Blair's tea party

My friend and neighbor who is a photographer was doing a bunch of different themed mini sessions for a great price. One was a Vintage Tea Party Theme. I couldn't resist signing Blair up. I also thought these photos would make for great finishing touches on her new big girl room! She did so well at the photo shoot. All day I told her we were going to go to a tea party. She was so excited. She brought her doll and her stuffed animal "Molly" to join the fun. She had a blast. They turned out so cute. Now I just need to figure out which ones to blow up and put on her wall. http://frecklesphotography.blogspot.com/



She was so excited to share her tea with Molly!

She is so so sweet! I love this pic.

Happy 4th of July!

We had a great 4th of July weekend. We hop everyone else did as well! I am so grateful to live in a country where we have so much freedom and so many blessings! The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays. Family, friends, good food, outside fun, and fireworks. Seriously, what could be better?

On Sun we hung out at the neighbors and watched fire works with them. It was so fun! We are so grateful for such great neighbors!

Ty and Blair would not stop getting up and running super close to the fire works. They were making us so nervous that we rigged up rope seat belts to keep them in their chairs. It worked!
My kids in their 4th of July outfits! Our neighbor made this cool Uncle Sam drum!

Enjoying pop corn at Grandma and Grandpa Wilkinsons!
We had a bbq and swim party at grandma and grandpas. My kids always have such a blast hanging out with their cousins!
It is so great to have such great friends in the family! These boys love each other!
Gracie and Blair love each other too!
Uncle Milo pouring water on the kiddies!
Lukas is getting SO good at swimming! After swimming lessons last week he can now swim short distances!
Having fun playing in the smoke bombs!
Blair decided she wasn't done swimming AFTER she had already changed out of her swimming suit. She got in and got soaked. She wouldn't let me take her dress off! She swam in her dress for over an hour. When I took her diaper off I swear it weighed ten pounds!

Later that night we had neighbors and grandma and grandpa Crane over for fire works and sparklers. It was a lot of fun. Even after our fire works were done we got to enjoy the fire work spectacular in the sky. So many neighbors got the Aerial fire works. We just sat on our porch and enjoyed!

camping

Well we did it! We survived our first family "Roughing it," camping trip. We have been camping in the past, but with my parents in their trailer. This time we tented it. There where some things I probably could have done without, like the not sleeping so well, the early wake up, bugs, and sand EVERYWHERE! Besides those few little things we really enjoyed ourselves. We went with Karen (Dan's sister), Jake, and kiddies. Our kids had a BLAST! They loved every minute of our adventure. Especially when it meant free reign of getting dirty, and lots and lots of cousin time!

The sandy beach was for sure the favorite of the kiddies!
Cole and Lukas loved making mud pies!

Blair likes picking up clumps of mud and throwing it back into the lake. This girl got the dirtiest of all the kids! Talk about sand everywhere. I am sure she even ate a bite or two.
Sitting around the camp fire. You can tell by Blair's Marshemellow face that we enjoyed smores.
These Cousins are GREAT friends! Truly, there was not a single fight among them. They played so nice together.
Dan and Jake really wanted to fish. However, it didn't go as planned. I think they maybe fished a total of ten minutes. It is sort of hard to fish when little kiddies have other plans in mind. I think Jake and Dan will have to go on a fishing trip sans the kiddies next time!
Having fun on the boat! I love how cute they all look in their life jackets.

We docked the boat for a bit and the kids had fun climbing all over the rocks and catching lizards. The boys petted and touched the lizards. Blair however would not! She has a thing about snakes and spiders she is a tad bit afraid. The also splashed around and swam a bit in the water. I don't know how because it was FREEZING!
After boating and lunch we packed up and headed home. It was fun but exhausting. Even Blair told me she was "tired, tired, tired!" If Blair is tired you know it is the end. That girl can go forever.

Drumming!

Tonight for Family Home Evening we went drumming! Drumming, you say? Yup, good old fashioned drum circle drumming! We had a blast! My neighbor makes these awesome drums out of logs with a chain saw! All the work is done by hand carved from his chain saw. They are so unique. I have never seen anything like them. He has started doing assemblies, city functions etc. He just started doing drum circles for Family Home Evening at a friends barn in Salem. The barn was SO cool! It is so old fashioned and was the perfect atmosphere for drumming. My kids had played the drums at his house a few times. However, it wasn't as organized and fun as going somewhere and playing them. They had so much fun banging around screaming and being as loud as they possibly could. If anyone is interested in going to this he does it every Monday night. Let me know and I will get you the info. We would even love to go with you if you would like!
This is one of my favorite drums he has made. She reminds me of Daisy Duke for some reason. Blair wanted to play her first.

Lukas likes the skeleton ones!
At the end of drumming we would throw our hands in the air and say whoooo! This was Blair's favorite part! Everyone was cracking up at her. Both my kids were so into it.

I don't know these people but I had to post the picture so you can see some of the other drums he has made.
He even makes Morraco's!
Also Bell shakers! We had a great time!

Trouble!

This little girl may look innocent but really she spells out T-R-O-U-B-L-E! The other day I kept calling for her. She wasn't answering so I went to look for her. I couldn't find her anywhere. Dan was outside so I even went out there to see if she some how wandered out. After a few minutes I literally started to PANIC! She always answers me when I call her. Usually she screams out "What?" or " I toming!) (aka coming.)in her cute little voice. Well I should have guessed that silence=trouble. She came out saying "pretty!" I think she needs a little make up lesson. Mascara is for the eye lashes NOT the for head! I think I need a lesson about putting my make up in a higher spot.

Water fight!

Today we broke out the swim suits, hose, water balloons, and friends and had ourselves a good old water fight! I am so glad it is finally starting to be warm. No one shivered today or had blue lips. It was perfect weather. Hopefully it stays this way!

Lukas is obsessed with water balloons. I better make sure we are always stocked full of these!
Such a funny picture!
My little model! This is such a model pose to me.

These two girls are such cute friends!

A chilly Swim

Despite the some what chilly weather my kids insisted on getting out the swimming pool! They have been so anxious to swim and play in the water. By now we have usually swam a few times, but the weather just is NOT cooperating this year. Despite some shivering and maybe a little bit of blue lips they had a BLAST!


Gotta have the slide!
I love this swim suit! Blair looks so cute in it!
Our neighbors joined in on our swimming fun! When Vada got in her suit Tyler wanted to come over too. His dad didn't think he would get in cause he has been a little scared in the past. Well he didn't hesitate a second! He dove right on in. Hence the swimming in the clothes.

Blair is just looking so grown up to me lately! I don't think the pony tail helps. For some reason it makes her look even more grown up to me!