Summer days are fading away

Well, I had good intentions to start this blog, and then never saved time to post anything! So I now am going to try to commit to posting regularly. :) Just to warn there will be lots of pictures as I like taking them and I like looking at pictures...I'm a very visual type person. ;)

So....where to begin. Maybe I'll go backwards and share what we've/I've been up to this summer. We traveled a good bit. We flew to TX in the spring and then drove up to IA to visit grandma and grandpa...the flight with the 4 kids (5yr, 3yr, 23mo and 3mo old) went pretty bad....long story. The 11hour drive went very well...I was very prepared and creative. ;) One thing that went over well with the 2 oldest, Zachary and Kalla was a little trick I stole/modified from his music class. I took a key ring and attached a plastic string made for stringing beads and put there names in beads on each one. Then I brought a collection of plastic chunky beads of different shapes and colors (the bears and airplanes were the most popular...especially the pink (Kalla's fav color of course) and red--Zachary's current fav. Every 30 mins if they had been nice and not whined, complained or cried I gave them one of their choice. Then every 5 beads they got a treat...usually a dumdum. It worked like a charm and made the long trip not seem so long (that the the dvd player!).

Anyway, the rest of the summer has been filled with swimming, going to Early Works,

driving the jeep,

bouncing in their new bouncy (thanks grandma :)

and birthdays. It was SO hot this summer, we mostly stayed indoors! We did squeeze in a few walks early in the morning...here the kids are ready to go for one not long ago.

Micah turned 2 and had an Elmo party in June.

Kalla turned 4 and had a princess (of course!) party in July.

Now it's the BIG boy's turn. Zachary is turning 6 this Saturday. First Kindergarten this year and now 6 years old. He has requested a Build a Bear party. So of course I obliged in planning one. This is going to be my easiest party yet (those who know me well, know I am a big party thrower). We are meeting in the food court and having pizza and a cookie cake. I am bringing a few supplies and bowl of fresh fruit.

I made little treat bags for all the guests...trail mix of dried banana slices, raisins, craisins, pretzel goldfish, oatmeal teddy grahams and a few chocolate chips.

Now I've noticed there are no pics of baby Maressa in this post. Mostly because she is sleeping or I am holding her while taking pics of every body else. So here is a really cute one I took the other day while playing with my camera.

She looks just like her daddy

And is a clone of her big sister at this age. Maybe another time I'll put up some comparison pics. But for now I've got a wiggly baby in my lap that needs a diaper change!

';,. --Maressa says hi!

Look for posts soon with my latest projects, yummy fall recipes and handy tips! I've got a good bit to share! :)