Spencer turns 5!!!

Happy Birthday Spencer! The kids all had a ton of fun playing in the water and beating the tar out of the pinata!

The Pinata! Behind Spencer is Grandma Lu and Auntie April..they came up from Oregon for the party!

Martin and Luke , the cousins from Oregon bought Spencer matching pajamas for his b-day! It was so much fun having them up for a couple of days!

Madeline was crazy!!!! She kept running from a distance and launching herself over the side of the pool to crash a huge splash onto Ehlana!!

Where were you Blauers????? You missed the dad and kids races!

Sophia's mini photo shoot!

Ok Sophia was in such a great mood that entire night that it seemed every picture we took of her was just awesome! Here are a few of the favorites from the night!

FAMILY CAMP 2005!

If you notice, this picture was taken July 9! And it has taken me about that long to get over "Family Camp 2005" We arrived Friday afternoon and set up camp and then lo and behold right as I took my last bite of dinner the rains came down! We weathered as much as we could, we even held out after Spencer burned two of his fingers on the lantern.... it wasn't until the tent actually starting collapsing at about midnight when Dan called it a night. We packed up the kids and drove an hour back to home! got some sleep and dried up well! But we went back the next day and dried up the camp and stuck it out until Sunday morning! Thankfully we had many friends loan us extra tarps to keep the next SEVERAL rains from flooding the tent again. This picture was the Satruday morning when we returned and found a good 1/2 inch of water under all of our bedding.

This the next morning while we are waiting for the tent and bedding to dry.....we all look so happy... Actually Satruday night was a ton of fun....the skies cleared for several hours and we had a blast hanging around the Brakes' campfire!

Newman Lake

Yesterday I took the kids and went to one of our MOPS moms home on Newman Lake with Somi and the kids! I was so proud of Madeline that she got on the dragon float with Hailey and gave it a go. They all 3 were a little bit scared of the water and "going in". But they are looking forward to going again next Thursday! It is great to have some fun places like this to go during the summer and that they are so close by...it was like a 20 minute drive!!

Testing the waters a little. It is actually quite funny because Madeline can walk all the way out to the end of the dock. It is very shallow right here.

Sophia preferred to stay on the beach and work on her tan!!

Madeline's best friend...Hailey! She is a riot and makes us all laugh!

One of my best and oldest friends in the world, Scott Allen Patershall, and I on the first day of kindergarten. "P" and his wife Cristi came up for Hoopfest last weekend. We all had a great time hanging out together. It was good to see you brother. I miss having you closer. -"D" p.s. Sorry I had to kick your butt at horseshoes so many times in a row like that. Nothing personal, just keeping with a time honored tradition of me dominating you! (I know I could break you down....)

What's not to love? My little Bopes makes me laugh, smile and rethink procreation almost daily! I wouldn't have her any other way though. I love you baby girl. -daddy

Tina, Neue and I were playing crib at the picnic table in the backyard this evening and watching our neighbors shoot off some fireworks. Sophia was crashed out inside, but the 'big kids' wanted to hang out in the yard with us. By the energy in their faces, you'd think they could last all night....

...

...or not.

Goodnight sweetheart.

Madeline really wanted to make a hobo stove before the all church camping trip next weekend at Lake Pend d'Oreille. Gotta make those vent holes baby! 

These two were into the metal work.

Spencie helped me clean up some leaves and small branches from the yard today. I didn't even ask him for help, he just showed up behind me with the wagon and said, "Look dad, we can use this." What a kid.

A yardman in the making. But will his mower lines measure up?

And he helps in the kitchen....ladies, he's a keeper. Eat your heart out! (he was helping me make French Toast for dinner. I know, I know, what a shock. Dan making French Toast?)