The pool!

I finally took the kids to the pool after days of them asking. They loved it of course and were too busy to pose for pictures so I just have some of the littlest cuties. We had only been there about a minute when Jack said, "I love it here! Can we come everyday?" He hadn't seen Will in a week and they had many important things to talk about and explore. When they started heading for the deep end, I told Will to keep Jack back where he could touch and Jack said, "it's okay, I'm really tough!" If only swimming were that easy!

Jemma spent most of the time right here playing with her toes and watching people walk by.

Ben is the chubbiest, blondest Casebolt baby--he really should be one of mine!

Proud To Be A Daddy!

Ed here...My #1 fan and my #1 buddy

And so it begins.

We have rolled into Ed's busy season which means we are lucky if we see him in the daylight for the next month or so and while we miss him (of course), there are a few perks. For one, we eat a lot of breakfast for dinner (french toast and oatmeal are the favorites) but for a special treat we have microwave meals (I know). The kids love them--they take forever picking out their favorite and then we take them home and 3 minutes later dinner is ready!

Our first micro meal of the season--chicken fingers with a side of brownie!

Jack said, "hey take a picture of me too!"

He's a funny boy--today he said to me, "you are a wonderful girl!" so Ed may be gone but at least he left me in good company.

Science Camp, again

There was another Science Camp this week and I went along to help and Jack was so pleased because he got to come too! It's always interesting to spend 3 hours with a group of 5 and 6 year olds, catching turtles and frogs and looking for adventures.

Walking through the grass--you can barely see Jack's head behind the girl in orange with the net.

Jack pet the turtle but he didn't exactly love doing it.

Hiking up the big hill.

Happy (11th!) Anniversary to us!

(Yet another pic of a pic, the original is by Mark LaMoreaux and is of course much better)

Eleven years with my best friend...I'm a lucky girl.

And here's what he gave me....

a super-duper lush green lawn (in one day). Exactly what I wanted.

I like these kids.

This was one of those mornings where everyone was drooping around the house just dying to say the word bored but afraid of what would happen if they did. So I packed them up and headed to the mall and they were perfect! They happily tried on clothes, waited forever with their hands folded while I made returns and purchases and made cheerful conversation while we had a long lunch. Ava and Jack held hands and jabbered to each other (my very favorite thing about them) and even Jemma lounged happily in her stroller the whole time, kicking her feet and squealing at strangers.

Sometimes they are just really good company.

One more cause she's so darn cute!

Bugcatcher

Jack's been riding like this all week trying to catch some bugs with that net out the window.

He hasn't had a lot of luck.

Retro Friday

At the beach house!

Last year.

The Mariners.

To the park!

A man on a mission: Jack pushed the stroller all the way to the park and would accept no help at all.

Jemma enjoyed the ride!

Growing up is hard to do.

Sweet Jemma Jane is learning the meaning of the word "No" and while she's not enjoying the process, she's catching on pretty quick. Here is her sweet, sad I'm-sorry-face. Makes you want to squish her, huh?

Science Camp

Ava was looking forward to seeing her school friends at Science Camp today (she was of course up and dressed long before the rest of us!) but it is always an extra nice surprise when her cousins show up too!

Jack was bummed to miss out on the fun but he cheered up when I got out his very own bug-catching kit. He held the net out the car window all the way across town, checking every few seconds to see if he'd caught anything yet!

I told you so.

Jemma Jane was happily playing away in her walker till she heard me walk in from the other room and instantly she looked like this...just before the tears.

What would I do without her?

Here's a shot of Ava just before we left for Costco the other day. She had packed the bag with sippy cups, snacks, diapers and wipes (after refilling the wipe container) all without me saying a word about it. I love her standing here with her Starbucks cup and her sunglasses, more pulled together than me!

This girl is amazing.

She writes the grocery lists in the car for me, she packs the sunscreen for the park and then reminds me to put it on everyone, she sets the table every night and includes funny handmade namecards even though we all sit in the same place every night. She anticipates the needs of everyone in the family: she fills Jack's water, she brings Jemma toys, she leaves sweet notes for her daddy, and the other day when we were on our way to a playdate I mentioned that I should have grabbed a kleenex and she said, "oh, I put some in your bag for you so you wouldn't have to go in the house and miss the fun," and sure enough there was a neat little stack in my bag!

So Miss Ava, my most faithful blog reader, thank you for being such a sweet, helpful girl--I don't know what I would do without you!

So this is karma...

(this is her rice cereal face--there is even some up her nose)

So every time I leave Miss Jemma, I hear what a sweet, dee-lightful little pumpkin she is. Whoever has had her (her daddy, grandmas, babysitters, etc.) says she could not have been happier, more smiley, etc. and I think to myself, huh?? Because the Jemma Jane I know is perfection when being held and cuddled but is a sad, screaming disaster as soon as I put her on the floor/in the bumbo/in the walker/on the chair. If I am in the room, she must be held by me only and she has an uncanny (and creepy) ability to sense when I am in the house. When I come home from somewhere and she is playing happily, I silently shut the door and tiptoe in, but her ears perk up immediately, her head cranes around like an owl, and she stares at me so intently I can feel it and then she opens her mouth and starts the screaming.

I am not exaggerating even a little bit. Ask Ed. Even he thinks it's amazing.

My mom has very little sympathy for me as this is apparently exactly how I was as a baby.

My Adventurer

Jack came in to tell me that he is going on an adventure and marched on out...then popped back in to say, "but don't worry mom, I'll be back for lunch."