Post-bath dancing

This is pretty typical of our nights around here:

They could do this for hours and hours if I let them.

T Swift is always the favorite.  Always.

Back to School

three weeks late . . . but who is counting?

For the first time ever, all four kiddos headed off to school!

Preschool

1st Grade

3rd grade

6th grade

Davis, Noah and Eliza are all at the same elementary school this year.  In fact, Eliza has the same teacher that Noah had just two years ago.  We are enjoying having them at the same place this year, because next year everything will change as Davis starts Junior High (eeek!)  As for Vivian, she started preschool this year and it is a perfect fit.  She loves playing with her friends, chapel, and of course packing her lunch each day just like the big kids.

(she does not look excited at all, does she?)

  

I hope you all are enjoying the new school year as much as we are!

Insta Friday - Hume Lake edition (better late than never)

Life has been crazy this summer. 

I have been working way too much.  The life of an attorney is rough.  Long days, even longer nights.  Never enough hours in the day.  Court appearences, depositions, briefs to write and too much travel.  I have been a lawyer long enough to know that it is always not this bad.  There are times of ridiculous amounts of works, and times not so much work (who am I kidding, the work load is either big or huge - - never small).  This summer the work load has been ridiculous.

So ridiculous in fact that this is the first time I have had a chance to take a peek at my blog since June.  So, even though our trip to Hume Lake was over a month ago, here are a few of my iphone photos from our favorite family vacation spot.

The kids were so excited to leave for Hume.  We had a swim meet in the morning, and then left right after the kids showered and changed.  Here they are, fresh and excited.  I should have taken a picture after 5 plus hours in the car.  It probably would not have been quite so cheery.

We stopped in Tulare on our way up to Hume, and ate at the Black Bear Diner.  We have decided to make this a yearly tradition.  The food is super unhealthy, but the kids love it.   Hey, it is only once a year, right?

After spending the night in Tulare, we headed up the "hill" bright and early the next morning to the Hume campgrounds.  Another favorite place to stop is a little pizza place half way up the hill.  The kids did not care that it was 11:00 am.  They still wanted to stop at "their" pizza place.

Shortly after we stopped for pizza, we lost cell phone reception.  Oh happy day!  A week without phone calls or emails.  Now THAT is a vacation. 

One of my goals for the week:  get a nice golden tan like these two beauties. So long pasty white office skin.

When we got up to Hume, the boys were dying to check-in to their camp.  Too bad we were there about an hour early.  It was torture for them having to wait.  Here they are at the "Ark" for check-in before heading up to Wagon Train.  Check out Noah's hipster glasses with no lenses.  I think he wore them all week.

From this point on, I don't have a lot of phone pictures because I loved the freedom of not caring it around all day (did I mention no work emails!).  Here are the girls on Fourth of July.  Hume has a great little parade on the 4th and guests have the privilege of being woken up to Jimi Hendricks playing the Star Spangled Banner of the outdoor loudspeakers.

We spent most of the week swimming - - either in the lake or the pool.  On this day, we saw a Black Bear on the opposite side of the beach where we were swimming.

Family Self-portrait.

Swinging on a tire swing at night.

Watching the high school group compete in the Gauntlet.

One of these days I will post some pictures from our trip taken with my "real" camera, but until then, link up with Life Rearranged to share the moments captured on your phone.

The Countdown is On!

Only nine more days until Hume Lake.

Wait . . . actually, I should write it like this:

ONLY NINE MORE DAYS UNTIL HUME LAKE!!!!!

Our kids have been excited to return to Hume Lake since about five minutes after we left last year.  It has been talked about and dreamed about.  Not a week goes by without someone mentioning Hume Lake, or all of the fun things that we do there.

This year, both Davis and Noah are going to Wagon Train camp for the week.  A week of sleeping in covered Wagons, crazy activities, games and learning more about Jesus.  D&G at night.  Archery.  Kayaking.  Rappeling.  A kid's paradise.

For Eliza and Vivian, Day Camp (a high-charged VBS setting), Huckleberry House, daily swims in a pool with two divings boards.  Eating in the Ponderosa Lodge with ice cream at almost every meal.

For Keith and I, unplugging from work for an entire week.  NO cellphones.  NO emails.  NO work emergencies.  Enjoying time together kayaking, hiking, paddleboarding and riding on the zip line.  Sneaking in to listen to the high school worship and high school speakers, enjoying the adult speaking series, watching the famous Meadow Ranch belly-flop contest, conquering the high-ropes course and most importantly, spending time as a family.

The Countdown is On!

Two and three quarters

My baby is turning three years old tomorrow.  THREE!!  How is that even possible?

For the past few months, whenever Vivian was asked how old she was, she always replied by saying, "Two and three quarters."

A few hours ago,  I came to the sad realization that after today, Vivian would never answer that question the same way again.  So, just before bed I asked her how old she was just so I could hear the "two and three quarters" answer one last time.

Four Hugs a Day

 I don't know about the rest of you, but life is especially crazy right now. I can hardly wait for summer time which means . . . (drum roll please) NO HOMEWORK! I think I might actually be more excited about this then the kiddos.  Our schedule has been filled with school projects, written reports, oral reports, and end of the year performances.

Recently, Eliza's class did a "Year End Review" of the songs and poems that her class learned over the school year. I love watching school performaces, espcially if it involves a group of five and six year olds when anything can happen. I am one of those sappy moms who cries my way through the performace. Maybe it is because I already have one kiddos who is getting close to junior high. Maybe it is because the years seem to be going faster and faster and no matter what I do, my kids keep growing up. I am not sure. What I can tell you is that I enjoyed every second of Eliza's performance.

Here is a clip of my favorite song of the morning. Check out my daughter with the big personality in the front row.

And here is Eliza's number one fan: 

I hope you all are enjoying the end of the school year as much as we are!

The love of a Mother

I am sure by now you have all seen this new advertisment by Procter & Gamble honoring all that a Mother does for her child.

I love it.  Love, love, love it!

I have watched it at least fifteen times and it brings me to tears every single time.

There is no feeling like the love for a child.  Grab a tissue and enjoy!