tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25733031500241876182024-03-20T21:42:08.868-04:00Watching the little things....Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573303150024187618.post-62828400472789465252014-08-01T21:58:00.000-04:002014-08-01T21:58:04.442-04:00So many faces...I snapped this picture tonight trying to catch sweet Vivienne's early smiles on film...and I cannot stop looking at it!<br />
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There are 6 faces pictured. That is a lot of faces! And there is one missing! Pax lost interest in "cheese"-ing very quickly. I keep recounting to make sure I'm correct. Six should look and feel like a lot of kids, yet the picture looks incomplete my entire heart is not in it.<br />
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Those eyes lead to the souls entrusted to us to rear and grow into fabulous adults. I'd be lying if I said that there is not a heavy weight in those words. Their beings make me feel small and over-whelmed. But, never have I thought there are too many. Each of them is taking a hand in shaping me into a better me, as I strive to help them grow.</div>
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Strangers stop us some curious and positive, others to ask the most bizarre and personal questions. Those ears over hear the worlds impressions. I hope they grow up learning to drown out the voices in the world and understand that Mommy and Daddy love and cherish everyone of them. <br />
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It has been awhile since I have been here and I hope to be back soon. Our family has grown and once again big things are on the horizon. A new home, new schooling...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx08eDEVoSfMl8qthHuqAxfERPXt8aqZJvnWBt-VwjjYs6FUZelEaugI94G7vBBK6eX3kWbY7RJB1lvVPzIka1JJV18-m4WxyzGEp4qzwpX5_c91miy4TLkfRY2HcTVkYXXY8UQz-I_sI/s1600/20140801_170044%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx08eDEVoSfMl8qthHuqAxfERPXt8aqZJvnWBt-VwjjYs6FUZelEaugI94G7vBBK6eX3kWbY7RJB1lvVPzIka1JJV18-m4WxyzGEp4qzwpX5_c91miy4TLkfRY2HcTVkYXXY8UQz-I_sI/s1600/20140801_170044%5B1%5D.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's the sweet smile!!!</td></tr>
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Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573303150024187618.post-9718555911747977082011-09-22T14:18:00.002-04:002011-09-22T14:34:04.391-04:00A Farewell to Summer!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpsptjolwufp-4ffexExuy4Gq0MvZmVJih0c_QzIADW_D3zz0iQ7qJ6mlZOg_AFUXWDLvXc9pN520sLeVdPs21ZSdjCgTEZEEqgG4KAGDiW53qLfhNV_aO2eWzREzN1JVDxhcOwNl7_r8/s1600/IMG_7434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpsptjolwufp-4ffexExuy4Gq0MvZmVJih0c_QzIADW_D3zz0iQ7qJ6mlZOg_AFUXWDLvXc9pN520sLeVdPs21ZSdjCgTEZEEqgG4KAGDiW53qLfhNV_aO2eWzREzN1JVDxhcOwNl7_r8/s400/IMG_7434.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>I love fall! It is my favorite season!!! But it started showing it's face the first week in September, even a little early for me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgceJmBg1kKD4U3PDbxJLMFUJXmDEzwfuMUpIE0aQbfT3NjMyYlXnaByjRUF9JEP-7Lba4Kxp8T7xRAz5TXI5ZuClTpEzU4R0b3XwzoiuEl0_viHg_ohVXmcxAh6NBD28wrD4qSlmmOwrQ/s1600/IMG_7379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgceJmBg1kKD4U3PDbxJLMFUJXmDEzwfuMUpIE0aQbfT3NjMyYlXnaByjRUF9JEP-7Lba4Kxp8T7xRAz5TXI5ZuClTpEzU4R0b3XwzoiuEl0_viHg_ohVXmcxAh6NBD28wrD4qSlmmOwrQ/s320/IMG_7379.JPG" width="320" /></a>Despite a not beautiful day for swimming, we packed the kids up for one last play-day at the lake a few Sundays ago. I was resistant and came very close to throwing a mommy temper tantrum - you know throwing my hands up in the air, stomping my feet, screaming and making it a PJ afternoon instead. But we had already told the kids (like you can un-tell 4 excited kids that we are changing our minds) and I had already spent an hour collecting everything we'd need for an afternoon by the lake. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60EmOF654_CxZUC8BZbpqrLv12dfkhyPjyoWnzpoY4lZk8Q2pBSV0Aih6asjIIx7pEBgUcjB6TEenxv4N2H-ArmDA1sD48BKGzpq7yKox7KYS8KFTJzxH5v9N8M4nbpYRPtv0C0qlEIc/s1600/IMG_7348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60EmOF654_CxZUC8BZbpqrLv12dfkhyPjyoWnzpoY4lZk8Q2pBSV0Aih6asjIIx7pEBgUcjB6TEenxv4N2H-ArmDA1sD48BKGzpq7yKox7KYS8KFTJzxH5v9N8M4nbpYRPtv0C0qlEIc/s200/IMG_7348.JPG" width="150" /></a>We loaded 5 kids, the giant green swim bag, stroller and food into the car and drove out to our favorite local stop - Todd Lake. The kids slept on the way out, and Mark and I were able to be quiet and just together. <br />
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We arrived to a nearly empty parking lot :) There was only one other family on the beach and they were packing up to leave. THE LAKE TO OURSELVES FOR THE AFTERNOON - pure joy!!! Mark and I could easily track and watch all the kids. It was a bit chilly so all the kids wanted to do was wade and play in the sand. And they were so peaceful and happy to just play together. No fighting, no fussing, and very minimal whining. It was an afternoon of pure bliss and it was so hard to leave. The only bad part of those hours spent by the lake was our camera died just as the kids got dressed and were playing on the playground. We missed catching some beautiful moments on "film".<br />
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But like summer, it had to come to an end!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQRfO8ugIyKJIWUS-Oxku58G_wv_rX77gmfIZtsoLvdvMgjEYAWoafOh8oMV2TsvXiml5gyQhhyphenhyphenCbW9To8GzUHsgiE41yLmzZT9VDybSiOjIfgbjDsndKKQ71yKUrc9HcCpqKguGfxZA4/s1600/IMG_7485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQRfO8ugIyKJIWUS-Oxku58G_wv_rX77gmfIZtsoLvdvMgjEYAWoafOh8oMV2TsvXiml5gyQhhyphenhyphenCbW9To8GzUHsgiE41yLmzZT9VDybSiOjIfgbjDsndKKQ71yKUrc9HcCpqKguGfxZA4/s320/IMG_7485.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573303150024187618.post-56714552877750048372011-09-21T15:13:00.000-04:002011-09-21T15:13:47.066-04:00Perspective...Does it really matter to our kids what we wear as "mom"? <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpd6jVPYaTYv4fwFu_6TAuCK0jFDfaBhHAhnUelU0ei31D1ai4Zz1y-8SZkUBVenPeiUrmBN-TNzsS5f_9vKAAP6QEhMgcgsrA8izk30N8g-hvxEAtG78EGShn-JMJwvnoHJzy3B1ON9g/s1600/IMG_7663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpd6jVPYaTYv4fwFu_6TAuCK0jFDfaBhHAhnUelU0ei31D1ai4Zz1y-8SZkUBVenPeiUrmBN-TNzsS5f_9vKAAP6QEhMgcgsrA8izk30N8g-hvxEAtG78EGShn-JMJwvnoHJzy3B1ON9g/s320/IMG_7663.JPG" width="190" /></a>To an extent, of course. There is the willingness to be seen with us. The example we are setting. But really and truly my 7 and under crowd could care less whether I'm in my PJ's or dressed to the nines (which happens, NEVER!) But, at least for me, how I dress does effect my attitude and perception of myself. Pajama days are the greatest. But if I ventured out our front door in my PJ's there is a feeling of relaxation that is not conducive to orchestrating a successful outing. <br />
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So every morning (that we are leaving the house), I do put forth a good faith effort to put my best foot forward. An effort to say to my self, my kids and the world that "yes, I am capable and we will have a great day!" Does it always work, well - no! But the effort is there and with effort there is promise and potential.<br />
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Eloise, was camera happy the other afternoon so I let her take pics of me and Mathilde... I do feel more put together in my head than I feel I appear in said picture...but I made the effort! And pretty proud of the outfit, as much for look as for cost. Goodwill to the rescue - Seven for All Mankind jeans ($4, only problem the fly likes to not stay up, fixed with tiny kid hairband :) ), Ann Taylor Loft top ($3.50, Cashier at the grocery store complemented it :) after telling me I looked tired - GRRR!)<br />
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So from my girls perspective - "Mommy, you look pretty today!" Gotta love those sweet little voices. Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573303150024187618.post-72523918779746498542011-09-19T15:46:00.000-04:002011-09-19T15:46:15.742-04:00Dressing for the job you want....not the job you have! This is critical within the workforce. We have focused on always making sure that Mark's work attire fits not the job he has, but the job he hopes to get next. This has meant dress shirt, tie, dress slacks and me ironing EVERY morning for the last year. I'm sure as we ready for the next step, we'll be throwing in another suit, a few sports jackets and maybe, nicer shoes.<br />
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But what does this adage mean for us - moms?! This question is something I've wondered about a lot since Mathilde was born and I started getting my "real" clothes back out of storage. There were A LOT of solids, a variety of sizes, many stains and even a few holes....very pitiful. I looked at this wardrobe and my pony tail and wondered what this presentation of my self says to the world. Well, actually forget what the world thinks, what message is this sending to my children. I hope that one day they will look at their Daddy's career path and my career path and everything each entails with pride and ambition. <br />
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But why on earth would they aspire to motherhood...my example in appearance and behavior had become blah! and very-overwhelmed-mother-of-five-who-doesn't-look-in-the-mirror looking. This is the job I ALWAYS wanted - SAHM. So why was I not dressing for this job - Confident, Capable, Organized Mother of Five. <br />
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It was way overdue that this mom's uniform get an overhaul!!!<br />
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But how? <br />
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First, an attitude adjustment!!! This is a DAILY adjustment. A reminder that yes, I have the best job on the planet. It is not to be taken for granted. <br />
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Second, find inspiration...it came in many forms. It needs to be functional. It needs to be flattering. Mark's opinions matters a lot. But much of the "how to" inspiration has come from the ladies at <a href="http://www.aintnomomjeans.com/">ain't no mom jeans</a>. I do not know these ladies at all, but they are brilliant and fun to read, and best of all they write about things I think and recommend products I can see myself using, and even better can AFFORD! And I was also beyond thrilled when they featured a <a href="http://www.aintnomomjeans.com/2011/08/mom-street-style-melanies-sophisticated-navy-and-white.html">mom</a>, who was wearing almost an exact replica of my <i>favorite</i> summer outfit. (after I wore it first :) yeah me!) They've also recommended two products that I nearly immediately went out and bought...no further recommendations needed - <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_472436824">Just BittenRevlon</a><a href="http://www.revlon.com/Revlon-Home/Collections-Menu/col_ColorStay/Just%20Bitten.aspx">'s</a> lipstick and a tank by <a href="http://www.yummielife.com/">Yummie Tummie</a> (bought one of ebay for a 1/4 the price) - both are my newest favorite things!!!! <br />
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Third, the hair HAD to be cut! I knew it was at an all time low when a) I walked by a mirror and thought to myself "this ponytail looks great today!" and b) Mark started recommending different cuts!!! So I did it :) And because of this I have to get up every morning and shower and take the 5 minutes to do a minimal amount of styling...so helpful in the goal of feeling put together. <br />
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Attitude, check and frequently double checked! Inspiration, check! Grown up haircut, check! <br />
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Action... How does a mother with a thousand other priorities and the rare extra few dollars find and build a wardrobe. I started by evaluating what I have...solids and jeans. Then, bring in inspiration and layer...voila! New outfits :) Yeah me! <br />
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Next, THRIFT STORES!! Yes, it was not so long ago I was embarrassed to be seen near one and will now gladly proclaim my love from the mountain tops!!! We went to Goodwill this weekend and I decided enough was enough on the fall wardrobe, this mommy was looking for her first (typically, circle the store - kids clothes, books, toys, then if there's any patience left look for myself). The days finds - 2 pairs of jeans (both of the $150+ variety), 1 pair cargo pants, cute jacket, 1 vest, 2 tops!!! Yippee. A weeks worth of outfits for for $25.50...the same as 1 pair cargo pants!!! I am so grateful the women of the world who pay full price for things and then give them away in "like new" condition. <br />
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I have always dressed Mark and the kids with pride and to build their self esteem. Hoping that they'll always be seen as ready for whatever the world throws at them. It was time to start dressing me to be able to catch everything, and stop looking and thus feeling like everything had been dropped on me.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">And if I didn't far prefer to be behind the camera instead of in front of it there might one day be a picture ;) </span><br />
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<br />Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573303150024187618.post-70843805530559840402011-09-07T14:23:00.003-04:002011-09-07T14:52:57.616-04:00Yo Gabba Gabba! Finn is 2!It has been a crazy busy two weeks. Sofia and Isobel went back to school. I started a new playgroup and have been busy meeting new mommas and littles. Eloise has started preschool. Mathilde is mobile. We served as housing during evacuation from Hurricane Irene for Mark's folks, sister, our niece and nephews and an assortment of 4-legged children.<br />
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But the biggest news Finn is TWO!!!!<br />
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And we welcomed in the TERRIBLE TWO's with our biggest themed birthday celebration yet! This momma has been known to "over do" birthdays in the past, but this one was huge!!! Our family has a strange and great love for Yo Gabba Gabba and Finn is IN love with them! So the planning started way back in May, when I found a few tiered Gabba cakes. And things kinds spiraled from there. <br />
