My new ruffle butts

Char is sooooo much fun to take pictures of!

All the kids are at this age! And she's a wonderful model for my new ruffle butts in color!!

 I cant stop making these roses!! I LOVE them!

POOL

These 2 babies are always in the pool. We keep it right here on the porch filled up and ready to go on nice days. Char is JUST able to get into it by herself.


Yep, thats sidewalk chalk too.
 Freespirited children have the best ideas!

New Vintage Jewelry for LLC

I put some vintage jewelry on some of my dresses. Usually stuff that is broken or mismatched. An order came in and Beatrice was with me. Eyes wide and a look I have felt all too many times!! I can tell she is in love with sparkles and pearls and happy pretty things. So, we had to try some stuff on. And more, and more and more.

I know you are totally jealous!

Another outfit!

Adeline has this sense of style all her own. I actually love it. I love that she does her own thing all the time no matter what anyone else says. She is always evolving. I hear from other parents all the time about their own kids that they don't really let them choose to wear what they want and do their hair the way they want. Addy and I have a deal. She does what she wants if its modest and appropriate for the occasion and I get to give my guidance on Sundays for church. Totally reasonable.

This picture reminds me of when Jessica told me that my kids have the spirit of childhood look about them. How many do I have that says that??? I am not sure, countless, but I will totally post this one because it's totally my Adeline.

A new addition!!!!

Ok, I bet some of you thought that I was going to say I was pregnant again. ha! :)

We have a new addition to the family! His given name is Gilbert Blythe and the kids call him Cheesy. Except Beatrice because she supports my decision in calling him Gilbert because Caliou has a cat named Gilbert on PBS kids. No matter the reasoning, I am happy with it! So, his name is really Gilbert Blythe Cheeseball Lheron. That works.

We picked him at Kmart on the first day of summer break!! Hank the cat doesn't really know about him just yet, but they are getting used to each other.

We hope this one has 9 lives because he has to survive the babies handling him.

introducing.... The Gentle Giant!



Bea gets a BIKE!

We go to the park in our neighborhood ever single weekday in the summer for lunch. I needed everyone on a bike this summer. I love to run to the park with Char in the runner stroller. I figure it will save me time in my now crazy busy days. Time with the kids and part of my workout all in one. Yeah! Chris and I went to the DI and found an awesome tiny princess bike for $8. It needed to be tuned up with some stuff and VOILA! Very fun suprize for Bea.

I problably take way too many pictures, but really, is there such a thing? ok, yes, but its ok when you have little people like this to take them of. :)

Once in awhile I take some really awesome pictures. This is one of them. Beatrice is so beautiful!!

 Oh yes, since we are on bikes... Gabe got pegs! YAHOO!

Now Isabel takes his bike all the time again. hahahahaah! Pegs wont work on her bike, DANG!

 Look at this guy! Gets the best dad award!! Thanks!



Sandbox!!

Before

Boring! and needs.... Sand!

The fort really needs another coat of some stain, but that will be for another time. Too many projects!

But one day the kids came home from school and found a huge pile of sand in front of our house! We borrowed the Belnap's wheel barrel and went to town.

Char and Addy of course need a ride!

Oh, I know you remember your dad taking you on a ride in the wheel barrel. I certainly do! Only thing is that I don't ever remember wearing a tiara all the time. :)

I know you can hear her say...

Mom! Take a picture of me like this... like this.... like this.... I only included 2. :)

 This is what was going on in the back yard.....

Chanting... Bury him! Bury him!!

Gabe is a totally good sport and you can tell he's not complaining at all. In fact, it may have been his idea.

After all the hard work, we have a fun huge sandbox!

There have been people and toys buried, rivers and canyons built, and destroyed, and constant sand dinners and treats formed. I think its a really fun place to hang out under the shade of the tree.

The teenagers even play pretend with the kids! I am holding on to these moments because I know they will soon pass when they will think its too cool to sit in the sandbox and talk to the kids in high pitched English accents. Sigh. Until then... lets get sandy!

Just for the record, this is Isabel and her best friend Tessa.

We love Tessa and she's pretty much our adopted daughter. :)

Bea and Char LOVE her!!!

Thanks Tessa!

Garden Summer!

I am so totally proud of Chris. He is really doing an amazing job being a farmer on this tiny piece of land that we have in an ordinary neighborhood. He has figured out tons of good stuff and almost all of the plants are doing so well. (except the cucumbers, but I know he wont rest until he's figured it out!)

Some things that he's been doing in the yard have been: planting seedlings, compost delivered and deposited in the right beds, dozens of different vegis growing in the tiny yard, we made a cute pathway herb garden surrounded by strawberries, trimmed up all the bushes and grass, riped out old gross roses and planted new, killed all the bees, took out unwanted grass in areas that we don't want them, fertilized all the shrubs and trees with iron because of our stubborn soil is deficient in it, and then all the upkeep that comes along with it. We all have our chores and things that we do together. Its been a real blast being outside! I wonder why this California girl doesn't actually LIVE in California! :) I miss the sun and weather. :)

Things have come along way from these pictures, but I am not that far in my pictures and blogging. :)

And we're all working together! How fun!