Taking Steps

For about a month Nathan has been able to stand unassissted. He then started to be able to stand up in the middle of the room all by himself. He still wasn't taking any steps, until a few days ago.

Usually my children take steps and then stand. But Nathan is doing it his own way. He is still crawling around everywhere, but will take up to 12 steps when encouraged.

That cute baby stage is almost over. Not ready for that one either.

Nathan in his crib

This is what awakes me each morning. And from nap time this is the face that greets me as I enter his room. Although he may look unhappy, Nathan sure melts my heart. I love to get Nathan from his bed. He usually wakes up happy although his call for me is a cry. He knows how to make unhappy fake faces and it really makes me laugh. It gives me that jolt mixture of emotion of love, happiness, and sympathy. Since it is something that speaks to my heart and I know he will outgrow this stage, I wanted pictures of the moments that I know I will miss.

Beautiful clouds

I walked outside yesterday to these gorgeous clouds. All I could think of is how much they looked like cotton balls. There weren't the stretchy clouds or the puffy cumulus clouds, just a bunch of cotton balls and oh, so pretty

I like it when I take time to notice the beauties God created. The picture doesn't give justice to what I saw, and after a few minutes the clouds drifted away and weren't quite so striking.

I'm glad I had that moment and was able to share it with my children.

Wrap ups

Swim team ended with success in June, I just never got around to posting the year-end party pictures. Taneal and Camie were very excited to get their trophies, a little taller this year. Each year of swim team adds height to the trophy. Next years will be even bigger.

The team party was at a place similar to chucky-cheese, just bigger and better and designed for older kids. Their favorite ride was the monkey ride. They had fun on the trains and indoor roller coaster and bumper cars. But what they really enjoyed was the pizza and desert buffet. It was a lot of fun and I am enjoying the break from swim team being over. It was a great experience and we hope to do it again next year with Danielle joining the team and maybe even Spencer.

Kindergarten is coming

We got the shoes

And the backback

And Danielle is VERY excited

So why am I having such a hard time with this?

I don't feel ready to send Danielle off to all day kindergarten. I really going to miss that sweet girl. Thank goodness we still have 7 weeks before school starts.

Happy 4th

I love holidays. The 4th of July is a fun one for me. We started out the celebration with painting our nails. I found these really cool nail polish pencils that allow fine detail. The girls were so excited that I painted flags on their nails.

The morning of the 4th we headed over to the pool. It was fun having Evan come with us. And because he was there to help me with the children, I was able to get Danielle swimming. She was so excited! After two hours of swimming laps she still hadn't had enough and was so disappointed we had to leave.

The rest of the day was spent making cool treats and doing a few crafts. We made fruit pizza and put blueberries, strawberries, and pineapple on skewers. We grilled hamburgers and I took a wonderful nap.

I really like doing the flag craft with my children because it gives me a chance to explain things about the flag such as the symbolization of the red and why we have 50 stars. I also like to explain how the flag should never touch the ground and if a flag is hung outside it should be taken inside and never left out in the dark unless a light is shined on it. I think too often we forget to pass on things to our children simply because we forget. This craft serves as a reminder to me each year and the kids also have fun with it.

I took this picture to show how we really fill up the van. Wow! I still can't believe I have 5 children.

We topped the evening off with a city fireworks show and some of our own sparklers. It was a fun day.

I like how Nathan just got into watching the firework show. Usually my babies scream and are scared. Not him.

Happy Independence Day! I am so thankful for our freedom and to those who gave so much so we could have that freedom. God Bless America.

Fix it or Get even?

My dad called me this morning to say hello. I have a really great dad. He is full of wisdom and understanding. He teaches me many things and what I like most is how he gets me thinking.

This morning I was talking to him about how we were going to go to the free movie today at a local theater and how the first time we went Spencer acted horrible, I mean not so great, and then the second time we went Spencer did so well. It was a learning curve for Spencer. I'm glad we have the free movies this summer because if it doesn't work out, I can leave and it didn't cost me anything.

The movie experience escalated to disciplining children and I like the perspective my dad put on it. He said he learned this from his dad. When disciplining, think, "am I doing this to fix the behavior or get even?"

I like that.

That is a good perspective to take when disciplining children. Why are we doing what we are doing? To fix the behavior? Or get even?

Hmmm.

Summer Fun

I consider our summers here about like the north considers their winters--We stay indoors. It is too hot to really play outside unless it is in the water. So, if we aren't at the pool, we are inside. And I have some pretty creative children who make the summer fun, fun, fun.

Taneal and Camie have been reading the Harry Potter books. Taneal saved up her money and bought a cloak/robe. I made one for Danielle with some fabric scraps that I had and we haven't made it to the store for more black fabric so the Camie and Spencer improvised.

Taneal is the mastermind, Hermoine Granger. Taneal thought up the game to play, complete with the Hogwarts express (the stair case) and every flavor beans. She rounded up all the kids and got them all playing.