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There are very limited party supply places that stock the Yo Gabba Gabba theme so we ordered a pinata, plates, napkins and favors from <a href="http://www.birthdayexpress.com/browse/_/N-i/Ntt-yo+gabba+gabba/results1.aspx">Birthday Express</a>. The box arrived and this mommy was giddy...so cute, so Gabba. (Mark and I decided that there was no way we could bust DJ Lance's boombox pinata, so it served as decoration and will be displayed in Finn's room.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVn87cDRS17-T_b0l_C2MTTQmlwENWQiEaR0MDgKAWZ0AgX4wHok-HO5zAYN3pouNA6VBRwhad3TPaeFSVH-eXPDCFynoStKH1x8uFSPg1K0KhhQcTRm5q2lPOdEB0gAPXzOjBzPTJGo/s1600/IMG_7124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVn87cDRS17-T_b0l_C2MTTQmlwENWQiEaR0MDgKAWZ0AgX4wHok-HO5zAYN3pouNA6VBRwhad3TPaeFSVH-eXPDCFynoStKH1x8uFSPg1K0KhhQcTRm5q2lPOdEB0gAPXzOjBzPTJGo/s200/IMG_7124.JPG" width="200" /></a>And then there was the cake. I drooled and pondered and schemed and finally settled on modeling Finn's cake after one by <a href="http://sweetelizabeth.wordpress.com/2011/03/22/yo-gabba-gabba-cakes/">Sweet Elizabeth</a>. She was <i>sweet</i> enough to respond super fast (within 12 hours) to a query I sent on pan sizes and Brobee horns. (FYI 10", 8", 6" + 1/2 a sports ball)<br />
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I knew I could tackle this cake, I had confidence, I had a vision, I HAD a clean kitchen! (If you have ever worked with me or near me you know I'm not a neat worker :) ) <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGu7-Mi5ErcToAOBSP9Wu312OyAU5Qodr1mILvTG_fP8wp4TqgR3z2hWpZ0tMwHzJsbn9J5cEvjZdRBplTdGKi5ny-szAMrijOMmdl6HIy9-2q6r1KCMWqz-4cWd9m3SpAMADAN7Wus4g/s1600/IMG_7129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGu7-Mi5ErcToAOBSP9Wu312OyAU5Qodr1mILvTG_fP8wp4TqgR3z2hWpZ0tMwHzJsbn9J5cEvjZdRBplTdGKi5ny-szAMrijOMmdl6HIy9-2q6r1KCMWqz-4cWd9m3SpAMADAN7Wus4g/s200/IMG_7129.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGlNgdLB-Dh0yjhaLhCa5jWabYabxEk7SfA5LUqjfzeqcdO7i9tdL1r0XJN1EThHeApbh9ExIXBF8YVz-qiMPOopAtZEeb8Hb8VZzv1qnEY2UI11FQa-0gY0stnowuDoev1OXB4g8U9uU/s1600/IMG_7130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGlNgdLB-Dh0yjhaLhCa5jWabYabxEk7SfA5LUqjfzeqcdO7i9tdL1r0XJN1EThHeApbh9ExIXBF8YVz-qiMPOopAtZEeb8Hb8VZzv1qnEY2UI11FQa-0gY0stnowuDoev1OXB4g8U9uU/s200/IMG_7130.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1AR6u9iXkFnfDTo37WOcLviW5xWpVcXuOEn-2OBZBS8Dx2I3SUCnWr17p1JOTRKeidUG1YhvDJ7fHnT4BgAWCBVZ22cxJLXr4nvOeV2nJKLIAyHyAmcfKlI1UqvaWEWX7W5cOleaaUjI/s1600/IMG_7125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1AR6u9iXkFnfDTo37WOcLviW5xWpVcXuOEn-2OBZBS8Dx2I3SUCnWr17p1JOTRKeidUG1YhvDJ7fHnT4BgAWCBVZ22cxJLXr4nvOeV2nJKLIAyHyAmcfKlI1UqvaWEWX7W5cOleaaUjI/s200/IMG_7125.JPG" width="150" /></a>The cake was going to be Plex, Brobee, and Muno. I decided that I wanted the cake to be edible and didn't want to recipe test and have to eat numerous cakes to find the "right" from scratch recipe for us. So I took the easy way out and used the box mixes. Lemon for Plex, Strawberry for Muno, and double chocolate for Brobee. I'm not an icing fan! So I did go in search of a butter cream recipe, and found not only a great recipe, but a <a href="http://www.wrenscottage.com/kitchen/recipes/icing/crust_butter.php">"crusting" recipe</a> AND <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%20http://www.sprinkledwithflour.com/2011/05/how-to-smooth-buttercream-icing.html">smoothing technique</a> to make it look like fondant. (Fondant = I think I'd love to try but to daunting in detail and cost to venture into) And it worked beautifully :) I forgot to buy the "right" paper towels for smoothing not once, but three separate grocery trips! So tried a few things and the best alternative was a sandwich bag! It is clear so you can see what your doing and doesn't cost $3+/roll!!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdS3con_-O1YHhs_5I4b_4eb1y983PJ0tuMTSJdGH4ii047d6B_-bufVXmkDzHtdYkSCGLhKA_x55fRy-GrOu6gDGvOiQOWNdJtuJw4RT2itwSCThD5V9OmRdv_49KESpOj9ZXpoGUb0s/s1600/IMG_7131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdS3con_-O1YHhs_5I4b_4eb1y983PJ0tuMTSJdGH4ii047d6B_-bufVXmkDzHtdYkSCGLhKA_x55fRy-GrOu6gDGvOiQOWNdJtuJw4RT2itwSCThD5V9OmRdv_49KESpOj9ZXpoGUb0s/s200/IMG_7131.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
I was able to mix one batch of icing for Muno, there would have been extra, but I colored it all before I thought about it. And one batch for Muno and Brobee. For Brobee, I did mix 1/2 butter-cream and 1/2 Wilton's decorators icing because the butter-cream was trying to fall off. (My sister said the green didn't taste very good...oops! But I was going for icing to stay on the cake not taste. Backwards priorities?! Maybe :)) For the coloring I used Wilton's black, red, green and yellow.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglZMkvxov_fIDzgTz6PcajVNzTdpOzH-iiIY8ZM7WXBzMLgHMtsK706e0V4ZD9dkiXknKMIKGg_qx6VnTYeCxShM_IX7nuQLa-wX-z-JTUzQPwUc63qHnzCZOjYAFcZygO4uSt5ww_ryk/s1600/IMG_7133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglZMkvxov_fIDzgTz6PcajVNzTdpOzH-iiIY8ZM7WXBzMLgHMtsK706e0V4ZD9dkiXknKMIKGg_qx6VnTYeCxShM_IX7nuQLa-wX-z-JTUzQPwUc63qHnzCZOjYAFcZygO4uSt5ww_ryk/s200/IMG_7133.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-F1GEORcdFSzyYJO3BBo3_iv6l0vV_pYL4joO1SQW3PPhXDatN-QK7xPCR9xkHlrxOMQ1VadjkVorXIJWxMTtZfzcIy_G5xoYHuYhVkwWVp9XYRUjD-SPcx_GYQgHn1VLkksmicmi3NA/s1600/IMG_7132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-F1GEORcdFSzyYJO3BBo3_iv6l0vV_pYL4joO1SQW3PPhXDatN-QK7xPCR9xkHlrxOMQ1VadjkVorXIJWxMTtZfzcIy_G5xoYHuYhVkwWVp9XYRUjD-SPcx_GYQgHn1VLkksmicmi3NA/s200/IMG_7132.JPG" width="200" /></a>Since, I didn't want to battle with learning to handle and make fondant, I was thrilled to find <a href="http://www.wilton.com/store/site/department.cfm?dc=22.1">sheeted sugar</a> by Wilton. It worked perfectly to make the eyes on each character. And for Brobee's horns?! This took some thought, but I stumbled on smallish coconut macaroons at the grocery store. They were perfect!!! <strike>Squished</strike> Molded them into horns, attached 2 toothpicks each and covered with Muno's red icing!!!!<br />
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And to escalate the sugar high to epic levels...I made Muno pretzels, Foofa chocolate covered oreos and Tootie Marshmellows! All inspired my original "dream cake" maker over at <a href="http://www.twopartssugar.com/blog/2010/06/27/the-ultimate-yo-gabba-gabba-party/">Two Parts Sugar</a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe87yLEmMzktTxQ6tDH-j3gQzNsmqJZ7Fi80oQHcENXP95tYp69xK-A6w96eYBcL638LAiOOwM2ZS3c8kxORUK02mJkwMaogfWdYRgEnC4jek93rblfXxwev0ndKeAmRATbCycjI3ijc4/s1600/IMG_7171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe87yLEmMzktTxQ6tDH-j3gQzNsmqJZ7Fi80oQHcENXP95tYp69xK-A6w96eYBcL638LAiOOwM2ZS3c8kxORUK02mJkwMaogfWdYRgEnC4jek93rblfXxwev0ndKeAmRATbCycjI3ijc4/s400/IMG_7171.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> And then the big day came - September 4, 2011 - FINN TURNED 2!!! And all the planning and prep was complete and it was time to celebrate Yo Gabba Gabba style. For dinner/lunch we served a "party in my tummy" meal - pizza, chicken nuggets, carrots, broccoli, cheese and popcorn...Brobee would have been so proud of all our little eaters!!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHnHl82uwEBDDQMIz6rDXGDTcOgW0WF7kZqiz_BiURZ_aYAtJqzuiV0cizvpMFOCB4tBAntp7__3YmUuv0YdZfOVFNY8yTmuaTsOqG5idyXhBD6VkB0sRZ1hn2NqUmh4_g6foM_AwZz8/s1600/IMG_7145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHnHl82uwEBDDQMIz6rDXGDTcOgW0WF7kZqiz_BiURZ_aYAtJqzuiV0cizvpMFOCB4tBAntp7__3YmUuv0YdZfOVFNY8yTmuaTsOqG5idyXhBD6VkB0sRZ1hn2NqUmh4_g6foM_AwZz8/s320/IMG_7145.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Oh, and we found a Gabba shirt on ebay and it arrived just in time for the birthday boy to wear his Brobee shirt to the PARTY!<br />
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His guest were all his "Hassett" cousins...now numbered at 11 total little "Hassett's"!!! Other cousins and friends would have been fabulous...but we are a walking party and Finn had a fabulous day :) He did not seem quite aware that all the fuss was for him but he loved every bit of it.<br />
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We had a wonderful day celebrating! I can't believe our boy is already 2! He is learning so much and turning into such a little boy! Suddenly within the last few weeks all attention has turned to wheels and building and tools.... We are so excited to watch him grow this year!!!! <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY, FINN! </div><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Blogger is being very cranky so I'll be back with pics!!!!) </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span id="goog_596252825"></span><span id="goog_596252826"></span>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573303150024187618.post-65052050266830300672011-08-29T15:39:00.001-04:002011-08-30T19:30:07.680-04:00Back to School 2011It has been a huge week!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitdfUhc1fKTYbIsbuvL1rGFVGh_oyjlHC5GfyOpt4MNTcGhZ9SS0rOYwh7KZmUMOrwI1STexCTK810WkH1sD8_jw87qzM0jo2mGvQjKZynfyQda411QbDwpyz1IYu6XhSGCwJi2Mnb5MQ/s1600/IMG_6897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitdfUhc1fKTYbIsbuvL1rGFVGh_oyjlHC5GfyOpt4MNTcGhZ9SS0rOYwh7KZmUMOrwI1STexCTK810WkH1sD8_jw87qzM0jo2mGvQjKZynfyQda411QbDwpyz1IYu6XhSGCwJi2Mnb5MQ/s320/IMG_6897.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_8j3JvCwgYsk5tfhWqv2hQxtIIZhnWR6N6SXBAAnqCrUzMAuhi1-sQXzXB7StbWHKXDT-4tgBEZoYSh6P3cbhMGhs-ifAAgWQRjDGDq2G2DKG6d6qCU331efOwlGqFFJ3lkdK1UNwu0/s1600/IMG_6923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_8j3JvCwgYsk5tfhWqv2hQxtIIZhnWR6N6SXBAAnqCrUzMAuhi1-sQXzXB7StbWHKXDT-4tgBEZoYSh6P3cbhMGhs-ifAAgWQRjDGDq2G2DKG6d6qCU331efOwlGqFFJ3lkdK1UNwu0/s320/IMG_6923.JPG" width="240" /></a>The big girls went back to school last Tuesday :) Sofia is a 2nd grader! AND Isobel is in kindergarten! They have both transitioned fabulously into their new classrooms. Earning many "keys" for great behavior at school, we are so proud.<br />
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Now if behavior at home would follow suit this mommy would be thrilled. Any transition always causes some challenges in discipline...but, man!!! We'll get back on track and trying to stay patient while holding on as tight as possible to consistency.<br />
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Summer and freedom and endless hours of play are such a blessing and joy of childhood. But the routine has come back easily. And everyone seems grateful to be back in a structured routine :)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPyJxujoAPkdWYiT_a-V4UDpZs__aewKC8ec4hdUVJhbaYnp7gjCUdJ7hDEbmiHs1Tg98Y2kzOjv7VLFMKm8TDA_-k92Fjp9vHnEgP1fzJjAT_YEjvGHvqKy5rMtdX2UBZjsTI2uMg7p0/s1600/IMG_6946.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPyJxujoAPkdWYiT_a-V4UDpZs__aewKC8ec4hdUVJhbaYnp7gjCUdJ7hDEbmiHs1Tg98Y2kzOjv7VLFMKm8TDA_-k92Fjp9vHnEgP1fzJjAT_YEjvGHvqKy5rMtdX2UBZjsTI2uMg7p0/s200/IMG_6946.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPhSZ3CMXrEX1ZfY90xVMWWpm-BnQCifKKDDOsnfSZ_0w2PBn7iKtDMsi5c1DSYHi3wFjxeSnTU-3Bm6XdBNypFlDi32x-37AOO0OHUTtAe5nbZRVv0-AQuILpXhoG1ROdBeq8N07DdTU/s1600/IMG_6974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPhSZ3CMXrEX1ZfY90xVMWWpm-BnQCifKKDDOsnfSZ_0w2PBn7iKtDMsi5c1DSYHi3wFjxeSnTU-3Bm6XdBNypFlDi32x-37AOO0OHUTtAe5nbZRVv0-AQuILpXhoG1ROdBeq8N07DdTU/s200/IMG_6974.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-x5DDfFq7X5EGd81mF67ddTHF6kmRhzUAn72eubSooqzFP27kYmn-uWyVtBOqROxAVJwVCYpc5c53jjNCqVYgYHVW9fw6-RhjOZdD46xIxmpoRSbctrkqVjZbT1bYS_fpbHwQGDBkn8/s1600/IMG_6972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-x5DDfFq7X5EGd81mF67ddTHF6kmRhzUAn72eubSooqzFP27kYmn-uWyVtBOqROxAVJwVCYpc5c53jjNCqVYgYHVW9fw6-RhjOZdD46xIxmpoRSbctrkqVjZbT1bYS_fpbHwQGDBkn8/s200/IMG_6972.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>A few weeks ago I started a new meet-up group for moms and their kids in the area, and we had our first play-date last week. Everyone seemed to have a great time. The kids played well together. And it was great to meet some new people and carry on an adult conversation right in the middle of the day :)<br />
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We have also experienced our second earthquake and watched a hurricane affect our family. The earthquake, for us, was fairly uneventful. I thought a giant fighter jet had flown over until I checked facebook and family started calling. The epicenter was less than 60 miles away and it ranked a 5.9 on the scale. The house shook and it was loud, but since it didn't dawn on me that it was the earth itself moving it was not terribly scary. There have been a few after shocks, we've only felt one. So all in all...we live in Virginia!...2 earthquakes in less than 3 years is beyond quota!!!!<br />
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Hurricane Irene was the story of the weekend. Threatening to cause historic damage in a path that has not occurred in recorded weather history. Mark's parents and their 4 legged children and his sister and children came here for the weekend. It was great having them and we got to celebrate Mom D's birthday with her. It would have been nicer to have everyone without the threatening hurricane hanging heavily on everyone's mind. But thankfully by the grace of God, the storm did weaken.<br />
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Since Finn is climbing me and furniture in an effort to see out the window and count cars and horses...I'll be back with more sometime :) <br />
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Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573303150024187618.post-54396408612651150382011-08-18T13:24:00.000-04:002011-08-18T13:24:54.473-04:00A huge day...I still have not decided how I can possibly tackle the posting of our entire summer into this space. This falls into the category of way too daunting to think about! <br />
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But today that is completely on hold and is filled instead with great hope and change and love! I find myself pacing and waiting and stalking facebook and refreshing my email every 30 seconds and holding the phone with thumb ready to answer. You see the hubby was in a very important meeting this morning and news has come in that it went great :) (Details will come soon we hope!) AND my <a href="http://forwillowsons.blogspot.com/">baby sister</a> is having her 4th baby girl!!! No word yet but she should be being sewn back up and heading to recovery shortly, with baby safely in the nursery with her daddy. I'm not often on this side of labor and delivery and well I'm not very good at it. <br />
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So I find myself here, typing nothingness but hoping for the greatest news and this day being remembered as one of the greatest, most life changing days EVER! <br />
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I find it amazing that everyday people are experiencing life changing and really history changing events in their lives and rarely does humankind pause and take notice. A small baby is joining our family. Everyone is forever changed. She will make history. Her sisters will forever have another best friend. Her parents will have another gift to nurture and watch grow. And whether our great-grandchildren learn about her in history class or through family stories, she will change this world! Each one of us has and will change the history of our world. What an awesome responsibility!<br />
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Our house has been focusing A LOT recently on this ability to be movers in this world. To be examples in both big and small ways. To use our talents and make our world and the greater world better. To accept the Lord's Will and trust Him enough to accept it and live it. To those who are given much, much is expected!<br />
