What Happened?!?! the Highlights

Evidently I needed a break.  I have been postponing my return to blogging, trying to think of something brilliant or newsworthy. I still have nothing.  I will share some recent, well, somewhat recent events in our lives.
--Gideon learned to ride a two wheeler in a few days time with very little help from his parents. In fact on day 2 (after practicing with Stephan the night before) he told me that I didn't need to keep holding on?!?!  So he would coast and balance a ways and come back to try again.  After seeing his success I suggested he try pedaling and he pretty much rode around the driveway after that. There were several falls. Several.  He would tell everyone that he can ride a two wheeler with NO training wheels (insert cheesy grin) and that he fell and hurt his knee .  . . Now he does tricks.  Yesterday I recorded several tricks that we did not teach him.  he rides with his feet on the top of the tire or on the handle bars, he also rides with one foot on the handlebars and one behind him, and he stands with both feet on the same pedal.  His first 'trick' was swerving and currently he is working on pulling the front wheel up. I think he is crazy and Briella thinks he is VERY crazy (She hasn't learned the 2 wheel yet...we are slowly talking her into it, but our summer days are running out...)
--Briella and Gideon took swimming lessons from the local swim nazi.  It was a bit traumatic, each day we had to count how many times we went and how many more times we had to go (both on the trip to Rita's and on the trip home).  Gideon asked repeatedly why they had to go 5 times.  By Friday they were both smiling when jumping in the side or off the board and could swim across the pool.  They have practiced a little since then, but it is nice to know they know how to swim and know a little water safety, too.  On Friday, the final day, Miss Rita talks to the kids and parents about water safety and she asked the kids what would they do if they fell into the pool.  Right away, Briella answers "Sink."  Rita says, "No, you SWIM, you know how to swim so you SWIM."  Briella's fear is sinking in the water and would cling on to either parent for dear life any time we were in the water. (see below for update)
--Asher is using some words and doing a lot more jabbering in the last month.  He and Gideon enjoy some wrestling matches, although they are short-lived because one of them tends to get hurt.  Asher has worn out 3 pairs of shoes while coasting on the tricycle.  He loves being outside almost as much as Gideon.
--My youngest brother, Tyler, got married in Canada in July.  I flew out by myself and left Stephan with the kids.  It went well on the homefront, he even managed a parade with all three :)  I was having issues trying to keep track of my kids in the midst of the other children around, then realizing my kids were not there, only to repeat the drama 42 minutes later.  And I lost a night of sleep on the way home, that was rough on many levels.  BUT the wedding was beautiful (I didn;t take my camera because I knew my sister would take TONS of pictures) and the rehearsal was the most fun one I've been to!!  I had a great visit with a former roommate and got to meet her husband during my layover in Portland.  The kids still talk about when I was in Canada like it is some exotic faraway place.
--We spent a few days camping at a near by 'resort' lake.  We had a small cabin. It was about 12'x15' including 2 bunks, a double bed, a table with 2 chairs, and a small fridge.  It was cozy.  We were close to the bathrooms (which is VERY important when camping with kiddos) and the pool was fabulous.  Since we stayed from Monday-Thursday it was not very busy.  The kids loved it and can't wait to camp again.  Maybe next summer we can try tenting it again??!?!  We spend hours at the pool and the kids really did great swimming to us, jumping in, playing (not clinging).  The puddle jumper life 'jacket' was awesome for Asher, he stayed up right and was able to 'swim' from parent to parent and was brave enough to just float about (i.e. no clinging).
--Earlier this summer Stephan built  a BIG sandbox in the back yard and the kids are playing in it more and more as the summer goes on.  Grandpa B made them a digger that we haven't had a place for them to use it until now.  We also got new neighbors and their girls are over often and want to play back there.  
--I think these are the highlights . . . maybe I missed some but I guess I can always post again and have 3 for August!!!  I would like to share some pics of Tyler and Rebecca's wedding, so I will get on that before their anniversary soon!
If you haven't seen Gideon's bike tricks, there is a video below.
 

