A morning with my niece

Claire joined Kelden, Alex and I for a morning of play. Kelden and Claire had a blast with the play dough(Kelden's favorite activity) while Alex played on the floor. We need to do it again real soon, Claire!

Catching our breath!

This weekend was so incredibly relaxing. For the first time in about 2 months, we were able to spend the evening on Friday as a family. It seems so hard these days to find an evening and even harder to find an entire day where we can all be home together, engaged in the same activity. The kids crave it and more importantly we all need it. Here is a glimpse into the first 24 hrs. of our much needed weekend of R & R before daddy headed off for a 48 hr. weekend shift.

I love watching these two interact; so far apart in age, yet, so much alike in personality & looks.

Bethany & daddy have been diligently picking & shelling almonds for the past 2 weeks in 30 minute increments of time, here & there. Bethany is always on cloud 9 when it is just her & daddy.

The evening family project was to trim a few good size branches off of the oak tree to allow more sunlight into the rose garden. Eventually, the oak tree will completely block out all of the sunlight, leaving us with an even bigger job of moving the entire rose garden. Until then, we will stick to the small job of trimming one branch at a time.

Brian is always impressing us with his knot tieing skills. Keagan, on the other hand, will use this opportunity to swing like a monkey on Brian's pulley system; while Brian figures out just how he is going to safely trim this branch.

This poor praying mantis made it onto every one's body & off again several times AND it is still alive!

"Wher d it go?"

"See guys, I'm not afraid of him."

"Whoa, he makes my hair stand on end!"

Swinging with sissy

"Stakin' wood for daddy."- notice his motor is running. What is it with little boys and motors?

"Daddy always says, 'You got to have the right tool for the job!', I think I have both. "

I walked into the rocking chair this week and possibly broke my pinkie toe. It has been hard to get around the last couple of days, so Brian offered to get down the harvest tote from the attic before heading back to work. Hailey & Kelden wandered up to the attic and this was the end result. It took everything in Brian & Hailey to get him down.

"Daddy, you can't get me."

"Oh, man"

I started my day on Saturday at a baby shower for my high school friend, Meredith (Morrison) Smith. It was so fun catching up with both Meredith and Crystal (Hannold) DeMerrit.

The kids and I spent the rest of the weekend napping, watching movies, playing games, crafting & preparing for the week ahead. It is feeling like Fall!