day 243

i just love naomi's smiling face. she loves to go as high as she can on the swing and she is just so beautiful with those eyes and hair and smile. i just love her.

day 242

one of the last pool party picnic of the year. we are enjoying the warm weather very much.

day 241

i didn't take a good photo today so i had this one of noah that i really loved from a few days ago. he and i built a little box out of 2x4's for a ship that he built out of spare pieces of wood. he thought it was pretty funny that mommy was using the saw and nailing things together. today he is also at grandma and grandpa callies for 4 nites. that is the longest he had been away from home. i love his tender little face.

day 240

today we went to binder park zoo with grandma and grandpa callie. it was a lot of fun going on the train and seeing the giraffes and zebras. good times.

day 239

the kids and i built little stands for their lego guys and littlest pet shop animals. i taught myself how to cut with the miter saw and we hammered a lot of pieces together. they had so much fun doing this and so did i.

day 238

i took all the kids to max and naomi's new playground at their school today. it was awesome! and i had to force the boys to get this photo but i love their little faces together.

day 237

i caught the girls playing nicely on my bed. i am lovin' it.

day 236

naomi is sick today. last nite she got out of the shower and vomited all over me. she thought it was funny and we had a good laugh from it for a couple of days. and she really doesn't like me to take her picture when she is sick.

day 235

i am really enjoying the times i can watch naomi play great with marlee. they really get laughing and being silly together.

day 234

levi is learning how to stand all over the place and he is loving the independence and the different views from being vertical.

day 233

leaving the cottage. the kids are not real happy about it. though we did have a really great week.

day 232

moomers ice cream. a tradition that we do once every year up north. levi really loved the treat after he got used to the coldness of the ice cream.

day 231

this is the fish max caught quickly. it is the first time i have taken a fish off the hook myself (using a hot pad) and the first time i stuck a worm on the hook. always learning something new on vacation.

day 230

photo session with marlee while the big kids were all out on the boats fishing. this one just gets to me.

day 229

our wonderful big family at the sleeping bear dunes.

day 228

max and grandpa making marshmallow shooters in the great outdoors. you know max is taking it all in when he is sticking his tongue out. i love how these two think together.

day 227

marlee and levi are starting to be little buddies lately. marlee loves to go up to bubby and make him laugh.

day 226

we made it to our cottage. this is one of my favorite spots here. marlee loves reading books out on the swing.

day 225

levi looking worried here. he was watching the kids in the pool and they were probably screaming at each other.

day 224

levi more comfortable venturing and spitting up all over the house and in and out of things nowadays

day 223

max and naomi were gone so noah and marlee have been little buddies for a bit. this is their new spot for waiting for daddy to get home.

day 222

someone is happy to finally be sitting up on his own!

day 221

my only child who has green eyes like me. mine changed from blue to green as a teenager and max's turned when he was five.

day 220

naomi and grandpa collin playing connect four this sunday afternoon. the kids kept grandpa from taking his nap and had a great time playing games.

day 219

naomi and i had a girls day. we went to the alice in wonderland play at the hayloft theater. it was put on by kids which was awesome. naomi loved the silly characters. afterward we went to texas roadhouse for dinner. i love hanging out with this little sweetheart.

day 218

i have been soaking in the quietness of these three. they have found their own fun on the front porch and i love when they have these moments of getting along.

day 217

last night of mega sports camp. noah was singing and looked at me like this because he was in the front row when they all turned around and that made him nervous. i love how he pulled this "what" language with me.

day 216

little buddy stood up in his bed for the first time today after his nap. i lowered his bed right after i captured this.

day 215

my baby was 10 months old yesterday. he wouldn't let me get a photo of him with his robot. he kept pushing it away. he is such a little sweetie.

day 214

the kids started mega sports camp vbs tonite. max choose to do running. it fits him perfectly as the girls like to chase him.

day 213

levi venturing to the pool and the campground. he loves the water.