Thank you.

Thank you Andrea and Kim for helping me through a rough few weeks. I love and appreciate you more than words can express.

We miss you already.

just enough to tell the story...

Its a foreign concept to me. I sit down to post about something fun we've been doing and it ends up being photo overload. Here's my thing, I am using my blog as our 08' family scrapbook and cant wait to print it in December, so I cant possibly leave anything out..right? Right. So, on that note, we went to this AWESOME!! pool last week. And the shocker of the century is that I actually got into my suit..for those that know me well, you know that a mid calf skirt is too short for me, so this is a huge deal :) It was such a fun afternoon. We played for 3 hours in the hot sun, it was absolute heaven. This park is seriously the funnest thing ever. It has a huge pirate ship in the middle with slides, tunnels and water spouting out everywhere. What else is great is that its so shallow that Moses could walk the entire thing, have I said how cool this pool is..seriously. And the inside pool has a lazy river type thing with a current that scoots you along, along with a huge waterslide, which made most of the kids' eyes fall out of their sockets. It was fun fun fun times and it made it even better was that grandma, pa, Kim, Andrea and Kaid could all be there too!!

Hanging with Grandma!


Little Buddies, they are so sweeeeeet together!!

Playing with Aunt Kim

Is there anything better than a Capri Sun and a pool?

Aboslutly pooped, it took him -1 second to fall into a sleeping pile of cuteness in the car...capri sun and all...and check out that drool drop on his cheek..how awesome is that.

Park days

We've been playing at the park alot lately. We found a new fun little "park". Its behind a church, but I think they may have school there as well, its a weird set up, but its super fun for the kids. I like the park because Bella and Moses are just at the perfect age to play together and totally exhaust themselves at it. And the slide there is serious business. Just seeing Moses stand next to it is enough to prove how brave my little guy is for attacking it! I love how jazzed they get about playing at the park. One thing though, that I am really missing about the Pacific NW is the shady areas. I swear, all the parks my kids like are in full sun, thats not good for our pasty white skin. Maybe by the time the summer is over, we might have a hint of color.

I love you more than love can tell

I will be 5 on my next birthday, really, I will

No way, I simply wont let you grow up, You have to stay 4 forever

Well, I will, ask the tooth fairy, she'll say the same thing Im sayin'.

I love you more than love can tell! Its just a little something that Bella and I have going on. I say this to her all the time, and I can tell by the smile she gets, she loves it almost as much as I do. My little Bella turned 5 this week! I will never forget the first time someone told me "Enjoy every second, they grow up so fast" That afternoon, in an effort to have a measurable reminder, I measured her little foot to the length of my first finger...It came up a little short. Her foot is now longer than my hand and her fun personality is out of this world. She really lights up our life. In looking through her older pictures, I cant help but feel like the luckiest mom on the planet to have such a wonderful daughter to call my own. On Sunday, I realized we didnt have any wrapping paper or tape...but I did have 2 bags of balloons. So thanks to the help of Kim and Ann, we stuffed all her little gifts into the balloons, blew then up as big as they could go and covered the floor of her room for a birthday morning surprise...it was a HIT! She is absolutly obsessesed with Hello Kitty so she was spoiled with everything HK this year. She loved popping them to find her gifts! Then Dad served her favorite breakfast (egg and potato Burrito) in bed complete with a lovely purple flower and Barbie of course..Dads the best! We spent the morning at the Zoo and had a wonderful day. Of course, my camera battery died soon after we got there..but I think its a good thing, because all I did was hang with her and not worry about trying to catalog every detail of the day. It was wonderful.

Happy Birthday to our charming. lovely. spunky. tender hearted.

sometimes weird little 5 year old!

Just thought I'd throw this in.... for no good reason other than its probley my most favorite picture of all time!

our 2 second alone time

Mose and I rarely get that one on one bonding time. I L.O.V.E getting to spend time with this little toddler of perfection! We found ourselves alone the other afternoon with some sidewalk chalk and awesome warm weather.. we had so much fun, I didnt want it to end! I have such a bond with him, he makes me laugh all the time, and he amazes me everyday with his loving, sweet natured personality and how much he already knows at his little 22 months! I wish he would never grow up and be my little Buddy forever.

doing what he does best...

Being a Dad!
Happy Fathers day to all of the hard working, wife doting, sweet and loving husbands out there. We hope your day was great!!
And B, you are my world, I adore our life and love you so very much.







And Dad, Cant wait to see you in a few days, you are the best Dad around!!!!!

(next to Buddy of course :)

whats better

Whats better for a fathers day gift than pictures of his kids? I say nothing. And tell me, what father isnt going to m.e.l.t when he sees this little girl! Oh dear, she is the dainty-est, most proper, sweetest little 3 month old. I had the best time with her this morning! I also got to photograph her handsome little brothers, but I wouldnt want to kill you with all the good looks this family has, so I'll tease you with their hands, and post more on them soon!

Thank you Dawnelle for letting me be a part of a very special Fathers day!

I warned you months ago what a foot nut I am...I am a sucker for baby feet!

bubble happy

Buddy was blowing bubbles for the kids a few days ago. I was so dissapointed that the highest flying bubble had popped before I could snap a picture...as hard as I tried to catch it.

Much to my delight, when I downloaded my pics, there it was! A nice shiny, clear little present for me to smile at. I love this picture because when I look at it, I can hear Moses saying "whoa!" and bella saying "higher little bubble, higher!"

I love that photo's can transport me back to times like this.

A simple bubble.....who knew.

now THATS a hug!

In 2004 I scrapbooked this photo of Bella and Kaid. They are only 2.5 months apart, so it was super fun when they were babies, tons of photos, but this one has been my favorite forever. They are now 5 and I have replaced this favorite picture for a new one of them.

Thats one hug I wouldnt mind getting 24/7.

Lately

My pretty sister "Annie" is here! She put her Portland life on hold to come help me with mine while I am in training. In just the few days she has been her, I realize, I have *never* known a harder working mother than Andrea. She's pretty amazing, and my kids adore her!

( My other pretty sister comes on Friday!)

Bella is Annies little assistant. She is loving to help and especially loves the addition of Kaid in the house, that kid never knows a dull moment! I havnt been able to get much of his face, but I can attest to his fondness over spider man moving into the dora house.





Moses is just chill, he's such a cool kid.

The other day Bella had some things to say

1. "Man, its hotter than a sunburned Alligator out here!"

2. "God doesnt work on Sundays because there really isnt much to do with the clouds, they seem like they would be pretty low maintenance.

Thats my Bella!

the book that came alive

We have a young little reader in our fam! It was sent in a special VIP box straight from G & G, an orange little nugget of delight with most of her favorite things, dogs, cats, birds, parks, bunnies, ducks..the list goes on and on. The first few nights I read it to her, then we worked on sounding the words out. I was shocked at how much she knew already! She really picked up on it and I am so happy for her and all the new adventures she can have through reading. It makes my heart swell to see her figure it out. I never want to forget the smile on her face when she has read a page and understands what its all about,..its just so cool. And I never want to forget her first book and how happy it makes her!

Bing and Sandy Love Bella!