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We have been given the gift of 5! To witness to the world through our family that the Lord is great and through Him everything is possible and nothing is beyond Him. We have been given the gift of higher education and intelligence and a desire to serve and in His Will we are lead to great tasks and greater good.<br />
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May the Lord give us the strength to witness and exist in His Will.<br />
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<i>P.S. Baby Molly has arrived and all are doing well :)</i><br />
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Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573303150024187618.post-56873688495392679992011-08-10T15:09:00.000-04:002011-08-10T15:09:29.614-04:00Summer is nearly gone...How is it already 8/10? How have I not managed to sit down and write here in over a month? <br />
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There is a lot to catch up on and it'll take several postings. I'd be tempted to say our summer was boring. The day in and day out of nothing much on the calendar can get really monotonous with five little ones who want to stay home in their PJ's, and yes there were many days we did just that. But we also have traveled, participated and vacation bible school, took swim lessons, and played. It has been a HOT summer in the mountains. This leaves us inside on most days and this mommy plagued with cabin fever. The kids have seemed quite happy to play and run and wreak havoc in the house. But I think we are all ready to resume the structure of the school year.<br />
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Since there is a certain 6 year old breathing down my neck to have her afternoon computer time...here are a few pics and I'll go back to....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh00pyPj6neyLpJbMUncYdK42bBc52YyqRDNi0PtunTETJtGMf4SarUCkuqrmTUdnEJMq7ZAEZsO4HRDJo4xpIQhN5qZ0xqsuzktGn-5hZUODL5sNow-K_7OPEPTcQIKT6Gny_grcswSLc/s1600/IMG_6485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh00pyPj6neyLpJbMUncYdK42bBc52YyqRDNi0PtunTETJtGMf4SarUCkuqrmTUdnEJMq7ZAEZsO4HRDJo4xpIQhN5qZ0xqsuzktGn-5hZUODL5sNow-K_7OPEPTcQIKT6Gny_grcswSLc/s200/IMG_6485.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoSO-qlwpceBi_M5RlyC2NmbqlrY8pcjesshMfn9IZ10DbHCpMZmnnLSAWoZXlu6pX0ubWPjShS1CnhgSBh6WRYGas1f5mWX1jwNz-4E6XPtaGEW7opSDt6aw__M1Z8iBfpJUJEdaDZnM/s1600/IMG_6370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoSO-qlwpceBi_M5RlyC2NmbqlrY8pcjesshMfn9IZ10DbHCpMZmnnLSAWoZXlu6pX0ubWPjShS1CnhgSBh6WRYGas1f5mWX1jwNz-4E6XPtaGEW7opSDt6aw__M1Z8iBfpJUJEdaDZnM/s200/IMG_6370.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-IjJ0tisNwLKizDI9vH9YrJTboi7BMoc8YNA1RDS9j6d7LTDdNL9MTZ13KLgvy2lwAbzfkWlSk1oFZvVbqHaA0-3sWdK-LcI0RMKlIAq6Mz2AK1DtblzBHJJBfHKMzA8kAuXqva_pY9Q/s1600/IMG_6687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-IjJ0tisNwLKizDI9vH9YrJTboi7BMoc8YNA1RDS9j6d7LTDdNL9MTZ13KLgvy2lwAbzfkWlSk1oFZvVbqHaA0-3sWdK-LcI0RMKlIAq6Mz2AK1DtblzBHJJBfHKMzA8kAuXqva_pY9Q/s200/IMG_6687.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3iejchYA-gDNJ46gHbBZoirACmrAZK3qzsgFlqdaNzc6UBdwLai9jvb1WsGDTYGhRkfQm3T81zftv3sttJoeTtyGxCWJgdoKEJHKJ07cArMe5vfnoU5SZMEbofL8jm471Pz30TZ16Sk/s1600/IMG_6707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3iejchYA-gDNJ46gHbBZoirACmrAZK3qzsgFlqdaNzc6UBdwLai9jvb1WsGDTYGhRkfQm3T81zftv3sttJoeTtyGxCWJgdoKEJHKJ07cArMe5vfnoU5SZMEbofL8jm471Pz30TZ16Sk/s200/IMG_6707.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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</a></div>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573303150024187618.post-52054867224296935562011-07-08T11:22:00.000-04:002011-07-08T11:22:46.887-04:00Celebrating and Recovering from the 4th of July<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxn5xr9P-V4gDwc4QruB6rXj6QpigHqRDLTyBcuCY8OrZHJ5sFC3atv2ix97FB0TgC2oALTLNEtmsnTSyW4rho9vdlQLiQ3-_aDbDlfSpKbBBFrvcfe3PO6MNs4F6LQzhWCXRbvgfP-Fk/s1600/IMG_6297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxn5xr9P-V4gDwc4QruB6rXj6QpigHqRDLTyBcuCY8OrZHJ5sFC3atv2ix97FB0TgC2oALTLNEtmsnTSyW4rho9vdlQLiQ3-_aDbDlfSpKbBBFrvcfe3PO6MNs4F6LQzhWCXRbvgfP-Fk/s200/IMG_6297.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>We had a great weekend celebrating our country's independence! Uncle Mike, Aunt Leslie, Aaron and Nathan were here to visit Friday evening through Sunday. We played and visited and swam at "their" pool. I cooked and Mark grilled and we ate take-out Chinese. I made two great - very easy and fun dishes for the festivities; <a href="http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/revolutionary-berries-1015611/">Red, White and Blue Strawberries</a> and a <a href="http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/red-white-blueberry-fruit-salad-684391/">Patriotic Fruit Salad </a>- both were a huge hit!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wNk08QDOy_nMDahY6-DMukfeXM5ptknK1IdKiz1fAUFE09I5X-GhadKz-TqhkJHjSjQmvVZxui5TN7aLXaDNTx6e4tl0H64xYvnpbq16kiYT6WzcNE-WPCACdKlY8ejnWE9Q8lGb78M/s1600/IMG_6299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wNk08QDOy_nMDahY6-DMukfeXM5ptknK1IdKiz1fAUFE09I5X-GhadKz-TqhkJHjSjQmvVZxui5TN7aLXaDNTx6e4tl0H64xYvnpbq16kiYT6WzcNE-WPCACdKlY8ejnWE9Q8lGb78M/s200/IMG_6299.JPG" width="200" /></a>All the kids had a great weekend and were SO well behaved!!! They had a great time swimming and paddling about the pool - sadly my camera never left the pool bag! They got to see fireworks Saturday night from our back windows :) Sunday was spent at home playing in the yard and eating Chinese take-out, then napping and relaxing. And I just realized, I didn't line the kids up all cute in their 4th of July clothes and get a pic...might have to rectify that!<br />
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Monday, Mark worked in the morning and then due to the threatening thunderstorms we bagged plans to go to the Todd Lake :( We instead wandered up to Harrisonburg, by way of the Green Valley Bookfair - like we need more books. But we did find a few treasures and were grateful we were inside when the storms did roll in. We then went to Goodwill, found Finn 2 pairs of pants, much needed as his diaper was leaking [oops!] and I'm tired of having nothing but shorts for church. After that it was Chili's for dinner, gotta love kid's eat free coupons!!! At nearly $5 per kid...we'd never eat out if it weren't for the coupons and free or reduced kid's nights!!! And what outing is complete without a run through Target?! All the kids, except Fia, fell asleep on the way home and were transferred to their respective beds for the night. Sofia stayed up for a bit with Mark and I and watched fireworks from the back windows again. We were very grateful that we can see at least 5 different firework shows standing in our kitchen!!! 9-10pm is just too late for us and them!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioowyIscmOxn3Nf3CciKEv8K28sB2Ed9bYCWH7XDo8gKNlkK21B6D90Vua6eSQwbuIgPlddgtRh4qEmkJeuRx_w1JzsWYla3sViMs1_WvGTIO0XUz7c0z3IKkJY-qABiyRzImh_te8fQw/s1600/IMG_6306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioowyIscmOxn3Nf3CciKEv8K28sB2Ed9bYCWH7XDo8gKNlkK21B6D90Vua6eSQwbuIgPlddgtRh4qEmkJeuRx_w1JzsWYla3sViMs1_WvGTIO0XUz7c0z3IKkJY-qABiyRzImh_te8fQw/s320/IMG_6306.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The rest of this week we have been in recovery mode. Mark has worked a regular schedule and is preparing to be gone next week and studying for a certification exam. The kids and I have been LAZY! The house is still mostly clean from my efforts over the weekend with company being here. And they've been tired...sleeping until after 7a everyday. Sofia came in our room Wednesday morning exclaiming... "do you know what time it is!!! IT'S 8:30!!!" I don't remember the last time I got to stay in bed until 8:30 :) We have ventured out for the Wednesday library puppet show and swim lessons, but other than that there have been no necessary errands or shopping. It's been a nice week of breathing. I've even picked up a book to read, just cause...GASP! Hopefully, I can snap myself out of it and resume productivity ASAP though, starting to feel like a slug.<br />
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Our week has looked pretty much like this.... <br />
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There has been outside time, girls playing (mostly) quietly in their bedroom, Finn tootling around and Mathilde babbling and drooling! <br />
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Exclamation of the week - Sofia has decided she will be both a baker and a paleontologist when she grows up. She will bake by day and dig for fossils at night! (who needs sleep?!)<br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">~ Kim</span></i>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573303150024187618.post-37194373201554944562011-06-29T14:46:00.000-04:002011-06-29T14:46:06.961-04:00Wordless Wednesday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGEuBgGZIibfkfyuCqmFRq51WhngvGZfrgT8dVO77kEJBqp6xvmxHdLeo6-vnvaBhLM7PJgEUV6wD8gM25BWXdVubX_YiEOAvUnRDkt8G-v_jOQy_4tmDSmQZRtGi-TqbHf-raU2ZP_r0/s1600/IMG_6231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGEuBgGZIibfkfyuCqmFRq51WhngvGZfrgT8dVO77kEJBqp6xvmxHdLeo6-vnvaBhLM7PJgEUV6wD8gM25BWXdVubX_YiEOAvUnRDkt8G-v_jOQy_4tmDSmQZRtGi-TqbHf-raU2ZP_r0/s320/IMG_6231.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJl75PP8we19xO_46MFXjVl83fknYFPSKfpeG9Lqs2lR0hCLzcqkvoaeBjvVlXg1EqR5-lnuYuMlYgwRpC-AJ9POVca7O0zSVAyoH0r-XiDb8nGzq6W2MFFzLDPa9eMhOy6rOdzplgwE/s1600/IMG_6222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJl75PP8we19xO_46MFXjVl83fknYFPSKfpeG9Lqs2lR0hCLzcqkvoaeBjvVlXg1EqR5-lnuYuMlYgwRpC-AJ9POVca7O0zSVAyoH0r-XiDb8nGzq6W2MFFzLDPa9eMhOy6rOdzplgwE/s200/IMG_6222.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573303150024187618.post-26292044617011352032011-06-28T14:36:00.000-04:002011-06-28T14:36:08.051-04:00"Mommy, I need more motrin."<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0lGGUTq8pFkPVd1pb9RBKOUqgyVAWkinvgh_9rgY9AXV5Lmgc3sPsTGXB9zwsxgfJMWHJESkCdNK7wb6ThvHhx8llWRM3pHyX-BdQ_a-CYSzFOfYw6-eEYvZaLA0oH5mIvnB1eaPL140/s1600/IMG_6206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0lGGUTq8pFkPVd1pb9RBKOUqgyVAWkinvgh_9rgY9AXV5Lmgc3sPsTGXB9zwsxgfJMWHJESkCdNK7wb6ThvHhx8llWRM3pHyX-BdQ_a-CYSzFOfYw6-eEYvZaLA0oH5mIvnB1eaPL140/s200/IMG_6206.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivhn0sLjkPwhB7z8aGnMbCW9S5cZW8y5UAn57-n8l24nItlN6RFjZLpoRsWHyZmi6UD0V9xN0b4SB5hgBSiOLzJ_RAhP_l6RUlMSRn3Om725pvM8GemDlQ_JOric4xFSPcTq7xNxKxlpk/s1600/IMG_6210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivhn0sLjkPwhB7z8aGnMbCW9S5cZW8y5UAn57-n8l24nItlN6RFjZLpoRsWHyZmi6UD0V9xN0b4SB5hgBSiOLzJ_RAhP_l6RUlMSRn3Om725pvM8GemDlQ_JOric4xFSPcTq7xNxKxlpk/s200/IMG_6210.JPG" width="200" /></a>This is going to be a LONG post due to a very busy two weeks. I've been remiss in posting as there has been a bad, bad bug that invaded our kiddos. It has caused what has felt like a constant refrain out of the mouths of our babes this week, <insert whine>..."Mommy. I need more motrin." We have been hit by a nasty kid-borne virus. It started last week with Isobel and then made it's way through Sofia, Eloise and Finn. So far Mark, Mathilde and I have been spared (thank goodness!). It has been a silent and calm bug causing temperatures to spike to 102 and then holds for 36 hours causing belly pains and exhaustion. As far as illnesses go, it is the <u>best</u> kind - it creates no messes and quiet kids!<br />
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Over the last two weeks; we helped move Uncle Joe's family and celebrated Mark, welcomed summer and Isobel turned 5. The move was pretty easy as far as moving goes. All the men and Olivia moved boxes and what-nots, while <a href="http://forwillowsons.blogspot.com/">Heather</a>, Mom and I entertained all 10 kids at Heather's. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Q-2C5xmW6dJZfQXcDY8aOmPQVlkyYwrcyuM8jzd94As_xH539cZyjcKZcvjA7dJ53NnkC65PliK2FFzmFEcQLySKi99Lu3cv40vVvcr4vOlheE12TmQqayu9FXm_co7ITtZ_EmAu1Gg/s1600/IMG_6023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Q-2C5xmW6dJZfQXcDY8aOmPQVlkyYwrcyuM8jzd94As_xH539cZyjcKZcvjA7dJ53NnkC65PliK2FFzmFEcQLySKi99Lu3cv40vVvcr4vOlheE12TmQqayu9FXm_co7ITtZ_EmAu1Gg/s400/IMG_6023.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">9 of 10 </td></tr>
</tbody></table>So with 10 kids...what did we decide to do?! TIE DYE Father's Day gifts for 2 dad's and 2 granddad's with coordinating ones for all 10 kids! It was a lot more fun than I expected, but a lot more of a mommy project than a kid project...oh well! They turned out great :) While we were all together we also celebrated Isobel's 5th birthday!<br />
<br />
Father's Day 2011 was a good day. We spent the day doing things Mark enjoys. After Mass and an errand, we went to Goodwill and got Chinese and then it was home for a quiet afternoon of napping and playing. The tie dye was a hit, but apparently Eloise was a surprise spoiler! Mark had asked her the day before what we spent the day doing...honest 3 y.o. "Tie-dying for you!"...gotta love her.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheCgN0Lv_LSe6jBe9LP26Qf7vW6y-zFQ481PLHUefvErfFYT2cZ76-OGqjlfn3HNxZg679Mmbl2MRUeytZqs71S6S9i_CzafZzjJAzmYiuLMnNFeCy4hTiNDlXfFX-A6ZhzrPoIlZDRlY/s1600/IMG_6040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheCgN0Lv_LSe6jBe9LP26Qf7vW6y-zFQ481PLHUefvErfFYT2cZ76-OGqjlfn3HNxZg679Mmbl2MRUeytZqs71S6S9i_CzafZzjJAzmYiuLMnNFeCy4hTiNDlXfFX-A6ZhzrPoIlZDRlY/s200/IMG_6040.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3dcCN8GT0a9VXlCwnfYMhw4r1AKOVG_cEh7cJOTYyg5KL9Hefr7Wb3FbRkZgOAQPZqfd8u3wErbwPctX_GEAOFa98EPLEty-A29jlJW1f0JonnRv1x1V161tmJG0ALJ9WzMk0menJOYw/s1600/IMG_6039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3dcCN8GT0a9VXlCwnfYMhw4r1AKOVG_cEh7cJOTYyg5KL9Hefr7Wb3FbRkZgOAQPZqfd8u3wErbwPctX_GEAOFa98EPLEty-A29jlJW1f0JonnRv1x1V161tmJG0ALJ9WzMk0menJOYw/s200/IMG_6039.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW6GePTjGYppwY1cIjVgbTxrsMfxZbnrKkcclWwJ4I7I5pPnjkL6ju5GM0TFOtrg5j3IdP39kmpHum2oOsV6_CXxDZSTqAujIky_FjUdUbylXpBiU6yh5569iApR7cYI04_RV9k7K5qVU/s1600/IMG_6041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW6GePTjGYppwY1cIjVgbTxrsMfxZbnrKkcclWwJ4I7I5pPnjkL6ju5GM0TFOtrg5j3IdP39kmpHum2oOsV6_CXxDZSTqAujIky_FjUdUbylXpBiU6yh5569iApR7cYI04_RV9k7K5qVU/s200/IMG_6041.JPG" width="200" /> </a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> June 21st, we celebrated the Summer Solstice with summer drawings, Mathile's 1st food, popsicles and catching lightening bugs! The kids had a great time, although Sofia was the only one brave enough to touch/catch the lightening bugs. We caught 30+ and stayed up way to late. After coming in and stories, Mark spent awhile with the big girls looking up and listening to summer noises on the computer.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61zWJ9QJ-rZ_IBwZZBuXJYWLWQ5We6w-xbZGmYMQYJIBcKQwvZOMZPhm1dqWodwqiZBMnhyxPgePZfFzvaOqJvP5KmrBpFBByPCNnnEmtleUk4UNaWsbIQn_RVcEYUuFT5rAt25ZWVDA/s1600/IMG_6147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61zWJ9QJ-rZ_IBwZZBuXJYWLWQ5We6w-xbZGmYMQYJIBcKQwvZOMZPhm1dqWodwqiZBMnhyxPgePZfFzvaOqJvP5KmrBpFBByPCNnnEmtleUk4UNaWsbIQn_RVcEYUuFT5rAt25ZWVDA/s320/IMG_6147.