Ingenious

I tell ya what - Krystal used this hair-do to it's fullest!  I'm so glad I caught her carrying her baby around like this!  She was just skipping and singing along like nothing was different.  I kind of surprised her when I started laughing my head off at her!  Funny, funny girl.

This hair-do:  INGENIOUS!

My Personal Fitness Coach

We (well - let's be truthful) ... I got the Wii game "My Personal Fitness Coach" for Christmas in hopes to motivate me to exercise a little more.  I've done it some, and it is awesome ... but, the kids -- man, they have been dedicated!

I just really got a kick out of this. My exercise kiddos!

Father's Day Gift

I found this picture mixed in with the others on my phone. I wanted to make sure I documented it. For Father's Day back in June, Aaron's gift to Tyler was an incredible act of service: mowing the lawn. What a sweetie. He did a fabulous job ... and hasn't done it since! :D! It about did him in the first time. ;)

I bet by next Summer, however -- it'll be on his job chart!  :)

More Marissa Meals

Marissa continues to work on her 10 hour project (10 meals) for her Personal Progress. Here are pictures of several more meals (I obviously documented unevenly).  Penne Pasta with chicken, broccoli and Alfredo .... and homemade cookies (which must have gotten eaten too fast, 'cuz I didn't get a picture of them :))!

Mmmmmmm.  That was a good dinner!  Thanks girls!

Spaghetti and meatballs ... only got the one pic.  Here's Marissa picking fresh spinach from our garden for something:

Krystal even got in on the action for this delicious dish ... Shepherd's Pie:

Thank you so much for the yummy meals, Marissa!  I love that you are learning how to cook!  Way-ta-Go!

'Cuz of Cousins

Kent and Leisy and their cute kiddos came to visit us Utahns the end of June and over the 4th of July.  Seeing them and being with them was THE best!!!  I didn't take ANY pictures except for one night that we had their kiddos.  I'm really regretting that right now!  We sure enjoy those boys - and we love having Kent and Leisy in town!

Grandma and Grandpa have a heavenly back yard, and we had a fun, kid-filled evening of playing in the water, playing ball and catch, bbq-ing, roasting marshmellows, wrestling, and just hanging out.

Here are Hanna and Krystal ... happy as can be to spend every moment together.  And here is gramps and his boys (except Ethan) - he's a good gramps!

Here is Krystal and Zebby. Krystal wishes she could see Zeb EVERY day!  And Aaron and Ike were good buddies!

Here's Ike showing us YET AGAIN the cool digger in the lot behind grampa's.  Oh - we just loved his pointing!  Couldn't get enough of it!    And I just looooved this picture of Krystal having the time of her life taking Megan down this mini slide ... despite Megan's look of worry and horror!  :)  So cute.

Roasting marshmallows!  Mmmmmmmmmm.  Who knows what Ike is doing?  Silly kid.

Just playing and playing and playing.  I, personally, get a kick out of Aaron and Ike sword fighting with the badminton rackets.

M and Meggie and Krystal = adorableness flowing over!

Here is Zeb giving me a "2-thumbs-up" for the s'more he made.  :)  And Ike doing some continued pointing out of the digger in the lot behind grampa's house.  He made sure we all knew that it was there ... about every 10 seconds!  hahaha!  So funny!

Ike and Aaron playing ball:

Ikey was grandpa's little buddy every time he was over.  He followed him around ... sat on his lap -- it was so cute!  Here is Ike stickin' to gramps like glue while he did some raking.  :)

Anyway - we had such a great time with them here.  I wish we could get together more often ... but 2000 miles seems to make it more difficult.  :(  We love you, Kent and Leisy - Zebby and Ike!  Counting the days 'til we see you again!

Krystal Joins the 2-Wheeler World

This little girl has wanted to ride a 2 wheeler SO BAD for quite awhile.  Having 2 siblings that ride all over the neighborhood without her has just been a little too much for Krystal.  She has pestered and pestered and pestered us to help her.  She just couldn't QUITE reach the pedals all the way on the 2 wheeler bike we had for her .  But, it didn't stop her from trying.  Finally - Ty took the training wheels off of her mini Elmo bike ... and voila ... 15 minutes later - she's a 2-wheeler!

Look at her go!

Summer Swim

We were hoping for a Summer filled with lots of trips to the swimming pool.  As it is ... we've been like 4 times.  I guess that's not too bad.  Here are some pictures from our FIRST trip to the pool this Summer back in June:

I feel so lucky that my kiddos have great friends and each other ... and they ALL stick together pretty good.  Makes lounging on the side preeeeeeettttttty easy for me.  :)  My kind of swimmin'!

Priceless ...

I am so lucky to have this girl:

And this boy:

They are truly priceless!

Thanks Marissa ... and Aaron - for being such great helpers, examples, siblings, and friends.

Summer-time Sibling Sleep-over!

Ha!  I love how Marissa and Aaron just read right through Krystal's singing voice while her Barbie dances.  These kids know how to party harty!  :)

Hair-y

I was finally able to even out Aaron's "buzz" cut. I can do ONE haircut ... and a buzz is just too hard for me to even out, so I was very happy to even out Aaron's sides and keep the top a little longer! Krystal has been big on the curly hair lately and looks gorgeous after a night on pink sponge rollers!

In other hairy news ... our Mazda is no longer.  It exploded (literally) after I drove out to girls camp and back to pick Marissa up for family pictures.  Thank heavens we still have grandma Miller's old Buick that seems to just keep holding on by a thread year after year.  And thank heavens for Jers and Plonns who are letting us use THEIR old Buick to get us through the Summer.  Hopefully, we'll be able to figure something out come fall.

Aaaaaaand - Aaron.  Our strep throat child.  He tested positive for strep throat with ZERO symptoms!  So bizarre.  He has been on continual antibiotics and will have his tonsils/adnoids taken out next week.  That should take care of the strep throat in our house, hopefully.

and just a little update for those interested:

ACTD is still waiting for its final contract with DCFS, but we are very optimistic that ACTD will have clients by the end of this month.  Pepsi sent the first $25,000, and Jeremy paid ACTD's rent for many months, and got a fax machine and fax line.  He and Ty are in the process of setting up a website, picking out letter-head paper, and planning luncheons for case workers.  I'm sure they've done/and are doing more, but that's all I can remember for now.  They are working hard!

So .... that's that!