Buckets of fun!

I bought each of my kids a big bucket for sorting laundry in at Walmart for $5. Turns out to be the best $5 I ever spent. Not only do they keep my laundry organized, they have turned into great swimming pools...

(Benson just carries the water from one bucket to the other... he isn't much into getting into the buckets)

(another one of Benson not in a bucket, but he is just so darn cute)
These buckets are also the best seat in the house for watching a movie.

I haven't been able to get it on camera yet, but the buckets are also good for climbing into while they are on their side and then rolling in, as well as putting on your head and walking around like a robot (I don't really know why they think they are robots when they have buckets on their heads but whatever...). Seriously they have been awesome. I want some more, but when I went back to get some they were gone. Guess everyone else figured out how much fun they can be too.

Crusty

Benson has perfected the art of giving a crusty. Would you quit glaring at me kid!

Here fishy fishy fishy!

We went fishing for the 24th of July. David loves fishing and thought it would be really fun to share it with the kids. But boy did we pick the WRONG day! I think we picked the hottest day of the year so far!! We thought we would be going somewhere that we could fish for a while and then let the kids get wet to cool off for a while, but there was no swimming aloud at the lake. :(

The kids became disenchanted with the fishing when no fish were biting (another fisher person told us we were using the wrong bait and that really it was just too hot) and soon found some ducks to feed Cheetos to. We hope no ducks have heart attacks as a result eating too many Cheetos.

Just look at these HOT kids!

Since we couldn't swim, we soon resorted to splashing while looking for turtles and fish. Sammy is sure he touched a turtle or a crocodile (he wasn't sure which).

It was a fun way to spend a few hours on Pioneer day. I think David was a little disappointed that the kids didn't love fishing more. I was so hot and pregnant that I could barely breath! Hopefully next time it won't be quite so hot and maybe we will have a fish or two to show for our efforts.

Ducks:1 - Kids:0

We went for a Sunday drive last night and found this very picturesque park. It made me think of a puzzle or a post card or something.

The kids had a really great time chasing ducks.


David thought it might be cruelty to animals, but I thought it was only cruelty if the ducks got caught.


They just waddled away over to the pond and into the water where the kids couldn't get them.


I figure it was probably good exercise for the ducks... and the kids.

Gracie got a blister on her foot and was very sad.

Sammy found a great feather.

Chasing ducks is hard work!

Next time ducks... next time.

Green Smoothie Mustache

I have been giving my kids a "green" smoothie almost every day for the past couple of months. I throw a couple of cups of spinach in with some fruit and yogurt and juice and my kids love it! It makes them happy because they think it is a treat, and it makes me happy because they are eating vegetables. They even know that the spinach is in there. "Mom are you putting salad in our smoothie again?" And they still drink it. Yes it looks like baby poop, but they don't care, in fact the greener the color (it looks more green when the fruit is all light colored) the better Sammy likes it. :) A few days ago, they were sitting enjoying their smoothies and each one had a cute smoothie mustache. Love it!

Is there another doctor in the house?

David thinks it would be really cool if one of his kids became a doctor like him, so when Benson showed some interest in David's stethascope the other day what did David do?

Why, re-enforce such good behavior with ice cream of course (no pressure though Benson... you can be whatever you want when you grow up).

a GREAT day!

David's grandparents came to visit us for the 4th of July on their way to Rhode Island for the summer. They could only stay for a couple of hours, but it was so fun to see them. Gracie loved giving them a tour of our house and Sammy and Benson loved Grandpa's shiny pennies. We are so happy when the GREAT Grandparents get to come around!

We love you Great Grandma Ro and Great Grandpa Jack!

Tumbling UP the stairs

This is what Sammy does for fun on an otherwise pretty dull day.

Big White Belly

Okay, so I definitely was NOT planning on posting this picture. First off, my mother thinks it is scandalous. Second, it really just looks kind of fat to me. I know it is a pregnant belly and I should not think about the fatness thing, but it just looks soft and kind of squishy... And third, my skin is just so white! I remember when I was a young girl I got a hand me down swim suit from my sister that was probably about the same color as my shirt in this picture. My family went to the lake somewhere to go swimming and my mom told me from a distance I looked naked because my skin matched the swimming suit. I should remember that and not wear this color huh? Anyway, so I wasn't planning on posting this picture, but today something happened that made me so happy!!! I was sitting on the couch talking to my mom on the phone and Benson lifted up my shirt and started poking my belly and saying, "Baby, baby, baby." He has started lifting up my shirt recently to look at my tummy, but a couple of days ago I pointed to it and said baby when he did this hoping he would start to understand. I wasn't really paying attention to him very much when he did it this morning but when I realized what he was saying I was surprised that he rememberd. It was so sweet and made me so happy that I just wanted to share. Of course after that he started jumping on my belly and trying to smash it... Omen of behaviors to come? Hopefully not.

Slippin' and a slidin' and a... drinkin'?

We bought a slip and slide for the back yard and the older kids really love it. I sent David out to play with them a few days ago while I stayed in the nice cool house. :) He took these cute pictures of the kids DRINKING from the slip and slide. I just thought they were funny.

Benson doesn't really love the slip and slide. He doesn't have to get too wet before he is ready to just play with toys. This ball and the flower pot next to it kept him entertained for quite a while.

Gracie is the only one who really slides on the slip and slide. Sammy mostly jumps on the hose in it and makes the water squirt out higher. Still a lot of fun on a hot day.

Mommy and Benson=BFF's

Benson is a little momma's boy. Every time I pick him up this is what happens. He snuggles in to give me a hug, sticks his thumb in his mouth and gives me love! He loves being the baby and boy is he going to be in for a rude awakening when his new brother comes along. He and Sammy already fight about who gets to sit on mom's lap (while I still have one). As you can see it will be overwhelmed with belly hugeness soon. :)

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day Sweetheart! I love you so much! I am so proud of you. I can't believe we have been married for almost 9 years. We have 3 children with another one due in September. You are about to start residency on Wednesday and I am so excited (especially for the paycheck). We have been through a lot, some good and some bad, but I am grateful to have gone through it all with you! Happy Father's Day!