Caleb's first haircut

We are heading to Des Moines tonight to get our family pictures taken.  We've been wanting to do this since Caleb's birthday and finally have found some open time to do it.  Last night Zach, our barber, gave the boys haircuts which was actually Caleb's first one ever.  I really thought it was going to be very difficult because Caleb can not sit still for more than a second and I thought he would protest Daddy doing it but he loved it and I didn't even have to be in the room!  Zach did a great job on both boys and my little men look so handsome!

About to start the haircut.  Caleb is excited!

Haircut started.  Caleb thought it tickled!

Midway thru, Daddy had to hold his head still because Caleb thought it tickled!

All done!  Handsome little man

 We are continuing progress on our bathroom.  Friday night Zach painted primer on the walls and Saturday I painted it.  We need to caulk around the tub and then the shower curtain can go up and we can start using it. Zach got a call last night that our flooring is in so we will pick that up while we are in Des Moines tonight and hopefully in the next week or two we will be completely finished!  Below is a picture of the paint color, it is VERY bright!

Purple

Caleb's vocabulary is growing exponentially everyday.  We've been reading a book about colors and Caleb can already pick out a few of the colors.  The motorcycle is blue, the bus is yellow, and the car is purple.  I love hearing him say purple because it's so cute so I got it on video to share: 

Isaac and Caleb have been spending a lot of time in their little pool on the deck this summer.  One of their favorite activities is to jump and fall on their bottoms.  I got a little video of this as well to share:

The walls in our bathroom have been textured and in a couple of days we can paint.  Zach is planning on painting this Saturday but he has a few other things on his list so we'll see what gets done.  I'm excited because I can't wait to shower upstairs again!  The basement shower is a little chilly!

We've decided to do some vacationing with our last six weeks of summer.  Zach & I are hoping to spend a few days in Ames, relaxing without the boys, next week.  It doesn't sound like much but we are happy to spend some time in our college town and being able to be the two of us.  In August we are planning to take the boys to the Wisconsin Dells for a few days.  I've never been but people have told me that it is a fun place to vacation!

Bathroom update

Zach, with the help of my dad and brother, completed installing the new tub/shower last weekend.  We have hired a guy from church to come in and do the mudding, taping, and texturing of our walls and once he's completed that we can paint & finish.  I purchased a new shower curtain and rug for the floor along with new towel hangers and a new curtain rod.  Zach & I picked out the new floor last night & it should arrive early next week.  We are very excited to have our bathroom back to normal!  We haven't really missed it because we were able to give the boys baths again Friday night and we do have a shower in the basement that Zach & I can use.  Once the walls are painted we will put up the new curtain and start using it ourselves again. 

New tub & shower

Walls after a few coats of mud

Isaac has been attending library story time this summer and we've been checking out more books because of it.  Most of the books we check out have something to do with trucks or tractors.  One in particular has a story line about a child and his daddy playing flatbed truck, with the child riding on the daddy's back, kind of like a horse.  Isaac & Caleb really enjoy it when daddy pretends to be a flatbed truck and they get rides around the house.  When daddy isn't available during the day, Isaac and Caleb attempt to be each other's flatbed truck.  It doesn't usually work well but it is funny!

The boys on their flatbed truck

Caleb attempting to ride Isaac as a flatbed truck 

Caleb had fallen off and was confused about how to get back on.

 The boys started swimming lessons yesterday.  Both really enjoyed it and Caleb was brave enough to try the slide all by himself, with someone catching him at the bottom.  Isaac stuck his face in the water willingly, which is a huge step of improvement for him!  Caleb thoroughly loved jumping into the pool.  He is definitely more of a dare devil than Isaac ever was!  I will try to get some pictures next week of their lessons so we can post them here!

Fourth of July Fun!

