Summer Reading Program

Cameron is serious about the summer reading program from the library. We HAD to go sign up the first day it was available. When you read for 20 minutes you get to fill in a square on your chart. To get the finisher prize you have to read for 1,000 minutes. He is a man on a mission...

Today I found him sitting in front of the clock (so that he knew exactly when 20 minutes was up so he could mark his chart) reading his favorite books.

Poor guy...

A few days ago while brushing Cameron's teeth I could see a big cavity in one of his molars. We made an appointment and he got it fixed. Hey, who needs that extra $150 anyway? He has his dad's soft enamel (this is his 3rd cavity and he brushes!) He is such a good boy at the dentist and so cute to watch. Watching my kids get shots as infants doesn't bother me (okay, so I might have a heart of stone) but watching Cameron get Novocaine with that really long needle was hard.

As a bonus of the day Julia threw up in the car on the way to the dentist. Kierstin was kind enough to help me clean her and my car up. Car throw up is bad. Lucky me.

The Pine Cones

Grandpa Swany was having a pine cone problem in his yard and offered Cameron and Julia 5 cents for every pine cone that they picked up. Cameron was a pine cone picking up machine. After it was all said and done Cameron made 20 bucks and Julia 7. I told my dad that he didn't really need to give them that kind of money but he said that it was a deal. Cameron had a great time at Wal-Mart picking out what he wanted to spend his money on. He finally decided on a bag of 12 tennis balls. He spends his days throwing a ball against the house and catching it with his mitt. Julia on the other hand knew exactly what she wanted the minute the money touched her hot little hand--a hula hoop.



Cameron offered his assistance of pine cone picking up for our yard but I told him that I didn't think I could afford him. Grandpa definitely pays better!

Cameron is 7

Happy Birthday Cameron!

We had a robot themed party and invited some friends over to help celebrate. Cameron came up with a long list of games that he wanted to play that included: Dance robot (you dance like a robot and freeze when the music stops), pin the gear on the robot, duck duck goose, penny toss, airplane throw, limbo, water balloon toss, guess how many candies are in the jar, and hot potato. We ate pizza, played games, and tired mom out. It was a good day. I can't believe that my boy is so old. Where does the time go?









The unwrapping of the presents!

Happy Father's Day!

Didn't my mother teach me anything?

Rewind about 10 months ago to a conversation I had with Cam:

Cam: "Mom could we buy the cereal Cookie Crisp?"
Mom: "No way that is like having a bowl of cookies for breakfast!"
Cam: "I know it looks delicious!"
Mom: "No way"

Cam: "Please, please, please"... (Lots of time elapses with lots of pleading)
Cam: "Can I have it for my birthday?"
Mom: "Sure, why not. (Just wanting the whining to stop) You can have it for your birthday."

Now fast forward to yesterday at Wal-mart. The kids and I were in the cereal aisle at the store. Cam sees the Cookie Crisp.

Cam: "Hey, look it's Cookie Crisp! Remember how you said that I can have it for my birthday? My birthday is on Monday!!" (How in the world does he remember this stuff?)
Mom: "Put it in the cart"

Wins:
Cameron- 1
Mom- 0



As you can see, today's breakfast was a hit! In a related story Laura will be babysitting them all morning! Sorry!!

Hello Summer Vacation...Goodbye Sanity!

School is out for the summer!
Now all it needs to do is warm up and stop raining!

The girl in the glasses

Yesterday I had a million errands to run. Natalie went with me while the other two were in school. For a little treat for being good I bought her some sunglasses in the $1 section of Target. She wore them all day. She took a long nap and I had to wake her up to go pick up Cameron. I found her sleeping like this. Too cute.

Trek Around The Trail

On Saturday Cameron ran in his first 5K! He ran almost the entire time (He stopped maybe 5 times and walked for about 20 seconds before he started back up again) and finished in a time of 30:59. He did great!! Way to go Cameron!!



Mitch ran the 5K by himself and did well but I won't post his time in fear that he might kill me!



Cameron and I ran together the entire race until the end when Cam beat me by a foot :) He was excited that our bib numbers were number 1 and 2. What can I say? I registered for the event early!

I Belong to the Church of Jesus Christ...

Yesterday in the car while driving the kids to swimming lessons we were listening to a CD with primary songs on it. From the back of the car Cameron said, "What does croquet mean?" I was sort of confused because the kids and I were playing croquet in the backyard a few weeks ago. So I said "Cam, it is that game we were playing the other day with the mallets and the balls." He then said, "Oh I know how to play that--but in the song it just said "His truth I will cro-quet! What does that mean?" I was laughing hard. The song we were listening to was I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ and in the very last line it says "His truth I will pro-claim"

A little mixed up!

Today Cameron came home talking a mile a minute about everything that went on at school. I think he might have talked for 20 minutes straight without taking a breath. He was every excited about a game that they were playing in P.E., some version of tag. He was trying to explain to me how he got a boy "out" using his hands to demonstrate. As he was explaining it to me he said, "Okay--here is the replay" (while using his hands to show me what happened.) I think he has been watching sports too much. On a side note... this last week while watching baseball on TV with Mitch, Cameron moves his desk into the family room in front of the TV and gives the play by play of the game. Very funny to watch.

Julia on the other hand informed me today that if she ever had a new sister she would want her name to be Allie Rose. Rose being her best friend's middle name. Random.

The makings of a real parent

Julia has officially won the award for giving me the grossest throw up experience in the night. (Of course, the categories for throw up are many)

Last night was a l-o-n-g night. It was one of those nights that sets you apart from being a parent to not being a parent. It is a rite of passage to get up in the night to clean up something foul while still half asleep.

Cameron came into our room in the middle of the night telling us that Julia was crying. Hoping that Mitch would get out of bed and take care of the problem I stayed in bed until I heard the most disturbing noise that shot me right out. As Mitch went into their room Julia leaned down from her bed (she is on the top bunk) and threw up all over her bed, Cameron's bed and the floor, it also dripped down into the small parts of the bunk bed. The smell was the worst. Cameron was sitting in his bed crying because his bed had throw up all over it and the smell was terrible. It took Mitch and I ONE hour to clean it up and that was the bare bones clean up job. The throw up ran down under her mattress and also down in the drawers of clothes under the bunk beds where Julia's clothes are kept. It was a mess. I actually started laughing in the middle of the clean up because it was so bad. Today there was a lot of laundry and the carpet still reeks! When we finally got to bed, Mitch laid down and said "I smell like throw up." I just had to laugh. Yuck.

Attention Schvaneveldt cousins:

Don't you wish you lived by us!
(Neener-Neener)



On Saturday while Mitch and I went to the State track and field meet, the kids spent the day at grandma and grandpa's house. Grandpa spent the day building us a picnic table just the kid's size. It is so cute! What a talented grandpa! We can't wait for the weather to be a little nicer to have lunch on it. This summer lunch will be served outside daily!!!



Thank you grandpa!!
(I am sure you can feel Cameron's gratitude in this picture)

Hair Cuts

With Mitch's help I attempted to cut the girl's hair this weekend. I originally planned to have Julia and Natalie's hair to be shoulder length. As you can see things went a little off course. Oops... It is what we call a nice short summer haircut!

** Could someone please help my children learn to smile for a camera?!**

Happy Memorial Day!

Girls

I LOVE having little girls. They do such cute things. As I was starting to pick up tonight I had to smile at the things left around the house from Julia and Natalie. Isn't it such a girl thing? I had to stop and take some pictures of how sweet they are.