Sweet success!!!

Ok, so the first photo session was a total flop....thanks to Mommy's poor scheduling, 2 fussy toddlers, and 1 stubborn 5 yr. old.
However, we all redeemed ourselves today and...with the help of our favorite photographer...the kids took some great photos!

This one trumps them all...I think it's just amazing :)

Fun at Forget-me-not!

We all had a great time camping with the fam. over Memorial Day weekend! The kids had fun catching critters...here's Emma with her beloved frog, whom we had to beg her to set free :) Some first canoe rides were had by all the little ones and Elle and Eva looked so adorable riding together in the hammock! The weather was great by day and chilly (ok, freezing) by night.....forcing us to take cover at Mema and Pappy's the 1st night....but the remainder of the nights we pulled the smaller tent w/in feet of the fire! We were all thrilled to lay by the fire.....it was just a bonus that we slept (mostly) and were finally WARM!!!!!!!!

Happy 4th Birthday, Jake!

All that hard work made for one heck of a party...just hope (for Ryan's sake) that we didn't ruin the fence or those "FILTHY"
buckets, ha!)! We had tons of fun.....as always :) Love you guys~

Our very own David Cook...

Gotta love that hair!

Upon closer look, he's also a bit Boo-like :)

Our bathroom, before:

Complete with wallpaper, faux marble, mustard colored fixtures, and everyone's favorite: the dixie cup dispenser!!!! It doesn't get much worse.

Our bathroom, new and improved:

Who'd have thought that redoing such a teeny tiny room would take so much work??? We are thrilled with how it turned out...way to go, hon! My favorite feature is front and center....I'm SO very in love with that faucet (love you too, Jed!)!!! The Cook Forest post cards are the perfect finishing touch (Thanks for a great house-warming gift, Bon...see the new one?)!!! We are all loving bathtime again in this beautiful new space!

you can click to make bigger, enjoy~

Just in case you missed it.......

my FAVORITE feature!!!!!!

Ty's big day!

Here he is...officially 1 and thoroughly enjoying it! Obviously, our singing leaves little to be desired....even to a one-year old.



Ah, that's more like it! Nothing like a car ride to cheer you up....

....and put you to sleep!

Just had to get a picture of these cute footsies....he started using them today! Yes, he took his first two steps :)

Happy Mother's Day!

This was the big excitement of our day.....Ty walking! He walked all over the yard, with the help of Elle's "solar", and managed to get himself in a little predicament, but he came out smiling :) He was one tired boy!

Some of the girls!

Here's Emma with drawings in tow (all rolled up, like Daddy's)....and their garden too, Thanks to Pappy! Boo, on the go, as always...and a rare moment w/ Papa! Ella....so sassy and irresistable!!!! Oh, and some of cousin Nate, he's quite the trickster :)

Happy First Birthday, Ty boy!!!!

Hard to believe, but our little cowboy is almost one!!! He had a great 1st birthday party...we had such fun and made a ton of memories! As you can see, I had trouble picking photos to post...so I just posted a bunch (you can click on the collages to make them bigger), enjoy!!! Ty is crawling....quickly....and pulling up and cruising. He's not tried to take steps on his own yet, but we've noticed him testing his balance more often and being a little more successful....I'm sure first steps aren't too far off :) He's a pretty quiet boy (for now), mostly babbles da-da-da and mum-mum-mum....smiles tons! So amazing to see how different he is from the girls, just naturally drawn to Daddy's tools and vrooming his tractor and trucks already!!!! He's the sweetest, most sensitive, and happiest little boy we could have ever been blessed with!!!!

We were expecting rain, but what a beautiful day! The kids loved running around outside, racing their stick horses, digging for "gold" in the hay, "wacking the piniata", and a hayride too! Even the big kids joined in....and played some horseshoes and cornhole too :) Some good ol' fun was had by all!

After a long nap, our sleepy birthday boy is awakened to open gifts and have his cake and ice-cream!!!

A big thank you to all the podners who came to celebrate and make the day so memorable! We love you!

Kathy, Thanks for loaning us the hats and stick horses....they provided such entertainment :) DeMotte family....you were VERY missed at this one...we hope you are all healthy soon!

witnessing nature's finest....

The girls had been checking on these eggs everyday, and today...like magic...the first one literally hatched right before our eyes! It was amazing and the kids just kept saying how little and tiny and cute it was, they loved it! 2 of the 3 baby birds have survived and we can't believe how big they've gotten in just a week!!!