Happy August! The countdown begins - 18 days!!!

It's 7:00am, and I'm currently waiting for the first kid to wake up. That doesn't happen often...or ever for that matter. I heard Gracie saying, "hi" over and over on the monitor so I got up, but now she is laying back down, so I thought I would get started on this. I think she feels like she needs to wait until she hears that Jack is awake before she can get out of bed. Every morning Jack calls for me ("Mommy, I'm all done sleeping now. I'm wake up. Come and get me please."), I go get him, then we go in and get Gracie, so I think it's just a routine for her now.

I took a photography class at Best Buy this weekend. They just taught the basics of all the things D-SLR cameras can do. I was practicing quite a bit yesterday. I took my camera off the automatic setting, and set all of the pictures up based on the conditions. Hopefully I'll get better and better! It's hard when your main subjects are so energetic. After I manage changing the aperture, shutter speed, ISO, etc. I might want to make some purchases like a flash attachment, some lens filters, and a telephoto lens. :) 

Jack absolutely LOVES swimming these days. He often will tell me, "mommy, will you please text Beth to see if we can go in her ploo (pool)?" 

jump!

The title of this picture is "Lazy Sunday". Needless to say, he was my easiest subject! 

Trying to get the look where one main close-up object is in focus, and the background is blurry.  

SO excited to put flowerbands on the baby!! Grace won't keep them in for long at her age.

I got out our huge storage bin of books last night to try to find a specific one for Jack. I go a little crazy buying books for them, so what I end up doing is just rotating the books out every couple of months or so. They each found several to pull out and keep on their bookshelves. Jack was silent for a LONG time going through all the books that he's never seen. The kids loves his books! Grace is liking them more and more all the time, but not as much as her brother.

Don't think she's too excited about the tutu! She kept saying, "off" and trying to pull it down.

This weekend Mike and Kiya took the kids for a few hours. They went to a park in Tavares that we've been meaning to go to this summer at some point. Sounds like everyone had a fun time. And Colin and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing a movie and going to Target, BJs, and Publix. We got lots done, and man, is shopping a leisurely experience when the kids aren't with you! :) Pictures from the park:

Last night we were eating dinner. Jack had been next door playing, and was telling us about that. He was sitting on the kitchen table eating a plate of popcorn chicken when I asked him why he wasn't sitting in his chair. His response: "That's a good question!"

And a couple of pictures from this morning - Grace knows I like them to sit together for pictures. She took it upon herself to go sit by the front door where the lighting is usually the best, so I took advantage of the photo opportunity!

Grace smiles! 

Jack smiles! He was saying, "Gracie tickled me!"

Gracie and I are just laying low today and staying in the air conditioning. We did make a quick Winn Dixie run, but other than that, we are just hanging out at home. I pondered going in to get some work done at school, but I think we will do that on Thursday. She is napping now. I'm going to eat lunch and clean up around here. We might do a rare thing (for a weekday) and head to the fire station for a visit after we go pick up Jack from school.