Warning-This Post is not for the Squimish

So we were camping and my baby (what? even though he is seven he is still my baby) was riding his bike when out of nowhere came a mountain lion. And the mountain lion immediately ripped off my baby's helmet. And thankfully that is all he wanted and then he ran back into the woods with my babies helmet (probably for his young cub that wanted to learn to ride a bike) and luckily this is the only damage that my baby incurred.

See, even the fireman came to chase down the mountain lion and to check on my babies head.

What you don't believe me? Look at those faces would we lie to you? Okay, okay so maybe sometimes the truth isn't as interesting as a good story. So really my baby was riding his bike with no helmet. Shame on you baby! And he somehow fell backward onto a rock wall and split his head open. There was blood everywhere and the firemen really did come to check out his wound and advise us on what to do. Don't ask me how they got there...it's complicated. And in the end we butterflied it. My dad would be so proud. (When I was a kid every time I got hurt and my parents were deciding what to do about the wound, to stitch or not to stitch, my dad would always say "Just butterfly it!") So we shaved his head and held it tight with a couple of sterie strips. Now I just hope that some day he doesn't hate me for his scar. But chicks dig scars right? Wait what chicks? He is only a baby.

Adalyn Joy

Happy Birthday to our Addy. She is one! I can't even believe it. It went by way too quickly although I am looking forward to her year of being one. Her little toddle makes my heart so happy. It is so fun to see her become more and more a part of the gang of little people that run the show around here...Doesn't that face just kill you!?

We love you Addy, you make our hearts happy!

So Proud

I am such a proud mama! Most parents are proud of great sports skills or academic success. I am proud of those things too, don't get me wrong. But I am so proud that my daughters catch tadpoles. There is something about them not being sissy girls that makes me SO PROUD! Bryce of course catches tadpoles too, but that is to be expected. Way to go girls! Keep on catching those nasty slimy things and hanging in there with the boys.

Rolley Polley

So honestly I am going to make this quick because although summer is fun and all I am exhausted! Anyway today we went for a long walk and stopped at the park and had a little bug hunt. Both Bryce and Ella found rolley polleys and brought them home. Well when we got home they wanted to build the bugs a playground. I gave them some cardboard and tape and it went from a playground to a rolley polley house. They spent hours today working on this rolley polley house. As you can see it is quite colorful and it has a nice grassy yard.

On the inside there is a tunnel and a rug and wall hangings. There are also some windows and a flat screen TV.

On the other side of the house there is a bunk bed complete with pillows and a ladder. So all of this for the rolley pollies and guess what...somehow the rolley pollies escaped. Can you believe it? The greatest, most luxurious digs a rolley polley could ever ask for and it just takes off like that! So disappointing, especially for the five year old involved. So I guess tomorrow we are going for another bug hunt.

Recognition

Bryce's first grade class, they are such great kids. We will definitely miss this class.

So school is out. But before school was officially out there was some recognition going on. Bryce was recognized in his class for being a "Writing Wizard." Let me go back for a minute and tell you a little about why he got this award. Somewhere about half way through the year Mrs. Thompson (which have I told you that I think that she is the best thing since sliced bread) pulled me aside and told me that she was so proud of Bryce's writing and that she wanted to show me a couple of his journal entries. So she pulled me into the class and told me about one of their writing assignments that was to write about the person that you would most like to meet in the world. Well she told me about how all of the kids had brainstormed about who that would be together and some came up with movie stars and some came up with sports players and some came up with President Obama. So after they had brainstormed about all of that she went ahead and let them start writing. Well what she had wanted to show me was that Bryce hadn't written about any of those people, he had decided to write about Ruth. Who is Ruth, right? Well Ruth is the little girl that his Sunday school class sponsers in, I think, Africa. He wrote about how he would like to meet her because she doesn't have any money and he would like to meet her and give her money. I know that I am a sap and everything, but it totally made me cry right there in front of Mrs. Thompson. Let's just say that I was so proud of him and felt totally validated as a mother. She also has shown me some of his other writing of which I cannot remember what any of it was about, but anyway way to go Writing Wizard! He also had a great report card of which I was most proud of where Mrs. Thompson had wrote in "Perhaps my favorite trait of Bryce's is that he is always courteous to others and sets a wonderful example for the entire class." Did I mention that I love Mrs. Thompson!?

