Memorial Day Fun Plus One (More Day Of Fun)

The past two days (Monday and Tuesday) have been super amazing family fun days. With Darrin off work and the sun brightly shining, we have made the most of it!

We started with some sprinkler fun on Monday while the day heated up, followed by a yummy lunch on the back deck on our new picnic table slash bench ensemble. Lunchables from Costco are a sweet deal!


It took a little convincing to get Jake to jump through the spray but after Daddy demonstrated, he was more willing (but only once).


Jordan only ate her crackers and left the meat and cheese.


Doobie loves him some food.

Next we ventured out on a bike ride. This was to be Jake's first long ride without his training wheels. He learned to ride on two wheels last summer but his little bike was stolen and now he rides a bigger one. Up until last weekend he was pretty nervous to ride it. Lately though, he's been tearing up on our little street so Darrin decided he was ready for some high adventure. I was a nervous wreck because we were riding along busy roads and going up and down some hills. I was certain he was going to take a digger into traffic or bail off his bike going down a steep hill. HOWEVER, Jake did awesome and I was so proud of him. He learned a lot and gained a lot of confidence in his bike riding skills. We rode to McDonalds for ice cream sundaes, Blockbuster for a movie and Carrs for some dinner ingredients. We also stopped at a couple parks along the way. All in all it was a fun AND functional family outting.


The caravan.


The leader of the pack, Big Daddy.


The Super Amazing Big Riding Ninja boy.


The tagalongs. What a life.

After we got home from our great ride we busted out the old swimming pool. It was pretty disgusting and nasty from being in storage all winter so we scrubbed it out and filled it up. The bitter cold Alaskan hose water isn't much fun to play in so daddy lugged buckets and buckets of hot water out of the house to make it tolerable.


Waiting patiently. Not really.


Hurray for Daddy!


Entering very slowly because even several gallons of scalding hot water can't compete with that frigid Alaskan hose water.


Where you going, Doobie?


Let the fun begin! You might notice in the next several pictures that Josh is airborn. That kid loves to jump in the pool!


Ready, set, JUMP!


That boy is STILL jumping!





Finally settling down for some more serious play time.


On Tuesday we took a journey to the mall, we visited Jordan's future dance studio (she starts next week!) and spent the rest of the day in the pool and on riding bikes while Darrin spent four hours of a beautiful sunny day taking a college math class. While he was solving for X, we all got sunburned and mosquito bit.

Making our hopscotch go to TWENTY! Ah yeah!


Crack kills Jordy!




The only way Jake would stop and pose with me is if I forced him.

In Rememberance of W7NMR

Today is Memorial Day. I know to many it simply means a day off work and a chance to go camping. It is so much more than that though. To all those who have given their lives for our country, this day is a day that we honor them. To all those who sacrificed time with family to serve to preserve our freedom, thank you. To all those who presently risk their lives to maintain our American way of life, there are simply no words to express the gratitude I personally feel towards you and your families.

Today I'm thinking of my Grandpa Stewart. He served in WWII as a company commander in the Signal Corps. He was deployed to China, Burma and India between 1943 and 1945. He passed away in 2004 and I miss him so much. He was a great spiritual influence in my life. I'm grateful that he served his country and I'm thankful for all his abundant wisdom. I'm blessed to know that he is now hanging out in heaven and chatting it up with Jesus!


Grandpa, Pops and Baby Jake in 2004


William G. Stewart (on the left)


"W7NMR"

A Prayer Request

One year ago today, Darrin's sister Raychel and her husband Rusty welcomed their brand new baby girl into the world. Abigayl blessed their lives for four wonderful months before she sprouted wings and flew home to heaven. Raychel and Rusty plan to celebrate her 130 days of life by releasing 130 balloons.




I'm sure today will be tough for them and I'm praying that the Lord will hold them close as they remember their baby today. Please keep them in your prayers today as well.

Blog Tag

A friend of mine tagged me in their blog to go to my sixth folder and grab the sixth picture and then tag six people to do the same. Here is my picture.



This is baby Jordy in early 2007. She was about to embark on her very first journey sleeping in the big girl bed that she got for Christmas. I think she looks excited. Notice that the bed is parked next to the crib? I left the crib in place for a couple weeks just in case the whole big girl bed thing went horribly wrong.

