spiderville

it is a good thing that our girls are not frightened of spiders because we are infested. i read in the paper that they make a new web everyday & it is so fun to go out into the yard to see where they are that day. they are so beautiful. one day aaron was mowing the lawn & found about seven huge webs on the side of the house. here are a few pics that he took.

Super Powers

We just dropped off aaron at the airport & we were talking about what superpowers we would want.

Charley - wants to be like Jesus, resurrected (doesn't everyone...man's longtime quest for immortality.)

Reese - wants to have "sweet math skills"...can you say "napoleon dynamite"?

The Humans

I have been meaning to write about this for a long time but I finally remembered as yesterday Charley commented again. For the last six months or so whenever Charley refers to a group of people she refers to them as "the humans".

• "Mom, see those humans over there?"



• "I can't believe those humans were smoking"



• "Where are the humans going?"

Everytime she says it I laugh & laugh. Thank you Disney/Pixar for teaching my child that we are humans!

Worth Waiting For....Part I

So here is the rest of our summer. Things that i have not included are:

1. My birthday - I had the best birthday this year. My mom was here & because I am not super fond of cake she made me the best blueberry pie. It is my new favorite. So delicious. I also got to go shopping with Yahiza to buy new clothes. She laughed when I told her that it was all about quantity not quality. That's just how it is...I get too many things ruined by having three kids that I need disposable fashion. Aaron also surprised me with a new camera. We had been talking about getting a new one for several years we just never got around to it. I guess you sometimes need a holiday/birthday excuse to bite the bullet. I love my camera.
2. I wish I had taken more pictures of our Hawaii Reunion (so sad that the Fitzgeralds couldn't make it). I don't have any pictures of Jenni & sweet Pepper. I think I was just too busy playing hostess that my camera took a back seat but we had a great time & I look forward to the next one with someone else hosting! :)
   

Pig-tappin' Queen
A few months ago we were at the Tacoma Mall & there is a toddler play area near the food court. We took evb there to run around but the big girls wanted to play too. There was a fiberglass pig that the kids could play on. Aaron & I turned around to hear Reese calling to us "Hey, I am pig-tappin', oh I am pig-tappin'". She was on the pigs back tappin' away like she was one broadway. The look on her face was priceless. Since then it has become a bit of a joke in our family & we encourage her to get up & pig-tap. It amazes me how easily she can put on that entertainer face. She loves it!

This one loves sunglasses. She like to wear them on her head. Fashion statements already.

She had this thing rocking back & forth so fast that I thought she was going to throw herself from it. Smiling the whole time...thrilled that she could do something for herself.

Swimming at Alisha's house. evb wanted to get in the pool so bad but she has an aversion to Tom & Tom was in the pool. She wouldn't go in until he got out.

She looks like she is not having any fun but she really is.

We stopped at the gas station after we left Alisha's house. We pulled up to the pump & before I could even get out of the car Reese was trying to describe something to me. I finally figured out that she was talking about a preying mantis that was on the ground next to the pump. I cannot figure out how she noticed it so quickly. The mantis kept the girls entertained while the gas pumped but we had to let him go. Charley surprised me by being so comfortable have the mantis climb all over her. She is really trying to focus on not being "wussy girl". wahoo!

Neal is my hero! I do not know what we would have done without him. May he receive many blessings for his service.
We finally replaced the extremely slippery/dangerous tile that served as our front walkway.

Last year I got some purple coneflower starts from my friends dad. I was not sure that they were going to survive. I was pleasantly surprised when we returned to the house in August that they had survived but they were huge! I think these flowers are so beautiful.

The cabin was a bit crowded but I can hardly remember a trip to the cabin that wasn't. The first time I ever went to the cabin there were probably 30 people there. No room except at the camp fire to nurse a cold bum.

I love this picture of Reese & Isaac.

Peekie Peekie.
Notice that she had to have every stuffed animal/doll available. Sometimes I do not know how she sleeps in her bed at home.

Worth Waiting For....Part II

Everyone loves to sleep out on the deck but me.

Aaron lets the girls "drive" up the road to the cabin...they just can't seem to get the concept of keeping your eyes on the road.

I see this look more than you know.

I love these girls!

Utley Girls

Utley Boys

Grampa's request....a walk down the cabin lane.

Red Rover, Red Rover

Glenns Ferry

One of the many rest stops...this one had cows.

Penrose State Park - Another Utley Adventure

Orting Bike Trail & Summerfest

Sunday Dress - I love the way they look at each other

Utley/Speed/Gibson/Thornton Reunion

Kai - Will you marry my evangeline?

We quarantined the kids to the garage...our bonus room.

First day of School

Museum of Glass - Tacoma

Pouter

I love you Lindsay!

Fox Island Boat Launch - The Gibson Boys said that this was their favorite part of their visit.

Noa was fascinated with the fisherman cleaning the crabs. He wanted to know if we were having crab for dinner.

On Camera

Keli'i - you fast became my favorite house guest

Blackberry Picking

Newest Addition - Pacific NW Tree frog found prior to the lawn being mowed.
AKA - Camoflage

Making jam