Happy 17th Birthday Michaela ~

Happy Birthday to you....Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday dear Michaela,
Happy Birthday to YOU!

Good grief , where has the time gone?  I still look at you and see a 3-year-old with little brown pigtails. Yep, you're out of luck, you will always be a little girl to Mom and Dad!  It's hard to believe a 3-year-old is thinking about college....you must be a genius.

What am I thinking, you're our child so of course you're a genius!

Seriously, dropping you off at your chemistry course at the college on your birthday nearly made me cry. The time has flown by and next year at this time we'll be sending you off to college for real.  On the other hand, since it will just be Carroll it won't be too heartbreaking ~;o)

You have grown into a wonderful young woman.  We are proud of you and cannot wait to see what God has in store for your life.

Love, Mom (and Daddy too)

New piano music from The Piano Guys ~

Woohoo!

An old friend from those 3-year-old days ~

They both could pass for preschoolers...wouldn't you say, Ann?

The master fire starter couldn't light the birthday candles ~

Oh yeah, all in one puff still ~

Your favorite pastime....and one that may keep you in Helena for college, 

Bonnie Blue and the Maixner ranch ~

Happy Birthday Joshie ~

Happy, Happy Birthday Joshie!

You are now 10 years old, where has the time gone?!?  Since we have a 10-year birthday party with friends you have been busy planning this for, oh, years.  The group pf boys you invited were some of the nicest 10-year-olds I have been around.  What a delight to see you all growing up to be such fine young men.

Each year on your birthday I remember that I just knew my entire pregnancy that you were going to be born on the 20th of August. Just to be stubborn (I'm sure) you were born five minutes past my chosen date.  You still like to do things your own way, which is good as it shows your creativity.
Thank you, Joshie, for being part of our lives, always keeping things hoppin' around the house, be it with your latest creature or newest idea!

Brothers and best friends

at least that's what I keep telling them!

Wow! Awesome Annika!

Banana splits for dessert ~ Daddy's favorite.

I get my wish!

My second birthday party began with playing with Daddy's house-sized tarp.

It makes an awesome parachute.

Then, a balloon popping contest. Apparently our balloons were thin because the boys could hardly even run before POP, we'd have to begin again!

They ate lunch then ran to the top of the hill to burn off energy ~

I probably should have just let them run all over our hill all afternoon!

Katherine had arranged a dart throw ~

A water balloon toss was followed by a water fight ~

Cake, ice cream and presents ~ then they swam.  

Hopefully, they weren't on too high of a sugar rush by the time they made it home!

Thank you to everyone who made Joshie's 10th birthday such a special day!

A Happy Story ~

This video absolutely moved me.  What a joyous way to be welcomed to the world!  Why haven't we done this with each of our children?  Not only does this doctor exude joy, but a love for each life that he touches. It made me cry, but when so many news articles make me feel hopeless, this one made me so very hopeful!

http://www.godvine.com/This-Doctor-Welcomes-New-Babies-to-the-World-by-Doing-the-Sweetest-Thing-Aww-3800.html

20th Anniversary

Twenty years ago I could never have imagined where Shannon and I would be today.  Did my 19-year-old self imagine marriage as white picket fences, golden-haired children skipping happily through a field of daisies singing songs from the Sound of Music with my husband holding my hand tenderly?

Uh, yeah.

But that is not our reality.  Our reality is something much better.  The grimy, chaotic mess of day-to-day life in a larger family has dispelled any notions of picture perfect harmony, yet it is good.  Without the chaos I wouldn't appreciate the somewhat brief perfect moments.   But they are there and they are many, one just has to keep their eyes peeled.  Sometimes it is the field of daisies, most of the time it is a moment of love shared, unrecognized by most.

~ Washing dishes after a long day of work.

~ Teaching the boys how to wash the dishes well.

~ Caring for sick kids in the middle of the night.

~ Patience with my often impetuous behavior.

~ Sorting the what-seems-like-millions of unpaired socks, making jokes while doing it.

~ Making me laugh.

~ Encouraging me to see the positive.

~ His can-do attitude....there is nothing we cannot accomplish together.

The support I feel from him as we struggle through this pregnancy shows his love for life.  This man that I married that desired two, one, or none children now has seven.  He used to spend many hours in the woods hunting as much as he liked....well maybe not as much as he liked....but quite a lot. Now, he says he is even more fortunate while hunting with one or two kiddos tagging along because it has forced him to move slowly, thus actually seeing more animals, despite not hunting as frequently.  

Everything you do, Shannon, is out of love for me and our family.  Thank you for being there through the thick and the thin, the fun and the not-so-fun moments of our life together.

YOU are definitely my better half, I love you!

You just had to do something scandalous!

   

Seeley Tri 2013

What an awesome day for a triathlon!  Rain the night prior, cool morning that warmed to a bluebird sunny day.  It was absolutely perfect.  We arrived bright and early with a carload of athletes.  I don't think there was a quiet moment from the time they woke up around 5:30 am to the time everyone left our house around 4:00 pm....crazy but sweet!

