Horsin' Around at Dani's Graduation Party!

Eric gets the first horse ride at Danielle's graduation party

Cute little cowboy

Anna is ready for her ride next

Am I really OK up here??

Lil' Partner Moseys along...

Caleb LOVED riding the horse and was not scared a bit!

Fun on the seesaw with cousin James

Cowboy Caleb takes a turn on the seesaw too

Congratulations, Dani! We are proud of you and excited for what your future holds! Thanks for hosting us at your fabulous party!

My world has turned upside down

Caleb in the porta-crib at the hotel in Indiana

Why, you ask? Because Caleb has been up in his room for the last hour, supposedly napping. A few minutes ago, I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Caleb has LEARNED TO CLIMB OUT OF HIS CRIB!!!! Aaaagggghhhhhh! I was dreading this day. No more keeping him conveniently contained! Little bugger! I took him back to his crib and 2 minutes later he was downstairs again. Guess he didn't accidentally "fall out" the first time. I guess he will soon go into his toddler bed that is already waiting for him and I'll have to try a gate in the doorway. Betcha he'll climb over that too! Pray for me!!!

My Anna

Anna and I enjoyed some time alone together this afternoon. Caleb was napping late and Eric was at a soccer game with our neighbors. She was helping me make dinner and got the task of buttering the french bread slices for garlic toast. She worked very hard at slathering butter all over every piece and really stuck with it. I told her she was best bread butterer EVER and asked her how she became such a great cook. She replied, "Because you teached me, Mommy. You're the best Mommy EVER".

Now if this mother of a normally sassy and willful 3 1/2 year old wasn't blown away by her kind compliment! Thanks, God. I need more Anna moments like that. I guess that I means I need to carve out more one-on-one time with her too. She really thrives on that. As our middle child, I know she truly gets lost in the middle sometimes. Eric is doing new and exciting things every day (and getting to do them first) and Caleb is still young enough that he demands more attention (read: diapers, messes, saving his life from daredevil acts, etc.). Poor Anna just takes care of herself most days and could really use more time with Mom and Dad. Today was motivation enough to make that time!

I love you, Anna Banana!

Move Over Beckham...

Eric's Playing Soccer Now!


Eric's first day of soccer practice!

Taking a break!

Eric scored a goal in the first quarter of his very first game!

Way to hustle, Eric!

Learning to toss in the ball.

Eric listens to his coach.

Happy Birthday to my Big Boy!

It has been an amazingly busy week! Eric started kindergarten on Tuesday, and turned 5 years old on Friday! We had his party on Saturday and Eric and his friends, siblings and cousins had a BALL on the slip-n-slide! They also played a dinosaur scavenger hunt game, mauled a poor duck pinata brought by our friends Paul and Kim, and enjoyed the awesome blue dinosaur cake made with love by Grandma B.

Click here to see the complete album! In the picture above, check out the cool monster truck shirt from Grandma Diane and Papa Lee that Eric insisted on wearing even though it was 85 degrees!

We are amazed at how quickly the last 5 years has gone. Eric has grown and changed so much! We are blessed to have him in our lives. Here's a look back:

Eric at 1

Eric at 2

Eric at 3

Eric at 4

Eric at 5

Eric's First Day of School

Today was Eric's very first day of Kindergarten. After weeks of telling us he did not want to go to school, last night as I tucked him in bed he told me he was excited to start school and that he wasn't going to be shy anymore. He was up and dressed this morning by 6:40!

Eric helps make eggs and biscuits for breakfast

Eric standing in front of his school

Anna and Caleb help take Eric to school

Eric made a beeline for the cars as Mom talked to his new teacher

Our little man is growing up

Stay tuned tomorrow for pictures of his first bus ride!

22 days and counting

Hard to believe school starts in just 22 days. My baby is going to kindergarten. At least at BCCS, kindergarten is only a half day program. As much as I will miss Eric while he's at school, I'm looking forward to lots of other things about fall. First, the school supply shopping! I know this is lame, but I love the smell of new crayons and seeing that cute little backpack on his back!

Mother's Day Out and my bible study will start back up in September at church. Eric will start pee wee soccer, we can go to a Geneva football game, and I have a women's retreat to attend in November, as well as a Marriage conference to attend with Chad. Lots of fun things planned! I also want to enroll Anna and Caleb in the library's story hour once a week to give them something fun to do while EJ is at school.

And soon we will have our beloved Auntie Sara back at Geneva and back in our lives. We have missed her! She has many more fairy tales to make up for the kids, and TONS of "Giant" to play with them! And I look forward to some sister time with her too.

We also look forward to having our "college friends" back...several young ladies (you know who you are) who have become special friends to our family. We have missed you all this summer too! Can't wait to have a Sunday dinner for you all at our place! I am especially excited to welcome my discipleship group girls back for another semester together!

So summer is dwindling down... but it has been fun! God has good things planned!