Happiness Is.....

For Michaela & Katherine, happiness is the neighbor's new horse, Bonnie Blue. 
Annie and Mike are not only sharing their horse, but their uncontainable joy with my girls.

They couldn't have chosen a better color for a new horse.
Every horse, pony and mule (they probably don't really dream about mules) that prances through their dreams is a paint.
And Bonnie Blue?
Well, her breed grows fabulously long manes and tails....what could be more perfect in a dream than a long tail flowing in the wind?

Nickles, well, he was just happy to talk with the sheep and have them tickle his toes with their soft lips. 

Aside from seeing my girls so blessed excited, happiness is a perfectly neat and tidy linen cupboard that has been glaring at me for the past year month. 

Losing Teeth

Annika lost her first tooth tonight.  It kinda of makes me sad, another step towards big girlhood.
What makes me even more sad is I flicked it out.

Yuck.

Shannon is the chief tooth puller and bottle washer and throwup-cleaner-upper and all those other kinds of gross (ish) chores around the house. 
Alas, he wasn't around and she wanted it out.

Now.

And when her mind is made up, well, let's just say she doesn't change it easily.
So I gave it a half-hearted flick.  I'm not sure who was more surprised! 

I am not certain what I found more distressing ~ me being involved in tooth-losing or seeing the note Joshie left for the Tooth Fairy.  

It's a darn good thing school begins next week. 

I'm not so concerned with the spelling, but backwards "f's"???

Oh dear....I need to go sleep on this one....good night.



Happy Birthday Michaela ~

You're so special ~ oh so special ~ God gave you to us!
It's no wonder that we LOVE you so!

You have heard the story a hundred times, but the night YOU were born was a crazy one for all of us. 
I spent my whole pregnancy imagining what my perfect baby would look like....just a skiff of dark hair made for a beautiful little baby. 
God must have been laughing when I first saw you ~ you had a full head of black hair.  I had always said babies with that much hair kinda looked like little monkeys...talk about eating those words! 
Aside from the hair, we didn't know that babies were supposed to be born pink and crying not blue and silent.
They whisked you away and thus began a series of miracles. 
Three weeks later we finally got to take you home.  Daddy and I would not ever take for granted a healthy baby ~ life is too fragile.
You still have that thick head-o-hair but more importantly are growing up to be a beautiful young baby lady.
Even though it seems as though we take you for granted, know that we never do!
Like Daddy said tonight, you have a great sense of humor!  You better keep it....you'll need it to survive this family!

I'd rather be biking than standing here for this dumb pic, Mom!

Wooohoo!

Ahhhh, a good nap...she didn't see her bros sneaking up behind her.

I Love You.

Love,
Mom

A Different Perspective

Shannon decided to read A Journey to the Center of the Earth to the kiddos. 
Actually, I decided to read it, but since there are two books on my list ahead of that one he took matters into his own hands.  
Now he is reading it...good man.
I am typically reading so I don't see why someone is jumping around across the room, changing seats, lying on the floor, or what-have-you.  I just perceive that no one is listening and...well...lose my patience.
Tonight I saw why there is so much commotion while I am reading and happened to have my camera handy.

To set up the sequence, Annika was sitting next to Daddy and that's where Dom (inator) wanted to be.

Try what you might, pal, I'm staying put.

Hmmh.....I need a new strategy.

Annika does not see his new plan acoming.  

Oh my sweet dear sister, I will smother you with LOVE.

You can see the resignation in her eyes.

I have had all the love I can take from you, punk!

And then, Dom went to bed for the night.

  But look at my other cherubs, they are being way too good, what are they dreaming up???

Now that I witnessed, and journaled, this moment I can no longer lose my patience with the child moving from hostile territory! 

It was good to have a new light shed on what is happening "on the other side of the book" while I'm reading. 

Happy Birthday Joshie!

You're so special ~ oh so special ~ God gave you to us!
It's no wonder that we LOVE you so!

Eight years old...Wow!  As Daddy and I were talking about your debut it seemed like only yesterday. 
The day you were born was smokin' hot and we spent the day swimming. 
It was our doctor's anniversary but his wife told him to go up to the hospital so he could meet you. 
This seems funny now that we have gotten to know you so well, but the night you arrived was the most relaxing ever.  Daddy and Dr. were sitting there chatting about football and discussing what position you'd play if you ever played the sport.  I was totally relaxed, having just had a visit from the anesthesiologist. 
Then you arrived, 12:05 am, six minutes past the day that I was planning on being your birthday. 
The guys decided immediately you'd be a wide receiver.  Your hands were ~ and still are ~ rather large. 
You still are just a few minutes behind the schedules we set for you ~ you're too busy exploring and enjoying life!
Daddy always says that the last relaxing day we had with you was the day you were born.  You keep us on our toes, but provide so many laughs and good memories. 
Thank you, Joshie for adding that spark to our family! 

