Sunday pics

We call this a daddy pile. The kids were the squished ones, though. You can't see faces, but that's (from left to right): Coleson's legs, Hunter's legs, and Katie's legs). Ethan was the cherry on top! Aren't daddy's fun?!

And here's one of Ethan & daddy from the other day too. They were just chilln' and Ethan wanted to share the same spot on the pillow as daddy.
A few new words for Ethan from over the weekend:
Tan uuuuu (thank you)
Sou (Sorry)
Uh-ohh
Cookieeee!!!!!
Uh high (for high-fives)
Do oh (down low)
Do soo (too slow!)

Ethan's words this week

I was greeted by this bunch of adorableness when I woke up from a nap!! What a sweet way to wake up.
Ethan's new words this week are:
Boo!
Hi (with a wave)
Bye (with a wave)
Go
More
Boom! (with a gotcha pose- he does have older brothers :)
Mommeeeeeee (a sudden change from the long standing "mama")
Milk
Juice
Out (for outside)
Boy (which he calls both Coleson & Hunter when he's trying to get their attention)

I've been a touch worried that he was not speaking a whole lot yet. He's been our latest talker so far. (And our latest walker too- I think it's my fault because I baby him so much- I don't want him to get bigger-why do they all do that?!) But I took heart in the fact that each child does things at their own pace. And he definitely understood what we were speaking to him. I was sure that when he started talking it would come quickly. I was right.

Duberstairs blankie

This is Katie all curled up in her favorite way with her "duberstairs blankie". I know- what is a duberstairs blankie right??? (In this case it's a small swaddling minky blankie made by Aunt Charlotte). I really don't have any idea where the name came from, though. When Katelyn was learning to talk and had just learned the word blankie, one night she went to bed and it was her "bankie" and the next morning it was her "duberstairs bankie". When I tried to just say blankie, she didn't know what I meant. I asked if she meant "up or downstairs blankie" but neither was it. And so it was duberstairs blankie. And so it has been ever since. Weird, huh? Cute.

Mr. Obvious

Summer must be killing my kids' brain cells. Here are a few examples why I say this:
- The other day Hunter actually bit a broken light bulb. Like it had been snapped off at it's base (jagged glass edges and all) and he used his teeth to unscrew it. Now, Hunter has always been a little oblivious of dangers, but...seriously?!?
- Coleson was late getting out to the car the other day. We are all loaded up and waiting for him. Then he lazily walks out the door (like he doesn't have a care in the world- because I guess, really, he doesn't actually) and leaves it standing wide open. When he gets to the car I say "Coleson you left the door open- again." Then, and I'm not even kidding you, he turned around and earnestly looked at the door (like he was searching the door for some sort of hidden answer!). He starred and starred. We're talking like at least 30 seconds here of full-on questioning stare!! Then I said "Go close it!!!!" (Ohhhh...the answer he'd been waiting for!!) I required a deep cleansing breath after that one.
-Then, on like the same day, Hunter shot himself in the private parts with a Nerf gun (it was actually a ricochet off the wall). I happened to be coming around the corner at the exact moment he did this. Then he looks up at me with these innocent eyes and says "Mommy you know what? Private parts are sensitive." Uhhhh.....yep.

Maybe it's time for mom to have a vacation.

bikes, bikes, bikes

A few years ago it was the little 4 wheelers we bought. They ate and slept on those things. This year it's bikes.

