Surprise Visit!

Brody's sister, Natalie, and her two kids, Ryder and Aria, surprised us with a visit this past weekend.  We were so surprised and excited to see them.  They moved to Missouri around Christmas time last year and we have not got to see them since.  (We missed seeing her husband, Dallas, though since he had to stay home and work.)  Another reason that the weekend was so much fun is because Brody's other sister, Heidi, and her husband and little boy also came to visit.  It was the first time since Christmas that we were all together.  We spent the whole weekend together playing in the river, having family dinners, visiting the zoo and just enjoying the time catching up.  Sometimes the holidays are crazy so this was a much more relaxed visit.  It was so much fun to see the kids all play together and really made me wish that we all lived closer.  That said, I was still very thankful for the fun memories that we were all able to make and look forward to all being together again soon!

                                 Bailey and cousin Ryder "hiding" from Jace during one of the many
                                       games of hide-n-seek.  They all LOVED playing together!

                                              Brody, Jace, Brody's sister Natalie, and Aria

                                                   Enjoying the "beach" in sunny California!

                                      Happy kids content with apple juice and watching Peter Pan

Jace enjoyed being everyone's tour guide of the zoo.

Grandpa Bert, Bailey, Jace and Ryder looking at the ostrich

This is one of my favorite pictures of Bailey and Grandpa Bert

Guess what we were looking at... yep, the flamingos!

Group shot at the bird show

Trying to get 6 kids to smile for a group picture is not as easy as it looks :)

Bailey, Ryder and Jace loved playing in the field and moving all of the 

really big rocks into Grandpa Bert's perfectly smooth field :)  They thought

they were helping him by making a "huge" pile of rocks for him.

Once it was time for dessert Bailey knew right where she wanted to be :)

Happy 4th Birthday Jace!

This last week we had the joy of celebrating Jace's 4th Birthday.  He has had a countdown going on for over a month so he was so excited for his birthday to actually be here.  The morning of his birthday we had a birthday breakfast for him and then Brody and I took him and Bailey to Adventure Park in Visalia.  Both of the kids were tall enough to ride the race cars and the bumper boats and really liked going on them.  Bailey was sure that she was also big enough to drive!  Later that day we went down to the river and played with Cody, Brittany and Stetson and then went to Grandpa and Grandma's pool for dinner and cake.  Happy 4th Birthday Jace!  We love you so much!

Dove Hunt and Other Fun Things

September 1st is one of my favorite days of the year.  It's the opening day of dove season and brings back great memories of hunting with my dad and sisters and spending time with family.  This year I was able to go hunting because Brody's mom was in town and stayed with Bailey and Brooklyn while Brody, Jace and I went hunting.  I was so thankful and excited to go out with the boys!  Jace got a new camo shirt and orange vest from Grandma and Papa and slept in them the night before the hunt.  We had a great hunt and Jace did a great job being our bird dog.  Whenever Brody or I would get a bird he would run and find it and then start barking when he found it.  He took the job of "bird dog" pretty serious :).  I don't think that he realized that the dove were for us to eat though because when my dad offered to clean Jace's bird at the end of the hunt Jace looked at him and said, "No, Papa!  I don't want my bird to look like that!".

                                                  Jace showing Aunt Kristina one of his birds.

                                 

                                                            Proud Father & Son hunters

                                                    Jace and Papa before the hunt started

                            We got our limit!  Much better than last years 1 bird.  Thanks Uncle John
                                    for letting us hunt at your ranch!  We had so much fun!

Here are a few pictures of some of the other fun things that happened with our family this past month.

                                 Jace & Bailey getting ready to go on a "hike" in our neighbors yard.
                                            They thought that they were going to the mountains.

                       After church one day we went for a walk around Fig Garden.  This was one
                                         of their favorite spots.  Monkey see Monkey do.

                     We have been enjoying going to Grandpa and Grandma's house to exercise lately.
                                          The kids love it too and try to get in on the action.

                     My mom got these masks for the kids to color and then they can wear them.
                     Jace loved it but Bailey didn't :)  This picture makes me laugh whenever I see it.

                Brody, Brooklyn and I got to take a little vacation together to Ojai earlier this month.
                 

                                                         Sunsets at the dairy are the best!

                       Brody's mom got to come down and visit us for Labor day weekend.  We took
                                     the kids to Storybook Land and Playland and they LOVED it!  

                                She thought that my shoes fit her perfectly and was so proud of herself.

                                                      Labor Day picnic and canoe ride

                                    Brooklyn is almost 5 months old!  I can't believe it!

Jace also got to start Awana's Cubbies this month.  He was so excited, and aparently

so was the girl next to him :)

August Update

This month has been full of playing, swimming, reading stories and enjoying our time together as a family and I'm trying to take it all in before Jace starts school next year.  I really don't want this time of no schedule and seeing the kids every day to end.  Until that time I'm going to try and take advantage of having them all home with me all of the time.  Some days that is easier to do than others.

  

The weather has been a little cooler (low 90's) here so we have been playing outside a lot.  It has been fun to go and play at the river and Jace & Bailey LOVE playing in the dirt.  Brody planted some giant watermelon seeds at our river ranch this year and they grew really well.  The biggest one got to 108 pounds!  We cut it open this afternoon and the kids helped collect the seeds out of it so we can grow more next year.  Surprisingly it tasted pretty good!  

Brooklyn continues to be a very good and easy baby which we are so thankful for.  She also just learned how to roll over and is starting to scoot around as well.  I can't believe that she is 4 months old already!  Jace got her to giggle a little bit today and he was so proud of himself (she laughed a little at Brody the other day but we haven't got her to do it since). 

The farming season is starting to draw to a close so Brody is going to start slowing down pretty soon.  We all look forward to that time since we get to see him a lot more.  He is also able to take the kids to work with him since he isn't so busy.  Bailey got to go with him all by herself for the first time today.  She was so excited and thought that she was a pretty big girl.  Jace, Brooklyn and I stayed home and got to spend some quality time together as well.  

I hope you enjoy these pictures!

                                   This is the start to my morning every day.  I'm a thankful mama!

                                Grandma Marlene picked up Bailey and took her on her first shopping
                                 trip.  She was so excited and talked about it for days afterwards (:

                                         Jace feeding the horses at Grandma and Papa's house.

                                   Jace and Bailey would be perfectly content to sit here all day
                                   and play in the dirt.  (They wanted to dress as pirates, in case
                                          you were wondering what was up with the bandannas).

                                        This is one of the watermelons that we grew this year.

                                                                   Collecting the seeds

                                Brooklyn has officially found her thumb.  She is our first thumb sucker.

                                    Bailey and Brooklyn.  The watermelon that Brooklyn is on
                                                        ended up weighing 108 pounds.

                                                       Jace and the seeds that he collected.

                                                                    108 pound melon