Cute Questions

A small part of a conversation I had while taking a walk with Emmy

Little girl: Mom, are we going to heaven sometime?
Me: well, someday we will go to heaven and live forever, together with Jesus

Little girl: and we willl be so small and be able to fly and be princesses! (I do not know who has been telling her these things)

Me: *hmmmm maybe

Me: Do you know where heaven is?

Little girl: (looks up and down and all around) I know, it's at Grandma and Grandpa's house!!!!!

Kitty pictures for Aiden

Here are the first few pictures of the kittens. I took these a few days ago and even in that short time, they are much more lively and even look at the kids and paw playfully at their fingers. Very cute, but we have our hands full. I love babies, but this may be Mimi's only batch...although I have pointed out to Alan that they are cheaper than a person baby :) "Aiden, tell your parents that we are shipping them all to you...won't they love that?" he he he

And here is full body armor Isaiah...ready to ride his bike!

So what do you do??? (I need some advice)

Does anyone have an idea about what to do when your young kids, who naturally love to play games and make believe, keep using all of the toys for things other than their intended purposes??? We play together all of the time, so it's not like they are ignored and bored, but what a mom I feel like when my kids constantly use swings for a jungle gym obsticle course, and a dirt pile and new pool for a 'hot chocolate maker' where they have to 'squish' the chocolate with their feet (like the below pool pics). Do I keep letting them have fun and possibly break something that costs US money if they use it for something other than it's intended purpose? My kids do this a lot, not just today, but also with their umbrellas, special dolls (that are not supposed to accompany them into the bath b/c not plastic) and I could go on...I guess I have been wondering for a while, how strict to be? I want them to have fun, but also to listen to me of course and not break things. Sometimes Isaiah says in a matter of factly voice, "but it is mine" or " you did give it to me". 'Tis a true statement and I usually then proceed to give him the 'mini lecture about being careful with our things and why' again. Am I being too lazy or selfish in wanting to keep things nice, or at least not broken and falling apart? and yet I also want the kids to be creative and have fun. Anyway, I am still looking for a good compromise between letting them grow in their creative ways, and being annoyed that nothing lasts around here very long. Maybe distraction or giving them a new idea is mostly the right answer, but not always acived or possible. So what do you think? What do you do?



























































My two hot chocolate makers...I hope they didn't taste it, but with how their faces looked...I don't know

VBS Week

These are the only pictures I got of VBS this year because I did not voulenteer to help! For the first time ever! I figure Emmy is not old enough until next year anyway, so I thought I would use that time to try and relax with my youngest and also get in some much needed dr's apts. Anyway, the week went great. I babysat other kids a lot, but my kiddos had a blast even thought I was super tired.
One of their fav parts is the singing with motions. Here is the one picture and video I took of Isaiah during the closing program (it was about 100 degrees in the church and he was very tired on Friday) so he is a little behind on the motion part, but he always sings his heart out

More Summer Happenings

Isaiah has been challenged to learn to ride his bike w/out training wheels by his little friend who has been training wheel free since he was 3 1/2. So one evening, Isaiah came to me and said "Mom will you put my helmet on I just have to learn to ride my bike!"

p.s. pay no mind to the crying girl in this video, she is just fine :) only one of those 2 1/2 year old tantrums if you know what I mean

And he did!

A relaxed sunny day before the BBQ playing with our cat Mimi, who had kittens on the 4th. These must be special babies :)

Isaiah and Pete


Giving rides in the wagon

Can't seem to pull it anymore with an Aunt inside... :)

By the firepit with family roasting hotdogs and smores...very healthy (now that I look at this picture I see all the chips and pop too, who ordered this meal?!) but all the ingredients of a great cookout

Playing in the sand in her brothers clothes again, wouldn't want to get her own dirty!

I LOVE Summer

My computer and I are having issues today so these pictures are in backwards timeline order, but it doesn't really matter.
Here is a faraway picture of the Quilcene High School graduated class of 1999 members. There were only about 22 anyway who graduated, so this is actually quite a turnout :) It was good to hear about everyone's life, but let's just say Alan and I did not stay very long because the beer was cracked open as soon as we all arrived. I hear they all had a fun night though. I think we have the oldest kids which seems weird, but I guess I am getting up there in years. ha ha

Earlier that week we had some of our very favorite visitors in the world: ALan's family! We had such a blast...the kids had a wonderful time, and us grownups actually got a couple of nights to play games and laugh a little...or a lot :)

This is Isaiah at the Pacific Science Center playing some sort of frog shooting game.





I guess she likes bugs?!?!?!?

Music Maker

Annual pictures of Seattle. It might have been a little bit cold

On the Ferry Boat

And even earlier that week...we met up with good friends Rachel and Kevin in Portland to relive some fun college years. I do not have all of the great pictures that are on Rachel's blog, but that does not mean there was not tons of fun and memories. ALan and I have been back to Portland and Multnomah at least once in the last 5 years, but it was go great to visit with friends. Also, Alan and I got to spend the night in the city...and the kids stayed with Grandparents and Aunts! I love my kids more than I can say, but this never happens!

Rams Head: we did not go in this time :)

Moonstruck Chocolates and good friends