Seriously in LOVE!

Thanks to Alana Lange Photography, my siblings and I were able to surprise our parents with this beautiful portrait of their 15 favorite people in the world.

Whenever I see this picture I can't help but smile. I think each of the kids personalities shines through beautifully -- you can't even tell that Beckam was throwing up in between shots and that Mac was about an hour away from throwing up about a gazillion and one times.
You've got to admit it . . . aren't they the cutest bunch of kids you've ever seen?

And P.S. I have no idea who paints their entire barn turquoise, but for the sake of our wonderful picture, I thank them!

High Hopes

Everyone keeps telling me that it's okay if Jilli grows up rolling around in the dirt, playing ball and using sticks as weapons. "She has three brothers, what do you expect," people say. It's true and while I've come to accept the fact that she is rough and tumble most of the time, my heart flutters with joy every time I ask her to show me her "pretty ballerina pose" and she holds onto one foot stretching it out behind her. (And no, I didn't teach her the pose, although I'm very willing to demonstrate any other dance moves she may be interested in.)

And if her poses and pigtails aren't proof enough, I think her physique shouts nothin' but "future ballerina!"

so the truth comes out . . .

Mac gave me this note and after I read it I gave it back to him and had him read it aloud. Needless to say we got a good chuckle. He insists that he meant "best" and not "beast," but maybe I should take a hint.

BACK 2 SCHOOL

McCade started 2nd grade and couldn't be happier! He loves school and enjoys staying busy all day long. It also helps that he got the teacher that we've been praying he would get. Ms. Merrill has been a teacher I've admired ever since Mac's first day of Kindergarten when I saw her interacting with her own class. This year is also a big year because McCade made the choice to go by Mac. Even though we've called him Mac his whole life, it's odd to see all his papers and notes from school come home with Mac written on it. I guess we'll see if this sticks from here on out or if he'll switch back sometime down the road.

Jaxton walked into Kindergarten with all the confidence in the world. He acted as if he'd been doing the school thing for years. So far he's had a great year and loves the fact that during Kindergarten assessments he counted higher than anyone else in his grade -- he reminds us of it daily. On the other hand, he despises rest time (he's proving to be more and more like Mac) and just counts down the minutes until it's over.

After much debate, the boys and I were finally able to convince Nate that riding the bus would be okay -- and talk about excitement! The boys now ride it home 3 afternoons each week and it's always a highlight on those days. It's so nice for me to just walk out my front door and greet them off the bus stairs.

Beckam started preschool this year and to be honest, a little part of my heart broke when I left him in class on that first day. Even though he's only gone Tuesday and Thursday mornings, he's just an easy kid to have around and I miss him dearly when he's gone. Beck was quite nervous when I dropped him off the first day, but he knew he wasn't supposed to cry or make a scene, so he plastered on a fake smile and just followed the teacher's instructions. I lingered for a minute or two to see how he would adjust, but when the teacher told Beckam to "wave goodbye to mommy" I took the hint and reluctantly left. When I picked him up 4 hours later, the first thing he excitedly said was, "That was the best thing ever!" When we got home Beck showed me how he could hold his backpack over one shoulder "just like Mac does" and how he can stand on one foot -- he attributes it all to his time at preschool. I guess he doesn't remember how many times he's shown me those same tricks before.

The fact that I'm down to only one child for eight hours each week makes me feel like I can move mountains. The last time I had to take care of only one child for a consecutive amount of time was back when I just had Mac. Think of all the things I can accomplish with just one companion. My heart flutters with excitement at just the thought of it.
We HEART school!

for my dad, the rancher

The beloved Hat J Ranch! The perfect 500 acre haven for 13 little grand boys and 2 grand girls . . .

including Jilli, who is among the ranch's biggest fans!

It makes my dad happy to see his grandkids sporting rubber boots, especially his sweet Jilli!

UTAH -- Part 3 of 3

After we said our "goodbye's" to Logan and my family, we headed south to hang out with Nate's family.  The kids loved seeing their other cousins and enjoyed every minute with them.

While we were at the park, my mother-in-law, Elaine was happily greeted by many of her 8th grade students who were there for a conference.  They squealed with delight when they saw her and it was very clear to me why she was awarded Teacher of the Year in her district -- Elaine is truly loved and admired by her students.

We did all kinds of activities -- one of my favorites was the back massages that my niece, Camdyn, provided for only $.10 (and that was after she gave you a free one so you could try it out).  It could easily be the best money I've ever spent.

One of my favorite things to do during our visits is getting together with friends.  We talk, reminisce and laugh so hard we cry.  I easily have the best friends E.V.E.R.

Miss Jill will always hold a special place in my heart and I was so thrilled to see her after 4 years!  We taught first grade together for two years -- we learned a lot working side-by-side and I'll always be thankful for her!

And some of Nate's a.k.a. Hash's bff's.

Mac celebrated his half birthday while we were in Utah!  It's good to be 7 1/2, especially when you get to celebrate by eating cookies and ice cream.

And then we drove home . . . 36 hours is a  very long time to be in a car, but it's also a small price to pay considering we got to spend the last 5 weeks with totally awesome people.

But, it's also not too shabby coming home at 2:00 am to a Welcome Home sign on the front door from Angela and the neighbors, breakfast on the doorstep from Jesica and a message from Kristi saying she's already got our Sunday dinner covered.  Seriously how lucky can we get?

Until next year . . .

TWO

Two years have come and gone and we have SO enjoyed having Jilli around. She makes us laugh every time she says, "What the heck!" "Oh gosh!" or "He buggin' me!" Jilli can basically say anything and she's very inquisitive. You can't drive very far in the car without her asking "What was that" and someone can't be gone from the house long before she wonders "Where(name of person) go?" Not only do we think she's funny, but she thinks she's hysterical as well. She'll call for someone to get their attention and then when she has it she'll roll her eyes, stick out her tongue or do something else that she thinks is funny. I especially love her "bless you's," her "sorry's" and her "love you's."

We had some neighbor friends over Sunday evening for an "Ice Cream Sundae" party. Our plan was to have it outside, but that only lasted about 5 minutes before the rain came down and all 30-something people came running inside. We still had a great time and I think Jilli enjoyed all of her extra attention.

Jilli had a stained white shirt, so I decided to turn it into a birthday shirt that would match her skirt.

When we (or anyone) would ask Jilli what she wanted for her birthday, she'd stretch her arms out and say, "lots and lots of babies!" We couldn't disappoint!

For Jilli's cake I kept with the Ice Cream theme and made cake-filled ice cream cones.

That night Jilli let me cradle her and we rocked together for a while. Naturally my mind went back to a time two years earlier when I sat in a quiet hospital room, just me and my baby girl. I cradled her the entire night and in between little cat naps, I thought about what it was going to be like to have a little girl in our home. I never could have imagined then how much joy she would really bring.

While I didn't cradle her all night long, I did hold her hand until she fell asleep. I love those sweet, quiet moments with my baby!
Happy Birthday Miss Jilli! You bring sunshine to our lives and we can't wait to see what this next year has in store for you!

Growth Stats:  34 inches tall (50th %) and 28 pounds (50th %)