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sofia's picture for the lightening bugs</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdSldOcK5ly31yQzEJMTpB3ZPQve1TuAHhKIPCZ0P1orcK2ok-u3p3sPvF3lxKpqY2haLpytsfe5cd0Pr0fTzIMSiz4IJACHGqmrEN8cijjcK0qZK8-twUxGvDVUumYdrY_EgOTUvyhYE/s1600/IMG_6050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdSldOcK5ly31yQzEJMTpB3ZPQve1TuAHhKIPCZ0P1orcK2ok-u3p3sPvF3lxKpqY2haLpytsfe5cd0Pr0fTzIMSiz4IJACHGqmrEN8cijjcK0qZK8-twUxGvDVUumYdrY_EgOTUvyhYE/s320/IMG_6050.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YUM! Spinach and potatoes! 1st Foods!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC7pKurh90e-b054jKUIXKiX5DN02uabOV4YZNxQ7YA55mIRuRrc4KMa92k8AELxgU60mfV0nLKK4sABtWAZTOsZnlts8i7vxeAbZd2ObNHyhwMRFRNOEif9A-22x1uH26AI9iw2LtH0A/s1600/IMG_6053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC7pKurh90e-b054jKUIXKiX5DN02uabOV4YZNxQ7YA55mIRuRrc4KMa92k8AELxgU60mfV0nLKK4sABtWAZTOsZnlts8i7vxeAbZd2ObNHyhwMRFRNOEif9A-22x1uH26AI9iw2LtH0A/s320/IMG_6053.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTolcQwuHhs9DmCfljLv7cPq4C_MSlj1w1I1gRU9NZENtTnxwJugsn0cB7Mpm27J1ZKQAqFzPIzK7iFes6l_bLJB04Pv63yTA_VuQaoobTmQ0rE7U1bdi6x9z2KK1qfHC-KPA66CiHT6w/s1600/IMG_6096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTolcQwuHhs9DmCfljLv7cPq4C_MSlj1w1I1gRU9NZENtTnxwJugsn0cB7Mpm27J1ZKQAqFzPIzK7iFes6l_bLJB04Pv63yTA_VuQaoobTmQ0rE7U1bdi6x9z2KK1qfHC-KPA66CiHT6w/s320/IMG_6096.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeERbWBVWSg_ITZiP1WzXkYx4_2zH8pBeU0tB6GeshXfZjjhwG6nk_1NcAv9YUR8zNDdfnMxZg-UdmHaOzEbCEhsjcV68rZKUd_LZYgevXp1fr_UA1XQrtEmlG0AM3St9tfBsWsx05P1M/s1600/IMG_6099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeERbWBVWSg_ITZiP1WzXkYx4_2zH8pBeU0tB6GeshXfZjjhwG6nk_1NcAv9YUR8zNDdfnMxZg-UdmHaOzEbCEhsjcV68rZKUd_LZYgevXp1fr_UA1XQrtEmlG0AM3St9tfBsWsx05P1M/s320/IMG_6099.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc_c7dW8MJDwNOaT-T_fRlfuxE8qltmxSzlPQU6_RkxL1Czq4ncHYrBwSrA2uyD8XGhq6B2CB3YJ4KUdu19P7alJgfaKXWjel7kWBdb-pxr1GgoZc2pli1d1tMnV_py1d1odvuKuw8sAc/s1600/IMG_6104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc_c7dW8MJDwNOaT-T_fRlfuxE8qltmxSzlPQU6_RkxL1Czq4ncHYrBwSrA2uyD8XGhq6B2CB3YJ4KUdu19P7alJgfaKXWjel7kWBdb-pxr1GgoZc2pli1d1tMnV_py1d1odvuKuw8sAc/s320/IMG_6104.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She was safe as long as they were in the jar!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-Xr5m1qbDW_ZTP-Fv2z8lQSHjmuSrwUM3yAEAqkrtQ-X4Jbkh49fG5mf1d0E82vth7OGNJ6l86WtdrKV9SCdePCUQAfaLmr7Vv7q8jc4NvzFG406KxWd1NnARMuQa1dW3r_ER8JxIwA/s1600/IMG_6133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-Xr5m1qbDW_ZTP-Fv2z8lQSHjmuSrwUM3yAEAqkrtQ-X4Jbkh49fG5mf1d0E82vth7OGNJ6l86WtdrKV9SCdePCUQAfaLmr7Vv7q8jc4NvzFG406KxWd1NnARMuQa1dW3r_ER8JxIwA/s320/IMG_6133.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Letting them go!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiYc17GAbzXK0L1UKSWle_WCyc3hu9hZ04YbDE45iW1mh3qG99Bqvz1U4GAp3DHyGjxpwai82qrrw8Xb522Wr-CP4haEmZzu8OkW5D5BCtddlwkY_daA1h1SLUk5Kv1Z0bZTOpsZfk_EI/s1600/IMG_6142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiYc17GAbzXK0L1UKSWle_WCyc3hu9hZ04YbDE45iW1mh3qG99Bqvz1U4GAp3DHyGjxpwai82qrrw8Xb522Wr-CP4haEmZzu8OkW5D5BCtddlwkY_daA1h1SLUk5Kv1Z0bZTOpsZfk_EI/s320/IMG_6142.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW5VbvtQcluSkOnJPgqo0pSQBrQjlgYXpK7uYCxO5Nk3wkdow_03W6Z6nh_bCq12QkhCZcR8h_m7njqArmIFErIadBli_r7GU2G-IYJW9YuGVvOauoBIQgpORgYQ640hdOae1aMRh6pII/s1600/IMG_6143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW5VbvtQcluSkOnJPgqo0pSQBrQjlgYXpK7uYCxO5Nk3wkdow_03W6Z6nh_bCq12QkhCZcR8h_m7njqArmIFErIadBli_r7GU2G-IYJW9YuGVvOauoBIQgpORgYQ640hdOae1aMRh6pII/s320/IMG_6143.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once it is officially summer it must be time for Isobel's birthday!!! She is FIVE!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qiBLIqzjAbIJetXonw2xs7g42EXi0Uw_sX61YIOiCg8gaX0UlPKdZhmoOpMq2icesUCms-VbRQzJ_LlE4ApWi5IlZ4906WRB9H5qPPD3vIO66kufdpO2av6y7RKpBwAdkAoTvcSlK3o/s1600/IMG_6169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qiBLIqzjAbIJetXonw2xs7g42EXi0Uw_sX61YIOiCg8gaX0UlPKdZhmoOpMq2icesUCms-VbRQzJ_LlE4ApWi5IlZ4906WRB9H5qPPD3vIO66kufdpO2av6y7RKpBwAdkAoTvcSlK3o/s320/IMG_6169.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">She had a great day! We went to Chik-Fil-A for dinner. She (finally) got her Our Generation doll with an extra outfit and a new dress. And we had cupcakes and ice cream. Due to a very busy morning taking care of grown up stuff, I was slack and bought cupcakes...such a horrible mommy. Isobel didn't seem to mind as the store bought ones came with Rapunzel rings.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGA0oylpawZjt8SHdwH5e-bHdDbW5q_5kVHyY1hXFf6xDI-BHJIwLuRgxaueDVc6IfTKp6T3L6qS1P42KONqsljJk9YWd7QfbTYGL475oIbSVcjbvfIpNHwYKcE1hkAbVtptS57pnjHnU/s1600/IMG_6170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGA0oylpawZjt8SHdwH5e-bHdDbW5q_5kVHyY1hXFf6xDI-BHJIwLuRgxaueDVc6IfTKp6T3L6qS1P42KONqsljJk9YWd7QfbTYGL475oIbSVcjbvfIpNHwYKcE1hkAbVtptS57pnjHnU/s320/IMG_6170.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ47vg984lnSEvLkjF0dRmZiZMqY25uJHkIU4wdPrOQ_6-JvHXwg8q1n960zAqEQ4tZLBSES3GpzcU-D_w5R3doVxvoEPXJMumPVgaqD8ZgtvOAhTK2ziLL3Wp5PxgjGGfUkpTSQJKfoI/s1600/IMG_6185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ47vg984lnSEvLkjF0dRmZiZMqY25uJHkIU4wdPrOQ_6-JvHXwg8q1n960zAqEQ4tZLBSES3GpzcU-D_w5R3doVxvoEPXJMumPVgaqD8ZgtvOAhTK2ziLL3Wp5PxgjGGfUkpTSQJKfoI/s320/IMG_6185.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn5a3qnmhgI_W1YfBUlO7sCgGCjtEQf-QGouf-OzLJXowGV4tWnOLg8o-beMc-pSg3LImZVy80rFXtoCkkfZN4qCwhmglrevihI_s1DDNQQOW3bLjotnS2YRoZFQquJgiI7iwCVa9oJhM/s1600/IMG_6190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn5a3qnmhgI_W1YfBUlO7sCgGCjtEQf-QGouf-OzLJXowGV4tWnOLg8o-beMc-pSg3LImZVy80rFXtoCkkfZN4qCwhmglrevihI_s1DDNQQOW3bLjotnS2YRoZFQquJgiI7iwCVa9oJhM/s320/IMG_6190.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP1XxyDPv_lQMdpZi24EEqDNBFiN48JabnHyYSNHBf8CiewgudzsJJiv6Zycs4hOtD7fI8Z8tg_j-8DM6Icrarjac8tdKAMw0RfJU0oPt97uue-XCXEvGEf50sK-JHFKA0ei2Bwn3EyKI/s1600/IMG_6200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP1XxyDPv_lQMdpZi24EEqDNBFiN48JabnHyYSNHBf8CiewgudzsJJiv6Zycs4hOtD7fI8Z8tg_j-8DM6Icrarjac8tdKAMw0RfJU0oPt97uue-XCXEvGEf50sK-JHFKA0ei2Bwn3EyKI/s320/IMG_6200.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ice cream...yum!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhBEHqy1Jl806T88dQTfDvipe-JbWSBWolFSTkyNZLotz_hlGfUg8cwvv2oZFVcVux3OOY532m_nZhEHs5_cmNTEgeqSOojRzEmEfk-6Y2loMy-2-3Ge2p6q_0APo4uDlj9mVKXVSSDHI/s1600/IMG_6192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhBEHqy1Jl806T88dQTfDvipe-JbWSBWolFSTkyNZLotz_hlGfUg8cwvv2oZFVcVux3OOY532m_nZhEHs5_cmNTEgeqSOojRzEmEfk-6Y2loMy-2-3Ge2p6q_0APo4uDlj9mVKXVSSDHI/s320/IMG_6192.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A birthday is not complete without an Eloise covered in cake!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> And that wraps up the last two weeks!!!!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573303150024187618.post-21314484921856939772011-06-22T14:00:00.002-04:002011-06-22T14:00:49.906-04:00Wordless Wednesday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFLLHpJQIrTWTju-7zabRNxBbarZEhVyT1XqjpZBe3McjS_30MHv5-YvHvm6B7YCDCtalvtIZsYSohfR-KnPcUEm4wY_BuiYwmT0My0-lxeqWwYGRGPMkahB6IsQkC7i4FT99VvyFamg/s1600/IMG_5839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFLLHpJQIrTWTju-7zabRNxBbarZEhVyT1XqjpZBe3McjS_30MHv5-YvHvm6B7YCDCtalvtIZsYSohfR-KnPcUEm4wY_BuiYwmT0My0-lxeqWwYGRGPMkahB6IsQkC7i4FT99VvyFamg/s400/IMG_5839.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573303150024187618.post-86272869705237033732011-06-21T17:52:00.002-04:002011-06-21T23:13:40.136-04:00Summer adventures begin...We kicked off the summer by spending the first weekend camping and celebrating birthdays at Pocahontas State Park near Richmond.<br />
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To say that I was dreading this trip is an understatement! I enjoy camping. I enjoy being outside. I enjoy being outside with the kids. But the thought of packing up EVERYTHING for three days and eating, sleeping and sweating...well, yeah. Not to mention that this particular state park has a water park that after seeing pictures of it caused me to literally lose sleep in anxious anticipation of trying to tackle it with 5 non-swimming littles.<br />
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I prepared all our meals ahead to avoid as much clean up and dish washing in a bucket as humanly possible. All the clothes and swimmies and blankets and pots and booster seat and exersaucer and...were all gathered. All the while trying to figure out how to contain and calm both mine and Mark's fears and quirks that are only magnified in new environments. We both HATE dirty kids...so why do we think it's fun to do this I kept wondering.<br />
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But after 3 days of prepping and worrying the van and camper were filled to capacity with all the "necessities", 2 dogs, 5 clean kiddos, the daddy and one not so calm mommy. But we were off on our adventure...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby's 1st Camping Adventure</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We arrived by mid-afternoon on Friday just as a rainless thunderstorm came through. Rainless was good in that we were able to set up and start playing, bad in that there was a lot of sweat and no swimming. <br />
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The kids snacked and played and were so underfoot as we tried to get everything out and set up for a fun weekend together and with family.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIYluYHAI4vLNdd2jON0b1Y2ScxPuV2uvk8OPDlI6ogOY0_M_lwiTw0ClOLsZ7droC6qDvX7cTY9JM4uetQjIz62baRUa8v5Keqe0LtS-CrHgJs8_ejE4p8TZNrz-GYkfcKu9xNeV-XvU/s1600/IMG_5883.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIYluYHAI4vLNdd2jON0b1Y2ScxPuV2uvk8OPDlI6ogOY0_M_lwiTw0ClOLsZ7droC6qDvX7cTY9JM4uetQjIz62baRUa8v5Keqe0LtS-CrHgJs8_ejE4p8TZNrz-GYkfcKu9xNeV-XvU/s200/IMG_5883.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKMCYuSNijTvanl37aYDcu3dnxPpNe4DqSpjl7LL9Hrp5TNeyOelvpJ9pDZAZ_UtPxjuQeZol2Q96pR7-Cd_og3EKIiAvdOVxFVMs4LpK93wfchyphenhyphen829NraoKmAHnjuQ3nT1ctkv3fHGEU/s1600/IMG_5889.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKMCYuSNijTvanl37aYDcu3dnxPpNe4DqSpjl7LL9Hrp5TNeyOelvpJ9pDZAZ_UtPxjuQeZol2Q96pR7-Cd_og3EKIiAvdOVxFVMs4LpK93wfchyphenhyphen829NraoKmAHnjuQ3nT1ctkv3fHGEU/s200/IMG_5889.JPG" width="200" /></a> It took Finn about 15 minutes to figure out how to climb the "rock wall" but once he did there was no stopping him from going up and around and down the slide and up and around and down the slide and.... He is still at the age where curiosity far outweighs caution and makes me cringe with fear of injuries but he had SOOOOO much fun despite the heat and all that sweat!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqIIL5gj54tDFPexyYjOGhrrcqO3JnpPoNbyjZN_5frrHoBnAmZihFDutEnLWHRDoVaqBeXufKWmAc-xutp9clqW8RMsmcGe2Q4fqRQUV6eXypL48vhH03AXNfwC3hyphenhyphenQR9o6t9oW7DVus/s1600/IMG_5907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqIIL5gj54tDFPexyYjOGhrrcqO3JnpPoNbyjZN_5frrHoBnAmZihFDutEnLWHRDoVaqBeXufKWmAc-xutp9clqW8RMsmcGe2Q4fqRQUV6eXypL48vhH03AXNfwC3hyphenhyphenQR9o6t9oW7DVus/s200/IMG_5907.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3E4LQR5Y79DUlCHQEiukXV1Nvl0zeKvoGleMaMnUGPjtI5mykDnpdDlrbsVfqEttOisOJ1cunlrbP8HpJS-8uPBsV-vv871X_wecXoqILy-DTXHM2UPU9LGT_IMfUYdLDquftycCf2g4/s1600/IMG_5909.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3E4LQR5Y79DUlCHQEiukXV1Nvl0zeKvoGleMaMnUGPjtI5mykDnpdDlrbsVfqEttOisOJ1cunlrbP8HpJS-8uPBsV-vv871X_wecXoqILy-DTXHM2UPU9LGT_IMfUYdLDquftycCf2g4/s200/IMG_5909.JPG" width="200" /></a></div> The good news about heat and playing and sweating is it makes very tired babies :) So after s'mores at Uncle Mike and Aunt Leslie's campsite it was family shower (their bath facilities we comparatively fabulous!) and bed (at the early hour 11p!)<br />
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They woke up with the sun Saturday am and this mommy and daddy could not get them to the pool fast enough! Thank goodness breakfast only had to be heated and Starbucks (I know that's not camping, but it keeps the mommy calm :) )was only 10 minutes away!<br />
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The plan for the weekend was simple exhaust kids :) But the itinerary was basic; Saturday - pool, party, dinner and a thunderstorm thrown in. Sunday - Mass, pool, back up, home...<br />
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THE POOL! Eagerly anticipated by the kids, equally dreaded by the parents! But they had so much fun!!!! And two afternoons was plenty :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6ShW36WhPR0fkhNw9_mYvNAw1Txm8Ro6yiMN2KRy2XmTomL2ahTzDMdI6GKI0i2bM2Mqmqq1CeHg8thh4BKtX4K2MQNRP6BsJ0dnCsG-t2jHOkUrJ9A-AamZaDQtxK9jOT48cnIj65Q/s1600/IMG_5932+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn6ShW36WhPR0fkhNw9_mYvNAw1Txm8Ro6yiMN2KRy2XmTomL2ahTzDMdI6GKI0i2bM2Mqmqq1CeHg8thh4BKtX4K2MQNRP6BsJ0dnCsG-t2jHOkUrJ9A-AamZaDQtxK9jOT48cnIj65Q/s320/IMG_5932+-+Copy.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SLIDING!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJv5t3qNwFctXg3rRfh0rECFdJRN4ya7sI96dIFkJLj7lKbl6QdxUlHeLUXjGNsthXtEWHstrsXYe0amIngSs5XjSHQrFStyv9wJN_LbMVizJr9ZUFaRyLmRkEGdDprdbXrHPSf2WYio/s1600/IMG_5935+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNJv5t3qNwFctXg3rRfh0rECFdJRN4ya7sI96dIFkJLj7lKbl6QdxUlHeLUXjGNsthXtEWHstrsXYe0amIngSs5XjSHQrFStyv9wJN_LbMVizJr9ZUFaRyLmRkEGdDprdbXrHPSf2WYio/s320/IMG_5935+-+Copy.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uncle Mike and Finn! I'm not sure we could have handled this adventure without his help.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhy3DaDhIIUYnGUNRe7JP_3l0gmJC4dUCkNsj8Dg7WcB-wTYPDp0Mj0NWo2p0UO4AYvVi26MbpTmfLTjvzVxXKpALU2hfqFkof9Ga55O6iV39I9XGs1TnHYaO8Qgz3O_B2mU7Gzy8J_VU/s1600/IMG_5936+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhy3DaDhIIUYnGUNRe7JP_3l0gmJC4dUCkNsj8Dg7WcB-wTYPDp0Mj0NWo2p0UO4AYvVi26MbpTmfLTjvzVxXKpALU2hfqFkof9Ga55O6iV39I9XGs1TnHYaO8Qgz3O_B2mU7Gzy8J_VU/s320/IMG_5936+-+Copy.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He LOVED this slide too!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwzQGdPAzIMhajg5dL_AHYJ15YqBRuFu9rS6KGfWe732f9PONqUxaHxST2DG7uMRcw9PDg4jZc_J45XiGE7EV9AtfrqmlT2aNIcQAr24YxEZL_Lu4tgBKJZDIxyJSxHs4DK-TVJzXe4xI/s1600/IMG_5938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwzQGdPAzIMhajg5dL_AHYJ15YqBRuFu9rS6KGfWe732f9PONqUxaHxST2DG7uMRcw9PDg4jZc_J45XiGE7EV9AtfrqmlT2aNIcQAr24YxEZL_Lu4tgBKJZDIxyJSxHs4DK-TVJzXe4xI/s320/IMG_5938.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark and Eloise trying to create havoc</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7SGOcks_k_Z921hiIFClXiUlCJSCwIz8W36zj0a1ul9E7E19g6k6C5EsHg0V0aM8A89hzJwnEf-CU1X1yAwJ2Vi6IV0EZ9VNCRTomwJvfSY6pjJL5GbrrtA6jkRQF6B6gDle4Umvr-9E/s1600/IMG_5950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7SGOcks_k_Z921hiIFClXiUlCJSCwIz8W36zj0a1ul9E7E19g6k6C5EsHg0V0aM8A89hzJwnEf-CU1X1yAwJ2Vi6IV0EZ9VNCRTomwJvfSY6pjJL5GbrrtA6jkRQF6B6gDle4Umvr-9E/s320/IMG_5950.