You just can't leave her alone! {Emma}

Silly girl! She insists that she doesn't need a nap, but when she doesn't have one....this is what I find!

Love that MUG!

Lovin Baby Girl! {Annalee}

Seriously so Cute! Loving this girl. She is trynig to roll over, but isn't a pro at it yet. She is however, a professional at making all who glance at her smile! She is so smiley! People always comment on how her smile has made their day! Pretty much makes my day everyday! So glad I have her!

First Giggles

Happy 41 Ryan!

Pumpkin pie for a cake...does it get any better? Spent the day celebrating with him. Went to Chili's for lunch and then home for a celebration with the kids. I love how hard-working Ryan is for our family. so glad we had a day to celebrate him!

Our Sept.11th

So grateful for tender mercies from a loving Heavenly Father. If you believe that this life is a learning process, and I completely do, I am so grateful for a learning lesson that 4 boys of mine will never forget, that didn't involve loss of life or damage to house or barn.
That would be a field fire caused when our boys fort went up in flames. Tender mercy #1 Sam, Noah, Mara and Porter got out because they could hear the flames on the outside of the fort. They were in the underground part and were able to get out with no burns.
Tender mercy #2 Ryan happened to just walk by the window and look out just as the kids were getting out.
Tender mercy # 3 The wind was blowing away from our house and barn and away from the neighbors.
Tender mercy # 4 Everyone felt small whisperings about what to do and when.




Tender Mercy #5 The fire department responded quickly even though it was volunteer and they had to come from their homes. The hoses we had were able to get the fire in the ditch out before it caught the field South of us on fire. That field had not been cut and would have been more likely to catch our house and the neighbors on fire if it went up.

Tender mercy #6 Kathy (the lady with the camera) takes pictures for the fire department and usually sends the pictures into the Tribune. Thankfully she said she would not send these in so the reporters wouldn't be out to hound us. So grateful for that! Even though Caleb has been trying to get in the paper all summer, this was not how we wanted to be in the paper.

Broke a shovel trying to beat the fire out! Noah was exhausted from beating it.

So grateful that is over and my heart has returned to normal pace! So grateful for the life lesson and the lives that were spared!

4 months old! {Annalee}

So in love with this baby girl! She is starting to grab at toys and put them to her mouth. She is so smile-y and is trying really hard to giggle, but mostly just grunts . She is so sweet and just makes your heart melt!

Noah's Surprise Birthday Party {12}

Took Noah for a ride while the guests arrived. He was totally surprised! We made grilled pizzas and had homemade salsa and grapes. Tried to organize a game where you put a plastic bag over two people cover the bad with shaving cream, divide into two teams, and throw cheetos and see which team can get the most cheetos to stick. It didn't last, the shaving cream war broke out immediately... really...is that fair?

Seriously!

we could barely get them to hold still for a photo.

The white man! Doing a moon dance at the full moon

Taylor launching onto my back mid-picture!

Love this tiny lady who was brave and joined the fight...no one would dare get her face though after her sister had a meltdown when she got creamed.

Caleb

Max...loving that mischievous grin.

Kobe, Noah, Matt, Nick

All good things must come to and end and all shaving cream participants had to ride home in a car...so first they had to meet the hose...

Most definately the funniest part of the night as they all screamed like little girls!

Who needs expensive birthday parties when 8 cans of shaving cream costing $8 at the dollar store provided enough entertainment and joy for 11 children for 2 1/2 hours!

Success!

Happy 12 Noah!

{Crawdads}

Kris, Diane, Me, Holly

My Partners in Crime. All our kids had a hay-day at the river.

Suzette had the boys over and they caught Crawdads. Caleb wanted to cook them up. So Suzette let him.

The Feast The Bite

The Verdict!

Cousin Fun!

We had so much fun with our cousins here. The kids got to show them what it is we do for fun... riding goats...

Balancing on fences...

Riding the Arkoudas Slide...

the outcome for Papou...

gathering eggs...

playing in the hay...

swinging from the rope swing in the barn...

milking the goats...

We are so blessed to have family that supports us. We had such a good time with them here! Thanks for coming guys!

Max's Baptism