Flower Girl

About a month ago Craig was honored to be the best man in a good friends wedding. Although Anna wasn't REALLY the flower girl, it was only the second wedding she'd been to, and she had a good time getting all prettied up for the event.

She even went outside and picked flowers for me to put in her hair.

She was completely captivated by the "princesses" aka bridesmaids, and of course the bride herself. She could hardly leave the bride alone during the reception. She was very much in her element.
Here's our handsome daddy with his little "flower girl". And, if you happen to need a real flower girl, I'm sure Anna would be more than willing to play the part :)

Moose Lips

Do you like peanut butter and apples? We do!

Next time you have the hankering for some, try jazzing them up a bit and turning them into "Moose Lips".

1. Cut an apple into wedges and smear a big glob of pb on one.

2. Press another apple wedge on top and decorate with raisins, mini-marsh mellows or even chocolate chips (as the "teeth), I used golden raisins for the ones below.

3. Present them to your children and watch them gobble up this healthy and filling snack (after they pretend like they are their own lips!)

Wordless Wednesday: Butterfly

Brothers

Everyday I look at these brothers and think, "They couldn't be more different"

One's silly, the other's more serious.
One loves rules, the other's always testing them.

One's a leader, the other is watching his every move.

One is more emotional, the other helps to calm him down.

When one's gone, the other misses him.

And yet, despite their differences, they are the best of friends.

I love that.

Makin' the coffee

Most mornings I wake up to these two....

Makin' the coffee.
Anna is often our earliest bird. During the school year Craig let her help him make the coffee one morning. Now, it has become a routine, in her mind. Every night before bed she reminds daddy about their coffee makin' ritual. It's a special, sweet little tradition between the two of them, that just warms my heart.

Not to mention my coffee cup.

Fun Summer Activity #5: Swim, swim, and swim some more

Step 1: sign your kids up for two weeks of swimming lessons

Step 2: get invited to house-sit for friends with a pool for 10 days

Step 3: watch your kiddos fall asleep everyday as soon as their heads hit the pillows

As you can tell, we've been doing some swimmin'. Lots and lots of it.

Also some sitting on the side with feet in the pool.

Daddy train

Making up tons of jumps, including the turn-around, the star, and the shredder

going off the diving board

and turning into little fish!

I'm really going to miss that pool.

The 4th

Here are a few late picture of our fun-filled 4th of July!

We enjoyed a BBQ with the "Button" clan, and home made ice cream.

The only way to get a picture like this.....

... Is to promise them one like this!

Wyatt's newest crazy face

Serving up the ice cream

Anna and cousin Hunter enjoying a tasty treat!

How I know it's summer

I am not a person who does "change" very well. I like advance warning and time to adjust. So, as much as I anticipate the summer months, it seem like it always take me 'til about the 4th of July to settle down into the summer "routine" (if it can be called that!) Last night I realized I am definitely settled into summer and I wrote down some reasons why I know this to be true:

1. My daughter fell asleep in her wet swimming suit on the carpet at 7pm, and didn't even stir when I carried her to bed and changed her into her jammies.

2. I had to wake the kids up at 8:30 this morning to be at church by 9:00 (WHEN does THAT, EVER happen?)

3. I have a vase of freshly picked sweet peas on my bedside table.

4. We have fresh raspberries on cheerios or yogurt in the morning.

5. Sometimes it takes me several seconds to figure out what day of the week it is.

6. This morning I was awakened by chirping birds and fresh morning air breezing though our french doors.

7. My boys are getting more and more freckles (so am I!)

8. My toenails are painted bright red (so are Anna's!)

9. I took the down comforter off our bed.

10. Applying sunscreen is now a part of our daily routine.

What things just say "SUMMER" to you?

Fort Stevens

We've been busy and on the go lately, and here is a bit of what we've been up to. We spent some more time camping with some of our good friends at Fort Stevens. We had LOTS of fun, and LOTS of pictures to follow:

The three at Fort Clatsop, dressed in Lewis and Clark garb

5 of the 6 kiddos peering off the dock
W & W getting ready to climb the Astoria Column

We made it to the top! Made me dizzy, but was worth the gorgeous view. The kids each had a glider to send down.

Family shot

Finding beachy treasures

Drake and Anna chasing seagulls

The daddy's helping built the ultimate sand castle (while mommy's sat on beach chairs and relaxed!)

Sippin' a capri sun in Front of the Pirate ship (Peter Iredale)

Exploring Battery Russel

Not Pictured:

S'mores

Kids playing the in sand in our campsite

Numerous bike rides

Late night talks around the fire after the kiddos were asleep

Yummy breakfasts

Dogs being pulled in baby bike buggies

Fishing at Coffenbury Lake

& countless other memories

Thanks for a GREAT trip, Williamson's!