LOVE THIS MOMENT

There are so many things Baker cannot do and of course we try not to focus on that but sometimes we can feel a little sad for him.  That is why when we find a "normal" activity that can be adapted so he can take part we get so excited!  The boys have had this Razor for a year and they absolutely love it and pretty much drive it every day.  Finally Baker got a ride in it and it was so incredibly special to see.  He has this great Special Tomato chair that has a chest harness and a lift between his legs that helps secure him in place.  This chair can strap in so many things - in fact I have talked about it in other posts.  Well we put it to use in the razor.  It strapped securely on the chair that is there and his legs barely fit behind the bar but they did and he was all smiles.  Talan and Deegan took turns driving him around and my heart melted.  Madden loves to drive this too but we didn't quite trust him to drive around Baker yet so far now he just sat in the back.    Little moments like this can just mean so much and we are so thankful for them.

11 years

Friday the 22nd was Jeromy and I's 11 year anniversary.  Crazy to think back and reflect on how our lives have changed in the last 11 years and how fast time can go!  We have been together 14 years and it is strange to think of a time without him.  I am so thankful for my wonderful hubby and for the 4 sweet little boys we have been blessed with.   On Friday night the 2 of us were able to get out on our own and go to the Kenny Chesney concert in Tacoma.  What a great time.  The concert was so much fun and the next morning we went to a park (forget the name) and had some nice relaxing time walking around in the peacefulness of the morning on the beach and then did some shopping.  It is rare that we spend some time with just the 2 of us and it was very nice.


I don't know why I look so giant in this picture.  It is at the concert, I must have been standing on a stair or something.  I really do not tower over him :)



Walking along the beach.

MORE SUMMER ADVENTURES

Let's see, since our last camping trip over Memorial Weekend we have had a few more adventures.

Baker and I rode in my brothers Truck (which he dedicated to Menkes awareness and Baker) in the Farmer's Day parade in Lynden.  Baker loves this.  He loves to see everyone waving and smiling at him, it is so precious and Brent is so amazing and thoughtful to do this for Baker.  He loves our little guy too.

His little smilling face looked so cute in there

We went to the Lynden KOA (oh I know, big travel right...but we love it) with the Stauffer family.  The weather was not very good, lots of rain but that didn't matter to the kids.  They played in the mud and had a great time.  As before, they loved the paddle boats, golfing, swimming, fishing (dodging all the duck poop), playing on the playground and riding bikes.

Next was Father's Day.  We are so lucky to have 3 wonderful Father's in our lives.  My Dad, Jeromy's Dad and of course Jeromy.  They are all so wonderful and we are so blessed to have them.  Jeromy is such an amazing Daddy to our boys and they just adore him.  I am one lucky lady!  

My Dad and his 5 grandsons

Jeromy and the boys

No pictures with Jeromy's Dad b/c they are out of town for a few months on a canoe brigade

Next we took a trip to Wenatchee to visit Jeromy's parents on their half way point.  The boys enjoyed watching them canoe in and we spent time swimming and playing in the park.

This is a special needs chair that we bought for Baker and we have used it in so many places it is our best purchase for him so far - fits in his stroller, we can tie it on the wagon, can strap it in the bike trailer, can put on the ground to play in the sand and also on the tire swing.  So fun for him!!

We had a get together at our house for the 4th of July.  Last year we were camping but this year it didn't work out for us and Jeromy loves to do fireworks (and we love to watch them) so we had some friends over (The Stauffers, Langstraats and Ramermans) and ate together, the kids played and we watched the fireworks show.  Boy does it not get dark until late theses days - so all the kids stayed up super late but they didn't even act tired, not even little Madden.   In the past Baker has been afraid of the fireworks but not this year. 

You might be a redneck if you hook up your boat to your 4-wheeler to give all the kids a ride :)

Here is a picture of the bunch minus Baker (who is on my lap) and Kingston (sleeping in the stroller) and the Langstraat kids.

Then was a camping trip to Lake Goodwin with The Brink's and the Ahlers.  We had so much fun together.  The weather turned out to be much nicer then expected which is great.  This park has a great little "swimming" area for the kids...I say swimming lightly b/c it is so shallow for so far out that the kids can walk around and play in it and we feel pretty safe which is great.  There is also a great city park right next to the campground that we could walk to and they had a very fun playground for the kids to play in and also a very shallow swimming area.   The kids also love the speedbump that was right out in front of our trailers.  They are took turns trying to make jumps over it on their bikes.  We thought for sure someone would end up with stitches by the end but everyone stayed injury free.

The boys were all in love with Sparkey, the Brink's dog.  They kept wanting to take him for "walks" and cudle him. Very cute!

