Oh what do you do in the summer time?

Playing in the sprinklers. Claire lives to be in her swim suit!

 

Birthday babies. Here they are destroying their new outfits from aunt Lisa on they're special day.



I don't usually choose to lay down on the driveway when I enjoy a popsicle, but she makes it look very relaxing.

We had a kids only photo shoot on these pretty steps to make a surprise for Rob on Father's Day.
This is actually Jeremiah refusing to cooperate.



I can't get enough of this smile!



My parents were able to come for Father's Day weekend. It's been a long time since I spent the day with my Dad
on Father's Day! I'm so grateful for him as a Dad and especially now as a grandpa.



A Sunday afternoon check on the chickens



Meet our newest family member, Cali (she's a calico...not too creative, I know).
She's six months old and is proving to be a very tolerant pet with 2 two years to torment her.



Bennett turned 9 in May. He's swimming on swim team this summer and enjoying
his new bike with gears to ease climbing our hill.



Did I mention it's been birthday month around here? Audrey turned 11 this month and got her very own sewing machine. She's already logged more hours on it than my combined use of a sewing machine in my whole life.

And Heely's!

 

We set up an above ground pool a couple weeks ago. It's big enough for the whole family (and half the neighborhood)! It's been so nice to be able to be outside as we live in a very warm place and sometimes we get to feeling trapped indoors.

Hawaii

It's been over a week since our dreamy trip to Hawaii ended. We had an amazing time so I want to share some of the highlights...

Hiking at Waimea Falls. Truly not much of a hike but a huge, beautiful botanical garden with a waterfall at the end where we swam and cooled off.

The jumping rock at Waimea Bay & my first taste of swimming in warm ocean water.
No offence Oregon coast, but this beats your painful, limb numbing water.

Shave Ice on the trail...yummy!

This is Rob's childhood home of ages 6-10 on the Army base. It's a lot smaller than it used to be. We also visited his elementary school and other fond memories of one lucky little boy.

Tuesday breakfast overlooking the crashing waves near Koko Head park. Rob sat here for his conference call till the wind noise got to be too much. He's always said he wanted a job where he could work from anywhere. Wish granted.



At the Polynesian Cultural Center for the 'Ha, Breath of Life' show. It was an amazing show complete with fire jugglers and dancers from all the island nations. A very full day with hiking the lighthouse, snorkeling and getting downright sunburned.

After the show

We got an awesome hook up with tickets at the PCC and got to go back the next day to see all the island performances



A rainy day at Hanauma Bay, but our last chance to snorkel in this amazing place. Besides, the questionable weather kept the not-so-hardy masses away. We got to swim with the turtles and amazing schools of 'convict fish' and Rob even found a shy octopus hiding in the reef.

A dinner cruise our last evening in Oahu was the perfect way to end our vacation.



Rob didn't get to return home with me since he needed to be at a conference for work in California the next morning. We parted ways in Vegas and I took a shuttle home while he rented a car and drove to LA. Here's the kids welcoming him home three days later.



The new norm

Here's a flood of pictures from the last few weeks with Samuel home! We feel so very blessed to have Claire and him as part of our family now. We have been helped along the way by so many people. Our parents and siblings, especially my sister, Lisa have helped in countless ways. Life is as busy as ever, but somehow sweeter now. I believe in miracles.

The twins first walk together in the double jogger

"A parade?" you ask? No, just a Sunday family stroll around the neighborhood.

Yoga for babies

Activity days modesty fashion show with audrey

Jeremiah adores "his" babies

Samuel and Claire's blessing day was bitter sweet. We were finally all together under one roof (as of the day before) and we had waited for so long to bless these precious babies, but Samuel was not tolerating his new feeding tube well and was miserable for most of the day. He returned to the hospital the next day to be treated for dehydration and eventually to befitted with a tube that feeds to his stomach again. He came home for good five days later!

Left: Kate's family and Rob's Dad. Right: Lisa's family and my parents
Love these people

Rob and his sister, Kate

beautiful all in white