More summer

We have spent many mornings playing in the front yard with our bikes. We like the front yard because if we're lucky, friends will come over and join us.


We bought stuff to go camping this year, but haven't actually gotten around to it yet. The nausea and change of plans have canceled a few. Instead, we've camped a few times in the backyard. To a 5 and 3 year old, that's the same thing, right?





Here my kids show they are ready for any season!



Our back half of our backyard is still under construction, and the kids found they could hide in the tall grass and no one could ever see them. Oh the joys

Can you find them?


Going through the photos I found about thirty pictures where the kids must have gotten a hold of the camera. They really like the floor.




We went up the canyon and had a picnic. The kids had a good time hiking and explori
ng.

Summer

We have had a great summer. There are so many great kids in the neighborhood that every day is playing with friends and that's what makes them happiest.



Grandma Donna got us this pool and we really enjoyed it before we punctured it. Now that we have to blow it up with an air compressor every time we want to use it, it sits alone often. But before that we had lots of really fun days. We also got a slip and slide from a friend. My kids are too hesitant to slide on their bellies but they'll slide on their knees no problem. Much to Doug's dismay their favorite activity is to have Doug hold their arm and leg and slide them down the tarp. Good workout for him, right?


The city had a movie in the park night and Doug and Charlotte went and had a great time. It helped that they ran into our neighbors and sat with them




We've also attended 4 or 5 parades. The kids love them almost as much as Doug does. The free candy also helps.




I didn't bring my camera to the other ones which is a shame because by about the 3rd parade Anna realized that these people were throwing candy and was not shy about running out to get it. She is such a kick.



The kids got to take a whack at a pinata too. Even though they didn't break it open, they still loved trying. Thanks for the candy Moroni!



This is a horrible picture but we didn't get any others at the carnival. The town had a carnival and the kids had a great time riding the roller coasters and ferris wheels and cars. This is the best picture we have.

Anna got to ride two rides and she thought that she was the coolest. She really thinks she is a big kid.

We also went to a Bees baseball game. The kids were only interested in the food (nachos and snow cones) and the free train ride and bounce house. Good thing the tickets were free, right?


Just last week Doug went out to Alabama where it was 100+ degrees, then add in humidity. He was in a steel shop with no air conditioning. He sent me this picture to show what a great time he was having. Can you see the sweat everywhere?


Ok, these are all the pictures from Doug's phone for the summer!

Up to Colville

A few months ago we went up to Colville, Washington to visit Doug's parents.


Working for the school district, Doug's dad empties the garbage of the schools in town. Ben got to ride in the garbage truck. He was in boy heaven.




They also went yard saling (how do you spell that?) while they were up there. Grandma Donna loves to yard sale and so does Doug and my kids.


In Colville they have some really cool merry go rounds. I'm sure we don't have them down here cuz they're too much of a fire hazard, but I loved them. So did the kids. Here's a pic of Anna and her daddy on the merry go round.



Here's Charlotte on the contraption too. They all had fun.


My sister got this bathing suit for Anna. She is too cute in it.



Grandma Donna had a pool in the backyard and the kids loved to play in it.



Here's a picture of the kids with their sister. Evelyn is buried in Colville since we were up there when she was born. We weren't sure where we'd end up, but we knew that Grandma Donna would never leave Colville and she goes and visits Evelyn for us almost every day.




We had a great time up in Colville. Thanks Grandma Donna and Papa!

We also went and visited our friends the Lees but I managed to take no pictures. My kids had a great time over there. We wish we lived closer and saw them more than once every three years!

Hair

Is it just me or does your hair always look better when it's no longer attached to your head? After the lady cut all this hair off my head I looked at it and thought "Wow, it really is kinda pretty"



This is the finished product. Doug likes it, so I do too. I took Charlotte at the same time to get her hair cut cuz she doesn't like having her hair cut and I don't like the fight.



It's a crappy picture but it's all I took.


Here is Charlotte with her new haircut plus bangs. I always swore I'd never let her have bangs. They're too much work. But she was with her cousin Ruby and Ruby wanted her hair short like Charlotte's and Charlotte wanted bangs like Ruby. I've come to realize it's only hair and it grows. Don't ask me what's up with the smile. That's her fake camera smile.

the 4th

Announcing you're pregnant when you already have 3 little kids is a lot different than your first. Instead of "congrats" you get a lot of "was this planned?" and "Was it an oops?" The guys at Doug's work honestly thought he had to be kidding. I wouldn't be so shocked if we didn't live in Happy Valley, but man, this 4th kid seems to be a big deal. Charlotte is so excited. I took her to my ultrasound at the hospital when I was around 12 weeks and didn't tell Charlotte why we were there. When Mindy put the wand on my tummy Charlotte asked with a smile, "Is that a baby?" She was thrilled. She wanted me to tell everyone right away and anytime we saw a neighbor she made me tell them that I was having a baby. The best part is that awkward are you fat or are you having a baby stage? You know the neighbors are giving you strange looks. We had our ultrasound today and baby looks healthy and measures right on track for a 21st of December delivery. We are trying not to find out what it is. I say trying because due to circumstances out of my control my mom was in the room at the ultrasound and I'm pretty sure she knows. We'll see how long it lasts. My cerclage is in place and my cervix is holding up pretty good. Here's to keeping this baby in til December!

easter hunt

Ben loved Easter. He loved that people gave him candy, his favorite thing in the world. Doug's cousin was nice enough to have us all over for an easter egg hunt at her house, and the kids had a blast



I can't find any other Easter egg hunting pictures, though we had two more hunts. Hopefully I'll find them!

gymnastics etc

Both of the kids were in gymnastics until I couldn't take the whining anymore, even though they loved the class once they got there. I loved the program and I'm sure we'll sign up again. I loved that they had themes, superheroes, cowboys, etc.




Charlotte loves her leotards and will wear them everyday. She loves to pick out her own clothes and I love her creations. Luckily, no one has made fun of her yet. I know it'll come. We went bowling for my sister's birthday and the kids had a blast.









We met with my family for a Easter Brunch and Charlotte had a good time taking pictures, as you can see.