Happy Birthday Taite!

Our youngest it 3 today!

Easter!

We had a great time with the Snow family up in Wisconsin for Easter. We were there for a week before Easter because Bill had some work training. The cousins had a lot of fun together.

Good Morning!

Random Picture

This was from early December. It was actually Luke's Birthday and Jacob was passing through town on his interview trail. We went and cut down our Christmas Tree. It was a great day and see how warm it was? We didn't even need gloves and hats! The trusty suburban did the job by bringing the tree home:)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Luckily this happened after Thanksgiving dinner. I was holding Taite at the table with Bill, Maegan and Hal around. It was one of those where we were all in slow motion. Luckily it was a one time deal and no one else had a problem.

I hope you had a HAPPY THANKSGIVING! We did other than the one incident:)

Campbell's Birthday!

This girl seriously can make us all laugh so loud. Campbell is amazing, thoughtful, creative, energetic, spunky, knows what she wants, and loving.

This is a picture she brought home today. Her teacher's last name is Brauer and Campbell wrote this during centers time. The teacher has to keep her busy by supplying her with paper and pencils!

I can't believe Campbell is 6 already! Happy Birthday! I can't imagine my days without you.

'Round Here

We are in Hawkeye land. The girls hear about the Hawkeyes at school and our neighbor has a big camper that he takes to every home game. He also has a Hawkeye statue in front of his office in town. Every now and then the girls will talk about the Hawkeyes. Campbell kept talking about "hot guys" and I could not for the life of me figure out who she was talking about. Then I asked her if she meant the Hawkeyes, and she said yeah, the hot guys. So funny!

Taite is potty trained! And Cars underwear is what she wanted. So, she would have them, if it will get us out of diapers! We also had to make a trip to the store with all the girls in p.j.'s because I had promised Taite a toy if she went poo poo on the potty, we had a little set back with that one, and she decided to do her business right before bed time. We are so excited to be done with diapers F-O-R-E-V-E-R!!!!

James got bangs. It was so cute, when Maegan cut them she had brushed the rest of her hair back to keep it out of the way. After the initial big bang cut Maegan asked if it looked good. James went and looked in the mirror and said "I think I take it back, I don't want bangs." Whoops! I asked her why and she said that her hair looks really puffy. Maegan explained that her hair is just brushed back and that is not part of the bangs hairdo. After Maegan brushed the long hair back in place then James was happy with her new bangs.

Someone mentioned the other day while we were at school that they love the "steps". I do too! The girls were following me the other day and I felt like a mother duck with my ducklings all in a row. They are the greatest girls!

James is 8!

On the morning of her birthday I snuggled in bed with James and told her about the day she was born. How she was so tiny and wonderful. Her cheeks were so soft and squishy. Her hands were so tiny. I brought up her hand to look at it. Yikes! It's not tiny anymore! She giggled and told me that she grew. I still can't believe it.

Our good friends passed on a Power Wheels that they no longer use. I think this picture is a flash forward 8 years. James drives it like a pro! (as you can see she is WAY too big for it and has to keep one leg off to the side while driving!)

We went out to dinner and got her ears pierced for her birthday. She was such a champ through the pain. Now she looks so grown up and stunning. Happy Birthday James we love you!

Family Reunion and First Day of School

We had our family reunion last week. It was great, as always. I got t-shirts made and we were able to get a family picture. This one is a "making of" picture of the family picture. See, me, the only one smiling at the camera because Bill was taking the picture.

We went on a family canoe trip. (see canoes way in the distance) It was great and we even went for a dip! Thank you Jeff for being the first brave one to jump in. Bill is still healing from the bruises her got when a log broke that he was standing on:(

We did a headband craft from here. Since the grandchildren are 14 girls 3 boys.

Luke with niece baby Sarah. So cute!

Again, the chaos of trying to get 32 people together for a picture!

The girls started school. James is at a different school than Campbell:( But she is loving third grade!

Campbell started Kindergarten! I can't believe it. When I picked her up on the first day she said "I didn't even get sent to the principal's office!" We are so proud!

We grew this gigantic tomato! It tasted really good too!

Taite is catching up on her sleep with her sisters at school!

Pictures

The county fair where we live always has a parade that goes right through the middle of town and this year Campbell and her friend Bekah were invited to ride on a float and throw candy. They were so cute!

Campbell loved throwing candy and when they ran out of candy she kept throwing more. The woman on the float asked her where she was getting the candy from. She had stuffed her pockets FULL!

We were having scissor issues last week and Taite ended up chopping off some long layers in the front of her hair. Luckily it just looks like she is growing out her bangs. This was after taking scissors away at least 7 times that one day.

Our garden produced! Last year we had 9 pepper plants and that resulted in zero green/red/yellow peppers. Finally this year we have some!

We had a bought of blossom end rot, but now the tomatoes are looking beautiful! We will be eating Pico tonight!

Taite vs. mascara (no explanation, although how did I get so careless with my make up?)

The Drive In

Our local drive in was showing Cars 2! We loaded up the suburban and headed out for an exciting night.
Waiting for the movie! We got a great spot to watch from.

Family picture in the suburban.

During the hours before the movie starts they have this little train to occupy the kids time. There was also a playground down in front of the screen.

The girls had a blast. Taite was a little restless when the movie started (it was 9 PM, a little late for her). After a little wrestling she fell asleep and then we could all enjoy the show!

Summer

Although we have our own strawberry patch, it was not quite big enough for our needs. The girls and I went to pick strawberries at a local farm.

Taite ate to her delight while I picked.

James and Campbell were having a competition to see who could pick the most. I think they each picked about 15 strawberries that actually ended up in their baskets!

Grandma Dot and Grandpa Bob brought us two Peach Tree Seedlings last fall. Only one survived the winter. Bill and Campbell decided it was time to make it a home in our front yard. So far it is doing great! I hope it will survive this next winter.

The big girls attended Garden Camp this summer. I love this program and the kids have so much fun. They meet for Garden Camp on the fair grounds and plant a garden there. Usually when we have our county fair the vegetables are ready to harvest. They came home on the last day with pots of "mystery" seeds. We are anxiously waiting to see what they produce.

James' University

James went to UD for kids this summer. She loved it.
She learned about optical illusions in one of her courses.
She made a "Zany Bird" in the other course she attended. She called her bird Jamesland Jitters.