Summer fun

We always get the kids a little reward for the end of the school year for all of the hard work that they have done all year long. Kylan is our only one old enough to go to school so he is usually the only one that has gotten something in past years. This year we got a gift that would benefit the entire family and the kids love it.


All sports net. If you know my kids- this is the best thing


Setting it up. The kids were so excited to set it up that they talked grandpa to help them when mom and dad said we'll do it later.


I think that Beck likes to pretend it is a tent. He just has to watch out for all of the balls that are being kicked or thrown towards him.

I can start being a mom again

Oh my gosh! I have not been a very good mom or wife this last week. I have heard of the Stephenie Meyer's books and at first I wasn't very interested. I didn't think that I would really enjoy a vampire love story. I am not really into all the vampire stuff but one of my friends from work talked me into reading Twilight(her first book of the series). Oh my gosh I am surprised at how much I liked it. I don't have a lot of time to read so it usually takes me a few months to get through a book but I had this book done in a couple of days. Then I couldn't wait to read more and my sweet husband bought me the second book(New Moon) and I was done in a couple of days. I just finished the last book(Eclipse) last night and I am going crazy until I can read her 4th book that is due out in August. I have not met one person that has read these books and not loved them, I am talking about love not like, LOVE. And then there is a movie coming out in December. Tooo long to wait. But I guess I can try and keep busy until then - paying more attention to my cute kids and sweet husband and dirty house. Anyway, I was wondering if these books have the same effect on men as women. As I said before I have not met one person that hasn't loved these books but they have all been women. These books are written from a girl's perspective. So I am making my husband read Twilight to see if he enjoys it as much as I did. We will have to see.

sports,sports,sports

I feel that my life will always have a lot of sports in it. With 4 boys and a husband that loves anything sports sometimes I feel that is all that we do. Right now Kylan is playing minor league baseball and Hunter is playing t-ball. One of them has a game almost every night until the first week in July. Although I sometimes get burnt out on sports I would never give them up or change anything. I absolutely love watching my boys play sports.


Kylan has gotten to pitch a lot in his minor league games. It has been really fun watching him learn how to pitch and figure out how to get the ball to go where he wants it to and at the speed he wants it to. He did not get this from me. It has been fun to watch him enjoy it.


Kylan waiting for a good pitch.


Hunter ready for his first t-ball game. It has been fun watching him learn about baseball and figure out how the game works.


Hunter getting in line for his turn to hit. I like how t-ball works. All of the players get to hit every inning. They still have outs but the inning isn't over until everyone gets a turn at bat.


Hunter getting ready to hit the ball.

You know you are a mother when...

I thought this was cute and so true...

You're Really A Mom When...

-You count the number of sprinkles on each kid's cupcake to make sure they are equal.
-You want to take out a contract on the kid who broke you child's favorite toy and made him/her cry.
-You have time to shave only one leg at a time.
-You hide in the bathroom to be alone.
-Your child throws up and you catch it.
-Someone else's kid throws up at a party and you keep eating.
-You consider finger paint to be a controlled substance.
-You mastered the art of placing food on a plate without anything touching.
-Your child insists that you read "Once upon a Potty" out loud in the lobby of the doctor's office and you do it.
-You hire a babysitter because you haven't been out with your husband in ages, then you spend half the night talking about and checking on the kids.
-You hope ketchup is a vegetable because it's the only one your child eats.
-You find yourself cutting your husband's sandwiches into unusual shapes.
-You fast forward through the scene when the hunter shoots Bambi's mother.
-You obsess when you child clings to you upon parting during his first month at school, then you obsess when he skips in without looking back.
-You can't bear to give away baby clothes--it's so final.
-You hear your mother's voice coming out of your mouth when you say,"Not in your good clothes."
-You stop criticizing the way your mother raised you.
-You read that the average-five-year old asks 437 questions a day and feel proud that your kid is "above average".

Gavin's party

We had Gavin's birthday this last Saturday. I have always had a hard time thinking of a theme for birthdays for when my kids have turned 1. They aren't old enough to really have likes and dislikes and can't tell you what they want- so for Gavin we decided to do an activity that we all love doing -miniature golf. We then decided to eat at one of our favorite restaurants - FireHouse - I am not a huge fan of cakes and I didn't want to bring a homemade cake to the restaurant and I didn't want to add one more place to go to have ice cream and cake so we had FHookies for Gavin's cake and ice cream. It was really good. I crave another one. Anyway, most of the family that lives close to us was able to come (Jenney was in CA visiting Kirstyn and Shauntae and Matthew were too tired from their campout the night before.) We had a lot of fun. I am glad that it was good weather for the miniature golf. Gavin had fun and loved playing with the golf club and ball. He also loved his gifts. He drank for the first time out of a straw at FireHouse. I think that he had a lot of fun. He was smiling almost the whole time.


