just another summer day...

Playing in the water.....





Loving the splashes....

Keeping cool.....

Ok, now, we are STARVING!!!

All in all, a nice afternoon!

first day of summer vacation

Yesterday, we kicked off our vacation with a mommy group at a friends house. She has acres and acres of land and you should have seen the kids running around, happy as larks, to have that much space. I'd love to show you....but I didn't get any pics while we were there :( Unfortunately, Shiloh also got into something that she was allergic to, but I don't know what. More on this in a minute...

After a nap, we went to the park, just us. We played on the playground, ran through the baseball field, played catch, and rolled down a big hill. It was alot of fun! I do have pics of this :)

We had big plans for today, too. Tyrone is playing softball at work today, and we were going to go watch and then go to the splash park. Sadly, Shiloh's reaction has gone from just the back of her neck to down her chest and tummy, so we had to cancel. We are hanging at home, doing benadryl, and keeping a close eye on things. Have you ever had a day with a 1 year old on bendadryl? It is NOT my fav thing ever!

Anyway, pics from yesterday!

end of the year awards!

Summer vacation has officially hit my house! Yesterday was the boys' last day of school, and Kaleb had an award ceremony in the morning. Gabe, Shiloh, and I went, and, sure enough! Kaleb got an award for excellence in math! That boy, math is really his thing! We are so proud of him!

Unfortunately, Gabe was restless, and Shiloh ws tired, so my pics of the ceremony are sub par at best, but I PROMISE that first one is of him getting his award! Funny side story, but Shiloh was getting VERY fussy and didn't want her crackers, sippy cup, paci, or for me to rub her back. She wanted to leave. There was a grandfatherly gentleman sitting behind us who had been talking to her earlier, and he leaned up and rubbed her hair, she calmed down IMMEDIATELY! She loved it, and I could just picture him comforting his grandbabies the same way.

Well, guess who it was? The superintendent of our entire school district, lol. It made me laugh, but at least we know he's a good guy with a heart for kids!

Way to go, son! We are so very proud of you!

breed prejudice

I am angry and sad as I write this post. As you may remember, last November, we acquired Domino as a 6 week old puppy. We have loved on this dog for months, and have just nearly pulled him successfully through the annoying puppy phase, and he is turning into a great companion. And now we have to give him away.

Three months after we got Domino, our post (and now all army posts) have passed rules against "aggressive" dog breeds, including, but not limited to, Pit Bulls, Chows, Rottweilers, etc. No exceptions. With a fourth baby on the way, our budget will simply not allow us to do anything but move on post. It was always our intention to do so come October, when our lease is up here. Had I known what was going to happen, I wouldn't have done this to us, to the kids, to poor Domino. We are desperately trying to find our dear dog a good home. Do you know how hard that is? My biggest fear is that he will be used to fight, this is such a common abuse of these poor dogs. Please pray for us, that we will be discerning and find Domino the perfect forever family.

I wish we were the forever family....

new hair cut and lots of playing

Have I mentioned that by his own insistence, Gabe got a new hair cut? Our youngest son is TOTALLY rocking a mohawk. Not everyone loves it, but we do and he REALLY does. He's a cutie any way you slice it!

I set up our pool out back today and the kids had some fun playing in there this afternoon!

And, our little cookout last weekend, complete with wiffle balls and bats & bubbles!

Us girls, sticking together, helping Shiloh out with her bubbles. We heart Tricia!

big bad kaleb

Kaleb's play at school was Thursday and he did such a good job! They did Little Red Riding Hood, and had to audition for parts. Kaleb was awarded the biggest male part-the wolf! Even his teacher made a point of pulling me aside after the play and telling me how much K impressed all of the people judging who should get what part. He REALLY shined. I have a video at the end of this post, but unfortunately it is a little hard to hear K's solo, but you may be able to if you turn your volume all the way up. Did I mention K had 3 solos?! Go, Kaleb, go!

overheard

We were outside, and the boys were playing at the edge of the woods. When Gabe ran by Tyrone, Tyrone saw that he had a tick on the back of his neck. Tyrone told Gabe to hold still and he pulled it out. Gabe was immediately very angry, indignantly saying that his Daddy had pulled a piece of him off. It was funny, but Trisha, Tyrone, and I all tried to convince him that there was a bug on him and Daddy had saved him from it, "It was a tick, Gabe, a tick!"

Well, Gabe, stil a little unsure, announces "Well, then, Daddy ticked me off?!" Of course, he had no clue what he was saying, but the three of us laughed until we cried while Gabe stomped his foot, saying "I'm serious!"

friends, picnics, & freeze pops

transition

Yesterday I had a doctor's appointment that lasted for over an hour. Luckily Tyrone was able to come, and the office staff is a delight with Shiloh, so it wasn't that bad.

BUT....Shiloh is transitioning from two naps to one. Most kids her age that I know have already done this, but Shiloh has always liked to sleep, and she just really needed that 2nd nap. She has been letting us know for about 2 weeks though that she has outgrown her need for 2 naps. SO, we embarked on the transition.

After lots of on the job learning with the boys, I worked VERY hard with Shiloh so that she would know and understand that her crib was HER special place. That this was where she slept, that it was her's alone. It took a little persistence, but it paid off. Shiloh doesn't sleep anywhere else. Not even our bed....she likes to play there, but does not think of it as a sleeping spot.

So, she took her one nap yesterday and then we headed to my appt. She played hard there, and ran the hospital halls on the way to the lab, and basically had lots of stimulation. When we got home, she ate her lunch, cuddled with me, and then I realized she was limp. I laid her down, and this is what I saw....a most unusual sight....



It's a hard transition....poor thing slept there for an hour, didn't even know her bubba was home from school!

gabe's spring concert

Gabe's concert was last night and it was beyond adorable....he was so proud! His big brother put up with it all, and his little sister danced in the aisle :) check out the video.... (ps, welcome to a true glimpse of what a character gabe is....)

community center with dawn!

First of all, on Friday my doctor finally found a medicine that is working for me! I'm so excited! I am able to eat 2 meals a day normally now, and compared to what I was eating, well, it's a big deal!

So, on Sat., I was feeling sooo much better, that I wrangled ;) an invitation to come play from Dawn and Josh. We ate lunch (taco bell, yum!) and then Dawn and I took the kids up to the community center by her house while the guys looked at cars on the computer. It was so much fun, AND I discovered that there is a splash park behind the community center! I can guarantee that we will be there this summer!



Smile, Dawn!

Kaleb, working hard on the monkey bars!

Gabe being himself.....the sky was so pretty

Dawn at the top to help launch Shiloh, me at the bottom to catch!

All 3 at the top of the slides. Shiloh was a little TOO brave climbing to the top!

We even had our friends Trisha and Nate over for dinner last night. I went all southern for everybody, and we had fried chicken, collard greens, corn bread, and macaroni and cheese, complete with sweet tea. It was so much fun, and so nice to be able to eat!!