A day on the Farm(picture heavy)

We got together at my sister-in-laws farm yesterday.  Not everyone could make it, but let's face it, when a family is that big you are never going to find a day that everyone can make it!  Those who couldn't make it were missed by all.  It was a fun and relaxing day and everyone slept really good last night ;)

A great picture of Fred and Joseph!

All of the monkeys climbing the tree!  I am just so glad that Joseph had enough sense not to climb with that cast on!

Story behind this picture: These are a few of Fred's siblings Gena, Megan, Joe, Fred, Heather and Henri(missing Amy, Kelsey and Jennifer).  Growing up their Dad would walk around in his underwear without a care of who might see(inside and outside at times) So this was a little tribute to him!  Funny!

They always have to ride around the farm with uncle Dudley!

Joseph chilling out for a bit(it is hard work running around with a cast on!)

I love this picture!  When did all of these girls grow up?!?!  Such amazing beauties!!

I got my baby fix for sure yesterday!!!  I will not confirm or deny, but I might have had Thomas most of the day ;)

Camryn got her fix also!  She loved playing with her little"r" cousins.  This is Rylee.

3 of the crazies!

He thought Uncle Fred was the greatest!  Always had a smile on for him!

This was right before we left.  Keith was starting to feel the effects of running around outside all day.  He was a whooped puppy!

Thanks so much Henri and Dudley for hosting this little get together!!  It was a lot of fun and I can not wait to do it again!  Love you all!

Our life lately!

Here are some random photos from our life lately!

Camryn has been struggling to stick a headstand.  Fred decided he could show her how to get it started easier, and he actually ended up sticking a headstand(before he fell).  I couldn't believe he was actually doing one instead of talking her through it!

Me and my girl!!  I love this picture!

Keith started football last Monday.  This was the only picture I got that night, but I will make sure to get more this Monday!

We were driving home from gymnastics last Tuesday and this is what the sky looked like.  Isn't it amazing how God can make these amazing paintings in the sky!!

I finally got all of the kids "birth" bats.  I love them.

We went shoe shopping the other night.  Can you tell the two who were not into it?!  I can not complain though, they were still really good!

David picked the movie the other night, and then proceeded to quote the entire thing!  If you don't know this, it absolutely drives Fred nuts when someone does this.  But I seriously think David just can not help it!

Conjoined Birthdays

It is hard for me to find time during the school year to have birthday parties.  3 of the 4 kids birthdays are in the middle of the school year!  So I decided this year I would do them during the summer.

Joseph and Camryn each invited 2 friends to go mini-golfing and ice cream!  What fun!!  These are some great kids and they all had a blast!

Keith and David had a get together yesterday at our house.  Again, each invited 2 friends to come up and play.

I think I am going to do it like this again next summer.  It was so easy and fun for each group of kids!  Thanks to all of the parents for letting your kids come!

School Open House

Man this summer has been so crazy/busy!  I just now got home from getting the last of all school supplies!  Honestly I have felt like I was way behind and starting to drop the ball! :(

Camryn has her first locker this year.  She is so excited about that!  Joseph got a new teacher(like new to the school teacher) so he is actually excited.  Keith and David, I think, are secretly excited to start school!

These are the only pictures I got from the whole night!

David is 6, my BABY!!!!!!!!

1. Your stubborn Streak(my you are SO hard headed sometimes!)
2. You love to cuddle(please don't ever stop)
3. Your willingness to be a "big kid" but with certain hesitation. (you will let all other kids jump and then you decide if it was smart!)
4. You always are able to find a way out of doing your work. (I gotta pee, Mama I have a question, Oh I hurt my foot......)
5. You ALWAYS cuddle/wrestle with Roxie.  I truly believe you two are best friends!
6.You want so badly to be with Daddy and be just like Daddy, but you always run back to Mama for a hug! PLEASE DON'T EVER STOP!

Having fun with presents!

Where did the time go?!

One of my all-time favorite pictures!!!

Davids supper choice! Brats, Bananas, Beans and Steak!

Our weekend(Plus some)

I always tease Fred, between our animals and doing things to the house, that it feels like we are a "Mini Farm".

It has proven true yet again!  Last week(before Joseph broke his foot) Fred and Joseph went fishing and caught a nice load of catfish and bluegill!  Fred decided I had to learn how to fillet a fish also, so he taught me and had me do 4 of the catfish they caught.  He said I did good, but I was so worried I was going to ruin it and then we would be out supper!

The Sunday we spent the whole day outside.  Fred has wanted to get this landscaping done.  We have a bunch of lilies and other flowers in front of our house that are becoming overgrown.  So we decided to split them apart and add them to this new area we made.  The yard was so dry, it made it really difficult to till through, but man it looks good now that it is done!!

Sundays for us are our special meal.  It is almost always "Steak Sunday".  This Sunday was no different and Fred caught this picture of the kids gnawing away on the leftover steak(apparently it was good ;)

Monday morning I sent Fred a text showing him that my stand mixer had finally bit the dust.  :( He knew I had a load of cookies to do this week and next so when he came home from work, he had a nice present for me!

And this is how we ended everything last night.

An interesting end to our summer

Well Joseph decided the end of our summer was just too boring, so he had to add a twist!

Last Friday he was outside with a bunch of friends playing two-hand touch football.  I walked around the corner just in time to see all of the toes on his right foot buckle under! UGH!!  He dropped quick and hard.

After a few hours of him having it wrapped and iced, it was swelling up pretty good!  So we decided to take him into the ER.  It was after xrays that the doctor confirmed it was broke!  YAY:(

We have a follow up appointment tomorrow afternoon to see if he will need a cast or just the "Boot". Stay tuned...

A day at the zoo

This weekend we spent the day at the Madison zoo with our family and my sisters family.  I will always enjoy watching a kids face when they go to the zoo!  This was the first year that David really got involved and understood everything!  He would grab someones hand and yank them over to what he was so excited to see at this second!  It was adorable!

 

I have to start with this picture because it is so funny!  The look on Davids face is one full of a few different emotions.  This little Macaw was flying and fell into the water.  So he climbed the fence in an attempt to dry off.  It was very cool because the kids got to see this bird up close.  David was hesitant of this bird at first, I mean come on, it is a big bird!  But right after I put my camera down David turned and attempted to grab the bird!!!!!!!  Let me say he had a few adults yell "NO!"  But that look on his face, completely devilish!!

The men deep in conversation about Alpacas, I love these little moments that I can catch forever on film!

The top picture is Keither riding the carousel.  The bottom picture shows Camryn, David and Joseph.  I adore this picture!  We asked Joseph to watch his little brother on the carousel.  We didn't see where they went until after it started.  When it came around for us to see, we saw Joseph sitting on a bench with David.  I was so proud because Joseph did not make David climb up on something that would make him uncomfortable.  He choose to sit on something that David could do.  And because of that David begged us for a second trip around!

 We had so much fun, but it was a long day.  Keith and David fell asleep on the way home, and no one fought us on bedtime that night!