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bathing Beauty</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH8x_T7VLYE7gCCzkK3chPzsvWjE3-fHiZeWf2PPAiWkapyyNoYvpp4q3CarUSVWGPuXD11XddOzERGJSBEc7bx9v3ksJvvIPT_mGjbsr9VJpqt2yFMW0wSg0u1HICgijAAfKvA354Z4A/s1600/IMG_5955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH8x_T7VLYE7gCCzkK3chPzsvWjE3-fHiZeWf2PPAiWkapyyNoYvpp4q3CarUSVWGPuXD11XddOzERGJSBEc7bx9v3ksJvvIPT_mGjbsr9VJpqt2yFMW0wSg0u1HICgijAAfKvA354Z4A/s320/IMG_5955.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Da' Boys</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-0M360ooVngqktwuy0qbSAvdmlUzaYddar9z06L-QrhiRgjlqFrAlk4IzoiVlxR90R3OSDIA5JwFsH9EiBkA8bYmwpNNIofolwDVj0sKZxl0GzKAd_kY2sEuaSXX18M7gVHJXgqltxw/s1600/IMG_5959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-0M360ooVngqktwuy0qbSAvdmlUzaYddar9z06L-QrhiRgjlqFrAlk4IzoiVlxR90R3OSDIA5JwFsH9EiBkA8bYmwpNNIofolwDVj0sKZxl0GzKAd_kY2sEuaSXX18M7gVHJXgqltxw/s320/IMG_5959.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting in the waiting pool for the bigger area to regulate its chlorine levels...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_z8ywnwKzJ7I0b-jButk90Mhrq3ABFrTV2HjLGAPSmtyYzcoHFufNKXZaJYCOvt2WL6qJKIvBw1F1FtqKD32LRYvma2MGk8eT1ejxvZ2d6MNW15WOegPoq2Hja_06YZvTh0LcGiblwWQ/s1600/IMG_5960.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_z8ywnwKzJ7I0b-jButk90Mhrq3ABFrTV2HjLGAPSmtyYzcoHFufNKXZaJYCOvt2WL6qJKIvBw1F1FtqKD32LRYvma2MGk8eT1ejxvZ2d6MNW15WOegPoq2Hja_06YZvTh0LcGiblwWQ/s320/IMG_5960.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEnSb7eT9j_41vmLXz5KFcrajt7bBDxs_FjxcsZT4M-bTaEFi1IiDov3FeOiU7q9Ym6h8gdU6psFXTZ5KhmxqWyQ-9MqPhaw7vbYbSXN96FnFV9NBleCzWntwOcrkzMyPjYPekQ6CT-Ag/s1600/IMG_5964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEnSb7eT9j_41vmLXz5KFcrajt7bBDxs_FjxcsZT4M-bTaEFi1IiDov3FeOiU7q9Ym6h8gdU6psFXTZ5KhmxqWyQ-9MqPhaw7vbYbSXN96FnFV9NBleCzWntwOcrkzMyPjYPekQ6CT-Ag/s320/IMG_5964.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9B3j9FA9s7kQf-8kUzUlYSeDi3ysR465winddt26T64pRCU_RUuOgM3-RMzt9_mBBkQozoBSZrbjSV8ocWXf05SWv3JqVSvMEsCsqNBKT_W519XeZN2hTFRch7UPNA76H0DE9A1rphHI/s1600/IMG_5972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9B3j9FA9s7kQf-8kUzUlYSeDi3ysR465winddt26T64pRCU_RUuOgM3-RMzt9_mBBkQozoBSZrbjSV8ocWXf05SWv3JqVSvMEsCsqNBKT_W519XeZN2hTFRch7UPNA76H0DE9A1rphHI/s320/IMG_5972.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-FlskBP-ZLgEZfTlzph3SJ_RQ4LniDoBzMyHKxh7LKOiw9G9NcUwAKjxtVLRRkSVgyF8Qqc4MbpV1U0sxQNVOQoAQJPup-yUS0q40qx64_GJSmoZ8gFsbbiTSQsmkDtN7LvprT_kYlc8/s1600/IMG_5976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-FlskBP-ZLgEZfTlzph3SJ_RQ4LniDoBzMyHKxh7LKOiw9G9NcUwAKjxtVLRRkSVgyF8Qqc4MbpV1U0sxQNVOQoAQJPup-yUS0q40qx64_GJSmoZ8gFsbbiTSQsmkDtN7LvprT_kYlc8/s320/IMG_5976.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The end of our swimming time...</td></tr>
</tbody></table> This trip was planned to celebrate June birthdays and celebrate we did :)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT6boQhe4IDLFR8PMvtxcH7K8KS1jytCkyroyTF3BP-JOhaUVCY6X9IyWj-jKLnGlrgUWzI5djmmo-LUCVHhNClWhDCywb4yv7_pE8lsNMRC-RHsNqqbZJQdboUdcFed2U3NhvF_YowTo/s1600/IMG_5949.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT6boQhe4IDLFR8PMvtxcH7K8KS1jytCkyroyTF3BP-JOhaUVCY6X9IyWj-jKLnGlrgUWzI5djmmo-LUCVHhNClWhDCywb4yv7_pE8lsNMRC-RHsNqqbZJQdboUdcFed2U3NhvF_YowTo/s200/IMG_5949.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRRZy5Wk70T106ezSox4hp3T6cX4yHEO13gtHgAW76azy-2T6v2nahQAPc8kLZyVY5I_22G2_OVC34VpKTK_q8dDYoqFc_oPElw4Tm_bKfCMObogtzkYwEMHcDGcYPp-FK0QqV8Uddbv0/s1600/IMG_5944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRRZy5Wk70T106ezSox4hp3T6cX4yHEO13gtHgAW76azy-2T6v2nahQAPc8kLZyVY5I_22G2_OVC34VpKTK_q8dDYoqFc_oPElw4Tm_bKfCMObogtzkYwEMHcDGcYPp-FK0QqV8Uddbv0/s200/IMG_5944.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Despite all the sweat, dirt, and stress the memories of this trip are full of happiness! And there may even be a few scars to show for it...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFdzQvV3ljqKS0cuWeITH6ld-GwwD5r7EI6duGGozsBYMwFGXNaJ-zooqXlZ8QgPx9PLbcSd1VZHC8CFnVJ5NaBlXRwVhsqnaKIFOFFZ90_BuX7zi7t1dGn3RISX5wPf_bwuvCggng3o/s1600/IMG_5985.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFdzQvV3ljqKS0cuWeITH6ld-GwwD5r7EI6duGGozsBYMwFGXNaJ-zooqXlZ8QgPx9PLbcSd1VZHC8CFnVJ5NaBlXRwVhsqnaKIFOFFZ90_BuX7zi7t1dGn3RISX5wPf_bwuvCggng3o/s320/IMG_5985.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Showing off her bandages from fun in the sun and swim crawling in shallow water!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghAsuMa05jRRP-VKkumNSkHJhwtHuaSqWkd_tRqeBFjeUIzgx1tTXVnmMC-t-1vLoR9hnC6V-SGFp3ZTdq5HWn4UaukbYAwwcBW5OQWBbr7Y2mDYWEUvv7RR7vK8WKjR5PTeJCFFP6peg/s1600/IMG_5987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghAsuMa05jRRP-VKkumNSkHJhwtHuaSqWkd_tRqeBFjeUIzgx1tTXVnmMC-t-1vLoR9hnC6V-SGFp3ZTdq5HWn4UaukbYAwwcBW5OQWBbr7Y2mDYWEUvv7RR7vK8WKjR5PTeJCFFP6peg/s200/IMG_5987.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu9sWWelTdgUpdLB_hQGvO5VnakwWS4-M13Wx8TsuvpEBG7iE2YrlaVydizzPHHFE-dZ4nl5MHnkg9cwTQWG_kazwbyDnyPhhy0ANGPjrFLApw7ODMlCq02jXuAcTy-3EoPmWaYqUuMZ8/s1600/IMG_5988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu9sWWelTdgUpdLB_hQGvO5VnakwWS4-M13Wx8TsuvpEBG7iE2YrlaVydizzPHHFE-dZ4nl5MHnkg9cwTQWG_kazwbyDnyPhhy0ANGPjrFLApw7ODMlCq02jXuAcTy-3EoPmWaYqUuMZ8/s200/IMG_5988.JPG" width="200" /></a></div> Home and in bed! I think we might even go camping again one day :)<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"></div>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573303150024187618.post-76034619695410561992011-06-21T17:52:00.000-04:002011-06-21T17:52:05.888-04:00Our Zoo's Trip to the Zoo<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM1kyTkR9JC1jlDuEoNAf6fRPoe4EOlNymH4HSXGNeTly23v07mi_8VWIFPJ6TPiANxXRRLe6tK1RyYUypKhC7Gu9mfxEMhEPVUQKo40zgxua08mCxAvxzR7czZ_2fS5HFtuqkt7cc708/s1600/IMG_5738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM1kyTkR9JC1jlDuEoNAf6fRPoe4EOlNymH4HSXGNeTly23v07mi_8VWIFPJ6TPiANxXRRLe6tK1RyYUypKhC7Gu9mfxEMhEPVUQKo40zgxua08mCxAvxzR7czZ_2fS5HFtuqkt7cc708/s320/IMG_5738.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting started by the Cats</td></tr>
</tbody></table>A couple weekends ago we took a road trip and met the Hassett-side of the family at the Smithsonian National Zoo! Almost the whole family made it, Uncle Kyle was the only absentee! That's 8 adults, 11 kids under 7 (one still in utero!), 3 strollers and gear for an army!<br />
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The day started a little rough with 2 potty stops on the 3 hour drive, slightly lost getting in and the meet up lot was full before we all got there. But thankfully, the rest of the day was a huge success...i.e. all 11 kids were very well behaved! The elephants are back and the kids loved the invertebrate and small mammal houses. The chimpanzees on their sky walk were a hit. Sadly, we saw neither bears (and it was bear weekend) or seals (their home is being rebuilt, I think). And we missed the barn animals, but I guess since we live amid cow fields and have horses and a goat that this was ok.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizUb4b6-HQn90EIqRtg6xlf-p9EIQkSxDIjN2W21MiG3gUdkNoZ5LKo0Y-EDHYR2oJgxlY27O53CGqYMSApqqALtOkxK5JQ0Qr6fKRU5MpxRoReEBVioVLRpI04W-HwqSoJRTuQ3zzty4/s1600/IMG_5798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizUb4b6-HQn90EIqRtg6xlf-p9EIQkSxDIjN2W21MiG3gUdkNoZ5LKo0Y-EDHYR2oJgxlY27O53CGqYMSApqqALtOkxK5JQ0Qr6fKRU5MpxRoReEBVioVLRpI04W-HwqSoJRTuQ3zzty4/s200/IMG_5798.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gorgeous birthday girl!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This is an annual trip to celebrate Charlotte's birthday. This year she turned 5!!!! There were zebra cakes and a picnic and one happy girl. And it was not too hot :) I hope we can do this with Charlotte every year...such a great tradition!<br />
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Happy birthday Charlotte Anne!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All ready to go!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chimpanzeeeee!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhihevIECOLy1D8NtlF8Ckj9dUuul8OeVPoWmOKuLnpq7b3cboqFd6bFPXQFx7MW54DGWcZRD8P7TN2ruPWDJG42bdh20dnehTLrA6Sc1ksMmnUcHNxr2eiHNfQ07dM6y0MrW3XKpw3Yg8/s1600/IMG_5748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhihevIECOLy1D8NtlF8Ckj9dUuul8OeVPoWmOKuLnpq7b3cboqFd6bFPXQFx7MW54DGWcZRD8P7TN2ruPWDJG42bdh20dnehTLrA6Sc1ksMmnUcHNxr2eiHNfQ07dM6y0MrW3XKpw3Yg8/s320/IMG_5748.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching the chimpanzeeee!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHyZ5p4oTaVuTnvbrSrswB1pmNj_cEwZazsnnaaAQPy1oBW2C7LJ6_p8Xbno_D4n6_tnZITF83zmcVoAngkpjoipg4ccdu4oyjWR7llMqs1Dw1PbrahvKLLEJ1Kx53oOxECqHwQhYnTqs/s1600/IMG_5753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHyZ5p4oTaVuTnvbrSrswB1pmNj_cEwZazsnnaaAQPy1oBW2C7LJ6_p8Xbno_D4n6_tnZITF83zmcVoAngkpjoipg4ccdu4oyjWR7llMqs1Dw1PbrahvKLLEJ1Kx53oOxECqHwQhYnTqs/s320/IMG_5753.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Like father, Like son</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching the tortoise</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDvrOihPCqo2uhIc9_tQGl_AgJtknRpseOKOF7s_fDDIpbutBbcyv26PBjoDU7irP_yGNodCZ-e3GtHsvail0YRcqffaDaNxH7ETmoEhx_mfZa-0gD-oDRXtfpGIT73zsDQuKyV330qUA/s1600/IMG_5755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDvrOihPCqo2uhIc9_tQGl_AgJtknRpseOKOF7s_fDDIpbutBbcyv26PBjoDU7irP_yGNodCZ-e3GtHsvail0YRcqffaDaNxH7ETmoEhx_mfZa-0gD-oDRXtfpGIT73zsDQuKyV330qUA/s320/IMG_5755.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having no opinion about lunch!? Or keeping it to themselves?!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to decide where to picnic!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hungry</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly!!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hurry up and wait!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caught on mommy's paparazzi camera</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeflY4ejmAzWWHAxzVRyV8Wd9vws5Q5sK7ND4h_IAqhRGrxOypefP00TFNOTOj5KhYeYTi88xs3A-vimkLnrg0lTQ4XeyVDHoURgNldM8C7o-RpfZjU4XVjSOtWNX98WsOjYIMGI6xSiE/s1600/IMG_5772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeflY4ejmAzWWHAxzVRyV8Wd9vws5Q5sK7ND4h_IAqhRGrxOypefP00TFNOTOj5KhYeYTi88xs3A-vimkLnrg0lTQ4XeyVDHoURgNldM8C7o-RpfZjU4XVjSOtWNX98WsOjYIMGI6xSiE/s320/IMG_5772.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">zebra cakes</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTfwYBEvsw2Wgy1VhJy67RXD7I27J7EZ0kaZ6nBl-6GoroCyEdZuAUEBs_GY_lCmFa8SMyQFJhUnYNDrjD7nMCjab8LC8I3UplSc6xMi4MFCvRznvuO9z3ukgCnZKAfpNTXJnBZvHSbc/s1600/IMG_5774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTfwYBEvsw2Wgy1VhJy67RXD7I27J7EZ0kaZ6nBl-6GoroCyEdZuAUEBs_GY_lCmFa8SMyQFJhUnYNDrjD7nMCjab8LC8I3UplSc6xMi4MFCvRznvuO9z3ukgCnZKAfpNTXJnBZvHSbc/s320/IMG_5774.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going to check out the creek..."Pop grab their hands!"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjANC4HZdHVIXrrPrdr2jclvOJdaqflt7q34JbrTmDb401YjT2YmanjU0U8EyCH7fuR_DzYrK0fjanlTI4EKTLnc7vU6FV2gFNSPYm-tOqofUkdLno-5XHas06Yjm9Z2BzrEl4nncbLxEc/s1600/IMG_5777.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjANC4HZdHVIXrrPrdr2jclvOJdaqflt7q34JbrTmDb401YjT2YmanjU0U8EyCH7fuR_DzYrK0fjanlTI4EKTLnc7vU6FV2gFNSPYm-tOqofUkdLno-5XHas06Yjm9Z2BzrEl4nncbLxEc/s320/IMG_5777.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Always Seeking Trouble (AST)</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7bOlyHL78zaSFx1ftnQLV4zVppK0DIJ3s1JJsfubuomf8rL9VNhZaYWrvWtpmlxKG8D_WNE3vQ0rJbMQ5liZlzWe4gb7mrYyr-a028lvIath6dLm8_jQEJYeD_4wxwn4wrVCFszCrJaE/s1600/IMG_5779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7bOlyHL78zaSFx1ftnQLV4zVppK0DIJ3s1JJsfubuomf8rL9VNhZaYWrvWtpmlxKG8D_WNE3vQ0rJbMQ5liZlzWe4gb7mrYyr-a028lvIath6dLm8_jQEJYeD_4wxwn4wrVCFszCrJaE/s320/IMG_5779.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rx_rTD3Z0hyl_xczjEF-VDUur7Plp3Vc27XitDVBDhXR_X2YHN4BEHhynAtU0pXCaPK11tqgRpW43-t5BZ3-YuN2OmuetqntlUWd0C7nIzpAfQ8pvpaFVpwx_XPpqDiOmIIVl_vJFhw/s1600/IMG_5781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rx_rTD3Z0hyl_xczjEF-VDUur7Plp3Vc27XitDVBDhXR_X2YHN4BEHhynAtU0pXCaPK11tqgRpW43-t5BZ3-YuN2OmuetqntlUWd0C7nIzpAfQ8pvpaFVpwx_XPpqDiOmIIVl_vJFhw/s320/IMG_5781.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eloise in tow!</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT57Vz8B4Fz31tROpPjYIdXssfdObNCTFhpOGfIx_5RWanvpSvf9FK7-N7AosNLQVXGHwZ0UmpOa898W4QrSCL-p7VLQe05WqFIqn8oamDCifeVbaLYf6_w2LM-tfqx5JGd35qbVmSwT4/s1600/IMG_5797.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT57Vz8B4Fz31tROpPjYIdXssfdObNCTFhpOGfIx_5RWanvpSvf9FK7-N7AosNLQVXGHwZ0UmpOa898W4QrSCL-p7VLQe05WqFIqn8oamDCifeVbaLYf6_w2LM-tfqx5JGd35qbVmSwT4/s320/IMG_5797.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc26EOHq41XouGdEsfS-JAuXsTSTjox2oqYWaFqZbvfv9_KopXGehzrX8kYBfZI7_uBAGtm-ncrTJmxEu9QkhB3Ot824A6pq_3PTBaslJsCENjBBbJPUPbaZvzHVGkvteIOC8QnPIVfp8/s1600/IMG_5807.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc26EOHq41XouGdEsfS-JAuXsTSTjox2oqYWaFqZbvfv9_KopXGehzrX8kYBfZI7_uBAGtm-ncrTJmxEu9QkhB3Ot824A6pq_3PTBaslJsCENjBBbJPUPbaZvzHVGkvteIOC8QnPIVfp8/s320/IMG_5807.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzNRM3Fo2ng3zc9nlajlkbEgCe1my0zeNgesYvzSIoaznbwGm6bZpvJNbEHgwH0NhbtX-pFz-FwO_v5hd_alCeUNxUaPfLf9MFm871I_vc-Zi-kvZ2rzGcccys6OWesFfKYfhdzuNBLwg/s1600/IMG_5808.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzNRM3Fo2ng3zc9nlajlkbEgCe1my0zeNgesYvzSIoaznbwGm6bZpvJNbEHgwH0NhbtX-pFz-FwO_v5hd_alCeUNxUaPfLf9MFm871I_vc-Zi-kvZ2rzGcccys6OWesFfKYfhdzuNBLwg/s320/IMG_5808.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our June birthday buddies!</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2stBEMvzkPDx4ljzgLiyqbLf0KxK5927FbmL-MPiKEKQLLqzMc6L2VgiSQZlMan4lusU20LGe9JD4ExL-pXKnqviANjsNHozw7Xlc8qLkEzDPgrDoTPfBTCcKCqMAJit47dn8_Ulo_g/s1600/IMG_5812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh2stBEMvzkPDx4ljzgLiyqbLf0KxK5927FbmL-MPiKEKQLLqzMc6L2VgiSQZlMan4lusU20LGe9JD4ExL-pXKnqviANjsNHozw7Xlc8qLkEzDPgrDoTPfBTCcKCqMAJit47dn8_Ulo_g/s320/IMG_5812.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Bqjj3ZM-wsMfaYRv7OYezt5XOLqWjT3bRL5yXWGbA77124UKZnjZD2vAJWvLrYeWSYx99rApfAv6FJ_AC00-qLEfhVBX_08FCo95I8uMTaCSK4Nf2gHTCHCpBwuP_QY1-vl3uxnOKEA/s1600/IMG_5818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Bqjj3ZM-wsMfaYRv7OYezt5XOLqWjT3bRL5yXWGbA77124UKZnjZD2vAJWvLrYeWSYx99rApfAv6FJ_AC00-qLEfhVBX_08FCo95I8uMTaCSK4Nf2gHTCHCpBwuP_QY1-vl3uxnOKEA/s320/IMG_5818.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw2d3lbW448SUcqfzxLNJtvK-wbuE312SeRLLAuEoOpnx6Pef5aqthKAq4KEueCk9wX6LLww9tu-CUTOdjnPU_INkWnw4Oiws2S9E_RvCZYztSYqf3mOEIAiWMAm9YSMSJPSNjwRscya8/s1600/IMG_5821.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw2d3lbW448SUcqfzxLNJtvK-wbuE312SeRLLAuEoOpnx6Pef5aqthKAq4KEueCk9wX6LLww9tu-CUTOdjnPU_INkWnw4Oiws2S9E_RvCZYztSYqf3mOEIAiWMAm9YSMSJPSNjwRscya8/s320/IMG_5821.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All 11 Hassett grandkids summer 2011</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1RusiOdjZP98WusPAMI22-tcQurdlSlhVZTpxASI-6Vp5EoVa5mTXEAhc9pq4gweuSjmHWsM4vxW9u-KxGrIAw-l6anApWrADNyBnQZKfqbooOixObjzphcNXc_RaIHDBvBS36b4JqI/s1600/IMG_5830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1RusiOdjZP98WusPAMI22-tcQurdlSlhVZTpxASI-6Vp5EoVa5mTXEAhc9pq4gweuSjmHWsM4vxW9u-KxGrIAw-l6anApWrADNyBnQZKfqbooOixObjzphcNXc_RaIHDBvBS36b4JqI/s320/IMG_5830.