Monster Trucks

 A good friend of Stephan's got tickets to the monster truck show and invited Stephan and Gideon along.  Gideon was a little concerned when I told him it might be noisy (he is actually quite sensitive to noise!?!?!), but he ended up having a blast.  He was so excited to tell me how they crashed and smashed cars.  He also said at least three times that he did not like the teeth one . . . must have been on the side of a truck, Stephan wasn't even sure what he was talking about.  Gideon really liked the bus one :)  He told me that at least three times when he got home, too.
Speaking of three . . . Gideon is very excited to turn free on March twenty free.  I should teach him to show three fingers, but he only has singers on his hands and I'm not sure if he can put free singers up, we'll see :)  He often talks about going in the ban to various places and I realize now why he calls the van a ban, he sings the alphabet ABC  (yada yada) T U B W X Y and Z.  He has no V which leads to much confusion.  We'll keep working on the correct pronunciation of Finger, THRee, and Van . . .

  

Baseball Games

 

Recently we have been to a couple of baseball games . . . last month when my parents were here we went to a WhiteCaps game with my sister's family (above).  Zion's (where I used to teach) baseball team played at the same stadium this past weekend.  Our kids were excited to see Uncle Paul (from church, not a real uncle) play.  We came home with two squishy baseballs, a game ball, and a red shirt from some radio station.  Gideon loves the little baseballs and carries them around the house saying "baseball game" and "baseball game again" and "uncle Paul baseball."
(All photos are from Stephan's i phone)

 Paul had his 100th strike out of the season during the game!  Gideon threw his ball up the stairs around 100 times, too . . .

 Briella found lots of friends to sit by, share snacks with, get autographs with, go to the dugout with, and cuddle with . . . she is way more into people than sports!

WW--Sad to see Daddy go

Pam's wedding --Tyler's Lacrosse Game

Our handsome Gideon . . . looking very serious. I think he is wondering why I put the effort into putting his suit back on just for a picture. I tried to explain that the wedding day was a blur and we didn't get any pictures of just him and hardly any of the family and I dont know if he will fit into it on Sunday since he is growing like a weed!!!


Pam is married!!! I'm only posting this because Pam looks so great and Jen and Mindy, too. I should not be so vain that I don't want a picture of me 2.5 weeks post postpartum on the internet. So I'll get over it and post it anyway . . .
The beautiful bride and her brothers . . . and her husband :) Notice how Nate and Ryan don't really smile, Daniel has a smirk, not really a smile, and Tyler is faking it and thinking the photographer is annoying (actually they are probably all thinking that!) Saturday we went to Tyler's lacrosse game at Dordt, he scored, they won and we had fun!! I've never watched lacrosse before, but it wasn't too hard to catch on. It is a team sport with little 'traditions' like raising your sticks in a huddle, doing a "RA RA" cheer for the other team, fans, and ref at the end of the game, and riding a stick horse in your undies the first time you score. Interesting !?!?!?

Update on Nieces, etc.

Wow, I am getting slower at this. First, congratulations to my sister Jen's family on the birth of a healthy baby girl, Ellie Grace was born on June 6!! Congratulations to Stephan's sister Luanna and family on the birth of a healthy girl yesterady, Acacia Marie! So including Briella and my sister Mindy's daugther that is 4 girls and 1 boy in one year! Briella will have lots of cousins to play with!
We think Briella is teething and that is why she spends an hour or more talking in bed and is happy to see us come in her room to lay her back down. Rather than sucking on her pipe, she puts it in sideways and chews on it, A LOT. She moves all over the place and 'walks' along the couch, she tries to reach everything and amazes me with how far those hands can get! We had her 9 month pictures taken and should be able to pick them up and send them out soon.
In other news, I am finally playing soccer again! I was able to sub for an indoor team with some friends from church and then they decided to put together a co-ed outdoor team. Our first game was last week . . . I am not able to run for 70 minutes, we are supposed to have girl subs next week, we played one girl down and lost 3-1. It was still a ton of fun and I am looking forward to the rest of the season.
Last week Stephan took his service week and taught 4th grade VBS in the mornings and worked at Love Inc in the afternoons. The week went fast and he had a lot of fun, the kids always love him. He is busy at least one night every week with deacon meetings or visits and enjoys softball on Wednesdays. (Thankfully my soccer games are on Tuesdays and Thursdays so we can watch Briella while the other one plays)