It (finally) feels like summer!

Today was warm and sunny; the first day without rain in weeks. I blew up a little pool that we purchased at Target, and it turned out to be REALLY little. Just barely big enough for Hannah and Delaney to squeeze into. They didn't seem to mind, though! For two hours they played in the water and picnicked on the deck. Even Emma enjoyed being outside. Finally!

Nice goggles, Hannah! (albeit a little unnecessary!)

Yes, Delaney was naked. Nothing like a picnic in the buff.Of course Lambie joined in on the fun!I love this picture of Emma, particularly because I didn't have to ask her to smile. She saw the camera and knew what to do!

Fathers Day fun!

My mom had the whole family over for dinner on Sunday. We had a great day celebrating the dads together. The menu was perfect: filet steaks, caprese salad, cheesy potatoes, corn on the cob, and iced tea. Yum!

This is one happy dad.

Delaney made Bryan a card. Hannah made all of the dads special cards. She was busy!The girls with Julia, Tyler, and Pop.

Visiting my sister and her family!

This past weekend my parents, the girls, and I made the long trip to my sister's house in New Hampshire. It was planned at the last minute so preparing for the trip was a bit stressful for me, but my dad drove us up in my van and I was able to relax a little. Missy and Joe have 3 children, so the six kids had a blast together!

My parents, Missy, Christopher, Delaney, and Emma.

My adorable nephew, JoJo. He is also my godson. Isn't he a cutie?
Hannah and my niece, Sarah. Sarah will be 3 in November, but you would think she was six! She taught Hannah how to drive her Jeep. That thing flew. We were all in danger. Literally! Look out!

Happy 4th Birthday, JoJo!

My nephew JoJo celebrated his fourth birthday on Saturday. The weather was perfect, the company was great fun, and my sister and her husband sure do know how to throw a party! Everyone had a great time. Missy, Joe, and JoJoSarah took one of the plastic toy decorations off of the cake and got most of the icing on her face!

Bouncing baby girl

For those of you who know Delaney personally, you are well aware of what a scaredy-cat she is (is that even a real word??)! Before the birthday party, I was able to entice her into one of the bouncy houses that Missy and Joe borrowed. This little video shows the extent of her jumping. It's short, but it was quite a "leap" for our timid little girl. I was proud of her!

Silly babies! Such fun!

Emma and Christopher are only 16 days apart, respectively. It was so much fun to watch the two of them interact. They only had eyes for each other! I took tons of pictures of them, and these are some of my favorites. Just look at how he was looking at her!So sweet.This is a live-action shot of a take-down! Go Emma!

A few more...

Hannah couldn't get enough of her newest cousin. And he certainly adores her!

Snuggling with Delaney and SarahI just LOVE this picture of Christopher!We must've looked like a parade when we took a walk on Sunday evening.

A visit from Uncle Dan and Aunt Meghan

Last week we had the pleasure of an unexpected visit from Bryan's brother Dan and his wife, Meghan. They live in Chicago and we hadn't seen them since last July, so we were excited to introduce them to Emma. Although it was a very short visit, it was also very sweet. Thanks for squeezing us into your travels, Uncle Dan and Aunt Meghan!

Monday morning conversation

Hannah: "Delaney, do you have a sense of humor?"
Delaney: "I don't know."
Hannah: "Delaney, are you rich?"
Delaney: "I don't know."

ahh, the ponderings of children.

Family weekend away

This past weekend we packed up our lives and headed to Jim Thorpe, PA, for a weekend away with friends. I have to say that I had been very anxious about taking our 3 small children to a house filled with 31 people. Bryan and I weren't sure what to expect, and I have to admit that I pictured all of us crammed in a log cabin in the woods in the pouring rain all weekend. Taking a bit of comfort in the fact that the house was only 50 minutes away, I reluctantly packed all the girls and half-expected us to wind up coming home on Saturday instead of Sunday. So! We arrived at a gate for which we needed a secret code to enter. Then, we drove almost a mile up a very winding and beautiful drive. There were no homes in sight. Anywhere. Then, we saw this: We arrived at the palace first and had a chance to get inside and look around before everyone arrived. Do I look anxious?Nope. Nor did Emma. She spent much of the weekend chirping loudly and laughing at the echoes she knew came from her. (The ceiling was probably 30 feet on the main level)These are my girlies. The panoramic views were breath-taking, and the weather couldn't have been more beautiful.We spent the time eating, talking, playing games, roasting s'mores, stargazing, and making memories. God's blessings were flowing all around us, for sure.Being silly.We all enjoyed walking up and down the long, winding drive. The kids rode scooters and chased butterflies all weekend long.The guys played as much as the kids! Bryan even played Manhunt with the kids at night... not an easy task on 200 acres in the dark!The scenery changed with the light. I couldn't take enough pictures.Most of the boys.Dinnertime. I forgot to mention above that the house had 6 huge bedrooms, each with its own private bath. Bryan relaxing with Emma, and showing off his third tattoo.This picture may look vaguely familiar.Caterpillars and other items from nature. I forgot to take a picture of the box turtle I found. The girls named him "Spotty Candy Eater". He was happy when I secretly took him up to the woods and set him free!We all had an absolute blast, and we can't wait to go back next year!!