Cute Caleb

Here is the cutest baby you've ever seen:

He likes to stick his tongue out :)

I took this picture this week (less than two weeks after the preceeding pictures.) He is really filling out; it's amazing what a few bottles of formula will do.

Popsicles

Swimming Finale

Tonight we were at a birthday pool party and Meg and Nate looked like little fish in the water. Here are a few highlights from the last days of this summer's swimming lessons.

Nate rang the bell! (so did Meg; see previous post).

Our annual last-day-of-swimming picnic and ice cream outing turned into a night at Chick-fil-A (we're thankful for the much needed rain). How many napkins does it take to clean up 3 kids each eating a 5-inch high ice cream cone?

On the way home we stopped at an ATM and noticed several police cars and fire engines around the bank. When we drove around to the other side of the building this is what we saw. It wasn't covered on the local news, so it probably wasn't an attempted robbery. Pretty interesting, none the less.

School Supplies

Meg and I went school shopping this week

and met Erik for lunch. Do you think she looks excited?

Weekend in North Georgia

The Lieuwens invited us to spend 4th of July weekend with them at their cabin in North Georgia. We had a great time, especially the kids.

Wading and rope-swinging at the Toccoa River

Lost at Last!

Meg finally lost her first tooth! Her permanent tooth has actually been coming in for a couple of months now, and her baby tooth finally began to loosen a few weeks ago. Erik tried several times to pull it, but Meg chickend out each time. So when it was hanging by the very last root he convinced HER to pull it. She gave it a little twist and out it came!!
Have you ever seen a tooth this small!?!
Fortunately the tooth fairy has good eyes :)

Sprinklers! (according to Nate)

Happy Birthday, America!

Attention Grandparents: please skip the next two pictures.

Crazy rides in the Lieuwens' pick up truck. Don't be fooled by the

blurry background, they are driving very slowly :)


Kate took a little snooze on day two while everyone else played in the river.

As you can see, we were hardly roughing it.

There will also be a view as soon as LumberJack Lieuwen fells enough trees.

(McBrides, these are for you; I don't think you've seen the cabin yet.)

Main cabin - nice big deck

full kitchen
family room

dining area

loft

(not pictured: bedroom and bathroom on the main floor)
guest cabin
with kitchenette, bedroom, full bath, and small deck

Swimming Lessons

2020 Olympic Freestyle Hopefulls

Nate working on his torpedo

(He's the kid in the middle next to instructor in yellow swim cap.)

Meg ringing the bell (but she can't remember why)

When a student masters a new skill, they get to ring the bell. She couldn't tell me why she got to ring the bell, but she is doing great! She has started learning real strokes and yesterday she kicked the whole length of the pool on her back.

One Berry, Two Berry, Pick Me a Blueberry

This morning we got ourselves together and out of the house by 8:15 to pick blueberries. It was unseasonably cool for July 1 (67 at 9am) and, with Mender here, I had help with the little kids. The ripe berries were a little sparse, but everyone persevered until we had 1 gallon. A fun day today; blueberry pancakes for breakfast tomorrow! (Kate ate at least 1 pint right there in the field. I'm afraid her intestines are going to turn blue.)