The Hantastic 4: School's Out For Summer

Here's a pit-stop from the usual blogging of events and happenings to share some of the current "top stories" for the Hanson kids:

Carter -- loves collecting baseball cards and is really into the Twins, reads like a rock star and spends at least 30 minutes during Amelia's nap reading (chapter books - YEAH) with Mommy, took on the GRASP summer academic skills program and is completing activities for reading and math that are for the end of 1st grade, helps out with taking care of and playing with Amelia like Mommy and Daddy never imagined, consistently hits and throws like a future pro-baseball player, plans to keep busy this summer by attending many week-long activity camps (like "Ooey Gooey Messy Madness", "Bon Appetite", and "Twist and Shout") and bible school and a baseball clinic and Camp Kota (a full-day city day camp), enjoys being able to stay up late and sleeping in, had his first cavity filled with no fuss, can't get enough of Pokemon, rides his 2-wheeler like he's been doing it for years, spends time shooting hoops outside on his new basketball hoop, continues to soar above other kids in height in the 92%, laughs and giggles nonstop, thinks of others before himself, is the proud recipient of the Citizenship Award from his class and the Academic All Star award, and would love to have a playdate with friends each and every day

Amelia -- views Carter as her own personal American Idol, dances every time she hears music, can do sign language for "more" and "thank you" and "please", knows how to put her clothes (and anything else she pleases) down the dirty laundry shoot, goes down slides all by herself, loves nothing more than climbing up and down stairs, says a few words (on her own terms and hardly ever when prompted) - mama, dada, Carter (or her version of it), Nana, Papa, Grandma, ball, up, down, bye-bye, ni-ni (night, night), hot, hat, book, bath, uh-oh, no (accompanied by a push away hand slap to the air), oo-oo-ahh-ahh (like a monkey), baa, choo-choo, Addi (her friend from day care), eat (her personal favorite) - but would still rather babble away constantly as though we know exactly what she's saying, climb up on the couch, naps only once a day for 3 1/2 or 4 house (YEAH for Mommy), sleeps in until 8:30 or 9:00 (trouble when the summer ends, though), acts like such a stinker and then shines the cutest and impish smile in the world to whomever scolds her (see toilet paper picture below), runs as fast as she can away from the scene of the crime when she knows someone's after her, can't wait to be outside and would stay there all day if she could, eats popsicles like they're the greatest thing in the world, and still likes to be held and snuggled and rocked before going to bed