taking a breath

i haven't blogged in forever... i'm way over due. this whole summer has just been too much fun. we get a few months of the most glorious weather on the planet (or so i've experienced) and every chance we get, we are out enjoying it. we've been to the farm with our friends the Woodys, we've had visitors, we've been to tumblebus, we've been to swim lessons, we've been bike riding, running, playing in the sprinkler, getting ice cream... you name it. but it's time to take a breath and catch up a little bit. so dad got a new grill for father's day... and we've been wearing it out every chance we get. nothing is better than kabobs or corn on the cob on the grill. in fact, corn on the cob seems to be one of robby's favorites. he gets upset when we cut one in half and asks for "the big one." more than the corn, though, he loves to help dad.

we also got to spend some time (and a delicious steak dinner at the alpine inn) with rob's uncle tom and aunt sue. it was great catching up with them and hearing about their boys and the football team of grandsons they appear to be farming over on the east coast. it's a rauch thing... what can i say? uncle tom looks and sounds so much like bobbob that robby actually called him bobbob a few times. when we corrected him he looked at us like we were nuts.

aunt niki's visit allowed us some time to go to tumblebus with robby. i figured that if i'm paying for each month, i'd like to see what's going on, right? well, i'm glad i went. i think robby might need private tumblebus lessons. he clearly got his coordination and grace from his mommy. sadly. this week ms. amy had the kiddos doing monkey bars, walking the beam (notice the snake under the beam to deter them from falling off? robby was curious about it and actually tried to pick it up. don't tell his dad), hanging upside down and swinging on the rings.

and this one is my favorite. it so greatly defines the relationship between maia and robby.

more to come, journaling aunt niki's visit, the band we rocked with in sturgis, dad's return from alaska, the much anticipated swim class pictures, and probably more farm fun.