Whitney's Baptism

At the beginning of May we headed to Portland for our niece Whitney's baptism. She is an awesome girl and it was great to go share that special day with her. A bunch of the kids (including ours) sang a song at the baptism called "My Own Little Lamp." It's about sharing your light and testimony with the people around you. They worked hard to learn it. My kids used practicing their song as an excuse to stay up a few minutes later a few different times. Darcy knew every word and did wonderfully and I was really happy that Ezra knew almost the whole thing too. I was especially surprised that he was willing to participate since he tends to fight me about that kind of thing. They were really nervous and did not want to go up there when the time actually came, but eventually they made it up there and all the kids did great. Those are such happy moments as a parent.

After the baptism we headed back to Whitney's house to play in the cool park behind her house before we headed home. Those of us headed back to Washington stopped at a couple places to go on little hikes to see some cool waterfalls. We weren't sure how the little kids were going to do, but it ended up being the perfect distance and they were awesome hikers. It really was such a fun day all around.

 I love this picture. One kid missing, one kid crying, one kid making a funny face, and a couple looking in the wrong direction. This is really how most grandkid photo shoots go these days.

 At the park after the baptism

 At the start of the first hike

 Darcy was a bit of a dare devil and climbed up on this big rock all by herself.

 Ashley joined her up there.

 Hiking back up with the stroller was a bit more challenging, but not for Jase.

 Parks was such a trooper.

 The best reward after

 The rest of us hiked up farther at bridal veil falls, but my dad and grandma stayed back down in that group of people below.

 

In the middle of that group is Drew showing Parks the view below. This picture gives me the willies!

Ashley's Softball Game

Way back during softball season, pretty much my whole family went to Ashley's last home game. It's always a little funny when there are maybe five other fans there and then our whole big family there to cheer. We are a pretty good pep squad I think! :) I love softball and it was fun to go watch her. The kids had a good time running around behind the dugout and in one of the empty fields behind us. She was only a freshman playing on JV this year so we have three more years of games to watch which I am excited about!

 A couple different times she had a chance to play on the varsity team and I happened to be at my mom's when she got home from one of those games. We had a quick photo shoot since she looked so awesome and hard core in that uniform! 

 Up to bat

 A hit! I think she ended up getting on base all but one time she was up to bat.

 They played two games and she game to hang out and have a snack with us. It was hot and sunny so we had umbrellas.

 I thought this was cute of Ezra and Cooper snuggling.

 I randomly turned the camera on Oakley and of course she flashed me this perfect little smile and pose. I'm pretty sure that girly can't take a bad picture!

Aaaand then there's Parks. Haha. Who can't manage to, ever in his life, have a clean face. I just love that boy!

Parks is 2!

Parks turned two back in April and he was one happy little camper about a party just for him. We had a few family birthdays in the couple months before his birthday and he loved when we sang and the blowing out of the candles. He spotted a box of matches a couple weeks before his birthday and asked me to light one. I did and sang a quick version of Happy Birthday to him (he had a hard time waiting until I got to the end) and then he blew it out. We did that many times before his birthday so he was very ready for the real thing.

Some things we want to remember about Parks at 2:

- He is such a talker. He talks all day and comes up with some pretty impressive things for a two year old to say. I can see the wheels in his head turning as he's trying to think of a word he's heard us use, and then he's so proud when he comes up with it.

- He always wants to do whatever Darcy and Ezra are doing. He isn't afraid to try hardly anything if he sees one of them do it first.

- While Darcy and Ezra have always been a little more timid and stuck close to me in social situations, Parks is another story. He doesn't worry about where I am or what I'm doing (which makes my job of keeping track of him a little more challenging). He loves people and takes to new people quickly.

- He loves music and dancing, and he is such an awesome, hilarious dancer.

- He is our pickiest eater, but we have had some little victories with him in that department lately. He used to spit things out immediately when he tasted something new or different, but lately he has been giving things more of a chance and finding more food he likes.

 He got a new swimming suit and some sunglasses from Grandma Becky that he had to try on immediately.

Easter 2016

I got a new computer back in December and had a hard time figuring out how to get pictures from my camera to my computer and edit them on it. I kept putting off figuring that out and now it's the middle of July and I have a lot to catch up on.

We had a merry Christmas, a happy New Year, Drew's 32nd birthday, Valentine's Day, and a move to a new house which will have to remain picture-less because I can't seem to find those anywhere. I had thousands of pictures waiting for me to deal with on my camera, but the first event that seemed to be documented there was Easter, so that's where we will start.

 We colored eggs at our own house for the first time this year. I can't remember why...but we did. I was pretty happy with the lack of mess.

 I love that chubby little hand working on his masterpiece.

 The spoon was just not cutting it for Ezra.

 Darcy was our main egg dyer. She loves that kind of thing.

 Easter Sunday outfits

 We went straight from church to Aunt Robin's food and an Easter egg hunt. This was Parks' first time understanding the point of the hunt and he loved it.

 Bronson was playing football with his dad and Parks was just running around after him pretending he knew what he was doing.

 Ezra loved this mode of transportation for hunting.

 Oh these cute brothers...