We Love SUMMER!

The two older boys just finished their first session of swim lessons and they loved it! Brandon was a little nervous the first day but then he was fine. They love to swim and we do a lot of it in the summer!

We woke up this morning to a little situation...we have a bunny named Brown whe has really cute floppy ears and is really soft. The boys love him and we got him from a friend about a year ago. Well, Brandon went out to see him this morning and when he came back inside he said, "Mom! I picked up Brown and when I put him down he didn't run!" So, yes it is sad but true, Brown passed away yesterday I am sure becuase of the heat. We should have put him indoors but we were not home all day. Anyway, they buried him this morning and Brandon then asked me, "will he be resurrected?" WOW! Did my 4 yr old just ask me that? So he actually does listen in sunday school? I was sure it was all about sitting by his friend "Wiley" (Riley) and fighting swords using their ties. Anyway, very cute. Tyler was a little sad but the boys took it really well. The bunny was almost eaten the day before by Sukee, Brian's parents' dog, so maybe he had like a heart attack too, I don't know. So now the boys want a DOG of course...we'll see. That a pretty big committment for me. I just know it would be me doing everything. Tyler did suggest that they do all the work as thier "chores" but I just have to think about that for a while. They are good at getting their chores done most of the time.
We went down to the houseboat yesterday for the 4th and had a great time. The weather was perfect, we just swam and waterskied. The boys are really liking the lake more and more. Tyler tried swimming without a life jacket for while and did great, Brandon still wears his but he is really funny, he just takes off once he jumps in. He doesn't even have to be with someone else, he just loves to be in the water swimming!

Other than that we haven't been up to a whole lot. It's been pretty warm here lately so the kids are out ALL DAY LONG with their neighbor friends, it's great. We go through A LOT of popcicles....Brian and I have been playing a little bit of coed softball like we do each summer and it's a blast to be able to play a little here and there. Once again, Brandon is the one that says funny stuff but he told me I did a really good job the other night when I got someone out on first. It was really cute just becuase I had no idea he even paid that much attention. Ethan is talking a lot now, he is a lot like a parrot actually. The boys are always teaching him funny things to say. I am amazed always at how smart these tiny little kids can be. He definitely wants to be big like his brothers, he got to go on a ("moto-cyco") ride with Brian on the boys dirt bike and helmet, that's always fun! We are looking forward to a couple family reunions coming up and excited to play with cousins!!!

Some of these pictures are from a little day trip we tried to do with the boys, hike Black Butte...they didn't last very long and did not want to take any pictures, but the drive up was pretty!

Cannon Beach Vacation

Brandon Clamming

This doesn't look like it but I just got my favorite thing at the beach to eat! The fish and chips from Ecola Fish Market...yum. Brian was trying to capture my excitement...didn't really succeed but I really was excited.

Skate Park

We went to Cannon Beach last weekend and it was so much fun. The weather was really nice and the tide was really low in the mornings so we got to go to the other beach on the the other side of the rocks and see starfish! We found a LOT of shells. Brandon became obsessed with finding them and "needing" them. He would tell me that he needed them all, even if they were broken into peices. Of course he made us carry them in our pockets. He actually did fill up his as well. We decided to do what everyone else was doing in the mornings and we dug for clams! It is really fun to do but it is backbreaking work. We found a few and the seagulls took off with about 1/2 of them! You really have to guard those things I found out! Those also had a lot of fun at the skate park down there.

Ethan had a great time, he was so content just to sit and play with the sand. Tyler and Brandon had a great time one day when we were able to fly a kite! The wind was pretty strong the whole time we were there so it was a good time to fly one. Here is another funny thing that Brandon has been saying lately and even sometimes Tyler. It has to do with what Teenagers are capable of...so whateve they are talking about they move the conversation into what a teeneager could do compared to themselves or just kids. You would be amamzed at how strong TEENAGERS are! It is really funny. This is especially funny to Brian and I because when we were younger before we had kids, our nephew Parker who was about Brandon's age would do the same thing. He thought that we were teenagers even though we were in our 20's and he would tell us as we would drive him in a tube behind the boat, "I want to go teenager fast!!!" We would laugh so hard. It is funny to watch as our boys are so much like our nephews Alec and Parker were.

So things here have been pretty normal I guess. Brian still has a job so that is nice! He and the rest of the guys he works with have been busting their tails trying to bid more work to secure their own future in construction. He has been working really hard running his current jobs and bidding new work. Hopefully something will come out of it!

I am just teching classes most days (just about one a day) and wednesdays off, trying to stay in shape. Taking care of the boys is hard work too so that helps! The weather here was so nice last week in the 80s. We had the pool and slip n slide out it was so great. This week is back to cold and rain and even a little snow. I am ready for the weather to stay nice.

The boys are doing great. Tyler is in baseball and liking it a lot (when it is warm). Brian is the assistant coach so he likes that.

