Chiropractors make me happy!

School Year Begins...

We are happy to be joining many old friends in a NEW school this year! There are over 7 families from our church who attend Pawnee Elementary, and that has made the transition so much nicer! Everyone got off to a good start, and we are all looking forward to the things we will learn this year....

18 months and growing...

LEVI!

Time well-spent...

I blinked, got a little busy, blinked again and WHAM! Summer is suddenly over! It is not a secret---I'm a huge advocate of long summer breaks. For me, it should be an enchanted, carefree time for kids, and myself, of course! I can't imagine it being a"boring" time or even involving days filled with rigid routine or predictable schedules. (Don't get me wrong, those lovely necessities have their place, but that's what the school year is for right?) My little people should have no reason to utter that "b" word. The world is a huge, interesting place with countless wonders to behold! Saying, "I'm bored" is unexceptable! Even my own little corner of the world is a wonderful place for exploration, adventure and enjoyment. And at this point in my life, more that ever, I yearn to capture the bliss and magic that summer brings! And I hope that some lovely moments are remembered by our kids this year, for this is truly the height of their "childhood"...

~Chasing and catching fireflies in our jammies right before bed~

~Popsicles... at least four times a day~

~Running outside for endless hours in the heat and dirt with our friends~

~Tending to the needs of baby birds who had fallen from their nests ~

~Dancing in the rain~

~Skipping through the water sprinkler~

~Sitting on the water sprinkler~

~Wearing flip flops all day, every day~

~Stopping to play at every park we see~

~Jumping into freezing swimming pools~

~Lying on hot cement after a swim~

~Ice cream and nachos at the concession stand~

~Going bare foot whenever we want~

~Staying up as late as we want~

~The diving board~

~Water slides~

~Countless giggles at countless sleepovers and countless play dates~

~Racing on hot, fast, cool bikes and thinking we rule the road~

~Getting super hot and sweaty just so we could have a water fight~

~Fountains ~

~Listening to civic bands in the park and old gentlemen crack corny jokes for the audience~

~Wading thru tall, itchy, buggy grass to jump in a creek w/our clothes and shoes on~

~Roman candles and sparklers, and firecrackers ~

~Admiring the blue, blue sky and the puffy white clouds~

~Daddy's awesome grilled teriyaki chicken wings~

~Shorts ~

~Shade~

~Swimming suits~

~"Muscle" shirts~

~Nauvoo~

~Weeks of "kid swapping" with cousins~

~Watching cicadas crawl out of their shells~

~Loving the feeling~

It's what it is all about.

These cherished moments didn't take a lot of money, just time...

...Time well-spent.

Celebrating Maddie!

Our Madelyn Grace celebrated her 7th birthday! She had been planning and anticipating her special day for several months, so you can be sure she was very pleased when the day finally arrived!!! What pure pleasure it is to celebrate this beautiful child of mine. She is a little girl that thoroughly enjoys be just that...a little girl. Even as she continues to grow, she remains blissfully engrossed in the serious work of being a child and seems to be in no hurry to grow up, and I just love that about her. She still loves to have lullabies sung to her at bedtime; she love kittens and puppies, penguins and ponies....and pink and purple. She loves to skip and jump and color pictures...and signs every one of them with, "To mom, I love you." To her, PLAYING is life, and she is in heaven when she has someone to share in that joy... from Barbies or babies to picnics or puzzles. She's all over it. She works very hard when she needs to learn something new, and she will harbor intense anxiety and will hold herself back with a fierce stubbornness when she is unsure of something. However, she just shines with strength and confidence when she overcomes and finds her groove! From the day she was born Maddie has always brought to our home a mildness and sweetness that is irreplaceable (and very much-needed!) She is our snugly buddy, and we are so privileged to have her in our family!

~7 more things we love about Maddie~

So Sweet

Cute as a bug

Thoughtful

Helpful

Love to Cook

Determined

Great Giggles

Happy 7th year Maddie-moo-Gracie-lou!

We love you to the sky!!!

Happy Father's Day

"...By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families."

(See The Family: A Proclamation to the World," Ensign, 1995, 102).

First, a little boy, then a little girl. Then surprise- --another little girl. And a long while later, one more little boy! That's how he came to be called "Daddy" around here. With each new child, and with each passing year, the daddy at our house has shown us that it takes dedication and love to make it all work. We appreciate all his hard work and devotion. His unwavering sense of duty and dedication to providing for and protecting us is obvious to all. We have been blessed and we are most thankful to know that this is only just the beginning of our ETERNAL FAMILY!

Happy Father's Day!

Hero