More new pictures

The funny thing about my not blogging AT ALL lately is that my sweet mother-in-law just found out how to work this wonderful world of blogging.  As you can see from my "profile", she (and my Mom) are the number one reason why I do this blog thingy anyway!  I mean, I know the rest of you all like to see the goings-on of me and my people from a sort of curiosity point of view, but those two women, our grandmas on either side of this lovely country of ours, really do love and adore these six people almost as much as I do.  I'm telling you, Grandma Helen literally got on this blog like the day after I last posted, and I haven't posted since.  Sorry, Helen.  I'll try to be better.

And now how's about those photos of my kids!!!  Have you ever seen such beautiful photography?  My cousin, Emily Grow Walton of Barnwood Photography in Oakley, UT (just outside of Park City) took those pictures.  Aren't they gorgeous?  I have those six photos on my living room wall right now, and every time I see them I just sort of sigh with happiness.  You know, I might not parent them perfectly or model for them the perfect reaction to frustrating behavior or do whatever else it is we, as moms, think we should be doing.  But somehow by some sort of freak roll of the genetic dice, they turned out to be seriously beautiful children.  Now if I could just get them to practice the piano and do their homework...

Here's another gorgeous one of Julia I just couldn't resist posting.  And a few others...

Seriously, isn't she amazing?  Go check out her website at:  barnwoodphotography.com  If you're in UT, I'm sure she could find a way to photograph you and your family.  She's amazing with kids and just has a fabulous eye for photography.  As her father-in-law put it, she has the perfect balance between knowing the science behind photography (you know, all those acronyms for light, speed, etc.) and understanding the art behind it as well.  Plus, she's an all-around wonderful person who will totally make your family feel at ease.  Thanks again, Emily.  You are the best!!

An Up-dated Family Picture

Ahhhh, those 40 pounds I have not yet lost since the arrival of #6 are very visible in this picture, but everyone else looks so cute.  I needed to get an up-dated picture with Calvin in it on here, so I'm swallowing my pride and putting this one on.  Yes, even with my quadruple chin showing.  Sigh.  On a hopeful note, I finally bit the bullet and went back to Weight Watchers two Saturdays ago, so maybe by the time we take our annual Christmas Card picture, I'll just be down to 25 lbs overweight and only two chins.

One of those moments

         So, this post won't have any pictures, and it's connected to a sappy post I wrote when Calvin was exactly 2 months old.  (If I were really blog savvy, I'd embed the url of the post here with the "here" in another fancy color so you could just click over to it.  But lucky for you (all 2 of you who read my blog...), I've only posted 3 times since then, so you can just scroll back.  Aren't you impressed I even know the word "embed"?  I'm probably using it wrong...)  Anyway, it's connected to that other post because I had had one of those delicious moments of motherhood where you just want to "ingest" (to use my sweet cousin's word) every detail of it.  Well, I had another one of those moments two nights ago.
         Lindsay and Tim were sitting at the kitchen table doing her math homework.  All the other kids were in bed (a very important part of the equation when you want to really enjoy a moment, a peaceful moment, that is...).  I was sitting in the family room.  I looked up at the table, and there they were:  the two tall, string beans,  all arms and legs, with the exact same double layer, ear-to-ear smile stretched across their faces with the exact same dark brown eyes.  Two of my favorite people in the whole world.  Dad was being silly about something or other, and they were both laughing, enjoying working together.  My heart just swelled inside.
           Lindsay is a very complex, strong young lady.  There have been a lot of moments that have had the polar opposite feeling associated with them, so in a way, I wonder if my enjoyment of this moment was all the sweeter.  She's come so far.  We, as her parents, have learned so much.  She has probably helped me learn more about my Father in Heaven than anything else in my life.  He has given us the agency to choose for ourselves.  No one (no, not even your over-bearing mother) can force you to do anything.  As one of the dozens of parenting books that I've poured over put it, "one can only control oneself".  That has been a definite lesson we've had to learn with our little Lindsay.  It's been quite the journey with her.  I think I can honestly say I wouldn't change any of it for all that it's taught me.  Well, okay, I do wish that one afternoon in the summer of '06 when I locked her out of the house for some type of disobedience or other, so she started pounding on the front door with a hose nozzle, and when I opened the door to tell her to please stop destroying my property, she actually sprayed the hose INSIDE my house, dowsing the stairs and sprinkling my piano.  Yes, that day I'd skip....but for the most part, we have so enjoyed this wildly strong, independent soul that was sent to us.  She is one magnificent woman.  It was so fun to see her with her Daddy the other night.  I took a mental and emotional picture of that moment, and I plan to enjoy it for many days to come.

First Day of School

Lindsay, ready for her first day of 7th grade at Webber Middle School.  Don't let the smile deceive you.  The complaining about the dread of middle school (which, honestly, I get...) was a constant this summer.  Her bark is much worse than her bite (and, unfortunately, I get that, too...).

Miles and Samuel are ready for action.  These two started on Tuesday about an hour and a half after Lindsay, so I don't have a picture of them all together.  Also, Wesley didn't start Kindergarten until two days later, so he's not in the pic either.

This is the whole gang at the bus stop.  Not all the kids were there for the picture.  It's hilarious, though, because there are  8 boys and 1 girl at our stop.  They have fun.

Miles outside of Mrs. Fenn's classroom.  Lindsay had her for the 5th grade as well, so he already knows she's strict but fun. 

Samuel outside of Mrs. Moat's 2nd grade classroom.  She's new this year.  So far she has been great.  They have classroom money.  It has gotten everyone motivated.  Samuel earned $16 last week.  Also, they have contests between the different groups of desks.  If your group wins, you get to have seat cushions on your seats for the next week.  You can't imagine how much this motivates those 2nd graders.

