just a summer day

once manning woke up around 3, we played downstairs for a while.  i blew up a few balloons and that had everyone pretty happy (if you ever see them on clearance - buy them - it is a great, easy time filler).

manning was happy to stand next to madelyn and play without touching her ponies and instead playing with a wonder pets figurine we have.

maddux was crying for someone to push him in the swing, manning crawled over and started spinning the swing!  he was more or less turning it to see where maddux was and find the crying.  unfortunately, he didn't really do it once i took some video, but you can get the idea.  there was a lot more excitement and laughing the first few times.  i guess manning got tired.

and then maddux started taking pictures.

i went up stairs to get some dinner ready and maddux and mason continued to take pictures - about 75!  these were some of the keepers.

i actually saw mason set up a few toys to photograph.  he played with getting close and then getting far away.  a rather artistic method. 

caught red handed with the ipad. 

after a dinner of leftovers, we headed out to enjoy the beautiful evening.

first time with bubbles.

madelyn and mason have started riding their bikes down the street to the cul-du-sac.  i know that madelyn is getting confident because she had to be called back most of the time and i don't think she would walk that far without wanting us to be with her.  she even asked to have her training wheels removed!  i told her that she would have to wait for daddy to help her.

i feel so blessed to get to do this with our kids.  thank you, matt.  i love you.