I tag...Jessica W., Raychel S., Stephanie S., Lucy M., Michelle H., and Cheri C!

Guess Who's SO BIG???

Today was a big day. After much deliberation and wonder and worry about the logistics...Jaycob is offically registered for kindergarten!

He will starting this fall at Anchorage Christian Schools. Yay Bubba!

Busting Out The Stash

It has been a looooong time since I sat in my craft room and crafted up some craftiness. It felt good to get my hands in that adhesive again. Today's project? A baby shower card for my friend.


Baby Lily...frog...get it?

Another Sticker

Yesterday I harnessed my gumption and managed to get another wall sticker applied. Only three more to go! This is the wall between my living room and dining room.

It's A Wrap On Another Year of Cubbies

This past Wednesday was the Awana recognition ceremony at church. Jaycob has now officially graduated from Cubbies and will be in Sparks next year. Jordy finished her first year of Cubbies.

At first Jordan was SUPER excited to be on stage in big church. But then the program started and there were songs she didn't know (like the National Anthem) and she panicked and cried because she was embarrased. I had to run up there and talk her down from the roof and when she realized that NOBODY knew the words, she felt better.


Jake didn't care either way. He looked pretty bored up there with his Koolaid mustache.

After the panick attack and feeling better. Just a little red in the face.


Aaaah, it's over. Back to the classroom to PARTAAAY! I help teach Jordy's class so I went back to the room with them to dish up goodies.

Jake's class was next door to ours so I snuck over and took a picture of him chowing on a giant strawberry. He couldn't look away from it long enough to smile for me.

Hurray for SUNSHINE!

We just can't get enough. Today was about 70 degrees and we busted out the sprinkler. I was impressed that my kids actually played in it this year. Previously they've always hovered around the edges and barely got wet. This year they were all up in it.



Doobie - Rockin' the plaid shorts and looking good even with a hole in his head.


RUN DOOBIE!

Happy Mother's Day!

This is my mommy. Idn't she adorb?

Happy Mother's Day to the bestest mommy in the whole wide world. She is (shockingly) even better then ME! Well of course she is. I learned everything I know from her.

Thanks Mom for always being there for me. Seriously, you have NEVER let me down. In fact, you go above and beyond for me ALL.THE.TIME. Thank you for watching my kids for a week, for helping me fly to and from Alaska as needed, for sewing me some pillows, and countless other home projects...

Like painting my WHOLE ENTIRE HOUSE before we moved into it.


And for turning this....


Into this...


And check the date on this picture. This is officially the last time you visited me (up until last week of course) and therefore ends the debate. It had been two years, not two and a half.

I love you SO incredibly much. I hope you know that.

Little Miss Crafties

My sweet Mommy flew back to Alaska with me because who can bear the thought of me flying with three children alone? As always when Mom comes to town, we invest in some sort of crafty project. The last time she was here we built my craft room (before that she helped us put together our new house by painting nearly every single room). She's the bestest ever.

THIS time we waited until the very last day (though we did a lot of yard work the other days) and we re-covered my old, yucky, stained pillows. (KIDS!) AND she helped me get started on putting up all my new Uppercase Living Stickers.


This is some of my pillow fabric that we bought (on sale!) at Joann's.


Mommy is a master sewer. Wait, that doesn't sound right...


Anyway, she sewed these cute pillows. I heart them!

Uppercase Living is a company that designs and sells home decor "stickers" that adhere to just about anything. I recently cohosted a party and earned some rewards...and bought some stickers...

This "CREATE" is one that I designed myself for my craft room. All you have to do is pick your font, color and size and they create it for you. It's perfecto!


This is a couple of the predesigned options. I picked the colors and size. I opted to mount them on canvas so I could move them around if I decided to change things around (like I always do). They live in Joshy's room now.

Joshy really likes them.


I've had this old milk can thingy forever and I decided to give it a face lift with a monogram. I regret the bright white and wish I would have picked a more muted color now. Fortunately the stickers peel right off so I can replace it easily if I get to another party.


I bought a bunch of vine designs for my bedroom. Since Darrin doesn't like things hanging over the bed that could fall on him, I got some stickers instead. They are HUGE. I haven't gotten the gumption to apply them yet. I also got some smaller versions to put on our big, plain lampshades. I must say, I am very pleased with how they turned out!


YAY!