More Summer

Before posting the Wild West blog... I feel that I need to catch up on what we were up to before leaving for vacation!  My hope was to post before leaving, but like that happened!  

Well anyway...  just because we are getting ramped up to go back to school, I refuse to say it is the end of summer.  Summer weather can technically last until October, right?

Something caught my eye one morning in the boys' sandbox.  It was a family of turkeys... I had no idea they take sand baths.  They were rolling around, standing up and shaking.  The boys thought it was pretty cool.

 TBall is done.  I do have to say we missed about half of the practices due to other commitments, birthday parties, and vacations - but the boys liked it.  The last few practices were "games" and it kept the boys' attention more so than just playing catch with dad and practicing hitting.  They were super excited to "play a game of baseball."

 Ashton was number 4.

 Next up is Aiden.  #5

 Ashton getting a little coaching from dad at third base.

 Ready to run home!

 Nope, never mind.

 Running home!

 Aiden thinks he needs to slide into every base.

 SAFE!

 Running home... and yes, he slid into home as well.

 Two little outfielders.

 It's REALLY hard paying attention to every batter.  

Most tried making sandcastles and kicked at the dirt...

 NOT in ready position.

 This is ready position!

 Playing third base like Uncle Dave.

 Big Swing!

 Good Game!

 Team Huddle

 Go Team!

We celebrated Elle's birthday in Door County, but her friend birthday party was when we got back.  Her birthday party started our marathon of parties for the month.  The boys were super confused why she had two birthdays and super disappointed that she turned 5 in DC and was turning 6 at her party.  Because two parties meant two years older right?!?!

It was the boy's first party that I dropped them off to party without me!  They were super excited and even more excited that the adults were Aunt Missy and Uncle Dave.  Are we really at the age of kid only parties?  Stop growing up!  Missy and Dave are brave!  I guess she has experience with that many littles teaching K/1st grade ;)

What a great looking bunch of kiddos and nice friends Elle has!

 We stayed a bit later to watch the paper lantern go up!

Happy Birthday Elle!!!!  We love you to pieces.

 Our family had to say good bye to our neighbors recently.  We were dreading the time that the Shriner's were moving South for new adventures and we had to say our Good Bye's.  We had many talks with the boys to prepare not being able to see Finn and Molly outside every night.  As they were packing up and heading for the Sunshine State and warmer weather, we were sad to see them go.  

Molly and Nora LOVE Izzie.

 Molly is very attentive to Izzie and wanted to take her on walks, feed her treats, and be followed by Izzie.  

 The three goof balls.  

Friends Forever.

 Many memories were made in just the short time these three played together.  

The excitement of these three seeing each other's garage doors open and running up the street to see each other was priceless.

 Neighborhood Friends.

 The only way to get a good picture is to promise silly faces after.  ;)

 I was obsessed with Molly's little dirty face.  Yes her parents bathe her, however you can never get dirty from having so much fun playing outside!

 If it wasn't for Bethanne's allergies, I would say that Molly needs a puppy!!!

 Izzie Girl.

 Is she smiling?  Too bad you can't see her eyes!  Shaggy dog.

 One last freeze pop on the driveway.  Many hot summer nights were spent on the driveways eating Popsicles.

 Buddies.

 Molly cleaning the garage, although there isn't anything clean about her. 

Love her.

 I'm guessing all kiddos got a bath this night.  ;)

 I watched the girls so Aunt Missy could go to Country Jam.  With the warm weather, we headed to the pool before meeting Uncle Dave at his baseball game.  I took a picture like this last year, however didn't remember the order they were in.  Oh well.  Another year passed, another year more goofy!

 This one is a framer!

 In order to get a decent one, I need to let them have goofy faces after...

 Trying another pose = fail.

 Aiden scooted in front of everyone else.  Cute picture of Aiden though ;)

 It was a summer full of birthday parties!  Remington turned 5 and the boys helped celebrate!

 They ran from the car to his sandbox, knowing her had cool trucks!

 Yummy "pupcakes".

 It's really hard watching the birthday boy open his cool presents!  

They boys are already making their Christmas lists and Birthday Lists... and planning their birthday party, it's only 5 months away!

 It was a very hot day, and good thing Remi got a slip and slide as a gift!  We couldn't leave without trying it out!  It was a baseball diamond slip and slide.  Right up Aiden's alley with sliding into every base!

