Pink Eye, The 4th of July, and Scarface

Our 4th of July was a little sad this year. In the morning I went to fetch Owen and noticed immediately that the poor boy had pink-eye. His sisters had it several weeks earlier so it was really no surprise that he got it too.

This put a nix on some holiday fun. Which of course let to an avalanche of tears from our girls. As a compromise, we agreed to visit the family for fireworks only, staying quarantined on our blanket for the night!

The kids did get to light some sparklers, and even Owen got in on the action. Unfortunately for him, he believed the sparkler was a super-size birthday candle and attempted to blow it out. Let's just say he's okay, but he does have a nice little scar on his chin to remind us of the occasion!

Happy 4th of July!

Corvettes, Dodge Vipers, & even a Lamborghini!

My sister recently stayed the night with us and we headed to the Fountains for some water fun. We had a horrible time finding a parking spot, but soon found out why:

An Auto Show!

When we passed the Lamborghini I could not help laughing at the grown men going ga-ga over it. One guy even asked someone to take his picture with it!

Are they really that big a deal?

The best part about walking around was hearing all the people whisper about how many children we had. They all thought my 12-year old sister was my daughter too!

Rats!
No water feature due to the disco dance lessons they were giving on the stage! The kids quickly got over their disappointment as we all became mesmerized by the music and dancing. It was really, really entertaining!

Some ladybug fun!

I thought our trip was pretty fun, but guess who slept through it all?

Here's to fun in the sun!

Movies, Take 2!

We did it!

Mom finally got her act together, and with the help of three very industrious young ladies who spurred me along, we made it on time to the movies!

We saw "Journey to the Center of Earth"-very entertaining-and even sat with some families from our ward!

Am I anxious to head back with 5 children in tow?
Eh!

But who knows!
It's hard to beat something that's free and brings enjoyment to the whole family!

Drool

No, this post isn't about Sam!

It's about my darling Isabella.

When she came home from her dental appointment she had the tell-tale signs of having work done:

1. Drool

2. The Lop-sided Grin

Love it!

Thank You!

Check out the fabulous gift made especially for me by Laurie! This was perfect for Independence Day, and we found a great spot for it on the fireplace mantel.

Thank you Laurie! This is beautiful and we look foward to it gracing our mantle for many years to come!

Front Yard Fun

Though we're currently in a triple digit heat wave, several weeks ago the weather was balmy with some surprising cool winds.

Gabriel enjoyed the weather from a cozy cocoon.

Iris & Gabriel

Down the street on the bike trail, Samuel engaged the kids in a rousing game of whiffle ball.

My little monster decided to opt out of the game...

and chose to play in the car instead!

Scattered though we may be, there's fun to be had all over the place!

Isabella's Microphone & Our American Flag

Isabella is my wonderfully creative, inventive, and imaginative child! She is the busiest bee, and is constantly at "work" on something!

For a recent Family Home Evening, she surprised us all with a beautifully prepared table for our lesson, including a podium and a microphone! Samuel was obliged to speak into it, while Owen spent much of his time trying to pull it down. I think he eventually ate part of it!

For Samuel's lesson, and in conjunction with the 4th of July, we learned about Independence Day and what that means for us today. We then took that opportunity to select a spot for our new American Flag!

What a blessing it is to live in this great nation!

The Movie that went Awry

I attempted to take the kids to the free movies at Olympus Point. I really had every intention of getting there on time, but you know how it goes.

Since the all the seats were full, we headed to the Galleria for some fun of another sort!

They had a blast, but was I off the hook for the movie?

Of course not!

Aunt Sophia's Visit

When Gabriel was born, my sister and her husband, Dave, were living it up in Las Vegas. When they came home, she made a beeline for our home to meet Gabriel.

Not surprisingly, he won her over!

In addition, she also brought over Owen's birthday present. It's a walking, roaring dinosaur that he's terrified of!

Don't worry! He'll get over it!

The Kitchen Table: The Epicenter of our Home

This is a common sight!

The kitchen table is like a magnet in our home. It is the place where we gather for meals, crafts, cooking projects-you name it and we do it at the kitchen table! Lucky for me, it's close to the kitchen, so while I'm bustling around I'm able to hear the happy sounds of my little ones playing, or conversely, I'm close enough to referee the squabbling! Either way, we're together, and that's what counts.