So I can not believe that it is already September.  We have been so busy with trips and house projects, so I haven't had any time to update pictures so this is the summer in a couple posts. 

We have a zoo membership so we have been there quite a few times.  Addy and Graham love the little carousel right when you come into the zoo. 

The kids also enjoy feeding the animals.  Graham is much more brave then Addy.  She just puts a piece on the edge and pushes it towards the animal, but Graham is right up in there feeding from his hand.

While the boys went fishing, us girls (and Graham) went to Bismarck to visit Brenna.  We also picked up Kelly on Saturday and took him on a river boat cruise.  The kids also loved it, especially Graham who loves anything that moves.

For the Fourth of July we went to Mandan for the Parade (which was cancelled due to weather) and the street fair.  The weather cleared up and we were able to have a great time.

The next day we drove to Ina and Randy's cabin in Ottertail to spend a week with family from Indiana and North Dakota.  The kids had so much fun playing with new cousins and staying up late.  It was great to see everyone.

Graham is not much for water but could play in the sand all day.  His sister was just the opposite and she was usually the first one in the water.

Graham chilling with his Auntie Brenna

This is the other activity that kept Graham busy.  He could push something around the yard all day.

 

Addy made a car at daycare.

We also got around to getting more sand in the play area for the kids so the kids had fun helping unload the sand and then playing in the trailer.  Dad even took them for a ride from the yard to the driveway but it was the greatest for them.

Then we had to enjoy a popsicle

We also got Graham's birthday present set up so Sister had to show him how its done

Time to paint a picture for Grandma and Grandpas anniversery

Snuggling on the couch

I will try to get pictures from Graham's 2nd Birthday party next.

 I had a day off the other day so since we have a season pass we decided to go to the zoo for a while.  Since last year they added this little carousel with only 4 horses and gives them a pretty good ride for a quarter. 

They also got to feed the Llamas which Graham loved but Addy was kind of afraid and would only put the food on the ledge and slowly push it toward them.

Next came the goats to feed and Graham's face says it all.

"Here Graham you feed the goats."

The boys also went fishing in Canada for a week so us girls (plus Graham) got together in Bismarck and went to my uncles retirement party.  The next day we picked up my cousin Kelly from Teen Challenge for an afternoon pass and took him on the river cruise.  The kids loved seeing all the other boats on the river and we had great weather for it.

Then we went to the mall to eat and let Kelly shop.  Addy saw the jumpy thing and had to do it.  This is her 4th time doing it (the first time she was only 2) and she will not go by one without asking to do it.  She giggles the whole time.  I am always amazed at how brave she is.

It is that time of year again when I interview Addy after her birthday to see how her answers change over the years. I have also started this with Graham, but I had to answer this year for him as he is not talking all that much. This will be the third year for Addy and second for Graham and it is cute how some things change and some don't.  Here are the links for the previous years for you

 http://bolingbunch.blogspot.com/2013_08_01_archive.html

http://bolingbunch.blogspot.com/2012/04/if-you-can-believe-it-addy-will-turn-2.html

Favorite Books: Highlights magazine, Ranger Rick magazines, Clifford the Snow Dog
Favorite Songs: ABC, He's Got the Whole World in His Hands, Happy and I Know It
Favorite Colors: pink, purple, white, red
Friends: Rylan, Peyton, Hailee (all kids from daycare)
Favorite TV Shows: Wild Kratts, Sophia the First, Jake and the Neverland Pirates
Favorite Restaurants: Qudoba
Favorite Foods: Alfredo, Chili, Carrots
Favorite Activities: Playing with Mommy, playing outside
Favorite Animals: Llama, elephant
Favorite Toy: Dora doll, puzzles
Favorite Movie: Cinderella, Brave
Favorite thing about Graham: playing with him
New skill she is working on: writing her letters
Funny things she says: Nevergreens instead of evergreens
Favorite Thing with Daddy: Having him help brush her teeth

Addy has made me so proud this year with how she is so open to new things.  She went to her first year of Awana at our church, which is a church program to help kids learn about God and Jesus and form a relationship with him.  She also took swim and skiing lessons this year and showed no fear and did well with both.  

She has also become such a good vegetable eater which has made me a better vegetable eater.  Her favorite veggies right now are when I roast broccoli and cauliflower with olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and garlic salt.  I am hoping that Graham will follow in her foot steps as he gets older and be a good vegetable eater.  It would also be nice if it rubbed off on her dad but I am not holding my breath about that one.