The Kindergartener, Wesley, finally gets to go to school.  He was so excited.  Julia couldn't resist jumping into the picture.  Also, you can see "Hobbes" in this picture.  This summer my cousin's kids gave that to Calvin.

He was ready for the bus, too.  How could you not be when you get to go with your two older brothers?

The traditional picture by the school sign.  There was a total line the first day of school, so we opted to take one on the third day of school which was Wesley's first day.

Wesley already listening intently to Mrs. Krenning.  Here they are sitting on the "ocean" carpet learning where to put their lunchboxes.  Yes, I have him in all day Kindergarten.  I think that's why I'm missing him so much.  That's all that Mrs. Krenning teaches, and she is such a great teacher.  sigh

NY 2010

It was a long flight out there with a three hour lay over in the Atlanta airport.  Wesley sacked out while we were walking the leisurely mile from one gate to the next.  

Julia finally fell asleep on the last part of our flight from Atlanta to Buffalo.

Doughnuts from this delicious bakery in Arcade.

Gotta get the haircut from Grandpa Joe.

Samuel

Even Miles, who for some reason hates getting his haircut, will smile during a haircut when Grandpa Joe's the barber.

Julia and Lindsay having fun playing in the "crick" behind Grandpa's shop.

I know it's sad to take a picture of a crying baby, but I just had to get a picture of him before church in this cute outfit that used to be his Daddy's.

Uncle Kevin manning the grill with Grandpa's supervision.

Samuel and Calvin

Lovely Lynette

down by the lake

I did not even know someone did this to him, until I was looking through the pictures after we got home.  It was most likely on Michael Jackson.  I hope it wasn't too loud.  Eeks.

My two thumb suckers.  The one on the right is supposed to be a reformed thumb sucker....sigh.

Having fun on the lake

Aunt Sandi with Julia on the boat

Watching the action

How I spent most of our "vacations" this summer: on the sidelines snuggling an adorable baby

more fun in the lake: Shaylyn, Lindsay, Julia, Tristen

How much more classic summertime can you get: fishing with Grandpa

Our friend, Raymond, hadn't been swimming in decades.  Here he is attempting the tubes with Samuel.

More tubers.  This picture cracks me up, because you can see the two cousins with the way curly hair: Lindsay and Nathan.  Where did they get such curls?

The on-lookers on the boat: Shaylyn (totally sacked out), Julia, Tristen

The reason we all gathered

The Happy Couple  I'm so grateful to them for setting such a good example of love and respect for fifty years of marriage.

on some waterslides:  Julia, Miles, Samuel

on the slide at Arcade Park
Even with all the fun things we do, the kids always insist we go to the Arcade Park.  It warms my heart a little.  It is, after all, the park their Daddy grew up playing in.

Beautiful sunset out the plane window on the flight home

Wesley passed out in the stroller again.  This time on the way home.

California 2010

swimming: Samuel, Miles, Calvin

On a Redwood tree in Big Basin

Calvin relaxing with Daddy

Eating S'mores by the pool

Grandpa's Tree House (in the making)

Now when most people say tree house, you think of a small structure in a tree.  But when Grandpa Call says tree house, he literally means a tree in a house: 4 stories, balcony, loft.  The kids were thrilled to be able to sleep in it the last night we were there.  Grandma wasn't so thrilled to be kept awake until 1am with shrills of laughter.  The tree house is right outside their bedroom window.

My surfer brother, Don, with his boys, Dalton and Hudson (or as Uncle Chris nicknamed them: D-Town and HudBud)

Collecting sand crabs at the beach

Grandpa at the beach

Wesley having fun at the beach

We always go to the tide pools at Natural Bridges when we go to Santa Cruz.  We went to Manreesa later, so my brother could surf.

The cousins lined up at a ride at the Boardwalk.

being silly on the kiddie coaster

Marnie and Mikaela lookin' good

Calvin enjoying the Boardwalk.  You can see the $1 soda.  That's why we always go: the $1 rides, hot dogs, and sodas.  Grandpa Call canNOT resist a good deal.

Wesley being brave with Mommy on the big swings.  I'm suppressing my fear as well as possible, so as not to scare the little one.  All I can think about on those swings is:  "PING!"...

Julia with her Aunt Marnie

Conner and Miles on the swings

Calvin with the cute blankie that Aunt Larissa and the cousins gave him.

Lindsay and Julia

We started a new tradition for saying "good-bye".  All the cousins line up for a farewell hug line.  Then, as they drive off we all run across the front lawn yelling "good-bye".  It's actually rather sweet.

My harmless husband.  Does he realize that he just took out one of the cousins?  Look how much fun he's having.

Julia with Aunt Natalie

Moab.  She's as beautiful as her Mama, Marnie.

Dirt bike rides with Uncle Dan.  Go, Samuel!

The girl cousins who made it: Lindsay, Mikaela, Emma, and Julia

Julia's smile was literally from ear to ear.  She's our little thrill seeker.

Does anyone else sense a Christmas card picture here?

Sadly, I have no group picture from the Sunday of his blessing.  But here he is in his cute little blessing outfit.

Catherine and Natalie

Lindsay's 12th Birthday Bash 

Canoeing up at Stevens Creek Reservoir.  It was all fun and games until they realized they were swimming in a bay that had a dead deer in it.  Don't ask.

Flag Raising Ceremony on Grandpa's front porch

Street Slides in San Francisco

swimming in the spa

Some of the beautiful California sights