Pool tricks

Yesterday was the last day the pool was open, and Brady and I didn't even get to go because he wasn't feeling well. These are a few pictures and a movie from last week, though, with the latest tricks:

Hair style

Post-shower hairdos. Each kid thinks his particular style is the height of fashion.

Brady's is spiked...

Rudy insists on combing his straight down, preferably so you can see the comb lines in his damp hair...

Faces of a good summer

Rudy's History of the World

Did you know...

Neighborhood nature

We've been experimenting with a couple of potential new cameras; as a result we have several pictures of all of our backyard wildlife...

Canary (that's not really a canary, but I can't remember the real name) and a hummingbird, checking each other out:

Mama bunny

Adorable baby bunnies. Until they start eating my plants. Not so adorable then...

Hummingbird perch (from where he guards his feeder):

Mama's turn:

What say?

More funnies from the kids lately:

When playing hide-n-seek, we heard
Ready or not, here I am! [from Brady]
Hear me or not, here I come! [from Rudy]

Rudy is still occasionally asking us to "age" him or he tells us he is going to "age" something with his tape measure. He means measure.

Also from Rudy:
"I knowed that."
"I don't matter" - as in, it doesn't matter to me.
"...in my whole wide life..."

Just about every other sentence from Rudy lately starts with "Did you know..."
*Did you know your brain helps you think?
*Did you know you have a maze in your body? One is for your food. One does the pumping for your blood.
*Did you know there is a turtle near Nana and Popsie's house who comes out of the water and her name is Myrtle?
*Did you know doggies have gooder smellers than persons?

Bouncy Fun

Rock Star - Music Video

Here it is, the long awaited music video of "I'm an old rockstar"

Swim Test and Diving Board

Rudy decided today that he was ready to pass him swim test. After encouraging him to try it for several weeks, he just got in the pool today and said he was going to swim across the pool. And he did. Easily. When will we learn about this kid and his milestones? When he's good and ready...he'll do it!

Welcome home!

James was stuck on a conference call when Rudy came home after week from Oma and Papa's. Rudy raced in to give him a giant hug...and look at the smile on the little boy's face :)

Day on the River

We took Brady canoeing on a nearby river last weekend. Rudy was visiting Oma and Papa so we thought it would be a good time to do something with an age restriction. (You have to be six to be in the canoe when you rent it.)

We did the tidal portion of the river and the tide was going out; all we really had to do was sit in the canoe and float. We had a great, quiet day hanging out with Brady.

We stopped a couple of times along the way, on small sandbars or beaches.
We had lunch floating in the canoe.

Brady picking up golf balls near a country club:

I know Brady missed having his brother around, but I think he also really enjoyed a few days as an only child!

The first 90 years

We were in Ohio over the weekend to celebrate Grandma's 90th birthday! She had a big party with lots of friends and family.

Grandma, opening her present from our family...

...a photo book of her 90 years...

Family picture:

Goofy kids with game prizes:

Filthy kids in several layers of dirt, dust, and watermelon juice:

Grandma's Photo Book

Click here to view this photo book larger

Tubing

Some friends invited us to their lake house for the day. We had a great time playing in the water and boating. We only a few pictures before the camera got dunked though...

Cooper's Photo Book

Click here to view this photo book larger

Catapult Construction

Dice walk

Brady and I read an idea for a "dice walk," where you roll the dice and the numbers tell you which way to walk. We tried it in when Yeoanny and Angie were in town at our nearby pedestrian mall and found a few treasures, one of which was a tasty looking cupcakery!

This sign might have been our most amusing find, though: