Fun with Friends

We have had a very busy week with VBS, friends in town, birthday parties and a rodeo. It all started with VBS at Calvary Bible Church in Hailey, the kids go every year and have an absolute blast. I usually help but with all my extra kids that I'm watching I wasn't able to help this year.

Our good friends, the Baker's, also came into town for the week(the same Baker's that gave us the awesome play structure and whose house we will be renting). We had spent 3 evenings with them just letting the kids play and have a good time. One night we went to my parents to visit, play with kittens and make s'mores. YUM! It was so good to spend time with Kathy and the boys again. We will miss you and can't wait for your next visit this winter.

And then the birthday party. Several of our friends and family all have birthday's within a week of each other so we just celebrate all together. It has turned into a summer kick off water fight. It wasn't quite as livley as in years past but it was still a lot of fun. We go over to Carey to the Kimballs and make a day of it. After the water fight we play the bing bag toss game. Mandie and I team up and usually win most games. This year we weren't quite as lucky. I had a handicap this year named Becca on my hip. We cut the party a bit short this year and all loaded up and headed to Mountain Home to watch Clancey ride(bulls) in a rodeo. He did pretty good, he stayed on and scored (sorry no pics of the ride). Alex and Dani

Kitties at Grammy's house

Aren't they cute!

Becca is teaching Erik how to jump. She is after all a pro at jumping now.

My darkest baby
Alex and Dani at VBS

Erik, what a cutie with such a great personality!

Alex, Than, Erik and Dani

My new do! I love it! I decided that as I approach the big 3-0 I needed a change. This is as daring as I get.

Than making sure all his weapons are fully loaded

Becca totally got in on the fun

Who needs a gun when you have the hose?!

If only we could all run this way!

Baby ZaneThe Boys!

Gramma Cris with Zane

Funny Videos

Happy Birthday Tiff! (even if we are a few days late)

Model Material

I saw an ad in the Parents magazine looking for the next cover model. Call me biased but I think my girls are totally model material. I took these pictures with the intention of entering Becca in the contest but didn't get them uploaded in time so all you bloggers can enjoy my little models.

Right back at ya babe!

Twins!?

We have been getting out more and use the bike trailer this summer. Our good friends Chante` and Wyatt usually go with us. Since Dani won't ride her bike we double up on the trailers and Chante takes one of my girls. Gretchen was the lucky one to ride with Wyatt this time. Even though there is 15 months between Gretchen and Wyatt they are the about the same size.

Than at his best

Than is absolutly facinated with the army and anything that has to do with war. I got these pictures as he was undertaking his latest battle. What I didn't get on the pictures was his entire outfit. He had a camo duffle bag strapped to his back with a Nalgene water bottle and one of the girls little doll bags tied on him as well. It was pretty funny.

Sweet Dreams

Becca wasn't feeling well this day and I had just got her to sleep. When I laid her on my bed she had this sweet peaceful look. I think she is praying that I won't put her in her bed when I go to bed.

We're Moving!!!!

Yes, you read right. God has answered my prayer to provide a much bigger house within our means. Our friends John and Kathy Baker that you read about in a previous post have had their house on the market since October of last year and with the market as it is now and NO ACTION! Kathy called me on Sunday night(after I told our current land lord that we were staying in this much too small of house for 6 people) to see if we would be interested in renting their house if the price was right. We immediatly jumped on it. It will give us 700 sq. ft more than we have and the master bedroom is not right by the front door. The later is more importanat than the first since Tony works nights and having extra kids in the house is sometimes hard. Now we will have the room for me to take a few extra kids in, please pray that God will provide more kids this fall when a few of the kids I have now will go back to school.
That about sums it up for our family this week.
YAH FOR US!!!!!!

It's a Jungle Out There

Our dear friends John and Kathy Baker(our personal photographer, ha ha) moved to Kansas City last fall and left us their totally awesome play structure. Tony went over and got it this week from their house and I had to go over and check out the damage it had done to the lawn. Tony had said that the lawn was a little thick and neede to me mowed, small understatment or my girls are even smaller than I thought. In some places it came up to my knees. Thanks again Bakers, we will enjoy it as much as you did all those years.

Becca was scared to walk in the tall tall grass.

I thought this lonley little tulip was pretty.
The yard looks so much bigger without the play structure.

Than turns 10!

Does time really go by this fast?! As I sit and think about all we've been through and done over the last 10 years it seems just like yesterday. We had a great time with friends and family over for his birthday. Of course Grammy and Papa, Uncle Trent, Aunt Shelly and Ethan were here as well as the whole Kimball clan. We had taco's for dinner and then as you can see cake and
ice cream for desert. The presents were kinda sparse since Grammy and Papa didn't have a chance to go shopping and the gift we got for him hadn't showed up yet ( a PSP system). As it was he still got plenty. A fun time was had by us all.

As you can see the little girls are ready to dive right in. They did when they thought no one was watching. I saw many finger marks in the frosting.

The new Super Soaker to take to the annual water fight birthday party at the Kimball's at the end of the month. He is so excited and think he will have total advantage over everyone else.

Than Blowing Out Candles! This is hilarious!