a year ago...

I was soundly sleeping in a comfy bed in Hong Kong after 24 or more hours of travel.  I can hardly believe that it's been nearly a year since we recieved our little Xander! 

Coast Guard.

We found out recently that Ryan "ships out" from Lansing on Sept. 20th to Cape May New Jersey.  He is scheduled to graduate on Nov. 11th.  I'm so happy for him yet I'm nervous as well.  We have been looking for tickets online and wondering about hotels.  If anybody has been there, some tips would be appreciated :)  Pray for my boy....

What else is there to do when it's in the 90's and HUMID???  Although, not nearly as HOT as it was close to a year ago in China.

My boys swimming.  It's so hard  to believe that Ryan will be gone in a few month.  He leaves for Lansing tomorrow with his Dad and step Mom to swear in to the Coast Guard.  Six years.  Wow.  I'm proud of him and will miss him like crazy.  Didn't anyone tell him he was not allowed to grow up?

My little fish. Sophia.  This girl can swim!

A boat load of cuties.  My niece Beth on the left who will soon be a nurse, and my great niece Naomi.  Having fun!

I LOVE this picture of Xander.  Seriously, is there anyone cuter.  We are so lucky we were chosen to be his parents.

Cheese!  This is the face I get when I pull out the camera.  L.O.V.E. 

Not a pool picture, but look at that face...

Sha-XAN!

It's been quiet around here :)

We have had a easy weekend with NOTHING on our schedules.  Softball finished up last week and we are enjoying the quiet (as quiet as 6 kids are) and even spending some time in the swimming pool.  Xander is getting used to the water and I anticipate that he will be swimming around at the end of summer in his life jacket.  Our other kids are fish and have been swimming since they were very young.  Putting our pool in is one of our best purchases.

Ryan swears in with the Coast Guard next week.  He is scheduled to leave for New Jersey (Cape May) in September for basic training.  He is enlisting for 6 years and talks about making a career out of it. I have felt very confident that this is what our son needs to do but did end up having a break down recently.  We were all having fun in the kitchen when Sophia said something witty.  I started to laugh and before I knew it I was bawling.  The family looked at me like I was crazy :(  It will be very strang without my oldest child under our roof.  I'm going to be a wreck! 

We will continue to enjoy the quiet around here until the beginning of August when volleyball and cheerleading practice start.  We have a trip planned to the Dells at the beginning of August as well.  Where is summer going???

Happy Fourth of July!

Happy 4th!  It was a nice long weekend :)  We hung out at home on Saturday and Chad played in a Hometown Hero's baseball game in honor of a fallen soldier from our town.  Sunday we headed to the in-laws for a fish fry.  It was a beautiful day and included swimming and jet skiing!  I forgot my camera :(

The littlest 2 girls stayed at Grandma and Grandpa's for a few days so Chad, Josie, Xander and myself headed home for our local fireworks.  Xander was not impressed, although he hasn't been feeling great.  It seems as though all of our allergies are in high gear and we are all stuffy and itchy, with tickles in our throats. 

Today we had my side of the family for a BBQ which was great.  My sister Mary who I hardly get to see came home with her daughter and 2 grandkids so it ended up being a nice day :)

 I tried a new cake decorating technique I've seen floating around the blog world and it turned out so pretty, and it only took a few minutes :)

 This one is Josie's masterpiece.  She did a great job!

Here is my Mom on a newly constructed bench I built from a headboard.  I'll try to get better pictures of it soon, I have so many projects to show and many more ready to be made :)