Peace out, training wheels!

Emma doesn't disappoint with her little debut at the end.

Family Camp

We just returned from a magical week at a magical camp.. complete with a magical family helper.  This place is for real, yo... check it out!  We spent the week eating delicious food (that I didn't have to plan, prepare, serve, or clean up), doing super fun activities (that I didn't have to come up with), hearing great teaching, and participating in fun and meaningful worship.  ON TOP OF THAT, we were assigned a family helper who hung out with us the whole week and helped us out in anyway we needed or wanted.  She helped us unload the car, played with the kids, helped the kids get their food at meal times, cleaned our dishes and table, sat with the monitor while Charlie slept, changed diapers, and MORE.  This camp is officially on our agenda every summer from now on.  The directors are so gifted at loving and serving and they teach their staff to serve well too.

The other awesome part is that we were there with lots of family.. both my sister's and brother's families were there as well as one of my cousin's family!

Family selfie on the way to camp!

Our helper was awesome and the kids loved her!  We wanted to take her home with us.

Archery

The girls took a horse class each day called Little Dudes.  They learned how to approach a horse, mount and dismount, brush it, make the horse start and stop, turn it, and even trot!

The bungee trampoline was a huge hit!  They girls did this at least once a day!

Emma decided to tackle the cargo net.  She rocked it!

The adults took a kayak trip down the Mississippi River... so fun!

Relaxing and reading in the hammocks in the middle of the day while someone played with our kids... seriously, it really happened!

Date night!  It's a scheduled event for the week... the parents head out and the helpers have special activities planned for the kids and then feed them dinner and put them to bed.  They think of everything!

Tubing was another fun activity!

Proof that Charlie came with us!  :)

Emma rocked ice blocking!  Think sliding down a hill on a giant block of ice.

Check out this hilarious slow-mo video of Emma.

Charlie's first experience with sand!

Not pictured:  lots more fun at the lake - canoeing, swimming, jumping off the rope into the water, blobbing, water sliding, digging in the sand.  Another highlight that I don't have photo evidence of is the night zip line.  The adults went on this adventure together...  it was terrifying and exhilarating!  Zip lining 50 feet above a valley in the pitch black night.  You had to hike up a hill and then climb a tree to get to this eensy weensy platform.  Just getting to the start was an adventure! Then you had to get up the courage to jump off said platform.  It.was.freaky.  I screamed the entire way.   Super fun, though!

I'm not even kidding when I say this was the best family vacation we have taken since having kids.  You all really need to join us next summer.  Thanks for an awesome week, Village Creek!  Can't wait until next year.

I'll call this 'Emma's take on Charlie"

I took this video several weeks ago, initially trying to get Charlie to coo.  He didn't perform very well so I almost deleted it. But then I listened to the lyrics of Emma's original song and knew this was a keeper.

Translation:

and you are the one who eats food from Mommy's boobies
and you are the only one that dos it
and every time you have a nappy
you alone (something something) clappy
and you know how to nap, nap
and nap and nap and nap
and you know how to nap
and you know how to nap
and you nap and you nap
and you cry and cry
you don't every high
and you always spit up someday
and you never see what you never hide
never see what you never hide
never see
never hide
anyhow

Stories by Emma

Emma is really into story telling lately.  Here's a couple of her latest for your viewing pleasure..

Translation:

Once upon a time there was me being a baby last time in mama's tummy. (Indecipherable word)  The end.  Sissy push me in the swing.  The end.

Translation:

Once upon a time there was Daddy and Claire going on a run.  Go. The end.  Me and Mommy and Sissy and Daddy.  Sissy push me on a swing last time at no more park.  The end.

Songs by Emma

I'm loving the one on one time Emma and I get while Sissy is at school.  Here are a couple videos I got today of Emma singing.

 

 

 

Cuteness

Here are some recent videos of Emma.  She's so fun these days!

Emma's song

Here is a funny little clip of Emma singing her little tune...

She's a walker!

Dancin' Girl

The girls have really been into Shaun the Sheep lately... great kids' videos with some catchy tunes!  Probably the least annoying of any kids' movies/shows I have ever seen.  Emma has quickly become a fan. She LOVES the beginning of each episode and starts dancing as soon as she hears the music start. See evidence below. Oh, and this was during the week that she had a high fever so don't mind the fact that she's shirtless. :) 

In other news, Emma has been doing TONS of walking today and I think it's safe to say she's officially a walker! We got lots of video evidence today. Justin is putting together a little video to show off her skills.. stay tuned for that one!

Need a good laugh?

Make sure your volume is up! 

Claire's big performance

Check out Claire's big performace at the talent show during the family reunion we just attended (more to come on that later..) 

We had been talking FOR WEEKS about singing Away in a Manger for everyone at the reunion.  She always would say she wanted to do it but I would've put money on her getting too shy and not actually following through.  She definitely surprised me!

 

I think it's safe to say she stole the show!

Claire's new love

Claire has been babbling and "talking" for awhile now, but she has recently discovered a new form of communication... the scream!

Rockin & Rollin

I wanted to make sure it wasn't a fluke, so after she did this for the first time ever this morning, I put her back on her tummy. She rolled again.. and again.. and again! I think it was her extreme hatred of tummy time that inspired her to roll herself over. Whatever the reason, go baby girl, go!