Where has the time gone?

My darling Emma is 8, where has the time gone? On each of my childrens' birthday I think back to the day they were born and about their birth. I remember first holding Emma and thinking she looked so familar. What a beautiful baby she was! And what a sweet and gorgeous grown up girl she is becoming. She had so many friends she wanted to invite to her party that the only way I could think to handle that many kids was to turn them loose in our pool and let them entertain themselves. What a blast they had! Thankfully, Steve came home from work early and helped out with the party. He got the splash contest going! He is just a big kid and Emma adores him.

The girls know they get to choose what their birthday cake looks like so, a few months ago we walked into Harmon's and Emma saw a beautiful 3 layer cake there and said it was wanted she wanted for birthday. I loved making it and she absolutley loved it!

One of the highlights for the kids was loading up in, on, and around this tube and pushing it from one end of the pool to the other. The other highlight was when Steve suggested having a contest to see who could make the biggest splash. Here are just a couple of the kids who had good form and made some impressive splashes.

As I am taking pictures of the kids jumping in Steve decides it was his turn. His face says it all...

Needless to say I was soaking after this splash.

What a fun group of kids she had! After singing, eating cake and opening presents she told me it was the best birthday ever!!! I love you Emma, girl! I can't wait to see you baptized.

Schools in

After a crazy summer we are back in the swing of things with school started and soccer practice starting soon. The weather's cooling off (if you consider 95 cooling off, which I do) and we are enjoying our last bits of summer at the pool, playing outside, Saturday picnics in the mountains, working out, reading books (I just finished Mockingjay), going to garage sales, and whatever else comes our way. We have some pictures to share and some more fun posts in the coming months with Emma's 8th birthday and baptism, some furniture refinishes and halloween right around the corner.

It will be an exciting fall!! Usually it's the spring that feels fresh and new, but the end of this summer and fall have been so new and refreshing for us!! I hope you enjoy hearing and seeing all that we are up to.

Kiana in her first day of Kindergarten with Mrs. Bonner and Emma at her first day of 2nd Grade with Mrs. Rich.

Is he going to be trouble or what?!

Shay has loved the water this summer. Sprinklers, pool, slip and slides, water balloons, you name it and she had loved it!