Work Party

Last week we went to John's work party and the kids had a BLAST! It was pretty similar to last year's party, but they didn't care. I just love this top picture b/c Brody was soaked and not wearing a swim diaper, so he was carrying around like a 20 pound wet diaper and still trying to find a great place for his sword.
John entered the pie eating contest. He won a similar contest last year, but came in a close second this year. He had chocolate pie up his nose so far that he had a hard time getting it out and it started to smell like puke! It was nasty!
This is John fighting with his work superior. John let him win...job security.
Kamryn wandered a bit, but decided that she preferred the bouncy thing.
There was a giant slip-n-slide and the boys were pretty much there the entire time.

Turn Around And You're 2, Turn Around And You're 4, Turn Around And You're A Young Man Going Out Of The Door

It's official....Teagan started Kindergarten on Monday. He has been so excited to start and I'm sure he's going to continue to love it!
I worried a little about my own personal emotional state...but I'm fine. I think sending him to preschool helped and I am looking forward to a couple hours a day of minimal sibling rivalry.

Teagan is Reading

I've posted other pictures of Teagan "reading" to his siblings, but this time he actually is! He has been doing very well sounding out words and even has several he knows simply by sight. Yah Teagan! He is soooo very ready for Kindergarten!

Short Seattle Visit

Lincoln, Kiya, Cooper, McKay, Kamryn
Kamryn---the hair bow does not belong in your mouth. And wipe your nose for goodness sakes.




So I was able to spend a few hours with my sister, JB, and her family in Seattle. It was a very short visit, but I appreciate and enjoy any time I can get to spend with my family!

Two Baby Sister Weddings

Kati and Brad
Charlotte and Greg




So my baby sister and John's baby sister were married within two weeks of each other. Both brides were absolutely gorgeous, the wedding ceremonies were touching, and I balled like a baby at each one. Love you girls!

Happy Birthday To Me!

Ok, so I know my birthday was in June and we finally bought our piano in July....and it is Aug, almost September.....I thought I would still post a pic of my birthday present from my very sweet John-john. I am not a pianist, but can play the right hand decently and plunk out a couple left hand notes here and there...but I've always wanted a piano in our home. Hopefully our children will love the piano lessons we hope to get them in this next year and will stick with them. I wish now that I would have myself.

Viewer Discretion Advised

Ok, I know. Gross, right. This is what happens when you do not listen to your wife.
That is muscle showing, by-the-way. And this was actually a couple days after it happened.
Can I not enjoy a Sunday phone call with my mother without keeping a constant eye on my husband? Seriously!!!
Just wanted to post this to give my John-john a hard time. Love you!

Camp Out

Ok, not the best pics. But John was very sweet and set up our tent in the back yard so the boys could enjoy a camp out. (Kamryn and I enjoyed our beds, indoors.) The boys loved it...and woke Daddy up very early with the sun.

Baby Einstein

Thank you Baby Einstein videos. You allow this mommy to occasionally get a few things done.

Light Sabers and Pod Racing

Obi-Wan Kenobi aka Teagan.
Qui-Gon Jinn aka Brody.
Teagan and Brody were driving me crazy one day...so were the extra boxes in our basement. So I set them to work on a little art project...creating pod racers. There was coloring, taping, egg cartons, random strings, and tons of imagination involved.

Swimming at the Hotel

Anytime we stay at a hotel, we always blow our budget because we try to find a place for the kids to swim. They are NOT little fishies like I was as a child, so any exposure is good. Although, once you put the floaties on Teagan he is pretty confident. Brody mostly stuck to the hot tub and Kamryn actually loved the water and splashed around for quite some time.
Feet in.
Legs in.
Half the body in.
Yah for Kamryn's first time swimming!!!
And though she's not smiling in these pics...she smiled a lot after the first couple minutes....just so you know....I'm not pretending that she liked it.
*And I know...I'm married to a gorilla.* :o)

Jurassic Park?

Ok, not Jurassic Park...but Multnomah Falls in Oregon. After leaving the coast we were on our own as a little family. I remembered these falls from when I was a kid, so we stopped, had lunch, did the shortest hike and enjoyed a beautiful pause in our trip to gaze on the lush greenery and majestic waterfall. :o) Teagan really wanted a picture of his new dinosaurs with the falls.
John and the kiddos.
Teagan and Brody inside of a tree. I'm sure there were lots of bugs/spiders inside...but I didn't want to look. But a guy walking in front of us on the hike down had a spider on his shoulder, but before I could let him know the spider swung down with it's web to the ground and disappeared...lucky spider...I probably would have smacked the guy in the back and squashed it.
Brody and Mommy.