L has been wanting a leotard

So we went to Value Village and he got a green one with black paw prints all over it. He is so very excited to be in gymnastics now, too. He will not wear the shorts I got for him over the leo. It is what it is: he is not budging and I am not pushing it. He is delighted with his new leo.

L put on some boxing gloves and hit the ring with Grandpa S.
He absolutely loved it...I refuse to consider the fact that he may someday enjoy boxing because I have never enjoyed boxing as a spectator sport or a pastime. However, with humongous padded gloves and headgear like this, it's really a different type of "boxing." The voices you hear during this video are my mother, father, aunt and uncle.

Air guitar, anyone?

louis, originally uploaded by Ken Reppart.

Jumpin' June Bugs

chloe, originally uploaded by Ken Reppart.

Relatives from Midland, Texas

We hosted my father and mother, my mother's brother and his wife and my sister for the weekend.

L refused to join the picture. He was too tired, so MP and he stayed inside and watched while our neighbor took this group picture of us.

My uncle and aunt hadn't been here since 1982, so we enjoyed showing them Spokane...Riverfront Park, Manito Park, and of course, the downtown library.

The English Garden in Manito

The colors are peaking right now in Duncan Garden.

A few of us went to Coeur d'Alene Lake...

It was
AMALIA
JODY
SARAH
JENNIFER
BETH & MAGGIE.
We spent the night at Jennifer's cabin in Coeur d'Alene. Needless to say, there wasn't a lot of sleeping...it was a blast. Moonlight skinny dipping and all.

I am so grateful for these women in my life, here in Spokane.

Now that Louis's nighttime parenting needs are minimal to nonexistent, I can come and go as I please at all hours of the day. Yay for me! It was such a fun time. Here's to many more great times with fabulous friends!

Today was the 1st day of 1st grade...

Today C wore the locket we gave her last year on her first day of Kindergarten. It has a picture of me and a picture of MP in it. She had a great first day.
Her favorite part was music; her least favorite part was "second recess because it was too hot outside."

They have three recesses. She did say that the day was too long, though. Last year she was at school for 2 1/2 hours; this year she is there 6 hours. It's an adjustment (for all of us!).

Skateboard

He has been begging for a skateboard, so we finally drove out to Target and got one! He likes wheels, that's for sure. He practices skateboarding several times every day.

He learned to pedal on his bike (with training wheels) a couple of weeks ago. He didn't know how to brake at first so he would tip the bike over to stop. Crashing doesn't bother him at all. He crashes, hops up and assures us "I'm otay." He gets back on the bike and repeats it all over again. He did learn to brake a bit better in the last week or so...