Now on to Graham:

Favorite Books: The Little Engine That Could, Goodnight Gorilla
Favorite Songs: Jingle Bells
Favorite Colors: Blue, Yellow
Friends: Bently, Cameron, Rylan (all from daycare)
Favorite Shows: Wild Kratts, Clifford
Favorite Restaurant: Qudoba, Five Guys
Favorite Foods: Fruit and meat and pickles
Favorite activities: anything outside
Favorite animals: Dogs
Favorite toys: cars, trains, bobcats, lawnmowers ( I think you can see a trend here)
Favorite Character: Percy from Thomas the Train, Toodles from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
Favorite Movie:  Planes Fire and Rescue (he doesn't sit still to watch TV or Movies very much but he always watches the previews for this movie intensely and laughs)
Favorite thing about Addy: the way she makes him laugh with just a look 
New Skill he is working on: Talking
Favorite number: 2-its funny that as I look back at Addy's first one of this I did she refused to say 2 and Graham will only say the number 2.  If you give him anything he will ask for 2 and when he wants to jump into your arms he likes you to count to three but he will hold up only 1 finger but will only say the number two.

Graham had surgery a few months ago to remove his adenoids and he is a completely different boy.  He is much more happy during the day and sleeping better at night.  He was such a trooper for his surgery and recovery.  He is still a bit of a drama king but it is not as often as it was before surgery since he is more well rested now.

It amazes me as Graham gets bigger how much boys and girls are just so different.  Graham knows where every train track is in town, whether there is a train there or not.  He also hears and finds every plane in the sky and after a recent ride with his dad on a Bobcat, it has become a new obsession to find every Bobcat in town. From the moment he wakes up to the moment he goes to bed he is asking to go outside.

The one thing I wish Addy would pick up from Graham is his love of fruits.  It takes a little persuasion to get Addy to eat her fruits but Graham has to be taken away from fruit so he will eat something else.

As these kids grow and get their own personality, I am amazed at how I love each of them more everyday and for such different reasons.  I also love watching how much they love each other and play well together.  I can't wait to see what the next year brings for each of them.  Hope you enjoyed this glimpse into what makes my kids special.

So it has been a busy few months with vacations and trying to get our basement finished before summer decides to arrive so we can turn our focus to the outside projects.  Addy also turned 4 this spring and in true great mom fashion I forgot to take any pictures but she had a great time so that is all that matters.  I will try in the next few weeks to do my annual Addy update post.  Now onto the pictures:

Addy and Graham found a new play place one Sunday morning while Josh and I where getting ready for church.  They have toys everywhere but playing in the cabinet under their bathroom sink is way more fun!!

Grandma and Grandpa also took a trip to the Dominican Republic and brought this back for the kids so Addy had to break out her modeling skills and give it a try.  So far it has gotten some use in the bathtub.

We also took advantage of my parents place in Lake Havasu, Arizona this spring and took a family trip before we had to pay for Graham to fly.  We didn't do a lot but it was a nice relaxing, low-key vacation in the sun.  Every morning we would get up and have breakfast and pack a lunch.  Then we would head down to this great park by the lake and let the kids do whatever they wanted and then have a picnic lunch before heading home for naps.  Then just a little shopping before going out for supper and then a little more play before bed.

This boy makes me smile!!

My sassy girl getting a ride on her Daddy's shoulders

We spent lots of hours here and the kids played great together.

Graham thought the water was to cold but Addy loved it so one afternoon, her and I stayed to swim while Josh took Graham for a nap.  She found a little boy by us to play with and had lots of fun playing in the sand and swimming.

Got a family pic-in, down on the beach that we spent most of our time at.

Grandma and Grandpa came in on our last day there and stayed to get the place closed up for the summer.  Grandpa got the kids' car seats in his Razr and took them off roading in the desert.  Graham was in heaven and Addy thought it was pretty fun too.

Both kids where pretty tired on our trip back to Las Vegas to fly home and were out before we got out of town.  Graham had to copy his big sister so they both slept with blankets over their faces.

Addy playing at our play area at the mall

It is time for Addy's spring dance recitals.  This was at a retirement home in town to help the girls get ready for their big performance in a week.  They did so great.

One song they do is about a bumble bee so they all got these cute wings and antennas to add to their costumes.  She is the cutest little bumblebee I have seen.

Graham also had surgery to have his adenoids out a few weeks ago so Auntie Stacey sent this super hero costume for him, but he wasn't in the mood for it at the time so Addy was happy to model it for us.

These are my two little artists.  They both love to color so this is a frequent sight in our house.

Graham showing off his "guns!"