Storm Lake

Last weekend we went to Storm Lake for some boating and fun at the lake. Luke having a ball on the boat.

Jack was jumping off the boat to catch Grandpa Rex's throw.

Getting ready.................

and he catches it! This one is a little blurry but I love the way his legs were all sprawled out! I need to increase shutter speed huh Monica? The problem is I'm trying to keep everything else right in the bright sun! Ugh, I need a class too!

He also built a sweet sand river and dam area out of the creek off of the beach.

This is Luke laughing his head off as Grandpa Rex tried to throw Daddy from the tube. He kept saying that Daddy was going "out of the tracks" whenever Brad would be outside the wake. He really thought it was hilarious! Brad never did fall off.

Brad and Selah on the tube. She went from holding her chin in her hand from boredom to crying when they started going faster!

Jack cautiously tried the tube again this year but didn't get too crazy or want to go very fast!

Jack and Brad's cousin Steph's little boy Keeyan who was also up for the day with Brad's aunt and uncle. Luckily he liked both baseball and playing army so all the boys got along great!

Luke, Selah, and Keeyan on the tire swing at the park.

Selah requested I keep taking her pictures by things at the park, she thought she was on a photo shoot!

Pretty pictures by the beach, we had fun walking out here... until Luke wiped out on the rocks and bonked his head!

They put in a fountain in the lake off of the beach and park, we could even see it from Brad's parents house.

Layken's 11th birthday

Last night Layken had her 11th birthday party at the beach! I cannot believe she is 11 years old! Sweet polka dot cake!

It wasn't hot, and they didn't last long in the water.

Layken, her sister, her friends, and her cousin.

Luke loves the beach and wanted to show me the sand.

Waaay to bright, I need to work on that, especially when Selah's head looks like it's glowing! Jack and Levi were off playing most of the party, exploring and play fighting the ever present bad guys.

Mollie and the Girls

Mollie and the girls are in Iowa for a few weeks and they also came for a visit last week for a few days. They live in Phoenix and we don't get to see them very often and we were excited they were coming to see us at the new house! I REALLY wanted a picture to document Cece and Elle's first bonfire and this is the best I could get. (Monica I need help with my new lens!) These city girls really weren't real impressed with the fire and even less with the lightning bugs! I think they just needed more time in the "country" to get used to it.

Because they both have birthdays in July I made a berry poke cake for them to have while they were here. I LOVE their pretty hair in the low light. They are one of the few girls I have seen that have hair blonder than Selah. Mollie says everyone asks in Phoenix if they're from Norway! No just Iowa.

Everyone having a Popsicle after the slip and slide.

The two oldest Cece and Jack, would you believe she just turned six and Jack is about to turn eight? Brad noticed they are already leaning apart trying to get away from each other, I guess that time of girls and boys playing separate has come! His game the whole time they were here was to hide from all of the girls and then jump out and scare them so they screamed. They did... a lot!

The three little ones. Cece and Elle LOVED the trampoline, it's so hard to get pictures of that though!

We watched a few shows from downstairs that they put on for us through the railing upstairs. Selah loved that they love to do shows, she was in girl heaven for a few days and I was so glad to get the chance to catch up with Mollie while the kids played. It was a very laid back couple of days just hanging out at the house AND sweet Mollie helped me after I got sick one of the days, only your best friends do that and don't run for the door! I loved having them here but maybe next time we can visit them in Arizona... in February!

Jennifer and the boys

Sunday night Brad's sister Jen and her boys got here to stay for a couple of days to hang out with cousins. We had not seen them for about a year and not even met baby Andrew so we were all very excited for their visit.

Selah did love having baby Andrew around to help take care of, she was a little disappointed I wouldn't let her hold him unless she was sitting down but I told her he's too big for her to carry!

Andrew is a great baby, I can only hope to be so lucky with this one coming! Minus the times Jen had to get up with him both nights, that part I am not looking forward to. How cute are those cheeks?

This is Nick in the woods playing with Jack, he was not crazy about me following him around to get a picture so I had to sneek up on him!

This is Grant, he turned 6 this spring and towers over our little Jack! They had a lot of fun playing army and catch together.

Aunt Jennifer went on the trampoline a few times with Luke and Selah and Luke loved it. He kept asking her to go on again with her, I think he liked being bounced up even higher.

This looks like trouble for any bad guys who dared to go in the woods.

Selah's Secret

Today after lunch Jack had the other two kids go downstairs with him while I cleaned up. He had just been on the phone with Daddy and had a big smile on his face so I knew something was up.

Selah comes up a few minutes later and says "I have a secret!" I said "Oh you do, what is it?" "I'm not supposed to tell you (long pause with her looking very seriously at me) it's a card we are making for your birthday! But you can't know about it, we just have to give it to you!" she says. "Okay" I told her, "I won't know about it until you give it to me." She went back downstairs very satisfied and seemed to feel much better. I don't know about what is looks like, not until the next time she comes upstairs!

BBQ with the Pollaks

Now that we are settled friends are starting to visit us at our new home, it was so great the other night when the Pollaks came for a BBQ. I was SO ready to see friends this week and we had a great time with Laura and Greg and all the kids. Quinlan, Brinkley, Eden, Boaz and Moses! Of course we had to have a fire for the occasion and some "smokes" that is what Selah calls s'mores.

Laura got the biggest marshmallows I have ever seen, and Selah was more than happy to try them out!

That is sweet Laura in the background, she has been such a good friend to me since Jr. High...... and in college, and in Des Moines (1st time), and they moved to Omaha for a bit, and she was such a great friend and support to me long distance while I was in Rochester too. I thank God for her and glad to be near her again.

This is Brinkley and Moses, she was hiding in the grass and would jump out at Moses. He had that great baby giggle every time.

Here she comes again!

All the kids (except the baby) on the swing set, they all posed for me. Thanks for coming out guys, we had a great time please come again soon!

The 4th of July

We had a big day yesterday! We went to a 4th celebration and parade in rural Iowa, then had Mom and Dad over for a BBQ, some sparklers, and a fire. It was a nice 4th to be back in Iowa! They sat nice for one picture for me and then were off!

Grandpa Ken made Jack a slingshot and target when they came over yesterday. In just a little while Jack had it figured out really well and could even hit a pop bottle.

Mom and Dad brought the only fireworks that are legal in Iowa, snakes, sparklers, and confetti pops. They were fun and Jack said the snakes were pretty cool but I think he missed a little the explosive ones from Minnesota!

Playing ball in the back yard.

Jack paid $1.00 for three balls to knock this poor girl in the water, he hit the target two of the three times!

I forgot how much I have missed small town parades. On the 4th we went to the Earlam 4th of July parade and had a great time.

Luke loved when the firetrucks blew their horn or put on the siren, every time he screamed and laughed, it was pretty funny.

Ready with their candy bags.

Leah's friend from church invited us to sit by their house for the parade.

The Des Moines fireworks were Thursday night and not super impressive, we waited forever for a 7 minute show!

The kids did have fun and loved doing sparklers there.

Jude was not scared!