Yesterday the boys and I went over to Newton for the 4th of July parade.  My oldest brother, Jim, and his family moved back to Newton last weekend & my brother's high school band was marching in the parade.  It was HOT and by far the LONGEST parade I have ever been to!  The parade started at 9:30 and didn't end until well after 11:00!  Good thing it was a morning parade and not an afternoon parade. :)  After the parade ended we headed over to the courthouse to watch Jim play in the community band but we didn't do much listening.  Isaac saw the bounce houses and wanted to go jump.  I had to take him over there because two weeks ago I promised him he could do one and then it got rained out.  Turns out this one was free so YAY!!  My nephew and niece along with Isaac & Caleb jumped for about five minutes.  Caleb was always on the mat, hardly ever actually jumping, but I think he had a good time!  Isaac loved it!  Here are some pics:

Isaac jumping & Caleb on his butt again!

Still trying to stay in the jumping position but finding it difficult!

All four of them jumping together

After the bounce house my mom, my sister in-law, & I were done with the heat and decided it was time to find some food in the air conditioning.  We went to Culver's because the kids meals come with a free scoop of ice cream.  My brother joined us after his band concert and ate my kids ice cream because neither wanted it. :)  

Isaac eating his cone without the ice cream in it.  Caleb wants some too.

Isaac is such a nice big brother because he did share his cone with Caleb.

After Culver's we headed over to my brother's.  I hadn't seen their new house and intended to stay a little while and then head home for naps.  Around 2 we got the slip n slide out and ended up staying for supper.  The boys LOVED the slip n slide but Caleb didn't get the idea of running and sliding so Uncle Jim got him to lay on his belly and then he pushed him down the slide.  That was a fun game for about 20 minutes and then Isaac wanted to be pushed.  Uncle Jim did it once and said enough. :) Isaac is a little heavier than Caleb!

The boys playing at the end of the slip n slide

Three, two, go!  Caleb after getting a push from Uncle Jim

Caleb didn't get a nap yesterday afternoon so he fell asleep at the supper table.  He was trying so hard to keep them open but it just wasn't working.  Our biggest challenge was keeping him from falling on the floor.  Both boys fell asleep on the way home and slept thru until 7:30 this morning.  Tired boys!

Asleep at the table

Headed home to bed

You might be wondering why Zach wasn't with us yesterday.  Zach & my dad began our last (hopefully) remodeling project in our house, the bathroom.  We are going to put a new tub/shower, vanity, flooring, and a few other miscellaneous things in.  We've had the materials for a while but yesterday was the planned start date.  Here are a few pics of the demolition and the beginning of the reconstruct.  I will post more pics as we finish.

End of Day 1, no major damage to fix and ready to put back together

Zach talking to my brother in the basement about the plumbing they are working on.  My dad is wiring the new exhaust fan/light and getting ready to hang it back up.

Catching Up With Pictures

It has been a while since we posted an update.  Lots of things going on over the last couple of months.  I wanted to give an update and then add some pictures from the last couple of months.  We had Isaac and Caleb's birthdays and have been traveling a lot due to the condition of my mom.  The cancer she was fighting was really hard on her the last couple of months and she ended up passing on June 8, 2012.  Our time has been filled up with traveling to see her and trying to keep up at work and with the kids.  Thank you to those who have helped us out in any way possible and the thoughts and prayers through this time.  Below are a series of pictures that sum up some of the time that we have had over the last couple of months.

Isaac opening a present at his birthday party.

Caleb stacking ice cream cups at Isaac's birthday.

Oh no, they fell!

Isaac's decorated birthday cake.  His theme was Jake and the Neverland Pirates.

Caleb opening a present at his birthday party.

Caleb's decorated birthday cake.  His theme was Elmo.

Caleb with his cake and candle.

It has been really hot lately.  The boys have been running through the sprinkler.

And playing in the pool.

We had to buy the boys overalls and some boots for out at Grandpa Bryce's house so when they go to feed the calves they are prepared.

Grandpa Bryce took the boys through the town parade on his tractor.  They had lots of fun.

Grandpa Leif took Isaac to the pond on his farm and taught him how to fish.  Isaac has caught a few fish all by himself.