"Watch Me" and "Me Help"

2 weeks of swimming lessons are done! Cameron is much more confident in the water and had a great time. Now the past few times we have been in the water all I hear is "Watch me, Mommy! Watch this, Mommy" "Look what I can do" Want to see me do this, Mom"! So fun to see his new found confidence allow him freedom and so much more enjoyment of swimming. I think next year Haiden might join in and the Mommies can get some pool side chats in! What do you think, ladies?!

Here are some pics from the last day.
I was very impressed with the instructors and how the classes were run. The boys always started out with 5 bobs in the water.

Then it was time to practice floating on backs and fronts.

Swimming back and forth with and without the kickboard. These instructors have some serious wading skills to swim back and forth, stay afloat themselves AND hold on to the little ones!

The hilite was free time. This last week, Cameron choose mostly to jump off the diving board. I was surprised he would do this without his life jacket and goggles. Before he would only go under if he had his goggles on his head. He can even make it to the ladder after jumping!

The other phrase I hear constantly is "Me help too Mommy!" or "Me too, me too!" This coming from my very involved, wants to be in the mix with everything all the time no matter what it is 2 and a half year old. As I was making things to get ready for our family week of camping, he had to be right there on the counter with me. He runs to get his little stool, plops it in front of the counter, puts his big toe on top of the cupboard ledge and hoists himself up. Hence, why I had to move the treats higher up in the candy cupboard. Anyway, here is the little man.
Now how could I say no to this smile! I can just hear him say "Me mix it!"

It's soooo hard to wait to be able to "wick it"!

But it's soooo worth it!

Playdates!

This summer we have had the best playdates! I have not been able to capture all of them but we have been to parks, houses, the critter barn, pools, cottages, and restaurants. I am blessed to have such great friends to share summer fun with and the kids get along so well!

Last week we went to a cottage on Hutchin's Lake. Thanks Kelli for sharing your time there with us! We have done this for the past 3 summers and it's turning into a fun summer tradition!
Of course Cameron remembered the Sea Doo's and was determined to ride them as much as he could.
We had some nice rides around the lake. I wish I knew more about mechanical things! Cameron constantly is asking questions about how things work, why and what all the buttons and wires are for. He is getting frustrated of my answer of "that's just how they make them"!

Cute boys playing!
It's the perfect spot for a beautiful summer afternoon!

We are almost done with swimming lessons and we have had the best(and HOTTEST) time with Jodi, Jackson, Brenden, Jill, Trey and Rowan. One day after swimming lessons we stayed to let the kids play and enjoy more pool time!
A sweet moment of sharing a snack!

It took a bit to get them in the pool, but they made it. Well, the 2 older ones at least!

Then after a few minutes they made their way to the sandbox.
It's so funny to watch kids at this age play. They talk for a minute to each other and then just play next to one another, talk, play next to, talk, play next to, scream, grab a toy away, cry, play next to.....and so the cycle goes!!
Thanks Jill, Trey and Rowan for sharing your afternoon with us! I hope we can get at least one more play date before *sigh* the summer is done!

Summer Fun

(Warning...picture overload on this post!)

Oh my have we been enjoying summer! I am not even sure where to start with this post....so I'll just go back to the beginning of the week(and by the way, where did this week go?!)
Cameron started swimming lessons with his 2 buddies Trey and Jackson.
Jackson, Trey and Cameron listening to directions. All 3 have done GREAT and have gotten much more comfortable in the water in 4 short days. They have jumped of the diving board and swam all the way to the shallow with no life jacket! The first day the teachers had them laying on their backs, heads in the water and "monkey, airplane, soldier". 4 more days to go this week! I am glad the hot hot weather will be behind us for this coming week. It might be a little more bearable for the 3 mommas and the 3 little ones left behind!