Love, Mom

Fitting It All In

As I drove to town this morning at 5:30 and realized that it wasn't very light outside, I was overcome with a sense of urgency.  There are so many things to do and only two more weeks of  summer to accomplish anything.
It felt like the pit in my stomach I would get every summer after the fair as we shipped all our animals. 
For a couple hours I felt near panic ~ like another season had slipped away with nary a goal completed. 
I reminded myself there are still two more weeks left.
"Pull yourself together, woman, and look at what you have accomplished.  And just THINK of what you can do in two weeks!"
Thus, began my day....eating every meal outside, pulling from the pantry the sidewalk chalk I had stashed there last fall, spending part of the day with cousins, then finishing it all off with a trip to some great climbing rocks for an evening picnic and photo-op moments.



It was a full day, but I'll forget everything tomorrow. 
Again, the panic will rise in my throat, and we'll seek a full day again ~ I have a super-short memory! 

I haven't made time to get this kid his own shoes! 

We have taught Eric how to grill. Now we can retire from that job.

And his burgers....he grilled 'em up right perfect!

The future's so bright....

....we gotta wear shades.

So, I kinda thought the girls would be all over the chalk thing.

Not so. 

The boys didn't leave until they had covered the entire garage apron with their artwork.

"It's a Cwismas twee, Mom."

Good heavens, don't mention Christmas today!!!

Does he remind you of a certain cartoon character, Calvin?

"Maybe if I hold my face like this long enough, it will freeze this way."

Intentionally unphotogenic...how will this one look on our wall for the year?

Here's to an adventure filled tomorrow!

Anniversary Thoughts

Today we have been married 18 years.  I could wax poetic about these being the most blissful 18 years that I could have dreamed of, but that would be....well, that would be an untruth. 
Marriage is just so much more than what I thought it was almost two decades ago. 
Certainly, in 18 more years, a new depth of understanding will reveal itself as well. 

Our Anniversary hike, this is what I dreamed of all those years ago.

At almost every bridal shower, and wedding reception, and anniversary, the old analogy comes up comparing marriage to two people on a boat ride down a river.  The rapids, the calm water, the scenery....and on and on and on. 
Honestly, I am not an analogy person.  Just tell me how it is, thank you very much. 
BUT, every time I hear that comparison I think it is such an inaccurate representation of Shannon's and my marriage...and my mind begins to wander to what I would use if I were to use an analogy for our marriage. 

Shannon would be the boat, constantly carrying me, buoying me up.  There are times I want to jump overboard, and times that I do. 
But he is always there for me to return to, to rescue me, hold me, lift me, carry me through the rough times.
I do nothing but bob along, he navigates and ensures that I always come up with my head above water! 
And when it is all said and done, he simply stands beside me, really taking no credit for himself. 

Thank you for our marriage, Shannon. 

Thank you for the gift of YOU!

And a few pics, or more, from an incredible day with my family.

Sisterly affection, now that race day is over and done with

"You think she'll come back up?"

"Probably not.  Good thing we talked her into getting those corn dogs for dinner."

Joshie ~ taking a flying leap.

Then, there's Shan, a little higher, a little more dramatic.

And monkey see, monkey do.

We always ask Eric if someone tells him to jump off a bridge would he do it...I think this is proof!

Holy Buckets, that is cold!!!!!!!

"Dad, what the heck are you doing????"

"Nope, it wasn't me throwing rocks down there..."

One last dive before down the trail we go.

Chivalry isn't dead...it's alive and well (most of the time) right under my nose!

Happy Trails!

Five Girls & A Guy

My girls organized two opposing teams to compete in a triathlon this summer, which is where the girls/guy thing comes in. 
They both had planned their teams long ago, but one thing led to another and soon Michaela was without a team. 
She called up a fellow homeschooling friend in a moment of desperation and asked him to be on her tri relay team.  Being an almost-15-year-old made calling him up a bit awkward ~ calling a guy to help you out is not typically on the top of one's list of fun things to do at that age. 
But this kid delivered...just made himself right at home in a suburban full of girls. 
And, he could ride a bike like his tail was on fire! 

My girls did fantastic, pushing themselves a bit harder and a bit faster...although Michaela always has a knack for looking like she is going to die at the end of a race. 
We need to work on her smile when she is crossing the finish line...one may feel like dying but you don't want to let anyone know.  It's better to just crawl under a bush and pass away peacefully! 

My girls' teams beat their mother by five and six minutes.
We ended the day with smiles on our faces and a sweet dip in the lake...this time under no pressure whatsoever. 
I'm telling you, water has never felt so good!

They worked hard this summer, ensuring that they would be able to do their part to beat the pants off the opposing sister's team.
They are becoming strong young ladies, in body and spirit and that was my goal for them in competing.....shhhh, don't tell them I had any ulterior motives. 

It was really all about having fun!