You know you have a child in the year 2011 when ...

your teenager says to your 6 year old, "Can I change the channel?" And she replies, "That's fine. I'll just 'Resume' that show later."

That girl is a whiz at the DVR.

Yes, Kyndal is still a member of our family

We just don't see her very often! She is a teenager. It is summer. If I want to see her, I have to schedule it.

Last Friday we went, as a family, to the zoo for Rick's company picnic. I had to strong-arm her into going, and she only stayed about 45 minutes. But, it was something!

She asked me why I never post anything about her. I told her it's because I never see her!

So, here is a post with the pic I have of her from the zoo ... just to prove that she does still exist!

I'm ready for school to start so that we will have her around more. Oh, who am I kidding. Between work, school, friends and the lure of the baseball field, I'll be lucky to see her as she's running out the door in the mornings to school and when she's heading upstairs to bed.

Oh, to be a teenager.

Homeschool Yearbook

Girlies are never too young to enjoy seeing themselves in a yearbook! Our Homeschool Co-op did the most amazing yearbook this year for the kids! It was fabulous, and the kid loved it!

So She Thinks She Can Dance

A couple of weeks ago, Brynne went to her first dance camp. She is always dancing at home, showing us her "moves". She's quite a dancer!

Her little camp was a three-day "Superstar" camp. The girls learned some basic moves and leaps, learned a routine and even made a video!

She had so much fun! It wasn't high-intense, by any means. It was just fun!

She would really like to take dance classes this year, and this particular studio has a Homeschool class one morning a week. I think she would really enjoy it. Seems we'll be starting a dance class soon.

(Excuse the blurring pics ... she was boogying pretty fast!)

My Son or a Jack-o-Lantern?

Her First Sleepover

Here she goes next door to her first ever sleepover.

She was back home at 9:15 p.m. Oh well, baby steps.

A Hard Workin' (Young) Man

Dawson spent this past week working for my dad in Missouri, and will be working all next week, too. My dad has a plumbing construction company, and Dawson is doing hot, sweaty, heavy-lifting work, getting up at 6:30 in the morning (about 8 hours earlier than his summer norm) and working all day.

But, he got his first paycheck today. Grandpa is paying him $10 an hour, so getting up early and working hard is worth it. He texted me a picture of his first check and he is so excited!

And, he's been able to come home and do this ....

But that will be ending this weekend as he is helping my parents move and they will no longer have a pool. Oh well, the good paid wages should keep him going. He'll be able to make a good start to saving for a car. (I can't believe he is less than a year away from driving! Yikes!)

I am so proud of him right now. Great kid.

Double Check

Eli has now completed his Summer Reading Program. I am so proud of him! He has read all 21 books himself.

Summer Reading Program .... Check!

Today Brynne turned in her book list and received her last sticker to complete the Summer Reading Program! She received a medal, a blow-up airplane and a book of local coupons.

The difference between this year and years before is that I have required Eli and Brynne to read each of their books themselves instead of me reading them to them! She has read 22 books so far. Her goal is to read 60 books by the end of the summer. There's no doubt she can do it.

Eli is only 5 books away from receiving his prizes. We'll have that done by Monday.

So proud of my two kids!!

A Good Friend's Party

Today Brynne got to go to her sweet friend's 5th birthday party. They had so much fun playing on the Slip-n-Slide, eating blue icing off their cupcakes and getting their faces painted! What a fun day!