iPhone Pics: Summer Edition

Camryn has now joined the ranks and is able to splash around in the kiddie pool.   She also can devour a Popsicle in minutes!

The kids are obsessed with Super Mario Bros.  Grant is Mario, Erin is Luigi and Camryn gets to be Toad.  Here she is "going down the pipe".

Friday, Hunter had a little adventure.We took him swimming at my parents' house.  This was the view in the backseat.  He had to ride in the back of the truck.  I was a little nervous to let him ride back there.  He normally rides in the car with us, but since he was going to get sopping wet and his coat takes so long to dry, he had to ride in the back.  We opened the window so he could stick his head inside the cab.

I was afraid he would try to jump out, but he didn't.  We did have him wear his harness and I held the leash through the open window.  I am pretty sure if he had wanted to jump out he could have.  His 110 lb frame would have won that battle.

He loved swimming!  Erin was concerned that he didn't have a swimsuit of doggie swimmies.  We assured her that Hunter would be able to swim without them.  He took off swimming using that powerful tail to navigate the pool.  Then he took a rest and sat on the steps for the rest of the afternoon.  

Catching Up

We had a busy week last week.  My sister-in-law, Liz, was just an hour in a half away looking for a house for the family to live in when they move in just a few weeks.  She invited me down on Wednesday to join the fun!  Stephen took the day off to watch Grant and Erin and I took Camryn with me on our little adventure.  She found a cute house in a neat neighborhood.  I can't wait for Brian and Liz to be just a short drive away!  I wish I had taken some pictures, but it was a busy trip and I did not have a chance to snap some.

Wednesday was Grant's last day of preschool.  He had a "graduation" ceremony that evening.  It was so sweet.  The kids said the Pledge of Allegiance, and sang My Country Tis of Thee, Jesus Loves Me, Zacchaeus, and Skinny Marinky Dinky Dink.  Then each kid was given their diploma.

Grant came in and immediately gave every one a thumb's up.  I couldn't help but laugh!  He must have remembered that we told him to do that when he was on stage at the Lads to Leaders convention.

Grant is not shy at all and enjoys the limelight.

After receiving his diploma he ran over to me and exclaimed, "I got a piece of paper!"

We are so glad that we decided to put Grant in preschool this year.  He has grown and matured so much over the past several months and he absolutely loved school!

(Jumping to Thursday evening)  This is just a random picture of Camryn and Erin.  They were playing together while I was washing the dishes.  I noticed that Erin was pretending to feed Camryn baby food with her play dishes.  Camryn was obliging by opening her mouth for Erin.  It was quite comical!  Camryn didn't really seem to notice that there wasn't any real food on the spoon.  I have seen this scene recreated several times this weekend.

Stephen was off on Friday so I took advantage of the extra set of hands and took the kids to my work to clean their teeth.  It was somewhat successful.  Erin, was all for it and did fairly well, except she wouldn't let me lay the chair back.  Grant, however, still wants nothing to do with it!  I do not know what I am going to do  short of taking him to another office and letting someone else clean his teeth!  At least I can monitor his teeth at home!  

Here I am showing Erin "Mr. Thirsty."

Afterwards, we took the kids swimming.

Grant practicing his cannonball.  (We need to work on his form a little more : )

Erin jumped off the steps only.

Friday evening my parents put their dog, Zack, to sleep.  The vet was very kind to come to their house to do it.  He lived a good life (March 1997-May 2011).  He had really began having trouble walking and could hardly get around.  He will be missed.  Zack loved Stephen and would practically do back flips when Steve would come through the door when he was a younger dog.  The picture above was form 2003.  Hunter (dressed as Superman-we didn't have kids yet!) was just a young pup and Zack was still in his prime.  They brought him out to our house to be buried along with our beloved lab, Bennett and my Aunt's dog, Gretchen. Zack will be missed : (  

Saturday night Stephen and I went out for our anniversary.  It was the first date we have been able to go on since Camryn was born.  We went to dinner at Maggiano's and I ate entirely too much!  It was delicious, as always!  It was nice to enjoy a dinner just the two of us and to be able to eat with out all the little interruptions that eating with our little family affords : )

Sunday was my thirtieth birthday.  I stopped for a quick photo before heading to worship services.  I had a great birthday!   We went to lunch with my family after church.  Grant was pleased with himself because he told our waitress it was my birthday and they came and sang for me.  

