The most awesome brother ever

Claire sure is one lucky girl to have Crue as a brother.  He loves her so much and would do just about ANYTHING for her.

 

 

Example #1

Claire has recently decided that she has monsters in her closet.  As we are getting ready for family prayer Crue came in with a fly swatter and told his sister that he will get rid of all the monsters for her.  He walked right into her closet and started swatting away and then came out and told her that he got them all. 

(How cute is that!!)

 

Example #2

While camping Claire needs to go to the bathroom (yes, the really gross outhouse type toilets) but is refusing because they stink really bad. 

Crue being the awesome brother that he is, walks into the bathroom, puts his head right down by the toilet seat, takes a great big sniff and yells "It's not too stinky, Sis."

(Now that is love!!)

What to do on hot summer day...

Trampoline....Nope

Slide....Nope

Playhouse....Nope

Kiddie swimming pool....Nope

Riding bikes....Nope

Swings...Nope

 

Now why would they want to do any of those things when they have an old and recently de-cluttered shed to play in.  The more dirt involved, the more fun it is...Right??

 

Superman

 

You know that Superman is exhausted when he falls asleep with his eyes half open.

Even Superman could use a good nap sometimes.

U.S.A.

We LOVE the 4th of July.

 

Claire loved picking out a shirt for her brother to wear.

She loved that they matched. (remember that for Claire, it doesn't take a whole lot to "match")

Crue loved his new shirt and excitedly showed everyone.

Crue loved the parade.

He takes his parade watching and his candy quite seriously.

We loved spending the day with family.

Ashlynn and Erich

We love spending the day together and remembering why we celebrate this day.

Claire loved being able to ride on a float this year and throw out candy. 

She saved her last two pieces of candy because she promised Luke and Crue that she would throw them some.  She is such a sweetheart.  I bought her tons of candy but she ended up sharing it with those that didn't bring any so she went through it pretty fast. The lady next to her said that she held on to her last two pieces until she saw us.   

Crue loved his new flag.

Claire and Crue loved doing fireworks.

 

 I loved cuddling up to this cute guy as we waited for the city fireworks.

Also love how all the cousin, aunts and uncles, and friends all get together for the parade and then get together again later that night for the fireworks. 

Tracy Aviary

I must have forgot how miserable moving can be.  And how it is that we could accumulate so much stuff when we have only been here just over five years??  So in order to save my sanity (and keep the kids happy) we got together with some friends and headed to Tracy Aviary.   

Crue, Jackson, Claire, Payton, Brynlee

Payton and Claire

Feeding the birds

Crue's favorite part was just following the random paths that went through the aviary.

Fun yet HOT day!!

Secret to packing with kids

 

I came up with the best and possible only way to pack with kids around. 

That's right, folks...build a fort. 

Just tell them that the more they let you pack, the bigger their fort will get.

Wish I would have thought of this a month ago.

This pretty much sums up my week...

Big helper

"Mommy, I get the mail."

 

My little guy is always wanting to help out.

Wish I would have taken a picture of the trail of mail too. 

Hot, Hot, Hot!

It was unbearably hot a few weeks ago and the kids just wanted to go swimming but going to an indoor pool is not what we had in mind.  I seriously hope the complex pool opens next summer.  We have missed it so much this year.  Anyway, after going through a million popsicles Luke finally told the kids that he would go buy them a pool. They were so excited.  Claire kept calling him to find out if he had bought one yet.  Crue put on his swimsuit and kept checking the window waiting for his dad to get home.  They were seriously bouncing off the walls excited. 

Apparently everyone else had the same idea because Walmart was sold out.  I felt so bad for Luke when he came home empty handed and had to tell the kids there would be no swimming pool.  The kids were bummed.  So what does my brilliant little boy do??? Oh, he just makes his own little swimming pool. Luke could hear him doing something in the bathroom and this is what he found.  Crue was pretty proud of himself.   

 

 

Luke was already feeling guilty about not being able to get the kids a pool but then seeing that Crue had to resort to playing in the sink to cool off  made him feel even worse.  We all loaded up in the van and went on a mission to find a swimming pool. 

 

Walmart...nope.

Family Dollar...sold out too. 

Williams...haven't had any for awhile. 

Sears...didn't carry them. 

Walgreens...only little kiddie pools.

Big 5...Jackpot.  We bought the last one they had.

They LOVE it! 

This mom is a little bit paranoid about the pool so it only goes up on the weekend when Luke or I can stay outside with them the whole time.  Now Claire and Crue anxiously await the weekend when their daddy gets home. 

Conversation from yesterday...

 

Claire: Mom, when I grow up I want to be the Taco Man lady (the lady that works in the taco truck)

Crue (in a very deep voice):  I want to be Superman

 

 

Today I think they might be going for the Blue Man Group or maybe Captain America?? 

 

 

Mud Puddles.

Nothing quite like a good thunderstorm and then playing in the mud puddles

 

Random Summer Fun

 

It seems like we go through chalk like crazy around here.  One of their favorite things to do is trace each other on the ground.

 

For some reason my children prefer to wear as little clothing as possible.  This was Crue's attire for the day - diaper and his sister's bike helmet.  And that is exactly what he wore almost the entire day.

Picnic and feeding the ducks.

Crue still gets irritated that I spend more time on Claire's hair than on his.  If he can get his hands on a bow or headband then he will definitely wear it.  This was his cool outfit one day - my gardening hat that he picked out for my birthday and Claire's headband. 

 

We have been spending lots of time packing and these kiddos think it is just the greatest thing. They decorate the moving boxes, make houses out of them, and push each other around the house. 

These two would spend all day outside if they could.  Claire is determined to do a handspring on the tramp and land on her feet and also to do a cartwheel on the balance beam Luke made her.  What does Crue like to do..."I chase the chickens" and "I go scare the bugs"  I get great entertainment in my backyard as I watch Crue try to sneak up on a bird or pretend to be a monster and scare potato bugs. 

Hogle Zoo

Lately we have been spending a lot of time getting the house ready to sell but not wanting that to take up our summer, we have been trying to get out quite a bit and do some fun things.  We decided to hit up the zoo one last time before our annual pass expired.

 

Their favorite part ended up being the musical instruments over by the elephants.  We probably could have stayed right there the whole time.   

 

Crue, Payton, and Claire over by the elephants.

We lucked out on the day we went because the zoo was not busy at all.

Brynlee, Tina, Crue, Claire, Payton

 

 

 

 

Favorite part...On our way to the zoo I asked the kids what they really wanted to see and Crue said that he wanted to see a chicken.  To him, every bird is a chicken.  We happen to walk by the eagle exhibit  and Crue makes his way to the front and is standing in front of a bunch of adults that had gathered around. He turns around to face all the adults and excitedly exclaims, "Look! It's a chicken!"  He had everyone there laughing.