summer highlights

{june}

boise half ironman . swim lessons . late nights . early mornings . pinewood derby . roaring springs waterpark . yard work . yw girls camp . fathers and sons campout . fathers day . summer buzzes . kids out of school . smoker

{july}

trip to utah . surprise visit from doug . 4th of july bbq at brasher's . firworks in holladay . hiking mt. olympus . stadium of fire . temple with mom . baby henry is born . time with cousins . kiddie klippers . ward campout . doug's birthday . caring for baby bird . boise spudman . walking with mom . scout day camp . book club . lunch with sis in laws . shopping with mom and girls . piano practicing . morning reading . summer goals . running group with abigail

{august}

hawaii trip. bbq with friends . visit from mom and dad . football, football and more football . gymnastics . claire visits . kayaking . zip lines . secret service agents . rope swinging . waterfalls . long hike with kids . running along the coast . time with cousins . dinner with brasher adults . late night visit with jay and kathy . abi b-day . boogie boarding . swimming in the ocean . gecko's . sea life . sunday brunch . fhe at the beach . toads . shave ice . back to school shopping . school starts:(

my baby . . .

. . . eighteen months so soon. little locks grown long. mouthfull of teeth. first words. my baby, not so much of a baby anymore. each new milestone celebrated. every stage enjoyed. i will always carry a piece of my babies forever in my heart.

my friend shawni (i call her my friend, but she has no idea who i am:)) she put into words just how i feel:

"There is something magical about having a baby. Your baby. The way you know just how they like to be held. The way their eyes light up when you walk into a room. The way you can understand every noise they make (most of the time after you have put in some good sweat and tears to figure that out). The way your heart feels like it just may burst out of you when you watch them sleep at night. I looked forward from the time I was practically a baby myself to that time when I would be able to carry my own around on my hip, their pacifiers as a ring.

Sure, they were trouble. Sure, they caused me to loose sleep and hair and stomach muscles. But they were mine. And I could never, ever seem to get enough of them."

I am so thankful to have been blessed six times over. . . to be able to swaddle, soothe, nurse, nuzzle, sniff, sing to, and mother six of my own. i am hanging on tight to these busy, full days of all six under one roof. each day is truly a gift.