Hot, Hot, Hot!

It's been hot and humid...welcome summer! Great weather for the pool! This week we spent a lot of time outside, at the pool, playing with friends, and eating ice cream! Zane started swim lessons this week and is doing well! He really seems to be listening to his teacher and trying to learn how to swim on his own. He knows that when he's in deep water, he needs a life jacket, but is proud of himself that he is beginning to learn how to swim without one! He really likes his teacher and always wants to be right by him. I often hear "watch this, watch me, or I can do it!" One day he hollered at me and told me to watch him, and said "Mom, take a picture of me!" The one time I didn't have my camera... Mason's a little hard to keep entertained for 40 minutes each morning...I like him to stay in the stroller so I can watch Zane a little bit, and he doesn't much care for it. We eat a lot of cookies during Zane's lessons!

Mason adores his four-wheeler!

Creative...sitting in the dumptruck going down the driveway!
He looks "official..."

This weekend we stayed with my parents. Saturday Zane got some farm time...I had a wedding shower for a high school friend and they stayed with Grandma/Papa Farmer. Zane was thrilled because he got to plant beans! After that I went to Matt's cousin Jennie's bachelorette party right before heading to the races. The races were good, Chris got 3rd!

The boys stayed with Mom and Dad Saturday night, and as always they were "perfect" in their words! I was observing Mason with my parents today and couldn't believe how different he acts for them than for us! He just sits on the counter, watching their every move! At home he would be all over the place! He's so quiet and observant when he's there...just leaves me floored!

Mason just sitting and watching Papa prepare dinner...

Wow, I can't believe July begins this week! I have always thought that once the 4th of July is here, summer is over...I'm trying to NOT think that way this year! I'm proud of myself though...usually I spend lots of time in the summer doing/making school things, and I haven't done one school thing this summer so far! Instead, I've been enjoying my time with the boys, they are just growing TOO fast! PAUSE, PAUSE, PAUSE, I wish I could push that button and it would pause time right now!

New Pictures

Summer is already going too quickly! I can hardly believe we are nearing the end of June! This week we had baseball, swimming, and hanging out at home. I'm getting caught up on a few projects around here, which is nice! We got our pictures back from last week and they are SO GOOD! If you would have been there watching us, you would not have imagined we would have gotten this many good ones! In these pictures, Zane is 5 and Mason is 18 months.

This weekend we decided to wait until Saturday to head to Iowa...since there haven't been races for 2 weeks, the car was ready! So Matt went to the races down here while the boys and I hung out at home and I baked some cookies. We got up and left around 10:00 Saturday morning. We finally got to have the races, Chris got 5th, it was a good night. Sunday we celebrated Father's Day. My boys have an amazing father, as do Matt and I! We went out to eat dinner, then to Grandma Beggs' house. There the boys played with Keaton and we played cards. It was a rainy, yucky day, so they were trapped inside, which they didn't totally love!

Zane-isms

• "Mom, how do you get another baby in your tummy? Do you just eat and eat and eat and then a baby grows?" Yep, Zane, that's how it happens! Mommy better watch what she eats!

Mason's Marvels

• As I'm sitting at a red light these days, I hear "GO!" and see Mason pointing forward...
• Mason's really into buckling himself into his highchair, car seat, stroller, whatever has straps. He will sit down and then say, "tie" (try) because he wants to try.
• Yesterday the boys and I were playing with toys in Mason's room and Zane rolled a ball for Mason to get. He ran into the hallway, picked it up and said, "I dot it!" (I got it)!

Summer in full swing!

Wow! Summer is already flying by and I don't like it! We are trying to make the most of every moment that we get! We began the week with Zane's first baseball practice. We signed him up for a program called "Start Smart." There, they teach the kids the fundamentals for the sport that they are in and do not have games. It's a great way to introduce kids to sports! Parents are involved the whole time, so it's fun for everyone! We can already tell that Zane is way more interested in baseball than he was soccer...that was just painful! He seems to be a little more skilled in baseball as well, so that makes it easier! Zane's team is called the "Green Machines" and Coach Scott is wonderful with the kids!

Starting practice with a "promise" to follow directions

Stretching out...

Mason cheering for Zane

Wednesday morning we had visitors...Porter, Tate, Ty, Mindy, Dennis and Sherri stopped by on their way to the Great Wolf Lodge. They boys had a lot of fun playing at the house, then we headed to Fritz's (the "choo choo place" where a train delivers your food) for lunch. They boys were so excited watching the trains come and go! This was the best picture I could get of all 4 of them looking forward...

Zane, Porter, Tate, & Mason at Fritz's

The rest of the week we spent at the pool! Usually we either run errands or go to the library for one of their programs in the morning, come home for lunch, then head to the pool. Lucky for me, both boys LOVE the water! Mason is way too brave around the water already and makes me nervous, so you can't look away from him when at the pool!