Bryce also recieved a trophy for playing on the Giants. He also got the NO FEAR award. I loved Bryce's response, "Who would be afraid of baseball, anyway?" Well Bryce, that my son, is why you got the award.

And Ella graduated preschool with a paper graduation cap and everything. She learned so much and was such a good helper in her class. We are so thankful for Mrs. Heather too. She also blessed our lives this year!

Being a kid...

So being a kid is super fun, so exciting, and very very messy. The messy part is where I can get tripped up because as an adult that has to clean up the mess I can get somewhat uptight. So the other day when we went to the San Diego Children's Museum and we got to do all the fun kid stuff (like painting their metal whale form) and leave the mess behind, I was a very happy mama. They were able to paint, play with clay, chalk and blow bubbles, water color, a bunch of other stuff and I didn't have to clean up anything (except for their little hands of course).

I love being their mama...even if it is a messy job.

Ella's Choice

This is the result of letting Ella pick her outfit herself...and look at that pose to go with it! I love that little personality! She felt beautiful all day.

School is Out!

So today was the last day of school. I now have a second grader and a kindergartner. Ahhh! This picture was taken on the first day of school. Ella's very first day of school. And this picture was taken today! They look different and they feel different too. Bryce has matured so much this year and become such a good reader. We are so proud of his growth this year. And Ella has had a fun year making friends and getting ready for kindergarten.

And Ella has grown a lot! Yay Ella!

Still as feisty and as goofy as ever...I guess they haven't changed too much.

I am so proud of you both and all the hard work you did this year.

I love him

I love this man. Like I really really love him. I love that I get to do life with him. I love that I got to have his babies. I love being his girl.

Lord-thank you, thank you, thank you for him!

Laura's Wedding

Such a wonderful day! I love weddings. I think it is so wrong that you don't get to remarry your love every ten years or so. Okay who am I kidding that is way too much work for me to pull off. But anyway, I love weddings. Isn't this just so romantic. Ella's dress ripped a couple of times before the ceremony was even close to starting. We were still just taking pictures with the handsome couple when the dress literally started to come apart at the seams. And Mrs. Alden and I had to come to the rescue with a needle and thread and sew that baby back up. Thank goodness we had it all fixed up before the wedding so Ella didn't look like a homeless flower girl while walking down the aisle. I love those little things that happen at weddings that make it memorable. You always need a good story right?

I loved this cool flower girl basket. So pretty!

The cousins.

I am sorry, but look at Bryce in this picture. What a stud right! Good thing he is that cute because sometimes that is the only thing that keeps me from putting him up for adoption. Okay that is just a joke, haha funny funny. Kind of...
I love this picture. So scary though that it is a small preview of what is to come someday at her own wedding. That thought alone makes me want to cry.

Just doing their job. They are professionals you know.

So pretty! I love that Laura couldn't wait till the end to kiss Peter and that she tried to sneak a kiss in before the pastor gave the official green light. May you keep layin it on him forever Laura. Yes, that is my official blessing by the way.

I love the flowers.
How cool is that blue metal wall? We love you guys so much and we so enjoyed being a part of your big day. May you kiss lots and fight a little and after your little fights may you kiss a lot.

First We Practiced

So a week ago yesterday my cousin Laura got married. And the Friday before that she practiced getting married. We were lucky enough to be there because my kids..wait for it...were in the wedding! Bryce and Ella had the honor of standing with my cousin Laura and her husband Peter on her wedding day. We had so much fun being there with them. The wedding was at Saddleback church, which by the way is not beautiful at all. Pastor Rick, maybe you should work on that a bit. No really I am being so ridiculously sarcastic, the place is gorgeous. I told Jarrod that we should take a bunch of pictures in front of their whole waterfall/beach/fire pit area and just tell everyone that we went on an incredible tropical vacation, that is how beautiful it is!

So some of the highlights from the rehearsal besides the tropical oasis were:

Laura and Peter of course because we love them and wish them nothing but the best.

Bryce running as fast as he could right into a cement structure and almost breaking his nose. He was bleeding from his nose and also got a nice big bump and bruise on his forehead that he got to sport on the wedding day. Yay Bryce!

Meeting Pastor Rick Warren and his wife Kay.

Finding a sound proof indoor basketball court room that I could lock the kids in!

And the yummy food and good company.

The bride and groom, love them!The fun "bouquets."



The ring bearer and flower girl.

Bryce after he rammed his head into a wall.

The tropical oasis.

Tomorrow I will post about the wedding!