Sunday Best

I've learned a few things having a daughter.

Girls take longer to get ready on Sunday mornings,

but it's also a lot more fun to get your little daughter all dressed up and ready for church!

I know I've put lots of pictures up of pretty much the same thing, but I couldn't resist. Emily was finally big enough for this little dress I found on clearance a while back and I was smitten. I don't know that there is anything cuter than a little girl all dolled up and ready for church. This tan, blue-eyed, blonde princess is my little ray of sunshine!

Latest Project- Calendar Frame

Our new home doesn't have a lot of wall space in the kitchen area, and I was having a hard time figuring out where to put my calendar. I had it in the washroom for a while, but it was driving me crazy not being able to see it all the time. The problem was I didn't like the look of hanging the plain old calendar right on the wall by the formal dining room. I thought a frame would be a good solution to help dress it up a little. I found some online, but they wanted almost $40 for them so I decided to see if I could make my own.

At Home Depot, I picked up a cheap baseboard for .44 cents a foot. Fortunately, Jeff has a power saw for all the work he's been doing in the basement, so I took some measurements and started cutting. After cutting all the pieces, I glued them with wood glue, then stapled them in the back to make sure they'd hold.

Then came the sanding & painting. The longest part of the project was waiting for the paint to dry. Finally I sprayed a finishing coat on them and attached some sturdy cardboard with finished edges (also painted) to the back and stapled it to the frame. I attached a picture hanger to the back and this was the finished product.

And of course, added the calendar.

I was happy with how the project turned out. It was cheap, quick, and easy. (And I survived my first project attempt with power tools. :) Mostly I like how it makes the calendar look a little nicer hanging on the wall.

Visit from the Stevens

During the last week of July, we had some fun visitors! Amanda had been out visiting her parents on their mission and asked if they could stop by our place on their long drive home, no questions there! After the family reunion, our kids kept asking when they would get to see their cousins again and were so excited when they found out that a few of the Stevens cousins would be coming to spend the night.

Scott, Amanda, Isaac, Eliza, Tommy and Gideon made to our house about 9:30pm. And that's when all the fun started. The kids were so happy to see each other and immediately started up a game of cops and robbers outside. They had a blast running around with all their gear. That gave us time to catch up with Scott and Amanda. We gave them the tour of our place and enjoyed visiting together.

Matthew and Gideon are hilarious together. These two little boys are exactly 2 weeks apart in age. They're such good buddies, and love spending time together. Matthew usually tells me one of two things, 1- that Gideon is his best friend or 2- that Gideon is his brother. Their little personalities just click and they're usually best of friends. It makes me laugh hearing their conversations- these two are so funny.
I don't know many people who have a greater appreciation for a good back rub than Scott or Jeff. I love watching these two together too.
The sleeping arrangement worked out pretty well. We had beds available, but none of the kids wanted to sleep away from each other so we ended up just lining them all up in a row in the basement. Everyone slept pretty well that night.
It was pretty late by the time we got everyone in bed, but they were having so much fun together we hated to break it up. They were still up fairly early the next morning and the fun started all over again for the couple hours the Stevens were able to stay before taking off. It was sad to see them leave, but we were so glad they were even able to make the stop. We sure love our family and are grateful for any time we can spend together.

Red Neck Afternoon

Well, if I'm ever needing a good laugh, all I have to do is come back to the pictures of the afternoon we decided to take the kids to a fun local splash park. I probably shouldn't even do a post on it- but we have to remember the funny parts of life too right?

I should give a little background on the series of events leading up to the afternoon. Jeff and I had heard about this little splash park/wading pool that was nearby and thought it would be fun to take the kids, so we made plans to go on a Saturday. I've been training for a marathon and knew that I also had to do a 15-mile run that morning. So we decided that I would leave early to do my run, Jeff would get the kids ready while I ran and then we would meet up at a park where I would finish and just drive to the splash park together.

