Our Crazy AJ

AJ has made one of our outdoor chairs her new bed.  I took these pictures one morning when I was at my kitchen sink...I had the feeling that someone or something was watching me...and there she was sitting at the table like I was supposed to be serving her breakfast :)

5K Walk for the National Alliance on Mental Illness

On Sunday May 23rd, my mom, two of her co-workers and I particiapted in the 8th Annual NAMI walk.  It was chilly and raining but, it was worth it for a great cause.  1 in 4 adults in America are affected by some form of mental illness.  NAMI strives to develope a better understanding of mental illness by the public and erase the negative stereotyping and stigma associated with mental illness.  There were over 1900 walkers...great turn out!  Below is the offical NAMI Walk Blog.  Check it out!
http://naminwwalk.wordpress.com/

Kiss Me...

Brooke loves to make everything kiss... 

Ken and Barbie kiss.  Her stuffed animals kiss.  Mason's poor lego people have to kiss, much to his protest. I blame "Princess and the Frog"!
We find her handy work in the strangest places...

My brother Adam and I found the ceramic frog and squirrel kissing in my mom's backyard...

We knew that only one person could have done this...Brookie! :)

I had to share this...it's good for a little chuckle!

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Last week my dad and I were coming home from doing a little clothes shopping for Mason...and I saw the most beautiful rainbow I had ever seen...my picture doesn't do it justice...but here it is...

I promise I was stopped in traffic and was not trying to drive and take pictures at the same time ☼

Lauren's Preschool Graduation...Hip...Hip...Hooray!

Lauren graduated from Preschool on May 13th.  We are so proud of her.  She is ready for Kindergarten!  She is all registered and up-to-date on her booster shots.  She received 4 shots, two in each leg.  She was very brave.  Brooke had her four year check-up at the same time (I will later realize this was a bad idea) and was really upset that her sister was crying and in pain.  After getting her shots Lauren cried for a couple of minutes until I told her that I would take her to the store to get a prize.  Then she was all better.  Brooke on the other hand was pretty traumatized by the appointment and informed me that she didn't need to go to Kindergarten!  Then a day later Lauren had an allergic reaction to her DTP shot and her leg was very pink, swollen and she complained about terrible itching.  We gave her some Benadryl and applied some cortisone cream and two days later her leg was good as new!

And then there is Brooke...she was graduating in her own mind :)  That's why we love her!

Grandpa Jim

Our Grandpa Jim lost his battle with cancer on April 27th. 

We think about him everyday and miss him very much.

Here are some special pictures of Jim...

Grandpa Jim and Mason

Grandpa Jim and Lauren

Grandpa Jim and Brooke

Our Poem to Jim:

God’s Garden

God looked around his garden and found an empty place.

He looked down upon the earth and saw your tried face.

He put his arms around you and lifted you to rest.

God’s Garden must be beautiful, He always takes the best.

He knew that you were suffering, He knew you were in pain.

He knew that you would never get well on Earth again.

He saw that the road was getting rough and the hills were hard to climb,

So he closed your weary eyelids and whispered,

“Peace Be Thine”

It broke our hearts to lose you, you didn’t go alone…

For parts of us went with you the day God called you home.

Big Changes for Lauren...

Lauren has met quite a few milestones in the last couple of months:

She turned the BIG #5 on April 26th and shared a wonderful Birthday Party with Sis Brooke who turned the BIG #4 on May 10th!!!!!

Lauren also lost her first tooth! 

        ***THE TOOTH STORY***
She came to me that evening and wanted the ToothFairy to come and bring her a Littlest Pet Shop toy...I told her that she had to lose her tooth first and then that night the fairy would leave her a treat that she could have the next morning.

I went about cleaning upstairs...meanwhile downstairs...Lauren came to James and asked him to pull her tooth out...He asked her if she was going to be brave and she said "Yes!"  She grabbed a little towel...then in one quick pull daddy pulled her tooth out!  She whimpered a little then realized that her tooth was out and she was OKAY! :)

She then came upstairs to show me...I had no idea that she was that determined to get it out.  We put her tooth in he toothfairy box and put the box in the bathroom to await the TOOTHFAIRY!!!!  In the morning she found a toy that she had asked for and was very proud of herself.  She went to Preschool that morning and showed absolutely everyone!

