Beautiful Day

Last Saturday, Natalie was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was a beautiful day. She was so excited and happy ... it was amazing to witness. We had many family and friends there to support Natalie, which just added to the sweetness of the day.

When we got home, Natalie took my advice and went upstairs to write down her feelings. She was up there a lot longer than I expected. I remembered doing the same thing over 19 (!) years ago, and over the years those pages have become priceless to me. Of course, I was 15 at the time, so my thoughts on my baptism are much different (and longer) than Natalie's, but nonetheless, what she wrote down was beautiful and heartwarming. I know she will treasure those words as the years go by.

The next day, as Natalie stood in the congregation to be welcomed as the newest member of our ward, her smile was ear-to-ear. It is obvious she is happy with the decision she made, and we couldn't be happier for her.

Under The Sea

Natalie turned 8 years old today.

Let me just roll that around in my head for a moment....

Ok, yes, I think I am ready for her to be eight. It freaks me out just a tad, but it's also wonderful. Sometimes, when things are quiet (admittedly, that is not often), I will watch her as she goes about her day and I will get these amazing glimpses into the woman she will one day become. YES, I know she's only turning 8, not 18, but still. I can see it. And I'm excited for all the possibilities that lay ahead.

An under-the-sea theme for our girl who wants to be a mom-teacher-meterologist-marine biologist when she grows up. And maybe a detective on the side.

Hopefully she wasn't too freaked out by some of the decorations. :)

Hmmm... choices, choices!

She was so genuinely happy to receive her own scriptures (with her name!). I admit I teared up a bit.

Happy Birthday, Natters. One special day down this week, one more to go ...

Potpourri of a Post

It's been busy around these parts, mostly because we've had to keep fixing things (the 'Rolla, our computer hard drive, the house air conditioning....) The computer broke about a month or two out of warranty, naturally, but luckily the air conditioning is still under warranty. The 'Rolla, well... it's a 1989 so that's all I have to say about that. It's still cheaper than having a monthly car payment, though, so we're sticking with it. Plus, we need to hang on to it for about 8 more years, because we promised Natalie she could have it when she got her license. Lucky girl. :)

So as I've been reorganizing my pictures on my new hard drive, I've come across a few that I decided to share. They are slightly random... just like me!

Calvin being happy in the grocery store... so rare we had to take a picture!

Getting my hair done as I read to the girls ... fancy!

The boys spontaneously holding hands in the car (the girls, not so spontaneous ... they just know a good photo op when they see one)

I'm so glad we built them a treehouse

Ok, that's all for now. I hope everyone is enjoying their summer thus far!

The Final Detail

We did this about 2 months ago, but I forgot to share it with you all. I know you've been waiting on pins and needles, so I won't make you wait any longer. Here it is, the final detail to our the kids' Star Wars bathroom:

The kids seem to really like having their names on the wall, and I really like that they have a specific place to hang their towels. It also makes it a lot easier to see who left their towel on the floor. Can't get anything passed mommy now! MuHAHAHA!

On an unrelated note, summer has begun and we are loving it. It is not too hot up here (yet), but we've still been having fun cooling off with massive water gun fights in the backyard. It's usually Parents vs. Kids, and let me tell ya, we have no mercy baby. I'm talking sniper in the treehouse, secondary weapons, the whole 9 yards. It's a blast.

Besides our water gun battles, it's going to be a pretty relaxing summer around here. We have no major vacation plans, but I'm looking forward to a looser schedule and lots of family time. We might even tackle another project or two around the house... if I can break away from the otter pops and slip 'n slide long enough.

Note to Self

Never - ever! - let a 3 year old play with your keys anywhere in the remote vicinity of a drain.

Thank goodness for a quick thinking custodian and a powerful magnet. My keys still smell like standing water, but at least I have them back! (And the clicker still works!)

My name is Dexter and I was so upset about dropping the keys that I gave myself a nose bleed - again.

(This picture was taken at Yosemite and has absolutely no correlation to the subject at hand, except to say that I guess he could have dropped the keys in a much worse location.)

I Have One Thing To Say

NURSERY!

Have a blast, son. If you need me, you can find me in Sunday School! (shock!)

Yosemite

Jay and I decided it was time to break the kids (and me) into camping. I didn't want to go completely insane, so we opted for a quick 1 night, 2 day camping trip to Yosemite, instead of a week-long excursion.

Turns out it's just as much work to plan/pack/set-up for one night as it is for 7. Still, it was a good thing we kept the trip short, because I was ultra-stressed with Calvin. Let's just say that toddlers and campfires are not the most relaxing combination in the world. Not to mention I felt his nightly scream-till-I-fall-asleep ritual was slightly disruptive to our camping neighbors. (Jay insists no one was bothered, but I don't believe it.)

Dexter did pretty well, and with the exception of some minor spills on their bikes that turned into the-boy-who-cried-wolf screamfests, the girls did great as well. And we didn't even get attacked by a bear!

Check out the boys. And seriously, how hot do I look in a bike helmet?

I admit I haven't been many places in this wide world, but Yosemite must rank pretty high on the "Most Beautiful Places On Earth" list. It is simply gorgeous. We camped at the base of Glacier Point, and were surrounded by amazing trees and wildlife. The waterfalls were raging, and the views of El Capitan and Half Dome were fantastic. I can't believe Jay climbed that thing. Amazing. I get a panic attack just thinking about it, and yet I'm slightly jealous. Maybe I'll conquer my fear of it one day....

Overall it was a great experience, but I think we'll wait until next year to attempt camping with the little ones again. A little backyard camping will have to suffice for the summer. As long as there are smores, I think we'll all be happy.

The Smile Says It All

Happy 6th Birthday, Beatrice Betsy!

May you always look back on this day and remember that dreams can come true! :)

(Is it just me or does it look like Cal is about to interview her with his sippy cup?)