"

This is what Scott says when someone has crossed a line with me and I start "dealing" with it.Believe me...

it is MUCH tempered from my younger days but it is still there.

Last night, when Scott got home from work, we all headed back to the pool for more fun. And, of course, Brooklyn headed straight for the 'lilly pads'. There were 4 guys..either older high school guys or younger college guys already running across them. Brooklyn went right up there and stood in line to take her turn.

I was so proud of her! So wish I had my camera with me.

On one of her turns, she slipped off the 2nd 'lilly pad' and was still in between the 2nd and 3rd pad when one of the guys jumped on the first one causing Brooklyn's head to get smacked in between the 2nd and 3rd one. Riggs and I were playing in the water close by and I started making my way over there to make sure that didn't happened again.

But, I didn't have to do anything.

Brooklyn stood there and gave that kid a look that could kill. She didn't even have to say a word. He got the message. Nothing like a 5 year old putting a high school/college age guy in his place in front of his friends.

It was fantastic!

A DISPLAY OF FAITH

Acts 2:38-39

Peter replied, " Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off - for all whom the Lord our God will call."

Sunday, July 10, we went to George Wyth State Park to watch our friend Grace and her daughter Ally be baptized in the lake.

What a testimony!

To watch a mother and her daughter sharing the same step of faith...

there are not words to describe it.

Thank you for allowing us to be there to share in this public display

of your love and commitment to our God.

CHRISTMAS IN JULY

It may have been the 2010 theme for the Felix Grundy Festival but I'm pretty sure the girls thought it really was "Christmas in July".

Grandma and Grandpa Yoder gave Brooklyn and Alex a 'free pass' wristband for all the rides at the courthouse and offered to buy us all dinner while we were there. The girls really had no idea what this was going to entail but they were super excited anyway!

Brooklyn, Alex, Riggs were loaded up and we headed for the fun!

The 'Rides'...

This poor guy just had to watch.He will be joining in a couple years...don't you worry!



Caricatures

Looks just like them, huh?

Riggs decided to take a nap since he was missing all the fun anyways.


We ate dinner on the steps of the Library. Grandpa decided to try 'meat on a stick'. The meat just happened to be alligator. I'm thinking he mostly tried it to make Grandma's stomach turn. I've heard it tastes like chicken fingers but Grandma wouldn't believe it!

THANKS FOR ALL THE FUN and FOOD, GRANDMA & GRANDPA!

FELIX GRUNDY 5K

No....I did not participate in this race.

I simply went to cheer on the runners & walkers.
And to witness the first running adventure for Jen
and the first 'non-high school' race for Grace.

Waiting for the gun to start the race


The finish line




This girl is 'hooked'...she is the next GC running fanatic!