July 2015

Another month in the life of the hooligans...

Jesse loves the bath...whether watching or participating

4th of July weekend in St. Louis...boating at John's,
baseball w/ Darren & Melissa, fireworks with
extended family.  Always fun to see everyone!

 Jesse Daniel

Jetpack-Jesse

Dad's doing :)

"Worker guys" in their safety glasses
(They might be welding...?)

Most people think these two look a lot alike.

This kid will find ANYTHING with a "ribbon"
so he can suck his thumb.  He took his jammie
shorts off this particular morning because he
knew there was a tag in the back.  Oh Baner!

Jesse on the other hand likes his cucumbers.
He usually sucks on them by the slice, but he was
quick to grab the whole thing when it was offered.
(Not posed :))

This little dude is on the move...

(Looks like Jesse was the star of July!)

VBS week

We had a BUSY week the last week of June, helping with both Lakeside's VBS and the VBS our youth put on for a Burmese church in Des Moines that we are involved with.  HUGE thanks to Grammi & Papa for coming to help with the boys so we could help with both.  Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures from Lakeside's VBS.  This was the first year Jack got to go and he LOVED it.  The kids did an awesome job putting on the VBS for the Burmese kids and I got to spend some good time with some of the women who came with their kids.  It was a great week...even if it did take me almost a whole 'nother week to recover! :)

The whole gang...Lakesiders and Chin together

This is my always happy and quick to laugh, friend Cing Cing and her son, David.

Both VBSs had a space theme.  The kids made jet packs,
which were adorable...especially on itty-bitty cuties like this one!

Ryan teaching

My friend Sui and I

And my sweet new friend Par Sui.  She was so ready to talk, which
was fun, as I haven't found that to be typical due to the language barrier.

JUNE 2015

Jack really got into picking...and eating...mulberries and black raspberries.

Sorting and sampling parade candy

 Jesse has been getting in on some of the big boy play lately, when his brothers request his presence.

Playing boat on the bed frame

I think this is another boat...

Trying to rack up those summer reading program minutes ;)

I was told at Jesse's last doctor's apt that we needed to do a "TP tube test" and put up anything that can fit through a TP tube because anything that can fit, Jesse could swallow.  This is a bit of a sassy thing to do, but I was curious as to what all could actually fit through the tube.  So here is a sampling of some of the toys that Jesse could swallow.  I do appreciate their concern for Jesse's safety.  I just think a little common sense mixed in with the "TP tube test" will save us having to put up half the boys' toys! :P

 John and the girls come for a visit... :D

WRESTLE TIIIIIIIME!!

Good thing I have nieces to do things like blind-folded make-up with!
(We won't tell who did whose make-up!)

 The girls paddle plenty on their lake, but hadn't been down a river before, so we found a sitter and took them down the Raccoon River.  It was great to be on a river again!

Swimming and skipping rocks on a sandbar

Their latest construction project out at "the dirt pile".
It's a house, complete with a chimney.

STOMP

I downloaded some pictures from our old camera, and for our own memories, have to include this one of Jack waiting for STOMP to start.  Ryan got Jack and I tickets to STOMP this winter.  What a date!  We both loved it and Jack was making music on all sorts of things for a long time afterwards!

May 2015

Docs Helmkamp & Helmkamp and their littlest patient

Doesn't get much better than a couple of sticks and a mud hole!

Taking a hike with his walking stick

Party guy!

We got to have the boys' cousins Chase and Annabella for a weekend while their parents were at a wedding here in Iowa.  We had a blast and decided five was actually easier than three...for a weekend. :)

Lane his buddy pretending to be serious... 

...now THAT'S more like it!

Love those cute little hands playing peek-a-boo with Jack!

This was the toothbrushing set-up each night.  It was probably good
Chase was in the middle...two often don't fit nicely on that step stool!

Can you tell there are chocolate chips in these kids' pancakes?! 

Thrilled to be swinging like a big boy!

DONKEY PIIIIIIIIIILE! 

We're thankful we got to have these two for as long as we did...we hope their parents have more weddings in Iowa! :)

These two spent three or four days tooling around the yard
on their 4 wheeler together.  It was a joy to watch them adventuring
down to the big tree and to hear them cracking up together.

Just wait Lane...you just wait...

We got to spend a short weekend with three of my sisters and their families at Marcie and Taylor's.  The highlight of the weekend was probably Ryan pushing a grocery cart he found through the Farmer's Market with 5 kids in/on it.  He was the MVP of the day for finding the grocery cart.  (No pictures, which I greatly regret.)

Chillin' with Dad at Marcie's house

We had a precious time with Grandpa Phil
when we first got to the farm for Mitch's graduation.

Pretty typical (intent on listening to the book) 

Typical (being goofy)

Not-so-typical (too serious!)