Happy Birthday Jackson!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dear Jackson,
When you wake up you will be 6 years old. I can't ask where the time went because I know, I was there.

The day you were born July 20, 2005

Your 1st Birthday!! (2006)

Your 2nd Birthday!! (2007)

Your 3rd Birthday!! (2008)

Your 4th Birthday!! (2009)

Your 5th Birthday!! (2010)

Your 6th Birthday!! (2011)

If I look really close I still see that baby boy in your first birthday photo. But at 52 lbs you most certainly aren't that baby boy anymore. I am relishing everyday watching you learn and thrive. You amaze me daily at how exceptional you are. I know one day you will be too cool to hug your mom but today, I love the fact that you always want me to tuck you in and I get at least three hugs a day. Which by any mom's standard is never enough.

Although some days it makes me absolutely crazy, I love your competitive nature and drive to succeed you share with Kaitlynn. You get so mad when she wins. I love the fact that you believe you are Madelynn's sentinel. It makes my heart melt to hear you read to Madelynn and teach her things. You have two sisters but you are capable to develop different relationships with them.

In a few weeks you will start playing competitive sports and you are so worried you won't do it right or will fail. I have to remind you daily that at your age it is the coaches job to teach you how to play. That absolutely stunned you. I can't wait to watch you play. But I believe in my heart when you find that sport you are really good at and like you won't remember the day you thought you might fail.

Today, while you are at Camp, I hope you have a FANTABULOUS Day!! Enjoy sharing your treat with your friends and don't worry I know which bike you want, I promise to get the green one (as you have reminded me daily for the last week).

Happy Birthday Jackson!!!

Love, Mom

Why I love my Friday's.......

Those that know me, know I haven't worked a Friday in almost two years. This year or should I say this summer as been has been very stressful, crazy and some days I wonder what I was thinking?? But Friday's are my day to spend with my kids to do whatever we want.

Today, the kids and I didn't go downstairs for breakfast till almost 8:30. For Jack that is really late, usually he is wide awake at 7:00am (At least God loves an early bird). We were lacking in the breakfast food department but we made due and no one really complained. Jack was very concerned why I wasn't eating breakfast.

I had to explain to Jack I was having a few tests this morning and had to fast (I was allowed water) and could eat after it was done. It was just the simple exam for life insurance. No thanks to our previous agent we were forced to shop for new life insurance. So my exam was today. I think Jack was most fascinated with watching the nurse draw Mommy's blood. Maddie didn't speak she just watched with big eyes, not sure if she blinked or not. If you have ever had a conversation with Jack once he is fascinated with something he will not stop asking questions until he is completely satisfied.

20 minutes later we could move on........

Moving on meant getting the lawn mowed before it rained. It started to sprinkle a little but I was successful in mowing the grass so Phil wouldn't have to. Phil will have to weed eat as certain power tools I am forbidden to use. This particular one because it was new and slightly expensive. By the time we were done all of us had green feet and we discovered a few things in the yard.

A locust shell hanging upside down in the tree. Had it been a little closer I would have pulled it off the tree so Jack could get his science lesson for the day. He just thought it was really cool and wanted to know all about it.

Then we come to a slightly creepier event that happened outside today. I have this love hate relationship with spiders. They absolutely fascinate me as long as I can control how close they get. There is a particular spider I have an appreciation for. It is a simple garden spider but there is nothing simple about this spider. It is very scary looking but I love them....weird I know.

I was actually happy to find this spider because it is a part of summer. But you have to be careful there is never just one of them. I usually find 3 or 4 of them in my yard every summer. So far I have only found two. They are good to have because they eat lots of other bugs. But today I found the first one in the yard for the summer. I need to remind you this is a baby spider.

From the tip of the longest front leg to the tip of the back longest leg this one is about 3 inches long. Full grown these spiders I have seen 6-7 inches in length. They never try to come in the house, they love the sunshine and I am just in awe of them. (Creepy, I know).

After the spider science lesson we moved on to pulling up "baby" Bob's and seeing if we could get them to take flight. So before I mowed them all over again Katie and I dug three of them up and planted them in pots to see if we could get them a good start.

This one is Maddie's and she named it Minnie Mouse (original I realize) but affirmed my choice in the Minnie Mouse birthday cake I ordered for her.

This is Jack's. I liked the idea that his would be the tallest. I think he did too. However I don't remember what he named it.

I found this pot in the garage that Katie decorated for a plant we moved to the outdoors so she was only to happy to use it again. That of course is until it gets taller and she wants a mason jar just like Jack and Maddie.

When I woke up I had no idea this Friday would be Science Day but the kids loved it. Funny thing is they were more in awe of the spider than I was. I guest the apple doesn't always fall far from the tree.

Happy Friday,

TTFN~

Madelynn Rose

Lately I have noticed that Madelynn likes to pose for pictures. She doesn't always look at the camera but she loves to catwalk...

Earlier today we went up to Costco and found these really cute skirts for the girls. Madelynn combined an existing skirt with the new skirt, a swim hat and came prancing downstairs.

She then decided to turn the hat inside out and become a pirate. She turned and looked at me and exclaimed, "AYE MATEY!!!!" Needless to say Phil busted out laughing.

I turned to talked to Phil about our little pirate. When I turned back to Madelynn this is what I found. All of the kids ended up with Phil's fantastically long eyelashes. Madelynn was the only one who ended up with my brown eyes and the ever famous kool-aid mustache.

TTFN~

Katie May........

I really didn't have that much to say. Just wanted to share my new favorite picture of Katie May.

Not sure if it is the missing tooth, freckles, smile or that bright orange day lily in her hair. I just love it.

Happy Friday!!

TTFN~