A Team Weeks 142: The Buzz of Summer

This week was the first full week of June and as is typical in the summer it was a fairly eventful week...starting off with some heavy machinery hanging out in front of my office!  (You know you're a Boy Mom when you leave your desk to get some pictures and videos of the construction machines to show your kids!)

We rode more bikes in the church parking lot and this time Asher's new friend also brought his big sister.  The four kids and my big kid of a husband spent the time racing each other back and forth with Avery's little feet pedaling his trike as fast as he could!

The weather was gorgeous so we spent most of the week outside.  On my day off with the boys they wanted to build a fort inside, so I convinced them that we could build a cool one outside instead.  Once it was together, I was able to relax and enjoy my book for a bit while they played! :)

We did play inside a bit and these pictures of Avery "going for a ride" are too funny!

On Thursday night, Eric and the boys enjoyed the outdoors with a bike ride to Wendy's for Frosties!

After the chocolatey treats, the boys went to bed just fine, but that night was AWFUL.  Between the two boys Eric and I must have gotten up a total of 20 times and at 3:30 am as I realized that Avery was running a fever, I gave up and slept on the floor in his room for the remainder of the "night".  Then at 5:30 he was up and insisting on cuddling with Mommy in the chair.  I sleepily obliged and then phoned my parents (who were at my brother's house) to see if one of them could watch the little dude for the day so Eric and I could go to work.  Thankfully, my dad was able to come hang out with him for the day and Avery was tired but fine all day!

Video: Avery Say's He's "Margie"

Video: Sliding at the Park (While "Sick")

On Saturday the boys wanted another fort, so Eric set up his tent for them in the back yard.  Within minutes they had the tent completely full of all their necessary "camping" items.

They spent the morning playing and helping us with some projects.  Then in the afternoon Grandma and Papa came over with cousin Caleb to spend the night!  It was the boys' first sleep over, but really wasn't anything to get too excited about.  Since Asher and Caleb were going out for a day on Sunday with Grandma and Papa we needed them to get a good night of sleep.  Thus, Caleb slept in the basement with Grandma and Papa and Asher slept in his room.

The boys giving Grandma a belated Mother's Day Gift

& Papa getting an early Father's Day Gift

On Sunday, the boys decided that they wanted to spend their day with Grandma and Papa at the Milwaukee Zoo, so after getting dressed and having a quick breakfast they were off.  Avery wasn't very happy that he wasn't able to go with though.  When I told him that only the big boys were going he looked at me dejected and insisted, "I a Bo Boy too!!"

Avery trying to get into Papa's truck

Caleb & Asher ready for their adventure

Since Avery couldn't go to the zoo, he and Eric went and did some Avery-Daddy stuff at Meijer and he was quite happy to do some things that Asher couldn't do (like get a donut and ride Sandy).  In the meantime I ran some errands of my own and then we all met back at the house to go out to an Open House (which turned out to be a dud).  Afterwards it was back home for naps before Aaron's crew joined us for family time in Kenosha.

In the afternoon, Aaron, Erika and their three other boys visited us in Kenosha and then we all headed down to play at the beach for a while.  It was much colder there than we'd anticipated, but we still had fun playing and relaxing on the beach.  Then we headed back home to play while we waited for Grandma and Papa to return with Asher and Caleb.

Avery being a "turtle" in the sand

Happy to see this little guy smiling after almost a week in the hospital!

As we were leaving the beach, this little girl saw Avery and went right for him wanting to hold his hand.  Avery gave her his hand then they just stood there.  I was wondering if she does that a lot or if she just liked Avery but her mom seemed just as surprised as we were!

When we got back from the beach, everyone played outside more and then we grilled brats and hot dogs for dinner and followed it up with some Happy Birthday Rhubarb Crisp and ice cream for the four June birthday boys to close out the week.

Grandma getting another late Mother's Day gift from all the kids and grandkids.

A Team Weeks 141: The Start of Summer

With Memorial Day weekend behind us, this week summer was official underway and we made the most of it with several summer-like activities...

Biking: Now that Asher can ride his bike with no training wheels it is his FAVORITE thing to do.  He begs us to let him ride up and down the sidewalk or to take him to the church parking lot so that he can have a little more space than our driveway allows.  He even made a new friend there that likes to join us whenever he sees Asher riding around from his house!

Not only does Asher get to ride around the parking lot whenever we have time, but Eric let him ride his bike with him (& Avery in the trailer) all the way to Meijer this weekend!  I was skeptical and stayed close to my phone, thinking I'd have to pick them up but Asher made it the whole way there and back with only one wipe out (in a puddle)!  He was so proud of himself and we were very proud of him!  I can't say I know many four year olds that have ridden 5 miles round trip before!

Tree Climbing: Another new thing that Asher can do is climb into our Magnolia tree.  Therefore, when he isn't riding his bike he can often be found up in the tree...and Avery can often be found under it, desperately searching for a way to get up there as well!

Asher building projects in the tree...he is truly our own little Andrew Henry

Outta Sight Kite Flight: One of our favorite annual summer activities is the kite festival in Kenosha.  It isn't anything majorly exciting, but it is a fun way to spend a few hours on a summer day.  On Saturday, after a busy morning and a stormy early afternoon, it turned out to be the perfect way to end the day.  After the storms moved out, it was gorgeous outside with bright sun and perfect kite-flying wind.  We had a great time flying our little kites, checking out the other kites on site, savoring snow cones and popping bubbles!

War of the Worlds?

A gigantic bubble!!

Video: Bubbles!

Hammock Relaxin': With summer, the hammock is now another thing that can often be found in our yard and when the weather is nice, Asher's favorite thing to do is read bedtime stories in it outside.  The only problem is that there is only one and the hammock story is audible and visible through Avery's bedroom windows.

Water Play: How can you have summer without fun in the water?  You can't.  Our pool may be tiny, but that doesn't stop the boys from having a blast in the water when the weather is HOT.

Video: Water Fun

Summer Treats: Playing in the water isn't the only way to cool down, we also enjoyed some froze treats this weekend!!

So, that was our week (A Team 141)...a great week to start off the summer! :)  The only thing that wasn't so great this week was our spider incident...

After a rough night of sleep one night, the next day started with Asher rushing into my room and over to my bed with something to show me exclaiming, "Momma, I found a Charlotte!!" Then he looked into his hands (which were directly over my side of the bed) and says, "where'd it go?" 🤢