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fire trucks

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the zoo has wet n’ wild fridays all summer.
they bring in a fire truck and just turn on the hose and spray the 200+ kids waiting in this field of grass!
we discovered this last year when we went to zoo for sean’s birthday.
it was such a hot day that i brought our suits just in case it was too hot and we’d go to a pool somewhere instead.
we came around the giraffes and there it was….

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now last year sean gave it a shot but not this time. he stood there sweating like crazy unwilling to go near any water.
Annie too.
but the other 3 went running for it.
you have to shut down those inner voices as mom that we have…
“this looks dangerous”…
“this is too many kids”…
“where are they?”…every second.
because (if they go in) they are having a blast!
i wondered what it felt like but i didn’t want to walk around in soaking wet clothes.
and someone had to watch the 2 party poopers on the 500 degree pavement.
but i could feel the misty breeze.
they spray you for 10 minutes then take a 10 minute break….for 3 hours.
you know those firemen must just love that day.
they get to go and spray happy kids for the afternoon.
that has to be better than fighting a fire.

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lauren had some some cash so we all bummed a sno cone from her.

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then we headed out to see the animals.
thank goodness for thick glass.
isn’t it amazing how close we can get to these giant animals?
annie would be gone in one swallow for this big guy.
i said “look! his tail is bigger than your leg talby”
and annie shouts (forgetting the big crowd right behind her)
“he’s bigger than my butt!” turning her little booty and pointing real big.
the crowd burst into laughter.
she loved that so she said it again!
we quickly left that area.
it was pretty funny though.

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traci - how COOL IS THAT!! I have never heard of firetrucks doing anything like that but it looks like FUUUUN…especially if it is HOT! You sound very much like me when talking about turning that mom voice off..lol… I would be doing the same thing but you have to let them live a little and turn that voice on low for a few seconds here and there.
We can also get VERY close at the big OKC city zoo..isnt it so amazing to get that close??? Gives me goosebumps just looking at your photo!!!!
Love your blog!!!

kristin - oh, how we love those wet n wild fridays…haven’t gone this year yet…must do it. wonderful pictures, friend!

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4th of july

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last year we discovered that lauren has a serious love for fireworks.
they make me completely paranoid.
having so many kids using fire and making things explode is not something i enjoy.
but once a year i guess?
lauren loves it.
she and my nephew blew stuff up for hours.

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morgan, talby and scott stuck with the sparklers.

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we have a block party for the 4th.
we pool our money for big fireworks.
we have a potluck.
there are games for the kids with prizes!
they love the firecracker “cake” walk.

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and the water balloon toss….turned fight.

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and the egg toss.
annie wanted an egg too.
i never let her touch eggs.
jen gave her her own egg.
everyone started the toss.
annie took her egg and threw it on the ground
she shouted “I DID IT!”

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craig was my partner…

right after the egg toss it started to rain.
and rain and rain.
we pulled the grill under our covered drive & the men cooked all the meat.
how cool is this grill?
an old VW Bug made into a giant grill.

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we moved the potluck into a neighbor’s garage.
(if you look close you can see the blueberry buckle)
we ate in the sprinkling rain.
we watched the fireworks from our porches.
the rain was a bummer.

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the best part of the day
was the midnight water balloon fight with the grown ups!
that is too much fun.

traci - hate to be a baby over a blog and all but it has been FOUR days since your last post!!! I know you have shared LOTS on the 4th but it has been FOUR days!!! How sad I am going thru “whatever withdrawals” LOL

Carrie - Wow- I just stumbled onto this blog from another- I am in awe of all the pictures and the BEAUTIFUL house. You have a new fan!

traci - just got home from MY family reunion/4th of july getaway!!! My kids had loads of fun shooting of firecrackers this yr. for the first time (normally we just go watch somewhere). I agree about being stressed..lol… I was designated as the fireworks police since I was spending MUCh time telling everyone to be MORE careful, throw it further away and run FASTER..lol ….It is just too much fun for them though. Sooooo glad you shared all your pics. It looks like you all had a huge blast..no pun intended..lol
I was in Leavenworth Ks with tons of rain also but we all were more than happy to carry umbrellas and act like it wasnt any biggy. all for bombs going off…tee hee

amy - great pics! i put a link on my blog to yours for pictures of the block party. hopefully next year we’ll be here for all the fun.

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i’m back!

wow.
we had a busy week.
old fashioned family fun.
there are alot of pictures here but there are alot more i didn’t put on that are very good too.

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hunter teaching scott to flip.

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competitiveness runs in the family.

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shannon acting out a clue for the game Pop 5.
too funny.

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big family reunion on craig’s side.

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annie finally being nice to aunt sherri.

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we spent all day monday at world’s of fun.
i rode the blue and red one in the center and made the decision i don’t need to ride another roller coaster ever. i kept thinking…what is keeping this from breaking?
how debbie downer is that?

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dolphin rides…on peter.

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the pool was perfect for all the kids.
peter and gio threw them around making big splashes.
they loved it.

