Jackson on Violin & Jake on Guitar playing a fiddling song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFaz_6_bZho

Jackson's violin recital.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQMfi-RaVDs

Where has the summer gone?

I have forgotten we have a blog, but here are some of my favorite pictures from the summer.  I can't find the cord to my camera, so when I do I will post pictures of our trip home too.  

Fun in the backyard

A little fishing

Baseball for Joshua and Jake

Soccer for Jackson and Jeremy

A fun week with friends in Wisconsin

A project for the boys, a 1950's Fiat

A week in paradise, aka the Cayman Islands.  If you squint you can see Brandon snorkeling in the center of the photo.  

My baby was ordained to be a Deacon!  I am so proud of him, but I  am sure I can't really be that old, can I?

Jeremy's Birthday

Happy Birthday Jeremy!  It was a lego party at our house with 13 kids, including my own.  The only photo I have of the party is form the first 5 minutes.  After that I was too busy supervising the chaos.  We did a scavenger hunt, pinata, lego car races, etc.  I think they had a lot of fun, and next time I will take them to pump it up ;)  

My house was a wreck afterward.  Probably wasn't a good idea to mop before the party, judging by the spilled soda, pizza, cake and ice cream on my floor.  I hope these are signs of a successful party.  

Jeremy's first day of Scouts

Scouts tonight was a lot of fun.  We shot 2 liter bottle rockets.  It was a beautiful night spent with great kids (three of which I really love) and good leaders.  Scouts is so much fun.  God somehow knew I would like this more than sewing and arranged all boys. Jeremy is so excited to be a Scout and has two big brothers that are great examples.  So many fun things happen at 8.  Next time I have a minute I will post pictures from his birthday party.   

The rockets went pretty high.  They shot it so many times the launcher was breaking, but anything can temporarily be held together by duct tape right?

Jeremy's Baptism

Jeremy was baptized this weekend.   My parents came into town and it was so nice to have them here.  Jeremy has been so excited to be baptized (as you can see in the last photo taken before his baptism).  It was such an emotional meeting.  I felt so blessed so have such an excited son eager to follow Christ's example and be baptized.  During the interlude when Jeremy and Brandon were changing out of wet clothes into their suits, Jake played the piano, Jackson played violin, and Joshua sang while they played I am a Child of God.  These are moments too good for the video camera, moments to be cherished in our minds.  It's such a sweet feeling to see my husband, a worthy priesthood holder baptizing my son with my dad looking on as a witness.  My parents gave the baptism and confirmation talks.  Everything was so perfect.  I love my family and am so happy to be blessed with such great boys, and to have been raised by good parents.

Jackson's Violin Recital

Jake accompanied Jackson at his recital.  It was so fun to see them play together.  Sunday at church they played I am a Child of God for prelude music.  It was a proud Mom and Dad moment.

Click this link to see them play

T-ball

His first practice was Saturday and he talked about it all day. Sunday after church he went to change and came back down looking like this...

His excitement is adorable. I love baseball season. (Jake is excited in an 11 yr old way, not so facinated by the uniform, but still having fun) At practice I sat next to a couple of parents that were complaining about people with more than two kids and how their kids can't be involved. They were tooting their own horn about what great parents they were of their one and two kids. I surprised myself by keeping quiet and just smiling inside about my own "deprived" in their words, kids that all play a musical instrument and are in boy scouts, band and orchestra, two playing baseball and two playing soccer. Poor things how do they survive? They are begging for more brothers is what they are doing in their spare time. I am so glad I have my boys. Life would be boring without them!

My View

This is my view out the back window.  I went in to grab some shoes and couldn't resist taking a picture.  I love my boys, and stood there enjoying the view of them playing together for a minute before I went out to join in the fun.  Jake and Joshua start baseball next month and Jackson and Jeremy are playing soccer, so this month we are enjoying an empty schedule and some nice down time.

Kindergarten Orientation

I took this cutie to Orientation today.  He is ready for Kindergarten now!  Me... not so much.  Why would I want to send him away (all day kindergarten here) when I could keep him home and play?  I don't think the marble game will come out while he is gone.  What will it be like next year?  Should I work? Take piano or guitar lessons?  Subsitute at the elementary or middle school?  Do Geneology? Landscape/work on the house?  Take college classes to get a teaching certificate?  Golf a lot?  Read a lot?  Any suggestions?

artsonia online kids art

People have asked to see photos of the house. I haven't taken many yet. Here is a view from the front porch. Jackson and Jeremy were bringing the garbage cans in without being asked, so I had to take a picture. As you can see our driveway is really long with a couple of hills. What good boys!

The kids school now posts some of their art projects online. The website is www.artsonia.com

Jeremy's screen name is... Jeremy2152

Jackson's screen name is Jackson2006

This is one of Jackson's Webelos projects. I'm the webelos leader and am having way too much fun making projects with the boys.

Settling In

Now that we are settling in to our new house I'll start blogging again.

Aunt B and Grandma (my mom) came up for a visit and we painted the boys bedrooms.

Grandma and Jeremy preparing to paint.

Jake putting on some primer

B and Joshua

Jeremy and Joshua's room, after the robots were up.