Milk REALLY is best from the JUG!

I remember growing up - I was a milk-lover - still am now. I used to ask my mom to buy me a separate jug of skim milk so I could drink from it - there is something about milk RIGHT out of the fridge. mmmmmm mmmm mmmmm.
Well, Ireland has experienced the same wonderful-ness. There was just a smidge of milk left in the gallon - so Tim told Ireland she could drink it. She kept looking back at Tim to see if he was really going to allow this - it was a RIOT! Looks like I need to add a few gallons to the grocery list :) It's okay - she's worth it, and I know how GOOD it is. So - go ahead, sis - drink up!

Beauwin's thought on Space...

I'm trying to do better about writing down some of the funny things these kiddos do/say. And I'm using my blog as a collection spot, so here's one from July. And they just keep coming...

I pull into driveway – Tim & kids are out washing blue car. Beauwin is happy to see me & hops into the Montero passenger seat.

B: Mom, what’s this?
K: That’s the parking brake.
B: You need that when you park on a mountain, right?
K: well, yes or a hill.
B: Do you need it in space?
K: well, I’ve never parked in space I don’t think so.
B: Moooom, you don’t want to hit a rocket ship.
K: Well of course you don’t – I guess I WOULD suggest a parking brake in space then.

Just in case you were wondering if she was really mine...

Exploring Greater Arizona

July 11th -
We often get flack for not exploring more of Arizona - having lived here for 5 years now. SO - we decided to hit the trails and experience some Arizona outdoor time at Lake Pleasant. I don't know that I have laughed so hard in a really long time. This might top out on the list of “trashiest things I’ve ever done” – Tim was repulsed and wouldn’t even get in the water. It was actually extremely cool (even cold near the bottom) but as Tim says “we broke bread with the Navajo” – we were probably some of the only Caucasians for MILES. It was SO rocky but people just set up tents on these boulders – like camping tents to STAY for a COUPLE days and backed there big hillbilly trucks right up to the water using tailgates for diving boards!!!!!!!! The “bank” down to the water was such an incline I was hanging on to the kids for dear life thinking they would fall & just keep rolling. We should have driven an ATV!

We took one for the team as they say and “did it for the children” to stay and I swam (well, I did :) - Tim was our life guard) and had a yummy picnic. Beauwin thought it was great and loved his $1 tube, Ireland – not so much. She wouldn’t even put her feet down on the slimy rocks and when I found a 5 inch square of sand to plop her on, she FREAKED – hahaha. This might sound familiar to Mimi - back when I used to avoid her slimy rocks in the lake. But we LAUGHED and LAUGHED at how hilarious it was. Here are a few shots. I will research better next time – in fact we decided, next lake trip we will drive another ~3 hours to get to Powell OR maybe, just keep on drivin’ and drivin’ to Otisfield to have a picnic on Mimi's "rock".

4th of July

It was a toasty 4th of July in Arizona - i think it got down to about 105 for the 9 pm fireworks - PHEW! Well, Grammy braved the heat with us as we camped out for the festivities. A good time had by all - next year, we'd like to be oceanside for fireworks :)

Below you with note 2 dashingly cute kids before heading out - I told them to get together for a picture - Ireland looks almost uncomfortable, but bearing "it" - the "it" is what we refer to as Beauwin's Photo Hold - a riot.

BTing: What a girl needs!

Still backtracking here...

While Hil was here, we had a quick conversation about our toy selection, it went something like this:

H: Hey Kel, there aren't really any 'girly' toys for Ireland...have you noticed that?
K: Well, that's because she LOVES Thomas the Train and Fighter Jets, Matchbox cars, etc."
H: Oh, because she has a choice, right?

hahahahahah - it was TRUE - we had a boy-dominant toy selection. Well, thanks to a doting & observant "Heel" (Hil - as the kiddos call her) - Ireland now has an expanded "girly" toy selection :) Thanks to Grammy & Noni & Aunt Ang - we have Dolly's and back-up "pink bears" (her security blanket) and purses GALORE. And Ireland couldn't be more thrilled about it. Here are just a couple shots of the day(s) her new items arrived.

Backtracking: Mylie & Hil came to Visit!!

Well, since I'm SO behind I thought I might as well catch up on ALL the good stuff!! Like a visit from Hil & Mylie in May!!! What a treat for us!! "Baby Mylie" as she's known around here - she'll probably be annoyed when she's 10 and we still call her that :) - is such a JOY...constant smiles & laughter!! We did a lot of just hanging out at the pool - Hil quickly discovered Mylie was a WATER BABY and had a blast! We did brave the Phoenix zoo but it ended up to be quite toasty & we scooted back home to the pool! It was so nice having Hil visit before she moved back east.