Mon{K}ey Baby!

Annalee loves to be held.

She clings onto you just like a monkey! We love it
She loves Sam! and Sam....well, he really loves her!

Two months {Annalee}

Look Mama I am a big girl who can sit up in a chair! and I weigh 12 lbs!
could kiss those cheeks all day long!

two baby girls!

Summertime {Emma}

I LOVE summer! Love the easy days with my children with me all day. Love the warmth. Love the gardening. Love that it is light until 10:00 each night. Love waking up to the sunshine on my face at 6:00am. Love playing in creeks. Love having the time to actually sit down with the kids and have meaningful discussions. Love how everything is green. Love hearing squeals of delight as the kids jump on the trampoline with the sprinkler under it. Love eating out of the garden. Love the feel of sunkissed skin. Love tan little bodies. Love working and playing so hard that at the end of the day you fall gratefully into bed....Or having your sweetest little lady fall asleep on the floor wearing her swimming suit that you can't seem to get off her, her daddy's socks cause they are really slippery and help her slide all the way across the kitchen floor, and her baby sisters blanket on her head.

I love these days! Hope I remember them always!

Love Max!

Max can't just ever sit and watch a movie. He has to act it out! Funny thing is, I remember doing the same things when I was a kid. I pretended to be Maria in "Sound of Music" and march like the children and dance when they danced. I would watch "My Fair Lady" and sing a long. I never got as decked out in costume as Max, but he kills me! I live this little man. Here he is watching "A Knights Tale" with Heath Ledger. He has his nerf shield as a knights shield, a bucket for a helmet and a broom handle for a jousting stick. He rides a turtle that bounces. He would only wear the armor if Health was wearing it in the movie. He would take it off if it wasn't jousting time! He makes me laugh.Oh, and that is me and my new haircut in the back. Just in case you wondered who that was. I look so different it has been really hard getting used to!

County Fair Time!

County Fair last year was so stressful because we really didn't know what we were doing...This year, Ryan was determined not to look like idiots. So we made pig waters for their pens and pig boards to get them into the trailer easier. It worked like a charm. We backed up the trailer to the pen, and the pigs climbed in, no chasing or anything. So much easier...see the things you learn.

Once they were in the trailer, we washed them off. Since it has been such a wet year with so much rain, we didn't really even know what color the pigs were until we sprayed them off. They loved it. Caleb was so excited, since it was his first year, and Max was wishing that he could take one too. Good thing that he only has to wait until next year to take one. He got all decked out in his cowboy gear...being a cowboy must really be in his heart!

{2011} *Fourth of July*

Annalee's Blessing

Ryan gave the most beautiful blessing to Annalee. When I told him what a great blessing it was he said "There are two reasons I think it was so good. 1. It was from my heart 2. I've had a lot of practice." Regardless, it was such a good day. We had a bunch of friends over for dessert afterwards, but I didn't get any pictures of that.

Two wheels! {Mara}

The training wheels came off tonight! Ryan helped Mara learn how to ride a two-wheeler....yes those are Harry Potter glasses. She found them while we were fixing up a cut on her knee (not gotten when trying to ride the bike) Because Harry Potter glasses are what every girl needs to ride her bike.
...Ready...Steady...


...off you go...

...and she is off...

wow! where did time fly off to?

Island Park 2011

Arkoudas Family reunion was in Island Park again this year. The kids had such a great time!Watching movies and sleeping together...
Riding in and playing on the ranger...



Drinking lots of soda pop!

Made Indian headbands...

and bow and arrows...

some bows were used as poking sticks, or ninja swords...

feathers were a necessary item...

These girls played so well together. Mara always latches onto the girls everywhere we go. Do you think she is female deprived? Good thing she has sisters getting older.

yiayia helped turn each hooligan into and indian brave...

or princess...

then the wars began...

there were sparrows for targets....some were even hit

right out of their nests...

One of the cute indian princesses...

We went to Mesa Falls! It was so beautiful!

and fun!

These two were inseperable!

First family photo with Annalee!

Since we were so close to Warm River, the older boys wanted to float it.

It ended up just being Caleb, Kyle and Sam...

It was freezing water and only 70 degrees, with a breeze. They loved it though and went a second time!

Then they all fished. Sam.

Noah

Caleb

and when that proved to be boring with no bites, they made it interesting by jumping in in their underwear! All of them. Sam, Kyle, Max, Caleb, Noah, Lij, Gage. What goofs! I was back at the cabin with Annalee and missed all the fun.

Then we went to Big springs.

besides the mosquitos, everything else was really pretty.

It was a great trip. Glad for all those who made it so fun for the kids. Thanks Yiaya and Papou!