Garrett hits double digits!!!

Didn't this happen awhile ago? No, wait he was just in Kindergarten . . . Why does it feel like both are true? He doesn't like frosting (is he really my son?) so he asked for Cheesecake instead (good alternative). Unfortunately we were camping on his birthday so couldn't go to the Cheesecake Factory - but got him the Sam's version instead - which was still really yummy!

Since we were camping, we also got a normal cake - lots of families and kids with us to celebrate!

At home before the camping trip - our family party.

Waffles for dinner and present opening . . .

He was happy!

Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn from the Grandma and Grandpa in Texas, he's working on Tom Sawyer . . .

Climbing rope from Grammy and Grandpa here. He had an excited face, but I kept telling him to smile normally and finally had to take the photo before he gave up on me and put it down.

I'm a little afraid of what he's going to climb. . .

Happy Birthday Garrett! We're so happy that you are growing up so well - You're amazing!

What's wrong with this picture?

One Sunday not too long ago, Rebecca left our house in her beautiful dress

with these shoes on her feet.

So adorable!

They are cute, she's been wearing them all summer,

and she has friends at church that have shoes just like them.

I did notice that they were two left feet before we left for church, but I thought maybe a friend had left their left shoe at our house and went home with two right foot shoes.So at Church I found that friend and took one shoe off Rebecca offered it to the friend's mom and grinning asked for my shoe back. Then I looked down at our friend's cute feet and realized that this friend had her pretty white shoes on the right feet with no doubles.

Rebecca went all through church with her shoes like this (one a half size smaller than the other). I kept a look out for other little girls with these shoes that might have two right feet with no luck.

At home I searched our closets and shoe baskets and found that I had the same shoe in two sizes :) Ooops! I guess it's not always someone else's fault . . . .

Fishing with Grandpa and friends

Kathyrn went to girl's camp for the first time this summer and while she was away, the other kids got to play!

Grandpa took Garrett and Alaina and Rebecca fishing. They had tons of fun and were even joined a little later in the morning by me and our friends Cardon and Emory.

Alaina caught her first fish by accident. She got bored and left her poll on the ground (line still out in the water). It started moving and I call her over and she and Garrett reeled in her first fish. She was very happy!

This is our friend Cardon with one of his catches of the day - small but cute!


Grandpa spent so much time untangling lines, replacing bait, and casting for the kids - he was the hero of the day. At one point, Emory and Alaina asked him "Why don't YOU fish Grandpa?"
Alaina got more serious and patient after her first accidental catch.


Alaina caught two fish! This is the second one.

Another catch for Cardon. Garrett caught a few too, but all after I left with the camera . . .

Emory caught the first fish of the day, this one - the hook was really stuck, so it was mortally wounded and didn't get to go back in the water. Cardon helped her reel it in and then he got to feed it to a heron that was watching us and waiting for leftovers.

Garrett spent a lot of time helping Rebecca and Alaina. He's an awesome big brother!!!!

What a beautiful day! Thanks Grandpa!