 A great way to cool down!

 We hosted a get together with the neighbors before the Shriner Family moved.  

I had some help feeding Izzie.  Nora loves "Dizzy"

 Molly came up to help also... loving her corn!

 Ronnie is a good little friend to all the kids.

 Great to see the sandbox getting used by all the kiddos!

 We have promised to build the boys a larger play set this fall or next spring!

 The adults in a circle... it was too hot for a fire!

 Ronnie and Thomas.  Snuggled in for some stories.

Nora and Thomas.

 We had Daddy's birthday to celebrate.  I was going to buy a DQ Cake, but the boys insisted that Daddy wanted had to go to Cherry Berry.  Good thing we had two cupcakes at home made by Elle and Elise so he could blow out some candles.  Sorry - I didn't have 36 candles in the cupboard!

 Ashton is into silly faces if you haven't guessed!

 Happy Birthday Adam!

 His card said, "If you want a calm and relaxing birthday... find another family!"

If that's not the truth.

 A random morning in the Wamboldt house.  Ashton wanted to wear all his medals and the boys insist on sleeping in their underwear "like dad".  

I grabbed the camera because he reminded me of Michael Phelps.  All the medals around his neck in his "speedo/undies"

 Yep - gotta get the silly one!

 Aiden wasn't wanting his picture taken... to bad!

Had to get his little abs and tan lines too ;)

 Continuing to help celebrate friends and birthdays... we headed West to the cities to meet up with Wyatt.  He turned 4 and we didn't even know he was having a TMNT party!  They boys are obsessed with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and apparently - so is Wyatt!

 Ready to run, play and climb at Blast!

 Pretty typical of a nice picture of Aiden and then a nice one of Ashton.  Never at the same time...

Silly Face.

 The boys with the Birthday Boy!

  Wyatt's baby brother, Oliver, didn't want to stop playing long enough to join the picture.

It's fun watching these boys grow together.

2012

 2013

 2014

2015

Make a wish...

and blow out your candles!!!

Wyatt got so many cool Ninja toys and clothes... the boys were definitely all eyes watching him open his presents!

Super excited about the Leonardo grab bag!

My two Ninjas...

Leo (the blue one) is their favorite.

Believe me... I am learning their names, colors, weapons, and each turtle personality!

We went from being turtles, to being superheroes a couple days later to celebrate their friend Connor turning 4!  

4 parties in one month... not including Adam's!  They boys are definitely wanting to start planning their own birthday. It's really hard to buy presents for a different little boys, give it to them, and watch them open what YOU want!

Games!  

Jeff and Karen were ultra brave allowing a bat to be swung in their brand new beautiful house!

Jeff was also very brave directing each kiddo with a bat in their hands.  I think he just about got hit like 50 times...

There were some BIG swingers... 

however Karen got a try and then they got a try without the mask on ;)

You can see with Aiden's hit above, he knocked the shoulder loose.  With the next swing all the kids were scrambling on the floor for the candy.

Adam and I are so lucky to have such great friends, with kiddos that are such great friend's for the boys.  

Happy Birthday Connor!

"Four"

Daddy still tries to take a day off during the week to hang with us.  This morning I got a text from a former student that she would be at the water park.  The boys met Sara in Punta Cana, she happened to be from Menomonie, and she was in 8th grade last year.  How crazy is that?  Before leaving for the summer we exchanged numbers because the boys LOVED her so we have tried to meet up a couple times this summer.  It was a fun pool day for all and I think I may have found our first "non Nana" babysitter!

 Random selfie I found on my phone along with many others... a hockey puck, our cars, Ashton's blanket and every toy in his room.  He loves taking pictures right now and steals my phone.  I see a camera on his Christmas list.  A non iPhone camera that costs $600.00 and not my good camera that costs $1,500.00.  Maybe a $50.00 point and shoot would do ;)

 Still trying to cross items off our summer bucket list... trail riding by where we used to live to visit the horses.  We didn't care about the horses when we found a construction site building 30+ new front doors!  So glad we left the neighborhood when we did, however the boys loved watching the construction.

 We went to Jaxon and Tatum's house to swim one afternoon.  These four play so well together and they are great little friends.

 They can't be together and NOT play hockey.  Jaxon was worried that on our trip to Door County, the boys were traded to play out there... whew.  They will still play together at LTS.  :)

 Where do you put the puck when you want to hide it from your brother?  

