Ethne is funny.

Today we were invited to eat at one of the campus dining halls with our nice friends. Another friend whose wife and kids are in CA right now came too. When Ethne was done eating and some of the rest of us were finishing up, Ethne said nice and loudly to Dustin "I have clothes on!" (Okay, the background is that I was mentioning it was cold and we had been playing in the fountains earlier but had changed before going to eat, so I think she was saying she was warm. But it was funny.) And then, she said, "I have Dora panties!" And Dustin was like hmmm, thanks, I did not know that.

Then, Ethne was supposed to sleep at the hospital tonight so that they could monitor her since she snores, and see if she needs her adenoids out and whatnot, but Brett came home with her because she had a fever. Anyway. When Ethne came in she shouted, "Where Jethro, Hazel, and Talmage? In bed? Were they ornery?" I had to laugh. No, it's just bedtime. Funny girl.

good day

Summer is the time when one sheds one's tensions with one's clothes, and the right kind of day is jeweled balm for the battered spirit. A few of those days and you can become drunk with the belief that all's right with the world. ~Ada Louise Huxtable

I had such a wonderful day today. Lovely, lovely, lovely. Well, really it began last night because Brett came home for dinner and STAYED home! Amazing. So when he went out to tinker with the Suburban, we all followed him out to be by him.

Ethne put on a tutu to dance around in and wanted her hair in a bun. So I had to take pictures of the cute ballerina.

Funny face.

Hazel wanted a bun in her hair too. She's so pretty. I think that all the time when I look at her.

And again, being so sweet together. Awwwwwww.

Jethro and Brett doing guy things. :)

Trying to get a picture of all four. What a joke!

And then today--what a great day! It began when I amazingly woke up before Brett was gone so I actually had a minute to cuddle with him which is always nice, but particularly as the guy has made himself so scarce lately. Then, soon after, Ethne woke up (which is strange, since she's usually a later sleeper, but she said her nose hurt--I'm thinking that may mean she couldn't breathe because she was so full of boogers. Anyway.) and she cuddled and played and hugged me for awhile. She is so cute and funny. And kids are so sweet in their fresh-from-sleep state. It really was so enjoyable. Look at that tousled-headed sweetness.

Tickling.

Then we went and picked wild black raspberries which was fun. Jethro and Hazel were so into it. And Talmage grabbed some berries from the bucket before I could snatch it away!!

Then we played for quite awhile at a little nature center which in all my time living here I'd never stopped at. It was fun. Jethro made me play checkers with him with little frogs. I hate checkers. I beat him but is such torture for me to play that game. Then it is torture for him when he loses.

Then we came home and had lunch and filled up the little pool we had in the backyard.

And got wet (well, the kids. Not me really.)

And Jethro had fun pushing the castle over onto Hazel.

And Talmage had fun grinning his cutie-cute grin.

More playing in the tumbled-down castle.

And Jethro started blowing up balloons with his rocket launcher. Good times.

Then we came in and lounged --the kids watched a movie and I read a book (by Richard Peck - one of my favorite authors. Love him. Love him, love him, love him.), and had french toast grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner with raspberries on top. Delish. The end.

Just beautiful.

One of the --if not THE--sweetest pictures I have ever taken. Hazel was putting a flower in her hair. So, so so so so SOOOOO beautiful.

Lovely in b&w too. I can't decide which is nicer. I'm thinking maybe b&w.

I have more for later, but I'm off to bed now. Goodnight.

Hazel's birthday cakes

A day or so after Hazel was born. The hospital here gives a birthday cake and icecream to the siblings. Ohhh, she was so tiny and cute and dark!

First birthday. What a sweet face. At Grandma Rasmussen's house. Lindsay, you look good. No, really.

Second birthday.

Third birthday.

Fourth birthday.

Fifth birthday.

About Hazel:

Favorite thing to do: make a craft

Favorite food: macaroni and cheese

Favorite movie: Barbie

Favorite book: a princess book

Favorite song: Away in a Manger

Best thing about summer: when we play in the sun

What do you love about our family? That they’re nice to me

What are five-year-olds like? They like to read lots of books
What can you do at five that you couldn’t do before? Go to kindergarten

What are you going to be when you grow up? princess ballerina

Little Cowboy

I love a man in a cowboy hat (you already knew that, right?). Especially this cute little man.

many pictures

Jethro making funny faces.

This little boy. He's soooooo cute. I love when he comes crawling around a corner and sees me and gives me the biggest grin--I just fall more in love with him. Cause I mean, look at this grin-

and this one

you can't not fall in love with it.

Baths are fun. And naked little baby skin is toooooo cute. You just gotta squeeze and kiss it.

The above picture reminded me of this one, taken about a year ago with Ethne.

Oh, still adorable and naked and sweet.

And now the fun we have playing with Talmage's hair. Aren't you glad I don't style it like this?

Aww, mom--don't make me look like such a nerd!

This lion-head is quite awesome too.

But the best is this. What fun. You should have heard Hazel giggling. She couldn't stop.

Little Talmagina.

Cute cute. Okay, but he really looks way too much like a boy for this.

And after the piggies came out, he looked more like a devil. With vegetables on his chin.

Jethro made a hammock to sleep in.

Some sister love.

Hazel in a tutu. Very cute.

The end. I really need to go get dressed and do something today. Bye bye.