Making Daddy Fried Squash

One of Patrick's most favorite foods is fried squash. He would eat it every day if he could get the squash! Luckily, Patrick's Grandma June grows him some squash every year in her garden. This year Morgan learned how to make fried squash. She loves to help Grandma June in the kitchen, and this was no exception. Her job was to take the sliced squash and dip it in the flour/salt/pepper mixture and get it nice and coated. Then she would hand the squash to Grandma June for the actual frying part. She was so proud that she made Daddy his dinner!

As an added bonus, this job allowed her to get MESSY! She can't wait until she is "grown enough" to actually fry the squash. But for now she's just happy to get her hands dirty in the kitchen. I hope this continues, because her mother hates to cook!

Swim Lessons--July 2011

This year Morgan had her first swim lessons. She loves to be around the water and we feel it's essential that she know how to swim (being ex-lifeguards ourselves). Morgan was really excited to go to the pool and showed marked improvement over the two weeks that she had lessons. She now puts her face in the water without goggles, doesn't hold her nose when she jumps in, is getting the motions down for swimming, and can front and back float fairly well. I think I will have her repeat beginner lessons next summer in the first session and then go from there. Patrick and I will also continue to work with her through the winter at the indoor pool on WVU's campus. Here are some pictures of the Krepps pool fun!

Jumping off the diving board....so brave!

Front and Back Floats

Gliding through a hoop

A forgotten picture in DC

Just realized I totally forgot to add this picture to the posts from our Washington DC weekend. Morgan really enjoyed the fountain at the World War II memorial. She spalshed around in it a bit, cooling her toes and having some fun in the water after a very long, hot day. I love this little girl!

Play Date with Alex

Today Morgan got to go on a play date with a distant cousin of hers in Pittsburgh. Alex's Glamma (grandma) and Morgan's Mutti (grandma) are cousins. We saw Alex four years ago right after the kids had both turned one. Alex is exactly 3 months older than Morgan.

The kids took about 5 minutes to warm up to each other, then they were dashing upstairs to play in Alex's awesome play room. Morgan had a blast playing with the train table and shooting Alex's nerf dart guns. At one point we had to get Aunt Pattie to climb on a chair and get the darts off the ceiling!

It rained most of the day which kept the kids indoors, but we were able to go outside for a while. Morgan got to ride Alex's scooter and make mud pies. She had a great time and we hope to get to see Alex and his Momma and Glamma again before another 4 years are up.

Don't Spill the Beans!!

Bubble blowing with fly swatters....how cool!

Making Mud Pies

Morgan's First Mani/Pedi!

Today Morgan had to go to the doctor for her 5-year check up. She was totally fine with the doctor visit, but was terrified that she was going to have to get shots. She kept asking me if she would get shots, I told her she had to take it up with the doctor :). When the doctor told her she was going to have to have shots, she turned to me and said "I told you if I had to have shots, I'M LEAVING!" It was all Mom and I could do not to laugh. So while we were waiting for the nurse to come in with the shots, Morgan was trying desperately to find a way out of the room. First she asked me to open the window so she could crawl out. When I told her there were no locks to open the window, the following conversation ensued:

Morgan: "Mommy, why don't you go get a bomb, and you can put it right here (gesturing to the corner) and we can blow a hole in the wall here and I can climb out"

Me (snickering): "And just where do you want me to get a bomb?"

Morgan: "At the bomb store!"

We waited almost 10 minutes until the nurse came in. At this point Morgan was hiding behind my mother instructing us that we were to tell the nurse that she wasn't there. Unfortunately for her, she was "found" and then the real work began. Morgan began pleading with the nurse, in a scream, not to give her shots while huge crocodile tears ran down her face. It took me and two nurses to hold her down. She was "that kid" that you hear from 6 doors away who is screaming about shots. What was funny was as the first shot went in, she INSTANTLY stopped crying and said "Oh, that didn't hurt!". What a kid.

Stats for our 5 year old: 46 lbs (80th percentile), 44 inches (85th percentile). Her doctor estimates that she will be approximately 5'6" when she gets older. Taller than Mama!

So after such a traumatic start to the day, Mom decided to treat all the girls to manis and pedis! Mom and I opted only for pedicures, but Morgan went all out on her first mani/pedi experience.



Picking out her polish for her fingers....pink. Purple for the toes, of course.

It was a super fun trip to do with my girly girl. I hope there are many more of these to come in the future!

Pool Fun

Morgan has been thoroughly enjoying the new pool she got for her birthday. Our little fish would spend all day in there if I'd let her! Next week we are off to swim lessons so one day she can swim by herself at the big pool!

Day 2--DC weekend with Big DB and Aunt Cecelia

On Sunday Morgan and her Daddy went back into the city with Big DB, Aunt Cecelia, Aunt Pattie, and Matt. Mama was hurting from walking so much the day before, and Mutti had hurt her knee, so we stayed home with Papa and picked blueberries.

Daddy reported that Morgan had a really great time in the museums of the Smithsonian. She LOVED the Neanderthal burial ritual exhibit (future forensic scientist or archeoloist on our hands??) the most, and she got to see the original ruby red slippers from The Wizard of Oz. She had a really great day and spent most of the day with her Aunt Cecelia seeing exhibits, holding hands, and having fun.

She insisted on standing on the metro. She loved to hold on to the pole and get "thrown" around when the train would start and stop.

In front of the Botanical Gardens

Looking at an exhibit with Big DB and Aunt Cecelia

Look at all the pretty rocks!

Trying to pick up an ancient chest with Aunt Cecelia. It didn't work!

Just chillin' with an old rock.

Posing with Dorothy's ruby slippers. When asked if she had the same shoes, she said "Yes, but not with high heels". Cute.

It was a great, but whirlwind trip to DC. I look forward to when Morgan gets a little older and we can spend more time in the museums as she learns to appreciate more of the exhibits.

DC Weekend with Big DB and Aunt Cecelia

Yesterday we headed east toward our Nation's capitol for a fun weekend with Big DB and Aunt Cecelia! Morgan's Papa, Mutti, Great-Aunt Pattie, and second cousin Matt came with us for a super fun, packed-full weekend. Today we spent the day walking all around Washington DC, seeing all the major memorials, eating Columbian food (well, Morgan and I didn't, we had regular old American food), and sweating a ton while laughing and generally enjoying time as a family.

What a ham!

Can anyone say DRAMA QUEEN???

She LOVED riding on the DC Metro!

Tomorrow we are off to see some of the museums, then back home for the 4th of July.