Another Week Gone...

Okay, so it's been two weeks.... Daddy is on vacation this week, and we've been having lots of fun. The week prior to that wasn't nearly as much fun, but it was productive! We had a really great Father's Day, and then we got down to business. We went nowhere and did nothing. Well, we did a little something:

Last year, Elmo was the only one that made it to the potty.

Grace is officially potty trained!!

It helps that she was also potty trained last year... but last summer she didn't just use the potty. She used the potty to her advantage. Saying "Pee Pee!" elicited an immediate response from the nearest adult, who also managed to look semi-terrified at the same time, adding to the entertainment.

Last year it took Grace about a week to figure out how this phrase could be used most effectively. Don't want to eat your green beans? "Pee Pee!" Don't want to stay in bed at naptime? "Pee Pee!" She would then be whisked away, allowed to sing, talk, play with mommy's hair and generally goof off for at least five minutes. When she produced results, she also got candy. How great was this? The rest of the time, she ignored the potty completely. So, after much deliberation, we decided to wait and try again later. This year, potty training took less than a week. One more milestone to happily, exuberantly, thrillingly mark off the list.

Daddy enjoyed Father's Day very much, doing what he loves most - being with his kids AND playing video games:

Hi honey... quick! Take the picture so I can
get back to shooting the bad guys!

A two year old in your lap, a one year old on your
xBox controller and you still kill all the targets?
Yes, you are a father.

This last weekend was FABULOUS. I must have done something right on Father's Day because my wonderful husband gave me an entire day to myself! This is no small feat. When I say an entire day, I mean twenty-four blissful, quiet, diaper free hours. I actually stayed in a hotel two nights in order to get that day... and it was marvelous! (Thank you honey!)

And now back to our regularly scheduled program...

Earlier this week Mark was introduced to the backyard sprinkler:

I had to stand behind a tree to avoid the sprinkler in order
to get the angle on this shot.

I wasn't always successful in the "stand behind the tree" part.

But I did get the shot! See that little pink tongue?

Grace tried on mommy's boots:

Grace channels her inner Nancy Sinatra...
I'm not sure I could have navigated that room
with those heels! She's good.

A well deserved massage was given:

"Here microwave, because you are such a hard
working, important member of the family..."
Grace has never even offered me a massage.
I guess I know where I rate.

And then... we went camping. Yes, we went camping with two toddlers and lived to tell about it. But I can't tell the story just yet. There are over two hundred photos to sort through. What can I say? I'm a serial shutterbug. I will love every one. You, on the other hand, probably wouldn't love me sharing every one. But I'll share two now, and lots more later - but then, you knew that. *grin*