birthday bash

this year we decided to do another combined birthday party. so on august the 28th we rented out the opoa pavilion and pool, and celebrated vivian turning 5 and bauer turning 3!!

it was a beautiful day filled with family & friends.

trip and steph.

baby sister frances.

eli and campbell.

lucy.

birthday girl, vivian and savannah.

sydney.

finally, we all gathered to enjoy a little picnic of pb&j, cheetos, juice boxes and cupcakes.

some of us REEEALLLY enjoyed the cupcakes!! :)

the kids opened their gifts from gege and pawpaw (since they were heading out of town). vivian got a very cool iron and ironing board she had been eyeing for quite sometime in the pottery barn catalog.

and bauer got a buzz lightyear scooter, both were a BIG hit!!

when we got home the kids enjoyed opening the rest of their gifts from friends, and from each other. this was the first year they picked something out for the other all by themselves.

just for my memory, vivian got bauer a woody costume, he got her a barbie convertible. it was a fabulous blessed day!!

siblings

everytime i am out people comment "you have got your hands full." they are right, but not just for the reasons they think. having a 5, 3, and 5 month old is exhausting...but we planned it that way. i want my children to really ENJOY each other! and every once in a while i get a little photographic proof they are doing just that...

hooded silliness...they INSISTED frances wanted to wear the hood!

yes, my hands ARE full...of blessings!! :)

playdates

even though we have had a very busy summer, there was still lots of time for the kids and their best buddies to get together. sometimes we went to the movies, played at our house, checked out the tube room...

or bowled. one day we even ventured to the zoo..

bauer loves him some trip.

everyone enjoyed checking out the lions.

sweet girls.

and of course...no trip is complete without a carousel ride.

saturday morning

this summer has been a scorcher, but every saturday morning, we try to get out and enjoy a little sunshine.

miss vivian LOVES going on trail walks with daddy and bauer...

even though they can be a bit silly! i must admit this is one of our new (and possibly my favorite) addition to our summertime rituals.

yep...that is a good looking crew, i'll keep 'em!

mouth and ears

the first week of august the kids went to the dentist. this was a first for bauer...

luckily, big sister was a great example of how to be very brave.

and i must admit, i am very proud, not only of their good reports, but also of their good behavior.

afterwards, vivian asked if she could be "rewarded". i asked what she had in mind. "i want to get my ears pierced!" (we had this done pre-accident, but because of surgery and all the ct scans, they were taken out and never put back in.) ummm....okay!!

so off we went to merle norman. we took a little "pre-game" picture, and after a big hug from brother...

this big girl was proud to show off her new earrings!

vivian meet bob

with her fifth birthday quickly approaching little miss v decided it was time for a big girl hair cut.

i think we had about seven inches cut off, and the result was a very cute bob.

frances really likes it.

and so does everyone else!! vivian was most excited because after a few rollers, and new hair accessories she exclaimed, "look, i'm just like you mommy....i'm a MINI-MOMMY!!!"

four month frances

i cannot remember life without sweet baby f. she is so good natured, and happily rides along on big brother and sister's adventures.

at four months, she had a little adventure of her own when we tried rice cereal. hmmm...maybe not the biggest hit! ;)

but not unlike the rest of the day's....she has found one thing she really loves...

"what?! i should get to pick the movie sometimes!!" :)

a glimpse of the future?

vivian, a prima donna who loves spa treatments...

bauer, the tattooed man. :)

summertime happiness

the truth is july was filled with so many amazing memories...

my pretty girls in yellow.

my sweaty son playing monster.

the big sister helper.

baby frances discovering the jumper frog.

brother loving his big sister.

frances laughing out loud for the first time. love...LOVE...LOOOOVE!!!

the smith's and the pantry

the second week of july the kentucky\ohio smith cousins came to visit. we met up at this great lr restaurant that i had been wanting to try, the pantry. but it has a bit of an adult menu, so with the above group i, must admit i was a bit nervous.

but seriously...what do i know anyway?! this super big girl (with her stylish silly bandz) devoured most of the pate, prosciutto, goat cheese, and kalamata olives.

never fear, the grown-ups enjoyed themselves as well...

all four generations!!! :)