More Silly Pictures! (Aug 2013)

There is never a dull moment in our home, as evidenced by these pictures.

Our little diva in the making!

This can't be safe little girl!

My little shopping buddy is all tuckered out.

Playing dress-up!

You can tell someone is not camera shy.

Fun times!

First day of tumbling!!!

What a fun treat after working so hard.

One Saturday morning, it was lightly raining so I got the itchin' to plant some flowers/trees in spots where others had died. The kids and I ventured off to Home Depot (while Steven was on his bike ride), and this is what we came back with. I had no idea how silly we must have looked driving down the road (quite slowly I might add) looking like this. I must have been pretty determined to work out in the yard this day. You should have seen me trying to get all of these our of my car. Thank goodness for strollers (our wheel barrel has a chronic flat tire). Had to use my creative juices to figure this one out! Happy planting!!!

My beautiful parents!

Monsoon Season 2013

We don't get to see rain and as you can see from these pictures, we make the most of it when we see the wet stuff. Smiles!

Hunter and Kailyn.

And he's off! Go Hunter. 

We live at the end of the street/hill, so when it rains really hard, it can be like a small river. This is the three of them following the leader.

Kailyn doing a rain dance.

Pirate Kinley!

Hunter trying to block all the water from going in the drains.

This is desperate. Laying on the street to get wet! Silly boys!!!

Several weeks later, we found ourselves home during another storm. This time it was after they had resurfaced the streets, so a nice later if "bubbles" formed. The kids thought they had died and gone to heaven. 

The rain is just staring. Kinley doesn't even seem to notice or care that she is starting to get wet. What a funny girl!

Love these faces! She's showing me the rain.

This is one happy girl.

As you can see, the rain is getting harder and she is not phased at all.

She tries to lay in the warm water. Silly Kinley.

It's foam time.

Kailyn and Altee boy!

Silly Alton.

Oh my!

Learning from her siblings!

September 11 (2013)

Now 12 years after the world stopped, we pay our respects. Twelve years ago, I was in my Pediatric rotation in PA school seeing patients when I noticed there was not a nurse to be found. They were glued to the TV in the break room as the towers, and America, were being attacked. I remember going home that day and being glued to the TV in tears and numbness. Who would have guessed how much this event would change the nation (and world). Though our kids were not born yet, I want them to know how fragile life is and be forever grateful for the freedoms we are able to enjoy. At Tempe Town Lake, 3000 flags flew. Each in remembrance of one who lost their own life on that dreadful day. Each flag had the individual's name, age, where they were at that day, their job and sometimes even a little about their family and personality. For all the children that died, there was a small teddy bear placed at the base of the flag and if they were in the service, they had a pair of boots at the base of their flag. Pretty touching and emotional, even 12 years later!

Approaching the flags.

Kinley's first reaction was to bend down and hug the boots. Not sure she knew what she was really doing. She LOVED all the flags (especially the little ones just her size).

Standing right in the middle of them.

They really enjoyed seeing/touching the teddy bears. I think they could connect a little because these were for kids their same age.

They have a viewing deck, which is actually part of the Veteran's Memorial.

Hard to get a picture of all them. I can say it is real emotional to see them from above (there are just so many of them).

This soldier is part if the Veteran's memorial still in the process of being finished.  May we forever remember!