Sounds simple enough, but it can be tricky to get 4 kids up and ready and out the door with everything packed. Especially when dad is playing the solo role for the morning. I finished the run, we met up at the park and drove to the splash park. We were even early- 15 minutes before it opened. The fun came when it was time to get everyone in their swimsuits.

If you look closely at the picture above and below, you might notice that Matthew is sporting a nice looking pair of cut-off jean shorts. A pair of cut-off jean shorts that had only days before been his ragged jeans. Somehow Matthew's swimsuit had been left at home. He was pretty sad about having to get in the pool with his shorts. I was just trying to get him to get in fast before anyone saw those ragged cut-offs and didn't let him go in. I was already feeling a little white trash at this point with my 3-year old swimming in his blue jean cutoff shorts. But it only gets better...
Jeff came out of the bathroom with a concerned look on his face and let me know that Emily's swimsuit was also missing! Somehow in the hustle and bustle of the morning, he had left her swimsuit at home. Luckily, he had remembered the swim diaper though. At this point we didn't really know what to do. We were far enough from home that we didn't want to go back, and the boys were already swimming, and Emily was dying to get in the water. I didn't have the heart to keep her out, so we pulled a true redneck moment.

Jeff had brought my swimsuit- and I really didn't want to put Emily in the pool in just a swim diaper, so we left her little shorts on and put my tankini top on her. Take a look.
It's not everyday you see a 16-month old baby sporting a Victoria Secret swim top. I did have enough sense to take out the removable padding, because come on- everyone would have known they were fake! (sorry...couldn't resist) I was really hoping that Emily would just stay in the water and play and blend in with the other kids. Of course though, she kept wanting to get out to go from one pool to another-she and her cutoff jean swimsuit clad brother. I was dying, and I'm sure everyone was wondering who in the heck brought their kids to the pool looking like that. But it gets better...

At this point we were starting to notice Emily's shorts getting bigger and bigger. As it turns out, Jeff had not grabbed a swim diaper, he hadn't even grabbed a regular diaper. In his hurry, he had grabbed a lone, random Pull-Up. Do you know what pull-ups are for? They're designed with the same purpose as a diaper, except that they hold a LOT more pee. Oh yes, not only was our daughter wearing her mother's massive tankini top, and her own khaki shorts, she was also wearing a 15 pound Pull-Up instead of a swim diaper that was growing bigger by the second! After twenty minutes, it was so heavy she could barely walk from one pool to the other. That's when I finally drew the line. We could NOT stay any longer. I knew at any minute I was going to get a visit from one of the teenage lifeguards that we had made a few too many dress code violations.

So Jeff was a sweet daddy (and I think he felt a little guilty about forgetting all the swimsuits) so he ran home with Emily to get her swimsuit, Matthew's swimsuit, a swim diaper, and some food. By the time he got back the boys were ready to leave the pool. So we hung out at the park for a while and enjoyed some lunch. Once again Emily was probably not properly dressed for the occasion, but she loved playing in the dirt. She really wasn't eating it, but somehow managed to get it all over her face.

It wasn't exactly the afternoon I had imaged at the splash park, and yes I know I'm probably giving way too much information and should probably skip it and try to preserve a 'good mother' image, but I just thought it was so funny. I was so embarrassed at the time I wanted to die, but as I look back at the pictures I can't do anything but laugh. It was definitely a memorable afternoon.

This Girl

I came across a few random pictures from the past couple months. I love that Emily's hair is getting longer every day. It makes it so fun to do her hair in the mornings. Usually it varies between three different hairstyles- the ponytail, pigtails, and the top/side ponytail. I love having a little girl time in the bathroom each morning while she sits on the counter and I do her hair. It makes her seem so much older too!

