Schedule...

I need to get on one.

The house is a disaster.

Something always hurts.

Maggie only has her hair done 50% of the time.

The laundry is overflowing (I swear it multiplies like rabbits).

Time to kick my rear end in gear. Neutral has not been a good place for all involved.

4th

We had our July 4th celebration at Grandma and Grandpa Teeples house tonight. We played minute to win it games, the kids swam in a little pool, we ate dinner and celebrated Matt's 36th birthday. Which is actually tomorrow. We made the kids semi-matching shirts for the day. They turned out pretty cute and were really easy. We all had a great time. And Happy Birthday to my great husband. He really is a gem.

Little Miss Naughty

bitty baby after trying to get the marker off

she now looks like the doll in Toy Story 3

bangs

watercolors

(iphone picture)

it happened, she officially became a three year old

In the past two weeks Maggie:

gave Bitty Baby permanent black marker eye shadow, fingernails, lipstick, ears and some knee decor. (i tried my best to get it off)

painted her face, legs and bedroom floor with watercolors.

got caught in the act of cutting up doll clothes.

put full foundation makeup on her face. (she actually did a pretty good job)

ate three otter pops for breakfast this morning without my knowledge.

CUT HER OWN HAIR!!! She now has bangs.

she is a naughty little rugrat. and oh how I love her.

Kate the Great

Kate turned 11 yesterday. We had a big family party with lots of food and strawberry shortcake for dessert. Thanks to everyone who came and helped Kate have a special day.

I can't believe she is eleven. It seems such a short time ago that she was three and I wondered if she would become a child that I would like (of course I have always loved her). I know, maybe I shouldn't admit it, but Kate as a three year old was difficult. And many many days I wasn't her biggest fan. Thankfully, she has become such a nice young women. Helpful, patient with her siblings, happy, obedient and just an overall joy to have in our family. We're lucky that Heavenly Father chose us to raise her.

Loving California

Anna, Maggie, Paige and Kate

William didn't mind the sand one bit. I was surprised.

But, he didn't love the water.

Parker worked on digging this hole almost the entire time we were there.

Sandy grilled cheese and fries, yum.

Anna, Maggie, Kate, Will, Parker, Claire, Paige, Miller

The Aquarium has seals named Miller and Parker (funny, right?)

Over Memorial Day weekend we went to CA to visit Grandma and Grandpa. Bridget, Paige and Claire, Noelle, Anna and Miller all came too. We had a great time. Albeit a little bit crazy with 6 children three and under. Grandma and Grandpa Miller were great sports to put up with all of us. I guess we didn't give them much choice. ;) Our two big outings for the weekend were the Long Beach Aquarium and Torrance Beach. We had a great time and the kids played really well together. I got to stay for the remainder of the week with Noelle and Bridget and their kids and Maggie and Will. Matt took our big kids home so they could go to school. We laughed a ton and had great visits with some good friends and Grandma and Grandpa. Grandpa was especially hysterical the entire time we were there. He even went on a coke run every morning and got me my current favorite Coke Zero. I can't wait to go back.

note: the picture onslaught is especially for Honey and Papa

Camping...

lake mead

9 month old baby

boat

16 hours spent outdoors (mercifully shortened from an intended 48)

60 mile an hour winds...

as much fun as you can imagine in those conditions

definitely a memory made

A Letter to Will

Dear Will,

You will be nine months old tomorrow. The time could not have gone any faster.

You are adorable, but could you please sleep more? Getting up at midnight, 1:40 am, 5:00 am and then for the day at 6:30 just doesn't work for me. And napping, you could be A LOT better at it. Just so you know, thirty minutes does not constitute a morning nap. I know you want to play and unload every basket and bookshelf in the house, but I could use a break from following you around and picking up your messes.

Thank you for your happy personality. Thank you for your cheerful response when your Dad and I come to get you out of your bed at all hours of the day and night. It makes it somewhat bearable.

I love your growl and that you do it on command, I growl, you growl, etc. I would love it if you would say MaMa a little more often and not always DaDa. But I understand, he is pretty great. You are no longer an army man. Full on crawling is your style now. And I have to say I am glad. It's much easier to wipe dirty knees, then change your clothes multiple times a day. Thank you for that. You don't know how to manipulate stairs yet, so please stop going up them and falling off backwards. Too soon, you will be big and be able to do it, so just hold on for now and stay small a little bit longer. THANK YOU for taking the bottle and being happy about it. And I'm so glad you like food. Getting a few teeth might help with eating, but that's okay, you gum things pretty well. Your favorites are bananas, graham crackers, apple slices, oatmeal and noodles. I must warn you to be nicer to Captain. He won't always put up with you climbing over him, pulling his beard and legs and pinching his skin. You have a little bit longer that you can get away with it, but he will put you in your place at some point. And please don't play with Captain's toys or chewing bone. It drives him crazy and it's pretty disgusting.

I could kiss your cheeks incessantly. They are the best. Other people notice as well. A couple of weeks ago we were in the Target parking lot and a lady stopped her car behind ours. She rolled down the passenger side window to yell to me how cute you are. It's nice to know that it's not just my biased opinion that you are one of the cutest babies around.

I'm lucky to be your mom. I love your sweet little content spirit.

Love,

Mom