locked and loaded

I would say ready to go, but are you ever really ready to spend days in the mountains with no shower in sight and all your belongings on your back?

The things we do for these sweet kids:

(last year)

this kid.

I feel like most stories about Henry could start with "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times...."

In other news,

this is the best candy.  Ever.

If you see it, buy it.  And then share some with me.

a boy and his dog

boys of summer

Grill-off!

This is one of our favorite events of the summer but I somehow ended up with some seriously lame pictures.  So you'll have to imagine about 75 people eating good food at a beautiful place.

And these goofballs were there too:

Ava and the pie table (that's her strawberry almond cream pie.  The girl can bake.)

lacrosse.

Okay, so I apparently have no pictures of Jack actually playing lacrosse but I have some good shots of his super cute fans if that counts?

Jack had a really good time with lacrosse.  This was his first year and after his first practice he said "I don't really know how to play but it's a lot of fun!"  He figured it out pretty quick and ended up scoring about three goals a game...and got 5 in the last game.  He's so fun to watch and his mid game hugs are still the best, plus I can get some serious glimpses of what he'll be like as a teenager and I gotta say I like him a lot.

fun in the 'hood

We love our neighborhood.  Seriously the nicest (and perhaps nosy-est) street in town, with a pack of good kids running around.

Here was some street racing from the other night:

Ready, set, go.

And the "Slow-man" there?

Jack says "is that for the cars or for me on my bike?"

That kid has a healthy dose of self-esteem.

big daddy

Ed's getting close to the end of a long 8 (10? 12?) weeks of travel and the kids stick to him like glue when he's home.  Going to the dump? yes!  Going to Staples? yes!  Mowing the lawn? yes!  He pretty much has a constant buddy.  Checking out the grass?  At least two helpers for that.

Ava Blythe

Ava has been working so crazy hard this summer.

She's had volleyball and swimming and piano.  And she's been a mother's helper to 3 different families on a regular basis...not to mention all the babysitting she does here.  Plus she's been working for me.  A lot.  All my regular workers have been gone for the summer and while I've been training a few new ones, I've realized Ava's just as good as the high school girls. 

Plus she's so darn cute.

summer sports

Jemma looking like a volleyball pro.  

Or as she would say, a bollyball pro.

The girls both had volleyball on Tuesdays and Thursdays while Jack had lacrosse and then Ava had another round later that night of jr. high volleyball.  Yup, jr. high.

While they were busy, I had these two jokers to keep me company:

Camp!

It's that time of year again!  Ava headed off to summer camp but this year it was five whole nights.

Just about killed me.

She, however, had a great time.

Same cabin as last year but this year two cousins came! 

Bed made, cozy blanket out, shelf set up within 5 minutes of arrival.

I love her.

road trips

Ed and his dad took the boys to the Mariners and while they were living it up in Seattle, I took the girls to my aunt's for our own kind of vacation:

good food

good view

good company

Jemma's new favorite thing? Washing dishes outside.

After relaxing all night (and getting to read a whole book!), we spent the morning at the beach: 

and then had lunch at our favorite restaurant before heading home to our boys.

happy birthday to me

first talked to him 21 years ago,

what more do I need?

Jemma loses a tooth!

the next one fell out a couple days later.

How is she possibly this old??

it has been one crazy HOT summer

even Cooper knows the best spot is directly on top of the ac vent.

on the water

We've been out on the water as much as possible this summer and we finally got Ed a ski so the kids don't get to have all the fun.

But man, I hate driving the boat.  Nothing like having all my babies in one spot and their daddy in the water while I'm driving to make my panic button go into hyper mode.

And I have no idea why I love pictures of my sleeping babies so much.  But seriously, look at them. 

This was after the drive home, a long stop at the grocery store, and the drive to the house.  They were out cold.

4th of July!

One of my favorite holidays!

playing with cousins!

one pretty bad family picture

this kid would be happy with the sweets or the sangria!

my pyro

Deacon is an always be prepared sort and there's nothing better than a backpack full of fireworks.

Jack got to shoot the fire hose

Super cute.

And even cuter: 

Henry showing off his air guitar before the fireworks start.

goodbye Ruby.

We were hoping Ruby would make it to her 13th birthday in August but by the beginning of July, she was going downhill fast so we spent one last morning with her

teaching the pup how to fetch

 and saying goodbye.

That was hard!  We had Ruby before any of our babies and while I can think of so many times she drove me nuts, she has a part of our family for so long I hardly have a memory without her in it.