Happy Independence Day!

I hope everyone has a fun and safe 4th today, and I want to say a big thank you to all our men and women in uniform, military, police, and firemen. Without them we wouldn't be the safe, free place this country is. I feel so blessed to live in the United States, where I can raise my children without fear. And as the wife of a former Navy man and police officer, I can say the sacrifices those men and women make are tremendous and they deserve all our appreciation for the job they voluntarily do everyday. So, thank you for keeping me and my family safe, and have a happy Independence Day!!

Summer is Here!

It is finally summer! Though with the temperatures around here you would have though summer started back in the beginning of June. It has just been stupid hot here, and we have had no rain for at least 2 weeks, the grass is all starting to die. Which normally wouldn't be that bad, we don't care about having a pretty green lawn, but with goats and a cow who need to graze, it is going to become an issue if it doesn't rain soon. But oh well, it will be winter again before you know it and then we will be wishing for these days back again. LOL.

The kids at least have been enjoying themselves, with Alex out of school the days have been full of coloring, playing outside, going to the pool, and helping Daddy with work outside. Little Collin has just gotten over being sick with some stomach bug, he was down for the count for about 3 days, but now is back to his usual, opinionated, emotional self. Though I must say, over the last few weeks he has started listening much better. And I have seen him helping Mackenzie a lot, he will get her toys she asks for and shares with her and last night he brought her one of her baby dolls when I was putting her to bed "so she wouldn't get lonely". He really is a very sweet, kind little boy. And speaking of Mackenzie, the potty training continues. She will go on the potty, and will even go with the right timing and all, so I know she can, but she just isn't completely interested yet. Though considering she can change her own pull up now and will tell you whether she went pee pee or poopie, I may just have to take the pull ups away all together and "force" her to do it. And I have to say, her language ability is pretty amazing to me, compared to her brothers she is far beyond where they were at 2 years old. I can have a pretty normal conversation with her about most things, she expressess herself very well. And then there was Alex, he is definitly a little kid now. All the good things, like being able to make his own sandwiches and pour his own drinks, and learning how to read (very slowly), and he has a fantastic imagination. And all the bad things, like talking back, acting snotty, ordering his brother and sister around, and lying. Oh yes the lying, his new trick. At least he isn't very good at it yet, I catch him almost every time. But that is going to have to be reigned in, cause as my mom always said to my brother and I, "it isn't that you did something wrong, that can be delt with, it is that you lied about it that made me angry."

So, it is always intesting around here, never a dull moment. And now to a few pictures.

Alex and Collin coloring some pictures about outer space that I printed off the internet.

Alex found an old book of sheet music of mine from back when I was a kid and was learning how to play piano. I wrote my own (rather horrible) song in it. He saw it and copied how I wrote the notes and then proceeded to play his own 'song'.

Alex and Kenzie eating a snack. They were just too cute not to take a picture of. :-)