We also had a great opportunity to go and tour the Holland Police Department with a K-9 officer Torrey knows. I was more excited than Cameron I think!
It took Cameron a little while to warm up to the idea of pictures, but of course this little one was ready! (Sidenote, Officer Scott had just got done explaining that no one steps on the badge on the floor out of respect and honor.....notice whose feet are touching it just to see how far the line can be crossed. Yep, that's him.)
We got a deluxe tour and I don't think I have heard Cameron ask so many questions.
In the swat van(which is really like an armored tank!) So cool!
We also got to meet the K-9 cop. Both boys jumped back when he came out of the cruiser. He was big but so sweet!
Cameron was so excited to see a cruiser and look inside but not quite willing to actually sit in there for a photo op. But, you guessed it, another little person was! Mommy actually got in on this one!
There are SO many buttons and switches....definitely some quick hands from Haiden who was all too interested in pushing!
We were able to see the holding cells, fingerprinting area, the polygraph room..
(Cameron was sill warming up to the photo ops yet) This chair really does look like the ones you see in movies and in such a teeny room!

Of course we took a tour of the shooting range. Very cool.
It's amazing what the officers are able to do and train here and how much time they devote to keeping their skills sharp! Cameron left with some cool stickers, books and yes a casing from a bullet and answers to some questions he asks us ALL the time when he sees a police officer!

And if that was not enough to pack our week, we also had a fun play date at a friend's pool(forgot the camera!), Cameron went to a neighborhood Kid's Club 4 afternoons(like VBS in a way), and we decided to pick blueberries in the humid air not once, but twice! I think the humidity was getting at my common sense but fresh picked blueberries are SO good and it was something we have not done before! The first time I went alone and picked just over 4 pounds. No chances for photos that day! But then I talked Torrey into going and then the photo ops were good!
Is this a good one Mommy? Notice none in the bucket!

Should I eat these or not?

What do you mean I am not supposed to dump them out and step on them?
This time, after a dirty diaper, a trip to the port-o-potty and a few cries the boys were dropped off at Grandpa and Grandma's and we were able to pick over 20 pounds!! YUM! I already made one batch of fresh blueberry muffins!

And last, I want to end with a pic that I have been seeing so much of this summer now that we can be out and about more in the pool and water.
This sweet boy with his goggles and life jacket. We had a birthday party at the beach this week, too! Anybody else ready for a nap!!

Our Summer Spot

This past weekend we headed to our summer spot, CranHill Ranch for our church camping retreat. This is trip 1 of 3 and we were very excited! Cameron kept asking "how many more sleeps?" and Haiden was ready for the "i pream"(ice cream) that his brother was getting him all geared up for!

This is our humble summer abode. I love our little pop up!
We didn't put the awning up for such a short weekend and we were in all shade but we hung our little lights up anyway:) Haiden could not keep his hands off the microwave or out of the fridge. I hope the newness of these things will wear off when we go back in another few weeks!
We were right next to Grandpa and Grandma Vruggink. Haiden has always loved going in and out of it.
CHEESE! Then he quick shuts the door!

Cameron got to get some early morning, catch and release fishing(with frozen worms..oops! I put them too close to the freezer in the fridge.)

The boys are up early so we usually have a morning snack before breakfast and it's usually with Grandpa Vruggink. It's kind of become a fun tradition!
Both boys would find every spicket they could and turn it on to make a muddy mess if we would let them. Haiden would always say he needed to "wash hands" and Cameron would of course go along to help in the mischief! Truly partners in crime most days!
A great weekend to get us even more excited for our week there coming up!

Pink Barbie Jeep and a Visit

Last week my best friend Courtney came for a two week visit and we were able to spend some time together which is rare for her trips here. I was so excited to see her and her kids and just do friend stuff together that we always talk about missing! She is a friend that no matter how long it has been since you have seen them last, you pick right up where you left off and feel as though no time has past. We have been friends since the 7th grade!!

Anyway, I only remembered to get pictures of the kids but hope to get one of us before she leaves this weekend. ;(
We have this pink Barbie jeep that was given to us, and it is a favorite around this house for the boys and for any who come to visit. My boys have no idea nor do they care about driving around the neighborhood in a pink jeep! And of course it was taken for a spin one night when they popped in!
This is Brody. He and Cameron get a long very well...both ALL boy!

