Random Fun

I gather random pictures that don't fit anywhere specific and nowadays I don't have the time to write a story about a single picture, but I do find some kind of sentimental value in each of the following pictures. 

Oh, the tricycle age... It will be gone so fast, but right now I am enjoying my 3 kiddos who love their little red trikes!

 The summer time fun of sleeping in each other beds, telling stories, talking about saving up their money together to buy something big and falling asleep face to face with their feet sticking out :).

 Carter is living the life- floating around in his own pool with his green juice bottle in hand!  Doesn't get much better.

 Do I need to say anything about this picture?  This is how it is folks!

 I have a lot of big helpers!

 Wow, Carter sharing his special blanket with baby!

 Learning video games with neighbor friends!  Mindcraft is the game of choice right now!

 The love grip :)

 moments are already being shared by the babies!

 Not that it happens very often, but I will imprint this for keeps!  You would never know that this is a post-mommy meltdown following a difficult morning.  I guess they know how to work together to make me happy after I spent a morning yelling at them for not listening:). 

To the men in our lives!

Happy Father's Day!  We had a fun day with all 3 of the dad's- Mike's dad, my dad & the boy's dad.  Here is the proof :):

 

 Mike's gift: an afternoon nap! 

Austin- 2 months

Austin is very well excepted in our pack.  He is growing everyday and developing his loveable squeezable personality that is full of smiles and nighttime sleep :).  This chunky monkey is strong and well equipped to compete amongst his brothers 4 in the coming years!  We love him to pieces :). 

Oh those smiles that explode if you just talk to him!

 Did I tell you he is strong?!  He holds himself very good for a 2 month old (and even smiles about it)!

 He is a thinker too!

 Brothers love to hold him.

Well, Hello! 

 The body wiggles

 ...And squeals!

 Uh, oh- he has 'a look'!

 sweetie!

 Yay, he can sit in a bumbo and watch me cook dinner!

 They are always so much happier when they can see the world from a sit up position!

 Rollie Pollie in the grass.

 bonding!

Austin baptized

On memorial day weekend, Austin was baptized.  What a special gift God gives to us, how precious is it to see someone (especially your own child) receive it!  It was a joyful day. 

In the craziness of getting 7 people ready for church, I forgot my camera... smart phone camera to the rescue!  

The 'seven' of us!  Still hard for me to believe!

 Austin did great!  He even burst out in a huge animated smile when the water was poured on his head :).

 The celebration party at our house... Mike's mom & grandma.

 Mom and Dad

Mike joined the picture.

 

Carter- the 2 year old charmer

Well need I say anymore, Carter is 2!  He has the classic two year old characteristics of screaming to get his way, saying no all the time, doing things all by himself and taking toys from his brothers when he thinks he needs to play with them at that moment.  But, he does all of those things with a certain little charm that will get him just about anything he wants :).  He knows he is being stubborn so he smiles before we put him in his place, he knows he just took that toy away from someone else, so he drops it and runs with that same smirk before we have a chance at getting upset at him, he will do the motions of getting in trouble (running to sit on the time out couch and then coming back with a smile and a sorry) before we even tell him to.  What a silly boy he is! 

 

Those green eyes win us over every time!

 

Balloons are his favorite... He even had nightmares over one blowing away and about another one popping.  He keeps a death grip on it when he has one :). 

This one is a go-getter!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

End of the school year Frills- Joshua

Even though we are well into summer break, I need to get caught up with the whirlwind of events and activities that took place in the school age world. 

We could not be more proud of the big man, Joshua!  He finished 1st grade with a great report card, but better yet a more mature outlook on life.  He learned and made connections to the things in history, literature and world that he sees now.  I loved every minute (well almost every minute ;) of being part of that through the 1/2 classroom 1/2 homeschool set up that his school provides.  Math is a strong point and his teacher wrote that he is a strong leader in the class room-- Well done J!

End of the year program

 The first grade class reciting their poem: "Bed in Summer" by Robert Louis Stevenson... it is very cute and perfect for the first graders!

 With the end of spring also came the end to his Panther soccer team... He ended the season as a top scorer and seemed to understand soccer strategy a lot better :). He is our competitive little piston!

 Soccer party with team and coaches.

 Track and Field day at school also brought out the competitive drives...

 Not bad for a half mile :).

 It was a fun day of lots of events!

 

 School spirit day!

We are looking forward to the adventures of 2nd grade and the beginnings of Kindergarten for Kyle, but for now we are enjoying all that Summer Break has to offer! 

Jacob- the guys guy

Jakey is definitely in the big boy club.  Toddlerhood is being covered up by the desire to be big and strong, fight the bad guys and knowing the difference between girl stuff and boy stuff.  He LOVES to play 'Guys'.  While his preference of which 'Guys' to play with has been refined, he can turn just about anything into the role playing world of 'Guys': food, stuffed animals, rocks, baby toys and even his own hands.  One day while I was rocking him he told me, "I can still play guys when it is dark and I am going to sleep... This hand is the good guy and this hand is the bad guy... They fight each other".  I love seeing his imagination unfold as the action figures take over his world!

He is still the messy faced 3 year old, but boy are his ideas expanding!

 There is always a story (or episode as he calls it) behind the play!

 He has it all figured out and he will tell you all about it if you ask him.

 Sound effects in full gear.

 Action Packed!

 

 We love our little 'guys' guy!