This girl has some serious dance moves. She's so funny to watch. Pictures can't really capture the dancing as well as a video- I'll have to put one up sometime, but I love watching Emily bust a move.
She's gotten into a bad habit lately of running whatever we're having for dinner through her hair. Don't ask me, I don't get it, but apparently she loves to cover her hands with her dinner and then style her own hair. She's given herself some pretty wild 'do's'. It usually means she needs a bath after dinner, but it is kind of funny too.
This has also been a common occurrence as of late. Emily loves to get into the cupboards and pull everything out. It's a bonus if she finds a snack during the process. I'm pretty sure I need to invest in some child-proofing devices.
Yes, I do feed my kids. This is just one of the many examples of how one little 16-month old baby can single-handedly create two extra hours of chores for mom every single day. Good thing we love this girl!

Our Yard & Garden

After being gone for almost two weeks for family reunions, I was worried we were going to come back to a dead yard and plants. I was happy to see that most of our plants did great while we were gone, with the exception of my petunias that were on the back deck. One of the benefits about moving into a home that isn't brand new is that much of the landscaping and plants are already in place. There are a few changes we want to make with a few things- trees & shrubs etc- but I've loved our beautiful flowers! These are some of my favorites.

We were also amazed when we got back, how much our garden had grown! I was just hoping it wouldn't die, not only did it not die, it was thriving. Some of our seeds had been washed away with the rain, so the lettuce, onions, & spinach were a little sparse, but they've grown a ton since then. The peppers had gotten huge and had tons of peppers on them. Our tomato plants were as tall as Jacob and have tons of tomatoes all over them. And our squash plants, zucchini, cucumbers, pumpkins, etc have gotten huge. We've been eating from our garden just about every day. The cucumbers especially have been producing like crazy.Our biggest one so far has been 18 inches long! It's a good thing we love them so much- and I'm really glad I don't have to buy them for .89 cents apiece at Walmart!
The boys have been great helpers with the garden. They love to help water and take care of it. It's their job to check every day and to pick the cucumbers, zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes. We'll probably make some changes for next year's garden, but we've been really happy with how well it's done this year.

Stevens Family Reunion Day 3

Saturday was our last full day of the Stevens Family Reunion. Saturday morning, many of the adults and some of the older grand kids went on a hike to Tillamook Head. The rest of the adults were thoughtful enough to watch the younger grand kids during that time. We decided to take Emily with us, thinking it would make it easier. Gina let us borrow her backpack and it worked out great.

We ended up accidentally taking a road path up to the trail head instead of the actual hiking trail. It was still beautiful, but a lot shorter. It worked out alright though. Jeff and I went back the way we had come (we took the real trail on the way down though) so we could drive both of the vehicles back to the ending point while the rest of the group continued the hike to the other side.

Emily was pretty tired and ended up falling asleep on the way back down. It was fun hiking together. We talked and laughed, and enjoyed some of the wild raspberries.
The views overlooking the beach and shoreline were beautiful! We couldn't have asked for a better day for it!
I was supposed to do a long run that day, so after we dropped off the cars I changed into my running gear and did a 10-mile run back to camp. The other kids had a blast doing treasure hunts, playing games and playing with cousins.

Later on that afternoon, we met up in a big grassy area for races, games, and other fun things. David, Gideon, and Matthew had a blast playing in the dirt. These three are so funny together, but you definitely have to keep your eye on them!

Emily had fun being with the big group, trying on everyone's shoes, and of course eating popsicles.

Jeff ended up being the ultimate winner in the standing jumping contest. There were some funny pictures taken during this activity. :)

There were lots of running races. It was fun to watch all the kids, we have some speedy ones! Aunt Nettie even brought $2 bills, $1 coins, and other prizes for the kids. They thought it was pretty awesome.

The Men's Race

The Women's Race

And last of all....the family Tug-Of-War!

Sadly, it wasn't even close. The Stevens 'Girl' side (Stevens girls, spouses, and kids) won easily. I guess that means the Stevens 'Guy' side needs to work on some muscle for next year. Maybe we just need to steal Bryan to be our anchor!

I was in charge of coming up with a craft activity for the kids that afternoon. I found a cool idea of making temple block pictures. The kids were pretty excited about making their own blocks with pictures of their favorite temples.