And this is Addison. Don't they look cute together! She kept wanting to be by me and Haiden kept saying "my mommy!"
We also went to Meijer together, just popped in on one another to chat and went to Millennium park which I forgot my camera on that one! And with chasing two toddlers and boys around I don't think I would have been able to anyway. SO much fun, though!

A Late Recap

The week before the 4th we went to Binder Zoo with all the cousins...even Levi from the UP was able to join us in the fun! I wanted to post these pictures just because I actually got some great shots of the boys feeding the giraffes!

In the past I have not been able to capture what this is like but I actually got the giraffe's tongue(that Cameron fondly remembered being long enough to go up their noses) and the boys' expressions! It was really fun!
This was one of the baby ones that was just tall enough to reach the treats(and it's amazing how they curl their tongues around the ropes!)

Of course we have to stop for snacks!
This is all 9 grandkids on the Vruggink side with 2 more cousins to be added in October. Then there will be 11 under 11!

It was so fun to be able to have Levi along with us. He is about 4 months younger than Haiden. Are they cute or what!?
That spot on Haiden's forehead is finally gone. Carpet burn wound from wrestling with Daddy!

The day after the zoo, we packed up and headed to the UP with Grandpa and Grandma Vruggink to bring Levi back and see Tor's brother and sister-in-law who we have not seen since Christmas! I wish I would have gotten a picture of the van and trailer with 4 ATV's, coolers, totes and a bike. We sure did get a lot of looks as we were putt-putting along the highway.
All the guys had a great time waking up in the morning, packing snacks and jumping on the 3-wheelers and quads to explore some trails! We played, relaxed, took walks, had good food and enjoyed spending time with family that we wish we could see more often.

We were blessed to have them ALL sleeping after we stopped for lunch.
So sweet. This made the ride so much easier...for us and them!

Another stop was at the bridge. I am glad that Cameron will remember this now. It is so fun to try to see things through the eyes of a child and get as excited as they are about things as simple as being able to stick your toes in a lake and go over a huge bridge;)

Let's go!


Every morning, Haiden was so happy to not be left behind! You can't see it but he is smiling from ear to ear!

These 2 did not want to get off! We had to be careful because they both know how to turn them on!
CHEESE!!

And this one just gets on and goes. Fortunately he is safe and cautious!

This little one was a little annoyed that he could not drive the big one, so this kept his spirits happy! Fortunately, Levi was willing to share.

We went to a local bear ranch. It was a hot morning and only some were moving, but we still got to see a few up close. Cameron kept asking about when Daddy shot his bear, so we had to "sush" him as we went along the trails! Cameron did get a taste of bear hunting and was able to go with Trent and Torrey to bait bear and go two-tracking.

And after all the excitement and adventure, this is how Haiden felt on the long ride home....
A great mini vacation!

Haiden's First Dentist Appointment

I have A LOT to catch up on here, but I thought I would start with Haiden's first trip to the dentist because the pictures turned out so cute!

I thought it was just going to be a time for him to sit in the chair, see a few things, open his mouth and that would be good. Here he is in the chair. Doesn't he look SO grown up?!
He was sitting there so good, we just kept on going!

All the way back and mouth opened wide!
There is a TV to watch so that did help! I really was surprised that he stayed put for as long as he did, was relaxed, listened to the hygienist and kept his mouth open.

She was able to count his teeth(20!), scrape them, floss and clean them with the gritty toothpaste! I think he was excited to have something that was called bubble gum!
He even let brother help with Mr. Slurpee(which he asked for a few times after he found out how fun it was to have water sucked right out of your mouth!)
He got a little restless waiting for the dentist, but hopped right back in the chair when he came in!
I am so glad that this is one battle I do not have to fight with either of my boys and that it's something they look forward to....one thing they take after me I guess! I LOVE going to the dentist, too!

Hopefully up next....Binder Zoo and our trip up to the UP over the 4th!