At some point early this summer Jeromy also replaced our deck.  We had/have Trex decking and our last batch was faulty and got recalled and it was peeling apart and didn't look good.  So Jeromy had the big task of taking it all down (we put it on Craigslist for free and wow when you put something up for free Holy Cow do you get a lot of people wanting it) and then he had to put it all on again.  Big job but as usual he did it so beautifully.  You will often find me bragging about my hubby and how lucky I am that he is so handy.  I really mean that, I swear that guy can build or fix anything and I love that.   He is such a hard worker, we are so lucky!  I hope the boys grow up to be just like him!

Here is Madden "helping Daddy" and he is drinking water out of an empty beer bottle, gotta love it right, he thinks he is super cool :)
A month or two ago Deegan lost his first tooth.  He has been wiggling it around forever and kept asking when he would lose it and one day he came running in the house so excited, tooth in hand, blood running down his chin, saying "look mom I lost my tooth" he was beyond thrilled :) 

The boys started their little 2 week soccer camp type thing at Bender Fields this week.  Hopefully they will enjoy that.  It is fun to watch them play.

Coming up yet - next Friday is Jeromy and I's 11th wedding anniversary and we are so excited to be going to a Kenny Chesney Concert in Tacoma and spending the night down there.

Then we have a camping trip to Concrete KOA coming up as well as one to Oak Harbor City Park.  We are looking fwd to both of those.

MEMORIAL DAY CAMPING

We headed out for our annual camping trip with some of our friends to the Winthrop KOA over Memorial Weekend. The families that went this year were: Ortiz', Baars, Nyhoff's, Vissers, Hansons, Maynards, Powells, Todd and us. 
This year was a bit colder then the past with a majority of the time having us where jeans and sweatshirts. We had some wind and rain but also some sunshine and warmer moments too :)  Enough for Baker to get a sunburn on his face one afternoon.  The kids all had a blast.  I think they have more fun every year.  Talan and Deegan really liked being around the big kids (Easton and Kobe) this year.  Madden loved to follow anyone around and Baker was happy being included in any of the mix.  There were plenty of walks, bike rides, wagon rides, a little swimming (it was a little cold though), some fishing, lots of playground time, a play doe party, trip to the fish hatchery and lots of playing with toy guns.  A good time for everyone I think.

I was happy Baker was content with just watching the boys in the pool this time since it was a bit cold

The boys hanging out by the ipod with Easton and Kobe

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The last night we rented these 3 wheeled banana bikes and they were so much fun.  We all took turns riding them.  Madden was upset he couldn't reach the pedals and ride for himself!

Madden doing his typical cheese face with eyes shut



 Jeromy took his little pump up boat and it worked out even better then expected.  He took Talan and Deegan one day with Troy and Grant and another day he took Madden along with Andy and Wyatt.  Unfortunately Madden dropped Deegans fishing pole into the water and Jeromy wasn't able to retrieve it so poor Deeg's was bummed but he gets a new pole out of the deal :)

Had to include this picture too.  Jeromy does this every year.  Ties a bunch of wagons together and fits in as many kids as possible and takes them for a ride.  He seems like a Clydesdale leading the bunch.

Here is a picture of all the kids that came.  What a group!

PRESCHOOL

Last week Preschool came to a close for Talan and Deegan at Sonshine Preschool.  For the most part I think they really enjoyed it.  Although Deegan cried many times when I dropped him off but all except one time (when I had to go back and pick both of them up) he recovered very quickly.  Fingers crossed to how Kindergarten will go next year!
Not long ago they had their final preschool program and the boys love to sing and dance around especially Deegan and he especially always learns the words really well and gets into them.  We were ready front row with cameras out and the first song started and the both did well and I could hear Deegan above all and he was into it and then not but a few seconds later I saw him grab his tummy look down and I knew that was it.  He was going to lose it.  He started to bawl.  Poor little guy.  I left him for a moment and then the teacher looked at me and said I could go get him and he sat on my lap the entire rest of the program.  He said his tummy hurt. Poor little guy gets a nervous tummy just like his mommy.  I think him seeing everyones eyes on them freaked him out and I was so sad for him b/c I know he loves to sing and he was having fun up there.  I did try to send him back up there one more time for when they were doing pictures but he still didn't like it.  Still cried.  You can see at the start of the pictures he looks great and is happy and then you see the downfall.  Hopefully this is something he will get over!  The boys both made such special little keepsakes for Jeromy and I. I will treasure those handmade things forever and they are in my special memory box.  I love you boys!

Then the last day of school was wheels day where everyone got to take their bikes and ride around the parking lot.  The boys had fun.

Here is a picture with one of their favorite preschool buddies, Weston VanDalen