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Here's a little three generation photo. Warner, Grandpa, and Eric

Grandma forever endeared herself to our boys (not that she hadn't already) by giving them The Dangerous Book for Boys which gets referenced daily. I've also had several requests for Little Boy Blue since she has been gone.

Our handsome family of 7 at Eklutna.

Tattoos

Whoever invented Temporary Tattoos should be shot. And so should the friend who encourages your kids to plaster them on.

Warner's First Balloon

Last week we went to the Bear Paw Festival. Warner got a hold of his first balloon.

Warner's Pediatrician

What is so amazing about this? No, its not that my kid is long and lanky. It is that these stats were written by HIS Pediatrician. Yup, a doctor, whose handwriting is downright scrapbooking worthy. If she keeps this up, I can guartentee she'll make it into the family photobooks. (And handwriting aside, she's a fabulous doctor as well!)

Sammy

On Monday Sam and I sat down to plan his birthday party.

Me: So Sam, how about an obstacle course. We could make marshmallow guns with Targets. We could buy bandanas and play games. You could invite 6 or 8 friends. Cake & Ice Cream. Does that sound fun?

Sam: Mmmm. . . can I have my friends come over here. Then we could go to the park and play on the toys.

Me: Like we do every Wednesday?

Sam: Yah!

Me: Sure.

This kid is wonderful. So simple and genuine . . . and in my opinion, the best birthday party planner EVER! I wrote on a piece of paper all of the friends that he could invite. Friends from school, from church, from the neighborhood and asked him to circle 8. He stopped at four. Sara, Taylor, Laura, and Jaylen. All girls. Does this boy know how to party or what?!?

EFY

here's my attempt at embed-ing a YouTube video (yes, I know I'm a bit behind the times)

EFY

Eric and I spent last week working with EFY (Especially For Youth), a summer youth camp. Eric did a fantastic job!! He really is a gifted speaker.

We brought the boys onto the UAA campus for the variety show and let everyone see first hand just how talented the little 'bits are. Click here to see the video on YouTube.

5 kids

On my flight back to Alaska I sat by this wonderful couple. After talking to the woman for a while she told me she had two kids. The oldest was 17. She asked me how old I thought she was. Awkward. She is 47. Then she asked how many kids I had. I said five boys. "Really? I wouldn't have guessed you're over thirty." I just smiled.

For the record I am 30. No need to point out the freakishness of my idea that starting a family when I was young, like my mother, and my grandmother, and my great grand mother, is less than modern.

I don't think having 5 kids is hard. I think having 5 kids and getting a decent family picture is the bigger challenge:

Hy

Mr Personality Deluxe.

L: Plant Tanner gave me for Mother's Day
R: Pinch Pot and flowers Sam gave me for Mother's Day

Anchorage Temple

We wanted to show Eric's folks the Anchorage Temple.

Fourth of July Fun

We took Eric's folks to Girdwood and showed them some Alaskan sites. So much fun to have you with us!!!

Eric and Grumpy Warner who had a fever. Poor kid gets a crazy high fever whenever he's cutting teeth.

Fourth of July

Our little town celebrates the Fourth of July with a bang. Starting at 12:30 a.m. they city puts on a firework display.

The fireworks were amazing, but even more incredible was that these pictures were taken at 12:30 a.m. and YES we could see the fireworks.

Radiance

I took this picture of my sister-in-law on her wedding day. Not only am I jealous that her wedding dress is probably the size of my right thigh, but look at her beauty. There is just something about the hope and peace in her countenance. . .

Congrats Greg & Jess

My baby brother was SO KIND and flew me down to Utah for his wedding.
Aren't they a great couple?



I never thought that I would feel so "mother bearish" about my little brother getting married. I think since I live so far away from him and his GREAT wife, that I felt like I didn't get to see them fall in love and see first hand all the wonderful qualities that Jess has. So I found myself calling my sisters and asking, "So how wonderful is she?" "How much does he love her?" "Is this going to be an awesome marriage?" Greg's eager YES! during the wedding ceremony answered it all.

Me and My Sisters.

Summertime Addition

The trailer has been set up in the driveway for the past couple of weeks. The boys have spent every night in there possible. Even little Hy will crawl in there around 9 or so and fall to sleep. It is cute. They love it. And I encourage it. Because here in the Last Frontier we won't be letting our kids spend the night on the sleeping on the trampoline with the roaming bears, the moose, and the mosquitoes.
Last night C&T, after THREE hours of listening to me read Peter and the Secret of Rundoon, headed out to the pop-up. In the morning the reported with pride that they stayed up so late and were able to see their watches switch from Thursday to Friday. Simple pleasures.

Little Purple Pansies

Me & My Little Purple Pansies.

Hip Hip Halibut

In May Eric went Halibut fishing with some friends from work. They chartered a boat out of Homer and spend the day at Sea.

This is my man in action!

Seeing a Ocra (a.k.a. "Killer Whale)

This is Eric's catch of the day (which also happened to be the biggest of the few fishes that were caught that day). That bad boy is now in the freezer slowly being rationed and savored.

2,3,4

How can a 2 minute nap in a WalMart Shopping cart energize a 3-year-old as if he had had a 4 hour nap?

The Farmer

Yesterday Hyrum was singing The Farmer in the Dell. It was so cute. As I leaned in to listen closer this is what I heard:

The Farmer in the Jail.

The Famer in the Jail.

Hi-ho-ma-no-no-no

The Famer's in the Jail.

Quest for Crazy

Searching for Crazy? Look no further.

(christian)