The Birthday Boy (aka Man)

Tomorrow we celebrate the birthday of my favorite man...my husband and the one my little ones call "Daddy."  Truly, he is the best there is.  He works long, hard days and comes home, barely taking a breath before spending the rest of his energy playing with the boys, holding and feeding Sophie, and loving me.

He helps with every thing around the house (on top of what he does away from home)!  He provides so I can raise our kids.  He supports me, shows the kids how to love and is an example for more than just ours. He works fervently to be who God wants him to be, and personally, I believe he's doing it amazingly well! 

He's staying home with the kids this weekend while I'm off at a conference.  In fact, he took the older two to the mountains for a little one-on-one time while my parents watched the youngest ones.  He prefers to be together rather than apart, chooses activities that bring us closer, and his favorite night "out" is spent at home.

What I cannot say, these pictures will...

I love you, Jeremy, and I cannot wait to celebrate you tomorrow (and the rest of my life)!

Happy Birthday!

Oh to be a Kid Again

We have had a fast but oh-so-fun summer!  The boys have thrived on being outside.  We've even gotten to spend a little time with cousin Stephen Ross.

While over at PaPa and Elley's a few days ago, John Paul found a frog!

He accidentally dropped the frog, so it became a challenge to get him back...

Peter did have clothes on that morning.

Caught again!

Seeing them play reminds me of doing the same things as a kid while not having a care in the world.  It was a time in my life when frogs weren't gross, when I enjoyed just laying in the sun's rays after an afternoon in our giant sandbox, and when nothing else really mattered.

My kids are at that point now, and will be for years to come, I hope!!

Case in point: PaPa and Elley set up a huge water slide in their yard and as it was going up, Carter said, "Hellllloooo Gorgeous.  Dat's what I'm talkin' 'bout!"  Then he slid down over and over again.

The summer has brought a little fun with some left over dry ice...creating our own witch's brew.

Stephen Ross got a taste of what it's like to have a sister around.

And, Carter and Peter found some "big big big bees" that I needed to take a picture of.

And a butterfly too!

They've also spent a lot of time in the sand box.  Duke, their protector, is never far away.  I love how they're all together yet are each doing their own thing.

Carter had been doing a little tractor work in his birthday suit and came in to tell me Peter had found a "tiny hiney" bug.  I think he meant teeny weeny.

That bug followed us to the restaurant we ate at that day and was lost in the car on the way home.

Before they shared popsicles in the nude (kind of a regular occurrence in the middle of nowhere), Carter hugged Peter, and Peter said, "You are my best friend the whole world."

They really are best friends.  All of them.  And, it couldn't make me a happier mom.  I would say it's been an amazing few months of just being kids.

Family Pictures

Sweet Jolene (our family friend who shot Rozann's wedding) came to town this week and asked if we wanted family pictures.  When someone as amazing as Jolene asks, you don't turn her down!  Here is what she got...

I'll cherish these forever.  Thank you so much, Jolene!