Lots of July Fun

Time for pictures and more pictures of this month so far! I'm talking lots!

We took a trip up north to visit family and have some fun at the beginning of this month. We stopped by Tucker's Great Grandma and Grandpa Lee's for Sunday dinner and hung out with cousins.

Tucker riding a little choo-choo train that my dad grew up with

Playing marbles on the marble ladder that Great Grandpa's dad made

Riding a cool trike in the backyard

Great Grandma pushing Tucker around on the trike

Tucker playing baseball with Daddy and my cousin Trent

My cousin, Amanda, Tucker, and Great Grandma on the swing while Great Grandpa checks the garden

Tucker playing in the playhouse in the backyard

On the fourth, we went to the zoo with Grandma and Grandpa Schaugaard, Amber, Kailtin, Sandy, Wade, Emabelle, Lizz, Jajue, Abbey, and Ginger.

Tucker is so funny. We showed him the elephants, and he just shouted, "Water!" 

because they were in playing in water. As for all the animals, 

I don't think Tucker knew what to think. He kind of just stood there 

and tried to take it all in that all the animals he has learned about are actually real :)

Tucker is so intrigued!

 Tucker and Emabelle scoping out the elephants

Tucker and Kaitlin--Tucker got his cool camo hat while we were there

 and now he freaks out if he doesn't know where it is.

Love this pic!

We crossed a bridge and just outside of the zoo fence was a huge garden, 

and Grandpa Schaugaard couldn't help but think that this was the greatest

exhibit there!

Mr. Tiger

Amber and Tuck

Daddy and Tucker looking at...?

Jajue being a turtle

Tucker going down the snake slide

Lizz, Jajue, Tucker, and Abbey

 Kaitlin and Tucker in the slide

Jajue and Tucker in the dinosaur egg

Amber, Kaitlin, Tucker, and Emabelle

I'd say we measure up to monkeys!

Grandma and Tucker

Kaitlin and Tucker hanging out with the gorilla

Posing by the gorilla

Tucker and Ginger

Sandy, Emabelle, Tucker, Amber, and Kaitlin taking a ride on the dinosaur

After the zoo we headed up to the Calderwood family reunion for some fun camping. The campground was close to the river, but no worries, we didn't even show the river to Tucker until we were leaving. We pointed it out to him as we were driving over the bridge, and he just shouted, "Water!?" like we had ripped him off the whole time. But we did let him go to the reservoir to swim where it wasn't so dangerous while we were up that way.

The first night we went to the small town fireworks near the campground.

Tucker tried so hard to stay awake and actually made it to see them

 

 

But here is the scary part about the camp out. I have heard a lot of stories about bears attacking campers in the past few weeks because the girls in our ward were heading to girls' camp where rumor had it there were bears in the midst (they didn't run into any by the way). The first night of camping, we left some of our leftover chicken bones on our camp table. Well, in the middle of the night we heard a "GRRRRRRR!" Everyone in the tent immediately woke up. And...the tent that we were in did not have a functioning zipper closure. So we were totally exposed to outside.  Du duh dum. I was freaking out at this point especially from all the bear stories. And whatever it was outside, brushed against my sister's leg in the tent right before we heard the growl (she was closest to the exposed doorway), and she was in total panic mode. Me too. We struggled to find our flashlight, and Gary went to inspect. I was afraid for his life. He didn't see anything. A few minutes later, back in the tent, we heard some rumbling around again. And...he went out to check again. It was a raccoon. I guess two of them were fighting over our chicken bones. And they ate my pastry that I was going to eat in the morning. I was so mad! We had stuff piled on top of the pastry box, and the raccoons totally went into the side of the box while all the stuff was still piled on the box. They didn't even wait for us to go to bed the next night, they were already scoping out the place as we went to brush our teeth!

Here is Tucker just hanging out around the campsite

I love this one, but just wish it was more in focus!

Here is Tucker with his choo-choo that he takes everywhere these days.

Tucker and Kelty having some CapriSun

My turn to beat Gary at our new favorite game on his iPad, Scrabble.

Gary making us some breakfast

My sis in her long-johns leading Tucker and Jajue through the campsite

Some more close-ups of this camping boy

In his natural habitat

Tucker playing the matching game with Uncle Andrew, Aunt Ginger, Aunt Abbey, and Jajue

Kelty and Tucker all ready in their suits to go swimming

Three kids buckled in and ready to go find some water

Finally we got to the water and my uncle, John, took Tucker and me for a little canoo ride.

Okay, so THIS one is really the picture of Tucker in his natural habitat.

Tucker and Aunt Abbey in the water

Me and Tuck in the water--poor little guy was getting cold

My mom jumped in the water with her clothes on and helped Tucker ride the rope swing

Go Tucker!

My nephew, Jajue, got into a mud fight...

...with his grandma and grandpa

Later that week we hung out with the Haroldsen's and went to see Cars 2, (which I totally loved by the way) and spent some time at Aunt Renate's wedding that was in Grandma and Grandpa Haroldsen's backyard.

 Renate and her granddaughter

 And how did I not get a pic of the bride and groom together?!

The kids all decided to play on the trampoline and Tucker wasn't about to be left out.

Here he is dragging a chair to the trampoline so he can climb up too.

Tucker found the dirt

"Momma, don't you tell me not to play in the dirt!"

Here's Gatlin, Tucker and another little friend looking at the chickens

One On The Way

If you didn't catch on to the hints here on the blog (at the end of the last post, on our blog banner), you wouldn't have known that we are expecting again! I thought maybe we should add a little more info than just hints, so here are some pictures. I am about 18 weeks now, and we're expecting a...

 BOY

Apparently we are good at making boys.

He should be here around the beginning of December!

Cramming Months Into A Post

We're alive! As I look at my pictures I can't believe how much updating I need to do!

These past weeks months have been crazy busy! I have been busily working on some illustrations for a children's book and it is taking more time than I thought it would! But it's now close to being done. Poor Tucker has been watching way too much Sesame Street on Netflix.

Here's an attempt to show you what we've been up to.

Tucker in the water:

This kid will drop and roll in a puddle if he sees one, and I'm not kidding. He did that at the park the other day, and then proceeded to lick the puddle for a drink like the dog. Gross.

Cotton Days Parade with the Callisters:

A trip up North to see my sister and her family get sealed and to visit other family:

Visiting Gary's mom in the hospital:

Tucker and his cousin, Emabelle, looking out the window from Grandma's room.

Annual Blocked Off Our Street Day A.K.A. Iron Man (They race right by our house--we had to park our car at the park and walk to the park if we wanted to go anywhere)

Tucker's birthday/Memorial Day with the Schaugaards, Backers and some Haroldsens:

 Tucker had his very own toy box cake complete with Toy Story toys!

The blocks inside were edible and spelled out Tucker's name. Pretty fancy!

Thanks Wade and Sandy!

We actually left our camera home on the day we went hiking

and swimming at some waterfalls in Leeds with the Schaugaards.

I am bummed that we don't have pictures.

Tucker's little Buzz and Woody friend birthday party at the Splash Pad:

And now that Tucker is two, we figure he is big enough to be doing some chores around here. You know, like mowing the lawn, gardening, vacuuming out the car--the usual:

And here's a little one day adventure to Baker's Reservoir that we took with Scott, Nate, Ben, and Elisha:

P.S. We are expecting!