Happy Birthday Kyle!

Kyle is 33 today....  Thanks to the man of the house who still helps change diapers, works hard and loves what he does, shovels snow in his shorts and t-shirt, sings "You are my sunshine" like a pro,  loves to wakeboard, and is always up for a new challenge.  Hope you have an awesome birthday and know how much we love you!

Summer fun!

I can't believe how fast summer is going by.  It has been so fun having the kids around more and feeling like the day is ours.... keeping up with them has been tiring but these times you can't get back.  I have been trying so hard to just enjoy Chloe.  I always hate that first little bit when you bring a new baby home and the older baby sort of gets kicked out of their "baby" spot.  My kids always tend to cling to their blankies a little extra in those first few weeks.  I have been trying this summer to teach the kids to be a little more independent.  I have realized I'm going to need their help more and more.  Spencer, Brooke, & Makenzie have become really good at doing dishes, and changing diapers.  It was fun today to walk in on Spencer changing a diaper without having to be asked!  What a guy!  :)  We have done so much already this summer.... camping, biking, swimming, boating, visiting cousins etc.  I continue to realize everyday just how blessed I am.  How wonderful it is to be a Mother and to cuddle up with my kids and just enjoy them being children.  It truly is my greatest joy in life.  I have 80 days left until this new little girl arrives.  It has been interesting to hear the kids' suggestions for names.  Makenzie says we should name her Rexy.  Pretty sure that isn't going to happen.  Anyway, here are some pics of our summer so far.

Biking the Hiawatha with friends.... it was a blast!

Makenzie picking flowers in the mountains up by Jewel Basin.

Lake Blaine.... having fun!

Chloe chillin in the boat.

Kyle teaching Brooke to wakeboard.

First there was Spencer and then there was 4 little ladies all in a row....

I know it's late, but here are all five of my precious loves on Easter.  We are having another girl if you can believe it.  Spencer was a little dismayed, but he got over it and honestly I'm excited to have all these girls.  I had 5 brothers growing up and only 1 sister so it is a "girls just want to have fun" adventure around here.  Now I'm looking for a name for this little girl.  Any ideas????

Paradise

I am set on finding this hammock in a couple of days.  Going to Kauai with Kyle.... pictures to come!  

Brooke & Makenzie

These two little ones are getting not so little.  Brooke just turned 7 and Makenzie turns 5 in just a few days.  Where does the time go?  I constantly look at Makenzie aka "buggie" and wonder what I will do with her at school next year.  Her and I are like little companions.  She would rather spend time with me than pretty much anyone else.  We eat the same lunch, we both like watching Barefoot Contessa... a cooking show and then we buy the food and make the recipes.  She plays with Chloe 24/7 and they have their own little lingo and get each other.  But I know that things always change and that is the bummer sometimes!  Next year I don't think I'll have much time to think about it.... I'll have an 18mo. old and a newborn to keep me busy, but I know I will miss her like crazy just like I missed Brooke.  

Flynt

It has been 5 years since Flynt passed away. This will always be one of my favorite pictures. The best thing we can do is enjoy the moments as we have them. Sometimes it seems hard to believe that this life is just a blink in the eternal scheme of things. The kids will still every once in a while say something out of the blue about Flynt and it reminds me that he is not forgotten, though they were young, they remember. He lives on. There is no end. What a blessing that is. There was one day I went to school for Spencer's class... they had made journals and had a topic given each day that they were to write about. One day the topic was called "the looking window"... if you could look into a window and see anything, what would you see. There inside a pencil drawn window was a stick figure with beginning first grade writing underneath that said "My Uncle Flynt." I have often wondered what he is doing today.... someday I guess we will all find out.

Family

This is as good as family photos get for us. One of these days I'm going to actually get one done.