Crazy Times

The slower pace as been such fun!!  We have explored Goodwills, eaten lots of ice cream, giggled with friends, splashed at the pool, and created, I hope, lots of happy memories!!

Annalise is obsessed with these Hello Kitty PJs she found at Goodwill

Goofy Asher- always making us laugh!

Sweet Sisters working together

Adeline is pretty awesome if you mustache!

A special Dunkin Date with my bookends!

Making Goo with friends!

Such sweet friends- this was right before a huge storm rolled through!

Off to Ohio

I refuse to say "good-bye"....  Our very good friends the Ws are moving to Ohio (or Hi-ho as Avery says).  We were honored to be a part of a celebration honoring their time here.  Our kids have all spent enough time together that they fight like siblings!  Mike and Al met the first week of college and have been close friends ever since.  Karen and I are best friends- how amazing is that?!?  We refuse to think of them as leaving, but just moving so that we have to sleep at their house when we visit!

Our sweet kiddos!

Celebrating together!!

Trying out a new ice cream place!

Great friends!!

We love you guys- and will forever be friends!!

Happy Birthday, Mommy!

This year the kids did great for my birthday- minimal fighting, sweet cards, and lots of hugs and kisses!

My sweeties!

Traditional Dunkin Donuts- the kids helped eat most of them

My amazing friend Elizabeth showed up to the pool with birthday mnm cookies!!  

 A HUGE treat- I had a gift certificate to a nice restaurant AND my friend Elizabeth came over and not only fed, but put to bed all 4 kiddos!  Yes, this means that Al and I had an entire evening to ourselves!!  It was marvelous!!

I'm certainly thankful for my family and the gray hairs they cause, but I wouldn't trade it for the world!  And for the record, if you ask my kids, they all think my age is anywhere from 5-25.....  See why I love my kids?!

The Day of FREE!!

Two of our favorite days each summer are Cow Appreciation Day (free Chick-fil-A) and 7-11- free Slurpies!  This year, they were the SAME DAY!!  And finally, after years of meaning to do it, but just forgetting, we made cow costumes that we can use year after year!!  Addie and Alden helped paint spots on shirts, and masks were made out of foam.  We were able to don our cow costumes and score free breakfast AND later, with Daddy, free dinner!  We saved the Slurpies for our post-naps snack...  Asher and Annalise thought it was all hysterical!!  

What a fun, fun, fun day!!

July 4th Fun

July 4th was a perfect day!!  We spent the day at the pool and totally enjoyed the party that was happening there!  After dinner of hamburgers, corn on the cob, baked beans, pasta salad, with our good friends the Ws, the Little kids went to bed and the Big kids went with their friend Winston and Al, to see fireworks!  The following evening, we all went to see more fireworks downtown!  Asher and Annalise LOVED it!  Asher keeps asking to go see more fireworks....  We were excited to share this tradition with them!

Fun with photo props!

July 6th fireworks with our friends and neighbors!

SO excited!

In Awe!

Beautiful!

 Sorry- these are out of order- and I don't feel like putting them in order.... Here are back to July 4th at the pool

The kids loved the competitions the DJ had- and even Asher led a bunch of girls in a dance!

Splash contest! 

LOVE this pic of all my 4 babies!

July 4th Fireworks with W!!

Annalises' First Day of Summer School Kindergarten

Annalise is super smart and is picking up academics quickly, but we still felt that she would benefit from a great program our county offer, Kindergarten Readiness.  It is 4 days a week for a month.  She has Mrs. Mason, who I am totally impressed with!  The highlight for Annalise- riding the bus!  There is a bus that takes them from her "home" school to the school that is hosting the program this year.  It isn't far, but she LOVES it!

I ordered her a new orange backpack- which she LOVED!  She wore Adeline's orange ice cream dress- which she LOVED.  She has our neighbor and her pal, Jack, in her class- which she LOVED! 

Here is to hoping she has a great summer and it launches her into a successful academic career!

Happy Anniversary!!

14 years- wow!

3 states

7 houses

4 children

2 dogs

Thanks to the extreme generosity of 2 amazing friends, Al and I were able to escape for 2 days to celebrate our anniversary!  We just went to Virginia Beach, but it was wonderful to spend uninterrupted time together.  The beach was so rough that people were not allowed in past their knees, but we still enjoyed it!  Many, many thanks to Karen and Jennifer for taking care of our rambunctious crew!

Wonderful hotel, food and beach!

Meanwhile back at the ranch...