Walkers' Trail

Our first full week of summertime is finished!  Overall, we have had a great time.  The big boys did the Junior Golf program, and in the afternoons, we have had a lot of rain! Yesterday's storms were severe enough for Jason's patients to cancel so he was home early.  The weather never really got bad, so we took advantage of baseball cancellations to enjoy some nature!  Reid LOVED to splash in the water. We took a (long) hike to the big pond behind the neighborhood as we have never been.  It backs up to a neighborhood where several of our friends live so we went to visit them as well!  Everyone did great, but Reid was especially a trooper - he kept up at our pace for an hour plus walk. Our neighbors got a dog and Kyle loves little Maggie!   We went on a walk to get the mail, and anything Kyle would do, Reid copied him.   This was the day school let out - Grant was at the kitchen table doing math problems that were left from h...

One of the advantages to having boys.... potty break along the road without cars being able to see them leaning out of the minivan!  :)  That picture in the rearview was just too funny/cute to pass up taking! It was apparently OSU orange day earlier this week!  Love the boys always, and I sure do like them a lot more when this is how they're playing - happily together!! These two "Rickie Fowler Puma Hat Wearing Kids" are in Junior Golf this week. The hats were a present from the camp. They (especially stylin' Kyle) love them! BRACE FACE!!! Grant and I both got braces today!  He has them on three upper teeth as his midline is so off that his teeth cannot come in. His initial rubber band colors were blue, orange and black.  Mine are on the bottom to straighten them up!

Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday, dear Reid! Happy Birthday to YOU! Elmo's cupcake came to your party! I said "let's take a picture" and you went to this spot on the deck, sat down, and gave me your best camera smile!  Ready to show off! Getting ready to blow.... How old are you, Reid? "twhoooow" - showing Daddy and the video camera with your fingers (ALMOST there!)  :) All four of your grandparents came to your party! I'm not quite sure..... do you think you're the special fellow today?!?!  You seem to be hamming it up and showing off in most of these pictures! You are a great little boy.  You're great to play with groups of kids, but you can also easily make your way upstairs by yourself and entertain yourself with cars, trucks, blocks, books, and destroying your brothers' rooms for a long time.  You can climb on the trampoline all by yourself (!...

Thanks, Reid, for dumping Kyle's potted plant.   I'm sure he'll be soooo thankful. The last two days have brought piles and piles of school work from this year to my kitchen counter.  This is one project that I loved from Grant's work.  It was recently written so it makes me happy that it is such a fresh, happy memory for him! Thanks, sweet teachers, for sending pictures from recess of our two big boys!  Looks like popsicles on the playground!

"One Who Builds Under the Stars Builds Too Low." Always thankful for fabulous family, especially my Ken.

One of my birthday presents was a new purse.  As I was modeling it for the family, Kyle goes "you know, Mom, I know I am not supposed to say this word.... but, that purse is really sexty." Sexty.   1. cracked me up that came out of his mouth 2. shocked me that came out of his mouth At least he doesn't quite know the real word yet!

I'll take the role of Mommy any day over celebrating my birthday!  I turned 33 today (thank you for the many cards, texts, emails and facebook messages - means so much!). However, today I was able to be a fun Mommy to Kyle! His class had a picnic in the park.  GG watched Reid so I could have several uninterrupted hours with Kyle, including walking to and from the park, being the PB&J sandwich maker for the class, and being the only Mom to join in (and bring to the party!) on the football and frisbee fun.   Kyle was thrilled! (these are my only birthday pictures - the rest were just deleted off the camera!) Kindergarten Class of 2013! A few special friends were absent today, but these are, for the most part, his buddies from his class this year.  Thanks, Mrs. Tackett, for an amazing year and for helping Kyle grow, learn and mature so much. Thanks, Bryson, Jagger, Jackson, Sam, Samuel, and Mez for being amazing friends!

Grant and I were driving around town yesterday listening to the weatherman on the radio as storms were hunkering right on top of where my brother's family lives.  A few minutes later, he actually says "Yucca Drive and Cactus Drive, it's on you!"   This was my family's home for about 8 years and where I made all of my teenage memories!  2 acres with beautiful trees.  Fortunately, it looks like the house had roof damage, and probably other stuff, but at least it is still standing!   This picture was in The Daily Oklahoman today!

Nana, Manning and Morgan came up to see Kyle's game on Tuesday! The boys always have fun playing together and it was the first time for the cousins to see our new place.   Nana and her boys. Grant on first base. Awesome new ad put in the latest POSSE magazine.   I love it!  So creative.  

JW took a few photos of the boys and me this weekend!  

My boys created a great day for me!  We spent several hours at the lake, biking around it, playing in the park, and having a picnic lunch!  I love them all so much!

Family picture.  First all-crew picture since Jacob arrived!

I am sitting at my desk at 8:29.  My house is completely quiet. Two of my children bounded out the door and are off for another great day at school, and sweetcheeks is still cozy and cuddly in his bed.  I just had the thought, "Isn't this perfect?" So many days I think "ahhh, it's so noisy and loud!" around here, but I do realize as MY friends have children in high school that this sweet time just goes so quickly!  A mom of four boys told us the other day - "you spend all those years trying to keep your house clean, and then all the kids are gone and you just wish someone was there to make it messy." (I will try to do both - kids AND a clean house!) So, my post for this week really has nothing to do with those comments above.  Just a slice of life I wanted to share on the blog! Our Lifegroup is losing two couples to location moves. We met for one last dinner this week.   Best of luck, Carlsons and McColloms!  You will be greatly ...