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0_7AWPWNsSmDeiffMM9UroyTGu_OL0uDY81B5HQVkZIDdTae66Px2wtJQ-ErBl659sJHGdqvsMmSBsTTodOf5H9_veLqXASriAm0-a9RjyrcM3YW8ujyDMypu-ON_96d4HBtt6pZmPWI/s1600/IMG_5828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0_7AWPWNsSmDeiffMM9UroyTGu_OL0uDY81B5HQVkZIDdTae66Px2wtJQ-ErBl659sJHGdqvsMmSBsTTodOf5H9_veLqXASriAm0-a9RjyrcM3YW8ujyDMypu-ON_96d4HBtt6pZmPWI/s320/IMG_5828.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time to go before this face starts making noise...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573303150024187618.post-56811272153169950642011-06-07T19:32:00.000-04:002011-06-07T19:32:10.918-04:00Good-bye 1st Grade!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQlHxGc2bkQwgs6iFsqz9zz3_W4LVo2ZNROWSwjWix51K8mZuH1QgpU5bkKQ353NXnHBpbdE3z6Nv29dkRubm8LYAp2pRRs8824kBMlRV3n2u6ZdYlYFTizN_JNi8niquujI55hHq-EpI/s1600/IMG_5846.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQlHxGc2bkQwgs6iFsqz9zz3_W4LVo2ZNROWSwjWix51K8mZuH1QgpU5bkKQ353NXnHBpbdE3z6Nv29dkRubm8LYAp2pRRs8824kBMlRV3n2u6ZdYlYFTizN_JNi8niquujI55hHq-EpI/s320/IMG_5846.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Sofia has had a HUGE year! She is naturally curious and loves all things science and history related, so those subjects were a breeze. Math concepts come easily, and letter formation improved throughout the year. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1Do7driHwwjolWK1r95h2SBodJE2SOu41rEOAwFb61G79_IZg9lT7_UN9dHTm0RcsSUTYp8aSwShS-GmxJ_ZfSjJOszrlK_-uzbXa9mXAjW03iTjm1wWupGgqfC_VsBA8w0_YFSxp_w/s1600/IMG_5853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1Do7driHwwjolWK1r95h2SBodJE2SOu41rEOAwFb61G79_IZg9lT7_UN9dHTm0RcsSUTYp8aSwShS-GmxJ_ZfSjJOszrlK_-uzbXa9mXAjW03iTjm1wWupGgqfC_VsBA8w0_YFSxp_w/s320/IMG_5853.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting patiently for Bus 189 and Mr. Williams</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Her most significant growth was in reading...and WOW! She started the year well behind her classmates. With fewer than 10 sight words committed to her memory, she tested into 1st grade but barely as she was placed in reading group 7 of 8. On her PALS testing in August, she was in the pre-primer (or preschool) level. Today, she brought home her most recent scores and she tests into the 3rd grade teaching level with sight word recognition into 4th grade. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy8N_p0mGsMsAxclJc8U7cj0_51cPDeO2hOFxfQewCsieksROJBDs22cabnycvfQsntO0S3gydMNWFqx2R-9WSJ0sl8TdFaJty1HWmf5ei92ND1ZKqf1b3YQ5OftxrNvh8ZRXlYO41vhE/s1600/IMG_5856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy8N_p0mGsMsAxclJc8U7cj0_51cPDeO2hOFxfQewCsieksROJBDs22cabnycvfQsntO0S3gydMNWFqx2R-9WSJ0sl8TdFaJty1HWmf5ei92ND1ZKqf1b3YQ5OftxrNvh8ZRXlYO41vhE/s320/IMG_5856.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost summer...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We are beyond proud of you Sofia! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cB1xOGbUbyhMH0rV1MLglJKrpKTn-suyww9urk0OO_VRqrL152h_f4v44bM09f2-fGBm-IK6zUJRbm_8i-_MHLdHu5d4EMwWV0ZYszyUZZxnbDfnxszf5z_Pb60Gf0sgsc9FYAYDAMA/s1600/IMG_5857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cB1xOGbUbyhMH0rV1MLglJKrpKTn-suyww9urk0OO_VRqrL152h_f4v44bM09f2-fGBm-IK6zUJRbm_8i-_MHLdHu5d4EMwWV0ZYszyUZZxnbDfnxszf5z_Pb60Gf0sgsc9FYAYDAMA/s320/IMG_5857.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...she stepped into summer a 2nd grader!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We will be spending the rest of this week deciding what we are going to read and what we want to learn about this summer. High on this momma's list is to attempt to teach some basic organization skills and a desire for neatness. And maybe make a calendar counting down to 2nd grade. <br />
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I've already been informed that we have 10 weeks "until I get to go back to school"... Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573303150024187618.post-58490817290044948432011-06-02T10:03:00.000-04:002011-06-02T10:03:12.551-04:00Welcome Summer!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikwTl02LJhEh9lvi1wqmO5iL46YgBXpH1zdLo6MWtf_Sw221DuTNs4GtmK5GYHwdGITDFxS19JNRQeAqsLRUjk-En3wcZLC87TW8KV70gksTUhMaOWneCRe4iP3bFcc0jcBAfvBSlgqh0/s1600/IMG_5663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikwTl02LJhEh9lvi1wqmO5iL46YgBXpH1zdLo6MWtf_Sw221DuTNs4GtmK5GYHwdGITDFxS19JNRQeAqsLRUjk-En3wcZLC87TW8KV70gksTUhMaOWneCRe4iP3bFcc0jcBAfvBSlgqh0/s400/IMG_5663.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great-Grandma Hassett, Pop and all TEN (great) grandbabies</td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeeMkthf9uaDalIcPyUBDLME97HbMbRx4Qt0Q7Hk9ljUE29H0ZvtOuF73IR6qreaIpC5jiH8tDMUWO2uy1HR9EURIrs9Omnm0Y3Y6h14a9gmyr_7E3_fYowx_L0nFUHVleP-uolEKm5LI/s1600/IMG_5654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeeMkthf9uaDalIcPyUBDLME97HbMbRx4Qt0Q7Hk9ljUE29H0ZvtOuF73IR6qreaIpC5jiH8tDMUWO2uy1HR9EURIrs9Omnm0Y3Y6h14a9gmyr_7E3_fYowx_L0nFUHVleP-uolEKm5LI/s200/IMG_5654.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
Summer is associated with freedom, relaxing and boredom! I'm accepting though that as the kids get older my summers are filled with schedules, constant effort to avoid injuries, and grasping for relaxation. But with the schedules and routine, comes the relaxation and freedom knowing the kiddos are having fun and enjoying being little. I hope they will look back and remember summers of play and nothing-ness and adventures. <br />
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Summer 2011 was kicked off with Jessica's graduation picnic in Maryland on Sunday and a quiet afternoon at Todd Lake on Memorial Day.<br />
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We had a wonderful time at the graduation party. Visiting with our extended Hassett family. The kids played and played and played until they could play no more :) Great-grandma brought bubbles and Uncle Kevin and Aunt Reenie had balls and bats and room for them to run.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgHyFVyp_uBrZGF9IyrQ7HXphDqoCjXozhOaKQMiOVsY7ze10OhdfvPBSriQr0TiELJUiuuTwhdPGOw8omFxyacn4YxE9TIZ5ZpkWUVpZWwow2CEq4SoOrJw2eCAhqLkJBZ12s16ErzX8/s1600/IMG_5667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYrrqVLAg-mzVdN5TBvtqty3L_yxw97nP3nZCGMNl_ug47COXHFn-S4G00JVEp-Jca5WSg6jbhqrETsj0VBPLw7d94tN-OvwdQBHgRTFurW3Nmvk7FMC8_F3epWos9hCO4SrbC9LMwTtI/s1600/IMG_5680.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYrrqVLAg-mzVdN5TBvtqty3L_yxw97nP3nZCGMNl_ug47COXHFn-S4G00JVEp-Jca5WSg6jbhqrETsj0VBPLw7d94tN-OvwdQBHgRTFurW3Nmvk7FMC8_F3epWos9hCO4SrbC9LMwTtI/s200/IMG_5680.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8M1o_Mf66vbTGivB2NAvIF7XzePxXw34g7vF3b1JodEOHdwkWxxoPjMJxCJnCGny4iChRCq-ZuzKL9BrqpTPq2EK9jsjbTkWHz-mm36YTdrPKCIpB4QqCr0gZZ4I_Jrq59G1dhquVhsE/s1600/IMG_5695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8M1o_Mf66vbTGivB2NAvIF7XzePxXw34g7vF3b1JodEOHdwkWxxoPjMJxCJnCGny4iChRCq-ZuzKL9BrqpTPq2EK9jsjbTkWHz-mm36YTdrPKCIpB4QqCr0gZZ4I_Jrq59G1dhquVhsE/s200/IMG_5695.JPG" width="166" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHypa1DI3mpc4fsUvZLKYzz88m7yDABMbLh5GRWFnOnSBhWiwTf_K8xE0fA4GfXWgH9fkUgmCJC7BGk8hIu2Vb34ruAuINThjp_QIDfbWoWsOEuq0BMF38lfK-pq9giVdPb0oIAZ2D8OU/s1600/IMG_5673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHypa1DI3mpc4fsUvZLKYzz88m7yDABMbLh5GRWFnOnSBhWiwTf_K8xE0fA4GfXWgH9fkUgmCJC7BGk8hIu2Vb34ruAuINThjp_QIDfbWoWsOEuq0BMF38lfK-pq9giVdPb0oIAZ2D8OU/s400/IMG_5673.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgHyFVyp_uBrZGF9IyrQ7HXphDqoCjXozhOaKQMiOVsY7ze10OhdfvPBSriQr0TiELJUiuuTwhdPGOw8omFxyacn4YxE9TIZ5ZpkWUVpZWwow2CEq4SoOrJw2eCAhqLkJBZ12s16ErzX8/s1600/IMG_5667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div><div style="text-align: right;"><br />
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On Memorial Day, we met Joe and his family at Todd Lake to spend the afternoon playing in the COLD water and sand! Everyone had a wonderful time. The lake is in the middle of no where so it was not crowded. And the kids were asking if we could go back before we even left :) And of course, both camera batteries died within the first hour :(<br />
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Mathilde rolled over for the first time while laying on the beach blanket on her 4 month birthday!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS3o7nNOeqQHtteUuraV4FmaJUWH0v3CPjMQ4T5goG6fXrqmaW1Tsj1lbudMhoml71V1U9H6wctHSaYRPkvwgd5QNyE7PzHIVWsJ8UuxrGuzOhQcSQxiWyt3E7DpZ9Ge9UZ_tr9ARonXw/s1600/IMG_5697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS3o7nNOeqQHtteUuraV4FmaJUWH0v3CPjMQ4T5goG6fXrqmaW1Tsj1lbudMhoml71V1U9H6wctHSaYRPkvwgd5QNyE7PzHIVWsJ8UuxrGuzOhQcSQxiWyt3E7DpZ9Ge9UZ_tr9ARonXw/s320/IMG_5697.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mathilde's 1st trip to the Lake/Beach</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-yCkQHHV9OM4IWzNrk3IfslTHu-4ud37NE4sH4jARarW4v087SnLx9ipcAEqUsrk6QDaqvC6nrGiMj5btX1D-YtR48kSBXE5JEBV4PdTymrDfM_0GztZwbi-jtIntn7F1I1YXPZNKsqc/s1600/IMG_5702.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-yCkQHHV9OM4IWzNrk3IfslTHu-4ud37NE4sH4jARarW4v087SnLx9ipcAEqUsrk6QDaqvC6nrGiMj5btX1D-YtR48kSBXE5JEBV4PdTymrDfM_0GztZwbi-jtIntn7F1I1YXPZNKsqc/s320/IMG_5702.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isobel was so excited and eager to swim!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOQ0dei9RdJDP9OeNsjgebAAq5YjD-y7MenRJk4CIv1JVZy5W-wdYsIXpwlV0Ku9m305azpbMnfHX-t7SZvOS_0s4UFDqBSTzvjJzede0iK8dZRt_Sq6DoFJ8HCZ4vM9pVZon1WpfmAE/s1600/IMG_5700.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGOQ0dei9RdJDP9OeNsjgebAAq5YjD-y7MenRJk4CIv1JVZy5W-wdYsIXpwlV0Ku9m305azpbMnfHX-t7SZvOS_0s4UFDqBSTzvjJzede0iK8dZRt_Sq6DoFJ8HCZ4vM9pVZon1WpfmAE/s320/IMG_5700.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WATER!!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxSnEhnsW1rOf74MkkCvl03qb-6850F-p634av8SBa7Aitr4V9yypuikNwxtaF3xZTBwesfwy87p4_Qgqy55-5Cf_bpfU_MMynp6ipZ3kHunB1-Y7JZUzV1ql-4-rud-u_hobuXlI4lBQ/s1600/IMG_5703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxSnEhnsW1rOf74MkkCvl03qb-6850F-p634av8SBa7Aitr4V9yypuikNwxtaF3xZTBwesfwy87p4_Qgqy55-5Cf_bpfU_MMynp6ipZ3kHunB1-Y7JZUzV1ql-4-rud-u_hobuXlI4lBQ/s320/IMG_5703.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finn was not so convinced this was a good idea!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQayy6_WxOT8Q3fkQa0sraDURl8SKhIvYMQKAaHwcmAYeiLU71km5fPtfAO1Yah7lQ7PEwKXxdSfDL12B_m9WfQUxRA1fh__8QWSm-ATuhPR5MIP-JyHUM0atp0lYOzqh7vkPdS3L3-w/s1600/IMG_5709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQayy6_WxOT8Q3fkQa0sraDURl8SKhIvYMQKAaHwcmAYeiLU71km5fPtfAO1Yah7lQ7PEwKXxdSfDL12B_m9WfQUxRA1fh__8QWSm-ATuhPR5MIP-JyHUM0atp0lYOzqh7vkPdS3L3-w/s320/IMG_5709.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's COLD!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeqNHawQMB_HPguaxIRQUwhEaHUWtaq3g302FWJYLKIBz99VDB_q7Y1BVZxRajYiRAzkZ6if5hg3vfAH6FV3D5fSRTduVM62qIMC0-pMA-GYb4-H6qbNJr38BDPlwNnXqazLGcDjUEG1U/s1600/IMG_5710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeqNHawQMB_HPguaxIRQUwhEaHUWtaq3g302FWJYLKIBz99VDB_q7Y1BVZxRajYiRAzkZ6if5hg3vfAH6FV3D5fSRTduVM62qIMC0-pMA-GYb4-H6qbNJr38BDPlwNnXqazLGcDjUEG1U/s320/IMG_5710.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">joy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFkyJT8KEr5paF763Jxd3VY_F_ortHv0RkyKr7xqw96CyQmmJAJwx02Q6DZ01cB3OXys5w3jQu2gPdllUetXbO2cLh_bc90yoMhJkzH2hciBzK_j3kmQWLsqShZazZf5oOQLeEltG2IZM/s1600/IMG_5712.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFkyJT8KEr5paF763Jxd3VY_F_ortHv0RkyKr7xqw96CyQmmJAJwx02Q6DZ01cB3OXys5w3jQu2gPdllUetXbO2cLh_bc90yoMhJkzH2hciBzK_j3kmQWLsqShZazZf5oOQLeEltG2IZM/s320/IMG_5712.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvx0ilGzqxPF7DYzDz_1HT9c1JGZuWpPjLENMLAxDThY5hj42dZyCuSllPYyaxvbtRVWumDY4jhwo_WUtqXPjTLfumNbSeucPY0ZM2uimCS9dOFh_LYM46eX3aF_QMWNJLM-OZi3FOkQ/s1600/IMG_5716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvx0ilGzqxPF7DYzDz_1HT9c1JGZuWpPjLENMLAxDThY5hj42dZyCuSllPYyaxvbtRVWumDY4jhwo_WUtqXPjTLfumNbSeucPY0ZM2uimCS9dOFh_LYM46eX3aF_QMWNJLM-OZi3FOkQ/s320/IMG_5716.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"There's a hole in my bucket!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhecsCn3QbiXvIyvHHdrtg5fXamPFqwn3vm_S3Ca6mdF1j9LBUBu4i1C7E3WmbMot8jy1yw0vCuBCvIGSI3mbRQD2_N8AbqZMxVfRHOPAwOjaC1pNj2Bx0hEqXCzG0MBTVTe1PvSjaDTR0/s1600/IMG_5717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhecsCn3QbiXvIyvHHdrtg5fXamPFqwn3vm_S3Ca6mdF1j9LBUBu4i1C7E3WmbMot8jy1yw0vCuBCvIGSI3mbRQD2_N8AbqZMxVfRHOPAwOjaC1pNj2Bx0hEqXCzG0MBTVTe1PvSjaDTR0/s320/IMG_5717.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Konnar</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMgDXQVwTUBDJ49D_ICME81nmoEikq8s8msXBsZZtBuJDAgfWZJTvtx-ktm_Ht5nkPXCqhwfPWaDtNG-KeRv3rAQoui-POQVTveUpd5atwA0chiDF_Tj3ljB0hyphenhyphenK26D0nZBc3ogGqcOcw/s1600/IMG_5721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMgDXQVwTUBDJ49D_ICME81nmoEikq8s8msXBsZZtBuJDAgfWZJTvtx-ktm_Ht5nkPXCqhwfPWaDtNG-KeRv3rAQoui-POQVTveUpd5atwA0chiDF_Tj3ljB0hyphenhyphenK26D0nZBc3ogGqcOcw/s320/IMG_5721.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFOZmS9HkXrYo7BauEYAsIZwLnFwNifwlGpxZ0AeOUx1JRyJbUqonIv22sjn2Emz3Ap43h6aX18F8WrbnxrrPUHAWZnI2Sy77ohZcQmjc-FP1MA50lJjVT175w1o6LxRzflkrONgXxdk/s1600/IMG_5722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFOZmS9HkXrYo7BauEYAsIZwLnFwNifwlGpxZ0AeOUx1JRyJbUqonIv22sjn2Emz3Ap43h6aX18F8WrbnxrrPUHAWZnI2Sy77ohZcQmjc-FP1MA50lJjVT175w1o6LxRzflkrONgXxdk/s320/IMG_5722.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirWjhOU2xk1eYCC3y_GC72b8W26WjbLGKZcuZlVn-sDWYKZFg2Je950v0Q86JIM7zrQafMp_Bacdik_kG2IZ8Oolj2dcul_Ms-5AKvm4biuWgsWhBc5bhjLYzfamY7HbuD6CmWXkY8e8A/s1600/IMG_5726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirWjhOU2xk1eYCC3y_GC72b8W26WjbLGKZcuZlVn-sDWYKZFg2Je950v0Q86JIM7zrQafMp_Bacdik_kG2IZ8Oolj2dcul_Ms-5AKvm4biuWgsWhBc5bhjLYzfamY7HbuD6CmWXkY8e8A/s320/IMG_5726.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Floaties on...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkzmhIFSzMiWQUbvHgecluspKy60xGXJZ_ZNv9qHm4WzV933sgGrQl9PszgIRmhn3el18HxTqzelIDWvA8Don7xJRz9ttAIeB5-u0WVc77XDMB_0kNhVA9PnZb1KJs5RhwdL9yheshPm0/s1600/IMG_5727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkzmhIFSzMiWQUbvHgecluspKy60xGXJZ_ZNv9qHm4WzV933sgGrQl9PszgIRmhn3el18HxTqzelIDWvA8Don7xJRz9ttAIeB5-u0WVc77XDMB_0kNhVA9PnZb1KJs5RhwdL9yheshPm0/s320/IMG_5727.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joey in...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0cXZKkOgY05S4v0Jin9mNfpCeGsXj_z8PuEToL_mucv-16Loe33tL6eLI6pRaxrqCVxjlSBbWMuqhkDudYnunfcs5p76yNX5jw3of9aC8u7qEBsRv1OY-9aSJ9yiijcDh7eEHlM5a6QI/s1600/IMG_5728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0cXZKkOgY05S4v0Jin9mNfpCeGsXj_z8PuEToL_mucv-16Loe33tL6eLI6pRaxrqCVxjlSBbWMuqhkDudYnunfcs5p76yNX5jw3of9aC8u7qEBsRv1OY-9aSJ9yiijcDh7eEHlM5a6QI/s320/IMG_5728.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And gone!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>All and all a GREAT weekend!!!! Looking forward to a busy summer full of fun and great memories and lots of pictures :) <br />
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P.S. If you are reading this and know how to move and set pictures better PLEASE let me know!!!!Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573303150024187618.post-8649783023601802802011-05-27T12:35:00.000-04:002011-05-27T12:35:04.309-04:00Graduation 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5-vywDWZl-dqgePXE2j7y9372chhewuoy8xSa5mYA2k8IUVMibqbJX5LbjxAMG78IxjTAPi4bW_H41ViKzMeEY5stml83qUB8ly-YBCKvhN1hudN9PC-XW1ZRwIe1tNgHLPN3p-1-0tQ/s1600/IMG_5628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5-vywDWZl-dqgePXE2j7y9372chhewuoy8xSa5mYA2k8IUVMibqbJX5LbjxAMG78IxjTAPi4bW_H41ViKzMeEY5stml83qUB8ly-YBCKvhN1hudN9PC-XW1ZRwIe1tNgHLPN3p-1-0tQ/s400/IMG_5628.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
