Spencer's farmer tan

I have always wanted to tan a nice golden color. All I get is a burn unless I use sunblock and then I stay the same. I have to resort to fake tan whilst I look on in envy of my own children. Don't you feel sorry for me??

Way to pose

When I was a child I was so afraid to pose for pictures, so shy and embarrassed. You can imagine my surprise when my daughter absolutely loves the camera. Sometimes, I ask myself where she comes from. As always I am so grateful however for the blessing of her light in my life. Here are a few shots my mother captured this month.

What the world needs now is love

Tonight we went to witness the marriage of my mother-in-law Joan to her fiance, Jim. Everyone looked marvelous and we really felt the love in the air - especially when Jim pounced on Joan after the "I dos" and gave her the longest snog! We were shocked! Here are some pictures of my adorable kiddos as usual. Leia looked so pretty with the flowers in her hair. I went to Hobby Lobby and got the flowers and attached them to bobby pins. It was satisfying to see how it turned out.

My Daemon

First grade

Leia's first day of full time school was today. She was so excited and I was apprehensive. To think of her eating her lunch in the cafeteria with her little friends and not being at home! I knew she'd be exhausted and she was. When we picked her up she looked like she had spent the day hiking or something. She was all dusty and bedraggled but quite content with how her day had gone. She enjoyed lunchtime best, part of her three recesses. The school has recently got new playground equipment and she had enjoyed trying that out too.

It was strange having her gone all day but since she is so happy at school it leaves me free to really enjoy the time I now have to spend with the boys. To tell the truth I am really looking forward to devoting more of time to them. When you have three children so close together the second and third seem to get less of the attention. At least with Nathan, I had to give way more of my time to Leia and Spencer and he just kind of fell in line with them as he got older. Now it'll be me and them. I'll even have Nathan on his own for three afternoons a week starting in September when Spencer goes back to pre-school. I also anticipate the friendship between the boys getting stronger.

Sometimes you have to slow down a little and enjoy motherhood. I know I have been so busy over the past few years I have often forgotten to enjoy it. I hope this will be a time in my life when I can appreciate what I have.

A couple of my guys

When I look at this picture I feel so lucky to have such gorgeous people in my life. Spencer and Leia aren't in the picture of course but I honestly feel like I have the best kids and husband a girl could ever have.

Tennessee

Well we're back and we had a fabulous time. We stayed in the nicest cabin with a hot tub and bathrooms adjoining each bedroom. We were right across from the pool and clubhouse so we spent time there each day. We also went horse riding, to an amazing aquarium, hiking, a dinosaur museum, and to some very un-authentic Amish stores and quilt stores. It's unfortunate that everything these days is made in China and that the workers are paid peanuts but as my Dad always says, if it weren't for these factory jobs they may not have an income. I'm still not sure though??

Tennessee is so very pretty especially up there in the Smoky Mountain National Park. When we hiked one day to a place called Laurel Falls we actually saw a bear and her two bear cubs. I was so disappointed that by the time I could get my camera out, they had gone. Gary got a fuzzy picture on his camcorder which will have to do.

Gatlinburg was lovely with the mountains surrounding it and all the cute shops. Pigeon Forge was a little touristy but Sevierville where Oak Haven is was great. All the cabins were on huge stilts amongst the trees so we felt as though we were living in a tree house. It's not a vacation we'll soon forget. Enjoy all the pictures!

Beating the heat

Since we spend almost every day outside during Mum and Dad's visit but it has been too hot to do that so much in the last few days, we went to the Air Force Museum today. We went in the F15 simulator and walked around a few exhibits. The kids had fun especially in the simulator where all the screaming they did was a little embarrassing since we weren't in there alone!

Brotherly Love

It's so great to see Spencer and Nathan when they are getting along and loving each other. It reminds me of the special relationship I have with Rachel. I almost wish Leia could have that but in the end it makes sense that Spencer and Nathan will naturally gravitate towards each other seeing as they are the same sex and close in age. Leia will be more motherly I suppose with two younger brothers to feel protective of. Even if we add to our family and we had a girl they would be too far apart to feel the way Rach and I feel about each other. But perhaps they could have something else that I have never experienced having only two siblings very close to my age. It makes me wonder what in our young lives shape us and how we become the people that we are?

Shiver me timbers!

Grandma Shirley and Grandad Alan arrived on Wednesday for a visit. The kids are in heaven with all the attention. It looks like it is going to be a fun few weeks. And Auntie Rachel and Uncle Ben sent along some pirate gear to bring to life our geocaching expeditions. What fun!