Not a care in the world

Whoo Wooooo's birthday is it??

Abbott turned one last weekend, and Adam turned thirty....something. Em chose to do an OWL theme because Abbott has a stuffed owl that she is quite taken with. I thought, an OWL theme??? That is gonna be tough.

What did we do before the internet??? or google??? An owl theme is only a couple of clicks away from reality thanks to google. Well...I should not discount that my sister is quite the creative genius, so I must not give google all of the credit.



A cupcake stand??? NOPE it's a candle holder filled with cupcakes. Em painted the bird house, and we all signed it for a keepsake. "WHOOO" would have thought?

The kids had a BLAST swimming. This group is easy to please....when ADAM is around.

See what I mean?

I just love this pic. I really love that I live in the same town with my sister. I'm thankful to watch our kids grow up together. What a treat!

Happy birthday sweet ONE. We love you:)

Kids do the grossest things : Installment 1

I can't believe I'm blogging about this. Look at that face....she's still not disgusted with what just happened??? I was cleaning potties and tidying up because Mason and company are coming for a weekend visit. I walked in, and MARY WAS IN MID GULP!!

Deep breaths, deep breaths.

Mary: Mommy I noticed there was blue juice in the potty, and so I decided to try it because I was thirsty.

Me: Mary the toilet was dirty, and I added cleaner to get rid of the germs, and now you have drunk the germs and the cleaner.

Mary: Welp....I guess I need to brush my teeth...ALL BETTER!

BLAHHHHH!

Today is my sweet niece's birthday! Happy Birthday ABBOTT CLARE! We love you:)

A "stay- at- home" preacher

A couple of years ago, the husband started taking Allie out on dates now and then. Before we knew it, Mary sprouted up on us, and we realized that she needed to get some daddy time as well. THEN, I noticed, "Hey why does he get to have all the fun??? I'm always the bad guy! It's MY TURN!" So starting this month, we started a new routine. I get a night with one girl, and he gets a night with the other, and then next month, we will switch.

This was my first "date" with Allie. What a hoot she is?? She knows the drill I guess.

Allie: So mom, what do you want to talk about??? Hows about....What do you want to be when you grow up?

Me: Well...Al...I'm already grown up...but I think...

Allie: interrupting.... Well...you are a pharmacist and a mom, so which do you like better??

Me: Oh that's easy...definitely a mom. So Al...what do YOU want to be when you grow up??

Allie: Oh that's easy too...I've narrowed it down to FOUR things. A counselor b/c of Pine cove, A teacher b/c I love Ms. Callaway, A Preacher b/c I love God, and a mom b/c I love kids.

Me: Well which do you want to be the most??

Allie: Ummm....a preacher for sure. Preachers ONLY have to work on Sunday and then I could be a mom the other 6 days. That'll be perfect!

This kid really does keep the lightheartedness in the fam:)

And I discovered that Coke and ice cream are a REALLY scary combination.

The sweetest part of our date??? Allie said that I was ONE LUCKY MAMMA that she picked a restaurant for "older" people and not a kiddie restaurant like Mary had chosen for daddy recently. She went on to share that she was really glad there was no playground because she wouldn't want to lose any time with me. Uhhh....please FREEZE! I could have a houseful of seven year olds...FOREVER!

Crumbs

Shhhh...don't tell mommy I took off with her brownie spoon....


What, do you think she'll notice??

Is there something on my face???

I took this pic of Allie before church yesterday. She's looking a little like she's growing up...teeth and all:)

Pine Cove

We spent last week at Pine Cove family camp!! We'd never been before, but having gone...we are hooked!

Allie and Mary are old enough to get to do all the "camp" type stuff. Allie said everyday that she did NOT want to go home.

Allie with her group, the Pink Ponies.

Just hangin' with new friends at the pool

Ready for the slide

Garrett yelled..."COVE KIDS" every time we walked by his building. He did get really tired by mid week but hung in there. Staying up until 10 every night is not easy for a 2 year old! He played hard on the play ground and went swimming....ALOT!

I just have to show off the play pen...it's HUGE! Garret has long since outgrown his packnplay, but we really didn't want to "bed train" him this summer for vacation. I think we can get another year out of him with all this room! Don't ask me why Mary wanted to hang out in there with him. Gman has never had a problem with it!

The chapel by the lake where the adults met each morning

We had to get resourceful for the Seuss on the Loose theme night.

Can't wait to go back! It is hard to describe...the pics describe mostly what the kids did the whole week, but there was so much more to it than what we all DID. It was a time to relax, to regroup, and to revisit what is important!

OH!!! The BEST THING that happened all week????

Colson Allen Rowe was born on July 13 at 2:12 pm! Katie and company doing GREAT! We are so thankful that God brought him into this world safe and sound.

This slide show is LONG. I make a DVD of each trip we take so that the kids can watch it later and so that the videos will be included. I decided to post because it is very grandparent worthy:)

A free digital slideshow by Smilebox

Little bit of this...little bit of that

This is a very random post. I just feel "blogless" this summer....just can't seem to find anyone who is interesting around here. Of course I'm kidding. I think my kids are VERY interesting, but I doubt the rest of the world does.

Every day one of them says something to crack me up, and I really do wish I was better about documenting.

One in particular this week...

Mary: Mom I think Abbott and I are twins. (Abbott is her almost one year old cousin).

Mom: Why do you think that?

Mary: Well because I look just like me daddy, and well Abbott SURE does look just like her daddy.

Mom: Mary, I think are just RIGHT for thinking that...and well you do look JUST LIKE your daddy. You act just like him too!

Emily and I were hanging out in Hobby Lobby a long while back. We were both being silly, and she snapped this picture of me. It is SO TRUE!!!

It rained all day today, so I decided to try something that I have been meaning to do for a while. I made Garrett a shirt. I made the design on photoshop, printed it out, and ironed it right on. Now if I could just get it on there straight:(

I've been making labels and cards for a while, so I just decided to post a few. They make easy little "I thought of you" gifts.

No more running out to get a birthday card. These have come in handy lots of times.

I made these today for my sweet little newly 2 year old niece, but realized I didn't have anything to print them on! Mel...I"m sorry...little darling is loved...but loved late!

I made these for Garrett's thank you notes after his birthday.

So there you have it...a little bit of this and a little bit of that. I'm real careful to say I'm waiting for things to get exciting around here. I think we all need boring, rainy days now and then.

This is how it feels to be free

Here's a little slideshow from our Fourth Festivities! We had a great time with our sweet friends, the Williams....swimming, eating, swimming, eating, and popping a few firecrackers in their neighborhood. Thanks guys!

I chose this song for the slide show because I listen to it frequently while running.....that'll get you runnin'! We are free...we live in a free country and are blessed beyond measure. Thanks be to God for blessing our great nation and thank you to the men and women who for years and years have fought for our country.

"So if the Son has set you free, you will be free indeed." John 8:36

A picture slideshow by Smilebox

Priceless

New muscle shirt: $3
New haircut: $12
Mom's sunglasses: Actually they are Emmy's

Cost of staying "cool" for the summer: Priceless