Raging Waters

Obviously we've really missed the states and we've really missed our family and that's my excuse for posting lots of pictures here!  We do have water slides in Germany, but I don't know of anything quite like Raging Waters.  We lucked out and got a nice, sunny day and no crowds.  The kids had a great time and were pretty brave.  Briggs went on the slide with the yellow toboggans first thing and Sophie loved the fast tube slide.  Porter was pretty happy with the wave pool, but wishes now that he would have done the slide.  I told him we'd go again!

Pier 49 Pizza

Long before we even started packing for the states, Tyler had his list of places that we needed to eat while we were there.  It was a long list, but he managed to get them all in by the end!  We're totally Americanized right to the core!  Forget Italy and take me to the Olive Garden!  I will give good marks to the French though and surprisingly the Czech Republic had great food.  Unfortunately, there is no good Mexican to be found in Europe and no Tiny Spicy Chicken like they make at Mandarin Gardens!

Summerfest

It was so much fun for my kids to meet and spend time with all of their cousins!  It was a heart-breaker to say good-bye at the end of our trip because they had so much fun together!  This was a trip to the Summerfest in Logan with my family where the kids did all kinds of art projects and topped it off with some cotton-candy.  I got in a little shopping too!

Charley's Baby Blessing

These little family celebrations are something that I've really missed being away from home, so it was really fun to be there when Nicole and Luke blessed Charley!  It was also our last full day in the states, so I was really happy that the whole family was together!  I quite like these guys and miss them already!  

Tara's Wedding

My sister Tara and my new brother-in-law Brigham (a.k.a. Pig)!  Can't believe my little sister is married!

Soccer Season

This is only the first game of the season and I'm already posting pictures...so expect more!  I don't get to play much soccer anymore, but I still love it!  So I'm playing vicariously through my kids. 

They started out the season great!  Briggs had a goal and Sophie rules the defense.  Tyler is assisting with the coaching and I try to take the pictures when I'm not chasing Sawyer after he runs out onto the field.

I love soccer season!

Easter

We had a bit of a rough time getting a cute Easter picture with everyone looking and smiling this year.  It didn't help that we had just gotten home from church and were supposed to be at a dinner somewhere else in a few minutes.  We had a few wardrobe malfunctions as well.  Briggs would not hear of not wearing his suit coat even though it's sleeves are about 6 inches shorter than the sleeves on his shirt underneath.  Ah well.  I tried.  And I still think they're cute!  Maybe next year we'll get that perfect photo?

Porter's 4th B-Day

11 Things We Love About Porter

1. Porter has over 101 different facial expressions.  They're hilarious and it isn't hard to tell what he's thinking!  He can do really cool things with his eyebrows.

2. He loves to sing, sing, sing...and when he doesn't know the words...he makes them up!  Our personal favorite is, "Take me out to the ball game.  Take me out to the crowd.  Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks, I don't care if I never get back.  For it's FRUIT, FRUIT, FRUIT FOR THE WHOLE TEAM if they don't win it's a CHANGE..."

3. He's got an impressive vocabulary and we love his adult-like phrasing as in, "Mom, how many times do I have to tell you?" and "My blankets are messed up and now they're all frustrated!"

4. He can do 9 straight hours of sound effects with his cars, guys, and swords.

5. He dresses himself...in 3-4 outfits a day.

6. He's convinced that he WON the childrens 1K race on base last month and keeps reminding us about it and how great it was.

7. He loves to help Mom in the kitchen!  He's a great baker.

8. We thought Briggs was a talker, but Porter has probably got him beat!  He can go on, and on, and on...but the funny part is that you can't just listen, you have to watch because he uses his hands to show you exactly what was going on, where people were, how the car was driving, etc.

9. He runs to give his dad a hug when he comes home from work and will say things to me like, "I love you little mommy!"  I think I love that he calls me 'little' as much as that he says he loves me!

10. He's the third child and gets away with much more than the first two...and he knows it!  He's called me out on being a push-over!

11.  He loves to have Tyler kneel down with him to say his prayers at night.  His prayers are really sweet...and really funny, and they go on, and on, and on...