At the beginning of the summer I snatched up a super nice (red, of course) bike for Hunter at a garage sale. He loved it, but it had one problem- 2 wheels. Jared and I knew that he could totally ride a 2 wheeler but sometimes he gets himself all psyched out about things and refuses to try. Like last summer when he absolutely wouldn't get on a bike at all and Jared eventually forced him to do it, which sounds mean, but it's just how Hunter works. He cried for 2 minutes and then laughed and smiled for the rest of the summer. We knew this was the same way. But we just let it go. So the bike sat for the past month or so until Coleson kinda took a liking to it. Coleson got a new (blue- of course) bike for his 8th birthday last fall. And he loves it, but it's just a tad too big for him. But Hunter's bike fits just right. And surprisingly, Hunter was ok with that. So Coleson's been riding it for a few weeks and Hunter's been riding up and down the lane on his little bike with training wheels refusing to even try out the 2 wheeler. Then all the sudden last Wednesday, we had this conversation:
Hunter - "I can ride that red bike."
Me- (non nonchalantly) "I know." (never show him how much you want him to do something because then he won't do it ;)
Hunter- "Ok watch here I go".
Me- "OK." (secretly cheering inside!)
And he rode all the way down the lane, no accidents, and hasn't been on the other bike since. In fact, a few days ago they had a friend over and needed another bike, so Hunter disassembled the training wheels of the other bike. Oh, and then on Thursday he started doing stunts- no hands, standing up on the pedals. Awesome. (sarcasm) But that's so Hunter- full throttle or not at all. That could literally be his motto.

So here's a picture of Coleson and Hunter going neck 'n neck on their bikes. Up and down the lane they go. Down and up. All day long. And they love it.

Blueberry everything!!

Picking blueberries with our buds!


Ethan LOVES "helping" wash the berries :)

So Prelock Farms opened for Blueberries last Thursday and we went picking with the Miskins. I don't know that we all really realized just how many berries we had picked- we were too busy chatting:) But in the end we had picked about 20 pounds and the Miskins had about 25 pounds. That's a LOT of blueberries. So I've made blueberry muffins (3 different kinds), blueberry strusel bread, blueberry pancakes, mixed berry crisp and LOTS of strawberry blueberry jam (because I also found strawberries for $.99/lb. at Aldi- and they were actually delicious- so I bought 12 pounds). I canned 16 pints of jam Saturday night and the kiddies couldn't be happier to have as much homemade jam as they want to eat- which just so happens to be a LOT. I think they'd eat a jar a day if I'd let them. But alas, I am a mean mother and won't let them. We save it for winter anyway. It's so scrumptious to pull out homemade jam and spread on homemade bread to go with homemade soup on a cold winter day. Seriously, isn't that one of the best things ever?? I LOVE LOVE this time of year when we're busy canning and storing food. This week I'll can some more strawberry jam and the green beans are ready for harvesting and processing. I'll probably can and freeze those. The sweet corn is out so we're thinking of buying a load and freezing that ( another great LOVE of mine- what a treat to pull out sweet corn in January). And I talked to Sonia today about canning strawberry rhubarb jam this weekend. YUM!!!!I always give the kids "jobs" to do in the process. We set up an assembly line. But as you can see from their blueberry smeared faces, they are well compensated for their work. Plus they love to help.

4th of July

Monday was the 4th of July. Honestly, we were just too tired from the ward party this weekend to even think about doing a big to-do. Kevin and Charlotte invited us to come there and watch fireworks with them. We considered doing that, but then decided we were too tired to travel. I find that I have to really guard against getting too run-down, lately. Sometimes, with all these big activities or projects for primary, we all put a LOT of effort and energy into it- and then crash. I usually need a few days to recoup or I end up getting sick. So, we just decided to have 2 of my counselors and their families over for an impromptu and laid back cookout. What a concept to get together and not be planning, prepping, or working. Don't get me wrong, I completely love what we're going (we are Team DYN-O-MITE!!), but it was really nice to spend time relaxing together. And the kids had a blast too. Katelyn and Lana got especially silly together. Nicole's husband, Andy, and Jared lit the fireworks. He's always giddy like a kid in a candy store when we pull out explosives. Then we sat down and chit chatted altogether some more until it was like 11:30! But the kids were awesome and slept in the next day until almost 10!!!! Yay!!
Katie and Lana found the perfect little spot on this stoop by the pump house to watch the fireworks. And then came the silliness. That had a really great time playing all night.
I had to snap this picture of Hunter. It pretty much sums up all in one photo how Hunter prefers to dress every day of the year. Shorts (red), t-shirt (red), big honk'n winter boots, and a weapon of some sort (preferably a stick, usually tucked into the side of his pants). Summer or winter- this is his favorite get-up. Classic Hunter.