summer in September

backyard bonfire

Matt really loves bonfires, and we have a small fire pit that we get out once in a while in the backyard.  He is trying to teach Kate to love fires too.  I'm not sure if she actually likes the fire part, or just the s'more part that goes along with it:) Either way, she's adorable and we had fun.

fun at the Hammer's!

We spent a weekend with our favorite friends Brian, Jill, Lincoln, Graham and Griffin recently.  All week long, Kate kept telling everyone that she was going to Lincoln's Traverse City on Friday.  She was so excited to play with her little buddy:) 

The girls and I packed up and picked Matt up at the hospital on Friday afternoon, to save time on the drive.  We stopped for dinner, but still made it to their house around 8:15.  Lincoln and Graham stayed up late to meet us, and it was the cutest little welcome ever.  Kate didn't hesitate at all; she went right in for a hug without a second thought.  Precious.

Saturday morning books

We went to pick blueberries Saturday morning once Griffin woke up from his nap.  The kids did pretty well in the August heat, and even picked a decent amount of blueberries.  Liv - my picky, picky eater who has never eaten a blueberry in her life - ate about a pound of berries while we were there.  

Kate and Graham heading out

post-nap snuggles

Kate kept asking to hold Griffin all the time...she really liked him (she's not the only one!)

After naps on Saturday afternoon, we headed to the beach for some swimming.  The kids loved splashing around and finding 'treasures' (aka rocks), and it felt so good to cool off in the water.  We were quite sandy by the time we headed back for dinner:)

Griffin

Graham

daddy and Liv

Kate and Lincoln

family pic:)

Sunday morning, we stuck around the house and played outside.  Brian set up the slip n slide and played in the pool with the kids.  They thought it was the best thing ever.  Liv got to spend some quality time with Aunt Jill, and both of them enjoyed it very much:)

goofy kids

goodbye hugs

Kate whined and cried for about the first hour of the trip home because she didn't want to go home.  She just kept saying she wanted to "stay and play with Lincoln for all the days."  Since being home, she asks me all the time when we can have a play date with her friend Lincoln:)

These kids are so special.  And they are growing so fast! We are infinitely grateful for friendship and time together.  It is such a treasure.

more summer fun

The hematology/oncology group at DeVos had a party at one of the doctor's houses this summer.  They have lots of land, lots of fun toys, a pool, and this crazy slip n slide (made from an old billboard!).  Kate and Liv loved the pool - it was heated - and Kate even tried the slip n slide with all the big kids.  It was a fun afternoon of getting to know some of the people Matt works with and playing outside!

Girls and their babies:)

At the beginning of August, as a reward for good behavior for Kate, we took a trip to Catch Air.  It's an indoor play place with lots of slides, bouncy things, ball pits, and - our favorite - a dance floor.  Every hour they turn all the lights off and play one song for the kids to dance.  My girls were in heaven:) Liv wasn't too daring on all of the toys, but towards the end of our time there, the girls started playing a game where Liv would sit in the ball pit at the bottom of the slide, and Kate would slide down right next to her and splash the balls all around.  Both of them were laughing so hard.  It was perfect.

Puzzle time in the basement...sorry, Mom, did you just clean everything up? :)

We had a big get together with friends from Hope at the Johnson's house again.  The girls all dressed up and all the kids sang and danced to Frozen.  It was pretty funny.

look at all these kiddos! (l to r: karstens, pridgeons, allemans, and johnsons)
and three more are on the way!

This girl and her smile...gets me every time:)

Later in August, our neighborhood block party was next door at Steve and Jill's house.  Kate pretty much stayed in the bounce house the entire time.  She kept getting hurt and would come to the edge and cry for a minute, but refused to get out.  She also cried when they started deflating it at the end of the night.

The very next day, we went to a kid's carnival/picnic at my dad's work.  Kate got to do the bounce house again.  We had two happy girls.

Matt and my dad also trimmed out the built-ins in our basement, so here's Liv being daddy's big helper at Home Depot when we went to buy all the materials.

The girls new favorite play -and snack - spot: the cubby hole:)

GR Airport

I get together with a few friends from high school - and their kids - once a month, and this past time, we decided to go check out the viewing area at the airport.  They have lots of room for the kids to run and even picnic tables, where we ate our lunch.  The kids were naming all the airplanes as they took off, so they would all yell goodbye to them.  We were very surprised by how many planes we actually got to see.  Definitely a place to go back to once the weather cools down:)