Then throw a fit because you can't find the puck and you have everyone looking all over the entire garage... 

to find it in you hat?!?!?!

Yep.

 Trying to beat the heat, cross something else off the summer list, and NOT head to the pool.

Yep.  Bowling.  My score was pretty good - with bumpers.

Fun was had by all!

 Blueberry season was just about done, so we had to cross this off the list!  We met Reese and Hudson to pick some berries.  Not a single berry hit Hudson's bucket... good thing they are organic and good to eat right off the bush!

 Ashton was disappointed the picking was sparse... just enough to make a blueberry crisp!

 TBall ended and football began.  Little punters is for 3 weeks and then they get to play on the field at half time of a varsity game.  

 We have two pretty excited little boys!  Thanks to the fine young men for donating their time with the littles and being great role models!

 Last but not least... MOA.

Every morning I wake up the boys and ask what they want to do, they say "Mall of America"!

I was also thinking of doing two Bonnie days this past week to do some special time with one kiddo.  Well, that back fired.  When I asked Ashton what he wanted to do on a special day with me, he said "Mall of America".  Great!  But he wanted to do it with his brother... I was hoping for a special 1:1 day, but couldn't argue if he wanted to invite a friend.  His friend being his brother.  So off we went.

Two kids, no stroller, and me heading to the cities.  They were great listeners and it was a super fun day!

 A HUGE Crab.

 We rushed through the Under Water World... ate lunch and then went to Lego Land.

 After a stop at the Disney store, a candy store, and me fighting with them to go into ONE store for me (that didn't happen)... we headed back to Under Water World for a second viewing... a slower one... a not rush through to the end one.  

They loved feeling the Sting Rays!  They giggled overtime they touched one.

 I think I would rather win the lottery!

 For some reason they like the piranhas and wanted to know all about them.

What a great way to learn!

I am usually reminded about what we do by looking through my phone pictures and my camera... this time however, I also took notes on my phone.  Notes of conversations had with the boys.  They are so wise, they know more than anyone gives them credit for, they are growing way too fast, and they just crack me up sometimes.  Okay, all the time.  

Notes I took:

Two Houses - On our way to Jaxon's house they boys were asking why he lived where he does.  I said, :his mommy and daddy chose that place to live."  They were fine with that answer, but then asked if they can get another house.  I said, "You Bet!  Daddy wants a house on the lake up north."  Then Aiden added, "good, then You and daddy can have a house and Ashton and I can have a house."  Stinker - already trying to get rid of us and move out!

Smelling rotten milk - While driving through town Aiden was on a roll and telling me "all the disgusting smells through town.  He said my car smelled like rotten milk (they haven't drank milk in my car for over 2 years...), he smelled rotten bananas, and the poopy plant.  Then randomly he said, "Smell that?  It smells like Punta Cana!"  Not sure if Punta Cana smelled good or like rotten things, but it's funny he has that memory.

All grown up - For some reason, anytime we head somewhere the boys ask if I have enough gas.  I promise I have never ran out of gas with them, or ever for that matter!  While pumping gas, Ashton asked me when he was going to get a credit card to pay for stuff and go shopping.  He then asked when he is getting a jeep to drive.  This follows a previous conversation with Aiden trying to convince me one night that he should get a cell phone when he turns 5.  So is it normal for two 4 year old to ask for credit cards, cars, and cell phone or do we have trouble on our hands?

Have fun mom - On our way bowling, Ashton asked I was going to bowl too.  When I said yes he said, "Oh good.  You never do.  You just always take pictures."  Point taken to put down the camera and enjoy moments with the boys instead of always trying to capture them!  I did just that but had to sneak in one picture of all of our matching shoes and so I remembered what we did when I went through the pictures ;)

There you have it.  A summary of Late July and August.  Can probably be best summed up with mentioning birthday parties, summer fun, and staying busy!

The pictures are done from our trip to South Dakota.  Just give me some time to get the post done.  Hopefully soon.  No promises!  We leave for another vacation Up North with some friends in one day.

Going through pictures and this blog post has taken me literally all day (even missing the boys' hockey practice) but taking a break for Football.

I hate to even say it, but I am looking forward to our school schedule starting, football season, and the cool fall weather.  Yes, I LOVE the fall.  My favorite time of year.