"Hearth Vader" and a Quote...

Peek-a-boo!

Daddy called his boy "Hearth Vader" today...Crazy little guy! He is everywhere! And last night he pulled up on the side of the tub during bath time...what in the world!?!?! Bath time just got trickier!

We have had a relaxing rainy day easing back into "real life"...and while Mike and Mallory were doing puzzles today she said, "I have my Daddy back...he's not going to work!" :) Love the summer!

Happy 4th!!!

Before we headed home today half the crew hung out in the driveway while the last few things were done in the house...and a neighbor brought over popsicles for us to eat bc they were headed home today as well and couldn't take them in the car...so nice!

Carter was excited to get back to his hearth...

And Mallory asked to put on her Abby costume first thing!

Mike unloaded the car and I played and hung out with the kids before putting them to bed on time tonight (the first time all week!)...

We are so grateful to live in America and to be blessed with so much...so overwhelming to think about all the things that we are able to enjoy that others can't. It's very humbling that God put us here out of all the other places we could be born....I'm overwhelmed by it a lot of times, but especially on this holiday...I about bawled my head off when I read and bought this book tonight at the grocery store after the kids were in bed...how blessed are we that live in a country where we can dream such wonderful things for our children??!!? Happy 4th! :)

Beach Montage 09

coming soon... :)

Year 26!

Mallory was so excited to go to the beach this year that she tried to put her clothes on over top of her PJs! Mike did an amazing job perfectly packing the car for our journey! Carter's high chair and Mallory's bed (aka Carter's crib mattress) were some of the last items to be crammed :) in the van...When it was time to go I said, "I need to go grab my purse and then we can go..." and M replied..."and your phone and your camera!!!" Funny and a little sad! :)

Checking out our basement "apartment" in the cottage! We were upstairs last time...

Carter enjoyed his first beach trip! He was little scared of the waves at first and spent most of the week in the pool under our tents...

And being loved by his Aunties...

And in the surf a bit too!

Mallory on the other hand couldn't get enough of jumping the waves and the first day she was overcome with happiness and said after I swung her over a wave..."Momma I love you...You're my best friend!!!" :) Thought my heart would burst!

The 3 kids had so much fun together (we missed you R, E, and C...if Rob's fam had been able to make it we would have had kids ages 3,2,1, and 10 months!) Hopefully next yr all the kids can come!! We had to use the "kiddie coral" for Carter this yr...he is the first beach baby of the group to hit the beach during "the crawling I get into tons of trouble stage"...can you see him???

It was so nice having 10 other adults to love and care for our little ones all week! Here is Aunt Susan building a sand castle...

It was an amazing week....I'm so sad that it is over...but so grateful to have been doing this tradition for so long! (Click here for year 24 and 25)

Fam Beach Shots...

We took some fun pics on the beach in front of our cottage the last day... (maybe next yr we can even dress up a bit for them! :))

The Graham Girls and us...

And of course MiMi and PaPa...thanks for an incredible week at the beach!!!

10 Months!

How can it be that our baby will be 10 months old tomorrow!?!!? He makes us smile all day long! And now that he is crawling we are really seeing his personality even more...he is such a people person...he will now follow you out of a room...(Wonder where he gets that from!?!?!? :) )

He is all about his sister's toys when she is playing so we are working on being kind and loving our brother and sharing...He's like a "bull in a china shop"... :)

He loves to chow down and enjoyed real spaghetti tonight for the first time...Yumm Yummmm!

Splash Day and a GeeeeTar

We started the morning off with a "Family MJ Dance Party" listening to all his music and thinking back to our childhoods (it's so sad on so many levels...) Carter did his rendition of "the worm" during the party...don't you just love the shoes someone passed down to us...too cute!

Then we split up girls and guys again...Daddy went to pick up his Father's Day Gift...a guitar from his friend who sold it to us cheap! And M and I went to "Splash Day" with our friends! Thanks for hosting Cara and Dana! It is all Mallory has talked about today since we got home...even though she was super shy while there! :)