I think thirty is going to be a great year!

Eleven Years

Eleven years ago today.

Stephen and I were merely kids.  I was days away from my nineteenth birthday and he was the mature twenty-one year old : )  Despite our young age, we knew we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together.  We have grown up together and seen each other through many milestones and accomplishments.  Through it all, Stephen has been my best friend, my strength, my provider, my partner, my encourager.  

Stephen tells me that from the moment he met me he knew he would marry me.  I remember the day he met me too, but I can't say I shared the same sentiments.  Don't get me wrong, I didn't think poorly of him.  I was in ninth grade he was a junior in high school.  Why would he even be interested in me?  My band director was head of the district band association and it was Solo and Ensemble weekend.  I was Band Captain that year and included in my responsibilities came the job of being Mr. McGuffin's right hand man.  I was trying to coordinate getting the rooms that had been used during the festival set up for school the following Monday morning.  Stephen helped me clean up several rooms that day (while most of his friends were goofing around).  I thought Stephen was a nice guy and appreciated the help.  I had another boyfriend at the time.  (He was actually good friends with Stephen.)   I didn't see Stephen again until that summer.  In fact, he didn't even cross my mind. 

During the summer between my freshman and sophomore years we started crossing each other's paths more frequently.  I was starting high school at Middleburg High where he went to school.  He ended up asking me to the Homecoming dance that fall.  This was our first date.  My mom says she knew that night that Stephen was "the one" for me.  She says she could just tell from the few minutes she spent with him before we left.  I guess mother's intuition is always right!  

I liked him too!  He was different from most of the other guys in school.  The thing I admired most about Stephen was that he didn't care what others thought about him.  He didn't have to try to be cool all the time.  He was just himself....genuine.  He still is.  What you see is what you get.  He is honest, kind, and caring.  He doesn't have a mean bone in his body and is always willing to help those that need his help.  He is extremely hard working, putting in long hours at work and going to school.  I don't know how he does it all, but I am proud to be his wife!

We have accomplished a lot in the past eleven years together.  I think of how quickly time passes.  It really seems like we are still newlyweds, but here we are.  We have three kids who have made our life that much sweeter.  I am thankful for our past, loving the present and can't wait to see what the future holds for us!

Is It Too Early?

Tomorrow is Grant's last day of school.  Is it too early to start the count down to our beach vacation?  No?  I didn't think so!  I can't wait to feel the sand between my toes,  sit on the beach and teach my kids how to make the perfect sandcastle, and swim in the crystal clear water.  I am also looking forward to a week with my family, staying up late to play cards and making memories!  Hurry up July!

Our New Toy and Mother's Day

We have a new toy!  A tire swing.  The kids love it.  Stephen's dad put it up last week.  I must admit I have been trying to get Stephen to put up a tire swing for the past eleven years : )

Camryn cut her first tooth this past week.  She is not a fan.

Our attempt at Mother's Day photo.  Two out of three smiles is not bad.

Our family : )

On another note, I am way over due for a haircut.  I am terrible with keeping up with getting my haircut and it has been a year since I had one.  My hair is suffering from post-partum hormones.  It's falling out and is dry and brittle.  I am thinking about cutting it shorter, but I am such a chicken.  I have basically had the same haircut since I was fifteen with a few exceptions.  (I cut it off once and donated it.  It was a little traumatic to me, but it went for a good cause.)  My hair has always had a little wave to it, but since I have had children the wave is like a perm except for the hair at the crown of my head.  I try to straighten it.  It is a pain!  Anyway, I am approaching my thirtieth birthday.  Maybe it is time for a change.  Stay tuned to see what I do.

Splish Splash

We enjoyed some time in Mimi and Papa's pool this weekend.  Camryn has a new float that she really enjoys!

Grant continues to work on his swimming skills.

Erin is not as brave as her big brother.

Life is good!