Everyone hard at work!

Later on that evening after dinner, most of the family headed to the beach for one more night of playing. The cooler weather made the craft take longer so Jeff and I stayed back with our two youngest to try and finish them up. Greg & Amy were great helpers too. Grandma and Grandpa took Jacob and Caleb with them to the beach. From the looks of the pictures, they had a great time and enjoyed a beautiful sunset.

Can you spot Matthew? Saturday night we got all the kids showered and ready for bed. Matthew wanted to sit by the fire for a little while and ended up falling asleep in his chair next to Amy. I know I caught Amy with her eyes closed, but I thought the picture of Matthew was so funny I couldn't resist.
Saturday night Mom and Dad had a special family fireside and shared memories of each of their children, along with virtues they exemplified. It was a special experience and a perfect way to spend the last night of the reunion together.

Stevens Family Reunion Day 2

Friday morning, after a yummy breakfast by Bryan and Gina, the men headed off for a round of golf while the women took the kids swimming at the lodge. It was a little crazy with our big group, but everyone had a great time.

Matthew, Gideon, and David were little wild men- their favorite activity was jumping off the wall into the kiddie pool section. I loved how they kept having to pull their little suits up after each jump.
The older kids loved going from the pool to the hot tub.
Emily was just happy to be back in a pool again. This kiddie pool was a little deep for her, but she still kept trying to walk around by herself.
She had fun paddling around in the big pool too!
Matthew liked the hot tub too. His poor lips would turn purple after a lot of time in the pool.

After swimming, we got everyone showered and ready for the day. Then we decided to head into town for lunch. Amanda, Tami, Gina, and Amy walked with the older kids. They had fun together and even got to stop for a few minutes to see Grandpa's crabbing cages.

Eliza, Jacob, and Cole- these three are all 3.5 months apart and pretty good buddies!

While the older kids walked, Mom Stevens and I took the van with the 7 youngest kids. We had to do a potty stop along the way, and got a little mixed up with directions, but eventually figured out where we were supposed to be with three kids already asleep.
After a yummy lunch at Pig in a Pancake, with world famous fish 'n chips, we walked around to see some of the sites in town. One of the first stops was the carousel. The kids were pretty excited. We also met up with the guys who had finished their round of golf and their lunch too.
We must have been quite the site with our 30+ person group. At least we had these great matching family reunion shirts that Tami made- it sure made it easier to keep track of everyone.
There are some fun candy shops around Seaside. Some people stocked up on salt water taffy and other fun things. We let the kids choose one item, and they all opted for bright, colorful lollipops!
Our next stop was to the beach to take family pictures. We had a little time before Kimber & Mike arrived so we had fun sitting around and letting the kids play.

Amanda, Tami, Gina and Me

Our other kids have all spent quite a bit of time at the beach (aka- the "shore") in east-coaster's terms. :) Boy, do I miss those fun days! But this was Emily's first time at the ocean. She loves water, and she loves dirt and sand; so combine the two together and it was pretty much perfect. Unfortunately I didn't think ahead and pack extra play clothes for her. It only took about 5 minutes before she was soaked. Even with the sunny day, the weather was a little chilly, so Emily was pretty happy to cuddle up with Jeff to get warm. I love her little expression.

After everyone arrived at the beach, got reunion shirts on, and Dad found a good location- we attempted some family pictures. Unfortunately we had really limited time because of tired, hungry kids. In our hurry, the timer function got mixed up a bit and the picture was actually taken before- so we're missing Dad, and ended up with more of a candid shot. But most people were looking and it turned out pretty good for a mix-up! I'm just glad we have a shot with most of the family on the beautiful beach!
We headed back to the campsite where we had a yummy dinner put on by Mom and Dad and I was able to slip away for a quick 3-mile run. Afterwards we enjoyed kicking back spending time together. A few of us headed to the park with some of the kids.
We finished off the night by roasting marshmallows and making s'mores.