photography by Carinn

A good friend took these wonderful pictures of our family, Thanks Carinn!

walk n roll for kailey

The walk n' roll for the UCP was a great success! We had a great time and raised some money for our cousin Kailey and her friends. After the walk we celebrated Kailey's birthday.

Kailey with her mom Nikki and little brother Zach

Gracie & Zach dancing

tickle, tickle Kailey

my big walkers

after the long hot walk

100

This is my 100th post and to celebrate I thought I would take a moment to thank everyone who reads this. I enjoy sharing all the cute and not so cute things my children do and I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I do writing them.

I am so thankful to have such a strong and determined husband. As we count down the days (77) until he leaves I am reminded of how much he is doing for our family. After work and the gym his days and nights are filled with a "honey do" list a mile long (I told him he cant leave until it's done so I just keep adding things) and he still finds time to play with the kids and surprise me with a shoe shopping trip for our anniversary. After 12 years he still knows the way to my heart....shoes! I cant thank him enough for what he has and is about to do for our family!!

I am also so proud of my little man who takes care of us too. He takes everything to heart and truly cares about his family and friends. He looks after his sister more then any 5 year old should. He's also looking after me, always helping me with things around the house and reminding me of what needs to be done. He looks up to his daddy and always says "I'm just like my dad" He's a little OCD like his mommy, I think he's the only kid I know who at 3 was teaching the other kids how to sort the toys before putting them away. Ethan is wise beyond his years. He is like an old soul.

There is nothing graceful about my little Gracie. She was given the name hurricane Grace at 6 months and has more then lived up to it. She knows how to push my buttons and can beat (and I mean beat) on her brother. She cries, screams and has the biggest tantrums I've ever seen. She loves to play with her dolls and help me in the kitchen. In the mornings she's like my shadow-shower, hair, make-up, clothes, shoes-we do it all together. But her favorite thing to do is "cook" in her kitchen for her daddy. She could spend hours making him food. Her looks could kill but can also melt your heart. I know she's had mine from the start!

So here's to last 100 fun memories and to many more to come!

cute cuddly camo

I picked up these camo teddy bear pj's for the kids to wear on our hunting trips coming up this fall. I just thought they were so cutebut we had to try them on before the trip. Gracie's liked them so much I let them sleep in them tonight. I asked about eight times before bed to take a picture of them and every time it was a big fat NO. So when I walked in to find that Gracie had climbed into Ethan's bed I told them the only way she could stay was if I got a picture. Well this is what they gave me........

down came the trees

This weekend we took down two 40+ foot trees in our front yard. The trees have been tearing up the sidewalk and our roof for years now however only half of one was on our property. So finally our neighbor agreed to let us cut them down. It was a cold and wet weekend with a lot of rain but dried up today so we could finish. Dennis our neighbor across the street helped Jake cut them down in exchange for wood, yes we got rid of the trees and Dennis got all the firewood. It was a lot of work but I am SO GLAD the trees are gone. Now with a little stump grinding and a few flowerbed fixes we should have a new front yard.

the trees before

first one down

Barbara holding the kids on the tree

Ethan said this wood looked like paper

second tree down

this one was taller

they make a great team

play time

Dennis & the kids take a little break for some fun

big helpers

the house now with 2 of the 3 trees gone......maybe he'll let us cut down that last one!

down goes the second tree

mr kitty's check up

Gracie took Mr Kitty in for a check up after his procedure last week. The doctor said he was healing well and the stitches could come out but he still needed to stay inside for a little while. She was very good with him. She sat up there and gave him kisses while the doctor looked him over. When we got home she ran into the kitchen and got out some treats for him. It was very sweet!