Brandon is as funny as ever. Here are some funny things that he has been doing lately. One thing that I really like is when he says "forget". He says it "get-for". He tells me or Tyler "you got-for to get some of that! You got-for to tell me that! Another thing he does is ask incessent questions. He is 4 years old so it comes with the territory but WOW, sometimes both Tyler and I are like, can you just stop asking so many questions for a SECOND??? He just laughs and says "NO". Anything that he thinks he does well, he will ask if I can do it too. If I say that I can then he will perform many more tricks until he has done something that I either cannot top or I just give up and tell him that he is the best at everything and then he will be totally satisfied and leave me alone! He is really funny. All of this is with his "Lithsp" you know too. Brian and I and even sometimes Tyler, we all look at each other and just laugh at Brandon and usually doesn't even know.

Ethan is talking more and more, mostly "no" and "don't" but some other words too. He is getting a little attitude as well, I can hardly take it sometimes. He is climbing on EVERYTHING and getting into just about everything. He will be 2 in August so I am in for it anyway. Here are some pictures of the kids from a while ago because I have no new ones. My camera died and I am in the market for a new one.

Cruisin'

Brandon loves basketball and soccer

Paige kept the kids busy...and took many pictures

This is a little Mayan baby that I loved



Eating lunch in a hut in Coasta Maya, Mexico

I had my 32nd b-day on the ship

So we just back from a cruise to the Western Caribbean. It was so fun, I want to do it every year...Paige??? My sister Paige babysat the boys for us while we were gone, it was so great! I did not even worry it was so nice. We had a great time and I think the boys did too. SO nice to get a break, a vacation from normal life! Thanks Paige!

We flew to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and sailed off into the Caribbean~ we stopped off at the Bahamas, Grand Cayman Islands and Mexico. It was a week long. Four at shore days, 2 at sea days. It was so mcuh fun. No cooking, no cleaning and once you get on the ship, most things are free! Stop off at a couple of Tropical Islands, swim, kayak, snorkel, pet sting rays....when are we going back??? Thanks to Brian's family we had a ton of fun with them. There were ten of us all together and most of us left little kids behind. Here are some pics of the trip and the kids.

Tae Kwon Do

Tyler has been telling me that he would like to do "Karate" for a couple of weeks now so I decided to try it out. He loves it! This last week was his first time on Tues and Thurs and they got to put on some gear and fight on Thurs. It was really cute. I am all for the discipline and obedience that they require! Brandon has "suited up" so to speak but has yet to participate. He gets there and is intimidated I think, plus he is still young for organized activites. My kids have always taken time to blend in with organized stuff. Once he does it I am sure he will kick some serous rear. Around here in fights, he does not lose, he's a strong little beast.

Boys are so Funny...Well, Brandon Is

Ok, so Brandon is seriously making us laugh so much lately. He has the cutest "lithp" I have ever heard. Combined with the fact that he is really rambunctious and wild at times it makes for funny stuff around our house. He keeps Tyler laughing pretty good too. SO here are a few things that he has said lately.

We took the older boys to the high school on Friday night to watch basketball. Well, we caught the girls game just before the boys so we could see some of the girls from church play. After we had been sitting for like 20 minutes he looks at me and says "theeth are not BOYTH mom!"

Ok, then we stayed to watch the boys 3 of whom are from our church so it's pretty exciting. He asks incessent questions anyway but here are a few. "Why do they fall on their backth?" Maybe this isn't as funny for those reading but I have so many laughs. THey had just fallen down on top of each other getting some rebounds.

Next he asks a while later..."why don't they sthlam dunk that ball???" So funny.

Earlier that week he yelled for Tyler to come into their room to look at their night light, "see thith light boob! It'th totally out!" Tyler almost died laughing. Brandon had no clue. He really thought that is what that word meant.

Later that day (I am so serious this is how closely these events happen, I seriously laugh all day) we are in Bend driving along the deschuttes river on a really nice day. There are always a lot of Canadian Geese around. He looks out the window and yells "Tyla (he doesn't really pronounce R's yet either) Tyla, look at the GOOTH DUCKTH!" I am not kidding he is so funny.

Ok so the picture of Ethan is him finishing off some tomato soup that we get in Bend at a bakery and it is so good. I didn't know if he would really like it but apparently he does. I gave him a little bit because it is kind of spicy. Well, I turned to do something else for a minute or two and he had it finished off and was trying really hard to get inside that little bowl for more!!! So funny. He is starting to talk as well and it's pretty cute. He reminds me a lot of Tyler for those of you who were around Tyler at this age will remember him saying "Day Due" for thank you and that is exactly what Ethan does now. He says "Wawa" for water not "waya" like Tyler though. ( I am mostly talking to you Kat!) Anyway, funny boys.

GIfts from Tyler

Here are just some of the cute "ornaments" that Tyler made for us and had them wrapped under the tree. It was so cute. He has since written a thank you note to santa and a whole comic book. He is a book worm I think. I mean this book is complete with about 15 pages and pictures on each page. It is entitled "Captain Underpants and the Fear Monster". He only writes in phonetics right now.