May 26, 2011! Isobel Claire graduated from Pre-K!<br />
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We have spent the <strike>week</strike> last nearly 5 years building to this great evening. This week we went shopping in a "real" store and she picked out a brand new dress. "Mommy! I'm going to be the most beautiful!" has been exclaimed several times. We have counted the days and made teacher gifts and eagerly awaited "graduation". She has been so excited and un-Isobel this week. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV0Do8eS8gyiMsDdmZeA3q0kn-wcEAkf68mfr4O4mLAz7BXo0GjnsEFqq5kQLX0UelIyQPSe4eu3JMbEPFGBfh6yM1r1Z18T5kRosvnoWCc5ZLLaoWzOaPbbC8Eu6OFBdyMlBI42SIGZE/s1600/IMG_5517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV0Do8eS8gyiMsDdmZeA3q0kn-wcEAkf68mfr4O4mLAz7BXo0GjnsEFqq5kQLX0UelIyQPSe4eu3JMbEPFGBfh6yM1r1Z18T5kRosvnoWCc5ZLLaoWzOaPbbC8Eu6OFBdyMlBI42SIGZE/s320/IMG_5517.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUh6gD2ElEx7zea_SE2fqpgIqG9dz7-XxVPypfh26iI9ttkeBimmv1_4itdqj-AKwUJkGxY_NlolanojJ08r6O53NaApPgPkqNfbmTIOw2Cw8T_cCYq0c5mUM0yMWH9-a3ggfUUkK6cbc/s1600/IMG_5536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUh6gD2ElEx7zea_SE2fqpgIqG9dz7-XxVPypfh26iI9ttkeBimmv1_4itdqj-AKwUJkGxY_NlolanojJ08r6O53NaApPgPkqNfbmTIOw2Cw8T_cCYq0c5mUM0yMWH9-a3ggfUUkK6cbc/s320/IMG_5536.JPG" width="254" /></a>She chose Buffalo Wild Wings for her celebratory dinner; nothing better than chicken fingers and french fries. She excitedly opened her gift from mommy and daddy - 6 my first I can read books and her first sight word flash cards! <br />
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<img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHLWiBR6WMlDCS-Ttp0ndi5AGuQg0S1YNMBEiUkXHuOhm5ysyzTeuzTGM5z_JavD4sgl1WbjhLoZXeSaemaexO_-NZYng52tziIyvoZKf1iT2F6RpYYOtCZ57g_ooChBQ93iKfAKJnmk/s200/IMG_5546.JPG" width="200" /><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And then it was time! We must take our baby and allow her to walk and graduate and grow! And she sang and did the hand gestures and not an ounce of fear or anxiety was on her little face. I wish we could give her this confidence everyday and maybe it is coming. She will always be my shy baby, slow to warm to new environments and hesitant to act, but strong and determined and growing into the best her little girl and developing her personality with grace and heart.</div><br />
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As I watched our girl receive her diploma and stand with her class, I saw visions of her future self, future graduations and future successes. I cannot wait to see who she will become and the gift she will be to the world. Her future self is for us to nurture and her to discover. The overwhelming and ultimate task of parents to grow children into one who walks in the Grace and Will of the Father, so they can confidently leave our nest in His Love and give the gifts they have been given by Him to the world. Isobel is such a blessing and has taught us so much. As we grow together I am eager to teach and to be taught!<br />
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She proclaims a desire to be a ballerina! This summer dance lessons are on order. Whether she become a dancer or not, we as her parents pray fervently that we raise her in to a confident and loved Child of God.<br />
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My eyes glanced to her siblings "watching" her. As Eloise did the splits and Finn fussed over books and goldfish crackers, as Sofia stood watching her little sister with a bit of jealousy that some things are truly just another's event, and Mathilde sat cradled in her bucket...it simply struck me the differences we'll see as the years pass and we celebrate every graduation and success as a family. There may always be a bit of jealousy, antsy-ness, and distraction, but love is why we stand together to support each other and become better.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3h97I6CJgx78-lcLIS9K0hARomF-kbXnPmV2v1ZqUXZCbmQguOmhUt0yo219f-G1m34Jz_nAJAsjU5mThx_luCsG7EWT5aODbaSH7ZQ0RuyQHRnMM6I1GS2olGF5lBetIdbsrUVGMMcY/s1600/IMG_5602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3h97I6CJgx78-lcLIS9K0hARomF-kbXnPmV2v1ZqUXZCbmQguOmhUt0yo219f-G1m34Jz_nAJAsjU5mThx_luCsG7EWT5aODbaSH7ZQ0RuyQHRnMM6I1GS2olGF5lBetIdbsrUVGMMcY/s320/IMG_5602.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The classroom, the teachers, the love that has helped us shape and grow... Isobel!!! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEispF5_5Z-zkg-OHegwVM7U97-lU44RZj_kMa93YyqaPjS9GSc_AOYS7GG-O4AdEzNCpzLBaNUMZ-goUFgC8k8atBP4CWGdnmNSYg7qNsmJ7P4lOiXyyJwVfhuBrfhnc2hZatAHj3T4V8Q/s1600/IMG_5609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEispF5_5Z-zkg-OHegwVM7U97-lU44RZj_kMa93YyqaPjS9GSc_AOYS7GG-O4AdEzNCpzLBaNUMZ-goUFgC8k8atBP4CWGdnmNSYg7qNsmJ7P4lOiXyyJwVfhuBrfhnc2hZatAHj3T4V8Q/s200/IMG_5609.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlng7VFbf0129HsWdYCttEEsAZGI0_4FaZbQMzPvXYj-crKeztw3pX5FaKdVpbbsHjYimKd6JAMtrb7fECldrUjeGHOe6NnV1poeEV3tBJojIibyREmy6qarKpDI60VpdD9hUxKuFx0Y8/s1600/IMG_5612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlng7VFbf0129HsWdYCttEEsAZGI0_4FaZbQMzPvXYj-crKeztw3pX5FaKdVpbbsHjYimKd6JAMtrb7fECldrUjeGHOe6NnV1poeEV3tBJojIibyREmy6qarKpDI60VpdD9hUxKuFx0Y8/s200/IMG_5612.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"> The girl! Celebrating and growing! And eating the sugar version of herself!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7WZxZOHb6r1DMrk5y7OHGJ-Ho36No4pWhqTG9WauXsBk9yHuFOsgiLXOuu9SpK6oIfGpofj7SZinEDyMRfwpZ3ClZuPLZ7YU_stiOLeAp3A4jPeDAqm2UXiXfiCt_ObSTfSu-5Pj68g/s320/IMG_5615.JPG" width="320" /></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"> Kindergarten here she comes!!!!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhICgzuLR-9O47JY4lu4YIY85xY5zhWRDz-IH6H7PajSimihIDSeP4pJehcp0OED4Mi3lqbQiCz1mQeVxY62kAtDC9xZB6HpmCwjWy31cvIePTx7l9RgFAQNQ5E2d0qX157u_zhs_trE70/s1600/IMG_5622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhICgzuLR-9O47JY4lu4YIY85xY5zhWRDz-IH6H7PajSimihIDSeP4pJehcp0OED4Mi3lqbQiCz1mQeVxY62kAtDC9xZB6HpmCwjWy31cvIePTx7l9RgFAQNQ5E2d0qX157u_zhs_trE70/s400/IMG_5622.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573303150024187618.post-16954607900048067512011-05-25T10:50:00.000-04:002011-05-25T10:50:12.930-04:00Baby Bel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhgNEbPsWAHZBgaMFuWPoRRw_M7doeMHZ0-9QYZDO_ZG_MDSOspJjEtv7HBODQB_AIVvQ_30YeeIY7cGn1_T1BOm4lZax00tkCiCVThKdxfOjJEzDl5b4z4JwLior1VrVOUm8JRASHaY/s1600/IMG_20110524_082158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhgNEbPsWAHZBgaMFuWPoRRw_M7doeMHZ0-9QYZDO_ZG_MDSOspJjEtv7HBODQB_AIVvQ_30YeeIY7cGn1_T1BOm4lZax00tkCiCVThKdxfOjJEzDl5b4z4JwLior1VrVOUm8JRASHaY/s320/IMG_20110524_082158.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573303150024187618.post-45839931197343533682011-05-25T10:25:00.000-04:002011-05-25T10:25:21.406-04:00Almost done...Well, I did it! The pantry is done (except to determine spice storage)! And I love it! And it has a lock :)<br />
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I can't find the before picture...but the before was BAD! <br />
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The sorting.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXjtPJwAIuAWxyU3NjX8ma63nOsG2lGeXWYBnDNw9zz8OZ4D4Y8TpTPiDsryIVxh2ATrJDcbgmRZ-whwvrOCeVINLD8j02muiQJaTs-yiNCDYhSvhTHorpEENqNuJAH9CAanaDcRHBkc/s1600/IMG_5394.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXjtPJwAIuAWxyU3NjX8ma63nOsG2lGeXWYBnDNw9zz8OZ4D4Y8TpTPiDsryIVxh2ATrJDcbgmRZ-whwvrOCeVINLD8j02muiQJaTs-yiNCDYhSvhTHorpEENqNuJAH9CAanaDcRHBkc/s200/IMG_5394.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5zAZde8WZIho_a6nMgR3a23hKT5UCcTT21pskBg_q8n0HkyVYk4UToa6jAYmCzX5Ko9im7C2toqtKpanoxkPUmkimllWhJb2L_wfpYNS9wJB7fmCmZ38zToTqtYqKEBpQ3DdyDebwJY/s1600/IMG_5395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5zAZde8WZIho_a6nMgR3a23hKT5UCcTT21pskBg_q8n0HkyVYk4UToa6jAYmCzX5Ko9im7C2toqtKpanoxkPUmkimllWhJb2L_wfpYNS9wJB7fmCmZ38zToTqtYqKEBpQ3DdyDebwJY/s200/IMG_5395.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsFNAI6ahCNadbTrfDkQe5z9o3ct6DQVFIAWShR-Jl8t1GRQqeczusNl2CEDJ8EtAvglmlEtu-RmGPWlFd7gEa65NHBKy96tnvOPTfEdLQCR7CFaRBztalBMcRGldN60LOOsaB2Z5YE14/s1600/IMG_5396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsFNAI6ahCNadbTrfDkQe5z9o3ct6DQVFIAWShR-Jl8t1GRQqeczusNl2CEDJ8EtAvglmlEtu-RmGPWlFd7gEa65NHBKy96tnvOPTfEdLQCR7CFaRBztalBMcRGldN60LOOsaB2Z5YE14/s200/IMG_5396.JPG" width="200" /></a></div> And after! Just don't focus on the lower right shelf (the ugly box is spices). And I'm so happy with results.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj0LZ8FaZqh4xZNZVnIdzm5qfarAOINT1vavFjOSqugZsJsuDoQ3oDbb2p0IoB53USfqVFb9HS4BGXfHohs4aOtnoupFcaimKEEG6O86oMmVi9OIyCqtvwOKPbWBD-5fMn-BQUUM08oII/s1600/IMG_5447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj0LZ8FaZqh4xZNZVnIdzm5qfarAOINT1vavFjOSqugZsJsuDoQ3oDbb2p0IoB53USfqVFb9HS4BGXfHohs4aOtnoupFcaimKEEG6O86oMmVi9OIyCqtvwOKPbWBD-5fMn-BQUUM08oII/s320/IMG_5447.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Happy Pantry!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This week we are working on summer schedules and planning and registering for activities. Sorting through Vacation Bible school weeks, soccer camps, swim lessons and trying to find a balance and calendar that gives us LOTS of free time to play and explore, but also provides the structure and learning these guys love.<br />
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Tears have already started welling as we wind down the school year. Isobel graduates from Pre-K Thursday night. How is she this big? Wasn't it yesterday that we found out we were pregnant with her? She has grown so much this year and her teachers have been such a blessing. She has learned SO much academically, but more importantly personally. She is growing into a fabulous young girl with more confidence and excitement than we have ever seen.<br />
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Sofia is nearing the end of 1st grade. She couldn't hardly read in September and is now reading chapter books!!! She loves all things science and nature and dinosaurs. I'm excited to have her home this summer. She will challenge me in all regards and together we'll make it through! I look forward to everything we'll learn together, but am at a loss as to where to start gathering materials to keep her active mind busy and out of trouble. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy73KygATErxDyxfUY0G-IKC74xQB6gd1LOWCaiIPMPetoImhSJIp7DsUllfGug-dINEJ0xOlCciLQOQVenlyHrzKp39SF7ZepHpP4yygfMQIGowewtnb_X1-XA2egB4NkyqLFSV71fuI/s1600/IMG_5426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy73KygATErxDyxfUY0G-IKC74xQB6gd1LOWCaiIPMPetoImhSJIp7DsUllfGug-dINEJ0xOlCciLQOQVenlyHrzKp39SF7ZepHpP4yygfMQIGowewtnb_X1-XA2egB4NkyqLFSV71fuI/s200/IMG_5426.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Her creature she created in art!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7PXPnw865bfSv2E9jwcsI1HnfKCV221BF1h7JYnskSLyG2Uo162hjBwHnEIQ8cnPB7WfzRDsPqIqFMtbfNXB_HlxSmuZOmeHZmCb0mXQT5OLh8vippkkdZzQ-CG6ev-Bh3pLLAwItDIU/s1600/IMG_5425.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7PXPnw865bfSv2E9jwcsI1HnfKCV221BF1h7JYnskSLyG2Uo162hjBwHnEIQ8cnPB7WfzRDsPqIqFMtbfNXB_HlxSmuZOmeHZmCb0mXQT5OLh8vippkkdZzQ-CG6ev-Bh3pLLAwItDIU/s200/IMG_5425.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So excited to show Daddy her work!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I'm looking forward to sharing Isobel and all her beauty tomorrow!Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573303150024187618.post-73434716504572897722011-05-19T09:48:00.001-04:002011-05-19T09:52:10.565-04:00Thoughts And Hopes Are OverflowingI've noticed something recently, I think (and pray) as if I'm writing. Not sure if this is normal or not, but I see the words on the page...correct thought patterns and even spelling. And once those thoughts are processed, they are released and cannot be recreated in the exact same way. I really wish I could connect a printer or hard driver to this brain, because if the adage is correct I'm operating at -25% capacity.<br />
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My thoughts recently have surrounded our many beginnings. The last nine years have been filled with the blessings of our beginnings; new love, marriage, new baby (x's 5), new jobs (x's 4), and on and on. "Beginning" is so exhilarating and so full of hope, even for those of us who hate change. We are finding ourselves at a new beginning this time in the work and financial sphere and it is so exciting. The prospect will entail a lot of work and dedication and complete family teamwork, but with that comes a lot of freedom. We are still exploring the option of this "new" with all the emotions that come with ginormous decisions and changes.<br />
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As our family grows and educations near completion and careers are flowing on the upward path; our lives seem to me nearing the end of these beginnings and the plateau of the middle's. At moments I long for the middle...a long, stable and flowing middle. One where our kids can grow, we live in one place, and while never perfect things flow smoothly as if traveling along a lazy river. And then I look down and just want to freeze Mathilde in infancy, keeping all the babies babies, where my biggest fear is them fighting with each other and bandaging a boo-boo and giving away hugs to eager preschoolers. But as this middle approaches in the next few years, I pray that we will all be wrapped in the love and security of each other and our God. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXo5lm5yBHucp-9hNWxcL0F-ZLMADz7MHwurzALdM7YiJkFNAxV7N2CmL8oxmB2AlVQuvAb0gpIzW_zAzQzKOkSD2VAh9pjznctKRULtUaFSY6Siicz3Eey9fKu1HIToUFBBEoFZARfyw/s1600/IMG_5276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXo5lm5yBHucp-9hNWxcL0F-ZLMADz7MHwurzALdM7YiJkFNAxV7N2CmL8oxmB2AlVQuvAb0gpIzW_zAzQzKOkSD2VAh9pjznctKRULtUaFSY6Siicz3Eey9fKu1HIToUFBBEoFZARfyw/s320/IMG_5276.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Lord, please guide us in Your will!Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573303150024187618.post-29065755745840222312011-05-19T09:12:00.000-04:002011-05-19T09:12:44.095-04:00Wordless Wednesday...Late!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGV-CBAvFXQFL4tdh1lJ779V-1DxVSrqhiUneR3XdwpIc-5x4tB78WBCECpogdUbYO9MXul0omdVFOwfkA0FwNY9LTJH7WTrZVO-RznaamVYvMFzf5vjSZ308gvI4zjM6bgrZb-2bdPiw/s1600/IMG_5077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGV-CBAvFXQFL4tdh1lJ779V-1DxVSrqhiUneR3XdwpIc-5x4tB78WBCECpogdUbYO9MXul0omdVFOwfkA0FwNY9LTJH7WTrZVO-RznaamVYvMFzf5vjSZ308gvI4zjM6bgrZb-2bdPiw/s640/IMG_5077.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573303150024187618.post-45058554946418353582011-05-16T12:15:00.001-04:002011-05-16T12:17:25.609-04:00Monday...Again!<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>If you are going to have a table cloth...make sure it is one that matches the mess!</i></span></div><br />
