The Kalal Family: Summer is under way!

Our summer is off to a great start! We've been having lots of fun hanging out, playing outside, going fun places, and eating fun summer treats!

Cooper is good at all his shapes, colors, and letters, numbers, etc., and we've been trying so hard to get him to draw and color more. On this day, he actually gave 15 minutes to this activity, which is a all-time record for him to sit at the table (unless it's play-doh). He even made some scribbles and said it was his name. I was so proud of him!! For a teacher-mama, I've been waiting for him to finally get excited about this!!

Great job, buddy!

Izzy likes to use markers :) (Color Wonder markers are the BEST invention ever!)

Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum are turning into quite the pair this summer. They can cause trouble together, push each other's buttons, hide together, squeal together, and be incredibly cute together...

Izzy's learning from the best!!

What first month of summer would be complete without a trip to the ZOO!? We renewed our membership again this year, and are excited for monthly trips to visit the animals. Auntie Amanda and Grandma Dawn came out with us for this long and fun morning at the zoo. I love how the kids are so familiar with the place... Cooper knows exactly which animals are coming up next!

Isabelle loved the penguins

Cooper loves playing in the rocks, and being 'in jail.'

Hello, Mr. Turtle!

Cooper's all-time favorite part of the zoo--THE FARM, of course! He loves to brush the goats.

And he likes to talk to the goats, too. This one was licking his arm ;)

And what trip out to the farm would be complete without riding the pig?!?!

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Prior Lake was our next venture. It was Izzy's first time out on the boat, and Cooper's first time of this season. We had big hopes for a boat full of fish, and came up empty. Not a darn bite. Cooper was very, very patient, and he was content just trying for some fish. Izzy, on the other hand, was as far from patient as she could have been. We learned that she just isn't quite ready for the boat yet. Maybe it would have been better had it not been for the no wake rule on the whole lake, and we could have gone faster to cool off. Maybe it would have been better if we were catching fish to distract her. Maybe. But we'll try again when we're more confident that she can sit for more than 3.2 seconds.

She did love 'driving' the boat!

"Holding the rope is my job."

Here fishy, fishy, fishy!!

I think the kid could fish all day. He lots of practice this winter 'fishing' with string, belts, tape measures, necklaces, etc.

Thank goodness for snacks... she wouldn't have lasted five minutes without one.

And this past weekend, we tried camping for the first time of the year. Last year was a complete failure in the one short night we tried... but this year was much better! We had no expectations, just wanted to go with the flow. And the kids did great! Thank goodness for Grandma and Grandpa and Jackie and Brian. They helped keep these monsters occupied, and having the big camper to use the bathroom and bathtub was also a stress-saver. Looks like the 4th of July will be a camping weekend again!