water fun!

so, after stopping by a "hill" covered in flowers to take a few photos of Zoey (coming soon) I decided to live on the edge and let the kids run through the sprinklers that were going ...

love this pic!

they had a great time, they were drenched, and they loved it!

when we got home I let the big kids bike and roller blade so
they'd get a little dry in the warm sun, then we had lunch!
it was a super fun morning!

play-by-play ...

July 8 ... I couldn't believe he did it!!!

early July - fun times ...

we start with some photos of Zoey ...
I took these while the kids were playing at that park
(photos below) - she just stayed in her stroller
in the shade ... it was actually a warm day, which we don't
have many of those!!!

what a silly little fishy face!

so precious ...

this one melts me!

last week we decided to grow some crystals,
pretty cool!

I love that toothy grin

ready for VBS - game day central!
(I did their shirts)

I know - so blurry ...
but this was the first time she stood up on something
besides the couch or pink chair - and I almost
missed it, so blurry it is - but at least I got it!!!

here's our walk and playing at the park!

special pajamas ...

so, since I've gotten so far behind - it's catch up time, yes - again!

we'll start with a few photos of Zoey in some very special pajamas! these pajamas were handed down to Annicka by Jonathan, my best friend's son, back when Annicka was a baby! I have two pairs they gave us and all four of my kids have worn both!!! I just think it's fun and special - especially since I really haven't saved a lot with each child ... so these are special because they came from a friend and because all my kids have worn them!

photos are from early July!

quotes of the week ...

"you know what mama, you know what mama, you know what mama" ...
"what, Liam" ...
"I love you".
BEST. THING. EVER.
"I love you too"!


WARNING: THIS MAY OFFEND SOME READERS, in particular if you don't condone the use of anatomically correct body part names - and me sharing a story about them!!!
oh my gosh ... one of the legendary stories of my father (as a little boy) is suddenly full force on the front of my mind! Annicka just walked into the dining room and said, "the boys are sticking their butts out at the door, almost naked" ... fyi, it's a glass door - to the backyard - that faces a street! maybe I really was asking for it by giving Jericho the middle name "David" (love ya dad). so, then the boys run in and Jericho shows me that he was only revealing his boxers, and Liam pipes up "I stuck my penis out" - son, this story will one day be used as blackmail (love ya). then he sang a little song, "I stick my penis out, I stick my penis out" ... oh my.

The Change Up ...

this one goes out to Ryan Reynolds (dude, I thought I liked you), Jason Bateman (I grew up watching you on tv man), Leslie Mann, Olivia Wilde, Alan Arkin, David Dobkin, and foremost Jon Lucas, Scott Moore, and Neal Moritz!

but, really, it's to anyone and everyone who had anything to do with the movie "The Change Up"!

my daughter, Zoey, learned something recently that we find hilarious (and, fyi, she came up with it all on her own ) - we thought she'd like to pass it on to all of you ...

so, here's Zoey's message to you ...

KISS MY ...

(butt)

I'm am beyond glad that I was forewarned not to see this movie, being told that it not only uses the r-word ... but goes further by saying (about a baby, in a negative tone) "this one looks a little downsy".

really? and just what is "The Change Up"'s definition of "looking downsy"??? I'm appalled. I'm disgusted. I'm angry. I'm sad.

one of my favorite things to do is see movies and I'm passing that love onto all four of my children ... so should I now fear that as my children get older (I say this only because this is a rated -R movie, so it's not as though I would have been taking them to it) I won't be able to take them to the theater, because they may hear: derogatory, demeaning, hurtful, confusing things about their sister - and, for Zoey, herself?

shame on you Ryan for saying that, do you not understand how hurtful that would feel to a person with down syndrome, or a parent of a child with down syndrome? and shame on everyone who didn't stand up and say - that's too far.