Happy Monday! Mondays are for motivating and planning and rebooting from the weekend. Mondays around here are not lazy, but there is not normally no visible sign of productivity. I spend the day tidying and reading and making a mental program for the week. And it is <b>NOT </b>good when Mondays are, well, sabotaged. I was supposed to meet a potential babysitter at 12:45p today. As I was doing the normal run through of email, facebook, ebay, blogs...she did the unthinkable; emailed to reschedule due to being sick. While being completely ok and I'll happily reschedule, it completely opened up my time...I don't "have" to clean the bathrooms or sweep or finish the breakfast dishes...I can read a few more emails. <pause> Notice - Eloise is in the family room, Finn is somewhere in the kitchen...ACK! I didn't go clean up the water colors before Eloise moved away from the table...and yup! Finn was painting himself and the table! Thankfully, we still have the Easter Egg tablecloth on our table and water colors are washable :) (Didn't stop to get a pic of my painted boy :( )<br />
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But back to motivating. I'm going to think smaller this week and motivate toward a goal (outside of surviving and accomplishing routine duties) that I can accomplish by myself! And no our bedroom is not done, better - but far from done. We are on track to get our furniture by July...so new deadline has been set and it will likely be finished the night before we go to Ikea :) But we are getting there and the mess is getting shorter (literally).<br />
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This week the target of my attention is the pantry! I'll share a pic before I start. This poor pantry! We hadn't had a pantry before and when we moved in I had no idea how I wanted to organize it, so everything just got dumped in there. And since then, after every shopping trip and meal things have just been shoved in <u>ANY</u> open space. Well, I finally came across an organization method that makes sense, and we are way overdue to go shopping for snacks and pantry staples so the inventory is low, so this IS the week. Pantry here I come...tomorrow. The idea for the concrete challenge creating Motivating Monday is from the <a href="http://thehappiestmom.com/">Happiest Mom</a>.<br />
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But on to more fun things, like things my littles may care to read about in 5, 10, 25 years...i.e. one of the main reason to write here! We had a most wonderful and fun weekend :) After much blah-ness the end of last week and wanting cancel everything, Mark kicked me out of the house Saturday morning ALL BY MYSELF to go have coffee with mom and Heather. Thank you all!!! Coffee and quiet are so good :) I may have to escape for an hour or so more often (maybe weekly...hint hint)!<br />
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And then Saturday afternoon we all went to the Imagination Movers concert in C'ville. Thanks so much to SuzySaid.com for picking us in the raffle! We had a fabulous time. It was a bit different watching an outside show, the kids were a little slower to warm up and start dancing. I suspect because the lights were far less danc-y and focusing. Love the Movers!!!! Mark printed out "mini movers" name tags for all of us to wear. And while I felt a little silly...Eloise got a shout out from Mover Rich and Mover Smitty :) And we all got to hug and/or high 5 at least one Mover as they moved through the audience...yeah!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDv7z56xDoGfFbs8kZvJ4dty_wOteY3iectSr4aANdQ5kLIF8jTCtstJbOUbgVZUpK08AVmCF6Z7NHKNIHWitBOSYB74Y5TTjkCcxYX1AmPU2KYwJbbIbWrpG_BPdJKgMJLvEtKzu7YMs/s1600/IMG_5312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDv7z56xDoGfFbs8kZvJ4dty_wOteY3iectSr4aANdQ5kLIF8jTCtstJbOUbgVZUpK08AVmCF6Z7NHKNIHWitBOSYB74Y5TTjkCcxYX1AmPU2KYwJbbIbWrpG_BPdJKgMJLvEtKzu7YMs/s320/IMG_5312.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for the show to start!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxcj9LvR_NYOGI2HOuxHyeCDIOSSV3qfk-M94Yshz5gudjLD1NMkp6pnRe21ZrP9uQaYX58rgc7AEviNO_yiUxDM4f1aK7uHX_oPnFCpQ8KmwoTlqraBzGc9luolkYrpY81ztCbKXtdM/s1600/IMG_5343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxcj9LvR_NYOGI2HOuxHyeCDIOSSV3qfk-M94Yshz5gudjLD1NMkp6pnRe21ZrP9uQaYX58rgc7AEviNO_yiUxDM4f1aK7uHX_oPnFCpQ8KmwoTlqraBzGc9luolkYrpY81ztCbKXtdM/s320/IMG_5343.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching Choo Choo Soul</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDNCTxvZczuPyTWIY_zhVE3cKbUyeg6OmnGFEi1at3SPCe7l2GuTMDbix9OggAN334OhRQLFFz_rHSBV5iR2Sw_Wp_mbhGW5cJkBy75Ta2MozEAyUOEcuKqDIiOJWjmWlEyU6uCW-YaJQ/s1600/IMG_5357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDNCTxvZczuPyTWIY_zhVE3cKbUyeg6OmnGFEi1at3SPCe7l2GuTMDbix9OggAN334OhRQLFFz_rHSBV5iR2Sw_Wp_mbhGW5cJkBy75Ta2MozEAyUOEcuKqDIiOJWjmWlEyU6uCW-YaJQ/s320/IMG_5357.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smitty :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6BjeEFdvmV58QWVHPz87pYBAjflEdCtYTFnRGrYS1Se0fqYTe_-SPomVCdx6YnTNmVtNgA7ylERDgEOqQ0muPBMD127C6nGKGC2cVQL4q2t0cAgwx6F-NfR-rBYhfoKftnc7zZlhAA8/s1600/IMG_5375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6BjeEFdvmV58QWVHPz87pYBAjflEdCtYTFnRGrYS1Se0fqYTe_-SPomVCdx6YnTNmVtNgA7ylERDgEOqQ0muPBMD127C6nGKGC2cVQL4q2t0cAgwx6F-NfR-rBYhfoKftnc7zZlhAA8/s320/IMG_5375.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mathilde's 1st Concert</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After the concert, everyone was of course starving! And where did they want to go eat?! Daddy's work! And we'll take the enthusiasm while we can get it...relatively cheap to feed littles, no wait (empty actually) and close by! So off to the hospital we went for spaghetti and BBQ chicken.<br />
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And Sunday was a day of rest (and cleaning) :) Much needed after three weekends of traveling and activity!<br />
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**WARNING!**change of thought pattern**<br />
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Through some reflection on our existence and activities and behavior recently, it became obvious that our fun was - well, far less than fun for everyone. So with very little effort, we turned our focus to fun activities and away from shopping. It is amazing how much a cold winter can effect perception. It is really not "fun" to go to Target or thrift store or antique mall shopping with 5 kids! But it is SUPER fun to get out and play! Two weekends in a row we didn't step inside a store :) And with the money saved we bought the tickets for Mark and Finn to go to the concert, too! The weekend before we went to Chesapeake to visit family, and during our downtime we wandered the trails at a visitor area in the Great Dismal Swamp! The kids got to play in dirt, and see weird tree roots, and RUN!!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8V9IMJHEWD0Qlsv2M-7MVOcuCKUPIfPQ-7zH7OUEYDLqqbDlYAgN4pjBUJ4ef17unLja6IStC_5IfU6HRge62DfHpPrt-FU_vvxqqCt8t10_mpFoY_T_iH8bWlbaAjl9MMlmUa1hOkM8/s1600/IMG_5177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8V9IMJHEWD0Qlsv2M-7MVOcuCKUPIfPQ-7zH7OUEYDLqqbDlYAgN4pjBUJ4ef17unLja6IStC_5IfU6HRge62DfHpPrt-FU_vvxqqCt8t10_mpFoY_T_iH8bWlbaAjl9MMlmUa1hOkM8/s200/IMG_5177.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGP7VDg9LhQKQB41yTNrNTza-1h5Nsd-JbQMP78ANrCFqCdx6Ewn7KKmsHo64Guu-54_0lAZs2SyvVfxUH-6OfbTmInHbFXXYyNChRiIu2onr4F7eAo2iOataS0eNXNYRZJxfepS0-QHE/s1600/IMG_5183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGP7VDg9LhQKQB41yTNrNTza-1h5Nsd-JbQMP78ANrCFqCdx6Ewn7KKmsHo64Guu-54_0lAZs2SyvVfxUH-6OfbTmInHbFXXYyNChRiIu2onr4F7eAo2iOataS0eNXNYRZJxfepS0-QHE/s200/IMG_5183.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8QV-83gXKnhwRUgNWwl9bL2mjw7YierOr3VVUZbDhmffJ7Jok219zEZfZNQyk94Z7LZ8wwWLfvs1r3q8d5WDAd6gmh8SUoHT1_Awlsj6os0G_x8fXA18o1fG3mUObHl8qD7wnh1TqVg/s1600/IMG_5202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8QV-83gXKnhwRUgNWwl9bL2mjw7YierOr3VVUZbDhmffJ7Jok219zEZfZNQyk94Z7LZ8wwWLfvs1r3q8d5WDAd6gmh8SUoHT1_Awlsj6os0G_x8fXA18o1fG3mUObHl8qD7wnh1TqVg/s200/IMG_5202.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj16Muv43h9NJbmRZQcVJ4fYNu0wZJYCKR2bYG9jvyl0hqqU7opQzW2DHBznvBaRwABz7LQeTCjmHacRJWgp3YtNiNgr3COZD6pwWWkEvoo-Cd1MkH0jc85GPQgPHeoqEJffx1Ij_AED94/s1600/IMG_5194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj16Muv43h9NJbmRZQcVJ4fYNu0wZJYCKR2bYG9jvyl0hqqU7opQzW2DHBznvBaRwABz7LQeTCjmHacRJWgp3YtNiNgr3COZD6pwWWkEvoo-Cd1MkH0jc85GPQgPHeoqEJffx1Ij_AED94/s200/IMG_5194.JPG" width="200" /></a></div> They are growing way to quickly! Fia popped in while I was getting ready this morning, she needed to wash her hands. And without step stool or tip toes, she STOOD there and very adeptly washed her hands. And while I knew she could, I never stopped and watched her do so...must go research how to stop time now!!!Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573303150024187618.post-1409973947584944872011-05-11T10:11:00.000-04:002011-05-11T10:11:57.007-04:00Excuse Me!EXCUSE ME! <br />
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Manners are a great thing and I so love to hear polite little voices say "peas", "dank you" and "escooze me". It is the last that has been greatly used by a certain 3y.o. recently. She uses her magic words well and always has. But a few weeks ago, we were in the grocery store and in a very clear and <u>loud </u>voice, she looks up and says "That was my butt. It farted!" It took a bit of mommy composure not to laugh, but to reintroduce her to "excuse me!". Being Eloise she quickly adopted this new phrase and it has been used A LOT :)<br />
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There is a dilemma with "excuse me" though! It must be used for those unpleasant bodily functions and for interrupting and gaining attention. So we're working our way around this :) Trying to avoid...small voice says "excuse me!"...Mommy says "yes, do you need something?"...small voice should <u>not</u> say "I'm otay mommy, I just urped!" So the question of the week, how to pose the response without getting an undesired answer???<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wordless!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573303150024187618.post-24823458366714996252011-05-10T17:51:00.000-04:002011-05-10T17:51:39.541-04:00My First Love, My True Love<div style="text-align: center;">Eight years ago today I married my love! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5PqcE8iqsYd6obws3BWIuNwHGHSyX-48nBTWBjp3STNL6yli0gKcVAcGqADUkIAiKQJFcO9ZnY7COfkA_li-v6LYyBLWZa49HMTuMropYQYL7oBzvwUUDTLMiD13p5sKSZMaI0SpBMog/s1600/IMG_5229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5PqcE8iqsYd6obws3BWIuNwHGHSyX-48nBTWBjp3STNL6yli0gKcVAcGqADUkIAiKQJFcO9ZnY7COfkA_li-v6LYyBLWZa49HMTuMropYQYL7oBzvwUUDTLMiD13p5sKSZMaI0SpBMog/s320/IMG_5229.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">He has been my constant and my strength. </div><div style="text-align: center;">The ride is just beginning full of hope but going way faster than I'd like! </div><div style="text-align: center;">We have nearly quadrupled our family with our five little loves. </div>Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573303150024187618.post-14299157835655579142011-05-06T11:09:00.000-04:002011-05-06T11:09:54.801-04:00Accepting our weaknesses...Most of my life it has been my mission to be self-sufficient and completely capable. This is a good thing and a bad thing. When it comes to marriage it can be a very bad thing. It leads to an unwillingness to let go and let your partner in. It has always been an effort and a duty I have placed upon myself to be able to do everything that I couldn't cheaply pay someone to do for me should any calamity (God forbid.) ever happen to Mark. There is a dangerous balance though to be able to do it, while not actually doing it ALL by myself. And there have been many periods of time I've failed to be a good partner. But yesterday, I was reminded that it doesn't matter if I can care for the house and barn and kids and stuff...there are just somethings that send me to the floor more helpless than a small child. Thankfully, the Lord blessed me with a man that truly is my match. While it is easy for me to notice his shortcomings, at least as far as I see them and they are truly trivial...he leaves his socks everywhere, he can fall asleep anywhere at anytime, and if I don't ask for help...yup, he'll let me do it by myself (anything! and everything!). But he is strong and caring and when I fall, he stands and supports everything and makes the world right.<br />
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I wish my baby hadn't gotten hurt to remind me of this again!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyu41IXRrrfKX221VXybcbt9hEWHvUCPONvq7MfOfIcjeKC-0hJfMckHCii-dtSbpEM0yjV3Ac2a2oo7s46qv6Z_CrJox90AWEEiYvUJuQqIQhWMxARf3O8poJTYVpVL42IK2pk22-m3Y/s1600/IMG_5165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyu41IXRrrfKX221VXybcbt9hEWHvUCPONvq7MfOfIcjeKC-0hJfMckHCii-dtSbpEM0yjV3Ac2a2oo7s46qv6Z_CrJox90AWEEiYvUJuQqIQhWMxARf3O8poJTYVpVL42IK2pk22-m3Y/s320/IMG_5165.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hamming it up for the camera!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Last night, I was bathing the four bigger kids in the garden tub while Mark went out to mow the grass. It was time to get out and we always go oldest to youngest as an exit strategy from the tub. Well, I called time to get out and both Fia and Finn stood, Finn lost his footing and slipped into the water banging his head on one of the molded jut outs...there was a gash in his forehead. Scooped him out and Fia ran for Mark...we were both standing in the driveway screaming for Mark. I couldn't even look at Finn. All I knew was he was breathing (and not screaming or crying?!) and there was no blood, there is supposed to be blood lots of blood with a head injury?!... Got Mark, the naked wet Fia and Finn back in the house. All I could do was sit on the bed and hold him, Mark checked him and determined that the ER was necessary. So as I became completely frozen gathering insurance cards and storybooks, Mark dressed him and got them out the door to the hospital. I curled into a ball on the bathroom floor trying to compose myself enough to get the other 2 girls out and dressed so I could call my mom! You see despite being able to birth and care for 5 kids, move feed and hay, start a fire, etc etc etc...I <strike>can't</strike> CAN NOT handle blood and injuries. Haven't ever been able too, I always thought it would be different with my kids, but nope. So with renewed appreciation for my husband, I must change 2 things ASAP...1st bathes will now only be taken in the small tub 1-2 kiddos at a time with Mark in the house and second I'm buying bubble wrap and that is what they will wear until they leave our house!<br />
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Finn is doing fine, still seemingly un-phased by the incident and "super glued" back together! It is going to be a week of "be careful" and "watch his head"...but we are on the mend.<br />
Lord, please help me to let go and more readily appreciate my husband! Please protect our babies!Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08345288833346842506noreply@blogger.com0