FINALLY!

Finally! I'm finally writing another post. It's finally summer! I'm finally feeling a bit better!

Summer here on the Bluff's is different than any other place I've lived (which is a lot of places in my lifetime). It is very...uh...cold! It's summer and I'm in a sweatshirt as I type. The cool, moist air that blows off of the ocean from the Strait blows (a lot) right on to us. It is literally like having an air conditioner. Then, on the other side of the house we have forest...forest that creates lots and lots of shade. So many people in the world love the hot weather and living in heat. Luckily...Travis and I are NOT those kind of people. I LOVE having to drink hot tea in the morning to warm up...during the entire summer!

Also, all our little friends are around us more now that it is summer. Our robins are back and the sweet little baby deer with their adorable spots are back (instead of their way ugly winter coats)....

 This is Robbie the Raccoon. He comes by every evening to eat the scraps we leave out for him. (and if I forget to take the bag of garbage to the shed...he loves to shred the bag and make a mess!)

This sweet little deer was hanging out on the edge of our front lawn. She was there for a couple of hours. We see lots and lots of deer during the summer.

Travis loves robins. He has taken some amazing pictures of some of the robins that have come to visit. (and of a lot of other gorgeous birds that didn't make it to this blog today cause I'm lazy)

 (slightly random) All my married life I have wanted a kitchen that has a window. I wanted to be able to look out the window while I cooked and did dishes...I finally have one! I really really love my kitchen window!

This day it got to about 65 degrees, so the kids ran through the sprinkler. Notice Connor ran through with his blankets? It was still a bit cold for them, but they had a blast anyway.

Notice Elizabeth wearing a diaper???.....

 One week later...notice Elizabeth's stylish underwear???....Another Finally! This girl is 3 years and 5 months old. For the past 6-8 months, I have tried to get her to potty train. She said NO! She would take off her underwear and actually try to put her own diaper on! Drove me crazy! But, I have learned through the years not to force things like this. I don't know any adults that aren't yet potty trained. Plus, she's my baby. I'm not going to rush her if she's not ready. Needless to say, we found ourselves last week with only about 4 diaper and 3 days until pay day. So, I hid the four diapers and showed her the empty diaper packaging. I told her the diapers were all gone and offered her the underwear. She immediately put them on. Then I took her in her room and had her feed her Baby Alive while the doll was sitting on Lizbets potty chair. Baby Alive peed in the potty...then she got cheers, hugs and kisses. Little Miss thought about that for a while, pulled down her panties and peed. That was that!

She still requires "night night diapers", but doesn't request to wear them during the day. I put a diaper on her for church because she is terrified of the church toilets...BUT...we have made huge progress this past week! I'll take any progress. Although...it sure makes me sad to see my little baby girl getting so grown up already.

One last photo...my little helper helping to make homemade brownies.

So...that is all I have to report. Oh, I am now in the Nursery in church...they called me there because I was already hanging out in there quite a bit with Elizabeth. It's great. We have such an outstanding Ward and those little kids are just awesome!

Also....looking really really really a lot forward (Connor's words) to the 4th of July this year!!! Travis has the whole day off this year! Woot! The kids are super excited to go to the Ward 4th of July breakfast and then bbq at home and do fireworks. This weekend we are going to go buy just a few fireworks at the closest reservation. Yay for our country's birthday!

I Hate Getting Old!

Lately, as I gaze upon the magnificent gorgeousness of a little one like this...

my heart hurts a bit...because I want another to add to this...

but alas...Travis says no, because my body said whoa! (with our last one)

*sigh* Oh well. For someone that was told 13 years ago that I had less than 5% chance of having any...I am pretty dadgum lucky! My heart could just burst with the love that I have for these cute, kissable, somewhat strange, definitely goofy, totally lovable children! Thank you, Heavenly Father, for my special gifts. 

(ps...i wrote this entry using my Galaxy Tab. Somewhat tedious, but kinda cool! Maybe next time, I will try out Travis's iPad) *grin*