This weekend we had Zane's birthday party with our families. Matt grilled and we had a great lunch, then it was time to open presents, eat cake and ice cream, and hit the pinata! This year Zane's theme was "Spongebob." Zane is such a lucky little boy to have an amazing family that does so much for him!

Keaton, Jake & Zane with their party favors

The birthday boy...
Mason was very interested in Kenna!

Mason with his party hat!

Zane with his cake...made by our friend Tara...isn't is awesome?

Mason licking a battery...does it really shock you?

Mason trying the pinata

Jake (with Matt pulling it every time he swung)

Celine

Zane

Keaton

Grandma Beggs trying out the highchair!

Mason kept crawling up into the highchair, then wanting applause!

"EE AW" From Heaven

Lots of catching up to do...

The last week of school brought challenges at home and school! Our air conditioning went out, so we came home each night to balmy 82-85 degree temperatures...hot enough to make us all grumpy! We are so blessed to have people such as Dale and Joella around us, who saved the week by loaning us their window air unit. We put it in our bedroom and for a week or so, all 4 of us stayed in the same room...let's just say we were happy to have it fixed! Zane was on the floor and Mason was in the pack and play in our bathroom! We're finally back to normal and everyone is comfortably sleeping in their own beds!

The last week of school went quickly, and we were sad that Zane was attending his last week at Jo's house. He has gone there since he was 10 weeks old! Fortunately, he will still be able to go there a few days next year, those days that I have to work but he doesn't have school yet. That makes it seem like it's not truly "over" for him! Jo made him the nicest memory book, with messages from her family and his daycare friends. We will enjoy looking at that in the years to come! The last day at Jo's house was a "fun day." She said there would be NO NAPS for the big kids, and that they were all to bring their swim suits! I'm sure that was a good use of the kids' energy the day before summer break!

Zane, Mason, Sam, Madelyn, & Erika

Mason enjoying the bounce house
The "big boys" Ryan, Zane, Sam

Jo and the gang!

We went home Memorial Weekend and were anxious for a long weekend. Boy, was it long! Sunday, May 30th, Matt's dear Grandpa Beggs was called to Heaven. He had been sick and suffering for so long, we knew it was probably coming, but was very hard even so. He was such a kind, caring, funny, amazing person and he is already sorely missed! Matt went with his mom to the hospital Sunday morning and they got there in time to say good-bye. We spent Sunday and Monday at Grandma's house, then headed home Monday night so I could work my last day, getting my room packed up. We then went back to Iowa Wednesday to pay tribute to the legacy left by Roy Beggs. I know I am a better person for knowing him!

Planting a tree in honor of Grandpa

Zane and Mason helping

Since I was done with school and Matt wasn't working, we decided to stay in Iowa for the week. It was nice to be able to help out when needed and just be able to spend time with family, which was something near and dear to Grandpa's heart! Friday night we took Zane to see Shrek Forever After. It was really fun to have a night with just Zane! Saturday the races were rained out, so we ended up back at Grandma's house and spent the afternoon playing cards, as Grandpa would have wanted to do. Sunday we were back at Grandma's and Matt grilled steaks for us before everyone left for home.

My boys wrestling...

What a team...

Matt & Mason pulling Zane

This was a sight...

Kids will be kids...

What a tough week for us. It brought back so many memories, from just 2 short months ago, of Grandma's passing. We have some amazing individuals to remember, and are so lucky that we have the honor of calling them our Grandparents.

Zane-isms

• After receiving word on Sunday that Grandpa had passed away, I decided to tell Zane, so he would know what was going on. He had a confused look on his face and said, "Is Papa Ee-ah living with God now too?" I told him yes and he said, "Oh, he just got a strike!" (A few weeks ago during a thunderstorm, Zane and I were talking about God bowling with the angels, and with Grandma Kathol...)
• At Grandpa's memorial service Wednesday, Zane picked up a hymnal, opened to a song, and said "What are we singing Mom?" I said I didn't know and he said, "Are we singing 'We miss Papa?'" As he did this, he ran his finger along the words. Too precious!
• At Grandma's house this week, Zane looked at me and said, "Mom, do you miss Papa Ee-ah?" I said yes and asked him if he did, and he said, "Yeah, sometimes!"
• On the way to Grandma's house, Zane said, "Mom, who planted Papa Ee-ah's corn?" I replied that Uncle Jack did. Zane let out a huge sigh and said, "Oh, good job, Jack!"

Mason's Marvels

• This weekend Mason got very attached to Uncle Brent. He always wanted to know where he was and be with him! He said his name like this..."Buh-ent"
• On the opposite side of things...Mason wouldn't let Uncle Jack get close to him! He'd say, "Juh-ack," and would let him pick him up, but he would not let him get close! We'll have to work on that!
• Mason will pick things up and throw them away, saying "tash" on the way there!