New things and other things

The last few weeks have been full of new things for us, mostly around the house. I decided that our toybox just wasn't cutting it. All the little things were falling to the bottom, and no matter how many times I cleaned it out, it was just one big heap of toys and only the top ones were played with. Also, we had places for toys all over the family room and I needed to start making room for the pack in play in the family room when the baby comes in 6 weeks.
So, this was my solution.It seems to work really well. They each have a bin that they can keep their little things in, and then there's a bin for stuffed animals and one for balls. Whatever does not fit in these shelves, goes downstairs for awhile, until we want to rotate toys.

About 4 weeks ago we were walking through Sams club and on a whim we decided to buy this humongous swingset for the kids. I had wanted one for awhile but never saw one that had everything I wanted on it. Well, this one has everything! - swings, slide, tire swing, climbing wall, playhouse on top with a telescope, rope ladder, hanging trapeze bar, etc....
The fourth of July weekend, Kenneth started putting it together. We were very thankful to my dad who came over 2 days and helped and our brother in law, Anthony was able to help one day also. They were able to get the main supports up before it rained too hard on the 4th of July!

Luke even "helped"

Kenneth got the rest of it done that next week and it has been great!

2 weeks ago (when I was majorly suffering from my poison oak), we all decided to stay home from church and sleep in a little bit. Well, it just happened to be the perfect Sunday to be home because around 11AM, On the street right by our house, the city of Dayton was moving 4 historical buildings to Carillon park and we just happened to be right on their path. It was a big deal, on national news and everything, so I got a few pictures of the houses going by. They even had bagpipe players leading the way :-)


While I was watching the buildings go by, Kenneth took the kids fishing for the first time and they had a blast! He said they both got in the water and were soaked and had fun playing in the water (hence why they both don't have shirts on in this picture). They went again to another spot a week later and caught 8 fish between the 3 of them.
The kids really love fishing (especially their princess and spider man poles)- and Kenneth does too.
I just love everything that Kenneth is starting to do with the kids - like fishing and also he decided he wanted to start camping with them. He is such an amazing dad!
Last weekend (Friday night) he camped out with the kids in the backyard. They actually made it through the whole night in the tent - I thought for sure they would all come in in the wee hours of the morning or something. So, other than our neighbors having a big party in their backyard until after 11PM, everything went very well.

It's a 6 man tent, but if the people in it are Luke and Esther's size, it might actually fit about 20! Seriously though, it is pretty big inside - I was surprised

Another new thing for the kids is that Saturday night they got to sleep in their new bunkbeds! Kenneth put them together on Saturday and then we also switched all the furniture from room to room. The room that Esther has been in for over 4 years is now going to be the baby room, and Esther and Luke are together in Luke's room.
The best part about the bunkbeds is that the top one is eye level for me, so it's pretty low. that makes me feel a little better about Luke climbing up there and jumping off (which he hasn't done yet, but I know it's coming). and also, it's easier on a short mom to put Esther to bed.

This is nothing new, just my funny little man

Apparently he likes tattoos already!

This is the 33 week shot

Ready to go to the pool - little American girl!

I got them these cute chairs from kohls for at the pool, so I only have to take up one pool chair for myself. Esther got a princess one and Luke got Mickey Mouse.

Esther just decided about 2 weeks ago, that she wasn't scared to go down the slide anymore. So, now she goes forward and backward every time we go to the pool - going completely under the water at the bottom.

Esther started swimming lessons this month and is doing so well in them! I don't have any pictures because I still have to be in the water with her, but maybe I can take a few next month when she moves onto the next class without a parent.
She loves to swim around in the water at the waterpark when we go.

And Luke likes to swim around in his intertube

That's all for now, more to come on our most recent project this week - the baby room!