The Bronze Anniversary

Chad and I have now been married for 8 years. The 8th Anniversary is traditionally the Bronze or Pottery anniversary. I guess Chad and the kids thought it was the Rock anniversary...and no I didn't get a 'rock' to wear on my finger...but I did get a car load of rocks. Chad was out of town for our anniversary...not surprisingly since he's been gone more than he's been home this summer. He was working in Inchelium so he got a little cabin on Twin Lakes and the kids and I joined him for a couple days. The kids spent the majority of our time there finding 'pretty' rocks in the water, which seems to be their favorite beach activity. We left with three buckets of rocks. I'm fairly certain they will never be able to discern one rock from the other but they were all just 'too special' to toss out. The certainly did not acquire the desire for rocks from their mommy...that's a daddy gene for sure.
The cabin was...hmmm...shall we say...interesting. I just tried not to think about what might be in the carpeting. The kids were thrilled with it, though, and really had a good time. We hung out at the beach (not a very big beach since the lake is mainly a fishing lake), played cards in the cabin, took the puppies on walks and whiled away the hours between lunch and evening...the two times we were graced with the presence of Chad. One of the highlights of the trip for the kids was the ferry ride. They thought that was pretty darn cool.
So, our anniversary wasn't exactly filled with romance and candle light...but it was fun to spend it in a little cabin with the highlights of our marriage vying to be the UNO champions of the family. Maybe we'll get a chance to have an anniversary date in the next few months...

On the Ferry...

Cabin Seven

Looking for Rocks...

Pink Shadow!

Nick set their chair up in the water and then said "C'mon in Gabby! It's like a hot tub!"

My Babies are SIX!

Nicholas and Gabby turned SIX on August 8th...a wednesday, the same day of the week they were born. I just can't believe they are SIX already. sniff, sniff. It's not that I miss the baby days so much...it's just that I KNOW when they get to be 'big kids' I'm really going to miss the 4,5,6 year olds....they are so fun right now. Becoming their own little people more and more...and learning and discovering so much every day. Chad was out of town on their birthday...he's been out of town almost constantly this summer. ugh. We'd had a little birthday celebration the weekend before with my dad, brother, sister in law, sister and brother in law. My dad and brother's birthdays were at the end of July so we just combined all 4 birthdays and had a little party. As I said, Chad wasn't home on their actual birthday so I stayed up the night before by myself blowing up and entire package of orange balloons...and an entire package of pink balloons...so I could fill each of their rooms with balloons while they slept. They each had a present in their rooms that morning as well. Then we went to a little pool party playdate at our friend Michele's community pool. We got to play with lots of our twin friends there. Afterward, we went to toys r us to pick out one more gift. Later that evening, we met Grandma Elaine and Grandpa Jack at the kids' favorite pizza parlor for pizza, cupcakes and lots and lots of playing on their big toy structure. There were even another pair of boy/girl twins there...celebrating THEIR 6th birthday...weird!!
The following weekend we had a final birthday party at the farm with the farm grandma and grampa, kip & nancy, travis and the cousins and DADDY too! Mommy wasn't feeling well so I didn't go as 'all out' as I usually do for birthdays...but I did make an ocean cake as requested...with a big SHARK on it (Gabby absolutely LOVES sharks...so odd for my little princess loving girl...but I like that about her!)
So...now I'm the mommy of two SIX year olds...hard to believe. SIX just seems and sounds SO old! Gabby's lost two teeth (actually, the dentist had to pull them), they are both getting taller all the time, they're learning to read and write and everything. Pretty soon I won't be able to lie to them and 'read' the 'rules' every store and restaurant has posted about how children should behave...wink, wink.

Swimming on their birthday...

Picking out her gift at Toys r Us...

Playing at the Pizza Parlour...

Their ocean cake...

the Farm Grandma made their requested dinner...roll up pancakes!

Nick hates having 'happy birthday' sung to him...so he blew his candles out and sulked during the singing...

Opening gifts...look between Nick and Mason's head...little Rowan peeking through!

Mason, Gabby and Jordyn take a quick break from playing "keep away" to pose for a photo

Rowan loves her pink blankie...

Uncle Chad loves Rowan...

Nick found some 'maters in the garden...never noticed that 'eye' watching over the garden before...

Gabby opening her new pink scooter...happiness!

Gift opening craziness...a new racetrack!

Jordyn and Gabby have a quiet moment with Rowan...

Sometimes it's hard to stop for potty when you're having too much fun!

the Beagles

We brought our beagles home on July 8th (we returned from our vacation late, late, late July 7th) The kids were so excited to have them HOME finally! Bingo and Lucky are doing great and we're having lots of fun with them. Bingo seems to have the more "happy go lucky" personality of the two. Lucky is more timid and doesn't always enjoy all the hugs and squeezes and running around of two 5 year olds. They're both sweet, though, and love their humans. We love them too. Here are some of the photos I've taken of them since they've come home.