It is great when Rachel turns 8!!!!

She has been waiting so long for this day!!!! I know what it is like to be in her shoes. It is hard to be the younger sister...to watch her get baptized before you, go to activity days...etc. Now it was her turn, and she was so excited. My mom and I laughed all day watching her practically float around, she was so excited. On Monday, after the zoo, we had a little family party.

Then Tuesday night was her baptism. They sang the song that my sister, Tonya, wrote, with a couple other girls from the ward. It was so beautiful! So many great families from the ward came. Our ward here is so supportive. We even had some families not familiar with our church come, which was so wonderful that they knew what a special day it was for Rachel.

I love my RayRay! I'm so happy that she made the decision to be baptized. Rachel has a special gift of making friends. She is funny and sweet. She loves to care for Jane and is a great help. I love watching her smile her crooked smile. I love the notes she writes me. I love you, Rachel!

Grandma and Grandpa are Here!!!!

It is so great to have my mom and dad here...and to have them to myself. We've been having a lot of fun. The trip for them didn't start off the best...we sent them to Chicago on a train...which didn't go as quickly as they wanted. But they got to see Wicked, which they liked. I'll let Mom blog the whole experience, as she will tell it better and more colorful than I can. We went to the Milwaukee Museum, Tommy's football scrimage, movies (Melody, we saw Mama Mia...your assessment was correct). Then on Monday, it was Rachel's birthday and she wanted to go to the zoo. I feel bad, however, because I gave her some allergy medicine before we left, and she was pretty groggy. The rest of us had a great time, however....

It's Football Season Again!

I have to admit, I was a little leery about Tommy playing football again this year. We tried it last year, but we signed him up late, and the boys had already been playing together the year before. So we would go to the games, sit there for 1 hour and 1/2 only to see Tommy run in at the end for a play or two...not very exciting. This year, we did it right. He went to the camps, started on time, and man, did he work hard!! I didn't know the fire that was in my Tommy....he comes home with bruises and scapes...grass stains that won't come out, sorry Tide. So, he's made first string. Way to be, Tommy!

Minneapolis

One of the blessings living here in Wisconsin is that we are just 6 hours from our family, Kris and Chuck up in Minneapolis. It does sounds like a long drive, but when you consider how far they used to be, when we lived in AZ, it is nothing. (Plus, they are the only family around, so we will take what we can get.) All the guys went to do a little golfing, the morning after we got there.
They have a beautiful lake right next to their house.
Baby Rachel and Baby Jane....sunbathing beauties! These two are only a couple weeks apart. Even though they don't physically look too much alike, they made so many of the same expressions and gestures that they cracked us up. Rachel is such a sweetheart!
Chuck, Josh and Kris outside the temple in Minneapolis. Chuck has an amazing family. His mom still has so much energy and is great at making us feel welcome. Michael is convinced that he now has more cousins....
Major family birthday party for Rachel, Jessica, and Josh (since Josh won't be here on his actual birthday!) See...what a great family to include Rachel!

Busy Busy Busy

One of those crazy rains that comes and is gone in 30 min.
Yeah, that's Tommy in that uniform. He can't wait to do the full-contact hitting this next week. A mom's true dream.
They are crazy to be doing this. They had to come in as soon as we saw lightening.
I bought this little pool for Jane and all of them though they were invited in.
Sorry for the repeat!

I do not want this summer to end

I do not want this summer to end

I do not want this summer to end

Those that agree with me...please join in the chanting. I really do love having my kids at home, even if the mess is unbearable at times. We have a couple more weeks left before school starts. Just enough time to squeeze in dentist trips, doctors shots, trip to Nauvoo with my parents, trip to Minnesota to see our nephew Josh off on his mission (and meet little Rachel!), just typing all these things left to do makes me stressed, so I'll just post these photos and be off!