Getting ready...

Here is a little sneak peek of something to do with the Birthday girls big present tomorrow...But she won't actually get it until Wednesday...(she won't mind.)

But I still need to get it finished...

Elsie Rose is gonna LOVE it!!!

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And here is a sneak peek of what the little boy was doing while I was trying to get birthday stuff done.

I was fairly warned that boys were trouble...but I am starting to think maybe he is in a different category of trouble!

But he is gosh darn cute when he is in trouble.....

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Okay, I know...less pictures of the boy and more of the girls...

I'm on it.

Game night

I didn't get any pictures from our game night with the Terry's.

But earlier in the evening Porter was chasing Cassi with the spray bottle.

But he was getting more of himself than anything else.

It was so funny to watch.

Oh, and no, he doesn't ever wear a shirt, in case you were wondering.

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But like I said, we had a fun night playing a few games with the Terry family.

We just love the summertime and spending the evenings out back...

The only problem is we always get the kids to bed too late!!!

Anyone want a popsicle???

This morning, Cassi and Ayden asked me if they could sell Popsicles in the front yard.

They are always asking to sell stuff to the people who pass by.

Today I finally gave in and let them sell Popsicles.

I am pretty sure they ate more than they sold...but that is okay.

It was very hot outside!

But they made a pretty good chunk of cash for two little girls.

About $3.00 total.

But I think they only sold to about 5 people...most of them giving a dollar for one or two Popsicles.

Overtime the girls sold one they would run to me with such excitement to tell me they sold one!

They had a lot of fun.

So they each got $1.50...and they each pulled out their tithing.

(great opportunity for a tithing lesson, by the way)

They wanted to buy some ice cream from the ice-cream man...but he is pretty sporadic whether he comes or not.

So we will take the girls out for sno-cones sometime soon.

Together again...

Annie is in town again from Minnesota.

We didn't get to go running together this time...but we did have a fun evening all together.

All the hubby's were gone...so why not spend the evening with the girls (and a LOT of kids!)

First we went swimming.

Then we came back to my house and made pizza's and had watermelon.

Jenni made the most amazing pizza dough...I hope she can figure out how to do it again, cause I don't know if I can go back to regular pizza's again!

It was yummy!

(And good for you too...shhh, don't tell the kids!)

And I think the kids might be floating in watermelon tonight!

It was so good to see Annie.

And all the kids got along so great!

I sure miss the old days when we did this every night.

Lucky...

Our house faces the perfect direction.

Our patio is completely in shade by about 2:00 in the afternoon.

We LOVE having dinner out there!

It saves from a lot of mess in the house.

Cause these little ones are pretty messy!

It is nice to just pull out the hose...and spray everything down.

Isn't that just the sweetest little munchkin face?

She loves her veggies...

This little stinker LOVES his veggies...as long as they are smothered in Ketchup!!!

Hey...at least he is eating, right?

I just had to share this picture.
This little boy is so much trouble...but he just melts my heart.
Look at that messy face...those dark eyes...that round belly...
Oh I just love him.
There is definitely something about a mommy and her boy.

(Small disclaimer...I am completely in love with my girls too...there is just something so different that I just can't explain...mommy's of boys, don't you agree?)

Guitar lessons

We FINALLY got Cassi signed up for Guitar lessons.

She has been so excited!

I found a lady who comes to our house, for a pretty decent price.

Today was her first lesson.

Cassi was so relaxed and she was completely glued to everything her teacher was teaching her.

She even has homework.

She is already practicing a little melody that she learned today, and it is so cute to watch her.

This picture was before her lesson...

This one is after...practicing her homework.
She looks like a pro...right?
She is holding her pick right...
She has her leg propped up like her teacher taught her...
She is placing her finger right by the Fret.
Oh it is just so exciting!
I can't wait to see her progress!!!
Cassi definitely needed something that was just HERS!
(But I did see her teaching the melody to Madi...she felt very cool having the ability to tell Madi what to do!)

Making Pinch Pots.

My little sister, Melodie, takes a pottery class in college.

I was able to buy some clay from her...I have always loved playing with real clay.

And the girls were excited when we finally pulled it out to play with.

They each made a pinch pot.

Madi's looks great.

She wants to paint it with cool colors and glaze it...then use it for jewelry.

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And Cassi's...

Well....Cassi's broke.

Poor girl.

It broke it about three pieces.

I told her that it would be easy enough to glue...so she didn't end up going to bed this sad.

But her pot had a cool looking sunburst in the bottom of it.
We have tons more clay and I am sure we will be making some really fun things!

Boating with the Youngs!

I don't always like to use the 'montage' of pictures...but I hate loading so many at a time...and there are just too many to share!

Today we went boating with the Young's.

We went to Blacks Canyon, and we had such a great time!
The weather was so great, the kids had so much fun...we are all VERY TIRED!
The morning started out with me making an appointment for Elsie to go to the Doctor because her foot became very swollen yesterday, and she wouldn't walk on it.
So I made an appointment, but as soon as we were ready to leave, she started to walk on it.
I thought we could wait a little longer to see how it is doing.
She must have rolled it really bad...today it isn't as swollen, but it is bruised pretty bad.
Poor girl.
Anyway, so we went with the Young's out on the boat.
It was so fun, and it was so fun to have Pat and Steve come with us.
I guess, we technically went with them, since it is their boat!
Thanks Pat and Steve...we just love being around you guys!
Porter didn't sleep all day, which is along time for a boy who still takes a 3 hour morning nap...
As soon as we hit the car he was out like a light!
Elsie had a little nap too.
We got home and knew we had to grocery shop...but also needed dinner.
So we solved it by going out to eat, to Red Robin, then doing our grocery shopping on a full stomach.
Pretty smart thinking, right?
So we finally got home...kids are in bed...groceries out away...now we just need to get ourselves into bed!

Spaghetti fight!

Just so you know....

Dad started it!!!!

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We had a pretty good day.

Church...then a little down time...

Spaghetti fight dinner, which was pretty fun.

Then, after clean-up...we made some cookies for our new neighbors.

They seem really nice and I am excited to have good neighbors behind us...finally!

Then we had a fun evening with our friends the Terry's...just sitting around and talking.

I just love summer nights...

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Cute laundry...

My entire day has been laundry.

Yes...I have been putting it off since we got home from vacation.

But to be fair...I didn't have a LOT when we got home...cause I did most of it at Grandma's house...which was a HUGE blessing.

I can't imagine what it would have been like if I had all the laundry from camping!

And we have been busy with putting the trees in and swimming...and doing anything but housework!

So with Brent at work today....there was nothing to do but laundry.

I had a hard time getting the kids to do anything unless I was right there with them.

Which is understandable...that is how I work too.

Brent likes to split up and get it all done quick...but I like to take it all on together...I guess for the company.

And I must have passed down that trait to the big girls.

I would tell them to do something...then go switch the laundry and do a few other things...then come back and they would have not only NOT done what I asked...but made an even bigger mess.

Oh well...I guess I should just let kids be kids...

But why do they always do what Dad asks, so willingly?

Oh well.

At least I have laundry done...for now.

My Mom LOVES laundry...

Why couldn't she have passed that trait down to me???

I guess only certain Mommy traits are passable!
And Porter and Elsie were kept busy for a very long time this afternoon with the laundry baskets.

They would stack the little ones up and down and then get in the big one and tickle each other.

Well, neither one of them know how to tickle...it is more a pinch or scratch!

So I told them to give LOVES and be nice....

Aren't they so sweet all cuddled up!