Summer is finally here, so we've been making the most of it and trying to get outside as much as possible.  For the most part, Jordan and the kids play outside everyday when they get home until I get home, usually about an hour.  Kayla also just started swim lessons again, and she's been loving them as usual.  I've been making it to most lessons to help with Colin.  He usually can be found at the park or in the sand.  Next year, he'll be joining her in the pool!  Colin used the potty for the first official time last week.  He actually sat down on his own and just went like he's always known what to do.  At this point, we just need to pick a weekend and let him run around nekid till it sticks!

Look at those cute kids partying it up at Blenderfest!

Colin is just starting to 'get' his numbers and colors.  I'm noticing that more often than not, his color guesses are correct and he can somewhat count to ten minus a few numbers.  Steps in the right direction, that's for sure!

Riding in Daddy's tractor at work!

This picture totally reminds me of a very similar one of me sitting in a tractor tire.  : )

Colin and his owl birthday cake from Auntie DeeDee!

Those crazy kids!  Piggy back ride on Daddy time.

Birthday lunch at the Choo Choo restaurant!  Colin absolutely loved this place.  He loves just about anything with wheels on it though.  Kayla had lots of fun too and kept asking when we'd go back.

Here comes the train with our food!

"Oh no!  Where'd choo choo go?"

"Der it is!!"

Can you tell this little guy was excited?!?  He was beaming the entire time.

Happy birthday Colin!!  Our little guy is growing up way too fast.  He is such a goofball always trying to make you laugh, although he still has his moments of tantrums.  He mimics Kayla every chance he gets, so we will occasionally hear "Na na boo boo!" when he wants to play chase.  They are constantly playing together and many of his tantrums come from sharing issues, but aside from those, they are absolutely adorable when they play.  Colin's a fairly light eater, but he's even more so when Kayla is done eating because then he is done eating whether he's still hungry or not.  He's adding new words all the time.  Jordan and Colin were driving the other day when a squirrel ran out in the road and Colin from the back seat yells, "Watch out skirl!"  He had such a fun time celebrating his birthday with all the families that he will now start randomly singing 'happy birday' and then blowing out candles.  Here he is having an early birthday at Grandma and Papa Rowe's house.

Kayla and Colin are happiest when they're playing outside.  Riding on their bikes, playing on the swingset, or saving worms.

Looks like they're starting a biker gang!

We had our first camping trip...well...about a month ago.  We went to Mirror Lake State Park.  We didn't think it was going to be warm enough for swimming so we didn't bring swimsuits.  That was a mistake.

Colin even made sure to get extra dirty by diving into a sand hole multiple times.

Hanging out at the campsite.  Colin made me sit in his chair so he could sit in the big chair.  And poor Mama had a headache!

Of course Colin was the first one up in the morning.

So Daddy took him out for a hike.

Once we were all awake, we started the day with some fishing.

Had a few bites but didn't catch anything.  Even without catching anything, Kayla loved it!  Even more so than the hiking that came later in the day.

After fishing, we thought a nice small nature trail would perfect before we started for home.

That was until we took a wrong turn or two (I blame it on the lack of maps!) and ended up on a two mile cross-country ski trail (meaning lots of ups and downs!)

At least it was a very pretty hike.  Colin enjoyed it.  After awhile, we had to come up with ways to entertain the kids as we figured out the best way out.  Games like I Spy and Find A Bug.

Jordan eventually hiked ahead of us to go get the car because we had one grumpy girl with us who by then was completely against hiking.  This photo about sums up her mood.  It's going to be a long summer if she continues not to like hiking!