Toothless

Raquel's tooth has been loose for the past 2 weeks and tonight it finally came out.  Mike helped it along by tying dental floss around the tooth and let Raquel try to pull it out on her own.  The tooth was so loose it easily came out with a small slow tug.  She was so excited that she finally lost her first tooth.  She went and showed her friend Ann and Luke.  She really wanted to keep her tooth, and so I found this cute little poem to leave under her pillow along with her money and tooth.

Toothless Raquel

Raquel with her friend Luke.  He lost a tooth yesterday.

The Tooth Fairy note

Chinese Horse Camp

Raquel just finished attending Camp Timber Ridge where she spent all day riding horses, learning about plants and a little Chinese.  She had lots of fun. Her favorite part was riding a horse named Sunny.  On the last day all the families were invited to come to a little program and learn all about what the campers had been doing all week.  Raquel and her fellow campers sang a few songs in Chinese and she showed us around camp.   

Raquel at camp

Raquel, Marcus & Natalya enjoying cookies at camp

Raquel with her fellow campers

Dentist

Natalya and Marcus visited the dentist this week.  Natalya was a great patient and showed her little brother Marcus how it was done.  Marcus did well for his first time.  He wasn't too sure about the whole thing and just sat in the chair but wouldn't open his mouth. But he also didn't cry which was great.

Natalya getting her teeth cleaned.

Marcus hanging out in the dentist chair.

Pirates Ahoy!

These landlubber kids and I had a grand time at the pirates party at the library.  The kids learned to speak like a pirate, read a few books about pirates, went on a treasure hunt around the library and collected their pirate booty (stuffed animals).  They also ate pirate grub (swedish fish, nuts & berries and goldfish), colored parrots that sat on their shoulders and made spy glasses and swords.

Coloring their parrots

Marcus eating his pirate grub

Erik playing with the pirate booty

Me Mateys Natalya, Raquel and Marcus with their parrots, booty& spy glasses

Tap, Tap, Tap

Natalya practicing her dance moves.

Tap, Tap, Tap turn around and curtsy.

Natalya is loving her dance class and practices the little moves she learns all the time.

Winner!

In May at the Wheels and Wagons event the kids entered an art contest.  The art was to be featured on the side of the bus and the winners on the back.  The bus was finally unveiled July 16th and the kids had fun playing on the bus and finding their pictures on the side.  Natalya was one of the 4 winners and her art work is on the back of the bus. The kids ate popcorn, got pictures with the bus and the mayor and had fun with their friends Jackson & Gracie.  Raquel then had her first sleep over at Gracie's house.  

Marcus showing is picture

  

Raquel & her picture

Raquel, Natalya & Marcus hanging out on the bus

Bus driver Raquel

Marcus loved playing on the bus

Some of the other kids who entered & the mayor

Marcus hanging out with the mayor

Natalya & her winning art work on the back of the bus.

Natalya's picture

Raquel, Gracie, Natalya, Jackson & Marcus

Swimming

Its been awhile since we've been swimming and Mike had the day off which made it the perfect day to go.  The kids had lots of fun playing and keeping cool in the water.

 Natalya, Marcus & Raquel 

Marcus in his new goggles

Natalya

The 4th

We spent the 4th with our family friends the Brian/Folkart family.  We enjoyed the town parade and had a yummy BBQ.  When it got dark Raquel & Natalya joined dad at the old high school to watch the town fireworks.  They laid in the back of Mike's truck and watched them right over head.  Raquel ended up falling asleep but this was Natalya's first year watching the big fireworks and really enjoyed them.

Marcus and Mike enjoying the parade

Luke, Nick, Erik, Natalya, Raquel, Mike, Marcus & Jessica
at the parade.

Marcus waving his flag.

Natalya & Raquel in their flag shirts

Raquel pulling the horn on a fire truck at the parade

Marcus waving his flag at the parade.

Natalya & Raquel waiting for the fireworks.

Erik

Erik is getting to be a big boy and enjoys hanging out with his family and is starting to make all sorts of talking sounds.  Here is a video of him talking.  He gets a little shy when the camera comes out and doesn't talk as much but I think i caught some cute face expressions. 

Wind Storm

We had a huge wind storm Friday night June 29th.  Just as we were about to lay tile in our basement bathroom the lights went out and stayed out for the next two days.  We were lucky enough to have no damage from wind or trees.  There were lots of big trees and branches that fell on houses and cars in our neighborhood.  With no electricity and extremely hot temperatures we did what we could to stay cool.  We played at the pool, hung out at Home Depot and the kids went a few days with out clothes on around the house.  We were also lucky to be able to transfer the entire contents of our fridge and freezer to a couple of friend's houses and didn't loose any food.  It was an exciting couple of days and with the help of good friends who fed us and allowed us to keep cool in their air conditioned houses we survived, but we were sure happy when our power came back on.

Showing the outside temperature on Sat.
Most of Blacksburg residences were with out power.

Natalya keeping cool at the pool.

Raquel having fun with dad, Natalya & her friend Alexa.

Marcus keeping cool at Home Depot.
He had fun playing on all the lawn mowers.

Erik trying to stay cool while at home.