Thank you, Theresa, for inspiring us to participate in this fun, fun sport.  I missed you today but felt your spirit with us!

So, without further ado, pictures ~ ~ ~ ~

The bus ride into the staging area,

I think they were all still a bit sleepy.

Always smiling Hannah-bee

That is Nickles' new nickname for her.

The three Bells ~

Sisters ~

The Kreamer brothers ~

I'm still trying to figure out what was so funny ~

Cousins and teammates ~

Caleb & Eric

Sommer & Kelton some of the fans ~

Waiting for the race to begin ~

So, this is where my heart began to race and 

prayers began to be murmured furiously.

We spotted Michaela and Hannah coming out at the front of the pack.

What we hadn't noticed 

was Eric right before them

I was sure my kiddos would be near the rear.

So while I scanned the lake frantically, Eric tagged Grandma and 

was sitting leisurely in the transition area.

Meanwhile, I was preparing to call the Search & Rescue.

I'm not kidding.

I was jogging up to call when Eric says, "Hey, Mom,  I was out before Michaela!"

~Practice deep breathing~

Whew! I'm done in 6:45!

Although Gabe got a late start on his duathlon, he did fantastic!

Here comes Katherine ~

Gabby and I had peaceful time sitting by the river waiting for everyone

and talking about the finer points of water lilies ~

You're almost done Kath!

And here comes Grandma ~

How many Grandmas are part of a triathlon team?!?

Lucas still has a smile even though he stated later, 

"That was 10 miles of pure hell."

I'm not sure why...he had the best bike....mine!

Gabe still managed to finish the bike in record time, 

despite getting some sort of evil, stinging insect lodged in his helmet.

His poor head!

Holy smokes! Colton's team was behind before the run,

but he passed everyone to finish first out of our group.

Then, there was Caleb, right behind Colt, smokin' up the trail.

Poor Uncle John ~ he just wasn't feelin' it today ~

Gabe's feet are fairly flying, even though his head was still stinging from

his bug episode ~

Number shot...

I mean muscle shot ~

We are DONE!

Hannah, are you laughing?

Well, you know, I'm always laughing!

The participants ~

Fantastic job!

Grandma and her boys ~

Eric said next year they are going to win!

Ahh, now for the after-tri swim.

It's the best ever!

Alaska

In all the hubbub of the last weeks we missed posting the pictures of Alaska.  It was such an awesome opportunity for the older three to have this adventure with Daddy!  Shannon and I both love the majesty of the 49th state and are so grateful for Michaela, Kath and Eric to experience it like we have.

They spent four days with friends fishing on the Prince William Sound, and although the weather wasn't sunny they still had a spectacular time.  Bill & Terry treated them like royalty.  Our kiddos returned home with so many books they have been bookworms ever since.

Michaela's perspective ~
It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, which is very true but there was something that cannot be captured in a picture.  It was cold, very different from our hot Montana weather we had left. More than the weather was the majesty of the ocean.  As I kayaked around in the coves with the mountains shooting straight up I felt slightly insignificant.  The seals would follow us around as we kayaked.  They would dip down and then pop back up.  The best part for me was when we had to make it across the ocean in rough seas.  They weren't terrible, but enough for a little bit of excitement.  We had to spot boats and then its buoy so that we would not cut their fish nets.  The boat would rock up and down, it would dive down and water would splash over the top.  We'd finally get to our destination of another cove with snow and seals...and calm seas.

Kath's thoughts ~  When we got on the boat the first thing we did was look around the boat and claim beds. I have to say that Michaela and I got the best bedroom. The first full day we went kayaking and Michaela and I tested the theory from Nemo wondering if the tops of the jellyfish sting (good thing they didn't). The second day we were there was the fourth of July.  We shot bottles with a 22. The third and most embarrassing day, Michaela and I went kayaking with Bill and Terry. We passed so many waterfalls that I wanted to taste some of the water.  That is when I learned that kelp is really slippery and fell in the water. Hey, we learn something new everyday right? That same day Bill, Michaela, Eric and I jumped off the top of the boat.  The life jacket I was wearing said, "They float. You don't."  When I jumped off and hit the water I went down really far, I began to wonder if the life jacket really did float!

Eric's story ~ to be continued.......

Getting ready to go through the tunnel to Whittier ~

The Mermaid Cave on the boat is the best place to sleep,

You're right at water level and tucked into a cozy corner of the boat.

I even sleep there it is so peaceful!

Two of thousands of waterfalls ~

The coldest spot in the world to take a shower,

but you're squeaky clean afterwards!

The first halibut ~

Shan finally broke the ice on halibut catching ~

Just a little guy, but he sure is tasty!

Then, Eric had his turn ~

It was slightly larger!

When the fishing is slow, 

cuddling up in the kitchen with a good book really can't be beat!

The best dinners in the whole wide world are straight out of the ocean!

Of course the company is the best part!

My favorite guy, fishin' in his pj's ~

A fresh pull of shrimp ~

MmmmMmm!

Breakfast of champions on the way back to port!