Random Summer Pics

Just came across some of my favorite pics from this summer...melt my heart!

MERRRRRRY CHRISTMAS!!!

~ Our 2011 Christmas Card ~

{I designed in Photoshop & printed at Costco}

I have decided to dust off my ole' blogging shoes and get back in the game.  I know I have been MIA from this blog for awhile now...just busy with life and letting myself feel like I couldn't blog without catching up on ALL of it.  How SILLY!  I'm just gonna "do the best I can, bless my heart" (as my Grandma DB would say) and see if I can't get back into it!

I love to have a record of our family happenings and growing munchkins...so I need to just get over the fact that I will never be able to post every cute pic I take or family outing we go on, and just post as I can.

There, just had to get that out of my system.  Can I get an AMEN anyone?! ;)

Corban is 1!

C-Monster is 1!  We had a great day celebrating him at a great local park with our family.  

Tammy made AMAZING cookies!

I made him a football cake - we went with the sports balls theme since he loves to play with them and his first real word (after "uh-oh") was "ball."  :)

We went with some good ole' fashioned fried chicken for the main dish! 

 Corban had so much fun!

He didn't dive into the cake like I expected...

He was pretty happy just picking at the frosting!

Then he dug in a bit more! :)

He was so blessed with tons of fun gifts (that all the kids loved). :)

 My silly boy...

 Grandma Holly is reading him and Cole his new birthday book (while he sits on it).

"Happy birthday baby brudda." (melts my heart!)

The girls snuck his new train when he wasn't looking.  ;)

What a fabulous day!  We are so blessed.  Corban James, we love you more than words can describe, little buddy.  

4th of July

The 4th of July is always a fun holiday for our family (except for my mom who is a nervous wreck the whole time...she admits it!). ;)  My uncle is a professional pyro-technician and is hired to shoot off the  huge fireworks show each year at Joint Base Lewis/McCord.  My aunt (his sister) shoots the show with him, along with a great team of guys (hence the reason behind my mom's nervousness).  They do it old school style (no computers) and light each shell by hand!  It's always an AMAZING show!

We all go out during the day while they prep for the show and have a great time BBQ'ing and just having fun outside!  Chris had to work this year, so I took the kids out with my parents and hung out for a few hours.  We didn't stay for the show this year cause the kids are still so young...but Hadley loved looking at the "sparkles" in the sky around our neighborhood that night!  

 Corban's 1st 4th of July!

 She jumped on the tractor Uncle Scott was using to prep for the show...

 Don't worry, I only let her drive it around for a few minutes. ;)

CLOSE UP!

Ok, that's a bit better...

 Ash & her friend, Will, came out for the show

 Ash & I even busted out some vball for a while!  So fun!  Haddy wanted in on the action...

 Towards the end of our time there we found an AMAZING playground...the kids loved it!

Cheese ball face if you love 4th of July!!!!

Happy 4th of July! Hop, hop, hop...

To celebrate the 4th of July...I give you some Easter pics from this year that I never posted.  They were just too cute to leave off...& this about sums up life for me right now!  I never really know what day it is or who's diaper I'm changing!  As long as we are all fed and clean (to some extent) - we have had a good day!  Just keepin' it real as a momma of 2 lil' turkey basters under 2 (ok, Haddy just turned 2, but you get the point...and yes, I lovingly call my kids turkey basters!)! ;)

I will post some real pics from the 4th "soon"...so, maybe by Christmas? ;)

First Trip as Fam of 4

At the beginning of July we took our first family vacation as a family of 4 to Cannon Beach!  We LOVE Cannon Beach...it has always been a very special place to us, so it was so fun to bring our kids there.

Chris' aunt & uncle have a beach house there and invited us, along with Chris' other extended family.  We had SUCH a great time!

The kids experienced playing in the sand for the first time...

Hadley perfected "the look"...

& discovered how fun it is to STOMP on sand castles!

 We walked on the beach...

Saw star fish and other sea creatures...

 Hadley became a professional dog walker...

 and we played in the sand some more!

 We took naps walking on the beach...

 ate ice cream...

 got to pick out special shells in town like mommy did when she was little...

had bonfires on the beach (SMORES!)...

 and just looked cool! :)

It was really special to have such great family time.  Here is Chris with his Uncle Walt...we love this guy!

We even celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary while we were there...

We love our fam!  Here is Chris' cousin, Angie, and aunt Kathy...such amazing women and gracious hosts!

Sunsets never get old...especially at the beach!

Thank you for such an amazing time, Lindermans, and opening your home to us!  We can't wait to come back soon!!!