Don't make me

Please! Please! Please!  Don't make me turn the calendar!

I don't want to!  I'm not going to!  You can't make me do it!

Please no!  If I don't turn it, it can't happen right?

I'm

leaving

my

calendar

on

July!

You can't make me change it!

Productivity

When I look at the calendar and only see 3 beautiful weeks left of my summer, it's time to kick it in high gear to get some stuff done!  We made a good dent in the to-do list this past weekend.  Amazingly, the boys were terrific helpers.

Wood needed to get moved from our front yard and the neighborhood after the storm.

A loft needed to get finished have some progress made on it...it's only been a work in progress for a little over 2 years!!!

Carpets needed to be shampooed.

Of course there's always more to be done, but it sure felt good to have a productive weekend (since we've spent the vast majority of our summer weekends playing!)

Photo Session

You'll have to hop over to Captured by Heidi to see the latest photo session of the boys with Drake and Braden.  These were supposed to be a surprise for Papa and Grandma Di for their anniversary in August.  However, Carter one of the boys might have accidentally spilled the beans on the surprise!

Heidi has such an eye for photography and amazing patience!  She is able to capture the personalities of her subjects so well.  I've been around these four trying to get pictures in the past.  This was by far the least stressful session we've ever had!  Heidi didn't even mind that we had to take  a mini break for Braden to catch a sticky frog :(  It's a good thing Kasie was brave enough to hold it for him while he went back to modeling for the camera.  No way would I have come close to holding that sticky, hopping thing!  When we were done in that location, Braden wanted to take the frog with us.  Kasie patiently told him that he needed to stay where he was so he could be with his family.  In all seriousness Braden said, "No, his mom and dad were killed."  Thankfully the little frog is still in his natural habitat and not in one of my boys pockets!

Round Lake

Some friends of ours were kind enough to invite us to spend an extended weekend with them at their place on Round Lake in Minnesota this past weekend.  The boys were pumped to go - all 3 of them :)  Boy oh boy did it live up to their expectations and more!  What more could all my boys ask for with unlimited tubing, jet skiing, water skiing, and swimming?

Austin and Carter had never been on a jet ski and had really only been tubing once before in their short little lives.  So, this was pretty big stuff for them.  They couldn't get enough of being out of the lake and having fun. Let's just say it's a good thing that neither of their grandmas were anywhere close or their fun would have been cut short! (I only had a couple baby heart attacks watching them flying around the lake!)  

Their personalities shown through loud and clear on this trip - one was a complete daredevil and the other one has a bit of his mother's cautious nature in him!  YEAH!  (I'll let you guess which one was which. It's not hard to figure out when one is nearly standing up in the tube and the other one is looking at him like he's crazy!)  

We had to stop every now and then for a little jumping off the boat and swimming in the middle of the lake.  I was quite surprised that Carter participated as he doesn't like "dirty water"! Aaron and Dave decided to give the boys a little extra thrill by "tossing" them into the lake.  Check out the air that Austin got :)

He loved every moment of it as he kept coming back for more!

Carter had fun bobbing up and down after being tossed in.

Finally, Aaron had to show off his water skiing abilities!  Needless to say, I'm glad he has a good dental plan :) 

Thanks Arlyce and Dave for a memorable weekend!

Magnetix Fun

Creativity is at work in the house this morning.  Drake and Braden are here playing today. Can't you just hear the brain power and conversations of these four Indians?

Magnetix creations...

little spinning top

big spinning top

earrings???

earring plus nose ring???

and the best part...making them "explode" when they are done!  Yes, it's going to be a wildly fun day :)

Fair?

It's hard for Austin to save his money.  He likes to spend it as fast as he gets it.  However, he's had his heart set on a big purchase and has been saving diligently.  He's been going back and forth trying to decide what he wanted most.  He wanted cold hard cash or gift cards for his birthday in May so he could work towards this big buy.  Well...today was the day that the money finally burned a hole in his pocket!

Is it fair that my son now has an iTouch and I don't?

Happy Anniversary

Thirteen years ago today...

I went from me to we.
I kissed my husband for the first time.
I rode away from the church in a horse drawn carriage with my prince.
I cried, laughed, and danced.
I waited patiently for lost keys (thanks Tim) to leave the reception.
I started my married life with an amazing man.
I thought marriage would be easy.

What have I learned about marriage in the last 13 years?

Marriage is NOT easy.
You can't take your marriage or each other for granted.
Kids are amazing, but your spouse must come first.
Life is NOT fair.
My prince is not perfect ~ neither am I.
Forgiveness is possible ~ even for the deepest of hurts.
You can't shield your heart. You must give it fully.
A great marriage is made with God at the center.

I love you Aaron!

Marriage saving tip

When your hubby kindly asks you to help him do a couple of necessary things before heading out for vacation and you know it will not be smooth...

sweet talk the neighbor into helping :)