Looking back at June!

So as I mentioned, if you read my last post, Lauran turned 3 on the 24th. We mostly celebrated on Father's Day. It was a last minute decision to do it on Sunday. I knew I just wanted to have a quiet one with just us but I was hoping to be more organized about it. Saturday night it had dawned on us that the week was super busy and on the evening of her birthday Ryan had a baseball playoff game. So Sunday we went out to lunch after church. We were then going to go to a beach but it had clouded over and the kids actually wanted to stay home and try out the new pool we set up. It is just one of those smaller quick set pools with a filter but they were thrilled. It is big enough for the 4 of them to have fun and splash around....and it fits on the patio...which was priority # 1 for Todd :) Anyways so that was it and then Lauran opened her presents and had frosting...I mean cake! She seemed to really get into the whole singing "Happy Birthday" to her and blowing out the candles. She knew just what to do! I have no idea if they celebrated birthday's in the orphanage or not...but she seemed to "get it"!

So our summer has had busy start with many activities. Ryan's Baseball just ended last week..they lost their 2nd playoff game:( This past month he did a week of baseball camp and a week of basketball camp. He also does basketball 3 days a week in the morning all summer. Nathan is trying tennis this summer and so far he likes it (he doesn't really like sports much). He also is involved in an outdoor hiking program. They learn about camping and roughing it in the woods. Megan is in a summer preschool program twice a week through park and rec. and evening gymnastics. The boys will also have golf lessons later this summer! And Lauran just hangs with me and is 100% alright with that! OK....I know that it sounds like A LOT. I really wanted them busy. The alternative is me nagging them to get off electronics and go out side. Most of it is in the morning so we still have time in the afternoon to do the pool or just hang out. Amazingly, all the activities are spaced out pretty good. They are all enjoying them too!

Because of our recent trip to China, finances and time do not allow us to do a family vacation this summer....other than a trip we will be taking in Aug. to see family in MN. So we decided to try and do as many things around the area this summer on the weekends as possible. So far in June we have managed to fit in a visit to the zoo, go strawberry picking, take a trip to the Discovery Museum, we celebrated Nathan finishing Elementary school, Father's Day and Lauran's Birthday. Megan and Lauran have worked on learning to be friends, the boys are learning to be helpers and more independent. Todd and I are learning to be patient, enjoy are kids while they are little, and to remember to count our many blessings everyday! It was a crazy busy month, but as I look back at the pictures I realized how much fun it was and I hope in July I can enjoy it more "in the Moment" and not let the stressful moments get to me!

I had so many cute pictures from the past month that I did not have time to post, that I decided to try my hand at a slide show!! So here it is a month's worth of pictures all at once :) Enjoy!