"insert title here"

After months of searching we finally found our cheap slide! We decided to try yard-saling again on Saturday morning, even though we've found nothing but junk on our last few attempts. When we pulled up to the house and saw a slide for sale we all began cheering. Mackayla was clapping and saying, "HOORAY! WE FINALLY FOUND MY SLIDE! I'M SHOUTING FOR JOY!"

In addition to the slide we also got a little tikes basketball hoop and three FULL bags of nice clothes for the kids all for a grand total of $20. It was a great day!

We didn't have the kiddie pool set up yet to slide into, but we put the slide under a sprinkler and had a glorious time.

Bradley and Mackayla enjoying a beautiful summer day.

This last week Mackayla was learning about wild animals. On the day we were going to learn about tigers I came out from putting Bradley down and told her to get ready because it was time for school. I went into my room and quickly put on my tiger costume. I'm sure many of you are familiar with this costume (I think I recall Amy wearing it while dancing on a dumpster in the middle of the night.) Anyway I wish I could have gotten a picture of her face when I came out. Her jaw dropped, she got the biggest smile on her face, and proclaimed, "IT'S MOMMY TIGER!" She of course had to try the outfit on herself later. Isn't she a cute little tiger?!

Mackayla is working on her baseball skills. She's almost ready to join the little league.

Bradley was perfectly content just trying to get the ball out of the net sock it came in.


Mackayla and I made a strawberry rhubarb pie together using the rhubarb from our yard. It was delicious.

Mackayla is still amazing us every day with the things she learns and says. She's really into making up her own words now, adding a "y" to the end of every word (kitcheny, backyardy, down stairsy etc...), and giving Bradley new nicknames. Some of the recent things she's said that made us laugh are:

Jared was outside and I told Mackayla to look out the window because Daddy was waving to her. She looked out and said, as if she were so grown up looking at a little kid, "He's just waving away out there. Look at the big ole dad, just waving away."

Jared was getting Mackayla dressed for bed and told her to put her arms up. She did that and then said, "I situated my arms." We were pretty impressed she has picked up that word and knew how to use it.

Lately when she's been waking up bright and early, she sits up in bed and yells "It's good morning time! It's time to get up everyone! It's good morning time!" We have our own little rooster.

She uses the phrase "at one point" from time to time. I'll ask her if she's hungry or something and she'll say, "well, at one point I was, but now I'm ok."

Bradley is starting to talk like crazy, too. He loves to babble and say "mama" and "dada" and throw in an occasional screech also. He's not crawling yet but manages to get around by rolling and turning. He's starting to be able to pull himself up to a standing position. This means we'll have to lower his crib mattress. That will make it a lot harder to put him in his bed when he's already asleep without waking him up. :(

He smiles ALL the time and everywhere we go he gets compliments on his adorable smile and big curls. He's got quite a head of hair for an eight month old. It's going to be so sad when we have to give him a haircut. We're holding out until his one year birthday.

He loves watching and playing with Mackayla. She calls him her best friend and loves to smother him with hugs and kisses. She can be a little overbearing at times. Mommy is always trying to protect him from her affection. We figure he'll have to get use to swarming girls due to his dashing good looks!