Swimming!

Highlights from Swimming on Saturday

* Spencer and Brianna were here!

* our first time swimming this summer

* Bentley was finally tall enough to go on a big water slide

* Milo's first trip to the pool (although he didn't get in the water)

* possibly our last time swimming this summer

* no one got hurt, badly (Ruby fell down and scraped her knee and elbow)

* Maxwell wasn't (too) scared of the water

* Ruby and Jonah had a great time running all over the pool

with Spencer and Brianna following them

Thank you Spencer and Brianna!

Keeping an Eye on the Neighbors

19/52

Brianna and Spencer were here yesterday, so we
took advantage of the extra helpers and went
swimming with the kids. I knew it was going to be hard
to take all of them swimming, but I thought that
it would be manageable with 4 adults.
Wrong. It was still hard.
Brianna, Spencer, and John did most of the work,
because I held Milo (he napped almost the entire time).

(Check out his cute little fist under his chin.)

(Hopefully I'll have time tomorrow to post swimming photos of everyone else.)

Baby Toys

Yesterday we bought a baby gym for Milo.

It's a big hit with his siblings.

Every once in a while, Milo gets the chance to play with it.

4 of a Kind - Answer Key

I usually don't think that our boys look alike

(they look like they're related, of course, but they

have such distinct features), but in these photos,

I really do think they look A LOT alike.

It was a little surprising to me that so many of you

guessed correctly (I think Ginger's right about

the photo quality being a giveaway), but at least

of few people were confused (like the boys' Dad).

Here's the photo again, with a key to who is who.

for Carla

(I thought John's Mother might want to see his new hair cut.)

John said he was tired of combing his hair . . .

. . . so we shaved it off.

Now he fits right in with the guys in our house.

Happy Father's Day!

18/52

Last Sunday, Jonah gave me this beautiful rose after church.

I haven't always been a big flower person;

if you're going to spend money on a gift, in my mind

it (usually) makes sense to buy something that

will last longer than a couple of days - like shoes. :)

But over the last few years, I've changed my mind.

It's really nice to get flowers from John

or the kids every once in a while.

I also like Sees. And I still like shoes.

4 of a Kind

My cousins, Nate and Penny, gave us this cute outfit

when Bentley was born. Not all of the boys have been

the right size in the right season, but they've each

worn it at least once for a quick photo.

Instead of just posting the collage, John suggested

that I ask if anyone can figure out which one is Milo.

So . . . can you tell which little guy is Milo?

17/52

playing with Ruby before church today

She Dreams in Color

After her nap today:

me - Ruby, did you have a good nap?

Ruby - uh huh

me - Did you have any dreams?

Ruby - uh huh

me - Were they good dreams?

Ruby (smiles and says) - uh huh

Pink Dreams. Purple Dreams.

Happy Birthday Homely!

We love you and hope you have a great day!

Wish we were there to celebrate with you,

but look on the bright side,

your backyard is safe from my boys. :)

(notice that Milo and Pa have almost the same hairline)

He's Got the Power

Jonah has recently become aware of that fact that

he is in possession of a super power.

Unfortunately, he rarely chooses to use his power for good.
In the short time since school has been out for the

summer, Jonah has discovered that his older brothers

(for some unknown reason)

care which one of them he likes the best.

If he chooses Bentley as his favorite brother,

Maxwell will be heartbroken.

Max will cry and promise to do any number

of things so that Jonah will change his mind

and like him more than Bentley.

Amazingly, Bentley will do the same thing if Maxwell

is chosen as "Jonah's Favorite Brother."

As a result, our home has been the scene of great

turmoil, secret alliances, contracts, and deals

as the two big boys try to outdo each other to

win Jonah's approval. I don't get it.

I know the boys are really competitive, but honestly,

it surprises me that Bentley and Maxwell care

so much about what their younger brother thinks.

I can't see this game lasting much longer,

but Jonah is sure enjoying it while it lasts.

Roughing It

Lately the kids have been playing a "camping" game.

The pack bags, dress up, and go outside to "rough it."

I've decided that this game has pros and cons.

Pros:
The kids are all playing together.
There is a minimal amount of fighting.
The kids are outside, not on the computer or watching TV.
They are making use of the playset John worked so hard to build.
They are using their imaginations.

Cons:
All of the gloves, hats, scarves, coats, etc. all over the house/yard.
Lots of resulting laundry - multiple outfits are needed for "camp."
Blankets and pillows dragged outside for "sleeping."
Wood stacked in the middle of the lawn for a fire pit.
Wood chips from the "fire pit" scattered in the grass.

(the fire pit - the green ball is the fire)

More cons:
The most dangerous aspect of this camping game -
they thought camping required sunbathing
on the roof of the playhouse.
Oh - and one final drawback to their game -
we discovered that they had been using a back
corner of the yard as their "outhouse."
Gross.

Maybe fighting with each other
and/or playing computer games would
be better than this camping game after all.

16/52

Happy Birthday John!

(me, Ruby, John, Milo, Bentley, Jonah, and Maxwell)
photo by Elizabeth

"Hi"

Milo - 8 weeks old

"My parents took me to church on Sunday.

Now I have a cold - coincidence?"

Finale

The school year ended last week for all three big boys.

Jonah graduated from Joy School,

Maxwell finished Kindergarten,

and Bentley had his last day of 1st Grade.

Bentley and Maxwell also had their

piano recital last week.

(I uploaded video of their performances to vimeo for their grandparents to see.

If anyone else is interested, let me know and I'll send you a link.)

I think they must take after John,
neither of them was nervous before the recital.

Swine Flu Foils the MTC Farewell

Greg entered the MTC today!

He has two months to learn Portuguese,

and then it's off to Portugal for two years

to share the gospel.
Thanks to the swine flu, we said our goodbyes

at the house this morning, instead

of hauling everyone down to the MTC

for the program and a tearful farewell.

(the masks weren't required, we were just being goofy)

Before The Parents and Mikey dropped Greg off,

we took a few family photos.
Here's one of almost all the siblings (we're missing Spencer).

(Jonah, me, Milo, Warren, Greg, Mike, Mindy)

Milo managed to smile at Greg
AND to not spit up on his suit. Nicely done, Milo.

Jonah refused to be in the group photo with
Greg and the other kids (so did Kenna),
but I got this quick photo just before Greg left.

Nice goggles, huh?

Here's the group photo that I mentioned.
Do they look thrilled, or what?
Kylie, Ruby, Greg and Milo, Maxwell, Bentley

We've started a blog to keep track of Greg's letters.
So far there isn't anything on it. :)
But when he writes home, we'll post the letters
and emails right here.

36 Years Ago . . .

Happy Anniversary to The Parents!