The kids are playing in a stream that runs through the golf course with their golf clubs while they wait for the adults to catch up to them. The kids always are a hole or two in front of the adults.


While we waited for everyone to get there Gavin played around on the putting green (even though now it is orange, so I guess the putting orange?)


Gavin in his stroller with his golf club.


Grandma Draper right after a great putt. I tried to get a picture of her while she was putting. She was standing in the bush behind her. It was cute.


The kids that were at the party. Ethan, Austin, Gavin, Hunter, Beck and Kylan (not in that order)


Our scorecard-the winner of the game gets a free pass for your next time and a cute golf ball that Gavin got to pick out for his birthday. Of course, he picked the brightest colored but it was cute and later when he is a little older and stops putting it into his mouth he will have fun playing miniature golf with it.


A Webkinz mouse that Gavin got from his cousins Ethan, Austin and Matthew.


A cute cow and milk bottle bowling game that was from grandma and grandpa Draper


The birthday cake and ice cream. If you have never had a pizzookie or as they call it here FHookie (FH for FireHouse) you are really missing out. It is a warm cookie right out of the oven with ice cream on top and some chocolate and caramel topping drizzled on top. So good!

Thanks to everyone who came, it was a lot of fun!

Time sure does fly by

I can't believe that it has been a year. My baby Gavin is one today. He has brought so much joy and happiness to our family. I can't imagine life without him.


The day he was born


My four boys - Gavin 2 weeks old


1 month old


cute smile 5 months old


enjoying time in the jumper 6 months old


cute brothers 8 months old


with grandma 10 months old


11 months old

What do kids do when they are suppose to be cleaning their room?

I put together some stamp sets this morning and my kids were suppose to be cleaning their room.  I was talking on the phone and turned around and this is what I saw:






If you can't tell what is on their faces from the pictures it is the rubber that was left over from what I cut off of the rubber stamps. What goofballs.

Do you ever feel like this?

I found this on one of my friends blogs and thought that it was so funny and true.

I decided to do the laundry. As I start toward the laundry room, I notice that there are cheerios all over the floor and my car keys are in the cereal bowl. I decide to pick up the cheerios before I do the laundry. I lay my car keys down on the counter, put the cheerios in the trash can under the counter, and notice that the trash can is full. So, I decide to take out the trash. But then I think, since I am going to be near the mailbox when I take out the trash I may as well pay the bills first. I take my checkbook off the table, and see that there is only one check left, my extra checks are in my desk in the office/playroom, so I go to my desk where I find a sippy cup full of juice. I'm going to look for my checks, but first I decide I should put the sippy cup in the refrigerator to keep it cold.

As I head toward the kitchen with the sippy cup, a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye and they need to be watered. I set the sippy up on the counter, and I discover baby wipes that I've been searching for all morning. I decide I better put them back in the bathroom, but first I'm going to water the flowers. I set the wipes back down, fill a container with water and suddenly I spot the TV remote, one of the kids left it on the kitchen table. I realize that when they go to watch TV I will be looking for the remote as they fight over who lost it, but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I'll water the flowers. I splash some water on the flowers, but most of it spills on the floor. So,I set the remote back down, get some paper towels and wipe up the spill. Then I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day: the laundry isn't washed, the bills aren't paid, there is a warm cup of juice sitting on the counter, the flowers aren't watered, there is still only one check in my checkbook, I can't find the remote, I can't find the wipes, and I don't remember what I did with the car keys. Then when I try to figure out why nothing go done today, I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day long, and I'm really tired.

Picture tag

I was trying to avoid this but I like seeing everyone else's pics so I guess I will play along.

10 picture's to get to know us better.

1.your kitchen sink

Not my favorite thing

2.your fridge
first the outside

Covered with sports schedules and church responsibilities.

now the inside


3.favorite pair of shoes

I have different favorite shoes for different seasons. Since right now is spring/start of summer I love these clogs/crocks whatever you want to call these. They are easy to grab and go. An alternative to sandals.

4.your closet

I am in the middle of rearranging and cleaning out and clearing out and getting rid of and...

5.your laundry pile

My laundry is actually done. That is what I have been doing the last two days. Here is a picture of our washer and dryer in the unfinished basement. I guess I have one more load of blankets to do.

6.what are your kids doing right now

They are actually eating one of their favorites treats- apples and peanut butter- and watching cartoons

7.your favorite room in the house
Probably the living room because that is where we spend the most time- but it is in the middle of being re-arranged. I am good at starting projects -not so great at finishing. I am working on that

8. your toilet

Not sure why anyone would want to see this

9.fantasy vacation

Hawaii-since I have never been

10.self portrait