Summer 2011

It has been a crazy summer I tell ya! I haven't done a lot of blogging these days because honestly it didn't seem like there was much to blog about in our life! Some of you have known what our summer has entailed...incase you haven't, here is a brief recap! -Abbie went to WWU for classes Mon.-Thurs.-Ben painted (with Ken AND on his own) off and on -Grandma (mom's mom) had a brain aneurysm burst...-Dad and Mom spent EVERY weekend of July and part of August in Seattle-Mom got a mini kitchen make over! (whoo-hoo) Due to the business, we have spent a lot of time down in Seattle with grandma and my family...it hasn't been a fun summer really, but a summer that has drawn us closer as a family and closer to our Lord. When I got home from our much needed Costco Run today, I noticed my hubby had uploaded the pictures off our camera... the last pictures taken was July 4...the day before grandma's aneurysm! These were awesome pictures are worth sharing...these events are the highlight of our summer and definately deserve to be blogged about! Kyla got dedicated on July 3, 2011 at Christ Fellowship!!! This was an exciting day for our family!We had a 4th of July BBQ with friends and family...Landen got a few fireworks and we watched the fireworks everyone who lives around us lit off.
I don't know why but I just love this picture of Landen...he seems like such a big boy now that he is a BIG brother...!

Sumas Days!

Today mom and I got to have the kids while Katie did hair for a wedding! Even though the sun wasn't shinning, the wind was blowing, we decided to brave the parade for Sumas Days. We sat right by the bus stop just in case the clouds decided to open up we could take shelter under the covered area! The parade was good, and even though it was chilly we had a good time. Landen wasn't too sure about going into the street to get candy, he would only go if an adult held his hand and took him out to get it! As nontraditional as this seems, it was actually a great thing, it shows he listens carefully when his daddy tells him over and over "stay away from the road buddy!" He still managed to make a haul with his candy. He put his stash in the stroller pocket and we headed to the park for the carnival!

Waving at "Grandpa Grandpa" in the big fire truck...next year he might need to ride in the truck he had quite the parade wave goin'...

And then....off the the BOUNCY HOUSE!!!...we were down the street from the park and Landen says "oh I LOVE bouncy houses!" He did awesome, and had a lot of energy to burn after eating that parade candy!

Spending tickets on a new water gun and a orange squishy spider...

Bean bag toss....

Dunk tank...Landen had no trouble dunking the cheerleaders...they thought he was "SOOO cute..." until they saw his arm...he throws pretty hard for a 3-year-old!

Kyla slept the entire morning!!! She is SUCH a good baby!

And it wouldn't be a carnival if we didn't eat corn dogs! YUM!! It was a great day and we had a lot of fun!

Diamonds are a girls best friend...

The boys were all working and so the girls went shopping...there had been plenty of talk about getting Kyla's ear's pierced, so we decided today was the day! So off we went to the mall and we headed straight to Claire's! When we got there, there was an 8 year old getting her ears pierced for her birthday and guess what her name was??? Kyla! Weird huh? So we waited our turn and took a couple "before pictures."

Don't you think this bald little head is just begging to have something girly? We thought so too! Kyla truly did amazing! Don't get me wrong there was some tears, but no more than when she gets her shots, and her mommy said "Shots are worse!" After she got both ears done, she settled down with a bottle and little Tylenol and slept the entire shopping trip! She looks just as girly as can be with her new sparklies!

At Claire's after your ears are done, you get to pick a sucker for being so good, since Kyla is too little for her sucker, Landen scored and got to pick one.

Right after she got her ears pierced Landen said "Awww look at her sweet lil ear rings!" He is such a great big brother, he watched the entire time to make sure nobody hurt his baby! We had a great shopping trip and the kids did awesome. Looking forward to our next shopping day!

Summer Tans...

Uncle Ben is always tanner than the rest of us but he gets especially tan compaired to the littles in our family. Landen and Kyla are very fair skinned, but Kyla looks especially light when she is getting cuddles from Uncle Ben.

Smiles...

...from Kyla...she is growing like a weed! Katie is so good about sending pictures to this auntie who has withdrawals regularly...life needs to slow down! Look at this sweet smile...

Where did April go...?

I can't believe the month of April went flying by and I didn't blog once...! Now don't think I didn't think about blogging, I did...there just wasn't time! And to be honest, there still isn't! Just to update our friends and family who might be feeling outta the loop here is our life in a nut shell:
-I am working full time...which we are extremely grateful for!
-Ben is coaching middle school track...also grateful for the opportunity to work with our community's youth!
-I am going to school full time (times two) for my masters...this quarter is extremely busy with class Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday with an occasional Saturday class and Thursday class.
-SCENTSY...keeps us both busy...Ben is left doing the running around for deliveries and anything else I run out of time for!
We are truly enjoying any free time with each other and are now considering a trip to Costco a date night! (or at least quality time together) We are trying to get in as much auntie and uncle time as we can with Landen and Kyla...such sweeties! Landen is an awesome big brother, if you ask him about his baby he will tell you "Our baby is a pooping machine!" (and he's not lyin') Kyla is growing like crazy and is already over a month old...to say she is a mommy's girl is an understatement...but that just means she has one heck of a mommy! We are looking forward to the summer and I am looking forward to only taking two classes (rather than the four I am taking now). God has answered huge prayers, and I am going to be working full time again next year despite the major cuts the school districts are facing, He has truly been faithful. Those are pretty much the goins on around here...we hope the Lord is blessing you and your families this rainy Spring season!

Welcome...

Baby GIRL! Kyla Joelle was born March 29, 2011 at 2:25 pm. She weighed 7 lbs. 10 oz and was 20 1/2 inches long. She is such a gift! This beautiful picture was taken by Beth Strotz Photography.