Taking charge!!!

I'm still laughing at this story......

Earlier today, I had sent Jake to his room for a time-out (can't remember why). He then came downstairs claiming he was ready to be done. I told him he needed to go back to his room and I would come up and talk to him. He started arguing with me and then all of a sudden Grace piped up with a very bossy/firm voice-- and with finger pointing and hand gestures flying-- said, "Jacob, upstairs now, Jacob!!!" Jake looked at me like, "did she really just say that??", and then smiled and walked nicely upstairs!!

**By the way, I got to thinking that this little story might sound like I'm OK with my children to talk sassy to each other. I'm not, and Grace was "reminded" that she needs to use nice words with her brother. But, it was so stinkin' funny because we've never heard her say this before, that I just had to share. :)

She has Sass with a capital "S". But man, she is as sweet as can be!!! We all (mom, dad, and brother) seem to be extra smitten over her lately. Seriously though, Jake and Grace couldn't be more in love with each other. Sure, they have their sibling moments, but several times a day, she runs up to him saying, "Jacob, Jacob" and gives him a big hug. He's always telling her he loves her. When I pick him up from school, Grace always runs in ahead of me squealing his name and giving him a big hug. He just beams with pride!!! Though, we did have to keep her quiet at his karate class because she kept yelling, "hi Jacob". And was blowing him kisses!!!

Surviving a 5 day camping trip!!

... and I think I could have stayed out even longer!! We just got home from our annual Memorial Day weekend camping trip. I was wondering how it would be with Grace being much more mobile than she was last year... but, we had a BLAST!! Both kids were just in their element, running around with all the kids, riding bikes and scooters, playing at the beach, playing baseball, croquet, tubing, etc, etc!!! And the weather couldn't have been any better-- mid 80's the entire weekend!!!!

It felt like an extra long winter/cold spring, and I think we all just needed to get out of the house and spread our wings. Jake, especially, just needed to run and connect with his friends..... and he was the world's best kid!!! (I have to say that it was just a long year this year.... most of Jake's friends went off to morning Kindergarten and then he had afternoon pre-K, plus we always had to be home in the afternoons for Grace's nap-- so I think we stayed home more this year than I ever have since Jake was a baby!!!! We all just do so much better when we're out and about more.) I can't wait for a summer filled with outdoor adventures!!

I have to say that Grace was a total ham all weekend. Even Jacob said, "Mom, Grace sure is funny!" I think her language skills quadrupled over the course of the weekend. She, of course, was usually the first one up in the morning (no black out shades in a tent!!) and she proceeded to greet everyone as if they had rock star status as the groggily came out of their tent. She knew everyone's name and enthusiastically called it out, over and over, until they would say hello back to her! At one point, she was in the tent "napping" when we started hearing, "daddy, Michael, come here!!!" repeatedly. She had unzipped a small "window" in the tent and could see Mike out playing baseball in the big field!

Needless to say, it was a great kick-off to a hopefully fun, family summer!!!!