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okay…how cute is my nephew?

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i wish i could say they slept like rocks but they were up in the night both nights…ugh.
that gets old really fast.

and this isn’t even including the 4th of july block party.
that gets it’s own post.

thanks to deanne for all the work of putting our trip together
and all the work on the reunion.
we had a good time.
it’s important to have time with family.
when it comes down to it…family is all you have.
friends come and go.
but your family is forever.
and that’s good.

amy - i’m curious what the clue was that shannon is acting out.

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clean

as far as our house goes…this is about as clean as it gets…without paying someone else to do it.
and it is this way because everyone pitched in.
the kids cleaned their rooms before bed.
we cleaned till late last night…it had to be done…it was just gross.

so this morning when i forced them to clean again they all went nuts.
(the kids..craig was at work)
there was lots of stomping, door slamming, crying….wailing…
give me a break.
i made them do it anyway.
i was also getting very crabby from them being this way.
i had just cleaned my kitchen and didn’t want them in there
so i shouted “whenever that room is clean we can have a picnic!”
“PICNIC? it’s raining”
“an inside picnic…so hurry up!”
it worked.
they were cleaning fast and actually did a good job.
then we had a picnic in the foyer.

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it’s a proven fact…you can’t stay crabby at a picnic.

in the afternoon the family arrived!
always so good to see everyone.
i am glad they are here.

Leslie - LOVE the muffin tin snacks. I’ll have to do that with the kids this week. Rain all week long….they are getting to know me by name at blockbuster!

kristin - oh, i used to do muffin tin snacks with naomi when micah was a baby…i forgot about those…i’ll try it again… : )

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raining all day

perfect activity for a rainy day…can you tell what he’s watching?

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it’s a U2 concert of course…
a family favorite.
annie was eating her lunch but when she heard it she took off into the living to watch Bono.
don’t all 2 year olds love Bono?

we had 2 friends come over today at seperate times
trying to make the day go a little easier.
it went alright.
still a long rainy day.
they even crammed some swimming in…the 10 minutes it wasn’t raining.

annie made some nice art before dinner.

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craig’s family starts to arrive tomorrow…all of them.
it is going to be a busy full week.
family reunion.
worlds of fun.
hotels.
hanging out.
playing games.
eating and eating and eating.
and ending with the 4th of july block party on our block.
i am going to be tired…and so is everyone else.

angela - Looks like little Annie is going to be another aspiring artist like her mother! I see wonderful scrapbook pages in her future!

kristin - for the record, it makes me…not make me…oh, the lack of spell-check…

traci - I am traveling this Sat. to Leav. Ks. for a family reunion also!! Do you know how far you are from Lv. Ks? It is about 30 mins. from Ks.City. Sounds like you are going to have TONS OF FUN at Worlds of Fun and hotels… enjoy!!!

kristin - annie’s project make me
Happy
Happy
Happy
Happy
Happy
Happy
: )
have a wonderful week with family.

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banana bread

we were up early this morning.
making a meal for a new mommy at church.
i don’t think i have ever cooked chicken breasts at 8:30 in the morning.
i also made this incredibly yummy perfect banana bread and didn’t get to taste one bite!
jenny it’s your recipe…complete with the mashed potatoes. ha

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it smelled so good.
we drove our meal out to her house which is out…way out…in the country.
it was so pretty just getting there.
in kansas they are harvesting the wheat so we saw combines everywhere.
annie kept shouting “TORN DROWIN”!!!” at every single corn field.
(corn growing)
there are alot of corn fields.
at her house there were baby kitties and frogs and a dog so my kids never even saw the baby.
BUT I DID.
ohhhh holding that tiny baby was too much.
i had an immediate internal reaction…i wanted one.
logically i know i don’t.
we have enough babies.
i don’t want to gain another 50 pounds again.
my brain can’t handle another baby.
but it is still in me…i wanted to take him home.
if we could…but we can’t…but if craig said “let’s have another one”…
HA HA HA HA HA HA
i would. i would. i would.
it won’t EVER happen though.

i cleaned up my yard this afternoon.
in the sprinkling rain.
all afternoon.
the kids played in the pool while it sprinkled.
i am in love with the pool.

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lauren is at camp.
she is missed.
it’s very different without her here.
i hope she is getting filled with god’s word this week.
and having a blast!
and making new friends..being kind.
i hope.
and i don’t think she will be stinky at all when she comes home.
she will be all pretty and clean i am guessing.
the usual.

Alison Love - I was catching up on your blog and this post about the new babe really hit home for me–i had to laugh b/c its just how i feel when i see a new baby at church.

Danelle Young - I get that feeling when I hold new babies too. I love new babies. I wish I could put them in my pocket!

traci - The bread looks Yummy!! We keep thinking about adding a pool to our backyard, yours looks SO refreshing!
As far as the baby thing I have been told once you hit child number 3…. 4,5 and 6 are not a problem..lol. I mean, whats ONE MORE…lol

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