4th of July

We had a really fun 4th.  Went over to a family friend's house after the girls' naps for swimming and barbecue.  I didn't take any pictures; just had lots of fun.  It was a crazy LOVELY 77 degrees!  Super unusual for this time of year.  We enjoyed the heck out of it.  

We headed home a bit after 8:00.  The kids loved watching random fireworks all over the valley as we drove home.  Gaby kept saying, "Kaboom!" (very demonstratively).  Super cute!

When we got home, put E down for bed and headed out front to do some fireworks of our own per the boys' request.  Ronnie was pretty excited about kids old enough to set off fireworks with.

Sparklers in the driveway.  Totally thought G would be scared....nope!

Lots of people in the surrounding neighborhoods were setting off fireworks much bigger than the ones we bought, so we got a pretty good show at home.  Gab, my pink fan, said with just about every firework that we or others lit, "I want pink!"  Too much!

Quick Update in Photos

He (the big one) wanted a buzz cut a couple weeks ago.  Not my favorite.  Maybe glad his hair grows fast. ;

He's officially ready for Christmas!

We left the kids with our sitter on Friday night and stayed at a hotel to celebrate our anniversary.  A lovely and utterly refreshing 18 hours.

He had his first swim meet on Saturday after only four days of swim team.  Great effort!  Maybe that buzz cut was fitting.  ;)

She loves her some corn on the cob....

and watermelon!

She's just dang cute (if maybe exerting her independence a little more than I'd like these days).  Good thing she's dang cute!

13

By the way....

we're 13 today.

Ronnie, I love you.  I treasure you.  I'm so very thankful for you.  It's been hard, but it sure has been way fun too.

Can't wait to surprise you on Friday with our special celebration!

A Fav

This photo's actually a bit old.  It's from November of last year.  I was there when it was taken, but as it was day 5 of a migraine, I wasn't too with it.  Ronnie was scrolling through the photos on his phone last night and it popped up.

So stinkin' cute!

Maybe a little diva-esk too!

Beauty-full

She's so beautiful to me.

Pieces vs. Whollness

     "My mind wanders to my home, where Todd and I are currently parenting nine children.  How can I be more like God, instead of trying to break myself up in equal size pieces for everyone, which never feels good or works out right anyway?  What if, instead, I could be all myself, wholly offered to Him, so that He can spill out enough onto my family?"  

From Reckless Faith: Let Go and Be Led by Beth Guckenberger

Wow.  Yes.  PLEASE.  Sign me up!

Last Day of School and First Days of Summer

Sigh....back again at last.  Only a few (thousand) things to catch up on here.  Here's the short version.  Less words, more pictures.  Both the boys finished school on June 7.  Here's Clayton before heading out for the last day.  He looks like an almost 4th grader, right?  (Or maybe....6th grader!)

First day of school--August 2011

Thomas's school had a graduation ceremony this past Friday for the Kindergartners.  Here he is afterward with his teacher.

Posing with the fancy certificate.

Mom and Dad and our 1st grader!

The fab four!

T just had to take a photo of us.

Last Monday, Clay did a three-day long football camp at UNLV.  I think it was one of the best experiences of his long nine years.  He learned a ton, got to work with real college football coaches, meet some of the players, tour the locker room (he reported it smelled like feet!  Ha!)  The staff did a really great job of giving the kids the full picture of being a student athlete.  Pretty cool, except that he's ready to go to college now.

There's been lots of reading so far this summer.

Some playing too.

LOTS of backyard swimming.

Some bathing suit modeling. ;)

Did I mention the reading?  (Love her foot on him.  Read--I own you!)

Some kisses with Daddy....in public!

And we've fit in some cooking too.

It's been a busy first couple weeks of summer.  Tons of camps right at the get-go and then....nothing.  The boys are both doing camp/VBS at our church every evening this week and Clay's doing a model car camp today through Thursday as well (right before VBS).  Sprinkle in a couple doctor appointments too, and feeling a little chauffer-ish these days.  Anywho....that's what we've been up to.  Catch up with you soon!