Friday, July 5, 2013

Real Life

How has nearly two months passed since I have attempted to sit down to upload new pictures?  I somehow always mistakenly think that life will slow down after whatever seems to be consuming my time passes.  It was baseball season, then it was end of the school year hoopla, then it was sports camp, preparing for the cabin and on and on.  I am determined to write more regularly so we have record of what life was like during this stage of our busy lives.  I find having children that span over the course of 11 years to be challenging.  My older kids are wanting to go, run, be spontaneous and I find the work of gathering what is necessary for the younger ones to be a hassle most days.  I determined at the beginning of the summer that I wasn't going to plant as large of a garden or expect as much out of myself this summer so that we can do more things to create memories.  Whether that be something as simple as having smoothies on the deck for dinner, surprising them with root beer floats for lunch someday, going to the pool, to the park, for a hike.  We made a list of things we want to do this summer and are starting to cross things off.
 Of course the highlight of every summer for all of us is the cabin! Every year we come away feeling more blessed than the year before.  And every year everyone comes home completely tuckered out from playing their hearts out.  My girls slept almost the entire way home this year which gave me a nice quiet ride.
 We still have managed to make it to some sort of appointment (doctor, dentist, eye doctor) 7 times over the past 3 weeks.  Just a part of keeping my kids healthy I guess.  This picture was taken outside of the pharmacy this week. 
 Judah was utterly dismayed to learn glasses were necessary.  Poor guy is getting glasses and braces all within a week. 
 Some of my crew waiting on the sidelines of the 4k race on the 4th of July.  Awaiting their siblings to cross the finish.
 Tristan coming to the finish line with Aunt Hannah!
 Eden and Aunt Joyce getting near the finish.  Judah and Shane came up to fast that I missed getting a picture of them at the finish line.
 The whole crew after the race with Heidi make a complimentary appearance.
 Someone had her seasons confused!
 Naomi and I ended up in Heidi's bed after a particularly rough night a few weeks ago.  Heidi came over to our bed so I swapped beds with her.  Naomi snuggled in bed with me and I snagged a picture in the morning.
 Enjoying the sunshine!
 Eden turned 6 at the end of May and was sick for a few days afterwards.  She was such a trooper even though she missed 4 days of school and ended up with a ruptured ear drum from a yucky ear infection.
 He thinks he looks like Harry Potter with these glasses. 
Eden on her graduation day with her friend Bailey.  We are so proud of how good she did in school this year and thankful for her wonderful teacher.  Hard to believe we will now have a 7th, 5th, 2nd and 1st grader. 
 These two are so sweet together.  How I love watching them play!

 Naomi was in hot pursuit of grabbing Mittens tail and was successful!
 I love her!
She loves her bubbles!