Spencer played like he was Harry Potter with the lightening scar and all.

Danielle is up for whatever they want to play as long as she is included.

And Camie is the creator. She creatively made their brooms by taking a stick and taping hair ribbons to the bottom as the bristles. Camie has always been super creative and can make anything out of just about nothing. Her mind never ceases to amaze me.

First Kiss

Nathan and Brooke are so cute. Brooke is my friend's Jana's, little baby. Jana and I were due a week apart, but the babies ended up being a month apart. Jana and I got up the courage to start swapping baby sitting

even with the babies. We started for about an hour to see how it went and now we are up to three hours. It usually goes well. Nathan and Brooke really like each other, Jana got a picture. So fun.

Surviving the heat

Thank goodness for a neighborhood pool. We are able to go swimming almost every day. It is so much fun for the kids, a lot of work for me, but worth it. I never imagined I would be able to take five kids to the pool by myself, but I surprised myself. I do the big "no" and put a life jacket on Danielle and Spencer. I would like to be ablt to work with them and teach them to swim, but I really feel like I have my hands full with holding Nathan. i would go crazy if I didn't, I do what it takes for me to feel safe. Taneal and Camie swim well enough that I only need to do spot checks on them. and I hold Nathan. It works well. We pack a lunch because the kids get so hungry after about an hour. They eat and then swim until Nathan has had enough. It is the only way to survive the heat.

Awesome Swimmers

Swim season is OVER!!!! We had a great swim season that started the last week of April and went through Saturday, June 27th. Taneal and Camie have become amazing swimmers. Camie placed fifth in her backstroke of about 50 girls. She can haul! Taneal surprised us with her butterfly stroke. She has such an amazing time that she made it to an additional meet called All Stars. Both my girls were the youngest in their group and did amazingly well. Even though the Saturday meets started at 6:30am and went through the blazing heat of 3pm, they were so fun to attend and see how great swimmers they were and how well they improved their time. There is nothing better then watching your children succeed. I am glad that the season is over because practice four days a week and swim meets on Saturday is a lot to do for ten weeks. But it is so worth it.

I really liked this picture of Taneal doing the breaststroke.

Hopefully I can get Danielle and Spencer swimming this summer so they can do swim team next year. If we are going to be sitting up at the pool every day they might as well participate and learn some great swimming skills.

Camie doing her terrific backstroke.

This is Camie standing on the block adjusting her goggles before it is time to dive in.

Busy Boy

My little Nathan is all over the place. He is like none of my other children. He has figured out how to open cabinets and drawers, and can even reach into the drawers (all my drawers are up high) and pull things out. He can't see that high, but knows things are inside. Last night he got into Evan's drawer in the bathroom and pulled out a razor.

He climbs really well, too. He loves the stairs and climbs up them super well, but still hasn't figured out how to come down the stairs without falling. The other day I was in the kitchen with my back turned and thought to check on Nathan. I turned around and he had climbed the stool and was proceeding to climb onto the kitchen counter.

Ever since he was about two months old I have noticed he has more energy then I have ever seen in a baby. He kicks his legs and always has something moving. When he sleeps he sleeps hard (not long) and wakes up already going 100 miles/hr. I have tried and tried to get pictures of him doing all his things, but I can't seem to get a picture that isn't blurred. Nathan is always on the move. One of these days I hope to get one of those fancy cameras that will capture the moments.

Today at the park he stood on the cement and stood up without anything helping him. He still isn't very stable, but very able. As soon as he gets his balance a little better, he'll be walking. And, he has a lot of determination. I'm curious just how long it will take him.

This baby is so fun to watch. He plays chase (crawling) and laughs so easy. But he is busy, busy. He is the type that just makes you smile.

Spencer's Birthday

My little boy had his third birthday. He is such a sweet boy, so kind and gentle. He has these thick, dark, and long eye lashes that surround some of the most amazing chocolate brown eyes. He is just so lovable and squeezable. I can't get enough of him (okay, sometimes I can).

Today we celebrated his birthday. His sisters talked him into asking for donuts for breakfast. I told them there was no way I was going to drag five hungry kids to the store to get donuts first thing in the morning. So Evan was a sweetheart and did it for me. We had yummy donuts for breakfast.

For supper we had Troy and Becky and their family over for a dinner of Spencer's choosing. No, it wasn't a cold hot dog fresh out the the package. We had chicken strips with biscuits, mashed potatoes, and cucumber and carrots. He pretty much ate most everything on his plate and asked for more. Cute boy.

Spencer insisted on having a Go, Diego, Go birthday cake. I loved that he knew what he wanted. And, although I'm no pro, I do enjoy decorating cakes so this one was fun. Spencer really liked it and that was my goal.

He really loved all of his gifts. He got a cool bug vacuum that really sucks up bugs. Tyler, his cousin, took him to an empty field and helped Spencer find bugs. Spencer was so excited to go spider hunting. I do have a boy. And thanks to Tyler for helping him where I didn't want to.