The Tolberts

Last night Aaron and Audrey made up this game called "1 2 Exercise".....

Aaron and Audrey here! You know we're fans of the St Louis zoo. This time we went over to Decatur with our neighbor friends to see a different, smaller zoo. The best parts were seeing the train and chasing the peacocks. On the way we stopped to see our cousin Micah and got to hear her first words, "uh oh!" Too bad we didn't get her picture.

Pics 1&2) at the petting zoo 3) with neighbor stella in front of the alligators 4)all the kids after the picnic

When our church planned a family campout we decided it would be a great opportunity to grab the tent and our kids and roast some marshmallows. Even better, we camped out on the front lawn of the church so it really was the perfect first camp out for A&A.

After games, food, and singing we tried to put the kids to bed in our tent. Aaron fell asleep pretty quickly but the excitement was too much for Audrey. She layed down, but kept getting distracted by everything around us. Here’s an example of her late night dialogue.

10:00pm (people are singing Row Row Row Your Boat around the campfire). Audrey: “That’s my favorite song! I want them to sing Itsy Bitsy Spider next.”

11:00pm (still in her sleeping bag and still not asleep)” I’m beside Mommy. Aaron is beside Daddy. We’re in our tent!”

11:45pm We thought she might have drifted off, then suddenly we hear, “Mommy, my pajamas don’t match my tent!”

How fun it is to experience so many firsts with our amazing kids!

Pics: 1) A&A had fun zipping and unzipping the tent. Sidenote: Playing in a tent is a super fun thing to do indoors when the weather is bad! 2) Aaron participates in the blanket toss 3) The tents set up on the front lawn of the church

In May Nathan had a work conference in Chicago so we totally made it into a family vacation. Nana and Poppy even flew in to hang out with us. We all got to see the city through Aaron and Audrey’s eyes- Trains! Aiplanes! The subway! Buses! I developed a huge appreciation for our GPS. It got me to Ikea… twice. 

In June we headed to Cincinnati with the Decatur Tolberts. The boys hung out while the girls went shopping. Audrey entertained baby Micah by doing one of her favorite things-  showing her how to try on pairs of shoes. Later we went to the Children’s museum with the Killens and Sommers. Getting to spend a fun weekend with family and old friends was great! We topped off the weekend with a family reunion in Indiana. As more of the cousins get married and have kids the cousins are becoming the new aunts and uncles!

Here are A&A with cousin Jonah at the children's museum...

Here are Aaron and Audrey with Nathan Sommers. This is what the camera sees...

And this is what the kids see...

Last but not least, here's Great Grandpa Zerkle hanging out with A&A after thier turn on the slip n' slide.

Chicago! Cincinnati! Indianapolis! Fayetteville! Marble?

July brought our bi-annual trip to Arkansas. We alternated between relaxing and helping out with the fam during our two weeks there. We spent part of the time on mom’s farm in the tiny town of Marble where we swam in the river every day and part of the time in Fayetteville (I heart Fayetteville!)  at my sister’s.  I’ll recap the trip by listing our highlights.

Sara: seeing Jessica and Jana and other friends, playing cards with the Bodishbaughs, swimming with mom and Margo, visiting with family

Nathan: playing games with family

Aaron: playing with Sophie’s toys

Audrey: swimming in Aunt Margo’s pool

(1&2) at the river

(3) meeting baby cousin Naomi Pearl

(4) hanging out with Jessica and the "other Audrey"