Lauren has turned out to be such a smart and polite little lady.  She is growing up faster than I would like her too but, when I see her kindness and her beautiful smile I know that I have done something right!

Lauren also informed me that she is five now and will be growing boobies!  I just had to laugh, and thought...Oh My!  Kids say the darndest things!  I did let her know that she wouldn't have to worry about that for a few more years...she just said "Okay".  Boy, I love that Girl! ♥

Finally a SUNNY Boat Trip...On the Columbia River

Brooke posing for the camera..Future Swimsuit model :)

Mason having fun in the sun and setting up his Army dudes.

James and Brooke and the Boat ♥

Lauren playing in the sand and having a great time!

Brooke and her signature smile

It was a great day...we all got some needed sun exposure.  Later that afternoon our good family friends The Williams' (Stan, Heidi, Derek and Caleb) came to the island to keep us company.  I got a nice start to my summer tan and a little peace and quiet...all a mother could ever need ☼

Boat Trip to LaCamas Lake, Winter 2010

James' New Toy...(As Mason would say "He loves it soo much he wants to marry it!"

Here is our Family's new toy.  A very nice, older 19 Ft. Sea Ray.  We got a really good deal on it this last February.  James has wanted a boat for a long time.  I finally agreed to get one, since the kids are older and know how to act round and respect water.

Mind you, we purchased the boat in February...that didn't matter to James...we had to go scout out all of the Reseviors in the middle of Winter.  We were all bundling up in our winter coats for rides only to be stuck in the boat because the weather wasn't nice enough to be playing on any beaches.  I just packed a lot of snacks and brought lots of toys to keep the kiddos occupied.  This has lead to us teasing James about how much he loves his boat.  We laugh and joke that he loves it soooooo much that he wants to marry it :)

Mason loves any opportunity to tease his dad so this "saying"  comes up pretty regularly and also because any free time we have needs to be spent on the boat per James :)

Now that we have actually had some sun...we have had the opportunity to use the boat as it was intended.  We are making some great family memories and I have finally decided that I love the boat too...not enough to marry it though...♥

Natas...Our Old Boy...Good Bye...

We said Good-bye to our dog Natas this April.  He was 15 years old.  He was the most loyal, loving, and sweet companion any family could ask for.  He will be missed a lot.  As he got older...he slept a lot so he didn't interact with us as much.  We always made sure that he was fed and happy but took for granted how much a part of our lives he was...now we realize what we have lost.  He became a part of my life in September 1995...

I met puppy Natas when James came to take me out to a Drive-In Movie (Brave Heart).  He was so little and soft.  James had him running around all that day so he slept on my lap through the whole movie.  I should have known from that day forward I would be sharing James with him:)

Natas was our first child...He had his own "Chair" in the living room of our old house.  He spent much of his time indoors with us living like a human.   He wasn't allowed in bed with us because first of all he was pretty big and second because he snored really LOUD.  So he would sneek in bed with me when James would get in the shower in the morning for work.  He did that until we moved into our new home in 2003.

He lived for one person and only one person, my husband James.  We had big picture windows in our old house and Natas would stare out of them just waiting for James to come home from work or from his Military trips.  He loved James unconditionally with his whole doggy-heart :)

He started to be put on the back-burner after the kids came and he became an outside dog.  He loved running around smelling & peeing on everything on our 5 acres.  He especially liked chasing James on his dirtbike.  He had the life any dog would have given their left paw for.  So with fond memories I say to Natas...Rest in Peace Sweet Boy...James, Andrea, Mason, Lauren and Brooke love and MISS YOU! ♥

I

More Pictures from the drive...The Times to Treasure!

Mason and Lauren...(They get their big grins from me!)

Me and the Kids

Just Starting...

I thought that I would try and start a Blog to remember (and share) all of the crazy things that happen to my family. I guess "happen" isn't the best word...we "cause" a lot of crazy things to "happen" to us :)

Right now Mason is 8 and in the 3rd grade...will turn 9 on July 24th (CANNOT BELIEVE IT!). Lauren just turned 5 on April 26th and Brooke just turned 4 on May 10th. Where does the time go?....The reason for my blog...

****Picture is of Mason, Brooke and Lauren in front of Beautiful Mt. St. Helens.  We decided to just get out of the house and take a drive through the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.  Beautiful day in April!