Fun with markers

Lately Tanek has enjoyed drawing and coloring. Today he was sitting at his table and coloring with markers.
I was sitting there watching him and he was enjoying himself.

He was very engrossed in his work.

I got him to look up for a minute so I could take a picture of him. He was doing very well with the markers.

The next thing I knew this was the result. I am not sure how he managed to get this all over his face but thankfully they were washable markers. I thought he looked very cute and couldn't resist taking a picture of him. Three year olds are so much fun. Every day with them is an adventure. I am very blessed to be able to share a lot of these special times with him.

Swimming in the Rain!

Today after having lunch at Johnny's Karen, Nicole, Casey, Austin, & Jackie came over to go swimming. As soon as papa and Tanek got in the pool it started raining. Since there was no lightning they all just kept swimming. Here is Casey and Austin showing Tanek how to wear goggles.
Papa, Tanek, and Austin playing with the monster trucks in the pool in the rain.

Papa and Tanek in the rain.

In between rain showers Casey, Nicole, Karen & Austin

Jackie, Karen and Nicole

After swimming when the thunder and lightning started we came on the porch. Austin and Tanek with their monster trucks.

These little trucks really are cute and lots of fun .

Nicole

Casey

Karen holding Tanek and Austin

We have enjoyed spending some time with the family from Minnesota. They will soon be going back home. I hope they have stored up enough of Johnny's bbq to last them until the next visit.

Haircut time...again!

Today was time for Tanek to have another haircut. This is one of his most unfavorite things to do. SO with promises of going swimming right afterwards, and anything else I could think of we started on the dreaded haircut. This little guy DOES NOT like his hair cut. Unfortunately his hair grows very fast and he has a lot of it. So we get it done however we can. Today we started with him playing with his toy bulldozers. That lasted a few minutes and then it was lots of complaining after that. We did manage to get it cut. He did get to go swimming and everything was good after that. He still loved his Nana and wasn't mad at me anymore. He had lots of fun swimming.
After swimming we came in and he had a bubble bath to get ready for gymnastics. He likes to pretend he is papa and puts bubbles on his face like a mustache and says he is papa.

He was quite pleased with his mustache made of bubbles.

After the haircut, after swimming and after the bath he was ready to get back to just regular playing. He was his happy self again. He is looking forward to tomorrow when Austin, Casey, Nicole, Karen and Cary will come over to swim. He loves having a "boy cousin" to play cars with. He is looking forward to it. Austin has all girl cousins, and I think he likes having a boy cousin to play with. Tanek finally went to sleep tonight thinking about Austin coming over tomorrow.

Minnesota family +1

Last night Cary, Karen, Nicole, Casey & Austin Ryan and Jackie came over to go swimming and visit. They are down from the High North of Minnesota. We enjoyed visiting with them and they enjoyed an evening swim in the 90 degree water. Here is Austin, Nicole and Casey.
Jackie with the grands.

Cary taking a quick swim

Karen with Jackie in the background

Karen & Nicole on the porch

We enjoyed spending time with them. Tanek loved having another boy to play with. Austin was nice enough to introduce Tanek to the "Monster cars." Which required a trip to wal-mart today to pick up a couple of them. Hopefully they will have time next week to come back and spend a day.

Overnight trip to St. Augustine Beach

Wednesday and Thursday we spent at St. Augustine Beach. Meme Anita, Garrett, Chandler, Morgan, Stephanie, Tanek and I had a great time. We spent our time between the beach and the pool. It was quite hot and the water pretty warm. St. Augustine isn't as pretty as the gulf beaches, but any beach is beautiful. We all had a great time playing in the water, and sand and sun. Below is Tanek strolling on the beach with his shades on and Morgan building in the sand.

Tanek, Morgan and Stephanie building sandcastles in the sand.

Tanek giving Garrett a little water to cool him off.

Stephanie builds very nice sand castles for Tanek.

Back at the pool with Tanek, Chandler and Garrett.

Walking on the beach yesterday afternoon. It was so beautiful. It had stormed a couple hours before and the sky was just beautiful and it was so relaxing to just walk along. Tanek and Morgan are looking for shells and sharks teeth.

I just love the beautiful ocean and sky. It is just so majestic. It just makes you realize how great our God is to create such beauty for us to enjoy.

Tanek just couldn't get enough of the water.

Meme keeping in touch with her hubby.

Tanek & meme looking for shells.

I LOVE the beautiful sky

We saw this big hole and Tanek coldn't wait to get inside of it.

Another beautiful sky picture. I love clouds and all the different forms they take.

Morgan and Tanek just walking along and enjoying theirselves. Tanek loves his adopted family. He doesn't have cousins near by and Morgan, Chandler and Garrett are more like older brothers and sister. And meme is way on top of his fave people.

This picture was taken this morning with the sun on the ocean and it was beautiful. How I would love to live at the beach and beable to walk on it every morning. There just isn't anything more beautiful or peaceful.

The sun shinning on the water is just so beautiful.

Tanek running on the water. I love the way it shows his hair blowing as he runs.

Jumping up in the water. This was a great trip. We had lots of time to play, relax, eat and enjoy each others company and of course the beauty of the beach. What more could you ask for.? Maybe Disney next? Actually have 2 trips planned in August .

Tanek at the beach

More Maryland Pictures!

Proud Daddy with his girls before the recital. Here is Emily with her daddy.
Hannah and her daddy

Daddy and his two dancers Emily and Hannah

Kirsten and her daddy. Kirsten is the horseback rider in the family and she is very good. Hannah was also a good rider, but decided to go back to dance. She is also a good dancer and Emily loves dancing so much.

Kirsten and Dad waiting for the dress rehersals to start.

Some pictures outside before we left for dress rehersals.

Emily doing a part of her dance. How cute is this?

After the recital with all their flowers. Emily is just a little tired out. She was the cutest bunny of all.

Hannah was a beautiful poppy in the recital. Of course I think she was the prettiest poppy of all.
Flowers from mom & dad and nana.

Hannah wears many hats. Here she was getting ready to practice for Upward Basketball the Monday after the recital. SHe is a pretty good player too.

Hannah loving the kitty while Kirsten has her riding lesson.

Kirsten is an avid rider. She loves horses so much and doesn't mind brushing and cleaning up around the horse. She loves the smell of a horse stable. She competes sometime in riding.

This is serious stuff to her. She would live here if she could. She is a very pretty rider.This is a large horse and I think she looks very pretty riding on him.

Brushing him down before and after riding him.