every day...

...I find this darling girl playing with shoes instead of napping.

I finally got smart and took them off the dresser, and out of her reach.

happy 4th

We went to our dear friend's cabin for the 4th, and hit up the Cascade parade that morning.

The funniest part of the trip was Jesse telling the boys a "scary" story about the goat boy, and then Jeremy came running down the hill with a fake fur rug covering him. My boys completely freaked, but were fine once they realized it was just Jeremy....or so we thought.

Later that night, after all the kids were tucked in and the adults were hanging out in the living room, we heard screaming. Screaming bloody murder - and it was OUR boys. Oh my word. I could not stop laughing, but they were genuinely terrified. All because someone had "touched my bottom" is what Isaiah said. We could not stop laughing, but poor Simon who had been sleeping in the same room, did not think it was funny.

Raelynn serenaded us with the harmonica in the car
Bet you can guess how lovely that was

My handsome boys

Watching the parade

This was out on the deck watching the fireworks

8 months

~ Weighing in at 17.5 pounds (wahoo! 1/2 pound...go buddy!)

~ Got his second bottom tooth
~ Is working on some crazy, toe pushing/army crawl. It's so cute and awkward looking.
~ Is sitting up all by himself.
~ He is so happy. All the time. We're so thankful for his sweet, easy going temperament.

summer lovin

meet my son, superman.

As we were cuddled up on the couch, Elias leaned in, and said:

Mom, I changed my first name to Superman. Superman Benjamin is my name. Spot's name is Superman too."

happy father's day...

...To the most wonderful man I know. You are so amazing, and I'm so thankful our children have the BEST daddy in the whole world.

where's the food?

Yum!

Wait, where's the food?

I'll try again

Mom, where's the food?

I came out of my room on Sunday morning, and there was Elias making his breakfast.

Me: Elias! That is way too much bread for your tummy! That will make you so sick.

Elias: But, Mom, that's what Scooby the dog and Shaggy do!

my life

I adore my kids. I love to capture them while they're doing their thing everyday, and sometimes that means hiding behind the scenes to get photos of them. These pictures will never win any awards, but man do they make my heart sing!

may's happenings

We had awesome weather, and we also had a week where I wasn't sure if I had moved back to Portland without knowing it! So much rain, but we made it through by...

dressing in costumes and eating our new favorite snack - graham crackers. 

Raelynn will ask for one every 10 minutes. 

On one of the nice days, they played in the pool with their cousins for the first time this year.

Simon and Raelynn attended their first parade.
Raelynn ate so much candy.

Eden and Lily had their birthday party, and there were a ton of water balloons to play with

 (she bit this and it exploded in her face...it was hilarious)

On one of the super rainy days, the kids made Simon a tent to play in.

Then, I made them a tent and it lasted until we had to set the table for dinner. 

Raelynn is always trying to keep up with her big brothers. 

Oh yeah, and Bryan accidentally gave Isaiah a bald spot while starting a haircut...

So he shaved their heads. While shaving Elias's head, we found a tick. Lovely.

7 months

Little man is still weighing in at 17 pounds. I'm not sure how that is possible because he has been eating and sleeping like crazy. I'm waiting for a growth spurt. 

~ He is eating like a champ

~ He rolls all over the place, and turns himself in circles

~ He is so close to sitting up on his own

~ He started sleeping in his crib in his own room & of course, the transition didn't phase him

~ He got his first tooth! His bottom left, and it's so stinking cute

~ He sleeps flat on his back. He is my first back sleeper

~ His noises are the best. He sounds like a baby pterodactyl (I definitely had to look up how to spell that) one second and then Chewbacca the next. 

~ He is talking and giggling so much